This is the most current list of games that are free on Xbox 360. For some of them you will need a LIVE membership.

US
Aegis Wing ( Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Mild Fantasy Violence
Ascend Hand of Kul (Arcade Game) Rated  "M" - Blood and Gore; Violence [Free To Play]
Doritos Crash Course (Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief
Intel Discovered (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Suggestive Themes; Violence
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Blood; Violence [Free To Play]
Harms Way (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Violence
Hexic HD (Arcade Game) Rated "E"
Karaoke (Music/Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Adult Themes; Mild Language; Violent References (from music) [Free To Play]
Kinect Party (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief; Mild Cartoon Violence
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "E"
Spartacus Legends (Arcade Game) Rated "M" - Blood and Gore; Intense Violence; Nudity; Adult Themes; Strong Language [Free To Play]
TotemBall (Arcade Game) Rated "E"
Warface (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Blood; Language; Violence [Free To Play]
World of Tanks (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Mild Violence [Free To Play]
WSOP: Full House Pro (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Alcohol Reference; Simulated Gaming [Free To Play]

UK
Ascend Hand of Kul (Arcade Game) Rated  "Ages 16+" [Free To Play]
Doritos Crash Course (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+"
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+" [Free To Play]
Harms Way (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+"
Hexic HD (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 3+"
Karaoke (Music/Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 12+" [Free To Play]
Kinect Party (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+" [Free To Play]Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "Ages 3+"
Spartacus Legends (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 18+" [Free To Play] 
TotemBall (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 3+"
Warface (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 16+" [Free To Play]
World of Tanks (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+" [Free To Play]
WSOP: Full House Pro (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 12+" [Free To Play]

South Africa
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "13" [Free To Play]
Karaoke (Music/Arcade Game) Rated "PG" [Free To Play] 
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "E"
Spartacus Legends (Arcade Game) Rated "18" [Free To Play]  
Warface (Arcade Game) Rated "16" [Free To Play]
World of Tanks (Arcade Game) Rated "PG" [Free To Play]

Australia
Ascend Hand of Kul (Arcade Game) Rated  "MA 15+" [Free To Play] 
Doritos Crash Course (Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "G" [Free To Play]
Hexic HD (Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Karaoke (Music/Arcade Game) Rated "PG" [Free To Play]
Kinect Party (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "G"
Spartacus Legends (Arcade Game) Rated "R 18+" [Free To Play] 
TotemBall (Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Warface (Arcade Game) Rated "MA 15+" [Free To Play]
World of Tanks (Arcade Game) Rated "PG" [Free To Play]
WSOP: Full House Pro (Arcade Game) Rated "PG" [Free To Play]

The following are part of the old-style free-to-play group meaning the base game is free, but you must spend money to be able to actually play. As developers, blogs, etc. often run freebies and contests, sales and discounts, having the base game as a just-in-case is not a bad idea.

Crimson Alliance (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" -  Blood; Language; Partial Nudity; Adult Themes; Use of Alcohol; Violence
UK version Rated "Ages 16+"
South Africa version
Australia version Rated "M"

Family Game Night (Arcade Game) Rated "E"
UK version Rated "Ages 3+"
Australia version Rated "G"

Game Room (Arcade Game) Rated "E10" - Mild Violence
UK version Rated "Ages 12+"
Australia version Rated "G"

Pinball FX2 (Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief
UK version Rated "Ages 3+"
Australia version Rated "G"

Tips

• Do not need to fully download anything for it to be available for download in your Download History.
• As with all freebies, be sure to jump on them as soon as you find out about them. Xbox is known for removing free games from its directory.
• Once a game is delisted, it often can not be redownloaded via Download History.
• Xbox changes its links often, if you get an error page, search for the game via its title.

Know of any more free games? Which free game do you love the most? Let us know via comments!

Author: Janna Hall Janna enjoys the thrill of a deal and sharing frugal tips, cooking and her passion, video gaming. When not blogging, Janna can be found on her Xbox 360, cooking, earning some cash or gardening. Share tips, recipes, deals here and follow on Twitter.

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While chatting last night with some gaming friends on Xbox 360, it was pointed out to me that I do not have up a list of free games on and for the Xbox 360. For shame! Let me rectify that now.

US
Aegis Wing ( Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Mild Fantasy Violence
Doritos Crash Course (Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief
Intel Discovered (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Suggestive Themes; Violence
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Blood; Violence
Kinect Party (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief; Mild Cartoon Violence
Harms Way (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" - Violence
Hexic HD (Arcade Game) Rated "E"
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "E"
Tinker (Games for Windows Live) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief; Mild Cartoon Violence
TotemBall (Arcade Game) Rated "E"

UK
Doritos Crash Course (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+"
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+"
Kinect Party (Kinect Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+"
Harms Way (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 7+"
Hexic HD (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 3+"
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "Ages 3+"
Tinker (Games for Windows Live) Rated "Ages 3+"
TotemBall (Arcade Game) Rated "Ages 3+"

South Africa
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "13"
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "E"

Australia
Doritos Crash Course (Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Happy Wars (Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Hexic HD (Arcade Game) Rated "G"
Mars Rover Landing (Kinect Fun Labs) Rated "G"
Tinker (Games for Windows Live) Rated "Ages G"
TotemBall (Arcade Game) Rated "G"

The following are part of the Free-to-play group meaning the base game is free, but you must spend money to be able to actually play. As developers, blogs, etc. often run freebies and contests, sales and discounts, having the base game as a just-in-case is not a bad idea.

Crimson Alliance (Arcade Game) Rated "Teen" -  Blood; Language; Partial Nudity; Adult Themes; Use of Alcohol; Violence
UK version Rated "Ages 16+"
South Africa version
Australia version Rated "M"

Family Game Night (Arcade Game) Rated "E"
UK version Rated "Ages 3+"
Australia version Rated "G"

Game Room (Arcade Game) Rated "E10" - Mild Violence
UK version Rated "Ages 12+"
Australia version Rated "G"

Pinball FX2 (Arcade Game) Rated "E" - Comic Mischief
UK version Rated "Ages 3+"
Australia version Rated "G"

Tips

• Do not need to fully download anything for it to be available for download in your Download History.
• As with all freebies, be sure to jump on them as soon as you find out about them. Xbox is known for removing free games from its directory.
• Once a game is delisted, it often can not be redownloaded via Download History.
• Xbox changes its links often, if you get an error page, search for the game via its title.

Know of any more free games? Which free game do you love the most? Let us know via comments!

Author: Janna Hall Janna enjoys the thrill of a deal and sharing frugal tips, cooking and her passion, video gaming. When not blogging, Janna can be found on her Xbox 360, cooking, earning some cash or gardening. Share tips, recipes, deals here and follow on Twitter.

Image courtesy of clker.com.

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Any parent, auntie, uncle, grandparent and babysitter that has a child (or children) in their life that plays video games has run into the sticky situation of the game being rated above the child's age group. Especially as children are allowed to purchase games of any ESRB rating in the USA.

What I am talking about is the morality area. Are you a good parent by letting your kid keep up with his/her friends games? Are you being a good parent by strictly enforcing the ESRB ratings? Are you a good parent by allowing or disallowing games on a game-to-game basis?

I think most of us fall into the latter category which I touched on briefly in my previous post For Parents: Video Game Ratings. Feel free to read or re-read it.

Any gamer parents' experience is that not all video games are alike, even if they are given the exact same rating. Let us look at two popular franchises: Rainbow Six and Call of Duty. Both franchises are very similar. They both are first person shooters. They both put the player in the roll of good guy fighting bad guys. Both have the ability to tone down the gore. But, where they differ, and this is important, is in the multiplayer.

Very different types of gamers are found in the Call of Duty games than in the Rainbow Six games. One gaming studio that produces one of the Call of Duty games even alluded to the nastier demeanor of it's multiplayer gamers. Whereas, generally, in the Rainbow Six multiplayer rooms, people are politer.

Now, let us look at the Halo and Gears of War franchises. Both are third person shooters. Both are human characters fighting aliens. And, unfortunately, both are most known for the amount of cheating that goes on. Between modders, glitchers and boosters, both franchises have become shunned by groups of gamers. Parents run the risk of their child falling into the dark path of cheating in video games if the multiplayer is not monitored.

But, not all kids are into shooters. Some prefer life simulation. Two very popular life simulation franchises are The Sims and Second Life. Both are games I would caution parents heavily in letting their children play. Despite Second Life claiming to have checks in place to keep kids safe, we are all very aware of exactly what goes on in Second Life.

For The Sims games, if you can find a way to avoid the Romancing part of the game, you are golden. But, that said, the Romancing part of the game is very...comical and not at all adult in my opinion. Plus The Sims games are programmed to prevent romance of any type with a child Sim. Once a Sim is a teen they can do PG13 things, but, once again, it is all very comical.

Finally Role Playing Games are a wide open field. You will have to ask others about the game to get a better idea if the ESRB rating is something to abide by in your family. Important questions to ask a salesperson are, "Can I turn off the gore?"; "Is their nudity?"; "Are their sexual situations?" "How difficult are the controls and commands?"

So, what to do when those adorable eyes look up to you and are pleading for XYZ video game? You do have the one old reliable response to buy yourself some time: "Let me think about it." This will buy you a week at maximum to do your research.

Ignore the "know-it-all" attitude of the sales clerk. Ask your questions. If they don't want to answer or give you snippy answers that don't really answer your questions, leave. Do not give them your hard-earned money and valuable time.

Great places to get info on games are blogs such as mine, Twitter, Facebook and gaming communities such as Xbox Achievements/Playstation 3 Trophies.

But what to do when you firmly believe the game is too difficult or too adult for your child(ren). One simple way to deal with it is a "No." with a short explanation. You can even go so far as saying when the child is X age they can play games like that.

As much as none of us enjoy saying no to our kids, it is part of helping our kids grow into great human beings.

A technique a lady I game with uses with her kids is to play the game with her kids if it is an absolute must-have game. She sits down, starts the game and they pass the game controller person to person. She also has very strict control on whom is on her kids' gaming friends lists. They can't just add anyone. People that are added to friends lists have to be approved by her. She also locked down their account (You can see how to do this on the Xbox 360 here.) so they can't speak to or hear from people on their friends lists when they do play multiplayer. She is a serious gaming mamma!

I do a mixture of the two. Some games are a "no way" and others are a "with parental supervision". I also will bargain. I do this by prohibiting one game and offering a different, more suitably rated game if budget allows.

I don't believe that video games lead children to be violent or lazy. There are too many motion video games out there that prevent laziness. Video games can actually be educational. And, wisely monitoring multiplayer leads to good sportspersonship, teamwork and socialization.

It all comes down to you and how you raise your child(ren). But one thing is for certain, video games are here in your child's life and they are here to stay.

How do you deal with picking games for your kids to play? Share your tips with us in the comments!

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Renting games is not something most gaming studios advocate. The official policy, as it appears to me, is that renting games doesn't put money in the hardworking studios' pockets.

That said, I do rent games. I rent games for two reasons: Economics and how I feel about a game. The economics part is easy to figure out: I only have so much money to spend on video games.

The how I feel about a game is dependent upon the demo or lack of one. Often, a demo is too short for me to really get a proper feel for a game. Or perhaps I like the game a bit, but some aspect such as the way the game controls function turn me off to spending the money on it. I have written about demos before and how important they are.

The simple solution is to rent the game. For myself, other dedicated  gamers I know, parents with kids that game, renting is a smart and frugal choice.

With renting games, you can, cleverly, chose to do a monthly subscription which will maximize your gameplay and minimize your spending. Why monthly and not popping into the local shop and renting randomly? Simple. Most game rental providers allow you to have out unlimited games each month, one at a time. Or two at a time, etc. for a set price. Paying for game rental each time adds up quickly.

Right now the two main video game rental subscription providers are Gamefly and Blockbuster in the USA.

Gamefly offers a free month trial in which you sign up for a basic subscription of one game out at a time for $15.95/month or the $22.95/month for two games out at a time. Plus tax. Free shipping (of course).

Blockbuster offers a free month trial in which you sign up for 1 disc at a time subscription for $9.99/month or 2 discs at a time for $14.99/month or 3 discs at a time for $19.99/month. Plus tax. Free shipping as well.

The savvy shopper will see that the Blockbuster deal is $5.96 cheaper for their basic service. Plus it is for a disc. Which means, yep, you can rent a game. Send it back. Rent a DVD. Send it back. Rent a game...you get the picture.

With Gamefly you can rent a game. Send it back. Rent a game. Send it back....and so forth.

How does this all equate to you, the frugal shopper? Savings. Instead of plunking down as low as $7 per used game (trade-in value of about $0.25) and as high as $120 for a new special edition version of a game, you get to play the game and more if you time your rentals for under $20 a month.

There is a major downside to renting games released since 2011. Multiplayer. Gaming studios have gone to, or going to, multiplayer verification. How this works is that new games will have a code included that you enter giving you "free" access to the multiplayer part of the game. In reality, it is simply checking that you paid full price for a new game.

The games that have this multiplayer verification also provide the means for players to purchase the verification, usually called an Online Pass. Average price for this is $10/per game/per pass. Great for buying used games.

So, when you are looking at renting video games, look to see if the game is more heavily towards the multiplayer. And figure out if that game is one you will focus on multiplayer with. If so, do a quick price comparision between different retailers such as Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, etc. Find the best deal on a new game.

But for games that are all about the single player experience or if multiplayer doesn't matter or if the game is older than a year old, rent it.

Finally, to maximize your savings, set a schedule. In our home our schedule runs like this:

1. Two games a month. I chose one game. My significant other chooses the second game.
2. Each person gets to play each game for 5 days. Once the 5 days is up the other person plays for 5 days.
3. When the 10 days is up, game goes back.
4. Rinse and repeat.

Now 5 days might not seem like a lot. And there is flexibility. If I don't feel like playing the rented game one evening despite it being my turn, I don't hoard the game. The other person can play it. No biggie. It all works itself out in the wash.

Are you a renter or are you a strict buyer? Let us all know your experiences renting!


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When I first started playing video games, I do not remember any demos being available. But then a few years later, you could snag, for free, a shiny disc that let you play a bit of the game. I loved those! I remember arranging my game demo discs the same way I arrange my games: Genre and then by title.

Nowadays, gaming studios cut costs by not releasing, on disc, a game demo. If you find one, hang onto it! It is rare. Instead, via PC/Mac or gaming console, you connect to the internet and then hunt down the game demo and then download it. Yes, there are many steps to it. But, it is well worth it. Let me explain.

With the average cost of a new release video game around $60 (USD) many wise gamers think before plunking down their hard-earned cash. That is a substantial chunk of money for a video game that may, well, let us be honest, suck.

For me, unless it is a well-known title from a series that I have played before and just love, I demo it. Most people I know will demo games. Or at least they tell me they demo a game at my constant insistence the game is amazing and they must play it.

How does a demo help? Well, it let's you preview, play a bit of the game before you buy it. This does not only apply to new releases or upcoming releases. Many video games made over the last decade or so have some sort of demo you can try out for free. This lets you see the game graphics, how the cells handle, if the controls are intuitive and, if the game is fun. That is the most important part.

Even if you are not a gamer but a Mamma of a gamer. Or a Daddy of a gamer. The golden rule before buying a game should be "Demo first for one week. Still want it?"

I remember when Soul Caliber IV came out. I rushed out and got it as a new release. Then came home, put it in, enjoying that new game smell. I was so excited I dropped my Xbox 360 controller twice as the game was loading. Mindset on how awesome and how fun the Soul Caliber series was (and is), I dove into the story as Yoda. Ten minutes later I was done. I felt used and cheated. This game was set to be a multiplayer with the single player aspect being almost an afterthought.

Multiplayer? But all my multiplayer time was devoted to playing with my gaming clan on my beloved Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. Yes, there was the single player challenges in Soul Caiber IV. But the bottom line was this: If I had bothered to demo the game first, I would have seen the aspect I loved about Soul Caliber was so small, it might as well have not been included in the game.

I had wasted $60 on a game.

I learned my lesson, and I learned it well. Demo a game first. Even if the game is 7 years old and only costs $7. Demo. Demo. Demo.

So what if the big gaming authorities reviewed the game and everyone in the world says it is the best thing out since sliced bread? I'm not everyone. You are not everyone. Demo first. Always.


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With the holiday season swiftly approaching and the gaming season starting, it is time for us to remember we are to look out for and protect our children. While game ratings are annoying to me, a grown woman, I find them invaluable when picking up video games for the kids in my life.

As with all things, use common sense too. Just because something is rated M, doesn't mean it is a "bad game" that only adults should play. It means you should think very hard about letting an impressionable four year old play that video game. Afterall, sometimes the ESRB rates a game Teen or Mature because of overuse of naughty words. But what if in your home you don't censor language? So you can see how that game suddenly, for some, becomes rated Everyone.

So without further yammering from me....

All ratings are listed from most innocent to most extreme.

Early Childhood
This one will be a big EC in the box and it means the game's content is OK for ages 3 and older. The game also contains no material that parents should find inappropriate.

Everyone
This one will be a big E in the box and it means the game's content is considered by the ESRB OK for ages 6 and older. Parents should note that titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon/fantasy/mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language.

Everyone 10+
This one will have a big E10+ in the box and means the game's content is believed to be suitable for ages 10 and older. Titles in this category usually contain more cartoon/fantasy/mild violence/mild language and/or minimal suggestive themes.

Teen
You will find a big T in the box and it means the game's content is considered to be suitable for ages 13 and older. This category may frequently violence/suggestive themes/crude humor/minimal blood/simulated gambling, and/or infrequent use of strong language.

Mature
Look for the big old M in the box. Mature means the game's content is more suitable for persons ages 17 and older. This category will contain intense violence/blood and gore/sexual content and/or strong language.

Adults Only
This one will have a big AO in the box and it means the game has content that should only be played by persons 18 years and older. Titles in this category almost always include prolonged scenes of intense violence and/or graphic sexual content and nudity.

Rating Pending
You will see the RP usually in ads for unreleased games as they have not yet been assigned a final ESRB rating. Once the game gets it's final rating, the RP is replaced.

Not Rated
Typically, if you pull out a mangifying glass or squint really hard you will see a NR and this almost always relates to online multiplayer. The ESRB has no way of reliably rating online activity.

As for the NR, I can tell you from experience, the single player rating is what you can usually expect from the multiplayer. In this I mean, when I pop onto Viva Pinata Party Animals (Rated E), I watch my language and behave myself. As should all people when in such a situation.

But, when I toss in the old Call of Duty (M), I make sailor's blush and do not take any prisioners, so to speak.

You see how the rating affects my own behavior? I find the same to be true for the most part with most games. There will always be idiots though that could care less about what type of multiplayer they are in and will be rude no matter what. That is why it is important for you, the grown person, to pay attention to your child's online gaming activity just as you would when they go outside and play.

I hope this helps you find the perfect games for the little ones in your life!
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Our next step in gaming fitness is to find a way to squeeze in a workout while playing video games. In this installment we are going to focus on Shooters and Fighting games.

The method given below I have successfully used for awhile now. Feel free to adjust to suit your needs.

Shooters & Fighting
First we are going to focus on multiplayer. Gaming for three hours.
1. Every other match alternate one rep of five of squats, push-ups and crunches.
2. When KDR is negative (more deaths than kills)/you lose a round, alternate one rep of five arm curls and leg lifts.

This next part is for playing the story. Gaming session of three hours.
1. Every fourty-five minutes of gaming take a ten minute break. Take this time to do simple stretches and walk. Around the room, home, anywher so long as you are walking!
2. Every save/checkpoint do #1 from the muliplayer.
3. Everytime you die, do #2 from the muliplayer.

Parent Tip
When your child is gaming, set a timer for every 20-30 minutes. At those time intervals have your child do age/ability appropriate evercise. Even if your child walks around the room three times, they are moving!

You will notice that cardio is not part of gaming fitness. I have found that doing a quick cardio workout before I start gaming really seems to 'wake' me up. I tend to play better.

Next time in Gaming Fitness, I will reveal my RPG strategy.

Disclaimer: I am only offering my opinions and experience. Always consult with your doctor before starting any new/different exercise.
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