Sierra crashes Xbox Live Arcade

Though initially thought of as a roll of the dice, bringing games to Microsoft's Xbox Live Arcade is proving to be a sure bet. Seeing the opportunity the service presents, several publishers are jumping on board in attempts to part casual and retro gamers from their cash.

The latest to do so is Sierra Online, a sub-brand of Vivendi Games. The company today announced that it is bringing two games to Xbox Live Arcade--Assault Heroes and 3-D Ultra Mini Golf Adventures.

Both games are being developed by Wanako Studios and are set to be released sometime this winter. No pricing on either game has been announced.

Assault Heroes is an action game that puts gamers in the combat boots of an elite Special Forces soldier as he looks for a secret underground lab. Gamers will be able to drive an armored 4x4, pilot a speed boat, or go on foot as they shoot their way through enemies with weapons such as flak cannons, flamethrowers, and grenades. The game's cooperative mode supports up to two players, offline or online, on the same screen.

3-D Ultra Mini Golf Adventures is (surprise) a miniature-golf game featuring 36 holes of diminutive links. The game supports up to four players in its multiplayer mode, though Sierra did not say whether the game supported online play. The 36 holes are spread across three themed courses--Classic Theme Park, Old Western Ghost Town, and Wacky Science. The game also features a customizable course editor for aspiring greenkeepers.