As with many such overhyped products, Game Room has laregely turned out to be a disappointment. While not a total failure, by any means, Game Room's focus on single player games and inadequate multiplayer options, particularly co-op, is disheartening for even the staunchest classic gaming fan.

At the recent CES convention, Microsoft unveiled their new retro-arcade social channel called the "Microsoft Game Room" which will allow players to play original gaming titles (many of which were co-op in their original state) together on the Xbox 360. This Game Room will have original, unaltered arcade classics at your disposal. However, if you were one of the many people interested in the retro arcade titles available on Xbox LIVE Arcade, including Turtles in Time: Re-shelled, Bionic Commando: Rearmed, or Contra, when the new "Microsoft Game Room" launches you'll be re-buying those titles.

When the news came out of CES about Xbox Live's new Game Room service, we were quite excited.  Visions of playing 6-player X-Men, Dungeons & Dragons, and Aliens vs. Predator filled our minds with nostalgic glee.  Unfortunately, these games, and many other co-op classics, will be absent when Game Room launches later this spring.