3D games come to Zune HD

New 3D games are available for Zune HD owners, and they're all free.

(Credit: Microsoft)

Zune HD owners have something to smile about today. The latest firmware update, version 4.3, not only brings a handful of general fixes (including accurate playcounts), but also ushers the Zune HD into a proper 3D gaming device.

To celebrate the new capability, six new games have been added to the Zune Marketplace software, which users can download to their updated Zune HD at no cost. Games include PGR: Ferrari Edition, Lucky Lane Bowling, Vans Sk8: Pool Service, Piano, Checkers, and Audiosurf: Tilt. We're not exactly jumping out of our seat over Piano and Checkers, but the rest of the titles look genuinely fun--and did we mention they're free?.

Just like the existing games available for the Zune HD, the new titles also show a brief advertisement upon start-up.

A news release e-mailed to us from Microsoft also states "we will be delivering additional applications for Zune HD including Facebook and Twitter in the future."

[Slick1of2]

Sweet. I'm really happy with my Zune.

[jakemochas]

this is much better than the app store from my itouch... all of the games are managed by microsoft, which is good and bad... the good is that they seems to have a lot of gaming experience with the x360 and all of the games that i have are really fun... the bad is that us developers can't publish games to the app store yet

[4dthinker]

Thanks for that news, Donald. Can you tell us if the games play on the TV when plugged into the HD dock?

4D

[audiodonald]

I doubt it. Most of them rely on touch input or accelerometer control, which can't translate to the Zune AV remote.

[viper396]

@ audiodonald, Why would they disable the touch and control input when a TV is attached? How would you control the zune?

Logically, whether you are watching a video or playing a game the touch and accelerometer control input would still be done via the Zune itself, only the video/sound would be piped to on the TV.

[audiodonald]

Once the Zune is docked, your TV becomes the screen and navigation is performed with the AV dock remote control. For music, videos radio, and photos, this works really well--but not so much for Web and games--which is why they aren't part of the AV experience. Plus, for games, it's not just touch control, it's accelerometer too--which doesn't work so hot with a docked Zune. I imagine you also run into the problem of graphics scaling to HD resolution--which is ok for a 30fps 720p video with a few seconds of buffer, but not so much when you're going for zero-latency 3D gaming at native HD resolution. That's what Xbox is for, folks.

[mediateck]

awesome... updating now. I've been waiting for that racing game. Microsoft, keep the apps comin

[cbaisa]

the racing game is really fun. the audiosurf game is also cool because of the integration of your own music.

[digitalducki]

I would think he would mean using the phone as the controller but seeing the game on the tv...

[UncleUzi]

Good stuff! I'm really excited to try the audiosurf one

[clrgj2]

That racing game and audiosurf is AWESOME. First time when you choose a song in audiosurf, it takes like 10 seconds to load but that's it! Also, the racing game is a lot of fun just because of the fact that you can play in multi-player mode and it works really well, no lag or delay at all.

[jakemochas]

the graphics are almost PSP status in PGR

[ithomas94]

Audiosurf Tilt seems to me to be far and away the best game of this bunch.
And PGR seems to me to be maybe even beyond PSP status, and since this is only the first batch of 3D games, expect some really eye-popping graphics later down the road.

[kewell82]

Awesome, thanks Microsoft. I will download them after work.

[andrewmarran]

sweet.... I'm downloading them ASAP

[rlorenz89]

I played the PGR game- so far, so good! I'm downloading the rest currently.

[5k4k1dhtp]

They should give the option to pay a small amount of money once and it gets rid of the ads.

Otherwise, decent, but they should release xbox-esque games (though I understand it's challenging without tactile buttons, I believe in them! They can do it!)

[xapache]

I would rather watch the 5 second ad then pay $5 for the game.

This has always been a big debate, ad = free or no ad = $$'s.

I think Microsoft is doing the right thing by introducing high quality apps for free to entice the developers. My guess is soon we'll see open development begin and apps showing up in the Marketplace, for a fee. Good job MS.

[Kenshiro12]

Ok, not to rain on anyone's parade, but has Microsoft completely abandoned its former pet the Zune 120? I haven't seen any rel firmware updates for this product. Its far from perfect and Microsoft is leaving a large portion of its consumers out. Microsoft if you are listening all I am asking for is a "recently added" option in the menu that's it. Thank you.

[jedmmj11]

um, sorry to tell u this, but yeah they have. they've stopped producing them. The only future of Zune is HD. Sorry, i was upset too. the 120 way much better than the ipod classic in most aspects (though i dont think anyone is going to miss the 4, 8 and 16) they can hardly compete with the nano now

[TheTiredGuy]

It sucks that they seem to be abandoning the 120. I have a 120 that's not even a year old. It has around 33 gigs of stuff on it, so a 32gb Zune HD isn't really going to do it for me. One of the reasons why I got a Zune over an iPod Classic was because of the bigger screen. The thing is, now Zune Marketplace sells and rents movies, but they are only compatible with the Zune HD.

[VWXYZadam]

AudioSurf. Tilt sounds AWESOME! I'm a huge fan a AudioSurf on the my desktop, and to me this is most important s proof for the project still exist.

I'm sorry to always bring this up in the Zune articles but... I'm looking forward to these games coming to iPhone too :)

[GSOgymrat]

Cool! I love PGR.

[Kenshiro12]

Ok, not to rain on anyone's parade, but has Microsoft completely abandoned its former pet the Zune 120? I haven't seen any rel firmware updates for this product. Its far from perfect and Microsoft is leaving a large portion of its consumers out. Microsoft if you are listening all I am asking for is a "recently added" option in the menu that's it. Thank you.

[chapibol]

awesome!!! Loving Audiosurf and PGR!!

[inflammable]

Only thing that sucks is that with those kind of games, hd movies and whatever music library anyone can have there is almost no space inside the Zune HD... Im ok with HDD being replaced but... they need to offer card slots... that would have been great for music... and videos... and leave apps inside on board memory

[mediateck]

been playing the racing game... the graphics are very good. And the bowling game is like playing on a wii. keep em comin microsoft.

[doomsdaydave11]

Sweet. A whole bunch of free, 3D, and fairly decent quality games. Sure, the piano is useless but hey its there. I'm loving this ZuneHD more and more.

Audiosurf is great. I'd like some of the modes that are in the retail version, but its still very cool.

[ColStruckin]

Zune? Zune?! what is this zune thing you speak of?? I probably never heard of it because everyone has a ipod... perhaps?

[hellhound63]

really? you logged into this for this?

[illegallydead]

*cough* TROLL!!!!!!!! *cough*

I personally own an iPod, but welcome the competition that Zune brings (no matter how little of a market share they really have compared to iPod...) Really the only reason I don't go Zune is the fact that it doesn't sync with Mac (where I keep all my music), and their quick move away from HDD's. I have a TON of music and flash just isn't big/cheap enough yet :(

[revengeofthecow]

Mac? Mac?! What is this Mac thing you speak of?? I probably never heard or it because everyone has a PC... perhaps?

[motrin800]

@revengeofthecow- hha great!

[ithomas94]

Obvious troll is obvious, Simple as that. Next!

[madonna915]

didn't microsoft said that they are not going to have an app store... so confused

[audiodonald]

I think the sticking point is that "store" implies commerce, and so far, Microsoft is only pushing out their own free, hand-picked apps to the device. Without going public with an SDK and a roadmap to show developers how to leverage the Zune HD to make money, there's no incentive for people to program Zune HD apps. The Zune HD "app store" is like an ad-supported communist breadline--except that the bread is super tasty.

[Super2online]

@audodonald - If what you are saying is true, that Microsoft won't allow other developers in until some point in the future, they are going to have to keep putting these games out on a regular basis to keep the Zune crowd happy. Offering some paid apps that are better also seems like a great idea. I don't expect them to keep creating things for free and just give it away to keep selling Zune HD's. I don't think there is enough margin to keep that up very long.