Microsoft is getting so much of my money this summer...

Microsoft is doing their "Summer of Arcade" promotion again this year. For those who are unfamiliar, this is an event where Microsoft promotes XBox Live Arcade by offering up various new titles for download. And I have to admit...this year I'm intrigued by what's coming down the pike. In fact, this weekend I went ahead and loaded up on 5000 Microsoft points in anticipation of some good-looking titles. Here's what I'm buying:

Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers - While this title was released a couple weeks ago and so is not technically part of the "Summer of Arcade" promotion, it's a solid Arcade title that was released as we entered the summer months. I picked it up and have to say the game has been worth every penny. This electronic version of the classic fantasy card game will be familiar to old-school fanboys but also accessible to newcomers. The developers did a great job of capture the artistry of the cards themselves, and the gameplay is very smooth. Plus there are convenient tutorial campaigns available for noobs, as well as a cool "Mentoring" feature that connects new players with experienced pros to help smooth the learning curve. Unfortunately, players cannot build a 100% customized deck, which will hopefully be fixed via a title update. But the game is still a bargain, as replay value is very high, thanks largely to local and online multiplayer.

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 - The classic arcade title comes with 56 playable characters. It includes online multiplayer, and the graphics have been turbo-charged with the full HD treatment. The version looks great, and this game has always been a lot of fun. I'll be curious to see if Live can keep up with the rapid gameplay, though, without producing any nasty lags. Even if there are speed issues, however, the local play on MvC2 alone will be worth picking up this title.

TMNT: Turtles In Time (Reshelled) - I was a BIG fan of this arcade game, and the screens I've seen of the new HD revamp for XBLA look awesome. If you're not familiar, Turtles In Time was an arcade game featuring the entire TMNT crew...that sent them hurtling through different periods in our history to battle their nemesis, Shredder. The bonus: Our twin five-year-old boys are becoming big TMNT fans themselves. So we'll be able to play together all summer long. I really can't wait for this one to drop.

'Splosion Man - The name alone makes this a must-buy. But if you're not convinced by those two little words--I want to say it again: "'Splosion Man!"--then maybe the fact that developers Twisted Pixel were responsible for The Maw (one of my all-time favorite XBLA titles) will get your attention. This original XBLA title puts you in control of 'Splosion Man for fifty levels of side-scrolling goodness. The guy's power? Whaddya think?! He explodes on command! Add to this concept Twisted's great sense of humor, and this is a guaranteed good time.

Shadow Complex - Epic Games debuted this side-scrolling action adventure shooter at E3, and I've been salivating ever since (even in spite of their presentation's technical difficulties). It's a 3D scroller that uses Epic's Unreal Engine over a massively explorable environment with some unique weapons. The game looks beautiful, and the video that I've seen reminds me a lot of Metroid. It may not be Gears of War, but it looks like a lot of fun.

And speaking of Gears...

Dark Corners DLC - What can I say? I'm an addict. And this new content pumps more of what I love about Gears into my veins. Seven new multiplayer maps, complete with a batch of new achievements. Plus a new, full chapter in the single-player campaign. If the titles I listed above weren't enough to warrant my money and keep my playing all summer, then Dark Corners will definitely fill in the gaps. There has been a bit of complaining over the 1600 Microsoft points price tag, but it's honestly consistent with the Gears 2 DLC we've received in the past. A small price to pay, in my estimation.

So there you go. There's my summer. What are you interested in from this summer's Arcade releases?

-Nerd