Xbox Live to bring E3 home

Microsoft has provided the first details of this year's continuation of the Bringing It Home program, which puts content such as trailers and demos from industry events on Xbox Live Marketplace as free downloads.

During next week's E3 convention, occurring for the first time in Santa Monica, Xbox Live will feature content from:
-Namco Bandai's Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation
-Ubisoft Montreal's Assassin's Creed
-Irrational Games' Bioshock
-Mistwalker's Blue Dragon
-Criterion's Burnout Paradise
-Infinity Ward's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
-EA Canada's FIFA Soccer 08
-Neversoft's Guitar Hero 3
-Mistwalker's Lost Odyssey
-EA Tiburon's Madden NFL 08
-EA Tiburon's NCAA Football 08
-EA Black Box's Need for Speed: ProStreet
-Bizarre Creations' Project Gotham Racing 4
-EA Redwood Shores' The Simpsons Game
-EA Redwood Shores' Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
-Yuke's' WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008

Xbox Live members will be also able to download a high definition recording of Microsoft's E3 2007 press conference from the Xbox Live Marketplace, along with what "many surprises."

Carcassonne builds upon Xbox Live Arcade

Sierra Online released its electronic version of Klaus-Jurgen Wrede's popular board game Carcassonne on Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday. Deceptively simple in its design, the game provides a player with a randomly selected tile each turn, which can only be placed alongside a tile with a matching side. By completing structures, such as cities or roads, players gain points depending on its size and the location of their marker. Only one marker can be placed on a tile,

While this may sound rather mundane, it's actually fun and filled with strategy. Since the cards are random, there is no guarantee you will get the card you need to finish that giant city. Likewise, you can really screw someone over by ending his or her road after only one or two tiles. There's support for up to five players online or four players offline, and the game includes a helpful interactive tutorial.

Another boon for the virtual rendition of Carcassonne is its automated score keeping and the lack of need for physical space, which sometimes presents a problem for the actual board game. Because of its automatic rule enforcement, anyone can play, and the rules are simple enough to pick up on after a brief moment.

There is no word yet on the multiple expansion packs that extended the life of the the board game, though one--Rivers--does come with the game, and can be toggled on or off. Carcassonne sells for 800 Microsoft Points ($10).

Lumines Lives through additional song packs

Two new song packs for Q Entertainment's musical puzzler Lumines Live! were made available through Xbox Live Marketplace last Wednesday.

The first, the SOS Charity Campaign Pack, adds four new songs and backgrounds--Genki Rocket's "Heavenly Star -- SOS Remix," Sugiurumn's "House66," Techriders' "4x4 Bricks," and Muku's "Cosmic Humming"--for 350 Microsoft Points ($4.38). A portion of the purchases through July 17th will go to charities dedicated to saving the evinronment.

The other, Booster Pack, brings 20 songs, including My Generation from Lumines (PSP) and Butterfly Stoke Lumines II (PSP) to the Xbox 360 version. A new skin, Inheritance, is also included. The Booster Pack sells for 600 Microsoft Points ($7.50).

Personally, I found myself rather bored by the SOS Charity Pack--the remix of Heavenly Star is a very repetitive sample and the new skins are flashy to the point of distraction. Just as I was getting ready to call it a night, I started up the Booster Pack and that familiar Lumines addiction kicked in, with an hour disappearing before I knew what had happened. I'm still bummed that Mondo Grosso's "Shinin" has yet to make an appearance on the Xbox 360, but for those with Lumines Live!, the Booster Pack is a solid buy. Environment be damned.

Other Xbox 360 Downloads

-Atari's updated port of Missile Command will arrive on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, priced at 400 Microsoft Points ($5).

- A new map pack for Ubisoft Montreal's Rainbow Six Vegas, Black Pack temporarily appeared on the Xbox Live Marketplace last week at 800 Microsoft Points ($10), disappeared, and then reappeared Saturday for free. The Black Pack contains five maps, three of them brand new to the series.

Those who purchased the Black Pack while it was 800 Microsoft Points will receive an automatic refund within 8 to 10 weeks. The previously released Red Pack will be available for free after Friday, July 6.

- Additional content for Load Inc.'s Xbox Live Arcade racer Mad Tracks is available. Adding nine races and six mini-games, the Encore Expansion Pack sells for 350 Microsoft Points ($4.38).

- A free map pack for Day 1 Studios' Xbox 360 port of Monolith Software's F.E.A.R. arrived last week, adding new maps and two new gameplay modes--Control and Conquer All.