August and the rest of the summer are shaping up to be scorching hot on Xbox LIVE Arcade. Perfect for whittling away the long days of summer are a bevy of unique sports games, classic and futuristic fighting games, as well as a few other surprises, all of which will be making their way to Xbox LIVE Arcade in the coming weeks.

This Xbox LIVE Arcade Wednesday, gamers can log virtual track time and exercise their fingers and thumbs with the Konami's 1983 classic Track & Field, now updated with enhanced grahpics and up to four player multiplayer competition on one Xbox 360 or over Xbox LIVE.

Wing Commander Arena is a fast-paced arcade-styled space combat game where gamers can team up with 16 players online to attack other teams of ships. Reprise your role as either Bill Rizer or Lance Bean in this follow-up to the arcade classic Contra, which made waves in arcades everywhere in 1987. Both titles are coming to Xbox Live Arcade Wed., July 25.

GEON: emotions is a psychedelic, pick-up-and-play game of rapidly changing tactics. Playing as one of eight emotions – Rage, Passion, Fear, Envy, Rapture, Courage, Bliss or Melancholy – players must race to collect pellets and score goals, using power-ups and their ‘emotional’ strengths and weaknesses.

Void Star Creations' Poker Smash is a fast paced puzzle game featuring 13 original soundtracks and next-gen 3D grahpics. Innovative gameplay allows players to experience six unique game modes including action, puzzle, practice, theme playlist, split screen head-to-head and multiplayer tournaments.

Two additional games will become available this Xbox LIVE Arcade Wednesday: Bomberman Live, mixing social gaming excitement with high definition graphics, and Yie Ar Kung Fu, a classic fighting game with enhanced graphics, hand painted backgrounds and new achievements.

Revealed months ago, Ubisoft officially announced it will be releasing Third Wave Games's War World on Xbox LIVE Arcade, a fast-paced third-person shooter that combines a unique blend of heart-pumping action and tactical gameplay, introducing an entirely new genre to Xbox LIVE Arcade.

A few years back Vivendi made a weak attempt at releasing a Die Hard game, and more recently a few flash based games were available on the web to coincide with Bruce Willis' latest oeuvre. Now it seems the ESRB has updated its listing with an upcoming T rated Xbox 360 game based on the 4th die Hard movie, developed by Sensory Sweep Studios, who recently did the XBLA version of Street Fighter 2. More details to follow soon ...

Atari announced the launch of Missile Command onto Xbox LIVE Arcade. With Missile Command on Xbox LIVE Arcade, Atari delivers the same gaming sights, sounds and action as the original, as well as a new evolved version of the game which features enhanced graphics, sounds and special effects.

Mad Tracks is an action-packed toy-car racing game, with toy cars powered by spring engines. The Encore Expansion Pack (350 Microsoft Points) offers 9 additional races and 6 mini games where players bolt down looped Victorian stairs, barrel across the skyline on rooftops, and speed over rickety wooden ramps in a German castle.

Become a master strategist in the medieval world with Carcassonne on Xbox Live Arcade. The medieval countryside thrives as you and your opponents strategically place your tiles and complete towns, roads, and farms while amassing the most points.

The Doritos brand is partnering with Xbox 360 challenging people in the United States to design the first-ever consumer-created Xbox LIVE Arcade video game. Five finalists will get to work side-by-side with Xbox LIVE Arcade development teams to build playable versions of their game concept, and win a prize package, valued at over $6,000.

This Wednesday XBLA sees the arrival of the tactical, insect-infested combat game Band of Bugs, from Wednesday 20th June at 09.00 GMT. Don’t let their tiny size fool you, because these bugs are armed to the teeth, ready to take your orders and spring into action.

Empire Interactive announced that it will bring the furious excitement of the classic Speedball II: Brutal Deluxe to Xbox LIVE Arcade, with the addition of an all-new High Definition version, more teams and downloadable content.

Microsoft announced it will release Ubisoft's remake of the 1989 classic Prince of Persia game on Xbox Live Arcade this Wednesday, June 13. Lauded as THE game that started the platforming genre features the same intricate level design, exciting swordplay, puzzle solving, and storyline from the original.

Mad Tracks is an action-packed toy-car racing game, with toy cars powered by spring engines. Races are set in everyday places, like toy stores, mini-golf parks, and restaurants. Mad Tracks will be available for download on Xbox LIVE Arcade beginning Wed., May 30, at 9:00 a.m. GMT (2:00 a.m. Pacific Time).

The latest Famitsu issue reveals that Taito Corporation plans on bringing its PSP puzzle game Exit to Xbox Live Arcade. In Exit you assume the role of Mr. Esc, a masked individual tasked with rescuing people from buildings under a time limit, avoiding various traps and solving puzzles.

Mad Tracks is an action-packed toy-car racing game, with toy cars powered by spring engines. Complete up to 45 challenges and gather 12 crazy achievements. Races are set in everyday places, like toy stores, mini-golf parks, and restaurants.

A rescue mission to remember, Rush ‘n Attack is a heroic arcade action game, equipped with enhanced graphics, music, and sound effects. Xevious is an arcade classic that helped pioneer the vertical scrolling shooter genre. Both titles are coming to XBLA Wednesday, May 23 at 2:00 a.m. PDT.

Ubisoft announced it will be releasing a remake of the 1989 classic Prince of Persia game on Xbox Live Arcade early summer. Lauded as THE game that started the platforming genre features the same intricate level design, exciting swordplay, puzzle solving, and storyline from the original.

This Wednesday, team up with up to three of your friends and prepare yourselves for intense side-scrolling, sci-fi shooting action in Aegis Wing, available for free to all Xbox LIVE members in North America for a limited time beginning Wednesday, May 16, at 2 a.m. PDT.

Bomberman: Act Zero did not quite get the critical appeal Hudson had hoped for, so they went back to the old school formula and tasked Backbone Entertainment with putting the classic into a next-gen look. Currently scheduled for June, Bomberman lets you play online with up to 8 players, with monthly tournaments and content updates, customizable characters and bombs.

This Wednesday 16th May get ready for solitaire mania on Xbox Live Arcade for Xbox 360 as Soltrio Solitaire, developed by Silver Creek Entertainment, offers players a chance to shuffle through a collection of 18 compelling solitaire games.

The legendary arcade classic that introduced gamers to co-op street-brawling action is back and looking better than ever. Team up with a friend or prepare to go it alone, because Double Dragon is hitting Xbox Live Arcade Wednesday, May 9, at 9 a.m. GMT (2 a.m. PDT).