So far I've covered useful, productive, time and moneysaving free software. Now I'm going to blow it all up with a bunch of FREE GAMES. So beware, if you can't afford to get involved with these addictive time-gobblers, I'm not entirely kidding when I say it's best you play it safe and read no further.

Well, I did warn you. For those still reading, it's great to have you on board, let's have some fun!

First up, Scrabble. Well, technically Scrabble is trademarked by Hasbro, so this gem is actually called WordBiz. But you know the saying, if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck... The cool thing about WordBiz is that, after downloading the software, you register a username/password on the website, and then you connect online to a server and take on other players. That's what makes it so much fun - playing against real people!

Winning games increases your overall rank, and you can choose to play rated or non-rated games, so it's as casual or as competitive as you like. WordBiz requires that you install Microsoft Java Virtual Machine, which is no longer officially supported by Microsoft as of January '08, but you can find a link and instructions on installing
it on the WordBiz website. Go to www.isc.ro/en for all the info (they even refer to themselves as the "Internet Scrabble Club"). (Oooh! That .ro domain would have worried me if you hadn't recommended it Ryan. -Ed)

From the casual, to something more involved, next is a game that can eat up a LOT of your time. RuneScape is a Java-based MMORPG (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). There are so many aspects to this game (characters, skills, quests, combat and so on) that I could write an entire article on it and only scratch the surface.
RuneScape recently underwent its second major graphical overhaul in July. Another neat fact, you can play the game entirely in a browser window (running Java). If you'd like to dip your toes into the MMORPG water, or dive head first into the deep end, RuneScape is a great (and free) place to start. Go to www.runescape.com to start your adventure.

Flash

Adobe Flash revolutionised the games found on the internet. If I were to list all the Flash-based sites/ games worth checking out, we'd end up with a novel, not an article. Here's just a smattering of different games for different types of gamers.

Casual Gamers PopCap games at www.popcapgames.com is the way to go. You can choose to play online, or download, a bunch of freebies, including uber-popular picks such as Bejeweled and Bookworm. (Be ready to see the odd advertisement, as these are ad-supported, but you'll be so busy playing you'll hardly notice.)

Action Gamers For those who've heard of the game "Portal" on the Xbox 360 (or even those who haven't), here's an amazing pick; - "Portal: The Flash Version". This is a 2D, fan-created Flash game that wholeheartedly borrows from (and sometimes adds/ improves on) the concepts found in the 3D Xbox 360 game. Portal is essentially an action-puzzle game, where the player must move across levels by teleporting in and out of portals that s/he controls. The game uses physics and logic to create a fun, rewarding, action-packed experience. Please forgive my lame explanation, it truly doesn't do the game justice. Check it out for yourself at portal:  http://wecreatestuff.com/portal/ 

These next two games will get you hooked. I'm serious.You may start playing, only to look up at the clock and realise that several hours have passed, but you still want "one more level". Desktop Tower Defense ( http://handdrawngames.com/DesktopTD/game.asp ) and Flash Circle TD (just Google "Flash Circle TD" and select the top hit) utilize the very simple concept of letting you place various types of towers on the battlefield that shoot at various types of enemies (enemies that are trying to storm past you). The remaining details can be figured out by merely playing these fun and very addicting games.

Well, until next time...

(If you try any of the above games, I have a feeling this month is just going to fly by!)

Note: Ryan Yewell © Permission to copy or quote extracts from this article may only be done with the written permission of the author.

Reprinted from the October 2008 issue of PC Update, the magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia

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