We like Xbox Live, with Microsoft showing console manufacturers how an online experience should actually work.

However, the one downside to the service is that you have to pay for multiplayer – but there are several games that make it worthwhile.

Halo

Yes, Bungie's shooter was responsible for selling truckloads of the original Xbox back in 2001 and 2002, featuring a captivating universe and beautiful visuals.

The second game in the series was remarkable for a different reason though, introducing the world to the wonders of Xbox Live. Sure, other games had come before it (Rainbow Six, for one), but this was the first title to truly sell the Live experience.

Now, with Halo 3, ODST, Reach and the upcoming Halo 4, the series has constantly ranked at the top of the most-played Xbox Live titles, featuring a slew of modes and weapons.

Trials

RedLynx's Trials franchise has come a long way since the original PC titles, with digital download Trials HD being the first game to make its way to consoles.

The addictive motorbike title sees users negotiating a variety of obstacle-laden tracks, with later levels being infuriatingly difficult to complete.

Now, Trials Evolution is out (review pending!), and it features a number of awesome features, including real-time multiplayer over Xbox Live or on the same console. The game also gives you incentive to replay tracks thanks to your Xbox Live friends' ghosts appearing.

However, the ability to download user-generated tracks makes Evolution worth having. Who says the fun has to stop once you've completed the game?

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition

It's a sign of a new era in videogames when a world-crafting title made by one person can sell millions while still in beta.

Minecraft has a rather unique premise, tasking players with creating objects, structures and the like in an endless sandbox world. But you'd better build a fort before night falls, because that's when the monsters come out to play...

Minecraft: Xbox 360 Edition has most of the PC version's content and features, but also features four-player split-screen multiplayer. If that's not enough, you can also take those four players online and game with other Minecraft players, provided that at least one of the four players has an Xbox Live Gold account.

Gears of War 3

Cover-shooting may have been a thing before Gears of War, but Epic's franchise popularised the mechanic in a big way upon its release.

The series has also firmly established itself as a multiplayer favourite if the Xbox Live rankings are anything to go by, letting users play with and against each other.

All Gears titles allow gamers to play the campaign with their online friends, making for a fun change from the usual adversarial game modes. Additionally, Horde Mode, introduced in Gears of War 2, tasks players with surviving wave after wave of enemies.

Gears of War 3 continues the multiplayer tradition, adding the wave-based Beast Mode to the mix.

Left 4 Dead series

Available on the PC as well, Left 4 Dead is one of the best zombie titles of this generation, forcing four players to work together to survive a stage.

The series also has the AI Director, a gameplay mechanic that changes the number of enemies on the fly to create an unpredictable experience each time.

The franchise has since become a must-have for regular online gamers, owing to the speedy zombies, different enemy types (such as the infamous Witch) and emphasis on teamwork.

Forza Motorsport

Another franchise that first appeared on the original Xbox, Forza Motorsport gave owners of Microsoft's machine a worthy alternative to Gran Turismo.

The series hit its stride with Forza Motorsport 2, 3 and 4 on the Xbox 360, introducing a fantastic car auction system into the mix. This service even lets you sell paint-jobs to people, spawning a variety of awesome creations.

The next game in the series, Forza: Horizon, is a side-step for the series, taking a more arcade-like route.

Monday Night Combat

Downloadable titles are another feather in Microsoft's arsenal, offering plenty of exclusive games. And Monday Night Combat is one of the more notable titles on Xbox Live.

A third-person shooter with tower defence elements, Monday Night Combat is tailor-made for multiplayer combat, with much loot to be had as well.

The game has a pretty off-the-wall atmosphere as well, with finishing moves and a game-show setting. While the player numbers don't reach the giddy heights of other titles, it's still worth a look anyway.

Quake III Arena

One of the landmark titles in id Games' stable, Quake III Arena became a firm favourite among PC gamers, its frenetic pace well-suited for LAN play.

The game has since been ported to a variety of machines, such as the Dreamcast, PS2 and even the trusty old web browser.

Quake III has also received a fresh release on the Xbox Live Marketplace, featuring support for higher resolutions and Xbox Live multiplayer. Other than that, it's still the same game fortunately/unfortunately.

Perfect Dark

Goldeneye 007, released way back in 1997, was a masterstroke by British developer Rare. Featuring varied gameplay, stealth and a variety of memorable weapons, it still remains the best Bond title out there.

The company lost the Bond licence to Electronic Arts, but that wasn't enough to stop them from making another spectacular game in the form of Perfect Dark. 

Rare's second N64 shooter arguably went above and beyond the first, featuring a sci-fi setting, a fully featured multiplayer component and more.

The Xbox Live port features online multiplayer in both campaign and adversarial modes. But it's the Counter-Operative mode that stands out, with one player controlling Joanna Dark and the other controlling the enemy troops.

Castle Crashers

One of the shining titles on Xbox Live, Castle Crashers combines side-scrolling beat 'em up action with role-playing elements.

While it's pretty fun to play the single-player mode, you'll want to play with friends, whether it's local or online multiplayer.

Granted, Castle Crashers is available on PS3 now, but the addition of more downloadable content makes the Xbox version the definitive one.