Microsoft reveals top 10 Xbox Live Arcade titles

While hardware unit shortages continue to mar the retail trade, those who have managed to purchase an Xbox 360 are, according to Microsoft, making full use of the online Xbox Live Arcade service.

In an official statement to consumer website IGN, Microsoft has revealed the current top ten titles available for download through Xbox Live - one aspect of the next-generation console launch that has so far failed to receive any negative opinion from the industry, or consumers in the gaming community.

Although no exact figures for sales were revealed, the publishing giant has detailed its most popular games on the Arcade service, with Bizarre Creations' Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved leading the pack. The game is an adapted version of the retro styled arcade game that first appeared on the original Xbox, as part of Project Gotham Racing 2. Since the launch of the service in November, Geometry Wars has achieved some 200,000 trial downloads and 45,000 paid downloads, proving exceptionally popular with the online community.

Genuine retro titles such as Gauntlet and Smash TV hold prominent positions in the chart listing, the remainder a mix of retro and casual games previously available over the Internet. Whilst the majority of games are available to download for between 400-800 Microsoft points (where 80 points equals one dollar), Bankshot Billiards 2 is the most expensive title, costing 1200 points (USD 15). The continued success of the title does perhaps give some indication of consumers' willingness to pay higher prices for quality downloadable content, and may prompt the creation of more higher-priced titles.

The full chart from Microsoft is as follows:

1. Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved

2. Gauntlet

3. Smash TV

4. Bejeweled II

5. Zuma

6. Bankshot Billiards 2

7. Outpost Kaloki X

8. Mutant Storm Reloaded

9. Joust

10. Wik: Fable of Souls

Have to say that Geometry Wars has me hooked and I haven't been able to stop playing :) . Retro arcade shooter at its best.