The Xbox Live Arcade is full of win this week, with the revival of The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition dropping for only 800. Also available is some game about Avatar's balls, but we'll go ahead and focus on the one you'll actually be buying. After playing Telltale's Tales of Monkey Island: Episode 1 I'm just about sold on grabbing the HD remake of the original. The only reason I don't have it yet is, well, because it's not available until Wednesday. Sorry.




Pirates! Adventure! Monkeys! Relive the hilarious swashbuckling misadventures of the wannabe pirate Guybrush Threepwood as he attempts to become the most infamous pirate in the Caribbean! Back by popular demand, The Secret of Monkey Island™: Special Edition faithfully re-imagines the internationally-acclaimed classic pirate adventure game from LucasArts in gorgeous HD detail.

Featuring an all new re-imagined contemporary art style, hand-drawn and presented in 1080p, complete voice over by members of the original Monkey Island™ franchise cast, a re-mastered musical score using live instruments, plus scene-for scene-hot swap to seamlessly transition between Special Edition and Classic modes at anytime.

• Hilarious swashbuckling misadventures: Embark on a bumbling misadventure in an attempt to become the most infamous pirate in the Caribbean, win the heart of the beautiful governor, Elaine Marley, and confront the evil ghost pirate, LeChuck!
• High-definition graphics: The game is all-new and re-imagined with a contemporary art style, hand-drawn and presented in 1080p.
• Voiceover talent: Complete voice over using original Monkey Island franchise cast members brings the story and characters to life like never before.
• Renewed music score: Enjoy the re-mastered and re-recorded musical score using live instruments.
• Special Edition and Classic modes: Scene-for-scene hot swap lets you seamlessly transition between Special Edition and Classic modes at anytime during gameplay.
• Enhanced gameplay: The all-new intuitive game interface and controls provide a more interactive gameplay experience.
• Hint system: Not sure what to do next? The in-game puzzle hint system keeps the puzzles fresh and fun.

Combat revolved! In Madballs in … Babo: Invasion, campaign across distant worlds either solo or with four-player online co-op, taking no prisoners in your wake. Challenge your friends (and your enemies) to see who's the baddest ball on the planet in no-holds-barred 16-player multiplayer arenas with freaky characters or with your own Xbox 360® Avatar! Or really push your limits and try your hand at Invasion Mode where combatants create the very worlds where they wage war. Dozens of unique character classes, weapons, special abilities, worlds, unlocks, secrets, maps, and game modes give you limitless gameplay!

• Avatar ready: Play as your own Xbox 360 Avatar.
• Multiple game modes: Take on the campaign, a ten-level epic quest to save the galaxy. Play multiplayer with up to 16 players, or try four-player online co-op throughout the campaign. And try Invasion Mode, where teams strategically square off to build their side of a never-before-seen map. Once the map is designed, it is rendered in real-time and the combatants meet on it to battle for supremacy!
• Versus arenas: Play on 21 multiplayer maps, with five combat modes: Skirmish, Team Skirmish, Capture The Flag, Invasion, and Avatar Attack.
• The Madballs: Play as your favorite childhood toys, with 10 character classes each with their own unique special abilities, and 10 powerful weapons, each with two fire modes.