Zuma

From PopCap.com comes this beautiful and very popular, well-conceived puzzle game that is similar to games like Bust-A-Move. Gameplay consists of shooting colored beads onto the play field using the mouse for aiming and shooting, aligning three or more in a row removes them from play. The Zuma beads continue to roll around the play field until they reach the skull, at which point you lose a life.

What makes Zuma special from other games like it is the excellent Aztec Indian-themed graphics and style, its unusual and increasingly intricate spiral layouts—referred to as 'temples'—and its engaging chants and drum sounds that fit the style of the game perfectly. Special power-ups and bonuses abound that add spice and variety, as well as strategic elements, to the gameplay. The only downside is it uses ActiveX Controls and therefore will only work in Microsoft's IE browser. Still, it's a game that I've wanted to highlight here for some time, and it's a good example of what can be done by expanding on an established game design, thereby redefining it. Click.

Windows:
Download the demo
Order the full version

Mac OS X:
Not available. Use Boot Camp or Parallels.