I recently had the privilege of playing the Blur Beta on Xbox 360 thanks to snorkle256 being generous enough to pass a beta invite my way. All I can say is wow, is this game fun!

After playing for a few hours, I feel that it is a really nice melding of two great games: Need for Speed and Mario Kart.

Need for Speed has always had fast & flashy cars, cool terrains, and good graphics. Not to mention the need for the player to suspend disbelief when it came to plowing full-throttle into a brick wall and walking away relatively unscathed.

Mario Kart on the other hand has always been more laid back and fun, somewhat rudimentary, but always entertaining. The use of power ups was always the biggest draw in this game – there is nothing more fun than zapping the player in 1st place with lightning, or flinging a red, exploding shell at a nearby opponent. The formula was simple and fun, which paid of well in terms of replay value.

Blur has combined the best elements from these two games into one fantastic package. Filled to the brim with new, sporty cars such as a track version of the VW Scirocco, a Ford Focus RS, BMW M3, a Corvette ZR1, and many more, this game has something for everyone.

On top of the bevvy of cars, the game features six different power ups that the player can use to force other racers off track, to block attacks from other racers, or to repair the player’s car. These power ups range from homing bombs that flip over the opponent’s car to a “Barge” attack that pushes other nearby players off-course. This is where the game departs enough from Mario Kart to be unique – the power ups are always located in the same place on the track, and they regenerate quite quickly. Around each turn, you know if a power up is coming your way so you can use this predictability to help advance through the ranks.

The graphics are sharp and colorful – not at the same level as a Forza 3 or Gran Turismo – but you don’t need that sort of polish and detail here. You are buzzing around the tracks at such a ridiculous speed, with a flurry of obstacles flying at your car, that you wouldn’t even notice the difference. That is not to say that the game is visually lacking in any way – on the contrary, it’s quite the visual treat!

All in all, I have had a ton of fun playing the beta. There are some great multi-player features, such as voting between two possible tracks for each and every race, that really take into consideration what players want, and what other games have been lacking.

If you get the opportunity, get in on the beta – if you miss it, be sure to pick up the game when it is released, I don’t think you will be disappointed.

As of tomorrow, Sears and KMart are both offering $35 12-month Xbox Live Gold cards on their respective web sites.

I’m not sure how much they are charging for shipping, or if the “cards” are being sold as electronic codes (a la Amazon), but it’s worth a look either way.

The special continues through the 21st, so get ‘em while they are hot!

K-Mart has the Xbox Live Gold 13-month card for $29.99 this week. If you are looking to renew your membership, I would pick this up ASAP!

I wanted to pass along a deal for anyone looking to renew or sign up for Xbox Live! gold service.

Best Buy has a 13-month XBL card available for $29.99 (that’s $20 off) through Saturday of this week. That’s 40% off the regular price, plus you get an extra month free. It’s a hard deal to pass up, so get on it!

I realize I should have posted this deal sooner, but what can you do?