halo 3There are a lot of video games out on the market these days, and with each release, there's always the potential for a new game that can go online and become a title that thousands are playing at any given time. If you were to log in to Xbox live right now and play Halo 3, you'd probably be amazed to see all of the thousands of people playing worldwide, from Australia to the United Kingdom. You might also be surprised to see how many people are playing in your home country even at 3 a.m. on a Tuesday night. Yes, it really happens.

These days, a good game experience often means that you're also looking at a good online gaming experience. But which of the games currently out there is the best for someone who's interested in playing games online? Heck, which category is best? Football games or first person shooters? Strategy games or golf games? In this article, we'll take a look at the games available for online multi-player use and try to determine which one is flat-out the most fun.

Halo 3:

Halo 3 is the latest incarnation of Halo - until this article quickly becomes dated by a new entry into the series - and as the latest and greatest, it's one of the most popular Xbox Live games out there. There's a reason for that. Halo 3 is downright good nonsensical fun: it's not supported by any historical basis of fact and it's not overly concerned with realism, but it does feel like you're really doing what the characters are performing on-screen. That great mix of realistic graphics and silly technology makes Halo 3 one of the best first-person shooters out there. It's less concerned with the realism of the Call of Duty series and more concerned with the experience of playing a good game online. The different types of battles possible - including capture-the-flag and "Team Slayer" - are great for mixing things up if you ever feel stuck in a rut.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2:

You can't mention Xbox Live games and not talk about one of the biggest titles ever, the still-fresh Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. It's a realistic game with realistic weapons, game play, sounds, and maps, and it's the closest thing you probably have to actually fighting a war with other players online. That's a good thing. Modern Warfare 2 is similar to Halo in many respects, but it takes place in an entirely different and far more vivid world: one similar to our own. It's great for playing with buddies when you want to do some serious gaming and really care about building up that online gaming profile.

FIFA 09:

FIFA 09 is one of the true international games; even people from America seem to enjoy it. The FIFA franchise combines a realistic method of playing soccer with what can, at times, be one of the most enthralling sports titles out there. There's nothing quite like taking a ball close to the goal or feeling the pressure of late-game situations. FIFA is most fun when you have someone to play with, and when it comes to Xbox Live, that's really what you're concerned with. Plus, you can't help but feel like national pride is frequently on the line when you encounter players from other countries.

Our choice for best online game? Halo 3. You may disagree, but it's hard to deny the greatness of one of the biggest franchises out there.

These are just three titles that you can enjoy on Xbox Live to great, long-term success. Will you get sick of them? Not really: every time you log on, you're going to find yourself in a new situation with a new challenge. Now, if only washing the dishes could be as exciting as Xbox Live...


Related Articles
  • What is the Best First-Person Shooter Ever? - Unless you've been completely (and perhaps blissfully) ignorant of the video game world, you know that first-person shooters have risen to become one of the most dominant types of video games out on the market today. Just recentl...

  • 5 Killer Tips To Get More Out Of Your XBox 360 - [caption id="attachment_1796" align="alignright" width="285" caption="Xbox 360 Tips"][/caption] Playing on your Xbox 360 can be great, but when you're playing that next round of golf on Tiger Woods 2010, are you really wondering: ...

  • Is XBox Live Worth It? - If you're a serious gamer, you probably can't live without Xbox Live. You love playing Halo 3 or Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 with your friends so much that you find it hard to peel yourself off of the game console and actually...

  • Battlefield 3 vs. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3: Which Should You Buy? - This season brought many great options for gamers. Fans of the first person shooter, or FPS genre, were left with a difficult decision when both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 landed on store shelves around the ...

  • Does Xbox Live Improve Or Impair Your Social Skills? - "What's up, man? Where are you from?" So begins an interaction during a game of Halo. It doesn't matter if you're from Sydney or Seattle - if you're playing on Xbox live, you can have a similar conversation with people from just ...