Windows Vista Takes Casual Games Excitement to a Whole New Level!

Microsoft Windows Vista revolutionizes the core PC gaming experience through its Games for Windows initiative, which includes the Games Explorer integration, the advent of DirectX 10 for dramatically charged graphics, the ability to use the Xbox 360 controller for Windows, and a multitude of additional improvements aimed at enhancing the gameplaying experience.

With four showcase casual games available immediately (alongside the Windows Vista new and improved preloaded games) and another four games appearing on the immediate horizon, casual players will be the first to notice the radical improvements that Windows Vista offers.

Here's a quick look at the first four games that are generating a lot of excitement.

Available Now at games.msn.com/vistagames

LUXOR 2 for Windows Vista The much anticipated sequel to the #1 casual game of 2005, MumboJumbo's LUXOR 2 sets the new standard for action-puzzlers. LUXOR 2 takes you on a beautiful voyage through 88 all-new, gorgeously rendered levels set amongst the pyramids of ancient Egypt. Use your mystical winged scarab to shoot and destroy the approaching magical balls, and to help you shoot them down, Luxor 2 features more explosive power-ups than ever before.

JewelQuest 2 In this archeological puzzle-adventure game, find sparkling treasures in ancient Mayan ruins. This sequel challenges you to explore mysterious jungle ruins full of ancient artifacts and buried relics. But prepare to think fast and act carefully, because it takes more than luck to claim the Mayan gold! The world can be treacherous in this exciting game developed by iWin, Inc. – so be careful where you dig!

Darwinia for Windows Vista Combining fast-paced action with strategic battle planning, Introversion's Darwinia features a novel and intuitive control mechanism, a graphical style ripped from 80's classics like Tron and Defender, and a story concerning a tribe of nomadic sprites trapped in a modern 3D world that you must save from the threat of extinction!

Spinword for Windows Vista Spinword, developed by Slam Games, combines puzzles and arcade action in a fun word-making challenge creating a seamless experience of fiendish puzzles and frantic tests of dexterity. The goal is to beat the clock and win by exercising verbal abandon and manifesting a frenzied loquaciousness! The word is your oyster when you play Spinword!

Coming Soon to games.msn.com/vistagames

Once you've had a chance to warm up your fingers playing those hot games, you'll find that the following games may offer you more exciting challenges!

Geometry Wars: Retro Evolved Developed by Bizarre Creations, Geometry Wars is coming to a Windows Vista PC near you. Play a 100% faithful version of the Retro Evolved shooter that has taken the Xbox 360 world by storm. Play as a geometric ship trapped in a grid world and face off against waves of deadly spinners, snakes, and repulsars. Survive long enough, and you just might set the high score!

7 Wonders of the Ancient World for Windows Vista Explore MumboJumbo's adventure game, 7 Wonders of the Ancient World, the smash-hit match-three game of 2006. You are tasked with travelling through ancient lands, matching three same-colored magical runes to supply your workers with the building stones needed to create the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.

Crystal Quest for Windows Vista Pilot your ship through 60 waves of frantic action, collecting crystals and evading the Nasties in Codemaster's Crystal Quest. Fire your main gun or deploy a smart bomb to vaporize every Nasty on the screen. And don't forget to gather up the goodies in each wave…you can grab bonus points, extra smart bombs and even an occasional mega-crystal for massive points!

Bliss Island for Windows Vista Enter the world of Codemaster's Bliss Island, mixing all the fun and addictiveness of an arcade-action puzzler with the frenetic energy of pinball! Help Hoshi the Zwooph (a small blue furry creature with a long trunk) compete in a huge variety of mini-games, which all revolve around his unique ability to shoot precision puffs of air from his trunk.

Now that you've spent all this time reading about these hot new games – don't you think it's time to go play?

Check out games.msn.com/vistagames