Ah the public beta. Years ago, public betas were released solely as a means of testing a game's components before the final version was released, giving the developer time to make appropriate changes. That's still the case these days (see: the ridiculously overpowered sawed-off shotgun in the "Gears of War 3" beta), but public betas are also used as a means of getting the word out and building excitement for an upcoming title. It worked with "Gears of War 3," whose pre-orders skyrocketed after release, and it was also a tremendous success with the first "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare." Seems that Twisted Pixel's platformer sequel, "Ms. Splosion Man," is taking the same path, letting 10,000 fans test out the multiplayer portion of the title before the game's release later this summer.

Lucky entrants will be able to snag access to the public beta by plugging in their info here. If selected, they'll get access to two new multiplayer maps each week, running from June 6 to June 26. Also included in the public beta is "Trial" content, which is basically the content that you get if you download an XBLA game but don't buy it.

Presuming "Ms. Splosion Man" sticks to its "early summer" release date, it's unlikely that the primary focus of the beta is for true testing purposes. After all, XBLA certification can take as long as one to two months, so it's probably too late for any major changes before release. That said, there's no reason you shouldn't try and take advantage of Twisted Pixel's generosity. Especially if you're a fan of creatures whose sole purpose in life is to explode.