Reader Jake Tripp writes in to ask:

"I'm probably getting an Xbox 360 soon. I've heard outlets say there will be some games bundled in with the system this holiday season. Will the added games increase the cost of buying a 360?"

The short answer: No, the added in games won't raise the cost of an Xbox 360 console by one penny. Microsoft, in their infinite wisdom, have tried to make the Xbox 360 the most appealing game console for parents and gamers alike. The company recently dropped the price of the low end Xbox 360 Arcade console (which omits a hard drive) down to $199, which puts it as the lowest priced game console, $50 cheaper than the $250 Wii. Now, the company has announced plans to up the ante even further by bundling a few different games to the available console packages.

Xbox 360 Arcade

The $199 Xbox 360 Arcade now comes with Sega Superstar Tennis, and another disc containing Xbox 360 Arcade games that are typically available for download, like Uno and PacMan Anniversary edition, among others. The Xbox 360 Arcade is truly a starter unit, as it has all the same connections and adapters that pricier Xbox 360 units have, but doesn't include a hard drive, Xbox Live headset, or an HDMI cable. However, when fully equipped with a 120GB hard drive, the unit still costs around $50 less than the Elite ($350 vs $400).

Xbox 360 Pro

Meanwhile, the next step up, the $299 Xbox 360 Pro includes a 60GB hard drive, an Xbox 360 headset and two games: Kung Fu Panda and Lego Indiana Jones. While we can't vouch for Kung Fu Panda, Lego Indiana Jones is actually a pretty decent game. While extremely hardcore gamers might find the cutesy plot sort of off putting, the game is actually enjoyable. The game recreates scenes from the first three Indiana Jones movies using some plastic blocky self-referential humor to advance the plot along. The actual gameplay is typical puzzle and platforming fare, with the player needing to jump between platforms and pick up items to solve puzzles. Since the game is free, it's a great value to come with the console.

Xbox 360 Elite

Also bundling Lego Indiana Jones and Kung Fu Panda is the $399 Xbox 360 Elite. While the name might be "Elite," we think the console might be better codenamed "Expensive." The console packs in a 120GB hard drive, which should be ample space for downloading HD movies and games, an Xbox 360 headset, as well as an HDMI cable for connecting the console to an HDMI-equipped HDTV out of the box. As we pointed out earlier, gamers willing to forgo the black finish and bundled games might want to look at getting an Xbox 360 Arcade unit and then bundling the Arcade with aftermarket accessories to get up to the Elite status while saving some extra cash. Start by looking for online deals for the Xbox 360 120GB hard drive (we found it for as cheap as $129 + $7 shipping), an HDMI cable ($7-$20) and an Xbox headset ($20 or less) and all in all save $37 bucks off of the Elite price. However, your inner cheapskate values the Kung Fu Panda and Lego Indiana Jones pack-in games, the $37 might be better spent on the actual Elite console.

Got a question for us? Send it to us via our tips form, or leave a comment on this post.