In-Depth: Microsoft Xbox 360

Launch Games Line-up

Microsoft's new console launches with a broad selection of games. About half are exclusive to the platform, while the other half are ports of games already released on one or more current generation consoles. Most popular genres are covered, with plenty of racing and sports games, but fighting games and RPGs get the snub for the time being. Dead or Alive 4 will be along in a few weeks, but with Elder Scrolls: Oblivion delayed into 2006, the 360's first RPG will have to wait a while longer.

Currently, the final launch line-up has yet to be announced. We'll update this piece as soon as we have the details.

Condemned: Criminal Origins

Publisher: Sega
Developer: Monolith

Pegged as one of the best games of launch day, Condemned: Criminal Origins is an inspired survival-horror shooter with an original line in melee combat and a variety of crime-solving forensic tools to play with. It's looking like Condemned is one of the games that'll show off the 360's graphics capabilities to best effect, so if the gameplay can keep up with the visuals we'll all be in for a treat. (More info.)

Kameo: Elements of Power

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Rare

From former Nintendo stalwart developer Rare, Kameo has made a peculiar progression from GameCube to Xbox to Xbox 360 over the course of its development. It's finally ready to see the light of day, and is available ahead of the launch, so if you feel like spending a week or so staring at the box, go right ahead. Seriously, Kameo is in with a good chance of being the best-looking game in the launch line-up, and the Zelda-style action-RPG gameplay is surprisingly fresh. (More info.)

Perfect Dark Zero

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Rare

You know, two games is all iconic British studio Rare managed to produce for the Xbox in the three years since Microsoft bought them for a few jillion dollars. Now the 360 gets two Rare games on the same day. Perfect Dark Zero is a sequel to a classic Nintendo 64 spy sci-fi shooter, and promises to wow in both single-player and on Xbox Live. (More info.)

Project Gotham Racing 3

Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Bizarre Creations

Even back when it was called Metropolis Street Racer, this series of racers from Bizarre Creations has never failed to produce compelling, precision driving thrills. PGR3's realistic, high-detail city environments look spectacular, and hopefully it'll play just as well as the others in the series. Shame there's no racing wheel for the 360 yet, but hopefully something good will be along with the inevitable Forza sequel. Now there's something to really look forward to. (More info.)

Call of Duty 2

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Infinity Ward

A conversion of the just-released PC title, the Xbox 360's visuals match up every bit to the fantastic-looking original. We all know what to expect from the game -- if you didn't play the PC version, it's the same as every other WWII shooter, but prettier and more intense. Big, cinematic games often work better on a TV than a computer monitor. (More info.)

Amped 3

Publisher: 2K Sports
Developer: 2K Sports

Now here's how to make an original game from a well-trodden theme. Snowboarding sequel Amped 3 has a simplified, fighting game-style control system, an all-new look that takes inspiration from a wide variety of sources, a huge music selection of over 300 tracks, and seven huge mountains to explore. Sadly, Live support only goes as far as online leaderboards, so no head-to-head boarding here. (More info.)

Dead or Alive 4

Publisher: Tecmo
Developer: Team Ninja

Originally scheduled for launch, this beat-em-up has slipped a week or two into December. If you preordered a bundle that included this game, you'll probably find your retailer has helpfully substituted something else instead. Hopefully it's something you'll like, because your other options include... canceling your preorder. Nice. The game itself promises more of the captivating... artwork from the original, deeper interactive environments, and new characters. (More info.)

Ridge Racer 6

Publisher: Namco
Developer: Namco

Is it some unwritten rule of console launches that every new system on the market has to have a Ridge Racer game? Taking a more arcadey, less technical approach to driving than the other two racing games in the launch lineup, Ridge Racer 6 lets you race your way around a hefty 120 tracks with your choice of 30 cars. It's also the first in the series to include an online mode, so if you've always wanted a chance to show off your powersliding skills on Xbox Live, now's your chance. (More info.)

Need for Speed: Most Wanted

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: EA Canada

The third of the Xbox 360's launch racers is just about to hit the streets on standard-gen consoles as well as the 360. It's early days for impressions just yet, but the addition of police chases to the successful Need for Speed formula proved successful a couple of years ago with NFS: Hot Pursuit, so there's no reason to think it won't do so again. Changes from the standard versions of the game are mostly limited to graphical improvements, but they're considerable -- it's a stunner. If you're planning to pick the game up, there's no reason to get it on any other platform than the 360. (More info.)

Quake 4

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Raven Software

PC gamers will be familiar with the Quake series of first-person shooters, and they'll more than likely have played Quake 4 a time or two already. Using the Doom 3 engine, it looks as spectacular on the 360 as it did on the PC, and although the single-player action's a touch on the unoriginal side, it's good, "clean" fun nevertheless. Expect the fast-paced and beautifully tuned Xbox Live multiplayer to be a big selling point. (More info.)

Peter Jackson's King Kong

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft

Fresh from the simply delightful Beyond Good and Evil, Michel Ancel's newest production is based on the Peter Jackson movie of the same name. Following the movie closely, it lets you play both the movie's hero, Jack Driscoll, and the oversized ape himself. Lumbering about as King Kong shows off the 360 to great effect, and the game includes the real voices of the film's cast. (More info.)

Tony Hawk's American Wasteland

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Neversoft

The seventh game in the Tony Hawk series was released a couple of weeks ago on the other consoles, and it's set to appear on the 360 in time for launch. American Wasteland has a GTA-style free-roaming structure, featuring an accurate reconstruction of the city of Los Angeles for your skating pleasure. The game streams its content from the disk while you play, so there are no loading times to intrude on the action. The 360 offers expanded Live functions, and naturally some souped-up graphics, but otherwise it's the same game you'll find on the Xbox and PS2. (More info.)

Gun

Publisher: Activision
Developer: Neversoft

Hunt bounties, ride with the Pony Express, and mine gold in this Neversoft free-roaming Western escapade. Thanks to an outstanding plot and strong voice work from the likes of Kris Kristofferson and Brad Dourif, the Xbox and PS2 versions proved solid and immersive, and there's no reason to think the 360 version won't match up. Western games are few and far between, and good ones are rarer still, so it's great to see one of the more original of the launch games in this often ignored style. (More info.)

Tiger Woods PGA Tour 2006

Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Sports

Oddly, the 360 version of this well regarded golf game features fewer courses than on other consoles - just six of the 11 licensed from the original game. Why's this? Either down to the extra work in converting those courses to the high-definition 360, or perhaps because EA plans to release the rest over Live as a trial of the paid-for download system. We'll see. But the game's a huge graphical upgrade, and should please fans of the series even with the limited course selection. (More info.)

Madden NFL 06

Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Sports

Together with NBA Live 06, Madden looks to be the EA Sports title that's seen the greatest number of changes from its current generation brethren. Among the improvements -- or, at any rate, we hope they're improvements -- are an enhanced franchise mode, a new menu design and structure, a different commentator, new play calling options, and tweaks to the new Quarterback Vision feature. (More info.)

FIFA 06

Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Sports

Soccer fans will be salivating over this update of EA's FIFA series. Like most of the EA Sports portfolio, it's a port of the currently-available PS2, Xbox, and Gamecube games with a greatly souped-up graphics engine. Players are instantly recognizable, and you can even count the blades of grass. Er, if you're bored enough. With only one-on-one play available on Xbox Live, it's too bad EA isn't taking advantage of the extra development time to flesh out the online features, but you can't have everything. (More info.)

NBA Live 06

Publisher: EA Sports
Developer: EA Sports

After NBA Live 06 wowed attendees at the unveiling of the Xbox 360 back in May with its astonishingly lifelike visuals, it's great to see that there was plenty of substance to this particular bit of hype. All that focus on graphics comes at a price, though -- the career and dynasty modes from the older NBA Live titles aren't included, just a single-season mode. (More info.)

NBA 2K6

Publisher: 2K Sports
Developer: 2K Sports

The Xbox 360's second basketball game makes for equally impressive viewing. 2K Games has produced what's sure to be one of the most impressive-looking games on this new platform, and seeing as it's based heavily on the critically acclaimed standard gen game of the same name, it's likely to play just as well as it looks. We'll see if NBA 2K6 matches up with EA's offering. (More info.)

NHL 2K6

Publisher: 2K Sports
Developer: 2K Sports

While EA and 2K Games are going head-to-head for the basketball fans' dollars, hockey devotees have just one game to choose from. NHL 2K6's big new feature for the 360 is "crease controls," a manual goalie system that allows you much closer control over the keeper without the frustrations typically associated with player-controlled keepers. It looks almost as good as NBA 2K6 into the bargain, so hockey fans should have plenty to smile about. (More info.)

1: Video Preview
Our editors go hands-on with the Xbox 360 in this special video segment

2: What Does it Do?
Media options; Xbox Live; The hardware itself

3: What's in the Box?
The core and premium packages

4: Launch Games Line-up
A rundown of all the launch titles

5: Editor Bites
What do the Yahoo! Video Games staff have to say?

6: Gamer Feedback
Words from gamers around the country on Xbox 360

7: Zero Hour, Day 1
Day 1 of Microsoft's massive desert launch party

8: Zero Hour, Day 2
Day 2 of Microsoft's massive desert launch party