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Games on the Go: From Death Traps to Werewolves

by Ben Deitz on June 11, 2010 at 02:05 PM

Games on the Go
This week, we take a look at games that are gross yet engrossing: pluralistic platforming with buggy avatars, puerile polygonal kart racing, pixelated depictions of lycanthropic child murder, death traps that slice-and-dice and, worst of all, environmental disasters. Our goal is to help you do as little work at the office as possible, and maybe even disturb you a little in the process. Life's too short to waste on spreadsheets, so spend it on these bona fide, tested, and Switched-approved time wasters instead.

If you, or someone you know, likes wasting our time by creating or being an expert on indie flash games, please email Ben at BenD@switched.com to submit your title.

'Hello Worlds!'

Hello Worlds! screenshot
Imagine playing a chess exhibition, wherein each game hinges on the outcome of the other, and you begin to grasp the multi-dimensional gimmick of 'Hello Worlds!' The gameplay can be be broken down thusly: Players simultaneously control up to four different avatars on up to four different screens or dimensions, their actions on one screen affecting what happens on all the others. Jump on a platform in one dimension, and your character will hover in the air in another. Players must use this dynamic to successfully navigate myriad platforming challenges. Despite the complexity, it all adds up to a rewarding experience.

'Cream Wolf'

'Cream Wolf' screenshot
'Cream Wolf' is a surrealistically terrifying, nightmarish journey into the mind of a werewolf -- a werewolf who is also an ice-cream man. Players use their keyboard to control said ice-cream man(iac) as he drives through a pixelated suburban landscape, feeding children while avoiding other drivers (who'll bust you for the hungry wolf you are). The blippy music is only to be expected from Adult Swim, and is the best part of the game (which is actually many mini-games). As you go about your benevolent business, a timer slowly ticks down to zero. When it does, the sun sets, and you must lure your newly fattened children back to your home, transform into a howling creature of the night, and eat them all.

'Skid Mk'

'Skid Mk' screenshot
The first thing we noticed when playing 'Skid Mk' was its remarkably advanced 3-D graphics. The second thing, of course, was the game's absurdly scatological sense of humor. (Considering its title, we should have noticed this first.) The game's impressive 3-D visuals are wrapped around a fairly rote (but highly fecal-focused) kart racing game (like Mario Kart with fart jokes), featuring all the fun tropes of the genre (e.g., power sliding and power ups). The game's technical refinement and generally solid gameplay are enough to make up for the slightly sludgy (get it?) controls, while a vast amount of unlockable content acts as incentive to keep playing.

'Exit Path'

'Exit Path' Screenshot
'Exit Path' is all about timing, speed, and not getting chopped to bits. You control a stick figure man as he races through a series of dastardly traps and dangerous leaps in an attempt to escape from a futuristic, televised sporting arena. It can take some time to get used to the loose control scheme, but thankfully there's an automatic "instant rewind" feature that takes you right back to the most recent checkpoint once you've been hacked to pieces. This game was practically designed for perfecting speed-runs, and provides a variety of collectibles and unlockables to make repeat play-throughs even more rewarding. The aesthetic and stark graphics are very sharp, making the game a 'Running Man' for the 21st century.

'Save Kaleidoscope Reef'

'Save Kaleidoscope Reef' screenshot
'Save Kaleidoscope Reef' has a sad timeliness to it, as players attempt to repopulate a reef after its destruction by a toxic sludge-spewing shipwreck. The simplistic gameplay involves planting and feeding spores to grow various kinds of sea life. (It took us ages to figure out that the spores were color-coded, by the way.) The pace may be slow, but it's satisfying to see the multi-colored result of your handiwork and the funny, refreshing fish. In our hearts, we just wish it could be as easy as this to clean up real-life ecological disasters.

Tags: CreamWolf, ExitPath, flash, flash games, flashgames, gamesonthego, SaveKaleidoscopeReef, SkidMk, timewasters, top, video games, videogames, web

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