This Wednesday: XBLA runs Marathon (and Board Games) in HD

We tried working both of this week's Xbox Live Arcade games into an unbearably witty headline, but unless you're a particularly ill-natured loser, guns and board games generally don't go together. As you may have already concluded, the first day of August will see the release of a newly remastered edition of Bungie's classic first-person shooter, Marathon: Durandal. Aside from updated graphics and multiplayer combat, the AI's Gone Wild epic boasts an 800 MS Point ($10) price tag.

If mercilessly blasting aliens doesn't float your cup of tea (why do you hate freedom?), perhaps you'd prefer SpyGlass Board Games, a collection of titles you may have enjoyed playing in the bizarre physical realms: Chess, Checkers, Mancala, and Reversi. All support use of the Xbox Live Vision camera and together require an investment of 400 MS Points ($5).

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And don't forget the board game screenshots:
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