Software - Launch Games

For the launch of the Xbox 360 17 titles were made available on day one. These were in alphabetical order: Amped 3, Call of Duty 2, Condemned, Fifa Road to the World Cup 06, GUN, Kameo, Madden NFL 06, NBA Live 06, Need for Speed: Most Wanted, Perfect Dark Zero, King Kong, PGR 3, Quake 4, Ridge Racer 6, Tetris: The Ace, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 06 and Tony Hawk's American Wasteland. The top 3 selling games were:

Perfect Dark Zero is a First Person Shooter from Rare, the creaters of the critically acllaimed GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. The story is set in 2020, the central character Joanna Dark is a bounty hunter working with her father and friend Chandra. A secret war has begun between shadowy corporations bent on world domination. Joanna Dark and her father, Jack, are caught up in the fight for the planet’s future. A routine bounty hunting mission rips open a global conspiracy that will change Joanna’s destiny - forever. It received mixed, albeit positive, reviews from many reputable reviewers. It was given a 9.0 at gamespot.com, an 8.5 at ign.com and 1up.com gave it a respectable 7/10.

Project Gotham Racing 3 or PGR 3 is an arcade-style racing game. It was givin an 88% at gamerankings.com and ign.com awarded it an 8.8/10. PGR3 features 80 licensed cars from over 30 manufacturers such as Ferrari, Dodge and Lamborghini. Along with the standard races consisting of first across the finish line wins there are races based around the Kudos system, points which are given for stylish driving. For example drifting around a corner, drafting, or getting two or four wheels off the ground. However the points are lost if the player crashes into any barriers. Like most 360 games PGR 3 has online multiplayer. Gamers with Xbox Live Gold are able to race with up to seven other competitors in races online. Scoreboards also track standings for online career.

Call of Duty 2 is a First Person Shooter, the sequel to the critically acclaimed Call of Duty. It was developed by Infinity Ward and published by Activision. The game is set during World War II and is experienced through the perspectives of four soldiers, one in the Red Army, one in the US Army and two in the British Army. The game was met with a positive public reception, receiving mostly positive reviews from critics (IGNs reviewer gave it a 9/10 and believed it was "outstanding"). The Xbox 360 version sold over 250,000 copies in its first week, and had sold 1.4 million copies by October 2006. It's online multiplayer has up to 8 players per match. There are a total of 13 maps, and three of these are remakes from the original Call of Duty. There are also 3 expansion map packs named, Bonus Pack, Skirmish Pack, and Invasion Pack. They add an extra 8 maps combined and will bring you anywhere from Russia to France.