The Xbox 360 game console has three variants. Yes, you heard it right that is why you might be wondering why Xbox 360 games are labeled with arcade, elite and pro. Well, these are the different variants of Xbox 360.

1. The Xbox 360 Arcade replaced the discontinued Xbox 360 Core. In October 18, 2007 this product was announced to the public but it was already in stores earlier. This variant is also known as the entry level for the Xbox 360 series which means that the games are not that complex just like playing in a real arcade.

The Xbox 360 Arcade includes the following:

• wireless controller
• composite AV cable
• HDMI 1.2 output
• an internal  memory chip 256 MB
• five Xbox Live Arcade games which are Boom Boom Rocket, Luxor 2,  Feeding Frenzy, Uno, Pac-Man Championship Edition and on one disk

2. The Xbox 360 Pro is also referred to as Premium or just Xbox 360 with a tag line "Go Pro". This Xbox 360 variant includes all the features that can be seen on the Arcade variant.

On this variant it includes the following:

• component cable and hybrid composite with optional optical out
• 60 GB HD Drive detachable
• compatible with Xbox original games

The first Xbox 360 Pro made use of Zephyr motherboard but by the end of September 2007, the motherboard was changed to Falcon. The new motherboard is said to be quiter and much cooler. The HD drive that comes with this Xbox 360 variant contains demo games, videos and free Arcade game titled Hexic HD.

3. The most expensive Xbox 360 variant is the Elite. The console makes use of 120 GB and with black matte finish which gives it a very sleek look.

The package includes the following:

• HDMI 1.2 cable
• controller
• headset

The 2008 releases includes the game  Lego Indiana Jones: The Original Adventures and Kung Fu Panda and it also makes use of the Falcon 65 nm chipset.

So now you know the different variants of Xbox 360, you will be able to determine which of them will best suit you.

Of course when there are top contenders there are also those Xbox 360 games who failed to impress. Here are the list of the Xbox 360 sports games that were not able to get a passable score or at least were rated 5 and below. 

1. Xbox 360 MLB 2K9: It is a shame that the newest of the Xbox 360 baseball game was not able to keep up with its older brothers. What made this game fail is that there are several control issues that really gives you a headache. You cannot complete an entire game without encountering control problems.

2. Xbox 360 NBA Ballers: Chosen One: The gameplay is just boring, you are not give much option to choose from. To add to that the controls of this game are very hard to figure out.

3. Xbox 360 NFL Tour: This Xbox 360 football game has a very few game modes which gives you limited options. And the defense is not err really a defense. 

4. Xbox 360 3D Ultra Minigolf Adventures: The golf ball just goes just about anywhere in short no proper control on the direction of the ball. You can just sleep waiting for the next event to happen. This Xbox 360 mini-golf game is just not great for video games.

5. Xbox 360 Legends of Wrestlemania: There are only a few Xbox 360 wrestling video games up to par but this is not one of them. This game exaggerates the looks of the wrestlers and is pretty dull and repetitive.

6. Xbox 360 Pimp My Ride: This Xbox 360 street racing game is composed of minigames that is repeated over and over again which makes the game a total waste. Driving the cars are very sloppy and dull voice overs.

7. Xbox 360 Shaun White Snowboarding: This game only offers 4 mountains and 4 of them are not real. The crashes are way too fake and the speed is just depressing.

So here are the list for the failed Xbox 360 games and to remind everyone that these are just out personal review. If you still have other games in mind, feel free to leave a comment.

Baseball is one of the most popular sports in America which is why Xbox 360 baseball games happened. We know that you are a big fan of this sport that is why we are going to help you figure out the best baseball video games ever. We have come up with the top 3 Xbox 360 baseball games and we hope that you like them too.

Top 1: Xbox 360 The Bigs

If you want a game where in you do not need to go to the help menu to figure out how to play the game then the Xbox 360 The Bigs is the right game for you. This game is pretty straight-forward and you will not waste your time figuring out which is which. With easy-to-figure out controls, the game also presents you with a very satisfying hitting and pitching features. The addition of the Homerun Pinball minigame is a fun feature of the game. 

The only bad thing about the Xbox 360 The Bigs game is that the game is not challenging enough and the controls for the fielding are not that good.

Top 2: Xbox 360 MLB 2K7

The improvement implemented on the Xbox 360 2K7 makes it a contender on our top list. The game has improved in a lot ways when compared to MLB 2K6. To begin with, the presentation is outstanding. The models or characters now are more realistic and when you view them up-close you will not spot any imperfection. The new interface of the franchise is a great improvement. And of course the gameplay must not be forgotten which has greatly improved from the previous version. You have the option to train to become an excellent player or you also have the shortcut option. 

And now the worst part is knowing the game's flaws. There are minor mishaps that happens during the game like unwanted movements. Frame rate is not that good and online play can be boring because the game constantly slows down. Pitching speed and location are hard to determine.

Top 3: Xbox 360 MLB 2K6 

This is the first baseball video game to have a superb pitching and hitting interfaces. You will not have a hard time throwing your pitch with the simple controls integrated in it. The crisp graphics and flawless animation makes the Xbox 360 MLB 2K6 more enjoyable. It may be a minor compliment but the game crowds are the best-looking crowd ever seen on baseball video games. The stats of Inside Edge are properly integrated in the gameplay. 

What makes the Xbox 360 MLB 2K6 number 3 on our list? The annoying AI bugs, cut-aways and replays are not that often played, the general presentation of the game is not that interesting and there are no online broadcast transitions.

Looking for the best Xbox 360 basketball games? Then you have come to the right place. We are honored to present to you the top 3 basketball video games the made it on our list. So let us begin our list beginning with the top 1.

Top 1:  Xbox 360 NBA 2k8 

This is the first ever basketball video game with very few flaws providing each player the ultimate gaming experience. The game is packed with new moves that you can learn and apply ont the game. If you think the CPU is easy to beat, think again. In Xbox 360 NBA 2K8, you will be faced with a challenge though not that difficult which will still give you a fair chance to win. The slam dunk contest is a new and exciting addition to the game. You will never get bored with the online options, lots of options to choose from to keep you busy.

But with every game there are certain flaws and for Xbox 360 NBA 2k8, the menu navigation is kind of difficult to follow. Also with the instructions where in at some point you will get lost and there are a lot of missed layups even if you have the right position and angle. 

Top 2: Xbox 360 NBA 2K7

It may be old but it still one of the best Xbox 360 basketball games out there. Though, it might be one of the greatest basketball games, it has not managed to conquer the top 1 position. With several unresolved and repeating errors the Xbox 360 NBA 2K7 failed to reach its full potential. What makes this game great is its excellent online play, shooting individually is great and the animation is flawless. And there are a lot of gameplay modes to choose from. 

Now the downside of this game is that it has an unruly control, free throws are very difficult to do and it has not greatly improved when compared to the 2K6 version.

 

Top 3: Xbox 360 NBA 2K9

From tons of missed layups to almost zero. The Xbox 360 NBA 2K9 has come out strong this year. The game-play has greatly improved and the rosters are updated live. In addition, the commentators are doing a fine job analyzing each action in the court. If in the previous versions the animation are not that great in Xbox 360 NBA 2K9, signature animation has greatly improved providing a more realistic player. 

With good news comes bad news. Though, Xbox 360 NBA 2K9 has improved a lot in gameplay there are still a few additions that are not worth mentioning. Free throws seem harder this time and controls are also difficult to figure out. And to add to that advertisements tend to interrupt the game. These bad news places the game in second place.

 

Since the release of MLB 2K8, die-hard baseball fans are eager to take a look at the new Xbox 360 MLB 2K9. The MLB 2K9 boasts more enhanced features that gamers will surely appreaciate. Before we move on to the bad side of the game let us take a look first at the enhancements implemented on the Xbox 360 MLB 2K9. 

1. Pitching: MLB 2K9 introduces the "2-step picthing" which simplifies the pitching process. This feature eliminates the third step which is "Release Timing" but still maintaining the pitching style. 

2. "Influence Hitting": This features helps players to control hitting a ground and fly ball. 

3. Baserunning Control: This feature is simplified where in the player will just have to hold down the trigger until it vibrates.

4. Living Rosters: This feature has been added to track users when they log on. This will also show ratings of each players.

5. A new level of CPU customizations is also available together with real player ambitions and multi-player functionality.

6. PlayOff Mode has also been added where the players are able to play in post-season. 

Now that we have covered the new enhancements and features that were added to the Xbox 360 MLB 2K9 it is now time to know the bad things about this game. 

1. There are several control problems all-over the place and adds up to a huge headache. Like for instance when it comes to fielding the controls are too sensitive. A soft touch on the analog stick can trigger moves that will lead you to a foul. 

2. Animation is not flawless. Once in awhile animation stutters making the movement of players look awkward. 

3. The response time also lags once in awhile. This simple flaw makes you hit the ball early, missing it and resulting to a strike. 

4. Commentators can also be a bit annoying at times. They announce the same weather forecast and make absurd comments about the players. 

5. Games stats are not precise. Instead of having 4 home-runs your team only has 3. 

6. Soundtrack is weird. The music does not fit the game. 

These little flaws may not sound bad but when you are already playing the game it can really be annoying. Some gamers feel that the Xbox 360 MLB 2K9 is half-ways finished but still the games was made easier and a passable one at that.

Xbox 360 Midnight Club is back with street racing at its best. No simulation tips and tricks needed here - just all-out fun street racing. If you enjoy arcade racing with great graphics and tight racing, check this game out.

Some have complained about the difficulty of this game, but most enjoy it just fine.

"Just as any purebred racer, the soul of the machine starts with the powerplant. In Midnight Club: Los Angeles’s case, the engine behind its essence—Rage—is good enough to make this title a standout, even though it isn’t particularly packed with genre-inspiring features. While this may be a letdown for those early-adopting, cutting-edge types, those who rank “go” above the “show” in the list of their racing-game prerequisites will consider Midnight Club: Los Angeles a real cream puff. "

Our current sports leader is the pigskin giant, Xbox 360 Madden NFL 09.
This smash hit title has gained reviews scores of 85%, well above average. If you want to play football, this is the title to get.

"Madden 09 could easily be swept under the rug by the casual onlooker as being, “just another release.” And, for the most part, it is, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of your cash. Madden NFL 09 is the most loyal translation of America’s favorite sport I’ve ever seen. It looks great, plays great, and despite its few moments of inaccuracies, is still one of the best sports games in memory."

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Xbox 360 FIFA Soccer 09, football for those of us on the European side, is giving Madden a run for the money. Footie, as it is so affectionately called, is quite popular among our UK friends. This is the most recent release for the genre, and is quite popular.

Reviews are currently running in the 90% range.

'A game for the soccer die-hards and for the general gamer looking for that breath of fresh air within the sports genre. There’s room for improvement, of course, but it’s easy recommending FIFA 09 to pretty much anyone—even those that normally summon only John Madden when they’re ready for some "football."'

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Rounding out our current Top Three Xbox 360 Sports Games is Xbox 360 NHL 09, the best of the best of games to hit the ice. If you've never tried out hockey on the 360, you are missing out. This game is a blast!

Currently rated at 91% of perfection, it doesn't get much better than this:

"It’s really hard to imagine sports fans not finding a game mode or an aspect of NHL 09 that they enjoy; classic controls and the Be A Pro mode give opportunities for the more casual players to go about a hockey game in a slightly different fashion. You don’t even have to be a psychotic hockey fan to enjoy NHL 09; just a fan of sports in general and of solid Xbox 360 software. Of course pick this one up if you live and breathe the NHL hockey season, but NHL 09 is also worth a look by those that are still searching for that killer, HD-era sports application."