A wave of nostalgia washes over us in this week’s update as the big release is the Xbox Live update of classic Nintendo 64 shooter Perfect Dark.

This game was another FPS smash by Rare and is often called the spiritual successor to the groundbreaking GoldenEye 007. The Xbox Live version will sport vastly improved visuals because if there was one glaring complaint about the original, it was the choppy frame rate. And now you have XBLA multiplayer support, achievement and avatar awards. This is all available for 800 Microsoft Points, a surprisingly low price considering how anticipated this one is.

For most people in the US right now, it’s cold, snowy and generally miserable outside. It’s the time of year when cabin fever sets in because nobody wants to go outside and face winter head-on. Microsoft understands that, and is ready to step in and save the day with an Xbox Live Arcade: House Party celebration! Well, it’s more a promotion than a celebration.

Essentially, Microsoft has three new, downloadable games and a new Game Room application coming to the Xbox 360, wants to get people to download all four programs and is willing to offer some pretty good rewards to Xbox Live Gold subscribers who do. Gold members who download all three of the new games and the Game Room will get 400 Microsoft Points ($5) and an extra month added to their subscription for free. The three games are Toy Soldiers, out March 3 for 1,200 MP ($14.99), Scrap Metal, out March 10 for 1,200 MP ($14.99) and Perfect Dark, out March 17 for 800 MP ($10). The Game Room application is free download and will be out March 24.

There are two other ways Microsoft’s celebrating too, one’s exciting and the other’s just okay. First, from March 26-28, 2010 Silver members will get to take part in Xbox Live multiplayer for free…