The new Xbox 360 Platinum Hits inductees are Grand Theft Auto IV, Street Fighter IV, Left 4 Dead, Saints Row 2 and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed. Two of those titles have sequels due out rather soon, so best to get them before they become antiquated by Left 4 Dead 2 and Super Street Fighter IV.

Price in U.S. dollars starts "as low as $19.99," price points that some of these titles have been flirting with for some time now. But according to the official release, some retailers are offering a buy two, get one free deal on the Xbox 360 budget line of games, passing the savings on to you!

We say "new" because, well, not all of them are new to the Platinum Hits series. Indeed, most of the eight highlighted titles aren't. Like Viva Pinata. And Burnout Paradise, and Forza 2, and Mass Effect, and Fight Night Round 3. Gears of War is also listed as "new", though since this repackaged edition comes with "every map pack, game mode and Achievement ever released on Xbox LIVE", it gets a pass.

The only two truly new games to the range, then, are Battlefield: Bad Company and Army of Two.

No prices were announced for the new games, but as with other Platinum titles, they'll go for either $20 or $30.

After an incredibly successful first run in the Europe, Konami is re-releasing PlayStation 3 blockbuster Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots at a reduced price as part of the PlayStation Platinum budget line.

Hideo Kojima's swan song for Solid Snake, Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots, is getting a re-release on March 5th in European regions, with a reduced price of only 29,95 Euro and a rather ugly packaging makeover, as the game joins the PlayStation Platinum series.

"Metal Gear Solid 4: guns of the Patriots has proved to be an outstanding title, and its many awards and accolades are testament to this," commented Martin Schneider, European Marketing Director for Konami Digital Entertainment GmbH. "With the PLAYSTATION®3 user base growing at a rapid rate, this welcome re-release for an all-new price will give this growing community a chance to get to grips with one of the most innovative, testing and varied title for the format."

While the announcement currently only covers Europe, we're almost positive that North American versions of the game will follow suit shortly, with a much more attractive box to boot.

As you probably already know, Lost Planet: Colonies is going to be a "Platinum Hits" version of the original game but with tons of added content. For the redux of an old game being sold at a discount price ($29.95) they have really loaded it down with new features. There are three new single player modes, six new online multiplayer modes (including one where a random player gets chosen to play one of the big bugs while the other players try to take him down), four new multiplayer maps, four new player characters including two females and two robots, eight new weapons, new environments, cross platform play (PC and 360) and a the new ability to switch from first person view to an RE4 style over-the-shoulder view. Whew!

To read the details on all the fancy new features of Lost Planet: Colonies which hits May 28, make the jump!

New modes for single player campaign:
Score Attack - Each enemy and destructible object has points assigned to them, with the player being awarded different points depending on how they defeat the enemy.

Trial Battle Mode - Take on each of the game's Bosses, one after another

Off Limit Mode - Go wild with over-the-top, super-charged weapons with unlimited ammunition and increased speed of movement

New online modes
Akrid Hunter - Get the chance to finally play as an Akrid as your opponents attempt to take you down

VS Annihilator - Each team attempts to destroy its opponent's VS while defending its own

CounterGrab - The team with the longest data post activation time wins

Point Snatcher - Take down opponents and collect the most thermal energy points

Akrid Egg Battle - Steal Akrid eggs from the opponent's team and bring them safely back to your own base

Egg Bandit - steal your opponents' Akrid egg, with points awarded for longer capture times
Four new multiplayer maps

Crossfire City - the wide streets provide an excellent opportunity for VS battles, while buildings provide great cover for sharp-eyed snipers

Area 921- Two industrial compounds located in a vast desert and linked by an underground pipe

Lost Arena - The central arena is ideal for VS pilots to act as futuristic gladiators, while those on foot can use the surrounding grandstands as their battleground

Assault Space - Set onboard a space ship and its supply vessel, the blackness of space is sure to make for some interesting encounters

New playable characters
Two female and two robot characters are added to the roster of choices for online personas to choose from, bringing the total to 11

New weapons (human)
Hand Gun - weak in power, but very accurate and easy to use

Revolver - The expert's one-shot kill weapon of choice at close quarters

Flame Launcher - Uses thermal energy to lay down a wall of fire

Hand Cannon - A handgun-like rocket launcher that is very effective against VS suits

New weapons (VS)
Pile Bunker - A long spike fires out at immense speed

VS Rifle - VS-dedicated rifle which has the longest range and loses no power regardless of the distance

Rocket Pod - Shoot off a salvo of rockets to cause immense damage to a specific area

Laser Lance - Attack with a sweeping arc of devastation
New Environments

Snowstorms, arctic winds, towering mountains of ice are all stunningly realized, creating a truly immersive and cinematic event of epic proportions.

New perspectives
Switch to first person view or the over-the-shoulder view from Resident Evil™ 4 for even more intense action

Cross Platform Play
∑ XBOX 360 and PC users can now compete on the same battlefield

NOTE: Lost Planet COLONIES EDITION and the original Lost Planet: Extreme Condition are not compatible. Single-player saves and online rankings cannot be carried over and multiplayer games will be separate.

As the box art tells us, Halo 2 plays on Xbox 360, so you really have no reason for it not having a place in your gaming library. Me? I still have plenty of reasons.

No date on this one yet, as we came across it on one of Microsoft's marketing sites. The question: why now? We're asking Microsoft to find out.

Microsoft just announced the next batch of Platinum Hits coming to the Xbox 360. Some amazing deals in this list, and one not so much.

The U.S. lineup will sell for $30 a pop and hit on March 16:
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (Electronic Arts)
Burnout Revenge (Electronic Arts)
Call of Duty 2 (Activision)
Dead or Alive 4 (TECMO Inc.)
Fight Night Round 3 (Electronic Arts)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (Ubisoft)
Top Spin 2 (2K Sports)
Rockstar Games presents Table Tennis (Rockstar Games)

In Japan, the games will cost 2,800 yen:
Battlefield 2: Modern Combat (Electronic Arts)
Burnout Revenge (Electronic Arts)
Chrome Hounds (Sega Corp.)
Perfect Dark Zero (Microsoft Game Studios)

In the Asia Pacific region the games will vary in price:
Dead or Alive 4 (TECMO)
N3: Ninety-Nine Nights (Microsoft Game Studios)
Project Gotham Racing 3 (Microsoft Game Studios)
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter (Ubisoft)

Microsoft just announced that the cheap, older game repurposing that has come to be known as "Greatest Hits" or "Platinum Hits" depending on which console you are is coming to the Xbox 360.

That's right, new Xbox 360 games for cheap. Well, cheaper.

Starting Oct. 15, North American stores will start selling the 360's first wave of Platinum Hits for $30. Not bad, but it's no $20 deal.

The first batch of PH titles are Perfect Dark Zero, Project Gotham Racing 3, Kameo: Elements of Power and Need for Speed Most Wanted. All of which I can personally recommend picking up if you don't own them already.

The second wave of PH titles will hit in spring of 2007 after the program launches in the rest of the world this holiday. Each region will have their own particular lineup. Brian Crecente

REDMOND, Wash. — September 20, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced the debut of Platinum Hits lineup for Xbox 360 software titles, available October 15 at retail locations in North America. The first wave of Platinum Hits games includes "Perfect Dark Zero" (Microsoft Game Studios), "Project Gotham Racing 3" (Microsoft Game Studios), "Kameo: Elements of Power" (Microsoft Game Studios) and "Need for Speed Most Wanted" (Electronic Arts). The games will carry a manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) of $29.99 USD.

The Xbox Platinum Hits program accounted for more than sixteen million software sales - approximately 16 percent of all Xbox software sold. Platinum Hits titles for the first Xbox console included "Halo: Combat Evolved" (Bungie) and "Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge" (Microsoft Game Studios), some of the best-reviewed games on the console.

"The Platinum Hits program allows existing gamers and new gamers alike to have access to great games at a great price," said Mitch Koch, corporate vice president of Worldwide Retail Sales for the Interactive Entertainment Business. "Xbox 360 will have a ten million unit head start by the end of 2006, and there will be plenty of new console owners eager to jump in to the best-selling Xbox 360 games."

"Not only does the Platinum Hits program offer games at a great value," Koch added, "it ensures that the platform's best games are available to new customers at an amazing price. And if you missed playing a game the first time around, now is a great reason to pick it up."

"The Platinum Hits program was extremely successful for the Xbox, and we are excited to see it continue on the Xbox 360," said Bob McKenzie, Senior Vice President of Merchandising at GameStop Corp. "When you look at the Xbox 360's fantastic games library, and now the inclusion of the Platinum Hit program, it is easy to see the great value and choices that all gamers are able to tap into."

The second wave of Platinum Hits arrives in spring of 2007 after launching worldwide this holiday, with titles varying by region. Europe, Asia, Latin America, Japan and Australia will all have Platinum Hits programs with lineups tailored for the specific tastes of gamers in those regions.

In a follow-up to the "Xbox Classics" range released three years ago, Microsoft rolls out the new "Best of Classics" line today. Each of the titles comes repackaged in a box with the original artwork, stamped with the new Best of Classics branding. Each game is priced at 9.99 GPB, approximately 18.60 USD.

The new line primarily seems concerned with sequels and expansion packs, and includes Halo 2, Project Gotham Racing 2, Counter-Strike, The Simpsons Hit and Run and Fable: The Lost Chapters. Vivendi titles Crash Bandicoot: Wrath of Cortex, Crash Nitro Kart and Crash Twinsanity are also listed.

Information on when this line is coming to the US, if ever, is scarce. I found only references to European releases, which would make sense. I can only speculate that Microsoft is doing this to kick the legs out from under the European secondhand market, as unopened Halo 2 boxes are going on eBay.co.uk for about 20.00 GPB. In the good ol' US of eBay.com, they're about 18.00 USD already. Neener neener!

UPDATE : I screwed up. It's been brought to my attention that the US got this two-part series already, under the name "Platinum Hits" and "Best of Platinum Hits". Many apologies. However, the "Neener neener" still stands. Eliza Gauger

Can you tell I've had my morning chai? Hit the jump for the full selection of gaming patterns.

Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (Bethesda Softworks)

Enter the Matrix (Atari)

Fuzion Frenzy (Microsoft Game Studios)

Project Gotham Racing 2 (Microsoft Game Studios)

Shrek 2 (Activision)

Soul Calibur II (Namco)

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (Ubisoft)

Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Island Thunder (Ubisoft)

Tom Clancy s Rainbow Six 3(Ubisoft)

Tom Clancy s Splinter Cell Pandora Tomorrow (Ubisoft)

Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell (Ubisoft)

Tony Hawk s Underground (Activision)

Tony Hawk s Pro Skater 4 (Activision)

True Crimes: Streets of LA (Activision)

MechAssault (Microsoft Game Studios)

Counterstrike (Microsoft Game Studios)