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Chick Chick Chicky
A lot of XBLI titles are described by their creators as "new takes on classic franchises" and Chick Chick Chicky is no different. The images for this game had me hoping for a Bomberman clone, complete with exploding poultry. Unfortunately, Chicky is just Pacman. That would have been great two decades ago, or if it borrowed anything from Pacman CE (the XBLA remix that makes Pacman tolerable again). As it is, especially without any online leaderboards, the $5 price tag is too steep. (400pts)

Nebulon
It’s easy to hate Nebulon at first. It looks a lot like yet another twin-stick shooter, but it tosses out aim-anywhere shooting for super-oldschool, Thunder Force II-style combat. You use one stick to move, and a button to shoot – that’s it. Aiming means pointing your ship at enemies and often flying headfirst at them. It’s archiac, offering the control scheme of a bygone era, but that’s exactly what makes it so novel today. (200pts)

Pop Quiz
What The?! set the standard for trivia games on XBLI, and Pop Quiz simply doesn’t compare. These games make their mark through presentation, and while Pop Quiz offers the typical snarky announcer, everything else is lacking. The visual and auditory feedback is virtually non-existent, there’s no art direction, and the questions are weirdly specific. Only check this one out if you know what power level Goku was at in episode 165. (200pts)

Fireworks HD
Fireworks HD is kind of cool because it adds an interactive element to the screensaver concept. The only problem is that no amount of fake fireworks (even the 90% extra you’ll get if you buy Fireworks HD) can compare to the real thing. Most will be bored of the idea before the end of the trial, but Fireworks HD is an okay app for those that are easily amused. (200pts)

3D Magic Images
Even if I could see these things, I wouldn’t condone a product that’s going to make people press their noses to a TV screen and go blind. It also happens to be a rather garishly designed app. Stay clear and shove your face into one of those Magic Eye books instead. (200pts)