If you've been itching to shoot and/or melee dinosaurs back into extinction, then you'll be happy to know a demo for Jurassic: The Hunted is now available on Xbox Live.

The 589MB download offers a sample of Cauldron's time-traveling shooter, which hit PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360 and Wii on November 3 after being announced just two weeks before. Having purchased the game and played it to completion, I can say that it's an entertaining, though somewhat generic, experience ...but with dinosaurs!

Oh, and per usual, the Xbox 360 demo will only be available to Xbox Live Gold members for the next week, after which it will be available to free Silver-level accounts.

"All your off-roading fantasies are about to come true," declares this trailer for the downloadable MX vs. ATV Reflex demo now available on PlayStation and Xbox 360.

Rainbow's latest hits North American retail in PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Nintendo DS and PSP form on December 1. Hopefully we get a making-of or behind-the-scenes look at this ad before then, because a poorly acted spot starring bikini-clad models and goofy male teenagers is just brimming with potential for hilarious and awkward moments.

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While the entirety of Sgt. Pepper's one and only Lonely Hearts Club Band march out to The Beatles: Rock Band next Tuesday, developer Harmonix will be releasing six downloadable tunes for its regular Rock Band entries.

The below tunes hit Xbox 360 and Wii on Tuesday, November 17, with a PlayStation 3 release following Thursday, November 19. Each track will sell by itself for $2 (160 Microsoft Points / 200 Wii Points), with the five-track AFI bundle going for $8.50 (680 Microsoft Points) on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

AFI Pack 01
• AFI - "Beautiful Thieves
• AFI - "End Transmission"
• AFI - "Love Like Winter"
• AFI - "Medicate"
• AFI - "The Leaving Song, Pt II"
• The Bangles - "Walk Like an Egyptian" +

  Tracks marked "+" will also hit the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store.

Having already made his Rock Band debut in with another band, Jack White returns to Harmonix's music game franchise with a selection of tracks from The White Stripes as The Damned and Kasabian toss songs of their own on the downloadable wagon.

Due on Xbox 360 and Wii Tuesday, November 10 and PlayStation 3 on Thursday, November 12, each of the following tunes will go for the usual asking price of $2 / 160 Microsoft Points, with three-pack offering a slight savings at $5.50 / 440 MS Points.

The White Stripes Pack 01
• The White Stripes - "Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground"*
• The White Stripes - "Girl, You Have No Faith in Medicine"*
• The White Stripes - "Icky Thump"
• The Damned - "Smash It Up (Part II)"*
• Kasabian - "Club Foot"*

*Also available in the family-friendly LEGO Rock Band Music Store.

Some new boxers and two more gameplay modes are headed to Fight Night Round 4 as downloadable content in "early December," publisher Electronic Arts has revealed.

Coming to PS3 and Xbox 360, the $9.99 / 800 Microsoft Point download adds Bernard Hopkins, Sonny Liston and Evander Holyfield as playable characters. As for the new modes, Old School Rules "brings a new take to the traditional boxing experience" while Ring Rivalries "allows you to re-create some of the greatest match ups in boxing."

Electronic Arts further noted that it has lowered the price of the boxing game, which was developed by EA Canda and hit in late June, from $59.99 to $39.99 in North America.

Microsoft has launched an invite-only test program for Xbox 360, offering participants incentives to make certain purchases or subscriptions and fill out surveys.

The incentives of the Xbox Live Rewards program come in the form of Microsoft Points, the currency used in the Xbox Live Marketplace, with the exact rewards depending on which level of the promotion users are enrolled in.

Three levels have been uncovered thus far: Gray, Orange, and Green. Gray participants will be refunded a small percentage of their total Marketplace purchases, with the percentage growing the longer they stay subscribed to Xbox Live Gold.

Orange offers the above along with additional Microsoft Points for... Read more

The first major batch of downloadable content for Marvel Ultimate Alliance 2 will hit Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on Thursday, November 5, publisher Activision said today.

The $10 / 800 Microsoft Point download will deliver new upgrades and missions to Vicarious Visions' superhero action-RPG, along with five new characters. Of those new heroes, four have been revealed: Carnage, Cable, Psylocke and Black Panther.

In addition, Juggernaut--a playable character offered as a pre-order bonus--will also be formally released as downloadable content the same day at $2 / 160 MS Points.

Developer Harmonix has issued details on next week's batch of downloadable add-ons for Rock Band and Rock Band 2, which will deliver eight new tracks to the franchise.

The following will hit the online marketplaces of the Xbox 360 and Wii on Tuesday, November 3, and then PlayStation 3 on November 5. Each track will be $2 / 160 MS Points, with the Foo Fighters Pack at $7 / 560 MSP and Nirvana at $5.50 / 440 MSP.

Foo Fighters Pack 03
• Foo Fighters - "Best of You"
• Foo Fighters - "The Pretender"... Read more

Having previously noted its plans for "deep and interactive downloadable content to be released on a regular basis post launch," Playlogic has revealed details on the first add-ons coming to its just-released PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 action game.

"4 Brand New Playable Characters" and "3 Brand New PvP Arenas" will be provided as an "exclusive" free download to those that register their copy of the game at the official site. The offer is open for the first 90 days the game is out, so you have 89 days left.

As for those who don't register, Playlogic noted it will details "our FREE DLC release plans for Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Store in the coming weeks."

Taito's revamp of multi-colored platforming classic Rainbow Islands and Dark Energy's hellish take on billiards will grace Xbox Live Arcade on Wednesday, October 28.

Both Rainbow Islands: Towering Adventure! and Inferno Pool will run 800 Microsoft Points ($10), according to Xbox Live programming director Larry 'Major Nelson' Hryb.

On the multiplayer front, Inferno Pool sports online and offline play for four players, while the Islands' rainbow-dropping enemy-crushing ways are limited to two local players.

As Halloween draws ever closer, Harmonix has proclaimed that next week's Rock Band downloadable content will be "the spookiest DLC packs yet." Which artists could warrant this blood-curdling title? Why, it's none other than family-friendly shock rocker Rob Zombie, wailin' Wolfmother, lurid Liz Phair, and the macabre Morningwood.

Rob Zombie Track Pack
• Rob Zombie - "Burn"
• Rob Zombie - "Dragula"
• Rob Zombie - "Superbeast"
Wolfmother Track Pack
• Wolfmother - "New Moon Rising"... Read more

Arriving on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday will be Petroglyph's turn-based strategy-collectible card game hybrid Panzer General: Allied Assault and a port of PC tower-building puzzler Tower Bloxx Deluxe, priced at 800 Microsoft Points ($10) apiece.

Spawn of the classic PC strategy series Panzer General, Allied Assault sports online multiplayer and such WW2 battles as Utah Beach, Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. A board game is also in the works, due to arrive in January 2010.

It looks like next week will be a costly one for some Rock Band owners, as developer Harmonix is slated to unleash some rather anticipated downloadable add-ons.

Those with plain old Rock Band or Rock Band 2 will be tempted by the addition of ten Queen tunes, all of which are original master recordings. Each tune will go for $2 / 160 MS Points / 200 Wii Points, with the entire ten-pack going for $16 / 1280 MS Points.

Meanwhile, owners of The Beatles: Rock Band will be able to expand their song libraries with the remaining tracks from "Abbey Road," including the 16-minute B-side medley. Songs will be available individually at $2 / 160 MS Points / 200 Wii Points or collectively through a $17 /1360 MS Point bundle, with more albums on the way.

Expect both sets of downloadable content to hit Xbox 360 and Wii on Tuesday, October 20, with PlayStation 3 availability coming Thursday, October 22. Should you desire a full list of the various tunes soon to be on offer, look no further... Read more

Borderlands publisher 2K Games has announced the first batch of downloadable content for Gearbox's upcoming shooter-RPG, titled The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned.

"Tasked with keeping the workers of Jakobs Cove alive, Dr. Ned... does his job a little too well, creating zombies and other abominations that now run rampant in this region," 2K explains, describing it as a "full-fledged expansion." The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned will bring "new enemies, new quests and rare loot drops" for $10 (800 Microsoft Points).

In August, Gearbox CEO Randy Pitchford enthused "People are going to be surprised when they find out how quickly we're coming, and with what content we're coming."

Borderlands will hit Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on October 20, with the PC version pushed back until October 26. The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned arrives "later this year."

If playing through a Taylor Swift single sounds exciting, you'll be thrilled to know that a Band Hero demo is now available on Xbox 360.

The 534MB download packs three tunes ("Paralyzer" by Finger Eleven, "Picture to Burn" by Taylor Swift, "Walking on Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves) and lets players act as singer, guitarist, bassist or drummer, depending on their stock of plastic instruments.

It joins the recent Guitar Hero 5 demo that also features three tunes: "A-Punk" by Vampire Weekend, "Kryptonite" by 3 Doors Down, and "The Rock Show" by Blink-182. Both demos are currently limited to Gold members--Guitar Hero 5's should be available to everyone else tomorrow (Oct. 16), with Band Hero's following in a week (Oct. 22).

Band Hero hits PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and Nintendo DS on November 3. Guitar Hero 5 hit all of those platforms, except Nintendo DS, in September.

It's the week of the adventure game double-act on Xbox Live Arcade, with dynamic duos Axel & Pixel and Sam & Max both arriving in XBLA titles of their own on Wednesday.

Silver Wish Games' artist and dog duo Axel & Pixel debut in a gorgeous surreal eponymous adventure, while the veteran dog and hyperkinetic rabbity thing partners star in the collected second season of Telltale's episodic Sam & Max adventure series.

Axel & Pixel is priced at $10 (800 Microsoft Points) while Sam & Max Season 2 will run you a tidy $20 (1600 Points)--$15 cheaper than the original PC release.

A face-rocking triple-pack from the Brutal Legend soundtrack is headlining next week's batch of Rock Band downloadable content to celebrate the release of Double Fine's heavy metal action adventure, with support acts including Kansas, L7 and Joe Satriani.

"These are three great songs that totally capture the feeling of Brutal Legend. I can't wait to play them in Rock Band," said Double Fine head honcho Tim Schafer in a statement. "I've air-drummed to all of them so many times, I'm sure I'll be able to beat them on hard mode, no problem. Or at least on medium. Like medium plus. That's a setting, right?"

Brutal Legend Pack
• Motorhead - "(We Are) The Road Crew '08"
• Tenacious D - "The Metal"
• Testament - "More Than Meets the Eye"
• Black Tide - "Show Me the Way"... Read more

In an expansion bound to please fanatical football fans, a selection of virtual NFL jerseys are now available for Xbox 360 Avatars.

The offerings encompass all thirty-two teams of the National Football League, with each jersey selling for 320 Microsoft Points ($4).

In other words, expect to see the men and women of Xbox Live endorsing their favorite teams, especially as Avatars become more and more common in-game. Remember when you thought you were safe from sports by playing Uno?

Alanis Morissette's oft-debated misrepresentation of the meaning behind "irony" comes to Rock Band in the form of downloadable content next week, joined by tracks from hip-hoppers Flobot, rockers The Raconteurs, and disco punks Electric Six.

The below tunes hit Xbox 360 and Wii on Tuesday, October 6, with PlayStation 3 availability following Thursday, October 8. Per usual, each song will sell for $2 / 200 Wii Points / 160 Microsoft Points, with the two packs going for $5.50 / 440 MS Points each.

Electric Six Pack 01
• Electric Six - "Dance Epidemic"
• Electric Six - "Gay Bar"... Read more

As promised, Valve today released the downloadable "Crash Course" campaign for the PC and Xbox 360 editions of its cooperative zombie shooter Left 4 Dead.

The expansion, free for PC players and 560 MS Points ($7) for those on Xbox 360, delivers a new two-chapter campaign playable in single-player, co-op and competitive multiplayer. The download also adds several new maps for use in Survival mode.

In celebration of the DLC's release, Valve is offering 50% off the PC edition of the game--bringing it down to $14.99--until Saturday, October 2. The company has previously said that it plans to keep supporting the original Left 4 Dead even after Left 4 Dead 2 arrives on November 17.

"The primary goal of 'Crash' is to deliver a complete Versus mode experience in just 30 minutes, resulting in a streamlined version of the game's existing Versus campaigns," Valve explained, with patch notes for the PC version just below... Read more