Here's a puzzle for you to piece together: how can you help a pack of dogs evade the cops while getting the attention of a girl who won't pay you any mind even though you've got the moon on a string? PROTIP: You'll need two iOS devices to pull that simultaneous feat off!

Jigsaw Mansion 2 (iPhone/iPod Touch, iPad) - Even if you're categorically opposed to jigsaw games, you should take the time to try out Jigsaw Mansion 2. It's a luscious, engaging, and utterly addicting puzzle game that's loaded with extras, and the controls are so buttery smooth you'll wonder why anyone bothers with real-life jigsaw puzzles. Explore a mansion while you complete jigsaw puzzles from portraits scattered about the halls. Simple touch and drag controls allow you to easily move pieces around, and auto-rotate takes some of the hassle out of matching pieces together. An in-game store opens up new puzzles and other possibilities, and you can even make puzzles using your own pictures, which can either be cool or supremely creepy. Also worth noting: the team behind Jigsaw Mansion 2 also created A.R.E.S.: Extinction Agenda, a superb sidescrolling action platform game for PC! Jigsaw Mansion 2 HD for iPad is also available.

Off the Leash (iPhone/iPod Touch) - The life of a dog is wrought is stress. Take, for example, running from the police, avoiding obstacles, staying away from stationary human folk, and gathering coins and power-ups, all while recruiting as many dogs as you can without stopping even for a moment. Off the Leash is just such a crazy game, utilizing motion controls for a mission-based arcade experience that's, well, completely off the leash. Control a pack of dogs running from the police while you work to go as far as you possibly can, increasing your pack size to gather more power-ups and switching your running formation to creep through difficult obstacles. It's an absolute riot of a game, and once you start completing and seeing new, crazier missions, you'll be absolutely hooked on this gorgeous game. From the same team that brought us the equally-awesome Land-a-Panda!

Boy Loves Girl (universal) - Valentine's Day isn't too far away, so it's time to turn your attention to amorous pursuits. Or, at the very least, play a game that involves an amorous pursuit. In Boy Loves Girl, you're chasing after a lovely lass while quite literally tugging the moon on a string. Swipe the screen to avoid sleeping clouds and other obstacles, all while completing missions that appear over the course of your run. Eventually, you'll catch the girl, but then a new twist is introduced, and you'll head off on another chase entirely. Cute, entertaining, and surprisingly challenging!

NOTE: Games noted as 'universal' have been designed for iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone devices alike. Any game not listed for iPad will work on the system, but native full screen will not be present. Games listed may not be available outside of North America. Prices are subject to change and are therefore unlisted. Please see the individual game pages for purchasing info.

A little bit of looting, a little bit of inverting, and a whole lot of shooting in this edition of Weekend Download. In fact, if you tried to take Weekend Download through an airport security gate, you'd probably find yourself on the receiving end of some nasty stares and/or unusual search techniques.

Dungeon Chaos (Windows, 16MB, free) - No one will ever fault a game developer for intelligently combining action and RPG elements. Especially not when it's an arcade shooter as awesome Dungeon Chaos. Lots of weapons to equip and cause destruction with, along with upgrades, hit points, levels to gain, and food recipes to keep you demanding more. It's pretty much exactly what you would imagine if you put an RPG and a shooter into a blender. Also, the secret best part? Dungeon Chaos supports local two player co-op!

Invert (Windows, 6MB, free/pay what you want) - A classic platform game built around a simple inversion mechanic. Pressing the [c] key inverts the colors, turning solid blocks into background elements and vice versa. Using this and a few simple jumps, you must collect the keys in each level in order to unlock the exit. Basic in a lot of ways, but well-executed and good fun to play thanks to its balanced difficulty level. Note: You can download Invert for free or download with a small donation. It's your choice.

Hack, Slash, Loot (Mac/Win/Linux, 6MB, demo) - Time to get your roguelike on! A casual, mouse-driven dungeon crawling RPG is a dream for many players, and Hack, Slash, Loot aims to make that a reality. It's got a sweet visual style that's very retro without jumping into ASCII territory, and it's nice and streamlined in terms of quests and goals. Very accessible for new players and anyone not interested in memorizing keyboard commands.

Note: All games have been confirmed to run under Windows 7 and are virus-free. Mac users should try Boot Camp, Parallels, or CrossOver Games to play Windows titles, Linux users can use Wine. If you know of a great game we should feature, use the Submit link above to send it in!

ChatChat is an online multiplayer game by Terry Cavanagh, creator of VVVVVV. It's a highly intricate simulation involving deep-level behavioral algorithms and calculus-based — wait, no it isn't! It's about being a kitty! The wildest dream of every internet human has come true in this simple little game, giving you full permission to nap, purr, meow, and catch mice to your furry heart's content.

So what's the life of a cat like? Pretty much like you'd imagine. You have a handful of areas to explore, with territory ranging from an alley to the "mush room" and even a tree top. You'll come across little tip boxes from time to time, as well as plaques that broadcast your position when you step on them. There are even a few commands you can unleash from the chat box, including napping, meowing, screeching, and purring. Cat stuff, basically!

There's sort of a goal in ChatChat, which is to capture mice and bring them back to your doorstep, but it doesn't give you anything beyond points, which are about as useful as mittens for lobsters. You can also get turned into a dog, which functions sort of like a game of tag, adding a bit of craziness to the otherwise laid back social atmosphere. If you're looking for some time to kill and would like to pretend you're a cat, well, now you know where to go!

Play ChatChat

The cute and captivating sandbox meets simulation game Clouds & Sheep is going to be the number one reason you can't keep a full charge on your Android device. Combining elements from games like Tiny Tower, Pocket God, Virtual Villagers, and more, you are put in charge of a pasture of lovely little sheep, your only goal being to make them happy and make them multiply. To do that, you'll take control of the weather, utilize dozens of items, and complete challenges that range from zapping things with lightning to rolling sheep into rocks!

Sheep are pretty helpless on their own, so it's your job to take care of their needs, from providing food and water to keeping them away from poisonous mushrooms and encouraging them to find mates (aww, you're a matchmaker, too!). You can combine clouds to form rain clouds that can then be moved around to produce puddles. Sheep can drink from puddles to quench their thirst, or new tufts of grass will grow from the pools of water. Perhaps related to this low intelligence, sheep also love to have their tails snapped and to be thrown around the pasture, something you'll delight in doing when they start to crowd your work area!

The currency that measures progress in Clouds & Sheep is happiness, represented by little stars that content sheep will toss in the air. The more stars you have, the more sheep you can buy, the more items you'll have access to, and so on. You also receive challenges to complete that allow you to gain levels and move on to greener pastures. Signposts that show up on the ground offer up tips as well as these challenges, and they range from the simple to the more obtuse in nature.

Analysis: There's a lot going on in Clouds & Sheep, from managing the sheep's needs to keeping them safe from dangers, herding clouds for your own benefit, and keeping an eye out for challenge signposts. There are over 30 tasks to complete over the course of the game, but if you're not interested in doing them, you can always ignore them and just manage your herd. Besides, you never know when a thundercloud will waft by and give your fuzzy friends a good zap!

Clouds & Sheep has an in-app purchasing system you can use to speed things up if you find the gameplay a little lagging. It's very well-tuned, though, and doesn't force you to do anything unless you want to. The one purchase you might be interested in is the inexpensive ad removal item. It'll free up a bit of your screen real estate and make things look nicer. Also worth noting: the game features a parental lock that can disable in-app purchases, making it a safe game to give to your kids!

The screen can get pretty crowded, and since there's no way to zoom in for precise action, you'll have to resort to tossing sheep around to clear some space. It can also be difficult to nudge sheep into doing what you want them to do, perhaps owing to the imprecise nature of the gameplay, or maybe because these sheep really are daft.

There's plenty to do, plenty to see, plenty to unlock, and plenty to manage in this adorable little game. It can feel a little cramped from time to time, but when you've got a dozen mindless drones to take care of as well as a sky full of clouds to manage, life is bound to get a little "full"!

Android Marketplace:
Download the free Clouds & Sheep (Android)

Hey there Android device owners! Ready for some more excuses to use your phone for things other than making prank calls to the pizza place down the street? Thought so. These games will both entertain you and help you drain your battery. Since, you know, a full battery is just so annoying!

Twist n' Catch - When a monkey and a rotund adventurer decide to go diamond hunting, you can bet that everyone involved is going to have a good time. This arcade game shares some basic ideas with Gold Miner, though in practice it's really a very different game. The monkey lowers you down a shaft at the beginning of each level. Tilt your phone to sway back and forth, avoiding obstacles as you make your way to the juicy diamond below. The cool part is the timer at the bottom of the screen that counts down to a spike trap that slowly rises. Once you've nabbed the big diamond, tap and hold the screen to slowly drag yourself back to safety. There are also three smaller diamonds you can collect, adding a lot of challenge to the game, and you'll have to both protect your rope from dangers as well as use it to hit switches and the like. Dozens of levels, simple but smart gameplay, and a faithful monkey companion. Good times! The free Twist n' Catch Lite is also available.

Monkey Kick Off! - A browser game we featured way back in 2006 makes a surprise appearance on the Android Marketplace! Monkey Kick Off is a "see how far you can go" arcade game similar to Nanaca Crash and dozens of other launching games, only this time it's just you, a monkey, and a ball. Wait for the right moment and tap the screen to punt the ball as far as you can. Can you make it to the Monkey Village? It'll take some practice, but it's possible. Now go get addicted all over again!

Cosmonauts - An impressively full-featured mobile game that includes a single player campaign as well as online and local multiplayer modes and an in-game shop with new episodes, ships, skins and power-ups. Cosmonauts pits you against aliens in a projectile physics game that spices things up with a number of fun variables. Different missile types? Check. Speed boosts and exploding asteroids and barrels that give your shot more power? Check! There's a lot of strategy in this game, yet it still feels like a casual arcade experience. The only down side is that sometimes the loading screens feel more like advertisements than, you know, loading screens, but otherwise it's a great run no matter how you play! Also available: Cosmonauts for iOS.

Where's My Water? - We gave a full review for the iOS version of Where's My Water? towards the end of 2011, but now the game's gotten bigger, better, and more Android-ey! This physics-based puzzle game puts you in charge of delivering water to an alligator that really wants to take a bath. By digging through the dirt, you can move the liquid through the mostly-vertical stages, avoiding deadly acid and pulling off some neat tricks using environmental obstacles. It's an imaginative and challenging game, one that's a blast to play no matter what your age or personal preferences towards scaly reptiles! Where's My Water? Free is also available, as well as Where's My Water? for Kindle Fire!

NOTE: Games listed may not be available outside of North America. Prices are subject to change and are therefore unlisted. Please see the individual game pages for purchasing info. Games have been confirmed to run on Android 2.2 on an HTC Incredible.

Originally released in mid-2011 by indie game creator E. Hashimoto (Buster), Hydra Castle Labyrinth is an old school-styled platform adventure that was previously only available in Japanese. A brave soul recently translated the game to English, and now the cute metroidvania title is available for a much wider audience to enjoy. And enjoy it ye shall!

With no story or set-up to speak of, Hydra Castle Labyrinth drops you right in the middle of a castle with little more than your sword and an enormously over-sized helmet to fit your enormously over-sized head. You have a number of paths to explore, many of which will end in a temporary dead end. To continue, you'll have to back track, find the right item (or key, in some cases), then charge forward again, ready to discover new territory!

Enemies are all over the place, but most of them are dispatched with relative ease (except the bosses). You start with a sword, which is useful enough for close combat, but eventually obtain a few more useful weapons to unleash. Enemies tend to follow simple patterns and take just a few hits to get rid of, but if you're not careful, they can end your game faster than you can say "wait, when was the last time I found a save point?".

Analysis: Hydra Castle Labyrinth is filled with items to find, a surprising number considering the relatively small size of the explorable map. You'll locate almost 30 items in your quest, as well as half a dozen sub-weapons and a fistful of keys. Back tracking is a major part of the game, so hopefully you won't mind seeing the same areas two or three times while you make your item-collecting rounds.

One thing you'll inevitably notice is that you can't jump from ladders. There doesn't seem to be a real reason for it, you just can't. So, instead taking a daring leap from the rungs to cut short your downwards climb, you'll find the avatar knight holding fast to the ladder, as still as a stone. The gameplay doesn't suffer from the exclusion, it just seems so obvious to anyone who has played a platform game, and possibly a bit annoying at first.

It's great to see games like Hydra Castle Labyrinth get a new life with a translation patch, especially when they're as enjoyable and good-looking as this. Expect a solid two or three hours of gameplay, and expect to get lost and feel frightened for your pixellated life several times. Hydra Castle Labyrinth is a great metroidvania game at a price you can't beat!

Windows:
Download the full, free version (click the top download link)
Get the English translation patch
Download the pre-patched game

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

How do you feel about... TACTICAL MISDIRECTION?!!! *flashing lights* That's good. Glad to know it. Now, how do you feel about a game semi-sorta doing that with its title? And what if that title involves felines?

The Cat that Got the Milk (Windows, 30MB, free) - This game... is absolutely mad. It's easy to slap the label "cave avoider" on it, say its basic structure is like a handful of games out there, and then call it a day. But that wouldn't do justice to the artistic madness that is The Cat that Got the Milk. 18 levels that start out pretty simple, with you tapping the [up] or [down] arrow key to guide a moving dot through a maze-like passageway. Then you start encountering moving objects. Then you find circles. Then you find... well, whatever that thing is on that level. Suffice to say, it gets pretty crazy pretty quickly, and when you see the final stage, you'll probably just start crying. But, the madness of the design is half the fun, and if you ever get frustrated, just tap the [spacebar] to skip the level.

The Fourth Wall (Windows, 88MB, free) - Another fantastic project from a group of students at DigiPen, The Fourth Wall starts out as a fairly typical platform game with screen wrap elements, allowing you to move to the opposite side of the screen by stepping off the edge. But then, oh then things get very interesting. You see, after two or three levels, the screen unfreezes itself, so instead of walking around single-screen rooms, you have entire areas to explore. Problem is, there's not always a path to the exit. That's where the neat ability to freeze the screen, thus activating the screen-wrap gameplay feature, comes into play. You get to create your own wraparound scenario at the press of a button, and its more mind-warping than you might think!

Backworlds (Mac/Win, 30MB, demo) - If you can't decide between painting or playing a platform game, let Backworlds choose for you. This rather artsy-looking demo blends the two into a seamless experience that features just as much puzzle as it does jumping around. Using the mouse, you can erase the world to reveal the background behind, often revealing new paths and new platforms you can instantly utilize. You can also cover up this back world in case you need to use bits of the regular world. It's a concept that sounds awkward in writing, but when you play it, it's oh-my-stars creative and fun. Plus, the game looks like a playable painting, which never hurts! Note that this is just a demo and the game is currently seeking funding to release a final version.

Note: All games have been confirmed to run under Windows 7 and are virus-free. Mac users should try Boot Camp, Parallels, or CrossOver Games to play Windows titles, Linux users can use Wine. If you know of a great game we should feature, use the Submit link above to send it in!

Well, we've got some good news and some bad news. The opposite of the non-good news first: so many promising games hiding just below the horizon! Also, so many cool things going on for gamers to enjoy! The not-opposite of the non-good news: mobile companies are still ripping off small indie dev by stealing their ideas. Chocolate and cookies can't made the sadness that news brings us go away. But... it can help!

Get Excited: Cubes are Everywhere A few building games you should keep an eye on in the coming months. First up: Castle Story, a game that looks to combine elements from Dwarf Fortress and Minecraft into a great-looking simulation sort of game. Start with a few Bricktrons and help them stockpile resources and build castles to defend themselves from the bad guys. No release date has been announced, but it's never too early to start salivating. Next up is Cube World, a game that may look like Minecraft but is actually more of an open world RPG with heavy sim elements. The latest bit of news is the addition of pets (yay!) and two new mobs, including frogs and moles! No release info for Cube World either, but, again, happy happy joy joy!

New album from VVVVVV Composer Souleye If you enjoyed the music of VVVVVV as much as we did, you'll be psyched to hear that the composer has just released a new album, Adventure, that includes all-new material alongside remixes from the VVVVVV score. It's 20 tracks of chiptune-sounding goodness, and it'll probably make you want to go on an adventure yourself!

A Serious Bundle While we're still pretty burned out on indie game bundles, the thriving masses of players who love them are still out there, and bundle bundlers are hard at work bundling more bundles for everyone to enjoy! This time around, the Indie Royale folks have packed together a bunch of Serious Sam games (including a few by indie developers) for the low price of "whatever you wanna pay". The games represent a wide variety of genres, from RPG to shooter to Canabalt-style running game. This also sets off the site's series of lightning bundles that will be on sale for around 100 hours and promote niche titles. So, if you want 'em, get 'em fast!

Terraria Collector's Edition Box Announced Here's a little something for collectors and everyone who enjoys real, physical objects. Terraria Collector's Edition has been announced for a March 16 release in the UK. For just under £20, you get a physical copy of Terraria, a poster, trading cards, a key ring, and an exclusive in-game item. No word on a North American release, but having a handsome product like that on your shelf certainly seems appealing!

Return of the Attack of the Clone Wars Familiar with the wonderful NimbleBit game Tiny Tower? Most people are, it was only named as iPhone Game of the Year 2011 by Apple. Well, it looks like the clone-master folks at Zynga have decided to take the Tiny Tower concept, put some new visuals on it, and release it as their own game called Dream Heights. Not only does this game copy the exact layout and structure of Tiny Tower, it also comes months after the company attempted to buy out NimbleBit studios but was turned down. In other words, if you won't let us buy you, we'll use our superior resources to take your game anyway. Not cool, Zynga. Not cool. Check out NimbleBit's response, which is both informative and snarky, then read our previous article Cloned Mobile Games Hurt Indie Developers.

What a world we live in, where mankind can walk on the moon, salad can be purchased in cups, and falling block puzzles can be fused with word games. If you're ready for your brain to have a little run through the multitasking wringer, Puzzlejuice is without a doubt the best way to hurt your synapses. With a little Tetris-like block arranging and a little Spelltower-style word building, you, too, can drive yourself mad with delight!

For the most part, Puzzlejuice operates like a game of Tetris, where blocks fall from the sky and you can rotate/slide them to place them where you want on the ground. Colors come into play, though, so in addition to filling horizontal rows, you'll also want to make an attempt to keep like colors together. When three or more blocks are touching, tap them to make a match. But wait! Matched blocks and complete horizontal rows don't disappear. Instead, they turn into letter tiles. And then things get crazy.

After dealing with falling blocks, your job is only half over. Letter tiles can be used to spell words, the larger the more deadly. Tap and drag to create a word, moving in any direction as long as the tiles are touching. When you spell a word, the tiles vanish (or, explode in a "wordsplosion"), and depending on which mode you're playing, surrounding tiles of any type could be eliminated as well. Not only do you have to watch the constantly-falling blocks from above and arrange them where you like, you also have to switch your brain to spelling mode so you can actually make those tiles disappear. Eep.

Puzzlejuice comes with two main modes of play: core mode, as described above (which features a few sub-modes), and zen mode, which follows the same basic rules but is limited to 90 second rounds where blocks do not descend on their own. Throw into the already thick soup mix a series of objectives similar to those found in Jetpack Joyride, add in achievements, drop in a few power-ups, then stir in a cup or two of "gotta beat my own score because I'm totally better than that lame-o score that's there right now", and you've got the makings of an incredibly attractive puzzle game.

Analysis: Puzzlejuice is crazy in a box. The game has an in-your-face style of humor that only adds to the nigh-arcade feeling. There's attitude and wit, speed and intense rounds, all coupled with incredibly cerebral moments where you walk a fine line between wordsmith and speed puzzle master. This is one of those games that pulls you in right away with its presentation, and as soon as you get the hang of it, you'll keep going because it's such an awesome feeling to succeed at.

Because of the strong puzzle/arcade hybrid, you don't have to be a falling block aficionado to enjoy Puzzlejuice. In fact, it's quite suitable for all sorts of players, from speed-loving action gamers to that aunt of yours who always smells like burnt onions. It's perfectly enjoyable in short bursts but also great for longer sessions, depending on how high your tolerance for being driven mad happens to be.

There's just one area where Puzzlejuice can trip over its own multitasking: the controls. Everything is touch/slide based, and you use pretty much the same moves to spell words, rotate blocks, and drop pieces to the ground. Because of this, you'll sometimes find yourself spelling words when you wanted to move a block, or rotating when you meant to drop. It's a function of dividing your attention, since you can't possibly keep your eyes everywhere at the same time. The controls never really get in your way, thankfully, but keep this in mind when you first start playing.

Puzzlejuice has that magic formula that will drag you in and never let go. It's the sort of game that's almost psychotic in nature, but bringing order to that fast chaos is supremely satisfying once you can wrangle falling blocks and spelling words at the same time!

iPhone, iPod Touch:
Download Puzzlejuice (universal)

Scene opens in the forest. A mysterious castle looms in the background. Hobbling in from the side, a group of three seals carrying machinery on their backs. They know what the secret of mana is, but they're not telling. They're not telling... indeed!

Mysterious Castle (iPhone/iPod Touch) - A game that's technically still in development, but it's already packed with plenty of retro-inspired fun. Mysterious Castle is an isometric game that combines elements of turn-based strategy titles like Final Fantasy Tactics with a traditional roguelike RPG. The world is procedurally generated, and you'll spend most of your time hunting through the forest, gathering items and defeating enemies by being all tactical and such. A good interface that makes use of the touch screen tucks most of the clutter out of the way, but none of the intricacy that makes a roguelike or a tactics game so appealing is sacrificed. You can also try the PC/Mac versions of the game, though they aren't quite as complete as the iOS release.

Secret of Mana (iPhone/iPod Touch) - The SNES/Square classic makes the leap from 1993 into your hands with this port of the huge RPG action adventure. You play a boy from a small village who, unwittingly, draws the legendary Mana Sword from a stone and is banished for what the villagers perceive as an ill omen... and when you get wrapped up in a conflict to save or destroy the world, it looks like they might be right. The real-time combat may feel a little odd to pick up on a touchscreen initially, but quickly becomes second nature, and the huge world combined with the action and colourful environments make this one effortlessly engaging despite an admittedly tried and true storyline.

Seal Force (universal) - A curious little game from Tactile Entertainment that feels like a cross between Jetpack Joyride and a drawing game such as Flight Control. You are in charge of three seals, each with its own color. By tapping and drawing a quick pattern, you can send seals out to collect power-ups and get rid of colored krill that advance towards your position. You can only move one seal at a time, and you've got to be quick about everything you do, lest the krill advance and end your game prematurely. Each time you have at it, your goal is to see how long you can survive as well as see how many objectives you can complete. Also worth noting: Seal Force looks phenomenal, with a visual style that mimics the look of an animated television series.

NOTE: Games noted as 'universal' have been designed for iPod Touch, iPad, and iPhone devices alike. Any game not listed for iPad will work on the system, but native full screen will not be present. Games listed may not be available outside of North America. Prices are subject to change and are therefore unlisted. Please see the individual game pages for purchasing info.

Dustforce is a speed-centric acrobatic platform game from Hitbox Team. A demo first appeared back in 2010, showing off the concept and basic design. Since then, the game has undergone some silent but effective changes, improving upon the controls and adding loads of content to sweep through. It's a fast, combo-centric arcade experience that emphasizes speed and perfection, and thanks to the online highscore boards and per-level badges, you'll be strangely compelled to keep playing until everything is just right.

Your goal is, on the surface, to sweep up all of the mess (leaves, dust, chemicals, etc.) and work your way to the end of each short level. Really, though, your goal is to move swift and smooth through the stages, building up combos as you hop around like a janitorial ninja. You can run along the ground, run up walls to a certain extent, and even dart along ceilings. You also have two attacks to unleash (useful for taking care of solid debris blocks and dealing with the game's few enemies) and can double jump and dash at your leisure. Plenty of ways to traverse the intricate, dust-filled levels. Perfection is the name of the game, and Dustforce is structured to make it easy (and tempting) to go back and play levels over and over again until you get it just right.

Dustforce features four playable characters, a few of whom have some ability tweaks that makes playing the game a much different experience. The main boy and girl are the default characters, and, armed with a broom, they make fine choices to sweep through the game. The little girl in the purple, though, carries a duster and has a more shallow jump, a shortcoming that's made tolerable by the fact that she can triple jump instead of the usual double. How's that for a different gameplay strategy? The old man in the green has a vacuum, moves at a slower pace, and has a jump with a different arc, making him a fine choice when you want a little more challenge. You can even engage in a little local multiplayer if you've got a few friends up for some cleaning!

Analysis: Dustforce shares a basic design similarity with games like Sonic the Hedgehog and Fancy Pants Adventure. You're always on the move, and the first time you play a level you'll probably hobble through to the end just fine, albeit without an ounce of finesse. Then, though, you notice your score is quite low and you don't have the best badges for that stage, so you'll want to go back and try it again. And again. And again, until you're happy with your mastery over the stage. Dustforce really inspires you to aim for perfection in a way few arcade games manage to do in the modern age.

There's just something about cleaning in video games that makes us players jump around with glee, isn't there? Matching blocks in Tetris so they disappear, leaving a tidy, empty screen behind. Stacking up cake ingredients in Cake Mania so everything heads out the door without a drop of icing out of place. A large chunk of making a satisfying video game is praying upon those base parts of our brain that loves to organize. Dustforce does just this, and it does it with fantastic style.

If your intention is simply to run forward to get to the end of the game, you'll be disappointed at Dustforce's relatively short length. It's not a game about getting an ending, it's a game out perfection, and to that end, it's got plenty of content to keep you busy for quite a while!

Dustforce shows good visual sense and a smooth, flowing style of gameplay we love to see. It can take half an hour or so before you get the controls down, but as soon as it clicks, you'll be dusting and sweeping across the dirty lands as you work your way to perfection!

Windows:
Order the full version

Mac OS X:
Not available.
Try Boot Camp or Parallels or CrossOver Games.

What better way to spend the weekend than gorging on more than a dozen creative, original games? The AGS Bake Sale Bundle does something new and neat with the "sticking indie games together into bundles" fad, releasing 14 unique games made with Adventure Game Studio by members of its community. The price, as you might have guessed, is pay-what-you-want, and proceeds are donated to Child's Play charity!

For anyone in love with the adventure genre, the Bake Sale will provide you with plenty of food to keep you playing for weeks. There's also a fair share of non-adventure games to be had, including a shooter, a platform game, and a few simulations! For example, Escape the Barn is a classic room escape game, just like the ones you're used to seeing in your browser, while Indiana Rodent and the Raiders of the Lost Cheese is an impressively large platformer. Then there's the simulation RAM Ghost that puts you in charge of a little ghost's happiness, sort of like The Sims, but with a haunted house!

Go check out The AGS Bake Sale, support some truly independent developers, and send a few bits of currency to charity while you're at it!

• Get The AGS Bake Sale Bundle