Joining 3 on 3 NHL Arcade on Xbox LIVE Arcade today is none other than Minesweeper Flags (400 Microsoft Points). I went ahead and downloaded the trial version to see if it was what I expected it to be (a prettier-looking Minesweeper), but instead something sort of funny happened.

First, I tried out the Flags mode, which is essentially competitive Minesweeper, if you can believe that. I honestly didn't know what was going on at all, so I decided to try out another mode I'd be more familiar with: Classic.

Upon entering Classic mode, I uncovered approximately four squares, and a message popped up prompting me to buy the game, because apparently that was all the trial was going to let me play. Assuming this was a fluke, I tried to play another match only to be greeted by the same pop-up after a few seconds. It was at that point when I punched a hole in my wall and deleted the demo.

So, long story short, be careful if you decide to download the trial. If you happen to be genuinely interested in the game, hit the jump for the full press release which somehow manages to make Minesweeper relevant to Valentine's Day.

MINESWEEPER FLAGS AVAILABLE NOW FOR XBOX LIVE® ARCADE

SAN MATEO, Calif. - Feb. 11, 2009 - Have a blast this Valentine's Day with Minesweeper Flags! TikGames announced today the title's release via Xbox LIVE® Arcade, so grab a controller and have fun with that special someone, blowing each other into oblivion for just 400 Microsoft points.

Minesweeper Flags brings explosive excitement from your computer to Xbox LIVE Arcade! In this all-new take on the classic PC game, players can choose the Classic mode, where the beloved game is available in all of its glory, or revel in never-before-seen modes like single player Campaign, featuring over 100 non-square levels, or multiplayer Flags.

This weekend, TikGames encourages you to cuddle up on the couch and challenge your significant other to a Flags local multiplayer game, where your goal isn't to avoid the mines, but to find and discharge them before your opponent - err, sweetheart - does. Plus, don't forget to share both of your scores and climb the ranks of minesweepers worldwide via the Xbox LIVE Leaderboards!

Minesweeper Flags has been rated "E" for Everyone by the Entertainment Software Rating Board for this platform.

About TikGames: TikGames, LLC was founded in 2002 by Anatoly Tikhman with a plan to develop the most innovative and entertaining games for digital distribution.  Towards that end, he has built an industry-leading studio to deliver a broad range of top quality proprietary games.  The company is headquartered in San Mateo, California.