Xbox 360 owners often overlook the wealth of great games available for download on the Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA). From this marketplace of mostly indie developers you can find some really fun gameplay for far less than the typical $50-$60 of a new release disc.

Many of the best XBLA games are on sale now through Dec. 31. These bargain prices are a great way to burn those Microsoft Point cards you got in your Christmas stocking. Here are the games available during the year-end sale. [800 Microsoft Points are $10.00, 600 equals $7.50, and 400 is $5.00.]

• Super Meat Boy (800 Microsoft Points, normally 1,200)
• Comic Jumper (800 MSP, normally 1,200)
• Toy Soldiers (800 MSP, normally 1,200)
• Banjo Tooie (600 MSP, normally 1,200)
• Castle Crashers (600 MSP, normally 1,200)
• The UnderGarden (400 MSP, normally 800)
• Risk Factions (400 MSP, normally 800)
• After Burner Climax (400 MSP, normally 800)
• Borderlands: Claptrap’s New Robot Revolution (400 MSP, normally 800)
• Carcassonne (400 MSP, normally 800)

I highly recommend the funny and stylistic Castle Crashers. It’s pure awesomeness. So too is Toy Soliders. I know Tommy is a fan of this one as well. I’ll probably pick up Risk Factions during the event.

In addition, there are a bunch of other on-demand games and add-ons available at discounted prices. Check out the special savings detailed by Xbox’s Major Nelson.