The Great Tree. A Great Game!

I was getting depressed. The lack of quality games being released in the casual game market as of late has just been horrible to say the least. I thought the entire holiday season was going to be a complete wash out and then like a bolt of lightning, a game from Reflexive is released and saves the day!

The name of the game is The Great Tree. And simply put, it is a great game. The story line is absolutely the best I have seen in years and the graphics have set a new standard for the industry. The playability is like that of a mesmerizing book, you just can't put it down. Reflexive has always put out professional products with tons of polish, but this time, they out did themselves!

This is a game for us grown-ups. This is a fantasy game that pulls you into the plot and grips you with such force that you hate to even stop to grab a bite to eat! The plot is to save a great tree that is dying. I won't tell you anymore because I don't want to ruin anything for you.

If you buy one game over the course of this holiday season, this is absolutely the one to get. The trial download will give you just a minuscule taste of the game, and although that taste is fantastic, it cannot convey the depth of the game. This game is in my top five for all of 2007.

Kill an Imp! You'll be glad you did!

I have no idea why I like match games. Now I know why I am not a huge fan of hidden object games, but match games, for some reason they just hit my button. Maybe I am just easily amused and the hidden object games require too much thought or effort while the match games are more reactive in some way. So it is not with surprise that I really enjoyed Svetlograd.

This color match game really has some bang factor. In fact, there are so many explosions taking place that you kick back from the monitor and go "yeah baby"! And power-ups, well it is just insane and this aspect only makes for more domino effect explosions. Now add 100 Levels to this recipe and the finished product is just plain nuts!

Now everybody and their weird programming pimple faced cousin has released a match game. Lets face it they all work the same. Sure there are some spins and tricked up ways to match, but you still match, the genre cannot expand on that basis. So the only way to set yourself apart from the stampede is to provide an experience where the player clears a level, kicks back and says "wow, that was fun". This little diddy gives you that ride every level!

Download the trial and blow up some Imps. I guarantee a smile on your face. And for you explosion freaks out there, make sure you have your dribble cup handy.

The Ultimate RPG & Strategy Game Period!

Yep, the title makes quite a statement. But the game backs it up. It really is the ultimate. We were somewhat fans of Diablo and Fate, but this one just blows them away. The depth of the game is not to be believed!

You play the part of one of four roles; a Warrior, Rogue, Priest or Mage. And you can customize them as you move through the game. The best part is that the very movement is dynamic, it constantly changes due to your actions. Yep, its a living world! And with all the variables of locations, items, experience levels and the like, you may never really experience every combination that the game affords.

Many of this genre fulfill the strategy or the action associated with the role play. Few fulfill both. Depths of Peril is one of the few that not only accomplishes this fulfillment, it takes both category's to new levels. Now throw in over forty short stories, and well, you start to get the picture.

And for the blood thirsty individuals, and you know who you are, there is enough slashing and mayhem to keep you grinning for months.

The trial time frames will give you a taste for this game, but only that. To experience the many courses and enjoy the full meal, you have to pony up the cash. But it is an investment you will not regret!

I was waiting for this game to come out, I have to admit that. I enjoyed the first release Cradle of Rome. There are match three games and there are match three games. Some are run of the mill and some just manage to differentiate themselves and pull free from the herd. I was expecting Cradle of Persia to be one that was able to make that claim. I was not disappointed.

If you played the first cradle game, you know what to expect. Crisp match three play, great graphics, good music and “I can’t wait for the next level” playability. The successor has all this and more. The matching is accomplished by clicking on a tile and dragging it to make a three in a row match. You get the points and new tiles slide into the slots opened when the matched tiles disappeared. Sounds easy right? You will change your mind when that clock starts ticking down.

The storyline is all based on acquiring the usual resources such as food and precious metals. You use these goods to pay for everything you need to build cities. And success feeds upon itself and the more you acquire the more bonuses you are awarded, and the more fun you have. As I played it dawned on me that this game plays a lot like Big Kahuna Reef and everyone knows just how successful that game was. I predict this game will hit that level of success and possibly more. Take a spin around the block with this one and at least download the trial. But beware, as they say in the car selling business, behind the wheel seals the deal! You take this one for a test drive, more then likely, you are going to take it home.

I was not prepared to like this game. In fact, in the beginning I actually didn’t like it. But a friend of mine kept encouraging me to play the game and complete the levels to find the lost tomb. He kept saying “dewd, it is so worth it” over and over so I decided to give it a go and see what all the hub bub was about.

As many of you know, I am not the best one to critique another hidden object game. Yes, I have given some good reviews to a few, but if you look at how many are out there, the number I approve is minuscule. I was going to add Amazing Adventures The Lost Tomb to my list as just another wannabe until my friend convinced me to complete everything and find the lost tomb. BAM! What a reward!

Now the fact that this one takes place in Egypt is pretty cool to begin with. I mean you get to visit all the really neat places like the pyramids, the sphinx, the Nile River and Cairo to name a few. Look how great all the Mummy movies were using this type of location. So the game got off to a pretty good start just from that standpoint alone. You also just start off with two rooms to poke around in and you also control what scene you want to use. Finding some items was pretty easy. But then it started to get challenging. Some items were hidden under other items that you could not remove in order to get your hands on what you knew was under there. Frustrating! I found you absolutely had to use the hint button to acquire those hidden objects! And some items are not even on the screen! Back to the hint button once more.

I needed a pretty big reward for what I had gone through to find the hidden tomb. The game delivered! You are rewarded with the secret game mode and two completely unique rooms that are ten times better then the first ones you plowed through. It was worth the work to get here. Now you can play any scene in the game at will. You are in control. In addition, the two additional new rooms made the first rooms look like grammar school with the bonus rooms being Ivy League. They are that much more challenging.

So if your into the hidden object genre, you just have to test drive this one. And don’t give up till you find the tomb. Its what makes it all worthwhile.

Fab Fashion - It's the Diner Dash of Creative Arts

Want your child to have a little more fun assuming a game playing role different then waiting on tables? Duh! Why are so many time management games associated with careers nobody wants? Yes I know there are many with respected professions such as veterinarians and the like, but they seem to be the exception and not the rule. And finding a time management game with creativity involved to any degree well, you might as well go looking for Noah's ark.

That is until Fab Fashion. What a refreshing concept, and one with creativity to boot! With this unique time management game you are able to create your own unique fashion offerings by combining the hundreds of stock wardrobe basics to create a look that is uniquely you. Try that flipping burgers and clearing plates!

The premise is simple, start out as a small town fashion design wannabe and make your way to the fashion capitals of the world. This task is not as easy as one might think and the game is actually pretty darn challenging. And with 48 levels, there is plenty of opportunity to assemble your complete fashion empire.

Try this one on for size, I have a sneaky suspicion it just may fit!

Abominable Snowman and Reindeer = Christmasville!

This game is cute. It is also fun to play. But best of all, it is a game that a parent can play with a young child and enjoy the holidays with this Christmas themed hidden object game.

Sure it is not over taxing, it wasn’t meant to be. This game is targeted to the younger game player and the fact is, they hit the target right in the bull’s-eye!

The premise of the game is that Santa has been kidnapped. You play the part of the world renowned detective Arthur Knight and journey to Christmasville to start your investigation. Here is where you run into the funny characters that populate the storyline. From Reindeer to the Abominable Snowman, the cast of characters will just delight the younger mind and keep us oldies amused as well. And all of these characters were needed to discover the truth behind the disappearance of Santa. We did like the neat little trick where new items appeared after you cleared some of the originals. More hidden object games should use this technique. The graphics are good and so is the music.

This is a game you may only play around the holidays, but it is one that will still be relevant for many Christmas holidays year after year.

I am the first to admit I am not a big fan of the hidden objects genre of games. But I must admit I like Neptune’s Secret. I think it was the graphics that grabbed me first. They are just really special. There are lots of hidden object games that have a location in the deep blue sea, but most have fish swimming around like crazy and they try and bend the scene to make it look like the water is reflecting images. All those producers of those games should take a lesson from this game. These folks know what it is all about.

The second thing that got me was the music. If you have any stress in your life, take a look see at this game. The music alone will turn those ragged edges into smooth sailing.

As for the hunt and seek aspect, I was surprised, I actually was enjoying the search. You locate gems along with the hidden objects and there are hints that help you out when you get stumped. And as there are 75 levels, it’s going to take a long time to find them all.

And last, I thought the storyline was well thought out and added the cherry on top of an already good game. Some are just ridiculous but this one had me wondering what was going to happen next and actually spurred me on to complete a level just to find out that answer.

Give this one a test drive, I think you may be surprised at just how well she handles.

First and foremost, Ugo and Dawson are funny. Second, what they go through is funny. And last, when the lady cavewomen enters the picture, it becomes hysterical!

This game is a side scrolling adventure in prehistoric times. The leading men are a couple of guys that are quite different in makeup. One is just peachy with the way things are, see dinosaur, club dinosaur, eat dinosaur. The other just thinks there has to be more to life then those basic tenets. This premise sets the stage for the wild card, the women! And life as our Jurassic Oscar and Felix know it comes to an end. Go figure!

There are four completely distinct environments that out Stone Age heroes must traverse, and get this, one is under water. There are also one hundred goals to attain and that task is not a slam dunk.

Cave Days is a cute and silly game, almost retro in nature that has very good playability. At first blush, you are tempted to write this one off as it does not have all the whistles and bells that many bring to the table. But that would be a mistake. You would miss some real fun. Besides, when is the last time you clubbed a T-Rex?

Diner Dash Hometown Hero

Tell the truth now, you just cannot get enough of Flo now can you! You and everyone else for that matter. The sequels just keep on coming and the latest offering, Diner Dash Hometown Hero, keeps everything that you like about the game and adds some new twists and turns to keep you happy.

Sometimes when a game has numerous sequels, the game sometime can stray far from the roots, its playability. The games seem to migrate far from what was cool about them in the first place and as a result, the sequels lose much of their luster. The Diner Dash guys and gals know when they have a good thing and this playability is incorporated in every one of the sequels.

Oh sure, there are new things to keep you wanting more. Take for instance the teenage kids with the cell phones plugged to their ears. Pretty standard fare for an upgrade you say? Well yes, until you realize if you seat them close to each other a love connection can occur! And how about that new waiter who makes the scene. There is a lot more to this guy then meets the eye and he will having you go postal on your mouse! And if I am not mistaken, did that heavy set guy just order twice?

If your a fan of this series of games, you will not be dissapointed with this latest offering. If you are new to the Diner Dash games take a look see, you just might be surprised at how this game grabs you. There is just something about Flo. She just keeps us coming back for more.

Not that there was anything wrong with issue number one or number two, but Luxor 3 just goes to reinforce that old adage that the third time is the charm. When I saw it was released I thought it just might be a tricked up version of one and two because so many game producers now are quick to strike while the iron is hot and release a sequel or two with little to no additions. This is not the case with the third Luxor.

Yes, it is still a match three and the game play is still good as it was in one and two. But aside from that, this latest release has so much more to offer. The graphics and sound are vastly improved from the first two games. The music builds a sense of urgency as time marches on and the sound affects are spectacular. I love the fireworks when you clear a level.

As before, there are the normal three skill levels of easy, moderate and difficult. Also, there are settings for classic play as well as a timed level where your goal is to stay alive until the clock is exhausted. And just to add another classy touch, the producers throw in some really good puzzles to challenge the already reeling mind. I would love to write more about this one, but I have been away from playing the game for five minutes and want to get right back at it! Yep, it is that addictive!

It's all on your shoulders in Flatspace II: Rise of the Scarrid

I just love it when genre's of games are combined to make the resulting package superior to the original separate games. This is the case with Flatspace II: Rise of the Scarrid . The clever producers combined a trading game with a flight simulator, mixed them together and came out with a winner.

Your trying to make a living as a captain of a space craft and the key to financial fortune and fame is building an enormous hyperdrive. You need to buy all the parts and you need money to make those purchases. You can go about getting your space gloves on the money you need via several avenues. You can become a space pirate and loot cargo space craft, a behavior those will exhibit if they have watched too many Johnny Depp movies. You can be a good space citizen and ferry freight yourself. You can buy low and sell high in the good old capitalistic tradition to acquire funds. The beauty is that you make all the decisions! You determine how the game should be played! I just love that in a game. It just is more fun when you make the game "your" game.

The graphics are pretty good and the music does not make you search for the mute button. The game play is what puts this one over the top, it is most addictive. This game is absolutely worth taking a look at the trial download. But be advised, you will not have enough time in the trial to experiance the full potential and all the fun associated with this one. With so many options available to you, it may take weeks to explore them all!

Calling All Future Rock Stars

This is just too much! I will bet this game sells like crazy. It is just so unique and clever that when you look it over you just know it will do well.

Here is the deal. You get to to start your own band. You audition all the potential members for every instrument and select the band members. You then write your own material and when you finish enough, you can record an album.

But being the leader of a rock band is just more then playing gigs and having a good time. You must constantly keep changing the band by upgrading to better instruments, and just like in the harsh business of rock, you also upgrade band members.

The trick is, you keep searching for just the right sound, the one song that will put you over the top.


I can only imagine the songs that will be generated by this game. Who knows, we might here one in the future on the top twenty and the rock star will tell all when interviewed that he wrote it playing Kudos Rock Legend!

If you are musically inclined, or think you are, you have to take a peek at this one!

Supercow, It's Mario in the Barnyard!

This genre I consider to be the founding base of all casual games. This type of game is what launched an entire industry. Thank goodness it was this type of game, just think where we would be if Pong was our founding father!

Supercow is just an arcade game plain and simple. It is also just a riot to play. The concept is in line with the prior statements as well. The evil Professor has escaped from prison and has taken over a nearby farm and has started to do evil experiments on the lovable farm animals that call the farm home. He is cloning them and making these clones his slaves to do his evil bidding.

One thing the evil Professor didn't count on was the appearance on the scene of our bovine heroine. I guess someone asked themselves "If Mario could be any animal, what would he choose" and a game was born. Our cow comes to the rescue with your aid the barnyard battle is on!

If your an arcade style game fan, you will love this one, I guarantee it!

Wow, two games in one day that I like, I can't remember the last time that happened. What makes it all the more unusual is that I am not the greatest fan of hidden object games but this one took me by surprise. Once I started playing it reminded me of a good book, you just don't want to put it down.

This game is a combination hidden object and puzzle game. You must find the clues to discover the secret of the royal Mayan princess and why her death actually occurred over twenty years later then the reported and accepted date subscribed to by most Archaeologist.

You will assume the role of a noted archaeologist who has been assigned by your country's embassy to get to the bottom of this mystery. You will need a quick mind and a keen eye to solve the mystery's and find the pieces to the missing puzzle that will reveal the ultimate secret.

The riddles seem relatively easy but when you are working under a time limit, finding the answer amongst the cluttered items can be quite a task.

The game play is good and the storyline is exceptional. The artwork is top drawer and the entire package makes Forgotten Riddles - The Mayan Princess a winner.

Build-a-lot, the game that takes real estate to cyber estate!

First, this is a strategy game. Second, it is really fun to play. And third, it just may save you thousands of dollars if you have aspirations of entering the real estate market!

Build-a-lot enables you to address most if not all the problems associated with the real world of real estate. You build houses, your rent houses, you flip houses just as in the real world. Should you sell or is the market down and rent is a better option. Hold on to the property in hopes that the market will go up or sell now as the market is still in decline and cut your losses.

And what real world strategy game would be complete without corrupt government officials. Yep, you have to curry favor with the local officials by giving them perks such as building additions to their homes.

I found that the key to this game is not the "get rich quick" strategy that you are prone to follow when you first start. If you are conservative and follow a sound strategy, the rewards pay off big time down the line. Wow, this game is really just like real life!

Are You Out of Your Mind

Wow! I mean it. Wow! You have to try this game. What a unique concept and a refreshing offering considering the redundancy of so many games being released.

Maybe I long for the old games that kept me playing hour after hour and never seemed to get stale. They were not glitzy and the graphics were sub par, but the playability was off the chart on many of them. Well my friends, take a trip through a time warp and take a look at Out of Your Mind.

I don't want to give away much in this blog, you need to see this one for your self. The game is absolutely retro in the look and gameplay and it is completely addictive. The music does not detract and actually adds to the experience. You start out easy enough but as you progress, the game becomes difficult and very challenging. The action can get pretty frantic with the clock winding down so if you like a more leisurely gaming experience, you better look elsewhere. But if your into self flogging for failure to see the obvious play, download this one at once!

And one last thing. Watch out, sometimes things are not as they appear, there is a sinister little twist to this one!

Plant Tycoon... It's Alice Greenfingers on Steroids

It may appear that crow may be on my plate much more often than anticipated. Just when I write off all time management games as mundane and overdone, offerings like Magic Shop and Plant Tycoon emerge from the many daily launchings in the casual game marketplace. As I just ate crow in the review below, I might as well just grab a second helping.

This is not your daddy’s Alice Greenfingers. This is not your plant a seed, water it, harvest it and take it to market time management game. Nay, this is beyond Thunderdome! Think of this game as Alice Greenfingers on steroids.

In this game you need a plan. Without a plan, your toast. Without a plan you will never cross pollinate and produce the exotic hybrids that are possible. And as in all time management games, this one is true to its roots and time is indeed a factor. Fortunately, there are three time settings and a stop time setting. Without this feature, your plants will wither and die before you know what hit you. Initially you will set the time at fast so you have some immediate gratification while watching your plants grow. But you will soon learn that you have overextended yourself as your plots start to resemble Death Valley.

You will just not believe the detail in this game. There are so many varied tasks that aid you in your quest for the perfect plants. From enriching the soil to catching bugs, there is just never enough time in the day. While I enjoyed Alice Greenfingers for the first two hours, that is just a primer for this game. This one will take you days to experience the full potential hidden within.

Magic Shop... It is David Copperfields version of Diner Dash

Ok, I admit it, I am not much of a fan of time management games and that is obviously evident from prior game reviews. In fact, I just hammered Cake Mania 2 in my last review. And then along comes Magic Shop and the only thing I am being served at the diner is crow.

It never ceases to amaze me regarding the cleverness the creators of causal games can display. In another of those "why didn't I think of that" moments, the guys and gals that put this one together took too winning game formulas and put them together to possibly create a whole new game genre. A match game and time management game in one! Duh! Why didn't anyone come up with this one before? Now the time management games can be made tolerable to my tastes. There is new meaning in keeping the customer satisfied. Now you are not forced to serve burgers and build cakes and wash dogs in an endless stream of redundancy. With this offering you match colors in order to satisfy the customers. Yep, the hybrid just may be the start of an entire new category.

If for no other reason then to see the combination of two types of games made into one, this one demands a download.

Cake Mania 2 ..... The Return of Jill

I am sure there were many who anxiously awaited the arrival of the sequel to Cake Mania. I was not one of them. I am just so weary of all the “keep the customer satisfied time management games” that I didn’t hold high hopes for this offering from Sandlot games. But who am I to argue with success?

I didn’t like the first game. That being said, I played the sequel, Cake Mania 2, and had to look at the title to make sure I was not playing the first game! What has changed? For my tastes, not enough to make this game significantly different or improved when compared to its predecessor. Sure you can change the storyline and the locations, but is that enough to create the buzz that surrounded the first offering? But who am I to argue with success?

In the causal game market there is a huge demand for this genre of games. The shear number of games of this type introduced on a weekly basis proves this statement. So you build cakes, wash dogs, curl hair, serve lunch and pick vegetables and it all seems to run together. How many more themes must we be subjected to before we implode? But who am I to argue with success.

The fact of the matter is that these games are successful. There are a lot of you out there that just eat these games up. So reacquaint yourself with Jill and start building your cakes. You’re a better man than I Gunga Din.

Paradise Pet Salon – This game has gone to the dogs!

Another offering in the already overcrowded time management genre of games, Paradise Pet Salon is the equivalent of diner dash for dogs. There are subtle changes though that actually differentiate this game from the games that define the category such as diner dash, burger rush, etc… etc…. For one, the stress level is not as high and strategy actually plays a bigger role then in the aforementioned games. In addition, there is no money goal so in essence, unless you totally screw up keeping the “customers” satisfied, you will get to go on to the next level. The other difference of note is that you must select every detail of the upgrades down to the color of paint on the walls! And last, and most unique and one of those “why didn’t I think of that” features, you can sell your old outdated equipment after you upgrade and raise additional cash in the process.

The game play is smooth and it does hold your attention, but for my tastes, it just follows the format of many that came before it and does not change enough to get it out of the category of another “me to” in the genre.

That being said, I am willing to wager it does pretty well. There are a ton of pet lovers out there and they alone could put this one over the top. Let me put it this way, how many of you have actually ever been in a diner!

Nuclear Ball - Time to Get Frisky with Fission

This game is out of control! This takes brick busting into the nuclear age. The game is a 3D buster with totally insane power ups and great polished graphics. With over 100 levels it stays very fresh from level to level.

Try to keep the ball in the field of play until all the bricks are sent the way of the mushroom cloud. The effects in this one are simply amazing given the fact that this little game only consumes about 15.5 MB of precious hard drive space. The coders of this offering are very very clever and the finished product is on par with games that eat drive space three times that of Nuclear Ball.

This one is really a sleeper that has flown below the game communities radar prior to its launch. Well, its a secret no longer and is catching rave reviews and game sites all over the web are lighting up like pinball machines with talk of this game.

Find out what all the "hub bub" is about and take a look see at this one. Its worth it just to look at it and say "how did they do that"?

Venice Mystery

First off, I must admit I just loved the movie National Treasure starring Nicholas Cage. So it is no wonder that I was intrigued by this game that features a diagram similar to the diagram followed by Cage in the movie.

This is a mahjong game first and foremost. Match the tiles, you know the drill. The storyline and the unique “DaVinciesque” ancient diagram puzzle is what set this one aside from the already overcrowded and worn out mahjong genre of games.

There are roman numerals on the diagram and you must turn a dial to each of the numerals in the correct order to unlock the secret to an ancient machine that keeps the famous Italian city afloat. This is no easy task and I guarantee that you will tax your sleuthing skills trying to correctly solve this dilemma.

The graphics are crisp and with over 60 levels of tile matching, Venice Mystery will keep your interest for the long haul unlike many of the others that just bore you after the fifth or sixth level. Try the free download just to get an inkling of the storyline, its worth the hour invested.

Wedding Dash - It's Finally Here!

The official sequel to Diner Dash has finally arrived. There has been so much hype for this game prior to its release that I thought it may doom the game due to the lofty goals set by its predecessor. I couldn't have been more wrong.

Wedding Dash not only lives up to its heritage, It might even surpass its famous namesake. Yes, this game is that good! Of course the premise is the same as Diner Dash. In fact, they didn't mess with success much at all and stayed very true to the roots of the first game. But what they did change made the game just so much better.

Quinn is the bridesmaid who takes up the challenge to put together a wedding reception. She pretty much gets drafted into the the position. Where Flo had to wait tables and use a mop, Quinn has much more adventuresome tasks in front of her. Yes she serves the food and seats the guests, but she also breaks up a cat fight between the bridesmaids. If thats not enough, she has to deal with a fire in the kitchen and deal with guests that have had a little too much to drink! It's really funny.

This is definitely one to download. And two things not to miss: Aunt Ethel carrying on with her incessant bawling and the cameo appearance of Flo in several scenes. What a hoot!

Empires and Dungeons - It's Retro..... It's Good

Talk about a walk down memory lane. Empires and Dungeons is a retro fantasy role play game. But it really is so much more. The producers of this game have taken the best parts of many fantasy and role play games and molded those pieces together to create a polished unique game with a retro feel. The playability is just superb and the interface is one of the best I have seen in years. It will have you up and playing before you pillage your first village!

The premise is not new, you rule a country, you build your army, you defend your castle. It is certainly a tried and true theme. And the boys that built this game didn't stray far from it. They didn't try to camouflage it either with frilly little side games and unbelievable story lines. They just built a solid entry with superb and addictive game play as they paid homage to their roots, the fantasy games that paved the way from yesteryear. If your into this genre, you won't go wrong with giving this one a try

Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos

Finally, a hidden object game that makes the grade. There has been such a rush to bring this type of game to market that many of the offerings are just plain bad. And the themes were part of the problem. Lets face it, hidden clues belong in a mystery, not a wedding or a mystery vacation of some sort. Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos may bring a great deal of legitimacy to this newly created genre of games.

This game is no push over. You have to work to receive your rewards. And don't take everything at face value, you need to look beyond the obvious with some of the clues. While I thought some of the hidden objects were pretty strange (i.e. horses, pryamids and even a croissant) the savvy needed to ferret out the clues before the alloted time expires contributes a playability to the game that is most addictive. A word of warning, there are many road blocks and false trails thrown at you, so once again, take a good deep look at clues. There is more there then meets the eye.

Additional positives were the array of locations you visit as you chase the evil Dr. Chaos around the world and the various site appropriate music offerings.

So be you Mr. Bond or be you Mr. Holmes, you will absolutely enjoy this chase.

Who the heck is the Mighty Mage?

I really don't know how they do it, but they do. I mean think about it. How many concepts can you come up with in the puzzle and match genre of games. Aerial Mahjong managed to come up with a new spin. How about a floating land as a back drop for the game. I think its a lame concept and that is too bad as the game does have some redeeming qualities about it.

The game is a fairly polished production and the graphics are actually pretty darn good. And one fact is certain, you do get a lot of gaming bang for your buck with five distinct games and over 100 levels. And of course their is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow should you make it to the end. A gift from the mighty mage. I don't know who he is or what he wants to give me, but I just can't help myself, I want to find out. I think you will as well and that is the hook with this game. You start out playing it with little to no expectations and before you realize it, you just blew off an hour! So in that regard, it does fulfill its mission in life.

So take a chance on this one and find out what the heck the mighty mage is offering. If you make it to the end and get the gift, be a sport and let me know what it is!

One good thing could come out of this game. I could remain in the South American rain forest and never play another video game again. I would prefer that fate if I had to play this game one more minute! What, like some palm trees and scenes from the amazon are going to make this game playable?

To launch a successful match game you need something fresh and unique, and believe me, this one has neither. Download Rainforest Adventure at your own peril. And don't blame me if you run into the jungle never to be seen again. I know I had to take the afternoon off just to recover from doing this review!

Fever Frenzy - Hysterical Time Management

Ok, its just another time management game. But this game takes a new road not traveled before. First, this thing is funny! All of the offerings in the time management genre (i.e. diner dash) never really picked up on a comedy theme and thats what makes Fever Frenzy unique. The patients have the most outrageous ailments such as bipolarbear disorder and 3rd. degree sideburns. And each patient is unique with their own mannerisms and voices.

I will not bore you with the details of how to play, your already know that. Keep the customer satisfied, its that simple. In this game, however, instead of walking out of a restaurant if they receive bad service, the patients check out permanently! Thats right, they die! Talk about pressure! When you take care of the needs of your patients you actually see them physically change, its a very coooool feature.

There are four different hospital settings and over 40 levels that start to get pretty tough after level eight. Even if your not into games of this genre, a trial download is in order just to see the patients.

My prognosis, this game will do better then many because it is truly unique. My instructions, download once, play twice and call me in the morning.

ZenGems -It is a GEM!

When I first saw ZenGems I thought to myself it would just be another match three puzzler. If you’re into casual games you know that there are hundreds and hundreds of games that fall under this umbrella. It really takes a lot to differentiate a game in this genre with all the offerings. And this game knocked the ball out of the park in that regard.

There are three modes of play with close to 200 levels! In adventure mode you discover that virtue medallions have been taken from the temples all across the land and a boy named Hoshiko along with his aging grandfather are on a quest to reclaim them from the villainous Yama-O-Rakas. Each time you solve a puzzle you reveal a piece of one of the medallions. In arcade mode part of the grid is underwater. It offers all new distinct levels. The third mode is Strategy mode and this is a play till you fail arrangement. What I liked about this mode is the feature that allows you to play from any of the worlds from adventure mode without unlocking them first.

I usually get pretty bored with these types of games in around twenty minutes or so but this one just kept rolling along and held my attention. That my friend is when you know you have a winner on your hands. The gameplay is such that before you know what hit you, you’re hooked. This rascal is addictive!

I just loved the sounds of the broken glass when you broke a gem and the sound when you completed a chain was very cool also. The graphics were good and blended well with the backgrounds. And let’s not forget some outstanding power-ups. A fireball, color burst and energy ball all help you along with your task but it is the pusher ball that really bails you out when you are at a loss for a move. With this power up you dictate the direction via an arrow pointing right or left. When it lands on a ball or a gem it pushes in the direction of the arrow. Play the game and you will see what a valuable tool this can be!

It is my opinion that this game will be one of the best selling games of this genre and will be a big hit.

Well, it had to happen sooner or later, the wise guys meet Diner Dash and Cake Mania! Uncle Antonio's son has a little problem and his gambling losses now may cause the Mafioso to take the family restaurant. But Fear not, it's Emily to the rescue in Delicious 2 Deluxe.

You know the drill in this genre of games, its basically always the same, keep the customer satisfied and this offering is no different. There are a few new twists however. There is the crazy guitar playing dude who serenades the customers and buys you time. In addition, you have a server to help you as well as a clown who also entertains your guests.

There are five distinct restaurants with ten levels each that become progressively harder. And in another twist, the food orders also become harder as you must click on two separate icons to piece certain foods together like ice cream and a cone. In order to afford all the upgrades you need to keep that service coming and if your real good, they leave tips that add to the cash needed for these upgrades.

Another feature I liked was the Happy Customer Mode where the game ends when a customer becomes frustrated from the lack of service and walks out. It becomes very frantic!

If my opinion, this sequel is far superior to the original. The graphics are very sharp and the detail with the food is extraordinary. All in all, a darn polished production and if your into this genre, its a must see!

Chromadrome 2

Chromadrome 2 will overwhelm you! The idea is fairly simple, stay on the tracks as you whiz through the Quantum Universe at breakneck speeds avoiding the obstacles in the road so to speak. The levels are easy at first but everything just keeps picking up speed as you progress. Now the visuals are really something. It has great 3D fast track action that also incorporates some really kewl visual effects such as motion blur and fish eye.

Let me return to overwhelm. The game has six modes of play and over a hundred arcade levels! In addition, there are forty bonus custom features and another forty game features. Want more, how about six full screen filters and six effect modifiers! And just for fun, lets throw in the option for two player games if you have vista or XP! All this can overwhelm the best of us!

To me, the game is really borderline to be considered a "casual game" and you have to broaden the category to include this offering. None the less, if you want to see some slick coding and great visuals, it is worth the trial.

I didn't expect much when I tried the free trial for the Yumsters. But I have to admit, it grew on me as I played. I thought during my first few minutes that this was a game a parent could play with one to the future gamers and have a pretty good time. Then I realized that I was having a pretty good time myself.

The concept is easy, just eat the fruit that is the same color as the little cute characters. The more fruit you eat, the more credit you acquire to obtain the band instruments you will need to enter the music Grand Prix. Then as you play in the concert, you have to catch musical notes of the same color for an added little twist.

If your into music, this game just might be for you. Its a quirky little offering and not for everyone but I am sure it is going to find its niche and do ok.

Pirates Plunder - Only thing plundered is your time!

If I have a choice of walking the plank or playing Pirates Plunder, I think I will choose the former! For starters, the game is just way to easy. Even with the trial time limit, I made millions. In fact, you can set it to auto play, walk away, come back later and your a multi-millionaire. The graphics are just fair and the music, well it became so repetitive I muted in short order.

The idea has merit, but the game just cannot live up to the idea. The only salvation for this game is to include it in a larger and better pirate game as a between levels bonus game.

Take a pass on this one, there are a lot better ways to spend a half hour of your time.

Lottso! Deluxe It's Bingo on Steroids

Warning! Play this game at your own risk! Yes, it is that addictive. I started Lottso Deluxe and now I can’t stop! Here is the deal. You are constantly competing with four other computer controlled players. All of the players including you have six Lottso cards to fill just like you fill a bingo card. After you have filled up a card it turns over and shows you a scratch off lottery card. You scratch to reveal how many points you have just acquired.

The cards are all a tad different and there are tons of them. Some are off the wall like the charity card where you split the winnings with the player who came in last. There are also some progressive point jackpots as well.

And it just gets better! There are good luck charms to pursue, twelve in all and they represent the Lottso balls one to twelve. You use the charm by picking the one that represents the ball you need to fill your card. But wait, there is another twist. The charm you use will increase your chances of acquiring that ball again in the next round. By manipulating what charm you use you’re able to hit the scores needed to achieve the goals the game has set. This is just such a way cool feature.

And to put the cherry on top of the sundae, the game gives you eight cities to open and they all have their own unique cards and style of competition. The sound was just right and never took away from the game play. If anything, it added a sense of urgency while you scrambled to best the computer players. The player avatars are just delightful and the animation is top shelf.

Think of this game as Bingo on Steroids! Playing this one will send you into your own roid rage!

Alice Greenfingers

Right now, my favorite game is Alice Greenfingers, a game made by Arcade Lab.

The basic idea is that you start with a small farm and grow it as you play. You then take your crops and sell them at the market. I know it sounds boring, but it is actually quite fun. The visuals for Alice are not good, compared to other casual games, that's for sure. Heck, she's even cross-eyed in the title screen of the game. But it's the fun that counts, and she has that for sure.

I am about 3 hours into the game and I am really starting to kick some serious butt. Before I am done, I need to upgrade everything- automation is the key to success with Alice.

First Post

Hello to everyone in blog land! This is my first post, hopefully of many. I am dedicating this blog to my love of casual games! My wife and I play at least 100 per year, and probably more than that. We decided it was time to start writing about our experiences, so stay tuned!