Microsoft reveals Windows Phone 7 line-up

Microsoft has unveiled the launch line-up of games for Windows Phone 7, including first party titles such as Halo and Crackdown - as well as major third party franchises including Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell, Castlevania and Guitar Hero.

First announced in February of this year, the Xbox Live service on Windows Phone 7 will include many of the most popular features of the home console service, including support for Achievements, Avatars, demos, leaderboards, and turn-based multi-player.

Revealed for the first time this week are new companion titles for titles such as Halo: Waypoint (not a videogame, but a "media hub") and Crackdown 2. Microsoft Game Studios has also announced a number of other titles, including a line of board and card games and original titles ilomilo and The Harvest.

The first wave of games also includes support from prominent third party publishers including Gameloft (Assassin's Creed), Konami (Castlevania), Namco Bandai (Puzzle Quest 2), PopCap (Bejeweled LIVE) and THQ (de Blob).

"Windows Phone 7 is the launch of a major gaming platform for Microsoft," said Matt Booty, general manager of mobile gaming for Microsoft Game Studios (MGS).

"Just like we've done with Xbox 360, our charter is to push the envelope and deliver definitive games that maximise the platform. We will have an incredible line-up of MGS titles, and that's just the beginning."

The full list of "first wave" titles is as follows:

• 3D Brick Breaker Revolution (Digital Chocolate)
• Age of Zombies (Halfbrick)
• Armor Valley (Protégé Games)
• Asphalt 5 (Gameloft)
• Assassin's Creed (Gameloft)
• Bejeweled LIVE (PopCap)
• Bloons TD (Digital Goldfish)
• Brain Challenge (Gameloft)
• Bubble Town 2 (i-Play)
• Butterfly (Press Start Studio)
• CarneyVale Showtime (MGS)
• Castlevania (Konami)
• Crackdown 2: Project Sunburst (MGS)
• de Blob Revolution (THQ)
• Deal or No Deal 2010 (i-Play)
• Earthworm Jim (Gameloft)
• Fast & Furious 7 (i-Play)
• Fight Game Rivals (Rough Cookie)
• Finger Physics (Mobliss Inc.)
• Flight Control (Namco Bandai)
• Flowerz (Carbonated Games)
• Frogger (Konami)
• Fruit Ninja (Halfbrick)
• Game Chest-Board (MGS)
• Game Chest-Card (MGS)
• Game Chest-Logic (MGS)
• Game Chest-Solitaire (MGS)
• GeoDefense (Critical Thought)
• Ghostscape (Psionic)
• Glow Artisan (Powerhead Games)
• Glyder 2 (Glu Mobile)
• Guitar Hero 5 (Glu Mobile)
• Halo Waypoint (MGS)
• Hexic Rush (Carbonated Games)
• Dig It (InMotion)
• iBlast Moki (Godzilab)
• ilomilo (MGS)
• Implode XL (IUGO)
• Iquarium (Infinite Dreams)
• Jet Car Stunts (True Axis)
• Let's Golf 2 (Gameloft)
• Little Wheel (One click dog)
• Loondon (Flip N Tale)
• Max and the Magic Marker (PressPlay)
• Mini Squadron (Supermono Limited)
• More Brain Exercise (Namco Bandai)
• O.M.G. (Arkedo)
• Puzzle Quest 2 (Namco Bandai)
• Real Soccer 2 (Gameloft)
• The Revenants (Chaotic Moon)
• Rise of Glory (Revo Solutions)
• Rocket Riot (Codeglue)
• Splinter Cell: Conviction (Gameloft)
• Star Wars: Battle for Hoth (THQ)
• Star Wars: Cantina (THQ)
• The Harvest (MGS)
• The Oregon Trail (Gameloft)
• Tower Bloxx NY (Digital Chocolate)
• Twin Blades (Press Start Studio)
• UNO (Gameloft)
• Women's Murder Club: Death in Scarlet (i-Play)
• Zombie Attack! (IUGO)
• Zombies!!!! (Babaroga)