New Xbox Experience Hands-On

On November 19, Microsoft will be changing the look and function of Xbox Live Dashboard, the menu tool that's used for everything on your Xbox 360.
Instead of the "blades" menu system that's been around since the beginning, you'll be introduced to a a revamped, more interactive menu, with new tools at your disposal. Overall, the New Xbox Experience (NXE) offers more than it takes away, and while it will have its critics, we found it easy to navigate and much friendlier than the current incarnation.

The current Xbox 360 'blades' menu system (pictured above) will be changing on Nov. 19...

Make A Virtual You

The first thing you'll notice is the ability to create a new Avatar that will represent you on Xbox Live. We aren't going to lie, there's definitely something Mii-ish (as in Nintendo Wii Mii) about your virtual creation. Choose a head, body frame and clothing style, save it and you've created an Xbox version of yourself. The Avatar doesn't walk around the environment, but if you press the right analog stick upward, it looks up, press the stick down, it looks down. The Avatar is a nice customization option that make the menu feel much more inviting.

Avatars, like the Wii's Mii avatars, will also make appearance in games. So far, only one game, Scene-It: Box Office Smash, will support avatars – and they will also show up in Uno Rush in the future.

You're also able to keep your old themes as well, as they sit in the background. There's no need to bid adieu to your Dark Knight and Castle Crashers wallpapers.

... to the New Xbox Experience, pictured above.

Menu Changes and the Quick Menu
The New Xbox Experience offers you two ways to scroll through the menus. Instead of scrolling from left to right, the main menu will move up and down to select Game Marketplace, where you can download games and add-on content; Video Marketplace, where you can access downloadable films and the Netflix content (more on that below); the My Xbox option, to see what's going on with the games you've played; Inside Xbox, where you can find Major Nelson and other folks talking about what's going on; and more. If you're in a hurry, you simply press the glowing "X" button in the center of the controller to access a quicker menu that lets you move from left to right like the current system. It's an efficient system, no matter which way you navigate.

Watch Netflix on Demand via Xbox 360
Netflix is probably the biggest new addition to the interface. It enables the service to transfer your downloadable movie queue automatically to your Xbox 360. No longer are you limited to watching your movies on PC, you can now turn them on through your console and watch them on your regular TV. We watched a couple of movies through this service, namely The Rundown and The Water Horse (two boring movies, FYI) and the service works OK, despite a few small pauses for filtering video.

When Netflix and NXE launches on November 19th, movies will also be available in HD, though there isn't much HD content available on the service right now. Non-Netflix subscribers will be able to try out the service on a free trial basis after a quick sign-up.

Party on Your Xbox 360
A new Party setting lets you chat with seven of your friends at once, either through the Xbox Live headset or following them from game to game, as if you were together as an actual party. This interface still needs a little bit of work, as friends seem to drop off for no reason. It's a great idea, though, especially if you want to plan a huge "video game crawl" with your posse.

What's You'll Miss from the Old Xbox Experience (OXE)
Not everything is perfect with this new interface. It sometimes took longer than expected to find videos and your Xbox Live games, and the ability to auto-download Xbox Live Arcade games has been removed. Other than that, the NXE brings a much needed upgrade to an already superior Xbox Live service. You'll be able to experience it for yourself when it hits your system on November 19. The best part? It's free.

Related Links

Xbox Home Page