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It's been a long time coming, and today Perfect Dark is finally available for download on XBLA. Sporting some new Xbox Live functionality and a sparkly new coat of paint, we'd be hard-pressed to come up with a better way to drop 800 ($10) on the Xbox Live Marketplace. The game is a classic and the closest you'll get to having GoldenEye on Xbox Live. Check it out in the latest episode of XBLA in Brief above!

Shortcut: Download the trial version of Perfect Dark [via Xbox.com]

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"Remastered" is the appropriate term for 4J Studios' Perfect Dark port, which takes Rare's classic console FPS and remodels it with high-resolution assets and tactful tweaks to better suit its new Xbox Live Arcade format. Perfect Dark is the third N64-generation Rare title that 4J Studios has remastered, following XBLA ports of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, and it's likely the most anticipated. Perfect Dark is a historical landmark, after all, and it's one that should be visited from time to time by anyone interested in games.

Originally released in mid-2000, Perfect Dark arrived as I was staggering forth from my freshman year of college. I picked it up because, back in high school, we played GoldenEye until the sun came up. I never grew to worship Perfect Dark as I had Rare's acclaimed Bond shooter, but my memory recalls it as a "slightly superior" game (if not as personally beloved). As one of the more prominent entries on my "I woulda, coulda, shoulda played it more" list, I've been looking forward to this reunion -- a chance to get to know Perfect Dark better.

Very few games manage to instill a pure kind of terror such as Limbo, an aptly-titled puzzle-platformer in development for the past four years. Winner of multiple IGF awards, Limbo is a beautiful and haunting journey, one that must be experienced to be understood -- and thankfully, you'll be able to experience it on Xbox Live Arcade this summer. Like Braid and Shadow Complex before it, Limbo is likely to become the headlining downloadable game of the year.

To describe Limbo in great detail would be a huge disservice to gamers. What makes Limbo so mesmerizing is its mysterious quality: the game simply begins, and continues. The abstract narrative is told simply through the journey; don't expect long Jonathan Blow-esque prose throughout. Presented in black and white and silence, Limbo's simplistic style carries a foreboding atmosphere unlike any other game. It's gorgeous, with detailed animations giving life to every object in the world. Were it not for its interactivity, one might be hard pressed not to think it's a painting.

Limbo offers players little direction, nor does it need to. A GUI would ruin the simple beauty of developer Playdead's project. The controls will be immediately familiar to most gamers: A to jump and X to grab. It may seem a bit too simplistic, but Limbo offers some rather unique puzzles that take advantage of the environment in unusual and unexpected ways. Timing and precision is a necessity -- as is repetition, with death an unavoidable part of the gameplay. Traps, enemies, and pitfalls will make this a perilous journey, and the graphic depictions of death will keep you uncomfortable and on edge for hours.

It was hard to resist the urge to continue playing through the entire adventure. While I found myself stuck at a few devilish puzzles, I never found myself too frustrated to go on. Limbo is a gorgeous game that explores emotions so rarely found in games: not just terror, but a distinct sense of helplessness and longing.

Your usual host is off gallivanting around San Francisco at GDC right now, so you'll have to make do with me for the latest XBLA in Brief episode. Today, we take a look at Scrap Metal, a title that instantly recalls the simple fun of the SNES classic Rock N' Roll Racing.

With a hefty price tag of 1200 ($15), Scrap Metal better have a lot to offer, right? Well, there's variety, there's some tight gameplay and there's certainly lots of rocking, rolling and racing. In short: it's not a bad game at all! Check it out for yourself in the video above.

Shortcut: Download the trial version of Scrap Metal [via Xbox.com]

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If you were to ask us what to expect from most fast food joints, we'd probably tell you to look inside your garbage can and basically expect that -- but, y'know, inside of your stomach. We don't know; it's all the same pre-processed, assembly line garbage to us and we manage to successfully avoid it for the most part. But the Mega64 dudes instead find themselves in an almost perpetual, Groundhog Day-like loop when it comes to one particular establishment: Sonic.

Even though each trip usually makes the guys wish they never went in the first place, the thought of returning oddly enough fills them with hope that things will be different each and every time, only to suffer the grim realization again. It's such a departure for Mega64, but we can't help but feel like there's some kind of correlation to a current gaming news item in here -- so we thought we'd post this to see what you all think they're talking about. While we think on it, head past the break and check out the video.

With the conclusion of another 1 vs 100 season on Xbox Live, it appears Microsoft still has some kinks to work out of its grand (and fun) online game show experiment. After receiving several tips and reviewing forums, it was made clear that some players were having problems obtaining their awards.

Joystiq followed up with Microsoft and was told, "We are aware that some people have experienced delays in receiving 1 vs 100 prizes. We apologize for the delay and are actively working to improve the prize fulfillment process. We encourage Xbox LIVE members to ensure all of their account personal information is up to date so Microsoft can determine prizing eligibility. If you have any further questions, please contact your local customer support."

A major issue with the 1 vs 100 prizing seems to be the number of minor details of which players may be unaware. For starters, prize winners should wait up to six weeks before hitting the panic button. There's also the issue of location: Remember that residents of Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Vermont, and Quebec can't receive prizes (and shouldn't even participate in the live shows). Prize winners (actually, all Xbox Live users) should also make sure their email and contact information is current. It also helps to review the game's Mini FAQ. Before the next season of 1 vs 100 starts we'll follow up with Microsoft to see what improvements it has made to the process. Just letting players know if they are even eligible for prizes -- before starting them off in their first 1 vs. 100 Live show of the season -- would likely alleviate several issues.

With a lengthy campaign, multiplayer mode and a new rewind feature, the XBLA iteration of Duke Nukem 3D is arguably the best installment in the franchise, and easily the most ... well, released. Fortunately, the pig-mutant massacring simulator is the current Xbox Live Deal of the Week, and has its price temporarily reduced from 800 ($10) to 400 ($5).

We'd suggest checking the game out right now, as whatever player base it might still possess is probably going to get stolen away when that other revamped shooter comes out on XBLA next month.

The Australian OFLC ratings board has granted a rating to an Ubisoft game called Bloody Good Time -- a game that has yet to be quite announced, though Ubisoft already has a site for it. According to the blurb on the incomplete site, "Bloody Good Time is a game regrouping ambitious teen actors ready to kill for fame! Selected by a weird B-movie director looking for the best shot, they will do anything to get the lead role." How did this make it through the rating process in Australia, exactly?

A German USK rating further specifies this game as an Xbox Live Arcade release -- essentially leaving only release date and graphical styles as open questions. Well, that and the issue of whether you control the murderous teen actors, in which case it's a multiplayer shooter, or the director, in which case it's something really interesting.

This week's Xbox Live deal is none other than DICE's downloadable destruction sim, Battlefield 1943. Major Nelson reports that, for this week only, you can snag the game for $5 off the usual asking price. For one lone Hamilton ($10), you can experience all of the mayhem of the Frostbite engine across several islands in the Pacific, where vicious World War II battles were waged. That is, unless you fancy yourself a pilot, in which case we hope you like standing around a whole bunch.

A press release from Microsoft has revealed the pricing of all games offered in the upcoming March XBLA Block Party promotion. Think of the Block Party as Microsoft's first-quarter crack at the Summer of Arcade, combining a month of releases under one convenient promotional banner. According to the press release the pricing for each title will be:

• Perfect Dark -- 800 ($10)
• Toy Soldiers -- 1200 ($15)
• Scrap Metal -- 1200 ($15)
• Xbox Game Room -- Free to download (Each title costs 240 [$3] per single license, 400 [$5] for use on PC and Xbox 360, or 40 [50 cents] per play)

Capcom has confirmed a staggered March release for Mega Man's second, current-gen, 8-bit quest. Nintendo Wii fans will get behind the blue-bot's laser first with Mega Man 10 hitting the WiiWare service on March 1; PlayStation 3 fans can expect Mega Man's return on March 11; while Xbox 360 users will have to wait until March 31 to get their blast on.

Capcom also revealed images detailing Mega Man's upcoming arsenal, as well as images that show off the difference between the game's Normal and Easy modes. Spot images of all the new weapons and a glimpse at the game's challenge mode on the Unity blog.

Update: New concept art of Mega Man's weapons and screens for his upcoming adventure have been added to our gallery.

First revealed in September of last year, NinjaBee has released the very first screens of Ancients of Ooga, an upcoming Xbox Live Arcade game. The game centers around the Oogani, comprised of tribes of voracious, imp-like creatures. According to the press release, the primary action of the Oogani is to eat. Depending on what one consumes, the player-controlled Oogani can be imbued with special abilities, though apparently some tasty morsels have detrimental effects as well.

The release also notes that the game is "packed with puzzle solving, bad-guy fighting, ladder-climbing, catapulting, strange-object eating, puking enjoyment." Given the bizarre humor of Ancients of Ooga, it shouldn't surprise that J. Kenworthy Entertainment is developing the game as a spiritual successor to its first XBLA outing, Cloning Clyde.

Check out a bunch of beta build screens -- which are definitely giving off a demented Kirby sort of vibe -- in the gallery below. Ancients of Ooga is planned for release later this year.

We're guessing that the person at Microsoft whose job it is to choose the discounted XBLA games of the week is a huge New Orleans Saints fan. Filled with the overwhelming spirit of victory from last night's engagement, this person couldn't stop him or herself from repeatedly hitting the price reduction button. We're afraid of what might have happened if they were a diehard Colts fan. Can XBLA prices be increased?

Fortunately, things panned out in our favor. During the discounting spree, three titles got their prices reduced: Marvel vs. Capcom 2 is now 800 ($10, down from 1200), TMNT: Turtles in Time Reshelled is 400 ($5, down from 800) and Invincible Tiger: The Legend of Han Tao is available for 800 ($10, down from 1200). Basically, if you've got an itch to watch ninjas or superheroes beat the snot out of things, Xbox Live has you covered for the next seven days.

Today's lone Xbox Live Arcade release is Chime, the not-for-profit project from Zoe Mode and OneBigGame. 60 percent of proceeds from the 400 ($5) game will go to Save the Children and Starlight Children's Foundation, so consider it a surprisingly entertaining chance to stop being such a selfish jerk.

If you're looking for a pre-purchase glimpse, check out the trailer above or download the demo on Xbox Live. We'd ask you to chime in with your opinions, but that joke's been done. Just now.

Shortcut: Add Chime to your download queue [Xbox.com]

It's hard to say just how good The Behemoth's newly announced BattleBlock Theater will be when it launches (no release date yet!). Even with all the clips and screens we've seen and all the time we've spent with the title (previously codenamed Game 3), we still don't have a deep understanding of what, exactly, is going on. But the team's got a pretty good track record with Castle Crashers and Alien Hominid, so we're willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.

None of that matters, however, because what we do know is that what follows after the jump is probably our favorite trailer so far this year. It's actually -- and don't tell any advertisers or con-men this -- a little sad and scary just how easily we can be manipulated.