Best Downloadable Games

Battlefield: 1943

One could argue that in terms of design, Battlefield: 1943 isn’t nearly the same sort of technical marvel that other downloadable titles represent (considering many are produced for very small budgets by tiny development studios). But I'm hard pressed to name a title that has had the same durability of appeal, value of purchase, and solid game design as Battlefield:1943. The fact that such an experience is available for only $15 is amazing, and highlights the potential of both DLC and tiered pricing, which are going to be pivotal talking points in the future of video game production and distribution. 1943 and its million-plus downloads stand as an extremely important benchmark in terms of the development of downloadable content and its potential, both in terms of quality of titles and profitability of the model. -Dennis Scimeca

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2

There's a point that comes in a truly great game when the world slips away, the feeling of the controller in your hands is gone, and you feel every moment in-game as a reaction -- sudden, alive, and free. No game gives you this sense of adrenaline-fueled twitch reaction better than Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2. -Kyle O'Reilly

Braid

While I haven’t returned to Braid with the regularity of a game like Castle Crashers, I count solving all of its puzzles as one of my favorite gaming accomplishments. It stands out as a great puzzler and a bold narrative experiment, and, as a forerunner to games like Shadow Complex and Limbo, proved to many gamers that the phrase ″downloadable″ doesn’t have to mean ″simple.″ Not bad for 15 bucks. -Robert M.F. Stoneback

Magic: The Gathering -- Duels of the Planeswalkers

I’ll never play paper Magic again, and the money-trap element keeps me away from Magic: The Gathering Online, but I spent several weeks tapping islands and swinging with drakes into early summer mornings nonetheless, thanks to Stainless Games' Duels of the Planeswalkers. At first, I was content helping my roommate understand the mechanics of the game as he played the demo, but by the time he was done, I was offering to pay for half. It wasn’t just because it was a cheap, legal way to play Magic again. Duels of the Planeswalkers' streamlined execution adds a subtle-but-unique element to the game that I loved to hate. -Chas Guidry
 

Castle Crashers

So many Live Arcade games try to emulate old arcade titles or, in some cases, give them a total overhaul (Golden Axe, TMNT, R-Type Dimensions, and Final Fight: Double Impact, to name a few). But what separates Castle Crashers from the rest of the bunch is how the developers added their own unique touch and made something that gives you this magical retro vibe, while at the same time feels fresh and new. Castle Crashers is simply arcade evolved. -Guy Ulme

Splosion Man

The multiplayer campaign is one of the greatest components of Splosion Man -- play through it with different people and you'll get a different experience every time. This is my favorite XBLA game and one of my favorite Xbox 360 titles; I love you, (developer) Twisted Pixel, and can’t wait for Comic Jumper! -Drake Gens

The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition

When LucasArts announced a remake of this most-memorable PC classic I was more excited than a five-year-old at a Chuck E. Cheese's birthday party. Insult sword fighting, chicken pulleys, used boat salesmen...and who can forget the funny commentary and that epic grand finale? Marvelous voice acting and the new and fresh art style (in all of its remastered HD glory) made this second and third playthrough of Monkey Island very special to me. -Andreas Rothbauer