Xbox Live Arcade has largely dominated the digital games-to-console scene this generation. Whether it is retro re-releases, HD upgrades, sequels, tie-ins or new properties, gamers have had no shortage of titles ready to drain their wallets of 800 Microsoft Points, disc-free. As a quick reference guide for anyone just getting into the digital platform or looking to round out their collection with some great titles missed along the way, The Clik has compiled a list of 25 Must-Play Xbox Live Arcade Games, in no particular order.

DeathSpank (HotHead Games)

From the mind of gaming comedian Ron Gilbert and HotHead Games, DeathSpank is one part RPG, one part action title and one part Diablo loot-fest, topped with a heaping pile of humor. Might as well pick up the sequel, DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue, while you're at it!

Castle Crashers (The Behemoth)

With a great cartoon feel, four players control knights in a battle to save their princesses. If not the great action, RPG elements and humorous moments, the ability to play online with friends and level up incessantly should win over gamers.

Plants vs. Zombies (PopCap)

Already one of the few casual games to earn "Game of the Year" talk from hardcore enthusiasts on PC, Plants vs. Zombies makes a solid transition to XBLA, with new features and a decent cursor control.

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero (Capcom)

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero is a precursor to Dead Rising 2, but it's not some dinky arcade game. It features the full engine of the zombie fest, offering plenty for its $5 price tag, previewing the core game and offering intense zombie action. Nice job, Capcom!

Scott Pilgrim vs. The World: The Game (Ubisoft)

While Scott Pilgrim vs. The World may have failed to meet expectations at the box office, those who saw it know the film references two things constantly - comics and video games. Ubisoft's offering is a retro beat-'em-up with some fun Scott Pilgrim twists...and co-op action.

Schizoid (Torpex Games)

Maybe the premiere example of true co-op action, Schizoid's intense levels have players teaming up to beat their partners' weaknesses over the course of many intense levels. Only when things aren't going right, it's just as likely to cause fights. It's hard.

3 on 3 NHL Arcade (EA)

What would the list be without a sports game? And for our money, nothing offers the same silly, arcade action as 3 on 3 NHL Arcade. Fast paced hockey with ultra-hard hits and simple controls. A worthy NBA Jam for the hockey fans.

The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom (The Odd Gentlemen)

With a super-retro art style in sepia-toned art and a lead character with an insatiable hunger for pie, The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom caught our attention. With challenging (i.e. incredibly difficult) puzzles, it keeps it.

Peggle (PopCap)

PopCap has spent a few years ruling the casual market, so it should be no surprise we'll buy Peggle on just about any platform the publisher decides to release it on. Seriously, it's that good. Here PopCap, take our money!

Trials HD (RedLynx)

What's not to love about Trials HD? Increasingly tough tracks take the simple forward-backward-lean mechanics of Excitebike and update them for a new generation. The addiction comes in the form of friends trying to top one another's scores online.

Mega Man 9 (Capcom)

Now this is how a sequel should be done. More than a decade after the last 8-bit installment of the series, Capcom returns Mega Man to his roots, with 8-bit graphics, a chiptunes soundtrack and a bunch of great new levels and bosses.

Braid (Jonathan Blow)

First Braid lures us to the game in with an interesting time mechanic. Then it builds upon that and challenges with difficult puzzling. Then it slowly reveals itself through a compelling twist on an old story, and earns its place among the best released for XBLA.

Shadow Complex (Chair Entertainment)

Shadow Complex is a fantastic 3D shooter on a 2D plane that takes its biggest cues from the explorative nature of Castlevania and early Metroid. It has a few minor problems, but none that could ever cause us to recommend against its awesome design.

Penny Arcade Adventures: On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness (HotHead Games)

The saddest part about this series is that it will probably never get a proper finish, relegated to scripts online from Tycho and Gabe. Still, the two episodes offer some great Penny Arcade-style humor and engaging RPG turn-based play.

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved 2 (Bizarre Creations)

The first Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved could have made this list, too, but the sequel came out and improved upon it in almost every way. A directional shooter with simple, but beautiful design, plenty of modes and online leaderboards make it a hit.

Puzzle Quest (Infinite Interactive)

Successfully combining an RPG story with the puzzle battles of games like Puzzle Fighter, Puzzle Quest earns its place as a unique experience worth mentioning even to those who wouldn't normally partake in either genre.

Rez HD (Q Entertainment)

Rez seems at first glance like an odd choice for an HD update, on account of its simple line graphics. But when taking into account the beautiful experience created by those lines, Rez HD looks great in motion, with the same solid gameplay.

Toy Soldiers (Signal Studios)

With the ability to switch between first- and third-person, crafty tabletop action with army men come to life a la Toy Story, Toy Soliders made an interesting place for itself on the market. Add to that some solid DLC, and the World War I title remains viable today.

Battlefield 1943 (EA DICE)

Taking the core formula that made the Battlefield series such great multiplayer action and bringing it to the digital realm on consoles could not have been an easy task, but EA pulled it off successfully, plus interacted brilliantly with the community.

The Maw (Twisted Pixel)

This started it all for Twisted Pixel ('Splosion Man, Comic Jumper) on XBLA, and due to its characters and story remains endearing to date. Ignore comments about DLC prices and such; the core game is more than satisfying, with a few fun twists.

Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (Konami)

Not an Xbox Live Arcade original, but release Castlevania: Symphony of the Night on any console, and we'll probably buy it. One of the greatest exploration-platformer-RPG titles of all time, it has lost nothing with age on the new platform.

Perfect Dark (Rare)

Playing Goldeneye on a Nintendo 64 nowadays just tarnishes old memories, raising post-dual analog questions of how we ever controlled it. Perfect Dark gives us a game we remember, updated just enough to feel right, while preserving everything we loved.

Shank (Klei Entertainment)

Shank is the brawler evolved, or at least brought close to perfection. With a great back-story told through graphic novel-inspired cutscenes, Shank uses knives, guns, grenades and even a chainsaw to plow through enemies in creative combos. And the bosses are inventive, keeping things fresh.

Ikaruga (Treasure)

This game is a really, super-hard shoot-'em-up, and that's all enthusiasts really need to know. It's all about color. In one state, the ship can be hit by red, but not blue. Flip polarities and the opposite is true. So it's all about tracking the patterns while annihilating brutal enemies.

Portal: Still Alive (Valve)

Another game we'll buy on pretty much any platform on which it is released, Valve upped the ante with Still Alive, offering fans the same great Portal game - first-person portal-to-portal puzzling - and some extra content. We approve.