The 1986 Macintosh classic is back. Two decades later, Crystal Quest, fresh off its "next-gen" makeover, has debuted on Xbox Live Arcade amidst some steep competition. For 400 Microsoft Points ($5) Crystal Quest will certainly become a hot impulse buy for nostalgia seekers, but for those of us that never enjoyed the original, can Crystal Quest compete with Geometry Wars, or even Pom Pom's Mutant Storm Reloaded—not to mention Robotron: 2084 and Smash TV? All of these titles are not without their own unique quirks, but they are all founded on the same gameplay premise—one thumbstick to move, the other to shoot.

Crystal Quest features more than 60 waves (levels), some challenging achievements to complete, funky sound effects, and a complete version of the original. It's a nice package, but after playing through the demo several times—which ends after Wave 8—we're gonna hold off on a purchase. It's also worth noting that Crystal Quest's creator and founder of Stainless Games, Patrick Buckland, has promised to release a number of Content Packages (available for a few extra MS Points) that will allow you to customize the game with graphics and sound effects tweaks.