Review by: Jeff McAllister

In 1999, when Quake 3 Arena was released, it was arguably the fastest, and most brutal online focused first person shooter around. That was over a decade ago and the Xbox Live Arcade version of Q3A still retains its frenetic speed and non-apologetic punishing Deathmatch game play, but times have changed and in the age of Halo and Modern Warfare, headshots and regenerating health, Quake Arena Arcade is a piece of nostalgia that will leave you lonely on servers and a little light in the wallet.

This quick paced shooter is simplicity at the utmost level. There are no perks to select, experience points to gain, no run button to press, and it is simply a matter of kill or be killed in its most primitive form. The XBLA version of Quake 3 Arena brings along with it, not just its original content, but also the team based features and gameplay that were introduced in the ill-fated expansion, Team Arena.

Quake Arena Arcade throws at you a ton of content including 30 maps from the original games, as well as 12 all-new maps created just for this version. Players can choose from the abundant number of player models and skins with the classics such as Crash, Klesk, and Sarge who are all still in their original glory - although Orbb is noticeably absent from the list. You are also given the ability to force player models and force sport – a feature that makes all the other players appear bright green, making them easier targets to hit.

All of the arenas are coated in brown stone Gothic style architectures with demonic overtones or floating silver, metallic platforms set in the voids of Space with bounce pads and teleporters inhabiting both variations. The original play modes of CTF, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch are included as are the Team Arena Modes of Overload, One Flag CTF and the skull hunting Harvester. Players can step up the action with power-ups like Quad Damage which gives you a blue shimmer and lets you unload a massive amount of damage on enemies, as well as additional health pick-ups and armor bonuses.

The Team Arena Modes bring back the runes of the Doubler, Guard, Scout, and Ammo Regen which help players get a leg up while attacking or defending bases. The controls are as simple as the gameplay. The triggers allow you to fire and jump while the four face buttons allow you to quick switch weapons, and perform a quick 180 degree turn to instantly face the other way. The quick turn is a welcome addition, but with the speed of the game, it’s still difficult for a controller to keep up.