THERE IS A GOD. (Sam and Max coming to XBLA)

That is the quintessential question of all existance, right? Is there a higher power who looks down at us, occasionally interfering with activities due to either vanity or a crazy form of self preservation, or perhaps his own amusement? Scholars have been trying for years to figure out if this is a falsehood or not and I am now able to come to you with proof God exists. You know why? I'll tell you why:

Sam And Max Season 1 is finally coming to XBOX LIVE Arcade.

Take a minute to dance around the room in joy. Please. Go ahead. I know I did.

Sam and Max, two of my favorite comic characters of all time, have enjoyed being released on the computer through Tell Tale Games for quite some time now. Originally created by Steve Purcell, this dog and rabbit-thingy detective team have been solving crime since 1995. Ever since their first computerized appearance in Sam And Max Hit the Road, fans like me have been begging for a sequel. After Lucas Arts "broke apart" (so to say) and the adventure division was dropped in favor of more Star Wars games, a group of developers went and formed their own company, Tell Tale Games, where they have been producing games for quite some time based on the classic adventure point and click format that was such a favorite when floppy disks were consider a new and inventive format to provide games to the public. With games based on Bone, Strong Bad, and now Wallace and Grommitt, Sam and Max have easily been the number one selling point of Tell Tale, providing a brand new generation of fans with these amazing characters for enjoyment.

Unfortunately, these games never made their way to XBOX LIVE, and due to my owning not a Mac but a PC, I have not had the opportunity to fully enjoy them. I played episode one of season one a long time ago when it first came out and I found it a refreshing take on a classic game in a world of repetitive gameplay tactics and plotlines. Next week, on June 17th, all of season one is coming to the XBOX LIVE as a full game entitled Sam And Max Save The World. The game features all six episodes of season one, HD graphic support, achievements, and all the other things you usually receive on an XBOX LIVE game. Except this is better because this stars Sam and Max.

So next week will officially mark my return to hardcore gaming instead of gaming as a pasttime. I've waited so long for this rumored day, and now that it is hear I barely know what to do with myself. Sam and Max is easily some of the most fun, inventive, and hilarious gameplay you can have. If you were ever a fan of old Lucas Arts games like Grim Fandango, Day Of The Tentacle, Full Throttle, and Monkey Island, or if you're a fan of Tim Schafer's work (Psychonauts and the upcoming Brutal Legend with his new company Double Fine, and the aforementioned games), then this game is right up your alley. And if not, then you should just get it anyway because Sam and Max is fantastic.