Most people reading this would either have seen or know someone who owns a set of Russian matryoshka dolls. For those of you who don't know, they are the dolls that come in different sizes and stack into each other. Looking at these dolls on paper, you wouldn't think they would turn into a fantastic game concept, but the team at Double Fine have managed to produce one of the most unique and interesting games on the Xbox Live Arcade service by using these very dolls. Stacking is an adventure puzzle game that reminds us that in a world dominated by shooting games, there is still room for creativity.

In Stacking you play as Charlie Blackmore, the smallest child of a family living in the depression era where industrialists ruled and child labor was rife. Charlie's dad is offered a promotion at his workplace, but is never heard from again until the Barons cronies come and take the rest of the family to work to pay off a debt. All except Charlie who is deemed too small to be useful and is left alone.