Are you an Xbox 360 owner who doesn’t own a PS3, but wants to enjoy the juvenile thrill one gets from flinging a virtual person through the air with intent to injure in the PS3 exclusive PAIN!?  Well today is your lucky day, sort of.  Microsoft’s Indie Game download service’s newest game, Avatar Drop, lets you “experience the side-splitting hilarity of watching your digital alter-egos bump, scream and crash their way through random obstacles.”  Or it would, anyway, if it was working.  But it’s not.

The idea of a vertical version of PAIN! Starring your Xbox Live Avatars is an intriguing one, and I’d love to see it in action.  Unfortunately, I made the 80 ($1.00) purchase, tried to play the game,and received the following, oh-so-helpful message;

“The game has unexpectedly stopped working.  Please try it again.  If problems persist, please contact the creator of the game.”

Apparently, this is Microsoft’s policy on Indie Games.  This seems a little insane, considering I didn’t buy the game from the creator (whoever that is), I bought it from Microsoft.  Regardless, I’m now out a dollar, have no free-falling Avatar entertainment, and I’m feeling pretty pissed at Bill Gates right now.  Hopefully, this is related to Xbox Live being a bit wonky right now (there seem to be Japanese-only games on the indie game list), and will clear up soon. 

Has anyone else tried downloading Avatar Drop?  Are you getting the same results I am?

*UPDATE* - The game is now working for me, and I can safely say that it's easily fifty cents worth of fun for only a dollar.