Basically a LAN, or Local Area Network to give it the full name, is where you and a bunch of friends get together a link up you consoles via ethernet cables or nowadays wi-fi and have huge 8-16 player games together. Now obviously these LAN or system linked games can take a bit of organizing and do require a separate console and TV for every four players, but they are definitely worth it.

One of my first experiences of using the system link was on the original Xbox playing the original Halo. At the time we could only manage to get 8 people and two sets of equipment, but it was still a blast. Capture the flag is a lot more fun when you can shout and jeer at the other team when they are sitting right next to you.

These days with more technology and a greater focus on online gaming, system linking your consoles may seem a little redundant but still some modern games do include the ability. One of the best games out there at the moment is the Xbox 360s Gears of War, and soon to be release Gears of War 2. Each support a cooperative approach to gameplay and with numerous modes and tactics to be used, suit the system link idea perfectly.

If you like the idea of the system link or have indeed tried it yourself and have found the same joy as I have then why not try something special. The idea of a 24 hour LAN was an idea that came out of boredom between myself and friends and originally intended for the PC. If you’ve never stayed up for 24 hours straight playing video games then it’s an experience worth having, just don’t expect to get much done the next day! To effectively pull off one of these events you need a few essential items:

1. A list of games to play:
   Planning is so important for this type of thing, because you don’t want to be sitting around at 3am arguing about what to play with 7 or even 15 other people!
2. A list of equipment.
   There is nothing worse than turning up all ready to go and then finding out that someone has forgotten to bring the link cables or their wi-fi adapter.
3. Snacks:
   Probably your most important item. High caffeine and sugar is obviously the order of the day and having a set idea of what take-away food to have on hand is also a good idea

Although 24 hours of gaming is too much for some, I do urge you to at least give the system link LAN idea a try as I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time.

The game is set in a post apocalyptic earth (yes I know…), where the human race fight a losing battle against a terrifying race called the Locust who have lived under the earth, waiting for their time to strike. Taking up the mantle of “hero” is Marcus Fenix – a previously imprisoned soldier released on special orders to lead his team and take the fight to the Locust Horde. Standard sci-fi shooter plot aside, Epic have created a game that feels like playing through some multi million dollar hollywood action thriller.

Using the Unreal 3 Engine the game has some of the greatest visuals ever seen on the 360 and any other consoles till now, with great special effects such as blood spattering on the screen and huge draw distance. Other great touches include the shaky cam effect when using the sprint button and special use of the Y-button to highlight specific objects and basically “cool” things on screen. The visual style is carried through every section of the game from opening menu to final cut-scene making the game universe feel real and substantial.

With this game Epic managed to create one of the most important and loved franchises on the system, only surpassed by the likes of Halo.

A complete opposite to Gears is the bright and fun world of Viva Piñata. A game featuring brightly colored types of Pinata with confectionary based names doesn’t seem like the most obvious choice for the average 360 owner, but as an Xbox junkie, I would recommend Viva Piñata to anyone. The game places you in the role of gardener in charge of a plot of bare land. Using spades, seed and watering cans you will create your own gardens to lure in different types of Piñata. Each different type has it’s own set of requirements such as a pool of water, plants or even a certain amount of another pinata for food!

During your tenure as gardener you’ll come up against lots of different threats and problems like bad, or sour pinatas or just the fact that you put two of you pinatas together that don’t get on. After a while the game can get quite manic and fairly difficult, but an intuitive dial menu system keeps all needed tools to hand and the different colors and art style keep everything standing out and easy to place. In case your wondering, yes the Piñatas can have children, but for those with young children don’t worry there’s no x-rated material hidden away in this game. When two Piñatas get together they simply have a quick love dance and then a baby Piñata is born.

A great game for all ages and of people of all persuasions, Viva Piñata is fun and easy enough in the beginning for kids and depending on how you play can end up fast paced and difficult for the more mature gamer.

If sci-fi isn’t your thing, and the idea of managing a garden full of sweet filled animal doesn’t float your boat, perhaps you’d enjoy something a bit more knights in shining armor and with a bit more freedom, the world of Oblivion might be for you. Number 4 in the Elder Scrolls series from Bethesda, Oblivion gives players the freedom to roam around in an amazingly rendered world filled with monsters and quests. The game is so free that, if you don’t feel like doing the main quest or the storyline doesn’t grab you straight away you don’t have to, you are completely free. Horses can be bought or stolen, caves can explored, towns robbed and pillaged or you can simply wander around and explore the world.

The game starts with you as a convict in the imperial prison who somehow gets mixed up with the king, given a mysterious prophecy to fulfill and sent on your merry way. Through this opening sequence in the sewers and dungeons beneath the prison you’ll decide on your characters skills and class, eventually learning the rules of the game along the way. Once this is complete, as I say your free to do what you want, although there are limits. For some reason the guards are incredible at catching you out for crimes and you can find yourself in a very difficult dungeon with not much hope of getting back out as the games quests don’t level with you.

Oblivion is a fantastic game which lends itself perfectly to the Xbox cannon along with many others and many different genres and will fit in anyone’s collection just fine.