We have listed 10 of the best Xbox Live Arcade titles that every gamer needs to own and while these are not in any particular order out of all the games on the Xbox Live Arcade these rose to the top. It was a hard decision to make as well with so many amazing titles the list could have easily hit 20 titles.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved and/or Geometry Wars 2: Retro Evolved

Possibly the most fun you will have with your Xbox controller comes from this pair of dual stick shooters from the makers of PGR4, Bizarre. Fast and intense action are mixed with simple and beautifully colored graphics making these games one of the best on Xbox Live Arcade.

Ikaruga

Many gamers consider Ikaruga the best shooter of all time and the Xbox Live Arcade version proves them right, with unique gameplay, Co-op action and some extreme visuals that will blow you away just like it did in the arcades and on the Dreamcast all those years ago.

Pac-Man Championship Edition

A Pac-man game on the list? Yes, because this is not your grandma’s Pac-man this is a new Pac-man with greatly improved visuals, a new way to play the game with many game modes make Pac-man Championship Edition just as addictive as the original was.

UNO

Every family has probably owned a UNO deck or two and that explains why this game is still so popular on Xbox Live Arcade because families can still play together from anywhere in the world. Same great gameplay with clean visuals and live camera support make UNO one of the top games on XBLA.

Rez HD

Rez was originally a Sega Dreamcast title that took action shooters in a new direction, fast action on the screen, music generated from your actions and a unique visual theme kept Rez for the Dreamcast on every classic gamers must own list. Finally we saw a direct and true port with a high definition version on XBLA that is just as amazing as the original with updated visuals and still the same amazing gameplay.

Catan

Based on the board game “Settlers of Catan”, Catan on XBLA is possibly one of the few games which can appeal to every gamer once they sit down with it. One of the most popular board games has made a perfect transition to the TV screen for great single player and amazing multiplayer gaming.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night

Ask any fan of action platformers which Castlevania is the best and Symphony of the Night will be mentioned 9 times out of 10. The story and level design are mixed with some great gameplay and twists that make this high definition port a worthwhile addition to your library.

Zuma Deluxe

One of the most addictive action puzzle games of all time forces the player to think and move fast to keep a series of balls from reaching the end of the level. With plenty of levels, great visuals and very addicting in everyway this classic needs to be in your collection.

Doom

The classic first person shooter from our PC days hit the XBLA by storm and is still popular for multiplayer and co-op matches. While the graphics were not updated for this game the pure carnage proves greatness of gameplay is always better then graphical shine. Still fun, comes with co-op and is Doom, you can not go wrong with Doom.

Puzzle Quest

Puzzle Quest is a unique game, a gem matching game similar to Bejeweled with a full RPG game makes this one of the best, most addictive and fun titles on XBLA. You will lose dozens of hours of time to this game slaying Orcs, solving quests and exploring the land. Great graphics, sound effects and now a recently released expansion make this a must own.

We know you could easily remove a few and add them with others, but we wanted it kept to 10 and these were our top 10 XBLA games at least until more are released.

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Good list. I've got 6 of the 10.

i have Rez HD & Castlevania ... Geometry Wars 2 & Ikaruga in the way.

I own Ikaruga, Geometry Wars 1 & 2, Castlevania: SOTN, Uno and DOOM. After the Summer of XBLA is over, I might go back and purchase some of the others from this list.

I've only purchased 2 XB originals, plus Doom, and SotN. I doubt I would play the rest. I've actually played the demos for every one extensively, though. The only problem with Gemetry Wars is that the demo might as well be the actual game, lol.

          True, regarding Geometry Wars, however, Geometry Wars 2 is so much more complex.  The trial doesnt do the full game justice.  The game is amazing, a must buy. 

          Braid will be coming on Wednesday, I am looking forward to that one, as well as Castle Crashers, and the new Puzzle Quest.  All-in-all a great thread.  I have 6 out of the 10 listed above.  I also download a bunch of the old school trials, like Paper-Boy, Missile Command, Tron, Street Fighter II, ect........just for strolls down memory lane.

Puzzle Quest is awesome.

I just dont have any interest in these, I much prefer the content on the PSN store

Of course you do.

Hey Munkeh! This list has some good games, but there are tons and tons and tons of other great content in the XBLA. Go to www.xbox.com and check out the list. Tell me you can't find something that doesn't impress you then. I downloaded Superstardust HD, Super Rub a Dub, and the PS1 Crash series the other day. I'll go for some PixelJunk software a little later on. Still, XBLA is in a league of it's own.