Chikarou. Chikarou. Chikarou. Heh, the name of Chikarou 5 is fun to pronounce. Chikarou chikarou. Chika-chika-chika-rou-rou-rou. Rou-chika-chika-rou. Oh yeah, I'm supposed to tell you about the game, aren't I?

What Chikarou 5 is is a bite-sized escape puzzler from Dghgbakufu (a name that's a bit less fun to say), whom you may remember for Chikarou 3. The game drops you in the middle of a cross-shaped five-room dungeon and dares you to solve its puzzles and escape to the surface. Chikarou. (Chikarou is apparently Japanese for dungeon, by the way.)

Bakufu shies away from the complicated clichés like using screwdrivers to pry open panels and finding power cords to plug in computers. All the keys and doors are symbol-coded, and there's no pixel-hunting, either; what little challenge this developer's games contain—chikarou chikarou chikarou—lies in deciphering the simple yet clever little clues to open the safes, which is fine for someone wanting a quick and easy escape but not so much for a challenge-seeker.

Are you ready to escape from the dungeon? Go ahead; I'll stay here and keep saying "chikarou"...

Play Chikarou 5

Okay, pop quiz. Which of the following is the correct definition of the word Abacus? Is it (A) a contagious disease that causes high fevers and itchy backs, (B) a line of undergarments for men, (C) an ancient device used for counting and mathematics, (D) an escape game by Otousan, author of Libra and Bird Escape, or (E) both C and D are correct?

If you answered E, then congratulations—you got it right! (Don't get a big head, though. It's always the "both C and D are correct" choice.) Now, on to the subject at hand...

If you're familiar with Otousan's work, you know what to expect from Abacus: a four-walled room with simple, gradiented graphics and plenty of puzzles, most of which center around a particular theme. In this case, the theme is the blue enigma machine over on the cabinet there and the circular tumblers that it uses. All you need are your brain and your mouse: click around the room to navigate, particularly the bars with the arrows if you want to change what you're looking at. Pick up items and use them (click to select, click to use), or use the "About item" button to get a good look at whatever you've selected. Solve puzzles all around the room, get everything figured out, and eventually get that door open.

Is it a good game? Indeed it is. The puzzles show a bit more variation than Otousan's games typically do, and the game as a whole is a bit longer and more substantial (it must be, there's a save feature this time!), which is good for those of you who found the developer's past games too easy. The graphics and audio, as usual, are non-intrusive but clear, and everything flows logically. The only real downside is that one or two of the puzzles can be a bit too frustrating; if you don't know the tricks you can be shuffling those tumblers until your hair turns gray.

So if you're looking for a little mental challenge to help you through the week, Otousan delivers as always. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go lie down; my temperature reads 105 fahrenheit and my back itches like crazy...

Play Abacus

Being a robot isn't always fun. Whereas other robots get to chase after pets and use grappling hooks to navigate flashy environments, Cargo-Bot is stuck picking up and putting down colored crates in a nondescript warehouse. Ah, well. Such is the life of a robot.

As a neat little puzzle game by Two Lives Left, Cargo-Bot's premise is simple: program a robotic crane to rearrange crates so they match the layout at the top of the screen. The method by which you do so is similar to our old favorite Light-Bot 2.0: drag and drop instructions on and off the four command bars on the left until you've got something good, then hit the play button at the bottom to see how she runs. The fewer instructions your program uses, the better your star ranking will be if it works. Suffice it to say that you'll have to worry about a handful of subroutines, conditional instructions (e.g. only move the crane left if it's holding a yellow crate), stacks of recursive calls, and many clever combinations of the above throughout the game's 36 levels.

The clever and brainteasing puzzles, adorably minimalistic soundtrack, and clear yet non-distracting graphics are more than worth the price of admission alone (it'd have to be, the app is free), but what really makes Cargo-Bot special is that it's the first game to hit the App Store that bears the distinction of having been created entirely on an iPad, using Codea. Codea is another iPad app from Two Lives Left, a programming utility designed for creating games and simulations. The gameplay, music, the cool physics effects when the crane crashes into a wall—it was all done on Codea.

Cargo-Bot is a first, and it's a really good first. If you've got an iPad, grabbing this game will be the best decision you made since you started to read this review!

iTunes App Store (iOS):
Get Cargo-Bot (iPad)

NOTE: This game was played and reviewed on an iPad. Game was available in the North American market at the time of publication, but may not be available in other territories. Please see individual app market pages for purchasing info.

The intro of Golem, an atmospheric little escape by OK Interactive, gives you the details straight: you're locked in a museum in Prague, and if you want out you'll have to bring to life the remains of the famous Golem of Prague that's on display somewhere within. To do so you'll have to solve some puzzles throughout the museum, gather some clues about the magic of kabbalah, and put everything together. Navigate by clicking the square icons near the edges of the screen, or on open passageways in front of you; keep an eye out for the changing cursor. Click things to interact with them, and be prepared to take a lot of notes. If you have something worth using, click it, then on what you want to use it on.

Not everything about Golem is perfect, but lots of things are. On the upside, it's got generally well-designed puzzles, moody graphics and music (we have Oscar Remius to thank for the latter) that perfectly complement each other, and a bit of historic background as well; on the downside, the clickable areas don't always properly overlap with the visuals, and there's no way to save your progress—which is especially inconvenient for a game with two endings. But overall, it's a journey worth taking. And either way, who can pass up an opportunity to resurrect an ancient golem?

Play Golem

Open the door and get to the next room; repeat as necessary. That's the goal of DOOORS, a cute little escape puzzler from our old friends at 58 Works, the team behind games like On-Sen, Kalaquli, and Evolution.

There's no four-wall navigation in DOOORS; it's just you, your inventory, and a single screen with a numbered door in the middle. Touch things to interact with them and see if you can solve the puzzle in each room to get the door open. Sometimes you have to touch, sometimes you have to drag, and sometimes you have to do things that would be downright impossible with mouse and keyboard, so keep your mind open. Highlight inventory items by touching them, then use them on-screen; there's no examining or combining items.

DOOORS would be very high on the list of games that showcase the versatility of the iOS platform. Just about everything about it is done right: the puzzles are as clever as anything else we've seen from 58works, the graphics are nice, the audio doesn't get in the way, and there are no control issues anywhere. The game autosaves, so if you've played before just pick "Load Game" and start from any level you've already seen until you've conquered all 35 levels (and possibly more coming, seeing as how the last ten were added in the latest update).

Now then... who's up for opening some doors? Or should I say... some DOOORS?

iTunes App Store (iOS):
Get Dooors (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch)

NOTE: This game was played and reviewed on an iPad. Game was available in the North American market at the time of publication, but may not be available in other territories. Please see individual app market pages for purchasing info.

So you're bored at work. You think a quick game of Tetris might help wake you up, but at the same time a game of Minesweeper sounds appealing, too. It's tough to decide between two classics, so FonGeBooN has offered a unique solution: play both at the same time! That's what TETRISweeper is in a nutshell: a unique fusion of the tetromino-sorting gameplay of Tetris and the mine-avoiding tension of Minesweeper.

Although the instructions are all in Japanese, they're fairly intuitive. You can pick one of three difficulties in Original Mode, or engineer your own in Free Mode. Your left hand controls the falling tetrominoes via the keyboard: A and D to shift sideways, W and E to rotate, and S to drop. Oh, and hit P to pause. (The keys are customizable via the Configurations screen in case those don't float your boat.) As the pieces land, they become part of the minesweeper grid at the bottom, which is where your right hand takes charge on the mouse. Click cells to uncover them, and shift-click to flag them as mines. Once a row is free of gaps and completely flagged/uncovered, it vanishes. As if the rain of blocks from above wasn't enough, whenever the blue timer bar fills, a new row of tiles will be added at the bottom. Uncover a mine or let the tiles scrape the top, and that's game.

TETRISweeper is an intense game to say the least, but surprisingly fun to fans of both its parent games. The remix of the familiar Russian beat in the background sets the stage, and you're constantly switching back and forth between the two halves of the board to keep from flubbing either one. The mashup even brings about some interesting strategies; for example, you may find yourself carefully watching the "Mines" number as the latest tetromino lands so you can tell how many mines are in it.

In short, if you're looking for a fun and unique twist on one or two old classics, look no further than the green button immediately below this paragraph.

Play TETRISweeper

At first, To Nothing sounds like a misnomer for SuzumeDr's newest escape game. You start out in a somewhat sparsely furnished room with nothing in your hands except a black-and-white sports bag. You dump out the bag's contents and instantly all the slots in your inventory are full.

You navigate around the room by clicking the edges of the screen when the arrows appear, and clicking on anything worth investigating. You manage things in your inventory by clicking them to select them for use, or double-clicking to examine them more closely. The catch? As you go around and solve puzzles, every object in the room and in your inventory will... disappear, one by one. That nightstand by the bed? First thing to go. The TV on top of the minibar? Try not to grow attached to it. That pair of pliers? Its minutes are numbered, too. The cabinet by the door? Poof. The pack of chocolate candy? Hope your sweet tooth wasn't aching.

It's hard to be original in a well-established genre like the room escape, but SuzumeDr is definitely good at his trade. As with his previous works (Triangle, Lift for Life), the puzzles are well-designed (albeit a little obscure in one or two places), the graphics are clear but not distracting, the sound effects are fitting, and the theme's execution is simply perfect. The game's a little on the easy side, but there's nothing wrong with that. To Nothing is a game worth playing through for your weekday buzz. Just be careful, there's no telling what will vanish from the room next. Possibly even you!

Play To Nothing

No matter what time of year it is, unless you're baking in the sun you'll probably appreciate a little exotic getaway and a rush of soothing warmth... especially if you happen to be playing this in the winter. (Those of you south of the equator, shush for now; we'll acknowledge you some other time.) That's why Tesshi-e has given us a rather thankful escape known as Escape into the Open-Air Hot Spring.

Tesshi-e's latest stars a protagonist taking a much-needed vacation to the titular open-air hot spring, only getting into it isn't so easy; a number of puzzles to solve and inventory items to pick up and use lie in wait before the customer can warm their body properly. You know what to do if you've played Tesshi-e's games before: navigate by pointing and clicking, and pick up items that seem useful. Highlight an item then use it on the environment, or on the "About Item" button for a close-up.

This game doesn't break Tesshi-e's streak of good escape games; the puzzles are fairly logical and make sense without being too easy, the controls are just fine, pixel-hunting is nonexistent (as is a changing cursor, but who needs it?) and there's a save feature for when you want to take a break from your break. (I will not make a "yo dawg" joke. I will not.) It's pretty clear that an "Escape" into the Open-Air Hot Spring is a good way to escape the winter blues, if only imaginarily. So I won't get in your way any longer...

Play Escape into the Open-Air Hot Spring

If there's anything Christmas specials have told us, it's that the big man at the North Pole is notoriously bad at managing his assets. In Tesshi-e's holiday escape this year, Santa has lost ten of the Happy Coins he's supposed to give the children, and in The Happy Escape it's up to you to find them and save Christmas once again.

There's nothing particularly unusual about the setup. Just point and click around the room to navigate, pick things up, and interact with other things. When you have something in your inventory, and there'll be a lot of somethings to have, click it to highlight it, then use it on the environment or click "About Item" to view a close-up. Solve puzzles, look everywhere, collect all ten Happy Coins, and get out the door! (There's no special Happy Coin ending this time, but since the whole game is about collecting them, well...)

Once again, Tesshi-e has come through with a spectacular escape; the puzzles flow perfectly and logically, the sounds and graphics are charming, and although there's still no changing cursor, you never really have to do any pixel-hunting. There's also a save feature for when you get stuck. It's a few days late in the year to be playing a Christmas-themed game, but the holiday season always ends too soon anyways.

Play The Happy Escape

It's been a while since you've escaped the Playroom, and it seems the little girl who masterminded it has set up yet another difficult escape for you. In Playroom 2, the rather aptly named sequel by Kayzerfish, you've got a new room full of colorful toys and knickknacks to solve your way out of. At least this one has an open-air balcony and a nicer bed.

Control is as before: click around to look left and right, zoom in and out, and interact with or pick up stuff. Your inventory is distributed between the two black bars on the left and right of the screen; mouse over something and click on it to use it, or on the magnifying glass to examine it. It's going to take a lot of thinking and careful analysis with a dash of trial-and-error to break out of this room, but you've got a changing cursor and a save button to help you out.

What Kayzerfish has produced in this colorful little sequel is an excellent package of puzzles with a certain charm. The sound effects and graphics are nothing to write home about, but the minimalistic effect they produce really works here. The only real issue is the effects of turning and zooming, which have left at least one member of our review team in need of a barf bag. As for the puzzles, they're excellently designed, albeit a little airy at times. When I got out the first time I was confused at a few clues I hadn't used, only to realize later that they were hints for things I'd been able to solve anyways. As a general rule, if it looks like you're supposed to do something with an object but you can't, take a good look at what you're trying to use.

If you're looking for a charming yet challenging escape that taxes your skills just enough to be entertaining, go play in Playroom 2.

Play Playroom 2

Life's not easy for the fearsome pirate mercenary antihero Captain Zaron, star of Studio Meristem's adventure game Captain Zaron and the Trials of Doom. His sister Elsa is to be sacrificed at the stroke of midnight as part of a doomsday prophecy that will wipe out the kingdom, and he'll be damned if he's going to let that happen unchallenged, even if it means tracking down a legendary skull in an ancient tomb, traveling to the afterlife and back, and blowing down a boarded-up door with a Molotov cocktail. (He probably cares more about his sister than the kingdom, but a motivator is a motivator.)

Controls are a fairly simple task of pointing and clicking. Click items of interest to examine them, handle them, talk to them, or use your equipped item with them, depending on which action is selected. Change that action by clicking the icon in the lower left or pressing [A]. The treasure chest icon in the lower right is where you can access your inventory screen; from there you can inspect your inventory items, switch your equipped item, or use things on each other or on yourself. You can also access the options menu from the inventory screen, from where you can adjust a variety of settings and save your game. Later you'll also get a spellbook from which you can cast a number of different spells, and even later than that you'll get involved in two or three swordfights for which you'll need to use the [arrow] keys and [D].

Analysis: Don't let the simple style graphics fool you, Captain Zaron is a game with meat. It's an compelling adventure game with logical puzzles and the perfect level of challenge. There's an in-game source of two kinds of hints when you need it, which is certainly a plus. It also has a very gripping plot, albeit slightly corny, and is filled with hilarious shoutouts to classic adventure games such as Zork and Space Quest.

Peter Lemiszki's Studio Meristem does a great job of ironing out the many frustrations that plague adventure games old and new. For example, one thing that was pretty controversial with older adventure games was how they handled actions that could get the protagonist killed. On the one hand it can be frustrating losing a lot of progress by forgetting to save before doing that risky thing; on the other, finding all the hilarious ways you can kill the protagonist off was one of the appeals of Sierra On-Line's games. Meristem has found the perfect middle ground: Captain Zaron can still die in amusing ways, but you won't lose any progress over it— you can undo your mistake and get right back to playing. There's no way to make the game unwinnable, either, so feel free to try anything.

There's no question about it, this is a game made by lovers of adventure games, for lovers of adventure games. A game doesn't need to look pretty to be a worthwhile experience, and Captain Zaron proves it.

Play Captain Zaron and the Trials of Doom

Remember that hapless adventuring party you had to help out in Detarou's last escape game, Nani-Quest? They're in a jam again. In NaniKono-Quest, they (and you) are locked in some sort of complex with an Aztec or Mayan or Egyptian theme... it's hard to tell. The controls are the same as usual (click to navigate and mess with things, click once to highlight items for use, double-click for a closer look), but this one's a bit less quirky and a bit harder on the puzzles than its predecessor. There are a whopping five endings to discover in this one, one fatality and four escapes, and three save files to help you access them all. Word of warning: there's a slide puzzle, although it's optional if you don't care about getting the best ending. Still, who can say no to a Detarou escape to help push them through one more work day before the weekend?

Play NaniKono-Quest