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The Best Xbox Live Indie Games
Our favourite Indie games available now on Xbox 360
Written by Steven Williamson, 27 July 2010
With the monumental surge in popularity of casual gaming over the last few years Xbox 360 creator, Microsoft, has done its bit to encourage bedroom coders and Indie developers to get their creative juices flowing by releasing the XNA Game Studio kit, which has now been used to develop hundreds of games for the Xbox Live Marketplace since its inception in 2006.
With such an exhaustive list of titles to scroll through, ranging from shoot 'em ups to bizarre dating games, it's hard to know exactly where to begin. There's a very handy rating system for users so that you can see which games are highly recommended to the community, but at Gamerzines we've argued, made up, and argued again until we came up with our own definitive top five list. Here we go...
Title: Trino
Trino is an action/puzzle game that puts you in control of a tiny bio-mechanical entity with the ability to create triangle-shaped traps that can capture hostile alien creatures. Though the premise is similar to Geometry Wars, Trino stands on its own merits for delivering addictive and challenging gameplay that awakens the senses with its intoxicating blend of intense gameplay, ambient music and bright visuals.
Trino's simplicity, which requires of you to use nothing more than the (A) button to control the length and depth of your triangle, is part of its appeal. But don't let the simple control scheme fool you into thinking it's an easy game; Trino has depth to its gameplay. Thanks to some challenging enemies and over 48 exciting levels, Trino is one of the most addictive Indie games on Xbox Live.
Title: I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!!
This multi-directional, dual-stick-controlled, top-down shooter is one of the finest games to have graced the Xbox Live Arcade, and it's ridiculously good value for money at just 70p! Unsurprisingly, it's all about killing zombies and it plays host to a range of weaponry that should be familiar to fans of the shooter genre.
Armed with an arsenal of weaponry, from shot-guns to flamethrowers, the intensity rises as you progress through the increasingly difficult levels. As waves of zombies surround you and move in for the kill, to the sound of pumping techno, you shouldn't fail to be excited by the thrill of the chase.
There are tons of zombie variants and weapon upgrades to increase your chances of surviving against the rabid hordes. Fast-paced and exciting, I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!! is a throwback to the days when gaming used to be incredibly simple and relied largely on solid mechanics and good level design. I MAED A GAM3 W1TH Z0MB1ES!!! is a lot of fun and the four-player gameplay is an absolute blast!
Title: Miner Dig Deep
Though Miner Dig Deep's 2D graphics may appear incredibly dull, the gameplay, which offers a serious amount of replay value, is another story. Quite simply, Miner Dig Deep requires you to dig a deep mine and explore underground to collect resources before selling them above ground to buy items such as ladders, elevators and drills to allow you to dig deeper and explore even further.
There are plenty of hazards to watch out for as well, such as Earthquakes that bring your tunnels caving in on you and boulders that block your path. The beauty of Miner Dig Deep is that the mines are randomly generated, meaning that resources, items and hazards appear in different places to ensure that no game is ever the same. The premise of Miner Dig Deep has been lifted from some classic games of the past that older gamers may remember, such as Dig Dug, but its slick gameplay is no less impressive among today's big budget titles.
Title: The Impossible Game
Though the title of this twich platfomer sends out a clear and unsubtle clue as to its intense difficulty level, The Impossible Game is as addictive as it is frustrating. You control an orange square and have to press the (A) button to jump and navigate your way to the end of each level. You use other squares as platforms to jump from and have to use pin-point accuracy and timing to avoid triangles, which act as spikes.
Gameplay is very challenging, but that makes it all the more satisfying when you reach the end of each level knowing that it relied purely on your skills and determination to get there. There are no gimmicks in The Impossible Game, instead it relies solely on entertaining you through its ingenious level design. It achieves that goal with some style, offering an addictive challenge that should keep you coming back for more.
Title: Nuke Your Neighbour
There are dozens of shooters and puzzle games on the Xbox Live Marketplace, but Nuke Your Neighbour is a real gem if you're a fan of card games. The social card game Uno became an instant hit on the Xbox Live Arcade and similarly Nuke Your Neighbour now has a thriving community as players hook up online in a strategic battle of wits with up to 8 players. Indeed, gameplay does have some similarities to Uno, requiring you to get rid of all your cards before your opponent. But with sharp presentation and plenty of chances to change the sway of the game with the likes of 'Wild Cards,' it's a great game of strategy particularly when you're playing against human opponents.
Nuke Your Neighbour is an accessible title with a brilliant tutorial mode that helps to put all gamers on a level playing field. The fast pace of the matches makes it the perfect pick-up-play title for those who want a break from the influx of button-mashing shooters.
