Xbox Windows Phone Deal of the Week returns with Assassin's Creed, plus Microsoft Studios Sale news

Does anybody remember the Xbox Deal of the Week for Windows Phone? It started quite humbly back in March 2^nd, 2011 with a sale on Konami’s so-so port of Frogger. The sales rolled on in the weeks to come, typically discounting $5 games down to $3 and $3 games down to $2. Only holiday event sales would grant larger discounts, until the fateful day when Gameloft’s UNO HD became the first 99 cent Deal of the Week on November 14, 2012.

The next week Microsoft informed us that the Deal of the Week program had come to an end (although it never stopped on Xbox 360). This coincided with the first beginnings of the Xbox Windows Phone release drought, a period of about three months in which nine weeks saw no new game releases except for Nokia exclusives. New releases aside, we expected the Deal of the Week to return sometime in January, which didn’t happen.

You can now thank your lucky stars, Xbox gamers. The Deal of the Week is back with Gameloft’s Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles for Windows Phone 7 and 8 marked down from $4.99 to 99 cents.

From big screen to small

Assassin’s Creed: Altair’s Chronicles (review) is a 3D platformer/action title set in the middle ages. With great graphics and full voice acting (though the acting is atrocious), it feels like a DS game squeezed into a mobile title (‘cause it is). The controls are fiddly and the platforming can be frustrating, but the story and action mostly make up for it. The Achievements are fairly reasonable too – just check out this guide.

Now, Assassin’s Creed has been on sale three times before, mostly recently for 99 cents during Black Friday week. Most Windows Phone 7 gamers who dig the series probably already have it. But Windows Phone 8 was still a new and elusive thing back in November, especially if you wanted one of the less common Lumia 920 colors. So more than anything, this Deal of the Week is a chance for new Windows Phone 8 users to grab Gameloft’s best Windows Phone 7 launch title at a great price.

Assassin’s Creed will be on sale for 99 cents through Tuesday, April 9^th and is a 139 MB download. Get it here on the Windows Phone Store.

More sales than you can shake a hidden blade at

The Assassin’s Creed Deal of the Week also coincides with the Microsoft Studios Sale that runs through Monday, April 8^th. In case you missed it, six Windows Phone games are included in the sale: geoDefense for 99 cents (price hasn't droped on this one yet), Gerbil Physics for 99 cents, Hydro Thunder GO for $2.99, ilomilo for $2.99, Rocket Riot for $2.99, and Zombies on the Phone for 99 cents. Check out our previous article for store links and more details.

On Xbox 360, the Microsoft Studios Sale includes a ton of fantastic XBLA games:

• A World of Keflings - 400 MS Points
• Castle Crashers - 800 MSP
• Deadlight - 600 MSP
• Dust: An Elysian Tail - 600 MSP – An absolute must-buy and my 2012 game of the year.
• Full House Poker - 400 MSP
• Hydro Thunder Hurricane - 600 MSP
• Hydrophobia - 200 MSP
• ilomilo - 400 MSP
• Magic 2013 - 400 MSP
• Mark of the Ninja - 600 MSP
• XBLA - Pinball FX2
  • DLC - Pinball FX Classic (Full) - 400 MSP
  • DLC - Marvel: Avengers Chronicles - 400 MSP
  • DLC - Plants VS. Zombies Table – 160 MSP – Check our full impressions!

• Trials HD - 400 MSP
• Trials Evolution - 800 MSP

On Windows 8 and RT, the sale includes:

• 4 Elements II - $1.49
• Hydro Thunder Hurricane - $4.99
• Ilomilo+ - $2.99
• Rocket Riot 3D - $2.99
• Royal Envoy 2 - $1.99
• Zombies!!! - $2.99 – Check our developer interview!

Get them while they're hot!

Thanks to CheapAssGamer for the XBLA store links.