Tag: FLASH GAMES

Forget last year's obsession with using spasmodic flailing as a way to control video games. It's far more interesting for developers to subvert the classic D-pad and buttons that we've been tapping away at for years. The one-button game perfectly realizes this by forcing both developers and players to think laterally without resorting to fancy new technology. Play 'Canabalt,' and then check out ...

Forget last year's obsession with spasmodic flailings as a way to control video games. It's far more interesting for developers to subvert the classic D-pad and buttons that we've been tapping away at for years. The one-button game perfectly realizes this by forcing both developers and players to think laterally without resorting to fancy new technology. Play 'Canabalt,' and then check out our ...

What makes a game a game? Must it follow the goal-oriented tropes of interactive entertainment? What if there were no goals? How far can we stretch the limits of what a game is before it simply becomes an aesthetic experience? This week, we take a look at some games that -- by lacking key "game" elements like winning, killing or completing -- question not only how we play, but also what we ...

Call us Halloween enthusiasts, but we have some tricks and treats in store for you. In case you don't know, we scour the depths of the Internet for the coolest, most addicting and least productivity-friendly Flash games for you to play each week, featuring one every Monday-Friday. But this week -- in honor of the scariest and most gruesome time in the year -- we combined our love of October 31st ...

Tommy Wiseau beguiled millions of film fanatics with his astronomically high-budget (and personally funded) 2003 independent movie 'The Room.' Legions of fans maintain a passionate devotion to the film, which has forged an indelible role as a modern cult classic because of its (supposedly intentional) abhorrent acting and elementary script. While rowdy revelers already enjoy interactive ...

It may not be Halloween yet, but that doesn't mean we can't spend some time haunting and hunting amongst the monsters and the freaks. This week, we'll find out why sandworms are the new zombies (and why zombies aren't quite played out yet), we'll try to survive on desert islands (without the aid of any soccer ball companions), we'll turn slack-jawed yokels into canned food, and we'll delve into ...

Our favorite online games are the simple ones with a high-replay value (e.g., 'Canabalt'). It doesn't hurt if they're free, either. The latest title to drag down our productivity is a 2-D side-scroller called 'Solipskier' that asks gamers to guide a stick-figure skier down the slopes -- while drawing those said slopes. Like we said, it isn't a complex game, with the simple objective to navigate ...

Here's a cute little timewaster for Gmail fans: 'Galactic Inbox.' The premise is simple: You control a mighty winged Gmail envelope tasked with disposing an onslaught of baddies, including cans of what we presume are a major brand of luncheon meat. You blast your way until you meet the boss, a birdcage with spiked balls for arms holding other Gmail envelopes hostage. Your goal, obviously, is to ...

The fantasy genre has always held particular sway over various corners of geek culture. (In fact, some might say that J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy gave birth to what we consider fandom today.) Ancient lands populated by fearsome beasts, wizards, warriors and mystical objects have provided fertile landscapes of escapism for countless books, movies, and, of course, video games. ...

To most people, the Israeli blockade of ships entering Gaza doesn't exactly sound like game material. But one Israel-based, non-profit organization has seized upon the ongoing crisis to create an online game in the hopes of highlighting what they perceive as misguided Israeli policy. The game, called 'Safe Passage,' was created by Gisha: Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, a multi-religious ...

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 ...

Indie game designers are a dark bunch. Trapped in a world where most consumers want Sonic and Mario, Snake and Katamari, they are faced with thankless, unpopular and unpaid work. On top of that, they deliver their content for free. So its no wonder that the games they produce are often in macabre worlds, set amongst winding, puzzling environments, faced with insurmountable challenges. The ...

There's something about the allure of the pixel that we just can't ignore. Maybe it's because we grew up in the 8-bit era, but pixelated graphics have always held a certain nostalgic charm for us. In fact, we think that just about everything is a little bit better when rendered in blocky glory. This week, we present a fresh batch of games that fills anyone's hunger for modern gameplay and old ...

Share If you're still blaming 'Duck Hunt' for the fact that your kid grew up to be a serial killer, wait till you get a load of the bloodthirsty games Nickelodeon is now marketing to today's generation of miscreants. The Boston-based Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood has awarded Nickelodeon's AddictingGames.com with the dubious title of 'worst toy of the year,' after tallying nearly 5,000 ...

You might remember that a few months ago we wrote about a phenomenal little time waster called 'Canabalt' that sported the most basic controls we'd seen in a game since 'Dragon's Lair.' The title has you running across roof tops and smashing through windows to escape what appears to be an alien invasion. Your only control? Jump. You can't control your movement forward. You can't slow down. You ...