For those that are too lazy to go to the local game store or prefer a fresh new download to a beat up, scratched, used game with no instructions, Burnout 3: Takedown is now available for download from the Xbox Store for the low price of 1200 MS points or $15. You know considering people are paying $8-$9 for 10 year old games, paying $15 for a 5 year old game doesn’t seem that obscene. If you’ve never played Burnout 3, this is your chance, and it’s well worth it if you don’t already have the game.

Rounding out the 360 releases are three new songs for Rock Band – although I found it rather odd to see “Last Train To Clarksville” as a downloadable song, and even odder to see that it was a cover (I’m guessing because it might have been difficult to use the original master recording for the game), I found it to be one of the tougher songs to play in the game. Give it a whirl.

Over on the PlayStation 3, there is a plethora of content this week – some of it even is good. The big news is the demo of the new Turok game. The game is also available for download on the 360 everywhere but North America because a magazine has an exclusive on the game. Sorry folks, that won’t make me buy your game – I’d rather buy a PS3 and download it there, just to annoy you. This Turok game is definitely worth the download – the 5.1 sound is amazing and hearing a raptor attacking you from behind made me jump out of my chair. Gameplay itself is your usual blast everything game, but it has lush graphics and dinosaurs!

Sony released two new games that require the PlayStation Eye: first we have the interactive art game Tori-Emaki which basically lets you move birds around. Seriously $1.99 for this? This should be a free download. The other “game” is Mesmerize: Trace, which is another $2 and gives you more fun with your camera. Basically the game acts as a filter with a few new options. Now as you move your hand you see flames, etc. Kids love it, but again, $2? Really? One of the first games released for the PS3 was Blast Factor – Sony then supplemented the original game with a multiplayer pack and an ‘advanced’ pack. You can now buy the whole caboodle rather than individually for the low low price of $12.99. On its own, the game isn’t bad, it is just so reminiscent of Geometry Wars that sometimes it’s hard to take it as a standalone game.

There’s a new Motorstorm Double Track pack, which gives you (guess)…two new tracks for the game for $3, which doesn’t seem unreasonable. On the other hand, I think I’ve now paid about $80 for this game after all the add ons are done – they have been implemented pretty well and I don’t feel cheated, but boy, that’s a lot of money for one game.

Rounding out the PS3 releases are a demo for FIFA Street 3 and the Rock Band songs that are on the 360.I’m impressed with the quantity coming out of the PS store, but I’m worried about the quality. The art games are fun 30 second diversions, but the pricing seems a little silly.

That wraps up another episode of TWID. The full list of downloads with my picks of the week follow. We’ll see you next Friday and keep our fingers crossed that this is the week for Earthbound on the Wii, and will this be the week that three of my favorite Oasis songs hit Rock Band? We’ll find out next week!

This Week’s Best Downloads:

• Pinball FX table
• FIFA Street demo
• Turok demo
• Gumboy Crazy Adventures

GameTap

(All games included in monthly/annual subscription)

• D.N.A. (PC/Puzzle Game)
• Drop Team (PC/Action game)
• Gumboy Crazy Adventures (PC/Puzzle)

Wii Virtual Console

• Pac-Attack (SNES) 800 Wii Points
• Riot Zone (Tg16) 800 WII Points

Xbox Live

• Pinball FX - Nightmare Mansion Table (200 Points or $2.50) (Pinball FX required)
• FIFA Street 3 Demo
• Virtua Fighter 5 Title Update (VF5 game required)
• Boogie Bunnies (800 Points or $10)
• Burnout 3 Takedown (1200 Points or $15)
• Rock Band “Last Train to Clarksville” – (160 Points or $2)
• Rock Band “All the Small Things” - (160 Points or $2)
• Rock Band “Action” – (160 Points or $2)
GameTap

PlayStation Network

• Tori-Emaki ($1.99) (PS Eye Required)
• Mesmerize: Trace ($1.99) (PS Eye Required)
• Blast Factor Bundle ($12.99)
• MotorStorm Double Track Pack ($2.99)
• Rock Band “Last Train to Clarksville” ($1.99)
• Rock Band “All the Small Things” ($1.99)
• Rock Band “Action” ($1.99)
• Turok Demo
• FIFA Street 3 Demo