This next game from HanGame is an excellent example of why I am such a great fan of Japanese games. Beat Bubbles (also known as Music Brothers) is an enjoyable game, like so many other Japanese games, due to it being cute, creative, and fun.

The object of the game is very simple, and quite addictive. Similar to another music related game, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), the object of this game is to hit the arrow keys/spacebar in sequence to match the symbols on screen. Unlike DDR, you are timed in Beat Bubbles and you are actually making the music as you go.

To make things more interesting you have a group of little jellies that represent where you are in the line. Each time you make a mistake one of your little guys runs off. If you run out of time, or lose all these bizarrely cute little multicolor jellies, the game is over.

On a few of the levels you will see an arrow inside a slider bar. My first reaction was to hit and hold down the corresponding arrow key; however, for this type you are supposed to repeatedly and rapidly tap the arrow key. Also, randomly thrown in amongst the arrows you have to hit are little blue faces for which you must hit the spacebar. Some of the faces are different, either darker or lighter, and with different expressions. The darker faces are more rare then the normal ones, and when you correctly hit the spacebar for these you are rewarded with a new jelly to join your group. There are also lighter faces with clock hands on them that will boost your time when the spacebar is hit. In addition you can get bonus points for combos that you gain by not making mistakes.

Analysis: This game is, for lack of a better word, very cute. Its graphics show the attention to detail that is typical for Japanese work, and the game overall is fairly addictive as your fingers begin to work faster and the levels become more complicated. My only concern with the game is that the levels do become complicated very quickly. Difficulty ramps up through a combination of longer levels and less time within which to complete them. Other than that minor complaint, I believe the game is great and very appealing to the eye.

There is, however, one other minor catch as there is to the entire HanGame website: It is primarily in Japanese. While the actual game play contains very little Japanese, it is the instructions and menu buttons that may present a language barrier. Here is a little help getting started: The button on top in the main menu is "Start", and the button on bottom is Instructions" (if you hit this one, the start button moves to the bottom right bottom corner). When the game ends another screen will pop up in the game with a girl and four (4) little chicks, as does with all HanGame games. Simply close this window with the "X" in the top left corner. The two buttons that hide behind the pop-up are: "Retry" and "Title Menu," respectively.

All things considered, this is a great game. And one of the best things is that most games at HanGame are friendly for all ages and just as addictive to adults as it they are for kids. So, Click...

Update: Hangame has recently brought their wonderful games to the US and I have updated the links above to point to the English version, Beat Bubbles, instead. If you would like to play the Japanese version (Music Brothers) that this review was originally written about, click here.

It's that time again: Time to head on over to the Mercedes Benz website and download, or just listen to, the latest mixed tape that has just been released. Be the first on your block to have the freshest and the best freely available music the Web has to offer.

Listen online or download all the tracks, and share the music freely as you please. All courtesy of Mercedes Benz. Click.

Allen Varney has a new article up, Attack of the Parasites, in the latest issue of The Escapist online magazine where he discusses the explosive growth of the casual games market and the issues we're seeing that comes with it. He points to the rampant copying of ideas and gameplay to feed the ravenous appetite of the large game portals to shed a not-so-glamorous light on these latest dotcom darlings. Allen's pessimism spreads even to the indie casual game developers themselves who are facing an ever increasingly cutthroat environment in which to share their ideas.

Is this just business as usual? Unfortunately, it seems so. From my perspective, and while building this site over the last three years, I have witnessed a similarly unsettling proliferation of "me-too" Flash game portals that all appear to share the same content. Many of these sites think nothing of grabbing and hosting game SWFs without permission from the game authors or the sites from which they originated. One brazen site owner even claimed to me the games he/she was (stealing) were in the public domain(!). Furthermore, it becomes disconcerting to spend a great deal of time hunting down hard-to-find original pieces of work to praise only to have them plastered all over the Web shortly after publishing a review. And yet I am guilty of the same behavior even though I like to think that I am much more discerning than the others, and I don't actually host any of the games that are reviewed.

Still, the article offers a reality check for those in the business of casual games, both from portal and developer perspectives, and especially those of the mindset that casual games are the next holy grail of the games industry. Like so many industries to have come before, patterns are emerging that reveal this industry is no different in its growth and in the problems it faces. And like all bubbles, they have a tendency towards the same explosiveness that created them. Click.

Bola is a casual and enjoyable puzzle game created by the developers at Gamesheep.com, the same folks who brought us Manole and Makos. The goal of the developers who host the site is to eventually populate it with all their own games, and Bola is not a bad step in that direction.

Bola's gameplay is similar to that of Bejeweled, except Bola works on a hexagonal grid rather than a square grid. Players click to select and swap two glass balls in order to make rows of at least three balls in any direction. One innovation that sets Bola apart from other games of this sort is the hex-based structure: It's kind of fun to clear a set and watch all the balls above cascade down and settle into a new pattern.

A few levels in, a new color of ball is added, and then some steel balls that cannot be swapped or popped. Aside from this, an increasing quota is the only increase in challenge. In a position where no moves are possible, the field resets with a three second penalty. And even from the first stage, Bola's pace can seem a bit frantic, especially with the number of balls required to clear the stage in the alloted time; makes one wonder how the top 50 scorers managed their impressive achievements.

The graphics are nice, but nothing flashy. Some of the balls are the same color with a different picture, and only matching color and pictures make up a set. Depending on preference, this might be a little annoying, or it might just be part of Bola's challenge and charm. The sound of the glass balls popping and clinking into a new position is good, but unfortunately there's no option to allow the effects while muting the tiresome, tinny looping music. The yellow-on-orange display is also a bit frustrating, making it difficult to track the score or number of balls still needed to clear a stage. And I noticed once or twice that the computer registered no possible moves when there was at least one that I saw.

But these quibbles aside, Bola will quite possibly keep you coming back for a quick game from time to time, especially with its hex-based twist. It definitely deserves checking out, along with all the other games at Gamesheep.com. Click.

Available on Uminin's Flash Game Zone, home of several other previously reviewed works, the curiously named Brain Force is not very intellectual. No, Brain Force is purely an elegant exercise in agility, a beautiful example of how little is needed to make a successful twitch game.

The playing field consists of a 6x6 grid of tiles which, randomly and at increasing speeds, flip over. You must reset each flipped tile by clicking on it before the attached timer runs down and explodes. Flipping a tile earns you 100 points. You can earn a Speed Bonus (+500) if you flip it immediately after the timer is exposed, before any dots are visible. The dangerously tempting Bravery Bonus (+2000) can be won by flipping the tile after the 10th dot on the timer appears. The game ends when a single tile is destroyed. Afterwards, your score is ranked and, cryptically, an IQ is assigned.

The rules of Brain Force are simple and the end is inevitable - you will fail. Similar to classics like Space Invaders or Qix, Brain Force is successful in spite - or because - of it's simplicity. The only goal is to do a bit better than the time before and, if you've got an itchy mouse finger, sometimes that's enough. Click.

Oasis, by Mind Control Software, is a PC-downloadable, turn-based strategy game drawing inspiration from the likes of Civilization and Age of Empires. Instead of playing one campaign for weeks on end, Oasis condenses all of the same strategy goodness into short, three-minute levels. These small rounds play a larger role in the story arc. The steep learning curve has been removed to allow anyone to get hooked on a strong dose of gaming fun.

You play the future Scarab King whose father has been murdered. Egypt has fallen into chaos and an evil fog covers the land. Your job is to lift this fog, gather followers and rebuild your empire to defend against the barbarian hordes. Along the way you'll discover many remnants of the great civilization and be able to use them against your enemies.

The game takes place in a traditional overhead view and everything is handled by pointing and clicking with the mouse (with optional but rather pointless keyboard control). All civilization managing details have been simplified into a system of turns. Each level has 85 turns, at the end of which barbarians attack. During this time you must balance your strategy between defending the cities you find, uncovering land, gaining followers, and finding the hidden oasis where the magical obelisk resides.

Just like any strategy title, Oasis lets you gain technological advancements. You don't have to worry about adjusting stats or anything of the sort, simply have some followers start working in the mines. The technology bar at the bottom of the screen shows your progress. You can also find advisors, treasures and more goodies that will tempt your attention away from defending your empire.

Analysis: Oasis successfully reproduces the strategy game formula without bogging itself down with lengthy or complex gameplay. It's a light and refreshing experience to have shorter levels, and yet the sense of strategy and discovery has not been diluted.

The overall story arc is a little weak, however, and after playing a few levels I felt like I was playing an arcade game rather than a strategy title. Oasis walks a fine line between the two, and sometimes I wasn't sure which it wanted to be. The identity crisis is a small one and the end result is a very polished and rewarding experience that anyone can jump right into. I've always been a fan of the Civilization series, but the time commitment became too great when life intercedes. Oasis is a good replacement.

PC downloadable game (for Windows only) available directly from the developer's website. Download.

For those who just can't get enough free game play, 1Up.com has a new article up today from print publication Computer Gaming World listing over 100* free games in its "definitive guide to the best new free games on the Web." You could do a lot worse, I suppose, knowing the quality that usually comes from the folks over at 1Up.

*101 to be exact.

In fact, you are likely to see some games that have already been reviewed here, and just as likely to see upcoming reviews here highlighting games from that list. And if you're looking for something to review and submit as part of my call for new contributors, why don't you head on over there and comb through the pickings while the getting is good. Click.

Cheers to fellow Jayisgames contributor, Wulfo, for the link. =)

The McDonald's Videogame is the newest Flash creation of Molleindustria, an Italian design team dedicated to the discussion of the social and political implications of video games.

The game is a simulation and parody of McDonald's where you are in charge of creating profits for the company by managing the four sections of its business: Agriculture, The Feedlot, Fast Food and Headquarters.

The Agriculture Section is where soy is grown for fodder for the feedlot and where cattle are raised to maturity.

The Feedlot is where mature cattle are fattened up and slaughtered for hamburger.

The Fast Food Section is the actual restaurant itself where you control employees and sandwich production.

Headquarters is where the executive decisions are made in relation to advertising, public relations and profits.

Your job is to balance all areas of production, make profits and keep the business running smoothly for as long as possible. Occasionaly consumer and public problems pop up for you to deal with due to your business decisions. The game ends once you have accumulated a debt of around $30,000.

The game provides a decent tutorial and a reasonably intuitive point-and-click interface that unfortunately doesn't compensate for a steep learning curve and high difficulty. This shouldn't stop you from giving it a try though. Overall the game is an entertaining distraction that is definitely worth it for the satire and laughs or if you enjoy a challenge. Click.

Cheers to Johannes for suggesting the game! =)

Do you love casual games as much as we do? If you come to this site because you enjoy the treatments that are given to some of the most innovative and enjoyable casual games available today, then might you also enjoy writing about them, too?

With my graduate studies coming to a close soon, I am actively seeking opportunities for what can be viewed as Jayisgames 2.0. Therefore, I am looking to form a group of authors and contributors that together would like to help take what I have started here and run with it. Ideally, you will consider yourself either a game designer, developer, academic, or simply gameplay fanatic who believes that exceptional gameplay deserves to be praised and shared with others all over the world. In particular, you should be adept at writing an analysis of what works in a casual game, along with possibly what doesn't. Doing so is vitally important in providing value to those designing and developing games as well as to those who play them.

If this opportunity intrigues you then please send me an email expressing your interest and your credentials. Please include sample(s) of your writing. Use the email link at the bottom of the sidebar to the left.

Gumshoe Online is a single-player online detective game created by Hiding Buffalo LTD. There are currently four cases available, with the first one, 'The Osbourne Mystery', being free to play while the others have a very minimal charge.

Note: registration is required to play even the free trial mystery.

It should be pointed out that the trial mystery is very limited and that the actual cases have a much greater length and depth. My favourite case, with respect to its story, is 'Higher Order of the Three', but if you wish to purchase only one then I'd highly recommend the most recent one – 'Something in the Water' as it's easily the most enjoyable.

Each case is made up of a number of detective-like elements. For example, you will spend the majority of your time searching around various locations looking for clues. Each location has dozens of items that can be examined and most rooms have at least one minor clue. Another fairly small section is interviewing people. This is very limiting, as most individuals have only a handful of topics that they can be questioned on, and the tolerance system is fairly useless.

Finally are the puzzles. These are the most enjoyable and at the same time infuriating parts of the game. There are a fairly wide variety of puzzles, from assembling a fuse box to testing a water sample. Some of them rely on math, while others are simply logic. Many of the puzzles are fairly difficult, while some of them are almost impossible, as can be seen by the extremely popular forums, the best place to ask for help with the game.

When you've gathered all of the evidence that you feel you need, you can go back to your office and come up with a solution. If you have the right solution this part is fairly trivial, but it can be annoying when you're positive about your solution and it turns our to be incorrect, as no help is given to push you in the right direction. (A similar system may also help in lowering the difficulty of some puzzles). It's vital that you save before submitting a solution, as if it's wrong you'll have to do the whole case again or just reload your save. After submitting a correct solution, you get a score based on the time (in-game) that it took you and how many clues you collected.

Despite my criticisms, I really enjoyed Gumshoe Online and felt that all of the cases were well worth the cost - I fully recommend buying at least one. Click.

Cheers to Luckdragon for suggesting the game. =)

Scott Reynen sent me the link to his flickr-based game last month and I am only just now getting around to posting it.

fastr is a multiplayer guess-the-image-tag game similar to the previously reviewed single-player, Guess-the-Google. Instead, this game makes use of the flickr API to create a well-designed and enjoyable multiplayer experience, and one that can be rather addictive when a sharp group of people are playing with you.

Just enter a nickname and join in the fun immediately. As images are displayed one-by-one, type your guesses into the text field provided for the tag that you think links all of the images together. With each image displayed beyond the first, 1 point is deducted from the score you will receive if guessed correctly.

Each round lasts for 5 minutes with a visible timer counting down the seconds. A list of players and their scores are updated on-the-fly as the game is played.

Very nice, and lots of fun. Thanks Scott, and sorry for the delay in posting this. Click.

Also, for anyone interested, Scott has made an API available for anyone interested in extending or augmenting the functionality of fastr.

A brand new game from Tonypa just launched along with a new version of his games page.

TriLinks is a strategy puzzler in which the player must connect each set of three (3) same-colored links ("endblobs") by moving the mouse over adjacent points on the game grid. The game play is similar to the Hyper Frame Shockwave 3D game of a few months ago.

Each connecting point represents one step with 100 total steps allowed per level. Moving over blobs of the same color, or over endblobs, do not count against the number of steps remaining.

The catch is that every move of the mouse will change the underlying point to a blob of the currently selected color, even links belonging to previously completed chains thereby 'breaking' them. It is all too easy to place blobs where you do not want them, therefore caution and restraint must be exercised throughout the game.

The game cycles through each color in order, repeating if necessary in the event that a chain was broken along the way. Once all endblobs for each color are connected together in an unbroken chain, your score is increased relative to the number of unused steps remaining. Later levels award more points per unused step.

Analysis: As usual, Tonypa's game aesthetics are exemplary. The lovely piano music, sound effects and the simple, minimalist graphics are all nicely polished and very pleasing, soothing even.

The choice of using a simple mouse-over to draw the blobs, however, is puzzling to me and prone to user error. This is especially true at the very beginning of the game upon clicking the "Play" button. The mouse cursor begins in the middle of the board and the player begins drawing blobs immediately from there.

Why not use a click-and-drag mechanic? I believe that would work (and feel) much better for the player, though it may make the resulting game a bit too easy. In its present form, I find it rather annoying that it places blobs where I do not want them, which takes up valuable steps. Using a mouse-over may make the game more challenging, and yet the discomfort it causes is a detriment to the enjoyment of the game.

Overall, the game has the potential to be another classic casual game from Tonypa. We'll have to wait and see what he says about it in the comments. =)

With all the world's attention on Torino these days, it seems only fitting to highlight a brand new game from Italy today.

Warbears is a unique and original Flash point-and-click game that is played a little differently than anything I've seen so far. The gameplay is similar to Rob Allen's Hapland games, and yet there is an additional layer of complexity to it that sets it apart.

The game puts you in control of a team of Warbear agents called in for duty because of some trouble down at the local bank. The bank security guard calls up the Chief for help after he "tried nothing, but it didn't work(!)" So, it's up to you to do something. What you find is all of the bank's employees have been taken hostage by a bunch of very mean bears with very large drill bits, and it's up to the Warbears to rescue them.

Mouse over a Warbear agent to pop-up a list of possible actions. Actions are represented as icons and it's up to you to figure out what they mean and in what order to invoke them. Most of the time you will select an action and watch the animation play to completion; however, similar to the Hapland games, there are some situations that depend on timing of multiple actions in sequence, such as fighting for example.

Also like the Hapland games, there is the possibility of failure. If this happens the Chief will give you a hint as to what went wrong to help you for the next time you play. A reset button is provided to start the game back from the beginning.

Analysis: Warbears is a cute game with a great sense of humor and a lot of fun to play. I found myself laughing out loud several times from the silly southpark sarcasm injected into the game. The graphics, animations and sound effects are well done and nicely polished, especially the introduction at the Chief's desk that doubles as the game's main menu. A language selector allows the game to be played in English or Italian, with a Japanese version planned.

Overall the game presents a significant challenge such that you probably will not succeed the first time through. Having to start back at the beginning after failure is likely to turn some players off from trying again, especially if the game was almost done. That is one of the inherent disadvantages to games with no-win scenarios like this. To help ease the pain and to promote replay, unlockable bonus content is included.

Warbears was designed and created by Gionatan Iasio of Italy and hosted on his personal website, Ioji. Remember while playing (as well as an excellent life lesson): doing nothing doesn't work. Click.

Cheers to Tom for the link. =)

Want more Warbears missions? Try Warbears Mission 2!! Just released!

Warbears walkthrough now available!

Alice is a game animator. She likes to draw and create games on her ba-xi, a small handheld device that both entertains and consoles her in times of need. Even her friends affectionately call her "the animator," due in part to the animations that she draws of Brad, her imaginary friend. Alice is 8 years old.

Alice also has her own interactive narrative titled Inanimate Alice that is written by Canadian-born UK novelist, Kate Pullinger, and realized in Flash by babel. Together they bring to life the story of a young girl growing up amidst the wireless communications of this 21st century.

The episodic story will comprise 10 chapters and span Alice's life from 8 years to her mid-twenties. The story is engaging and evocative, and the multimedia elements are all very well done. A few interactive elements require puzzle solving, more so in the 2nd chapter than in the first, and is a trend that I hope to see continue in future episodes.

Don't miss this excellent and award-winning interactive narrative experience. Catch the first two episodes now, with more to come in the months ahead. Click.

Cheers to Ian for the link. =)

Episode 3 is now available!.

Andy of Rendermouse was the first to send word of this official Katamari Damacy mini-game hosted on Namco's Japanese website. If you're unfamiliar with the original PS2 console game, then so far you're missing out on a tremendously gratifying gameplay experience: Crazy, quirky, innocent fun.

As far as the mini-game is concerned, it appears to have been designed to illustrate the main concept of the game, which is to joyfully roll the katamari over smaller objects to collect them and make the katamari bigger so that you can then roll over even larger objects. To this end it works quite well; however, the mini-game does not even come close to the fun of the original.

When the game begins, you choose the number of katamari you wish to play with at once: 1, 2, 3, 6, or 48*. The mouse cursor becomes the King of all cosmos and the katamari follow him around the screen rolling over—or bumping into—various people and objects. *Note: the option to choose 48 is hidden inside the pyramid on the game's main menu.

This is where things begin to get strange, because I am unsure of what the actual object or purpose to the game is—if there is even one at all. You can click the mouse button to 'explode' the katamari, freeing everything picked up thus far, which basically starts you back from the beginning. Otherwise, the ball will continue to roll up everything, including the King, and eventually reveal a large watercolor painting. Oooh.

And yet the game never ends. It just keeps going and going with no clear objective, nor apparent win condition, in sight. Or else I have missed something terribly obvious.

What the mini-game did accomplish, however, was to remind me of how much fun I had playing the original. And now I must get back to my PS2, for I think I've made the King quite angry. Click.

Another brand new game, this one combines the addictive qualities of pouring sand with the addictive qualities of lemmings-like gameplay. The result is Sandman, an action game in which you must pour sand to rescue as many sleepwalkers as you can.

Just click the mouse to pour sand where you want it. Use it to build ramps, slopes and bridges, and to turn the little walkers around. Beware of nightmares; however, they will respond to sand the same as the sleepwalkers do. Also, avoid water since sleepwalkers can't swim.

The game saves your progress as you complete each level. To resume at a later time, click the "load" button on the game's main menu screen. If you get stuck at any point during a game, click "Quit" and restart the level.

From Nitrome, the talented and gifted retro pixel-pushers that created the remarkably enjoyable Hot Air that was reviewed here in December. Sandman was designed by Mat and Jon Annal, with programming by Heather Stancliffe. Very nice indeedy. Click.

Pong with a pretty face.

That is how I'd sum-up this gorgeous game that Rich Nelson just released on his Merciless Games website. Puff Ball is a single-player arcade action game played under the sea against a computer-controlled opponent.

Gameplay consists of bouncing a puff ball back and forth until a player misses. Each round is played until one player reaches five (5) points. Every few rounds you'll have an opportunity to score extra points in a 30-second bonus round. When the computer wins a round, the game ends.

The mouse is used for moving left and right along the bottom of the top-down view. The Pong-like gameplay is made a bit more interesting by the ability to spike the puff ball when fully charged with energy. Press and hold the mouse button down to begin charging, and then release just prior to hitting the ball to spike it. If performed correctly, the computer opponent will be stunned by the ball for a few seconds allowing you an easy point.

To score additional points, fish will swim across the play field that will add to your score if hit by your volley. Stingrays will occasionally cross possessing power-ups that can temporarily handicap the computer.

Analysis: The game is very polished and looks great. The graphics are made from 3D models with subtle animations that appear especially life-like. Very, very nice. The gameplay, however, is mediocre at best. Although the game has three difficulty levels, and even on hard it's just way too easy. After reaching round 38 with over 250,000 points, I gave up and let the computer beat me unchallenged so I could finish this review and get some sleep. Otherwise, it seemed the game would go on forever.

And it shouldn't be surprising the game is too easy since the computer and the player are so unevenly matched: The computer cannot spike the ball, nor can it hit the stingrays to activate power-ups. The result is at first a game that is fun to play but quickly loses its appeal from the lack of a challenge.

Still, considering this is Rich's first game, it's an excellent effort and I am very eager to see what's to come next. Click.

Cheers to Tonypa for the link. =)

Monk is a detective with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) in a show of the same name on the USA network. To increase exposure for the show, and to generate traffic to the show's website, a new game has been launched that focuses on the trivial and repetitive tasks that Monk might face on a daily basis.

Monk's Mind game features 32 Wario Ware-style mini-games that a player must complete, three (3) times of increasing difficulty, to win. Divided and grouped into four (4) common scenarios such as: dining at a restaurant, living at home, working at the office, and investigating a crime scene, the player faces tasks typical to these situations.

To begin, click on one of the task bubbles that appear and float around Monk's head. The associated mini-game will begin with a short description of what to do (i.e., "catch", "balance", "straighten", etc.). Use the mouse to click, drag, or mouse over the area to accomplish the goal. But hurry! The task must be completed before the stopwatch makes one full revolution.

Although there seems to be no limit to the number of times a task may be repeated until it's done right, the game does force you to constantly perform tasks or else Monk will get very upset and the game will end.

Analysis: Considering the performance issues that action games are prone to in Flash, the gameplay mechanics for each of the 32 different mini-games have all been well-executed with only a few minor annoyances and inconsistencies. For example, rubbing clean the lipstick from the wine glass was extremely difficult to complete on the 3rd iteration. Only after leaving it alone and then coming back to it later did I manage to complete it on the first try with little effort.

The repetitive nature of the game's trivial tasks was an excellent choice for a game based on an obsessive-compulsive detective. Although I prefer the rapid-fire and random delivery mechanism of the original Wario Ware, this game manages to retain much of the original's appeal. Click.

Credits for the game include (thanks Neil!):

• Neil Voss (GLOW interactive), creative direction, game design, programming, sound
• Charles Forman (Setpixel), technical direction, game design, programming
• Jobe Makar (Electrotank), programming
• Jason Whalen (GLOW interactive), art direction, photography, graphics production
• Mike Molnar (GLOW interactive), producer

Remember the typing game, Letters 2, that was reviewed here in November? Well, the author, Hannu Pelkonen, has released a very significant addition to the series: Words!

After entering your name and choosing a language, words begin to scroll from right to left. Stop the words from reaching the edge of the screen by typing them! The bottom of the screen displays your score and the high scores of previous players. Each letter in a completed word is worth 1 point, and typing a wrong letter will cost 5.

It sounds flawlessly simple. However, if you're unlucky enough to get stuck with two overlapping words that move at a similar speed, they could be unreadable for the entire width of the screen. This is rare but frustrating and a guaranteed loss.

Though lacking the power-ups of Letters 2, Words uses the same slick interface and addictive dynamic high score display that updates your rank in real-time while you play. In addition, since most typing is done to form words, Words proves far more useful for improving ones typing chops. Unfortunately, the automatic high score submission is buggy and often fails to submit a score to the server properly. A minor nuisance to an otherwise polished, enjoyable and useful typing game that features four (4) different languages: English, German, Finnish, and Swedish.

The world of typing games is small, but Words and Letters are both worthy additions. Mavis Beacon and The Typing of the Dead will welcome Pelkonen's creations with open arms... and you should too! Click.

With the winter quarter finishing up next week at RIT, I've had little time of late to spend digging up those hard-to-find gems I like to feature here. No worries. David Thorburn's amazing physics-based Teagames saves the day.

Blueprint is a brand new blue brainteaser similar in concept to the previously reviewed CCL Game and to the Incredible Machine series of games from as far back as 1993. The objective of the game is to arrange the component parts on the play field so that when the ball is released it will hit the target.

Use the mouse to drag the parts around on the grid of the blueprint background. A piece will either 'snap' into place or will turn red if it cannot be positioned where you move it. Once all pieces are positioned the way you like, click the "Start" button to set the ball in motion.

Analysis: Blueprint is an elegantly simple game that increases in challenge and difficulty as the levels progress, though levels may be completed in any order. The scoring and high score system for this game is flawed since the levels don't change each time you play. Attaining a high score is reduced to those who figure out the correct placement first, only to speed through a second time knowing the answers. Nonetheless, David's exceptional Flash physics engine has been put to good use in yet another engaging casual game for his Teagames website. Wonderful stuff. Click.

I really do love these types of games, and yet it seems I am always left wanting more. It's as if there is potential here for a much more gratifying experience, one that includes all the various components and contraptions, but with different objectives than simply hitting a target. Something like a pachinko or a pinball machine in which I can arrange the various bumpers and pegs to yield the highest score, maybe?

When I was very young, I had a unique set of wooden blocks with grooves that marbles could be rolled upon. Corner blocks had tunnels carved within to redirect the marbles at right angles. With the entire set, an elaborate system could be built to the great reward of simply watching the marbles travel through it. Those blocks were my favorite childhood toy, and I can't help but think of the good times I had with them when I play games such as this.

Hey, David: How about making a construction set that I can play with that uses your physics engine? =)

For a list of other Teagames previously reviewed here... Click.

Blueprint walkthrough now available!

Back in December I reviewed a game called Manole that was developed in Romania and hosted on a Romanian games site, ejocuri.ro. Florin wrote me to say that their site had received such a positive response that they decided to translate the site to English. The result is the recent launch of Gamesheep. It was there that I found this delightful action puzzler.

Makos is a game that is somewhat similar to so many other games in the very crowded genre of tile-matching puzzle games, and yet it managed to grab my attention with its adorable little forest creatures and addictive gameplay.

The game is played only slightly different than others like it: use the mouse to slide a row or a column to group three (3) or more makos together. Any grouping of 3 will do. Fill up the bar with stars to the right of the play field to move on to the next level. Press [S] to mute all game sound; press [P] to pause the game. [Edit: and now you may press [M] to toggle on/off the music. Nice job, Florin!]

The graphics and sound effects are all nicely polished and give the game an attractive charm that will likely have you coming back to play often. The only thing I would change would be the terribly short and repetitive music loop that gets annoying very quickly. I wish every Flash game developer would put the music tracks on a separate control from the sound effects so that the music can be turned off independently. Click.

Since 2001, Florin and his team of game developers at FlashTech Network have created over 250 games for many different websites, and they are now concentrating development efforts on their own site. Eventually he hopes to have the site completely filled with their own work, and I wish them much luck and success with it. I will certainly be keeping an eye out for new games they create as the work I've seen them produce so far is polished and quite impressive.

Update: Thanks to everyone who wrote in to say that Makos is very similar to PopCap's Chuzzle. I have never played Chuzzle since PopCap's games don't run on my Mac. =/

German Flash-based design firm, Mach Parat, has released an update to its excellent Flash game, Dr3i, that was reviewed here back in October of 2004.

Dr3i v2 is a new horizontal scrolling version of the action game and it's played just like the original. Use the mouse to move the red dot through the maze and collect all the black dots. Some black dots have a plus (+) sign, which will speed up the game, while minus (-) signed dots will slow down the action slightly. Don't touch the walls nor any other black object, or lose a life. You have 3 lives to make it through the maze.

A simple yet well-made game for some quick and casual fun. Click.

The game appears to be designed for mobile devices, which means you should be able to surf over to the game's URL with your cell phone and play providing that your phone supports Flash Lite, though I wasn't able to verify this myself. Anyone out there with a Flash Lite device? [Edit: Ok, so that's not true since the game requires Flash 8 to play. Thanks for setting me straight, Volker.]

A finalist in this year's Independent Games Festival (IGF) in the Best Web Browser Game category, Dodge That Anvil is a gorgeous and adorable Shockwave 3D platformer with unique and original gameplay, created by Jake Grandchamp of Rabidlab.

The Eastwarren rabbits were once self-sufficient growing crops and fending for themselves until the day it started raining anvils; that's right, large and heavy anvils began to fall right out of the sky. Now all the bunnies have been forced underground and it's up to you to save them. Brave the elements and harvest food to keep everyone fed while uncovering clues about the mysterious happenings in your once peaceful village.

The game includes several "fields" of platform jumping within which to harvest carrots while dodging anvils and other nasties. To help you along the way, various items can be found, or bought, that grant a special ability or protection from a particular hazard. For example, an armor vest will protect you from a dynamite blast, or from the occasional exploding beach ball. Most items are single-use, meaning once you use it you lose it.

Dodge That Anvil comes with a burrow full of options and features to customize the game exactly to your preference. There are three (3) difficulty levels to choose from: Easy, Normal and Expert; as well as support for three (3) different control options: keyboard, mouse and joystick. I found using a joystick—a fairly standard Logitech Dual Action USB gamepad—with this game to be the most gratifying experience of them all. If you don't have a USB gamepad then you should find the keyboard and the mouse work almost equally well. No matter which options you choose to fit your game playing style, an excellent context-sensitive tutorial is available to teach you how to play.

Select the option to enter Field training to be stepped through the basics of the game and get introduced to the game's unique anvil-dodging gameplay. Once you've finished with your training, you will be off hopping, racing around harvesting carrots like a white rabbit.

Analysis: There is much to love about Dodge That Anvil, not the least of which is the fact that Jake has created the entire game himself. Over the course of about a year of development, the game has shaped up to be a very impressive work, and one that is a lot of fun to play.

I love the design and detail of the rich and colorful cartoon graphics. The choice of rich vibrant color makes the game immediately appealing to a broad audience that includes all age groups. I am also impressed by the realistic physics implementation with respect to the perceived weight of the 3D models and the stark contrast between them. For example, the anvils 'feel' significantly heavier than the beach balls by way of their physical behavior and sound effects. The result is a sense of realism and immersion when playing that really makes me jump when I get hit on the head with an anvil. Fantastic!

Besides how the game looks and behaves, what is even more important to me is how it plays. I enjoyed how the player has to watch for what will soon drop on brer rabbit's head, constantly calculating and negotiating every move. This changes the usual mechanics of a classic platformer and adds a new dimension to it. The player challenge is increased through this additional layer of responsibility. The temporary removal of this added burden in a later level, in which the raining anvils are quieted for a spell, seems as sweet as licking the frosting spoon of a cake—while it lasts. But it doesn't last; and we are thrown willy nilly back to the wolves again. With DTA, Jake has created unique and original gameplay with an addictive quality somewhat resembling buttercream.

Jake has also done an exemplary job with the main menu interface and game play options. Every casual game developer should play this game if for no other reason than to see a game interface done right: Every cut scene or intro screen is interruptible; music and sound effects volume can be controlled independently; advanced video options for tweaking the display output and to improve performance; training option screen and pop-up help can both be toggled on and off independently; and many more control options than you can shake a joystick at. By setting default options for difficulty and control, those select screens will be skipped entirely. This streamlines the interface and allows the player to begin the next game quicker and easier. Very, very nice!

When I first discovered this game about a year ago, it disappeared from the Web as quickly and mysteriously as it had arrived. At that time the game was a bit unstable and it crashed often; however, I was immediately drawn to the game's stunning good looks and attention to every detail. Resembling more of a triple-A title console platformer, it was unlike any browser-based game I had ever seen.

Then, almost a year later, the game resurfaced back in late December with the announcement of this year's IGF finalists, and I was delighted at the opportunity to play it once again. Jake has been hard at work readying a final demo of the game for the contest, and the very latest version up this week (b5) is the most stable version yet. And while the playable online version of the game is indeed just a demo, the three (3) difficulty levels and four (4) different fields of play provide enough challenge to keep many a casual gamer happy until the full version becomes available. Click.

Last week, Gamasutra published an interview with Jake on their website about his experiences with the development of the game.