Microsoft Xbox 360 Buying games for the Xbox 360
You don't have to spend a fortune to get great games
While all the latest games consoles offer much more than just gaming, it's still their prime purpose and you'll be wanting to invest in new titles.
There are hundreds of games available for the Xbox 360, including game discs as well as downloadable titles. There should be plenty of options to appeal to all types of gamers, from racing to strategy, first person shooters to platformers.
New releases
One unfortunate aspect of new games is that they don't come cheap.
Crackdown 2 for the Xbox 360
Most new titles for the Xbox 360 tend to be priced at around £40, with some of the more popular titles, such as the Call of Duty series, costing even more.
However, with some savvy shopping, you should be able to make your money go further.
Shop around for the best deals
Resist the urge to buy a game as soon as it comes out – within a couple of months of release it can often be found for half its original price.
Fallout 3 for the Xbox 360
If you're looking online, it's always worth looking on a price comparison site such as Pricerunner to see what it recommends as the cheapest available price. Prices for new releases can vary by as much as £10 between retailers.
Buying second-hand
Another option is to buy second-hand. Often people will buy a game, play it intensively until it's complete, then sell it at a reduced price.
Play has a decent range of second-hand games available, as do high street shops such as GAME and HMV, and all should replace the game or offer a refund should it turn out to be faulty.
If you're after cheaper games, you should also stay away from 'special editions', which are often sold at an inflated price with extras that may well be unnecessary.
For example, the special edition of Call of Duty: Black Ops came with a remote controlled car and retailed for a massive £130.
Halo Reach for Xbox 360
Older games
If you're looking for your first games for a new console, it can pay to look back at older titles.
There have been excellent releases for all the consoles over the years, but older games are now available at knock-down prices. Even bigger bargains can be had if you buy old games second-hand.
Xbox Live
Games can be purchased via Xbox Live, using Microsoft points. These points are the currency for purchasing content through the Xbox Live service. They can be bought directly through the store using a credit card, or by purchasing points cards from retailers.
The range of games available through Xbox Live includes original Xbox games, Arcade games and Xbox 360 games. While you will probably find that any full releases can be purchased at a lower price on disc, the convenience might appeal to some people.
There are also demos available for most games, giving you a good opportunity to try before you buy.
Renting games for your console
1 Vs 100 for the Xbox 360
A further option is to rent your games via a game or DVD rental site, or even your local rental store.
The advantage of renting a game from a DVD rental site, such as Lovefilm, is that you can keep the game for as long as you want then send it back and get another one.
The only problem is that you can't be guaranteed a certain game, as they're sent out from a rental list as they become available.
If you go to a local rental shop you may be able to get the title of your choice, but you won't be able to keep it for very long. However, this could be a reasonable investment to find out whether you like a game enough to buy it outright.
Backwards compatibility
The Xbox 360 is backwards compatible with hundreds of games for the original Xbox, such as the popular Halo games, and the Splinter Cell series. These games can usually be picked up very cheaply, but as not all Xbox games are compatible with the Xbox 360, it's worth checking before purchasing.
Microsoft lists the titles which will play on the Xbox 360 on their Xbox site.
Check out our video review of the Microsoft Xbox 360
