Board Games - Why it Pays to Play Designer Board Games

FACT: Entertainment costs are going up.

In case you have been under a rock lately, gas costs you about $3.30 per gallon (about $45 per filling on an average car). Movies cost between $7.00 and $10.00 per person. That's before you get your munchies. Oh, that will cost you about $10 for a large popcorn and a drink...but you get free refills on the popcorn. You want to go out with your special other for dinner and a drink? That will run you about $50 or so.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy a night out as much as the next guy...but my wallet hates it every time.

Do you have kids? If you want to have a night out, don't forget the babysitter at $6.00 per hour per child.

Some Quick Math

Alright, I am an Average Joe, with an average income. My wife is unemployed right now. We have two kids. So, let's say I want to take my wife out for an evening without the kids to dinner and a movie.

Let's see...how long will we be out? A movie averages about 2 hours. For dinner, expect 20-30 minute waits (it is Friday night), take 45 minutes to eat. That's just over three hours. But wait, I haven't driven anywhere yet. Figure in about another hour for driving - we live in Orlando and everything is 30 minutes away. So, we need to cover about four hours.

Babysitting

Babysitting - I am out $6.00/hour for four hours. That's $24. Wait...I have two kids. I might get away with $40. That's before I even walk out the door!

Dinner

That dinner, if you eat at an average dining establishment (Olive Garden, Red Lobster, Chili's, and the like) will be about $30 when you include tip. No Alcohol - just Tea.

The bill is now $70. Let's go see that flick. It better be good!

Movie

So, we decided to go see a big action picture. Think Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, or Matrix. That means you go to the IMAX and get the goodies (we can skip that on the romance or comedies). So, we maxed out with two tickets at $20. Those goodies rang up to $10...and we got our free refill. As a side thought, these epic action movies are not usually two hours - They are longer by about 30-40 minutes. Better ring up another $10 for the babysitter.

For the movies, we spent $30.

Gas

If you are going somewhere, it probably isn't on a motorcycle. That car needs gas. If you drive an hour, expect that gas to cost about $10.

Add 'Em Up

Here's the damages...

Babysitting - $50




Dinner - $30




Movie - $30




Gas - $10





So, to take my wife out to a movie and dinner cost us $120. Are you kidding me? Read that again. $120. And, for just over two of those hours, we are not interacting with each other. We are watching a giant movie screen.

What if I had taken the two kids to the movies? Remove the babysitter, but add $20 to the meal and about the same to the movie. It's the same $40. Oh, and you don't get to interact with the kids during the movie either. So either way, you spent $120 for an evening of very low interaction with your family that you cherish and love to be with.

And, before I offer the solution to the problem, let me ask you one more thing. How much does it cost the next time you want to take your family out? $120. Do that once per month and you spent almost $1500 in a year.

Designer Board Games to the Rescue

But, I don't want to sit at home and play those dumb games. I have been playing those since I was a kid.

Certainly, as a parent, you don't want to keep breaking out the standards, like Monopoly, Scrabble, Life, Sorry, and the like. You are correct. You have been playing them since you were a kid. You can put those away, because I have a better offer.

Have you heard about designer board games? These are a new breed of board game that is popular in Europe and starting to take hold here in the US. The catch...you won't find them at Toys R Us or Wal Mart. They aren't that mainstream yet. You need a hobby shop or someplace like that. That means you have to become one with your inner geek and go to a sci-fi or hobby shop to find these games. Or, you can shop online through a board game store or find them on eBay.

From a difficulty level, they land somewhere between Monopoly and Chess, so they will keep your attention.

Why Designer Board Games?

Here's the breakdown. These games are designed to be highly interactive. Some games, like Settlers of Catan, have players interacting with each other the entire game. For the family, a common gameplay mechanic is no player elimination. This means you don't have players going bankrupt or long, drawn-out endgame battles like you do when you play Risk or Monopoly. This is great for the younger kids.

They tend to be wrapped around a theme, have nice artwork, and they take about 1-2 hours per game. So, you can play multiple games in an evening.

But, What About The Cost?

Let's remember the cost of our family night out...$120. Got it? Focus on it...this is important.

One game, like Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, or Ticket to Ride will set you back about the cost of that babysitter - $40. So, you want to get two games, so you are not playing the same one over and over again. This will cover about 3-4 hours of time (same as your evening out) So, for two games, your cost is $80. Hmmmmm. That's interesting. We are already ahead.

You Make Your Savings The Next Time You Play

It cost us $120 to go to the movies and dinner. It cost us $80 to have a night with the family and our games. Toss in $20 for pizza, so you don't have to cook - so call it $100 even.

How much is it the next time you have night out at the movies? $120. How much is it the next time you have a family board game night? $20 for the pizza.

Your Friends Can Enjoy The Games Too!

You can even create a very fulfilling social life with board games. You can invite all the friends you want over to enjoy them together. Have one group play one game and the other group play the other. Then, switch. You provide the games...your friends provide the pizza. Your cost just went down.

If you wanted to, you could even loan out your games when you weren't using them so your friends can enjoy their own game nights.

It's Not Just A Board Game

The bottom line to all of this is that it is about relationships and richness of life. Your relationships with your friends and family are very important. These are the memories you have to keep - not the dinners and movies. It is the laughing, the joking, the strategy plays, the teams, and the personalities that come out around the game table. You just don't get that with dinner and a movie.

Imagine the memories and skills you can teach your children by offering them uninterrupted one-on-one time without a television, computer, music, and that other stuff that just gets in the way.

An $850 Savings for a Rich Year of Gaming

You do the math.

$120 per month for one dinner and a movie with your family.




$60 per month for a new game and a pizza with friends and family





Your savings is about $850. That's a really decent amount of movies from Netflix. That would also really help against the rising cost of gas. There's even some extra money here for you to go to dinner and a movie once in a while. You also get a new board game every month, so you would start your second year with 13 games to choose from if you bought a new game per month (you started with two games).

You Gain Friends, Family, and Community

The biggest gain you make does not have a dollar value - and never will. It is the time you get with your family, your kids, and your friends. You can expect your circle of friends will grow and expand because there is a large modern board game community being established here in the US.

Give designer board games a chance. Your entertainment and wallet deserve it.

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Modern Mobile Games

Mobile games are the games that are run on mobile devices with less compatible with most mobile phones, produced for recreational activities for users all around the world. Among lots of game types, mobile phone manufacturers choose a small group of mobile games to execute on their newly produced mobile devices. The following paragraphs aim at explaining the major use of mobile games and the economy constituted by those.

Several scenarios of modern mobile games are based on the contexts creating the mainframe of PC and console games available in the market. Thanks to the latest improvements in the graphical interfaces mobile phones have been using recently, high quality mobile games can be produced at little cost and served for end users at reasonable prices.

Main themes of old mobile games were board games including backgammon, chess, checkers, and some basic ones originated from old Chinese civilization. On the other hand, mobile phones are as excellent as computer games reasoning textures used in the production phases of such games. Modern mobile games usually offer gamers an effective control over the characters they are playing with. Old versions of FPS and RPG games have already been converted into mobile gaming standard, enhancing the market to a much wider level where almost all types of games on any platform are available for mobile devices, depending on the operating system of the mobile device being used.

Board games are too among the most exciting ones on the mobile platform since it is usually harder to control action keys on small screens as compared to a PSP screen which provides maybe the best resolution for players. Yet, hardness does not mean unpopularity all the time, and in fact this is the main reason why mobile games are this popular among all game players all around the world. For instance, a new version of bowling game was converted into mobile standards and it was after that time that many users including teenagers were addicted to this exciting game on their mobile phones.

Mobile games not only constitute a different level for gamers but also generate a new style of economy that fully depends on mobile game manufacturers. Throughout the evolution era of mobile games in the last 10 years, it has been observed that first snake-feeding games were abandoned for the sake of more fascinating ones including those that provide 3D high quality graphics for gamers. It is also noted that as mobile phone manufacturers develop new ways to produce higher quality software for mobile phones, much better mobile games compatible with the newest features are introduced. Thus, there is an endless revolution in this branch of mobile industry, increasing the hopes of game manufacturers while firing up the wars between console platforms with those planning to support mobile standards in their upcoming versions.

Consequently, mobile games, both old and modern ones, can be considered as the constituents of recreational activities, and the promising effort performed to produce better mobile games is the biggest indicator of the bright future of this industry. As software gets more and more powerful, future standards seem to be a good means of developing more competent mobile games popular and available for gamers all around the world.

The article was produced by Michael Thomson the marketing manager for http://www.schnozberry.com - the internet's premier source for mobile games from genres such as arcade, sport, trivia and board that you can download directly to your mobile phone.

Board Games - Starting Your Own Gaming Group

So, you're starting a hobby of board gaming, or you already enjoy gaming. Chances are that if you are single, you play them with some friends or a significant other. If you are married, you probably include the family. But, something is missing...the community element. Sure, your spouse likes a good game every so often, but wouldn't it be fun to have a group of new friends that either looks forward to the same games you like or brings new ones to the table, so you don't have to buy them. Today, with everything costing more, even entertainment, it is quite a prudent move to develop a group of friends that get together and share their games.

Three Fundamentals of a Game Group

So where do you start? A good game group needs at least three things:

1. A Host

2. A Place to play

3. Games

The host is the person "in charge" of the group. This can either be a rotating position - You work on it one month, Joe works on it next month, and Sally handles it the month after that...and so on.

Regarding the place to play, this can rotate also. A restaurant, a library, a YMCA, or simply someone's home will usually do the trick. Like the host, this location can rotate each month also.

Obviously, to have a game group, you need games. If you start with a few generic titles, such as Settlers of Catan, Ticket to Ride, Carcassonne, and Puerto Rico, you will have a good starting base to work from. After a few rounds with each game, you will see a pattern in what people like to play and you can even introduce other games to the mix.

Let's break this down to more of the specifics.

The Gaming Group Host

The function of this role is to coordinate the communication and location of the gaming event each time. The Host determines the when, where, and what gaming group. This is the reason you may want to have this be a rotating position.

Expect that the host will devote a good amount of time to running the group.

Your group's host should have a few important traits:

Initiative




Patience




Good Communication Skills




Ability to work with diverse people




Be a good sport and promote fair play

The reason patience is listed as a trait is because you cannot expect to start a game group and have a bunch of people show up immediately. You have to build it over time - possibly months. There are examples of gaming groups taking years before they get just ten regular attendees. It can go the other way as well - start off with everyone bringing a friend and it grows from there.

Choosing a Good Location

The size of your group will determine the requirements for your group's location choices. Funding may also play a role - some places may want to charge you a fee for your time. For example, if you are in a room at the local YMCA, they may have a small fee for the room rental. If you choose a restaurant to sponsor your group, they may require you spend a certain amount of money on food and drinks.

Another option for a gaming location that may work great is someone's home. The only things to consider here are space and other family. If it is a small apartment, that may not work so well. If the family hosting the event has small children (under the age of about 6 or 7) they may create an unwanted distraction. When playing strategic games, it is hard for others to think while there are small children running laps around the house.

You need to have enough space to have one or two tables and enough chairs for everyone.

One of the most important requirements for a location is a restroom - gamers like to drink and eat.

Making a Gaming Location a Success

Supplies, supplies, supplies! Many games need an extra bit of scorekeeping or organization. The host needs to make sure these are available. Here is a short list:

Paper - notebook or pad is fine




Pens or Pencils




Dice - in case someone lost theirs




Sandwich baggies (to organize game pieces) - you may also want to use the smaller snack-sized baggies

Like I mentioned earlier, gamers love to eat and drink. Here are some suggestions to serve that need:

Water




Soft drinks - diet and non-diet




Fruit - not fruits that makes a mess, like oranges




Chips




Pretzels




Cookies

Don't forget the things that go with these items, like cups, ice, plates, and napkins.

If you wanted, you could go as far as having a full meal, such as pizza or burgers and fries.

All of these items have a cost involved, which can be an issue for the host. I have seen some friends that have groups do one of several things to offset some of the costs:

Charge dues - this could be a monthly fee that covers the cost of food/snacks/location




Use a "tips jar" system. Most people understand that somebody paid for the snacks and such and are willing to tip generously, when a price is not identified.




Go to Costco, or some large buying club like that, and buy your snacks and drinks on the cheap. Then, offer them for sale at your gaming party. You can even use the profits to buy the snacks for the next party if there is enough.




Consider is a potluck type of party. The price of admission is to bring some type of food or beverage.

Finding the Location for Your Group

The first and obvious choice is your home. You need to make sure you have the space and no distractions for this to work. The obvious benefit here is that you have no cost and you control the coordination of the location. The other useful benefit is that you don't have to lug your games to a separate location - you already have them. You can even set them up before everyone arrives. This eliminates the set up time while everyone is socializing at the beginning.

But, what if you have an apartment or are not sure you want a bunch of people coming to your house all the time.

Here are some options for you:

Independently owned restaurants




Library




Community Centers




Recreation Centers or your local YMCA




Churches and Synagogues




Schools (including colleges)




Game Stores

Usually, game stores are a really good option - you are providing them a set of new customers.

Picking the Right Board Games

This will depend on the type of gaming group you want, and what the people in the group are expecting. For the purposes of this article, I am going to assume you are setting up a board game group.

If you want to introduce the group to European games, you might consider variations of Settlers of Catan, Carcassonne, Ticket To Ride, and Puerto Rico.

Another option might be to bring in some war games. If so, take a look at Memoir '44 and Tides of Iron.

If you have a younger crowd (college level and slightly older) with a lot of time to spend, you may want to hold a full-on gaming day on a Saturday. Then, you can include board games that take more time, like World of Warcraft, Starcraft, or Twilight Imperium.

Another way to increase the variety of games your gaming group plays is to have everyone bring one game - like with the snacks and beverages.

If you are new to board gaming groups, I think it would be wise to start with the simpler games to introduce to a group - that would be the European board games. Then, grow it from there.

Places to Promote Your Group

There are three web sites you should take advantage of if you want to start a gaming group:

www.boardgamegeek.com - they have listings of gaming groups you can join or advertise your own




www.meetup.com - you can find others in your local area that may already have a group or you can set up your own.




www.craigslist.com - this is a great place to promote your budding game group.

Have Fun!

Remember, having a board game group that shares your hobby can be a lot of work. But, don't forget the overall goal - to have fun and make new friends! This is a hobby.

So, good luck, enjoy yourself, and share your hobby with others.

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Tropical Farm

All Games : Strategy Games : Tropical Farm

When a hurricane ravages a tropical island, the people there issue a challenge to restore their once beautiful getaway. Beginning with a small patch of land, some tools and a few seeds, you must turn this steamy wasteland into a fertile homestead bursting with fruits, vegetables and livestock!

The harvest is ripe with fun as you grow, collect and sell food, pointing and clicking in a race against the clock to complete tasks!

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Horst Wein Recommends Small Sided Games for Grassroots Football Development

Horst Wein, who has mentored more than 11,000 soccer coaches in 55 different countries around the world, believes that small sided games are the most essential element in developing youth soccer players. This comes from a man who knows a thing or two about this vital topic - his book "Developing Youth Football Players" is the official textbook of the Spanish Football Federation, and has also been adopted by the Football Federation of Australia, having sold more than 100,000 copies worldwide.

Small sided games in Training

Coaches should focus more on games rather than drills in training. Isolating particular techniques and concentrating on them using repetitive drills and exercises is known as the "analytical method" and often poses difficulties when the players come to apply what they have been working on in the real game scenario. The "global method" of training involves creating more game-like scenarios in training that can be more seamlessly integrated into the actual game itself. This is done through creating simplified games, which are scaled-down versions of the real game, but that can focus on particular themes necessary in the real game.

The concept of using games rather than drills and exercises has been studied for many years all around the world. Teaching Games for Understanding (TGfU) has been applied to many different sports and been found to be very effective. In Australia, it is also known as "Game Sense" and "Play practice."

There are many benefits to this games-oriented method in soccer:

1.Most importantly, players prefer to play games than to do drills (especially the younger ones).

2.The games can be modified through different variables to concentrate more on specific elements that need to be addressed; The size of the playing area, the number of players, duration of the game, technical rules etc, means that in the hands of a skilful coach, games may be used to achieve all the requirements of playing the real game.

3.Small sided games require smaller pitches and can be suited to any number of players.

4.Small sided games provide a much more intense physical workout than larger games.

5.Small sided games allow the coach to develop the players Game Intelligence, as they may focus on the true dynamics of the game of soccer e.g. the 2v1 situation.

Small sided games in competition

This means that the competitions that young people play should be tailored to the specific requirements of their age group.

"The competition you play should be like your shoes, it should fit you perfectly! "

Benefits of small sided games in competition (and training):


More touches of the ball
Simpler decisions to make
Better game-related fitness, short duration of high-intensity vs laps
More time with coach per player
Easier to coach especially for parent coaches
More opportunities to solve game problems
More attacking opportunities (dribbling, shooting, passing )
More defending opportunities
More shooting and more goals = more fun!
No hiding place, players don't get lost in these games
More opportunities for the full range of skills
Encourages better shape and awareness of team-mates
Encourages faster play, fast transition from defence to attack
Easier for young players to have success - which means enjoyment and retention for these players.

Manchester United conducted a pilot scheme in 2005 which compared 4-a-side soccer to 8-a-side soccer, the results were very telling...

On Average 4v4 versus 8v8 had:

1. 135% more passes

2. 260% more Scoring Attempts

3. 500% more Goals Scored

4. 225% more 1v1 Encounters

5. 280% more Dribbling Skills (tricks)

Small sided Games Around the World

All around the world today the value of small sided games has begun to be recognized and many federations have introduced them successfully into youth development programmes. The Dutch system focuses mainly on 4v4 and later 7v7 games before players are introduced to the 11-a-side game.

All across continental Europe there are variations of either 4v4 or 5v5 for the first game that young kids play. In the British Isles, Wales has been leading the way with small sided games being introduced there in 1996. The FA in England are determined to introduce the following structures by 2013: 5v5 (7-8 years), 7v7 (9-10 years), 9v9 (11-12 years), 11v11 (13+ years)

In general USYS (United States Youth Soccer) recommends 3v3 for under 6 years and a progression to 4v4 or 5v5, 6v6 or 7v7, 8v8 etc.

Small sided Games in the Horst Wein Model

In the Horst Wein Youth Football Development Model, the recommended progressive small sided game structure for children's competitions is:


3v3 for 7-9 years
5v5 for 10 years
7v7 for 11-12 years
8v8 for 13 years
11-a-side for 14+ years

Along with these competition games, each age group in his development model has its own complete programme of small sided, simplified games for training, which emphasize game intelligence and a deeper understanding of the tactical situations of the game of football. The training games can be used for preparing the players for their appropriate competition or as corrective measures for issues identified during play.

The emphasis is always on games for learning rather than drills and running.

The Game is the Teacher

Mini Football for 7-9 year old players

Many claim that the revolutionary game of Mini-Football (3v3 on four wide goals) for young players from 7 to 9 years of age, is a revival of street football.

MINI-FOOTBALL VS 4V4

While many advocate the benefits of 4v4, which is undoubtedly far more beneficial than 8v8 (or 7v7), Horst's own Mini-Football game which is 3v3 on 4 wide goals has many critical advantages over 4v4.

Most importantly, the use of 4 goals instead of 2 creates:


Width. There is much more play down the flanks and less swarming.
Because there are only three players and two goals to protect, this usually results in one less-defended goal, meaning options are open.
The goals out wide cause players to look up for the best option, improving perception.
The young players learn to interpret what they see and make good decisions, improving their Game Intelligence, even at this young age.
There is more goalmouth action and usually all players score during a game.
There is more intense defending and attacking than in other small sided games.
There are no fixed positons providing a more rounded experience and more complete players.
It teaches the use of a triangular formation, which is superior for passing and support and also for balance in defence.
More touches on the ball.
More time to read the game.
Better passing and less long ball tactics.
Greater physical involvement as all players are needed in the team.

Horst Wein is the greatest living exponent of small sided games in football, having created hundreds of games both for development of young players and for greater performance in the full game.

Nintendo Wii - the Futuristic Gaming Console

The innovations in technology, has enabled us to facilitate our amusements needs. Today people rarely get time to entertain themselves. They suffer from stress and hardly get time for recreational activities. Outdoor games no longer seem to be the part of our daily routine. People engage themselves in their mobile phones or other such electronic devices for refreshment. As such the electronic gaming devices come to drive all our gaming concerns.

There are various game consoles that usually keeps hitting the market at regular intervals. These consoles are affordable and have various user friendly features. The Nintendo Wii gaming console has succeeded to attract the attention of the game lovers. The 512 MB memory is embedded in this device, which can further be extended by the gamers to suit their needs. This gaming gadget has an incorporated controller that has the capability to sense the special motions. This exciting feature sustains the thrill and entertainment of the incorporated games.

The electronic games get more preference by the kids these days. The electronic games are very interactive and enable the gamers to develop their skills and knowledge. The most fascinating thing regarding these electronic games, is their animations and graphics. These graphics and animations enthrall the gamers throughout the gaming process. The interactive feature of these gaming devices can attract both the kids and the grown ups. The Nintendo Wii is very light weight and comes in smooth and attractive design. The Wii mote is used to play and operate the games that are integrated in the device. However the gamers can purchase additional games also, whenever they desire. This unique gadget has the user manuals and does not require much time to get started. The user manuals would assist the gamers to operate the gaming machine without any hassle. To play the Wii games the gamer has to participate physically due to their so called motion sensor technology. The Wii mote can be used as a tennis racket, while playing the game of tennis. As such the gamers can select their favorite games such as racing, boxing etc and keep on entertaining themselves.

The gamers can even browse the Nintendo's website by using (WiFi) or ethernet. Visiting those sites would enable the gamers to download their favorite and preferred games in their Wii within few minutes. The Virtual console feature would further facilitate the game lovers to access the backward capability and enjoy the Super Nintendo games, Turbogrfx etc. Experienced gamers also like to play games in this gaming gadget. With the popularity of the electronic games, various top leading companies have endeavored into this arena. The earnest attempts of those top leading players are reflecting. Nowadays the electronic gaming consoles have flooded in the market. All these gaming devices have some unique features, to attract the potential consumers. It depends on the users to select the appropriate device that would surely suit all their requirements. However there are online shopping stores that would further facilitate the consumers to narrow down their search options. These websites display various high end gadgets on their portal, along with lucrative deals and offers. Browse them to avail your preferred gaming gadget and favorite games too.

The various advantages of this gaming gadget makes it worth buying. Multiple players can enjoy a particular game simultaneously. This gadget can be carried anywhere without any hindrance. Further this device can be easily connected to the internet. This gadget is prepared to offer tough competition to its competitors such as Xbox, Sony Playstation etc. The games can be played both by a casual gamer as well as an experienced player. The multimedia features would allow the gamers to enjoy their favorite music tracks anytime and anywhere. Again when this gadget is connected to the internet, weather forecasts, latest news updates, latest music tracks can easily be accessed. The latest pc games are also regularly updated in the web sites to lure and attract the customers. Avail those adventurous and exciting games to have best gaming experience.

Alden Jerry is an expert author. Visit to know more about Nintendo Wii and other latest pc games at price comparison shop

Online Flash Games Ultimate Entertainment

Flash games have become part of the Internet culture. When one is bored, it is now a society norm to seek out online games for a one-stop cure. Arcade games aren't always deemed fine with employers and school administrators. To add to the mess, free flash games aren't always up to par- and thus provide no help in curing one of his or her boredom.

How to Play 3D Flash Games- Anywhere, Any Time

Every now and then, it's almost completely necessary to let your stress unwind over an amusing 3D game. But employers and school administrators often view it as a waste of time. There are, however, ways to keep your online games for those undeniably boring work or school hours.

If the games are not being filtered from viewing, you'll need to find clever ways to play free games out of sight of those who deem it irresponsible. Usually this can be done by simply "hiding" the Windows task bar, and simply pressing Alt + Tab when an administrator is nearby, checking for anyone playing online games.

This will change the current window, so be sure you have another window available to switch to. Obviously, this window should not have 3D games on it- instead, browse to a website that looks educational- they'll never find out you were playing online free flash games!

If the online games are being filtered, then a little more work is needed. This is often remedied by simply browsing to other sites that offer free flash games. If all the good game resources are filtered from browsing, you'll have to get creative with a proxy. Many proxy browsers allow anyone to play online free flash games, given that the proxy URL is not blocked itself.

The Best Online Flash Games

In general, the best games can be easily identified by their genre. Free flash games consist of a myriad of different genres- but as you'll find, the most popular arcade games are those that incorporate a "defend this" objective.

These defense games are wildly popular, both because they are easy to play, and because anyone can play a quick online arcade game and return to work in no time.

Multi player online flash games are also quite popular. Most of them do incorporate some sort of artificial intelligence, so if you don't have any friends available, you can still play to your heart's content. Some of the best 3D games are indeed multi player- from different types of sports games, to puzzle and action online flash games.

It's important to make the distinction between quality among 2D and 3D. Just because an online arcade game is 3D doesn't make it good. In fact- the contrary is true. Many 2D online fgames outshine the competition. Just because a game has pretty 3D flash game visuals, doesn't mean that the game-play is good at all!

Final Thoughts on Free Flash Games

Flash games can be a lot of fun- but keep in mind that free online games can indeed get one in trouble. Following the above tips to hide online arcade games works well- but trouble ensues when one is caught.

If all else fails- just try and keep occupied with other things- and save the online games for home use!

Information on Flash Games [http://www.games2relax.com] and Free Images [http://www.imagefinder.us].

How To Play Time Management Games Online For Free

1. First a warning, playing games can be addicting so remember to manage your playing time. Also be sure to download time management games from sites that you trust and always keep your anti-virus program up to date.

2. Check your browser some time management games require the Internet Explorer browser and will not work with Firefox and some other browsers.

3. Decide if you want to play time management games online or download them and then play. Please check our "Times Management Games" section for resources that is updated regularly.

4. Let us look at some of the games that you can play for free online. As you will see there are many time management games to choose from so take the time and try several of them, you will soon find out which one you like the most.

Belle's Beauty Boutique:

'Belle's Beauty Boutique' you must help run a beauty parlor single-handedly. The owner, Belle, needs your help to give all of her customers the treatments they want. Help her wash, cut, shampoo and color a crazy cast of characters. Watch them gossip, flirt, and help Belle realize her dream of creating the ultimate beauty salon.

Big Island Blends:

After arriving on Big Island you discover that the "fortune" you've just inherited is an orchard? Well, what better way to turn your fields into a real fortune than opening a smoothie stand Serve your delicious fruit concoctions to the thirsty inhabitants of Big Island in level after level of fast-paced fun. Then, use your hard-earned money to purchase a wide variety of sparkling upgrades to make your smoothie stand the best on Big Island! Colorful, fast, and fun, try Big Island Blends for a unique taste of the tropics.

Burger Island:

Help our heroine Patty turn around a run-down burger stand located on deserted Mount Tikikola Beach in 'Burger Island'. Juggle orders from demanding customers, purchase over 30 exotic mouth-watering recipes, unlock more than 40 delicious ingredients, combining up to 9 per order, all while keeping an ever-watchful eye on the clock. With 60 increasingly challenging levels, see if you have what it takes to help Patty build the best burger stand on the island!

Burger Shop:

After receiving a set of strange blueprints in the mail, you build an extraordinary food-making contraption and open a restaurant. Your goal? Make food and satisfy customers until you discover the truth behind the mysterious blueprints. Burger Shop is a fun and addicting time-management game with several play modes including: Story Mode, Challenge Mode, Relax Mode and Expert Story Mode, each with different trophies you can collect. Utilize unique food making devices to make over fifty different food items during your quest. With four play modes, over sixty upgrade items and ninety-six trophies, you can play Burger Shop forever!

Cake Mania:

Baking runs in Jill's family. Help Jill upgrade her kitchen with state-of-the-art baking tools, while serving her ever-increasingly difficult customers. Help Jill earn enough to reopen her grandparents' bakery in this fast-paced culinary crisis.

Cake Mania 2:

After re-opening the Evans Bakery, and sending her grandparents on an exotic Hawaiian cruise, Jill is back in an all-new, out-of-this-world adventure! Explore six far-flung bakery locations; serve up deliciously original creations to 18 quirky customers, ranging from Federal Agents to mysterious Aliens, and choose the path Jill will take in 'Cake Mania 22!

Delicious 2:

Uncle Antonio needs Emily's help to get out of a financial fix. Help Emily rescue her family's finances in five all-new restaurants, each with a unique menu and theme. Use your earnings to purchase decorations sure to make your customers smile. Emily's friends and family are on hand to help, but it's going to take your serving savvy to get Uncle Antonio back on track. Featuring two game modes, all-new customers, and hours of fast family fun, 'Delicious 2 Deluxe' is just the thing to satisfy your craving for fun.

Features:

* Two Game Modes

* Five All-New Restaurants

* 60 Challenging Levels Featuring New Customers

* Decorate Your Restaurant Your Way

Delicious Deluxe:

Join Emily on her quest to make her dreams come true in two game modes and seven different restaurants. Success means more tables, bigger restaurants, and a menu full of uniquely delectable items. Tasty treats may keep your customers happy, but it's going to take quick clicks and careful timing to get Emily's ambitions off the ground. Take a bite out of Delicious today!

Features:

* Two Game Modes

* Seven Different Restaurants

* Bonuses Like Bigger Trays, Chocolate, and Stars

* Five Types of Customer

Diner Dash:

Diner Dash is the action-puzzle that brings out the entrepreneur in all of us. Poor Flo! Sick and tired of pushing paper in the world of finance, she ditched her desk job and is setting out to build her very own restaurant empire. Flo's on her own now and heading for the top! It won't be easy, though. To get there she'll have to start on the ground floor and she needs your help to survive and thrive. Diner Dash combines fast-paced puzzle action with a build-your-restaurant-empire theme. You'll start with a run-of-the-mill greasy spoon and end up in a dream restaurant that will take your breath away!

Features:

* 40 challenging levels of addictive, skill-based game play that allows you to grow your restaurant through 4 complete re-models

* Five different types of customers, each with different behaviors

* Two modes of play: Career and Endless Shift

* Fun sounds, cool visual style, flashy effects, and humorous animations

* High score tracking and automatic game save

Diner Dash®: Flo on the Go:

Flo trades in her apron for a passport to paradise! But will our hard-working waitress get a chance to relax? Seat customers, take orders, collect tips and dress up Flo in hundreds of vacation outfits in the all-new Flo's Closet".

Wedding Dash":

Help Quinn, a hopeful wedding planner, make wedding bells ring! Featuring the hilarious ups and downs of wedding day drama, 'Wedding Dash"' incorporates the plate-spinning fun from the 'Diner Dash®' series with the added challenge of pulling off the perfect wedding reception. Can you keep the bride and groom happy and Quinn's business afloat? Help couples select all the details - from tasty cakes to gorgeous flowers - but once they've tied the knot, lookout for obstacles preventing the perfect party, such as tipsy guests, falling cakes, and catty bridesmaids. When the going gets tough, keep an eye out for extra help from everyone's favorite server, Flo! It's a fast-paced challenge to execute a flawless event, but for the determined Quinn, it's all in a day's work!

5. There are several types of games available, some give you resources that you have use or spend to advance to the next level. Some time management games you must complete a number of tasks within a fixed period of time while in other games you have a certain number of lives, when you have lost them the games are over. Also there are games where you can continue to play until you figure out how to advance to the next level.

6. By now you have decided what time management game you want to play. Before you start the game check the game options, select the easiest level or story mode (where available) first time so you time to become familiar with the game.

7. As you become more experienced move through the different levels or game modes. Remember one of the advantages of playing time management games online is that you can communicate with other people playing the same game, so you can always ask for help.

8. Have fun but remember playing time management games can be addictive so take a break away from your PC every now and then.

Shortly we will look at time management games that you can download and play for free, so please re-visit or subscribe to our blog.

Warm regards,

Henrik

PS. Where can you find the games mentioned above? Please go to: http://games.aol.com/browse-games/arcade/time-management/

Henrik Boyander is admin of the Time Management Games Spot Blog

[http://blogs.solixta.com/timemanagementgames]

>>>Games, resources and reviews

Behind the Reflection 2

All Games : Hidden Object Games : Behind the Reflection 2

A witch's quest for revenge "spells" trouble for a young mother and her son in this haunting hidden object adventure! Guide the mother as she pursues the witch through time and space to save her son from a fate worse than death. Interact with a variety of characters, find useful objects, and then use them to solve fiendish puzzles.

Collect battle armor for a talking skeleton, assemble a special key belonging to an exorcist and save a witch from burning at the stake, all in an effort to stay on the trail of your nemesis! Can you rise to the challenge and triumph over evil? Of course you can!

Play Now - Free Download
Play the deluxe download of Behind the Reflection 2 with enhanced game play. Play the free trial offline when you want..
PC/Windows  
Free Download

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Get Behind the Reflection 2 Full Version
Get the full version now. Why not? You'll enjoy the following...
Full deluxe version with unlimited play and all levels.
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Family safe, many hours of great fun.
Risk free 60 day money-back guarantee.
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User Comments for Behind the Reflection 2

Be the first to put your comment here. Your opinion counts, let the world know.Add Your Comment - Put Your Comment HerePeople who like this game also like...

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Twisted Lands Shadow Town

All Games : Hidden Object Games : Twisted Lands Shadow Town

Why does your heart beat faster when you peer into a dark room? What makes the hair on your neck bristle when something invisible whispers in your ear? And why do you jump when something that should not be real appears in the corner of your vision?

Welcome to Twisted Lands: Shadow Town, the first game in a new saga that will explore the emotion of fear. Guide the actions of a man as he searches a deserted island for his wife, who disappeared when their boat crashed on the shore. Along the way, gather hidden items, solve hair-raising puzzles and make one spine-chilling discovery after another as you draw ever closer to a shocking conclusion!

Play Now - Free Download
Play the deluxe download of Twisted Lands Shadow Town with enhanced game play. Play the free trial offline when you want..
PC/Windows  
Free Download

Play Now
100% Safe / No Adware or Spyware!

Get Twisted Lands Shadow Town Full Version
Get the full version now. Why not? You'll enjoy the following...
Full deluxe version with unlimited play and all levels.
Get your full version fast, own it forever.
Family safe, many hours of great fun.
Risk free 60 day money-back guarantee.
Safe & secure ordering by credit card, PayPal, and more.
Optional CD order, packed with bonus free trials.

Get Full Version

As Low As $7.95 with Club Arcadetown! more info
Unlimited Play With All Levels
100% Safe Ordering / No Adware or Spyware
Not In Stores

User Comments for Twisted Lands Shadow Town

Be the first to put your comment here. Your opinion counts, let the world know.Add Your Comment - Put Your Comment HerePeople who like this game also like...

See more Recommended Games

View the original article here

PSP Game Demos - Good & Bad on PSP Game Demos

I have found PSP Game Demos give both good and bad expectations to my gaming experiences. There is a wide assortment of games made available for PSP, that it should come as no surprise that there are many PSP Game Demos on the internet today.

PSP Game Demos, what are they? Typically when a manufacturer makes a game, they create a Demo allowing the general public to get a small sample of what the game is like in hopes that they will be come excited with the game and purchase it after playing the sample version. The games themselves are typically restricted from allowing the player to set up all the game options that can be done for the game. Also, they may only allow you to play the first couple of levels of the game and restrict the more advanced levels. Other PSP Game Demos will allow you to play only for a certain time frame before the game will lock.

A popular way to get game demos is on the Internet by running searches on Google. You will typically get a lot of hits as there are tones of demos out there to choose from. But more importantly is company that is putting up the web site. When you are looking at these different sites, quality of games can differ drastically. If they are a true gaming company website, then they will have better game selections, faster download times, and more secure sites for security. Whereas, third party sites are more prone to having spam on them, slower download times, and poorer quality games. I have even picked up a virus from a gaming site like this at one time.

Another great way to find PSP Game Demos is by looking at gaming magazines. Gaming companies will advertise their games and post their web sites, in an attempt to reach their readership.

If you are not looking for retail games all the time, I have saved the best for last. I happen to like using a paid-for downloadable gaming websites for game full game versions and game demos that are available. These sites typically charge a one time fee to join, with "no" reoccurring monthly fees. Just pay once and that is it. In addition they tend to have faster download times and offer more secure networks. With the game choices that are available, you will have more selections than you can handle at times. In addition these sites have music, movies, and tv-shows which you can also download by being a member. The cost savings are tremendous and you get the most out of your Sony PSP.

Thank you for taking the time to read my article on PSP Game Demos.

To your enjoyment with your Sony PSP! - PSP Game Demos

If you would like to read more articles, please visit my Blog and check it out by clicking on this link.

James Mackay - PSP Gaming Enthusiast!

For more of my articles on Sony PSP Gaming, please check out my Blog: http://www.squidoo.com/PSP-Demos

Easy Way to Download Games Onto PSP

It is not necessary to give special introduction about PSP. It is the by far the most versatile handy piece of highly revolutionized equipment that goes far beyond a portable video game. If you have used your PSP for some time then you must have probably known about the various games and softwares that are readily available for you to use with your PSP.

Most of these games are come on a small UMD discs that can be taken around easily. But if you were suppose to invest in every new game that releases, your hard earned money would mount up soon! Pretty nervous isn't it.

The amazing thing is that the PSP also has memory sticks that you can use to store games on it. So what is the easy way to download games onto your psp from your computer?

I have created the following guide for psp users those who are having less technical skills to install new games on to the psp.

Here is the systematic Step-By-Step guide

Step #1

The first thing you will need is PSP memory stick with sufficient memory to store high quality games with superior graphics and sound. If you can find around 1-8 GB memory stick then you can download multiple games on to your PSP. Don't forget to format the PSP Memory stick in case if you have brand new one.

Side Note: You must make sure your PSP firmware is 1.5 or lesser version before you download games on to your psp

Step #2

Once you have above two things in order, it is time to download PSP games from the internet to your computer. It is obvious reason that many PSP users are looking to save some money are looking internet to find free sources where they can download games on to psp.

But the most of the PSP game sites that are claimed to be good is not always best sites; many of them are just simply garbage. You will find a lot of them. They do not just offer PSP games, but other PSP things like themes, wallpapers, movie trailers and some times viruses and malwares too.

So if you want to save your money, time and your computer consider joining with a reliable PSP Membership site with a small fee. Favorably less than 40 $

Step #3

After you download the PSP games to your PC, all you have to do is transfer those files to your PSP with a USB cable. Once you connect your PSP to your computer you can simply copy and paste the games files to your PSP. Isn't that simple?

You have to make sure that you copy the PSP games file on to the correct directory in your PSP in order to make the downloadable game work perfectly. Other wise the game will not will not work.

Step #4

After you transferred the games to your PSP you need to disconnect it from your PC. Then navigate the "GAME" option in the PSP and select the memory stick option. Then press X button in the PSP in order to list down your newly transferred PSP games appears on your screen.

Congratulations, you have just finished download games on to your PSP, now all you have to do is enjoy...

By the way did you know that PSX Games or Playstation 1 Games also possible to download and played form your normal PSP without any quality loss whatsoever? These PSX games also can be played directly from your PSP memory stick.

There are lots of PSX Games information's available. But all can't be given in this article, there fore I recommend you to visit my Squidoo lens below where you will be able find all necessary information's you required.

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Play Arcade Games Online

It all started with Galaxy Game, the first known arcade video game back in 1971. Then in 1972 out came Pong. It's been all uphill from there. Gaming has gotten so big it is no longer confined by walls of an arcade. Playing an arcade game is as easy as turning on your computer.

The world of online gaming has gotten to be really addicting. It seems everyone is doing it these days. There are games for everyone at every level, from beginner to the experienced. And it is just not online on the computer but even the home consoles allowing people to team up from people around the world.

A lot of the sites online for arcade gaming are completely free. These sites range in the games that are offered. You can play a wide variety of games from the classic 1980's arcades to Vegas slots and other gambling games.

Some of these games run in real live time environment. Even when you are gone others are constantly playing the game and when you return it wont be the same as you left. These online games are more of the role playing games.

For some sites there is a charge to sign up for services. Some of these sites add a little extra to the bonus of winning. You can earn points for every game won and turn them into chances for a drawing of weekly prizes at one site. One such site, http://www.Pogo.com, offers the chance to win money. With every win on an arcade game you are awarded tokens. You can then take those tokens and trade them in for chances to win in a kinda lottery type drawing.

For some of the free role playing sites that have a pay option upon up bonuses for their character. One example would be the game Runescape. With payment opens up weapons availability not given to free players.

With the ever popular world of the home gaming there's a constant challenge of pushing the envelope to even more realistic. And with the online capability of home consoles has come real time live play. Being able to play along side or against an opponent from anywhere in the world has drawn a lot to online gaming.

As of March 06, 2007 with the Xbox 360 console downloads had reached over 25 million of arcade games. A lot of these were early versions of home console arcade classics and other games made into arcade games. One such game was Uno. As of March 27th, 2007 Uno was announced as the first game to be downloaded over a million times.

Not only for download are the arcade games, but for games like the Madden football series, there is the ability to play your favorite football team against an others team elsewhere in the world. This interaction has gotten very popular among the console owners.

With some of the other games is downloadable content not available on the original game. An example of this is the new game series Guitar Hero and its competition Rock Band. Available for download is new songs to play. Xbox has been offering new songs weekly for Rock Band.

Test your skills and take break from working and visit http://www.falcon-games.com to play arcade games online.

Games for iPod Touch - Why Not Integrate Some Games in your iPod Touch?

The latest innovation from Apple is the iPod Touch. Released on September 2007, it promises to provide maximum entertainment to anyone using it. Aside from letting you view your favorite videos and listen to your favorite songs, the iPod Touch will also enable you to browse the internet thanks to its WiFi capability.

However, you have to consider that these applications are often not enough for people using the iPod Touch. If you want more applications, you will see that the iPod Touch will have quite a lot of downloading applications that can make your iPod Touch more powerful and do more things for you.

The iPod Touch is not just your regular music and video player. It is also a device from which you will be able to play different kinds of games, you will see that you will be able to have more fun with it other than just watching your favorite videos and listening to your favorite music. This device will provide you with great entertainment. You will also see that there are a lot more games available for it. To get these games, all you need to do is to surf the games for iPod touch, download it from the internet to your computer, synchronize your iPod with your computer and install the games for your iPod Touch.

Although it may cost you some money to download the game, you will see that you will definitely have a lot of fun playing with the great games available for you iPod. Just a little review on few games for ipod touch.

- iQUIZ -

This is a slick game show with several trivia modes with stock movie, music, and TV questions, but the Music Quiz 2 component is the easy favorite. Players identify songs based on audio clips, name an artist based on album art, pick the year a track was released, and more. Difficulty varies randomly with each question, the game does not know if it is playing a title lyric or an obscure instrumental lull, but it generally hits the sweet spot between too easy and too hard. If your tracks are fairly well tagged, this game is all hook.

- LOST -

In an angled, top-down adventure game, you lead Jack through several short events based on the TV show. The interface works surprisingly well. Players lightly press on the scroll wheel to move, and tap the center button to get special abilities. However, the game is rarely interesting, even with show staples like the smoke monster and the mysterious hatch making appearances. Most of the action feels like you are running errands, many of which are unrelated to the show.

- MUSIKA -

Musika artistically pushes colors and patterns across the screen, slowly presenting a letter. If the letter is in the title of the song playing, hit the center button to score. If not, pass with the forward or back button. Several consecutive answers catapult your points higher. This simple concept suits the iPod touch and almost works for a game but ultimately grows stale without more rules. Smooth, bold graphics are the biggest draw. You might have the most fun just watching animated leaves blow into letters with the Visualizer mode.

- ROYAL SOLITAIRE -

Sharp design and great art make this solitaire bundle excel. Even the menu screens show an animated character pointing at options instead of plain-text highlights. Once you deal the deck, 10 games (including Klondike, Free Cell, and Yukon) hold any solitaire fan interest. The scroll wheel moves between cards, while the center button makes selections. This interface is sufficient, but it is sometimes hard to move through long stacks and quickly make a selection. Bonus: You can listen to your iPod music as you play.

- SUDOKU -

The sudoku craze has subsided, but this iPod game nails almost everything we could want in sudoku. Crisp menus and graphics elegantly present thousands of these number-placement time-killers. Beyond the traditional game, which is available in several difficulty modes, you can manually enter puzzles from a newspaper, book, or magazine. Using the wheel to scroll across the 81 squares can annoy, but this complete puzzler even lets you place possible solutions in a square corners. The game can also solve puzzles for you when you are totally stumped.

- THE SIMS BOWLING -

The Sims tie-in adds little depth to this simple but fun bowling game. Players earn money to buy a few small prizes a Sim might enjoy, but the focus is on bowling. At the lanes, time the center button with a few consecutive swinging meters to take a shot. The right touch sets power, angle, and spin. After a few warm-up rounds, we were hitting strikes fairly often, but not easily enough to bore us. As a quick diversion, the bowling is fun even if you do not care about The Sims.

- THE SIMS POOL -

Loosely tied to The Sims, the game has you create a basic character to play pool. Set up shots in 8-Ball and 9-Ball games by using the scroll wheel to move your cue to different angles. A separate aim gauge adds spin, and you time the power with an on screen meter. The controls work, except we wanted to stroke the cue stick with a back-and-forth wheel gesture. There are a few upgrades to earn and buy for your Sims characters, but the engaging game play will satisfy pool fans.

There are more available games for iPod Touch. All you need to do is choose the game that appeals to you most and install it. With all the available games for iPod Touch, you can be sure that you will never run out of choices.

So, if you are getting a little bored, why not integrate some games in your iPod Touch. That is also one great function of this device because we all know that we have to maximize the features of it. This also connotes that iPod Touch is not only for adults but it can also be for your children.

Peter Ville is an ipod touch enthusiast who always find ways to research about the new upgrades and innovations about ipods. Integrate games for iPod touch with all the available games for iPod Touch, you can be sure that you will never run out of choices.

www.squidoo.com/games-for-ipod-touch

Some Basic Specifics Of Online Computer Games

Among the different accessories that you require to play computer games are a keyboard, mouse and joystick and additional headphones and speakers can be used to max out the experience of playing the games online games. Most significantly you need the latest version of the Windows operating system to install computer games although game developers are trying to run games even on Mac and Linux operation systems. So before installing games on your PC, make sure that your pc fulfills certain requirements to run the games properly.

In addition to it you also need to check out that the hard drive space, operating system, Memory, video card memory, and speed of Internet connection and CPU all allows you to facilitate smooth and hassle-free installation of computer games. Computer game developers are always trying to infuse some new features to make the games more sophisticated that require a faster processor or improved graphics card and lack of which in your older PCs will fail to support the latest computer games.

The networked multiplayer systems through Internet or LAN connections are another most significant addition to the computer games as they are necessary when playing racing games and other real-time strategy games. To offer an exquisite gaming experience, online computer games take the advantage of the Internet. There are four types of online computer games that could be played by browsing window by logging on to a specific website; some are text-based that can be played in web based forum, some even require separate software packages while others can be played with e-mail which were the first stage of the online games revolution.

A high-quality Internet connection and proper hardware support is a must for playing games online. You also require installing software on your computer to run the game and it will be much effectual if you install software that have the potentiality of locating active game servers.

Online computer games have always found to be quite interesting by the Internet users from the day of its application. It helps the gamers to enjoy any kind of games playing from the comfort of their homes. With time to time improvement in graphics and sound and its application online games is ruling the world of entertainment and grounded deeply to stay.

The best thing about online computer games is that players from far-off physical locations can participate in online computer games. This is considered as one of the biggest achievement of online games that has broken the walls of geographical barrier among the players thus tying people from all over the world of different culture into a single thread of Internet connection.

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Video Games for Kids

Many of the most popular video games may be a bad choice for kids. When parents are deciding which video game to buy for their children, make sure to check the rating for the game. There are an incredible amount of choices for parents and kids to choose from when it comes time to buy a game. Unfortunately, many video games out there can be a bad influence for kids who don't understand the images that they are seeing.

While video games can be an excellent outlet for stress for kids and an excellent way to hone their motor skills, there is a real risk that children can get completely addicted to violent games or even the most mundane strategy game. There have been many cases around the world of kids who are unwilling to leave their room for days, who go without food and water in their quest to finish the next stage of the game or defeat their enemy.

When kids lose themselves in video games, that is when parents need to step in and help them modify their habits. Kids playing violent games for hours during the day can often be negatively affected by the images they see. The question is whether parents can help them understand the real consequences of violence in the world. They need to know the difference between the fake world of a video game and the real world. Unfortunately, video games are becoming even more realistic looking and time consuming.

Parents can also rent video games and try them out for themselves before buying them for their kids. This gives parents the chance to decide for themselves which games are bad for their kids. Parents can also play games with their kids. It can be a great way to bond with kids and learn a little more about their world. Children should be limited in the amount of time they can spend on video games. Kids need to get out and enjoy the outside world instead of being locked away inside for hours on end.

There are many excellent video games out there, so why waste your hard-earned money on bad games for your kids. Strategy games, non-violent role playing video games, and sports games are all popular choices for children. Video games can have a very positive effect on children's minds if used properly. Video games help kids work on their motor skills, decision-making skills, and concentration. Many games are also very educational.

One great tool to help you is the ESRB ratings, which are an industry-standard requirement on all video games. They are very similar to movie ratings and easy to learn how to spot and read. EC for Early Childhood or E for Everyone are games that contain no offensive, violent, or sexual content and are generally the best for kids. T for Teen might be a bit more violent, have a heavier or darker plot, or contain some stronger language, but generally in a way that isn't excessive and would be appropriate for most teenagers. M for Mature games should be avoided unless you are aware of and familiar with the game and deem it appropriate for your child, as those are the games that are the "R rated" games of the gaming world and should be treated as such. Any game retail store has signs and brochures with more information, so feel free to ask the clerks for more information. It's becoming increasingly standard, and in some areas the law, that anyone purchasing an M-rated game must show an ID card to prove their age, much like many theaters do for R-rated movies.

If you take the time to discover what is out there in the gaming world, you will be able to help your kids by choosing the right video games for them. Don't miss out on this opportunity to mold your kids' future. Video games are becoming an increasingly important part of the way kids grow up, and parents must take an active role in determining the way kids experience this type of entertainment.

For more on video gaming, visit http://gamer-revolution.net to read about the latest such as X Box System and games or go retro with the Turbo Grafx-16 or read about PC and Nintendo games, and much more!

How to Become a Paid Video Game Tester - A Simple 3 Step Process

If you're a serious gamer and would like to get paid to test video games and to give feedback on a game's overall quality, you may want to continue reading this article. In it, I will give you a simple three step process on how to become a professional video game tester.

First, you have to understand that video game testing is a business. Although the actual testing itself is immense fun, there are many professional aspects involved with game testing. Having said that, the payoff for this type of "professional" work can be very rewarding. As a matter of fact, you can make more than $100 an hour playing video games and giving honest feedback. With that in mind, let's talk about how you can land a job.

Even though game developers need video game testers on a constant basis, they don't advertise it. Truth be told, they really don't have to because the game testers will simply come to them. This saves them a great deal of money on advertising, not to mention time, which would have likely been used to separate the want to-be testers from the actual game testers. With that being said, the first step to becoming one is to contact the companies directly.

Think of video game tester application process like any other job interview. You have to make connections and present your "above average" qualifications to the right people. You have to describe who you are, your expertise in gaming, and why they should consider hiring you over someone else. In other words, you have to clearly show that you are qualified to test video games. Things that may help you land a testing job include: playing many hours each week, owning an assortment of different video game consoles, and, of course, being an expert at games in a variety of different genres. This is how you will make an impression upon the game developing company; by showing them your overwhelming experience when it comes to playing video games.

The second step is to start making contacts with people in the industry. This means other testers, video game programmers and developers, as well as other fields associated with the video game industry. This can enhance your references drastically when you fill out an application to become a video game tester, not to mention the fact that it can open up many more job opportunities for you. After all, what others can say about you is far more convincing than what you may say about yourself; when it comes to landing testing jobs anyways.

Finally, you have to approach video game testing from a business standpoint, not just as a fun, recreational hobby. This means understanding EXACTLY what companies want and need... Video games are tested because developers "need" to find all the bugs and glitches in their game. They are tested because developers "want" to get honest feedback in order to gage the probable level of consumer interest.

So, if you can find video game bugs and supply honest feedback on the video games you play, you might just be what video game companies are looking for. In that case, I'd recommend getting started with a video game tester career immediately!

Sean Saunders Spends Most of His Time Playing Video Games And He Now Has A Very Successful Career as a Professional Video Game Tester. If You Too Would Like To Get Started With Paid Video Game Testing, Visit Gamer-Testing-Ground.com, The Number One Resource For Video Game Testers Everywhere.

The 4 Main Tasks Of A Video Game Tester

When it comes to video or computer game testing, the game testers play a roll that is just as important as the developers and designers. Without anyone experienced to test the new games and find the bugs, games would hit the market and the gamers out there would be upset when certain weapons, tricks, cars, and so on, do not work properly. Without game testers to find the problems in video or computer games before they are released, the gaming industry would be at a serious loss. So, what is it exactly that video or computer game testers actually do? Well, they have a long list of tasks that they do for video and computer game companies, but here are the top 4 main tasks of a video or computer game tester:

1. You will actually play through the entire game and make sure that everything works properly. This means that they have to test out all the weapons, objects, cars, trucks, animals, backgrounds, etc, to make sure that everything works right and that there are no glitches. When you think about all the different components that go into video and computer games, there can be hundreds of thousands of different combinations that have to be tested by a game tester.

2. You also have to test the "limitations" of the game. This means that many of the players who eventually buy the game will try to do things that the game was not really designed to do (such as creating the largest army or getting to an extremely far away point on the map). So, the game tester has to anticipate these things and try out some of the crazy or odd things that other gamers might try to do to be sure that the game can handle the stress or not.

3. You have to make sure that the game can actually be beaten. This means that they have to try to beat the game itself in all the possible ways, since there are all different types of gamers who will try to beat the game in many different ways. Game testers have to anticipate this so there are no glitches or bugs when gamers try that particular path.

4. You will also be responsible for making sure that the game works correctly on the system that it was designed for. Such as in the case of computer games, a game tester has to make sure that the game will work with a large combination of different brands of hardware, video cards, memory, and so forth.

There are many different aspects of a game tester's job, but these are the four main areas that a game tester has to be great at. Without these four basic areas to a game tester's job, most of the video or computer games on the market would not work right.

If you are thinking about getting into the video or computer game testing market, then there are many other things that you need to learn about becoming a video game tester. Do not be fooled by some of the so-called "guides" that are online today that promise you can get a job making $100,000 a year in just a week after reading their guide. This does not happen. But, if you are willing to learn and try hard, then head over to http://www.becomeagametester.com and read the guide that will really help you become a legitimate game tester and make real money doing it.

MD Weems has been a professional writer for over a decade and is an avid MMO gamer. She also runs the MMORPG/MMO gaming web site, Zownder.com, and is the head of an elite MMO gaming team. She has several MMORPG gaming guides to her credit and is constantly writing articles and information about all types of MMORPG and MMO games.

The Rising Mobile Gaming Fever

When you have a lot of time to kill or you are waiting in a long queue or you need a break from the work, the best option is to play a nice entertaining game on your mobile. These days, you'll find more adults than teens interacting with mobile games. Consumers between the ages of 25 and 34 not only download more games than any other age group, but also play and purchase them more. Female gamers are also starting to become a part of the mobile gaming community.

Mobile gaming is so popular that people have actually become addicted to them. One of the primary reasons why mobile games are in high demand is the casual, comfortable and interactive gaming engagement they provide. The gaming industry is constantly working on creating innovative games with intricate and enhanced gaming features. They are constantly struggling to make this addiction a complete burning passion for people.

There are variety of mobile games found in different categories of racing games, puzzle/logic/skill games, action games, arcade games, role playing games, card and casino games, adventure games, strategy games and lifestyle games. To match different people's needs, developers design single player or multi player games based on various technologies that include (eg. Embedded games, SMS/MMS games, browsing games, J2ME games, BREW games and native OS games.

One major problem faced by the publishers and developers of mobile game is describing a game in such a way that it attracts the customer to make the purchasing decision. They are mainly sold through network carriers / operator's portal/ distributors by attracting user by their text descriptions and appealing screenshots. There are some well known and established play patterns that decrease the perceived level of risk for the buyer which includes (game play mechanics that are instantly recognizable) such as Tetris, Space Invaders or Poker.

On the other hand, platforms and technologies for mobile gaming have significantly improved. The available memory size, processor capacity, display size and resolution on mobile phones have all improved with time thus enhancing the overall gaming experience for the user. Nowadays users find latest interesting java games already fitted in mobile phones at the time of manufacturing. Many websites provide mobile games along with their free/trial options, allowing end users to play it for some time and if they like it they easily can purchase it. Apart from these mobile games can be also downloaded by using infrared and Bluetooth.

Juniper Research indicates that end user generated revenues for both one-time downloads and subscription/rentals of mobile games give a substantial market of $5bn in 2007 and it is expected to grow nearly to $16bn by the end of 2012 . Mobile gaming industry is not only creating numerous opportunities for game publishers and game developers but also opening new doors of great entertainment for users.

Sarah Shaukat is a technical writer who has written extensively on mobile phone applications, softwares and games. Most of her writings are on Latest Java Games [http://dogandbonegames.com/portalconsumerhomecb?portalID=146] and Entertainement Software

Big Fish Games Blog update

We are pleased to announce an update to our blog and the walkthroughs! As you have probably already noticed, we recently launched a completely redesigned blog, with a new header section, navigation and walkthrough. The new update will help surface content editorial, while also making easier to find and navigate the game walkthroughs. I walk you through some of the new features, you will find on the blog.

Has a cleaner, more design blog content area and navigational elements.

We have made finding content on the blog much easier by adding a search function.

We have easier we find on Facebook and Twitter.

We put together all the proceedings through an easy place. You can find it by clicking on walkthrough in the navigation menu.

In addition, you will find a search engine and a navigation system z to navigate quickly to the right procedure step by step.

Find objects small images can be difficult, we have increased the width of the images we can publish in the walkthroughs. This means procedures step can have larger, more detailed images.

Thank you for reading and please send along your comments via the forums, so we can keep making it better.

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100th single iOS title free game Giveaway

We celebrate our 100th title single iOS with free to win game!

Less than two short weeks, with the release of Mystic Diary: Haunted Island HD our beloved catalogue iOS reached a milestone important – 100 unique titles for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch! We are so excited that we give free distance games!

A lucky winner will be randomly selected to receive the full catalogue of games available to pay to download published by Big Fish Games for iPad, iPhone and iPod touch. The best part is that this lucky winner will get all these games absolutely free.

Great question. There are two ways to win this fabulous prize:

** Become a subscriber to the splash newsletter and be automatically registered to win! To do this, simply click here, select the checkbox for splash! near the bottom of the page, then click on "sign me up!" Bonus: by signing you will also be among the first to know all our wonderful news and special offers!

(If you are already a subscriber to newsletter March 12 active splash, then good news!) (You are already registered to win.)

** Or by e-mail. Send an email to sweepstakes@bigfishgames.com and include the message "I want free games to celebrate the 100th title of iOS unique Big Fish!"

Do not delay, register now! This gift ends at 11: 59 PST on March 26, 2012.

For the full audit of the rules and regulations our article helps here.

View the original article here

Freeware Games - The World Of Action And Adventure

It is inevitable that by using the World Wide Web you will come across the term 'freeware games'. Any games on the Internet that are interactive and animated require either the use of "Java" or "Flash" applications or some other kind of similar tools. These tools that make online gaming possible are called freeware. Online games are just one source of freeware found on the Internet. There is a huge collection of other applications that are considered freeware as well.

With computers becoming so very popular around the world, computer games have become quite the rage. Billions of people in all age ranges have been attracted to the land of online games. Older people and children alike just love online games. This may be the reason that gaming companies put out one product right after the other in international markets.

Like other video games, online games have also become more realistic due to rapid improvements in gaming technology. Computer games now offer graphics and effects that will leave you speechless. However, not everyone can afford the expense of purchasing the latest computer game. Freeware games offer a great alternative, providing the same great quality as commercial games at almost no cost.

Freeware games are developed by global gaming companies to allow potential customers to try out their products and see how they like them. Promotion of organizations by offering freeware is a popular advertising technique. Contrary to rumor, these games and freeware applications, under normal circumstances, do not host 'viruses'.

There are innumerable online games which you can play. Action packed games is for those who have that "never say die" attitude. There are hundreds of freeware games which would keep you on the edge. For those who want to gamble a little, casino games serve as the perfect games.

There are so many kinds of games available online. For example, you could play sports games, like soccer, or opt for strategy games. Also, online army games are more popular nowadays than they have been. Many of these games are available free of charge, so you can get your video game fix without spending a dime. With the Internet, you can go online and play games now.

The Internet is a huge collection of freeware games, information and applications. Thanks to the ever growing popularity of freeware applications and games, now even a ten year old kid can say a word or two about freeware. There are games that can be played by using new strategies to win at different virtual sports, such as soccer, with the help of a computer. At present, online army games are becoming a very popular way to introduce young children to the idea of military service. The Internet helps people play interesting online games without spending any money. There is no need to wait, anyone can play games now!

X Box System Video Games

With the arrival of the next generation of X-box video games, the system for buying games has changed forever. Before the world of interactive online video game consoles, buyers had to go down to the local toy store to find the newest game. It was impossible to add updates to the games, and players were unable to try out a sample of the game they were thinking of buying. However, today, video game consoles such as the X-box are increasingly interactive, making it possible to surf the web, watch movies, listen to music, and play games on what is essentially a computer.

Users can now download as many video games as they want from websites that bring together X-box 360 users from around the world. These games are available for players to try a sample before deciding on whether or not they're going to buy the full version. Players can enjoy games at a lower cost, as the video game companies don't have to worry about transportation costs or the middle man anymore. Players will be able to enjoy endless options for their high tech video game consoles.

Users can also download the latest movies, music, and other programs for their X-box. This new system is one of the most innovative ways to play video games. Many video game consoles can simply store the information on a hard disk. This means the end of using CDs and DVDs that can be damaged by wear and tear after just a couple of months of use.

Many X-box games are now released in stages, with users downloading the newest chapter or episode as they come out. This is one of the most innovative new developments in the world of video games. Instead of releasing an entire game at once, video game developers can release a game in episodes and offer players a much more interactive game playing experience.

One of the most popular ways to enjoy the X-box 360 is through interactive online gameplay. Download the latest video games and go online to play with friends from around the world. Players who at one time became bored with their games because they were able to beat every level of the computer can now test their skills against the best from around the world. Imagine playing a game of football with an opponent led by a coach like you, who uses a strategy that is difficult to predict. No more patterns to get a touchdown every time.

Game play will never be the same. Users who can now enjoy the latest video game by simply downloading it in the comfort of their own home can now play people from around the world. Enjoy the world of online video games with your X-box console today.

For more on video gaming, visit http://gamer-revolution.net to read about Turbo Grafx-16 Games if retro is more your style or the latest online Pokemon games to PC and Nintendo games, and much more!