Scooby Adventure - Episode One

Remember Shaggy, Scooby, and the rest of the gang from your favorite Saturday morning cartoon? Well, they're back - in a River Rapids Rampage Adventure that you control. This fun, free game is available at net-games.biz.

In typical Scooby Doo style, the game begins with Shaggy and Scooby talking to a creepy looking Mr. Culpepper. He's got a hot sauce factory that makes the Five Skull Fire Sauce, produced with a special pepper that grows only in the Haunted Temple of Lost Souls. Fortunately, he's collected enough peppers for his own personal supply. So what's the problem? Shaggy's chili recipe, "like, needs that ingredient!" And nobody who goes into the haunted temple could ever make it out alive.

Of course, Shaggy and Scooby go anyway. They borrow a map from Mr. Culpepper and take off to collect some supplies near the river, which has been overtaken with dangerous jungle animals.

Your job in this little mission? You've got to collect handy items on your way to the river in order to fend off monkeys, snakes, lions, and crocs. If one of these animals manages to scare Shaggy and Scooby before you've figured out how to chase it away, then your Scare- meter starts to fill up. When the Scare-meter is completely full, the game ends.

Once you do make it to the river, you'll take the canoe to the next part of the game. Here, you have to navigate river rapids and avoid crocodiles, piranhas, and a "Mayan Mayhem" that pops out from behind the bushes. Try to canoe through the river, and avoid maxing out your Scare-meter. If you make it to the end, you've won the game.

There's more to come in Episode Two of Scooby Adventure. Maybe in the next episode, Scooby and Shaggy will finally get their hands on those crazy hot peppers in the Temple of Lost Souls. For now, I'm just happy that they made it through the Rampaging River Rapids alive!

Read more »

Quadramania

On first glance, it seems a bit like Tetris. Then, you realize it's Quadramania, a totally different tetris-style game from Clever Media.

Here's what's similar to Tetris: You get a single-colored combination of square tiles to place on the board, just like in Tetris. You also get to see the piece on the side of the screen before it's delivered. While you're deciding where to place your piece, you can turn it around in all directions. That's pretty much where the similarity ends.

The goal of Quadramania is to form single colored rectangles that are at least 2 by 3 tiles long. You're first instinct will be to attempt to form lots of differently colored rectangles in different places on the game board by fitting together the pieces you receive (again, remember Tetris?) But then you'll realize that this is not the way to go.

The best strategy is to make one big single colored (say, pink) rectangle in the middle of the screen and then use all the other colored (blue, green, orange) pieces you get to trim the sides and make it an even rectangle. That's because your big pink rectangle will count for nothin' until there are no offensive pink tiles sticking off where they shouldn't be.

Something to keep in mind when playing the game is that you can place any tile over any other tile AS LONG AS IT'S NOT THE SAME COLOR. That means, you can put a blue piece right on top of that annoying pink protrusion, as long as you're not covering up any blue tiles in the process. If you are, you'll have to use an orange or a green piece instead.

The bigger the rectangle you form, the more points you get. Once the rectangle is single-colored and evenly sided, it will disappear from the screen and get added to your point total.

As the board gets filled up, the spaces around the sides start to disappear, leading to a much smaller place to place your tiles. Try to score more points to restore the game board to its former size.

Sounds complicated? It is, a little bit. But I think that's because new players are so taken aback that the Quadramania is really nothing like Tetris. Play a few times, and you'll get the hang of it.

Read more »

Add it Up

There's nothing better than a math game to put those brain cells to work. Add it Up is a timed game of logic that does just that!

The game is set up on a square grid full of smaller squares containing numbers. Your job is to click on numbers that add up to a target total, shown at the top right of the screen. The more numbers you use, the more points you get. For example, if you're shown a target of 18, you could just pick a 9 and a 9, but you'll score more points if you choose a 5, a 4, a 6, and a 3.

Another way to score big points is to complete your math problem before the time on the clock runs out. The quicker you solve it, the more bonus points you get.

The game ends when you run out of possibilities. That's why it pays to pick your numbers wisely (but quickly!) - don't use up all of the 1's on your first move. You may need one later on. Once you're out of options, the computer will subtract 500 points for every number left on the grid - a hefty penalty.

Add it Up is another stimulating and fun game from Clever Media. It's so enjoyable to play free games that require a bit of skill and mental power while also featuring great graphics and no bugs.

Read more »

Digital Air Hockey

Who doesn't love air hockey? Now you can play this arcade classic online, at Gamescene.com.

In typical air hockey fashion, you're presented with a puck, a paddle, and an air hockey table. What's not so typical is that you get to pick the skill level of your opponent: easy, medium, or hard. Then, you battle against a computer to become air hockey champion. But take note: even if you're really good at air hockey, it's not so easy to beat a computer at the game.

On the easy level, I had some technical difficulties with my playing partner. At a certain point in the game, he grabbed hold of the puck and stopped playing. And on the medium level, my opponent was far more skilled than I at digital air hockey - he knew all of the best maneuvers.

What's nice about the game are the arcade style graphics and the authentic sound effects - you'll hear the white noise sounds of an air hockey table in the background while you play. Score eleven points first and you'll win the game.

Read more »

Brick Invaders

You won't find any sort of invasion in Brick Invaders from Clever Media, but you will find a rubber ball that packs a punch and colorful walls of breakable bricks.

This free game is well designed and fun to play. At each level, the player is presented with a wall of bricks, including extra-tough bricks, bombs, and command centers. Use your paddle at the bottom of the screen to deflect a little ball in the right direction. The ball will bounce off the sides and top of the screen, and off of any brick, but if you miss it on the way down, it will disappear into the dark unknown.

What should players watch out for? First of all, there are the bombs woven into every wall. You can see them, but you may not realize that breaking the surrounding bricks will send them flying in your direction. If you get hit by a bomb, you lose a ball.

It's also important to always catch the ball before it hits the bottom. Every player starts off with four extra balls, but once your ball supply is gone the game ends.

One fun feature of Brick Invaders is that the ball acts like a ball should. If it breaks a brick on the top of the wall, it won't come straight down - instead, it will continue bouncing between the top of the screen and the other bricks on the wall. This move will break a lot of bricks, and score lots of points.

Once you've broken every brick in sight, move your magic ball on to the next level. The game ends at Level 20.

Read more »

Finish Line

At the start of the game, you get to take your pick from four different cars. Then the race track music commences as the timer starts ticking. Your goal is to make one lap around the track as fast as you can. Watch out for the sharp turns and the usual obstacles (cones, construction barriers) - running into them will slow you down. On the other hand, your car is practically impenetrable, so you might as well go as fast as you can, even if you spend the whole race skimming the sides.

The main difference between this and a real arcade game? No driving skills will help you ace this one. There's no mock steering wheel or even a joy stick. You have to learn how to control a high speed vehicle with two or three fingers on the arrow keys.

I thought this game was a really cool take on a video game classic. It's fun to try out different cars and see which one will help you beat your previous time. The finger maneuvering is a little bit unwieldy, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be zipping around the track.

Read more »

The Wheel Of Misfortune

Nothing like a dark comedy to get your blood goin' in the morning. That's when I played The Wheel of Misfortune, a new free game on net-games.biz. It's a funny, yet slightly disturbing aim and fire game. On each level, you have a complete supply of knives and a spinning target. Right in the middle of the target lies, you guessed it, an "assistant." You get a different assistant on every level, but it's always a living breathing (graphic) person in the center of the Wheel of Misfortune. At every level, you'll receive a different set of instructions. You might be instructed to pop all the balloons in under 15 seconds, but avoid all the dollar bills. Or, hit all the coins, but don't hit the balloons in under 10 seconds. To play, just aim with your mouse and click to fire as your target circles around the wheel. If you hit all of the targets, and don't hit your assistant, then you get an A+. Lower grades are assigned when you've wounded your assistant or missed some of the targets. And if you commit manslaughter while playing this risky game, then you receive a big fat F, but you do get to try the round again if you want to. As the levels progress, the wheel spins faster and the targets are harder to hit. Cute sound effects in the background feature cheering and jeering onlookers. This game is definitely worth a round or two if you don't mind dark humor.

Read more »

Playing games on your iphone

What's even better than playing free games on your computer? Playing free games on your mobile phone. Or what about playing free games on your iPhone? Spin3, a major gambling solutions provider, has just launched a new casino games package, specially developed for the iPhone and Android G1. You can play a game of Blackjack, Roulette, Tomb Raider, or Major Millions anywhere you want, straight from your mobile device. This comes as good news to game lovers everywhere. Not only can you keep yourself entertained on the go with high quality graphics on your mobile device screen, you also have the chance to win actual cash, right from your phone. Game players can download the game applications from All Slots Mobile Casino - the first casino to make the games available. Once you sign up and open up an account, you can play for real money from anywhere you like. Blackberry users will also be pleased to find fifteen new casino game applications, specially developed for Blackberry compatibility. Next time you're on the go with nothing to do, play free games on your iPhone, Android, or Blackberry.

Read more »

Chopper Rescue

You're an army man on a mission! The goal - to land your chopper in a war zone and carry wounded soldiers to safety.

Chopper Rescue is an entertaining game from CleverMedia that puts you in the shoes of a helicopter rescue team. You've got to avoid bullets from tanks, missiles, and fighter jets, and get all your soldiers out of there before the time runs out. Use your space bar to shoot down enemies coming your way. The shift key will take your chopper up and down, and the arrow keys guide your vehicle in the right direction.

When the time runs out, you get to move on to the next level. Rescue all of your men to avoid losing points. The game starts with three lives, and you lose one every time your chopper is shot down.

I thought it was pretty incredible how the sound of bullets firing and jets flying can put you on the edge of your seat. It's funny how a few simple sound effects can make you feel like you're playing an intense war game, despite the low-level graphics and lack of game complexity.

The hardest part of the game, in my opinion, is figuring out how to use your arrow keys to properly guide the chopper. Once you master that move, just make sure to stay away from tank fire and focus on rescuing your men. Shooting down missiles and jets will gain you a few points, but will also distract you from your mission.

Read more »

Alley Cat

Can your favorite furball make it as an alley cat? It's not easy to spend your days outdoors, always in search of your next meal and fending for yourself. That's why cats have nine lives - to make up for the constant danger of living as a free feline.

Alley Cat from CleverMedia is all about helping the kitty of your choice make it on the street. The goal of the game is to help your cat jump from one house to the next without meeting his demise. How do you keep your kitty safe? You have to guide him from one floating platform to the next so he can enter the nearest window in one piece. If your fancy fingerwork isn't quick enough, you'll find yourself with a fallen cat.

At the beginning of the game, you get to choose from five different cats - Lucy, Spooky, Tabby, Jimi, and Hairball. Each cat has got its own distinctive personality, from their signature ?yowl? to their personalized fall to the ground. Pick your cat and then get jumping through the alley, using your space bar and arrow keys. Since the platforms are constantly moving, you'll probably miss the jump eventually, but that's okay - if your cat falls, he'll just lose one of his nine lives. The game ends when those nine lives are up.

I thought this game was cute and fun. That said, there is room for improvement. The scenery from one level to the next was exactly the same - a few changes would have made the game a bit more entertaining.

Go ahead and give it a try. See how many points you can score before meeting your inevitable alley cat fate.

Read more »

Gone Fishing

If you have enough patience for real live fishing, then you probably have enough patience for Gone Fishing from Clever Media.

At first, I found this game soothing and relaxing. What could be better than sitting on the edge of a pier, watching the fish swim by below, and carelessly casting a line into the water? But when you're playing a video game, you expect the pace to pick up!

The game is very simple. You sit by the water with a fishing line that slowly swings back and forth (automatically, no sweat for you). Many fish swim back and forth in the water, along with several assorted pieces of junk, like tires, teddy bears, and old pots. When you're ready to cast your line, hit the spacebar and down it goes. If you've calculated carefully, you'll reel in a juicy fish. The deeper it is, the more points you get. Otherwise, you've wasted a few seconds on the clock and have to try again. And if you catch an old teddy bear or anything else that's not a fish, you'll lose points.


Score enough points, and you'll move on to the next level, where the junk is more abundant and an even higher score is needed to make it through.

As I mentioned before, while this game is relaxing and evokes the feeling of fishing on a warm summer morning, it gets a bit slow for a video game. Level after level of the same old thing can be kind of redundant if you're looking for action and challenge.

Read more »

Enviro Boarder

Skateboard through an urban obstacle course and avoid taking a spill. In Enviro Boarder, from Clever Media, you get to do this while collecting recyclable trash from the street and depositing it in the nearest recycling bin.

I had a great time playing this game. It reminded me of a Bart Simpson skateboard game I used to play when I was little. The graphics, music, and anecdotal sound effects were great, and the game was fun yet challenging.

What's the real deal with Enviro Boarder? You're a teenage kid aboard a speeding skateboard. You can use the arrow keys to speed up or slow down as you ride away through the city streets. Your goal? Pick up cans, papers, and bottles and put them in the bin before your sixty seconds are up. You can only pick up five of each kind before dropping them off. Each item you deposit earns you more time on the clock, and if you get fifteen in at once, you earn a cool 75 bonus points.

So what's preventing you from easily winning this game? There's stuff everywhere - big men reading the paper, little old ladies shuffling down the street, dogs, buses, cards, billboards, you name it! You can either skate around these obstacles or jump over them, but the crowd is pretty thick - you may jump over one thing to find yourself careening into another. Every time you take a spill (or get hit by a bus!) you lose a life. Lose all four lives, and the game ends.

Not only that, but it's a bit harder to focus on grabbing every piece of trash when you're swerving and hopping for your life. If you run out of time before reaching a bin, you lose the game altogether.

Definitely check out this game. It's absorbing, entertaining, and challenging all at once.

Read more »