Skip to main content

Veteran Xbox Live Indie Games developer launches Steam compilation

Standout Xbox Live Indie Games developer Mommy’s Best Games has released a Steam compilation featuring four of its titles that were previously exclusive to the Xbox 360.

The release follows up on Microsoft’s recent announcement that it will shut down the Xbox Live Indie Games service in 2017, permanently ending support for thousands of community-created titles.

Recommended Videos

The planned shutdown will bring a halt to new XBLIG releases in 2016, followed by the permanent removal of all Xbox Live Indie Games from Microsoft’s online storefront in 2017. Players who purchased Xbox Live Indie Games releases will still be able to redownload their purchases afterward, and Microsoft notes that it is “working with game conservationists and creators to preserve the legacy of XBLIG content.”

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Mommy’s Best Games approached the shutdown as an opportunity to port its games to other platforms, producing the four-game Mommy’s Best Action Pack for Windows PCs this week.

Mommy’s Best Action Pack features the Contra-inspired run-and-gun shooter Weapon of Choice, which originally launched as one of very first Xbox Live Indie Games releases in 2008. Weapon of Choice upgrades the classic genre with twin-stick shooting mechanics and a slow-motion feature that allows players to escape imminent threats.

The package additionally includes Shoot 1UP, a vertically scrolling shoot-’em-up that gives players control over an entire squadron of heavily armed ships. Players can widen their fleet’s formation at will, increasing the game’s challenge while upping their destructive capabilities.

Also included in the bundle are the Cybernator-inspired 2D mech shooter Explosionade and the XBLIG-satirizing manic shoot-’em-up Game Type. All featured games have been upgraded with Steam achievements, trading cards, and controller support, among other additions.

Mommy’s Best Action Pack is priced at $8. Featured games can also be purchased individually for $3 apiece.

Danny Cowan
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
NYT Connections: hints and answers for Saturday, March 8
New York Times' Connection puzzle open in the NYT Games app on iOS.

Connections is one of the best puzzle games from the New York Times. The game tasks you with categorizing a pool of 16 words into four secret (for now) groups by figuring out how the words relate to each other. The puzzle resets every night at midnight and each new puzzle has a varying degree of difficulty. Just like Wordle, you can keep track of your winning streak and compare your scores with friends.

Some days are trickier than others — just like other NYT Games favorites The Mini and Strands. If you're having a little trouble solving today's puzzle, check out our Connections tips and tricks guide for some good strategies or check out the hints for today's Connections puzzle below. And if you still can't get it, we'll tell you today's answers at the very end.
How to play Connections

Read more
NYT Strands today: hints, spangram and answers for Saturday, March 8
NYT Strands logo.

Strands is a brand new daily puzzle from the New York Times. A trickier take on the classic word search, you'll need a keen eye to solve this puzzle.

Like Wordle, Connections, and the Mini Crossword, Strands can be a bit difficult to solve some days. There's no shame in needing a little help from time to time. If you're stuck and need to know the answers to today's Strands puzzle, check out the solved puzzle below.
How to play Strands
You start every Strands puzzle with the goal of finding the "theme words" hidden in the grid of letters. Manipulate letters by dragging or tapping to craft words; double-tap the final letter to confirm. If you find the correct word, the letters will be highlighted blue and will no longer be selectable.

Read more
NYT Mini Crossword today: puzzle answers for Saturday, March 8
The Mini open in the NYT Games app on iOS.

Love crossword puzzles but don't have all day to sit and solve a full-sized puzzle in your daily newspaper? That's what The Mini is for!

A bite-sized version of the New York Times' well-known crossword puzzle, The Mini is a quick and easy way to test your crossword skills daily in a lot less time (the average puzzle takes most players just over a minute to solve). While The Mini is smaller and simpler than a normal crossword, it isn't always easy. Tripping up on one clue can be the difference between a personal best completion time and an embarrassing solve attempt.

Read more