Those looking to purchase XBLA games as gifts for friends and loved ones can rejoice today, for the option is now yours to enjoy! Of course, it's not quite as simple as you'd imagine, because this is Microsoft and simple isn't in its "big book of doing things to slightly annoy people." No, instead you need to go to Amazon and buy a code for the game. Still ... it's something, right?

Amazon now has an Xbox Live Store, where you can purchase MS Points, Xbox Live subscriptions and XBLA game codes as gifts. It seems like the vast majority, if not all, of the XBLA library is available for purchase, from Braid to UNO. 

Naturally, it would be far better to be able to do this via, I don't know, our Xbox 360s that are actually connected to Xbox Live and could do this quite easily, but if you're desperate to spread the XBLA wealth, at least you have a rather roundabout way of doing it.

Serious gamers get ready to play! Launched in beta this morning, the Amazon Xbox Live Store allows customers convenient digital access to Xbox LIVE Arcade games, subscription cards and points cards.  Amazon is the first retailer to offer codes for game downloads, which were previously available directly only from the Xbox 360® console or xbox.com. With this feature, Amazon customers can also gift the Xbox LIVE Arcade games, subscription cards, and Microsoft Points cards to friends and family!  No waiting, no packaging, just an on-demand digital gaming delivery!
The store works on a code-redemption system, and here’s the breakdown:

• Purchase an Xbox Live game from Amazon.com.
• Immediately view the Xbox LIVE code after purchase (you can email the code to yourself or  if it’s a gift, to your recipient). 
• The game code resides in the Your Games & Software Library so you can retrieve at any time. 
• Enter the game code and start playing!