Xbox Live Arcade

Xbox Live Arcade (often abbreviated as "XBLA" or just "Arcade") was an online storefront for Microsoft's Xbox video game systems. The service was initially launched in May of 2004 for the original Xbox, and was followed by a separate Xbox 360 service in 2005. Both the Xbox and Xbox 360 storefronts went defunct in 2010 and 2024, respectively.
The Live Arcade service was connected to the Xbox Live internet service (now known as the Xbox Network), which required a monthly subscription in addition to purchasing game downloads individually. The storefront/disc for the original Xbox launched with Ms. Pac-Man as a built-in title, and would be followed by several additional Pac-Man titles on the Xbox 360.
== Overview ==
=== Xbox service ===
To access the original Xbox Live Arcade marketplace, the user had to acquire a physical disc that contained the service. The disc was offered on the Microsoft website (technically retailing for free, though had a $4.99 shipping cost), and was also given away with certain console/game bundles and magazine publications.https://web.archive.org/web/20041205033807/http://features.teamxbox.com/xbox/969/Xbox-Live-Arcade-Breakdown/p1/ The original disc included a free, full copy of Ms. Pac-Man, which was also shown on its front cover sleeve. The disc also includes demo versions of five other titles: Bejeweled, Ruckus Buck's Dangerous Mines (a variant of Minesweeper), Hardwood Solitaire, Ricochet Lost Worlds (a Breakout-like game), and Super Collapse! 2.
While Ms. Pac-Man was originally announced to be free for a limited time, the game remained a free offering up until the end of the original service in 2010.https://web.archive.org/web/20080821232029/http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/livearcadexbox/default.htm However, there are known alternate versions of the Xbox Live Arcade disc that do not come bundled with Ms. Pac-Man.
==== Ms. Pac-Man port ====
The Ms. Pac-Man port was developed by Mass Media, and is nearly identical to the version previously released on the Xbox version of Namco Museum, including reusing its menu system. As such, the game is based on the common "Namco Museum" port of Ms. Pac-Man; which originates from Namco Museum Vol. 3, and features minor differences compared to the arcade original. The game's pause menu is altered to add an additional "Xbox Live" option, which loads a leaderboard screen showing all Xbox Live players' high scores.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tL7s6ZRWVUw
==== Namco Vintage ====
The only other Namco-affiliated release on the original Xbox storefront was Namco Vintage: a compilation of games featuring Galaga, Dig Dug, and Pole Position. As with Ms. Pac-Man, the game software and menu interface is directly ported from the Xbox version of Namco Museum, with the background music and most visual references to Pac-Man removed.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=chqLMNEbXQo The compilation was originally planned to include Galaxian instead of Galaga.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHKeUq_GA_M&t=1204s (timestamp 20:04)
=== Xbox 360 service ===
The Xbox 360 service was digitally integrated with the Xbox Live subscription itself, not requiring a separate disc. While the service did not come bundled with a free game, each title released would have a demo version available (e.g. a Pac-Man demo that ends after level 2). The Xbox 360 titles would remain backwards-compatible with future Xbox consoles, with a number of titles still being purchasable today (albeit no longer tied to Xbox Live Arcade).
==== Namco titles ====
Namco would release six arcade ports for the Xbox 360 service, alongside five original titles based on their arcade franchises. The arcade ports were developed by Gotch Technology; each game features Xbox Live achievements and online leaderboards, and includes a round select feature. These releases use proper emulation of each title, and play identically to their arcade counterparts (outside of some titles having altered copyright information, and having their two-player modes removed). Some titles were released alongside "Themes", which alter the home and library menu themes of the Xbox 360 console, and "Picture Packs", which act as profile pictures for Xbox Live.
The Namco-published arcade ports on Xbox Live Arcade, alongside the newly-created titles, include:
*Pac-Man (1980, 2006)
*Ms. Pac-Man (1982, 2007)
*Pac-Man Championship Edition (2007)
*Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (2010)
*Galaga (1981, 2006)
*New Rally-X (1981, 2006)
*Dig Dug (1982, 2006)
*Xevious (1982, 2007)
*Mr. Driller Online (2008)
*Galaga Legions (2008)
*Galaga Legions DX (2011)
The above titles (minus the later DX games) would later be included in Namco Museum Virtual Arcade, a retail Xbox 360 release. The Virtual Arcade disc still required an Xbox Live subscription to access the games.
==== Disc compilations ====
A series of four disc compilations were produced by Microsoft featuring Xbox Live Arcade titles. These releases were often bundled with certain console SKUs (most notably the Xbox 360 Arcade console), and occasionally accessories such as controllers. In most cases, these discs do not require an Xbox Live subscription to access the games. Two of these compilations featured Pac-Man-related titles, with the four releases including:
*Xbox Live Arcade Unplugged: Volume 1 (2006) - Features six full games and three demos (none of which are Pac-Man-related). A second volume was never released.
*Xbox Live Arcade Compilation Disc (2007) - Features the full versions of Pac-Man Championship Edition, Boom Boom Rocket, Feeding Frenzy, Luxor 2, and Uno. The compilation also includes demo versions of seven games (3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures, Frogger, Marble Blast Ultra, Soltrio Solitaire, Surf's Up, Viva Piñata, and Zuma). Some releases are bundled with Sega Superstars Tennis on a separate disc.
*Xbox Live Arcade Game Pack (2009) - Features the full versions of Bomberman Live, Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2, and Lumines Live!. This compilation also features Ms. Pac-Man; however, it is a separate download code present in the disc case, which also contains a 48-hour free trial of Xbox Live. It is assumed that the Ms. Pac-Man game is no longer accessible, as any remaining codes have presumably expired.
**Ms. Pac-Man may have been made a separate download due to the legal issues surrounding the game, possibly so that the royalty granted to General Computer Corporation would be a smaller cut of profit.
*Xbox 360 Triple Pack (2011) - Features the full versions of three (non-Pac-Man-related) games: Limbo, Trials HD, and 'Splosion Man.
== Trivia ==
*When first revealed at E3 2004, the Namco Vintage compilation was shown alongside similar Atari and Tecmo compilations, which were ultimately never released. Additionally, the menu layout shown at E3 uses an image of a Pac-Man arcade machine in its "Retro Arcade" section; suggesting the original Pac-Man may have been planned for the service at some point.
*The Xbox Live Arcade version of Pac-Man features an arcade cabinet in the background of its title screen. It is quite clearly based off of the Japanese Puckman machine, but has all instances of the "Puckman" logo altered to read "Pac-Man", and shortens the length of Pac-Man's nose; the latter is likely tied to the mandated Pac-Man artwork style guides.
*At an unknown date (likely early 2010s), the icon for the Xbox Live Arcade version of Pac-Man was changed from using the Hideki Tanaami design to the general 2010s merchandising artwork for Pac-Man. This is likely further tied to the Pac-Man style guides, following the 2010s art style being enforced.
*The Xbox 360 port of Ms. Pac-Man was delisted at an unknown date, with the purchase button disabled on the Xbox website.https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/mspac-man/c23f79wj1nqw The game was likely removed from sale due to the legal issues surrounding the game, which is further evident by the Pac-Man port remaining available for purchase.https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/pac-man/BZ65BV9HSRXG
*The canceled Xbox 360 game Pac-Man Party may have been intended to release as an Xbox Live Arcade title.
== Gallery ==
=== Xbox 360 service artwork ===
Xbox-live-arcade-pacman-cover-v2.png|Pac-Man cover (version 2)
Xbox-live-arcade-ms-pacman-cover.png|Ms. Pac-Man cover
Xbox-live-arcade-pacman-championship-edition-cover.png|Pac-Man Championship Edition cover
=== Xbox 360 Themes ===
Pac-Man C.E. Home Theme.jpg|Pac-Man C.E. Theme on the Xbox 360 "Home" menu
Pac-Man C.E. Games Theme.jpg|Pac-Man C.E. Theme on the Xbox 360 "Library" menu
=== Xbox 360 Picture Packs ===
PAC-MAN Picture Pack.jpg|"Gamer Pictures" from the Pac-Man Picture Pack
Ms. PAC-MAN Picture Pack.jpg|"Gamer Pictures" from the Ms. Pac-Man Picture Pack
PAC-MAN C.E. Picture Pack.jpg|"Gamer Pictures" from the Pac-Man C.E. Picture Pack
== References ==
Category:Video Game Labels
Category:Compilations
Category:Online services