Happy New Year

Just wanted to take a moment to wish everyone a happy and healthy 2008, and to remind everyone to please ring it in safely.

Featured Game: Seed

Ok, so it's more a toy than a game because there's no actual goal other than just having fun with it, but still. Seed is well worth a play, (or five) but be careful because finding that perfect mutation can be elusive and time-consuming! The whole idea is to grow flowers. You start with a simple alpine lily and germinate it either alone in hopes of fun mutations, or by introducing other flowers into the mix. You can come up with some pretty wild-looking flowers this way!

Featured Game: Ladybird Logic Game

Test your logic skills in this addictive puzzler. Ladybird Logic Game is a simple enough premise. You have to place all of the tiles on the board so that each of the numbers on the tiles matches the number on its adjacent tile. It may sound easy, but it can be quite tricky! Each time you solve a puzzle, the ladybug will move up the post a little. Once you solve enough puzzles for her to reach the top, her firefly friend will shower you with stars! Can you make it all the way to the top of the pole?

Featured Game: Splash Back

Splash Back is a fun little puzzle game that is a lot more challenging than it appears. You start out with a board filled with little globs of green goo, and 10 drops of green goo in your tank. Adding a drop of goo to an almost full blob will cause it to burst and send drops flying out toward other blobs around it. The catch is, you will not be given more drops, unless you earn them: one for every combo of three blobs burst with a single drop, and one for every level cleared. How long can you make your 10 drops last?

Christmas Break

Bun-Girl's Featured Games is on a one week hiatus through Christmas. I'm just having some trouble finding time to post! So, have a look at the archives. There are plenty of great games in there, just waiting to be played.

In the meantime,

Bon Voyage

Bon Voyage is a point and click puzzle game. You were supposed to meet someone, but you get to the meeting place and find him to be missing. Use your sleuthing skills and a bit of luck to escape to the island and find out what happened to your friend.

Snow Drift

The platformer Snow Drift is a great little game with a lot of heart. You play as a Yeti who must run, jump and slide it's way through level after level, knocking down penguins and bowling over enemies as you go.

Featured Game: Vector TD

Vector TD may not have flashy graphics like some of the Tower Defense games out there, but it more than makes up for it with it's playability. Start out by picking your map, then build towers and defend against the oncoming attackers. Spend cash to build and upgrade towers, but you'll also get bonus points that can be used to build modifiers.

PLANned

PLANned is another of those games that come to us via JayIsGames' Casual Gameplay Design Competitions. This one is from Competition #2, with a theme of "Grow". You start out with a number of squares positioned on a grid. Each time you click on a square it will grow. When two squares touch each others' corners, they are frozen and can no longer be manipulated. You can't click on the same square twice in a row. Within the parameters of these rules, you must form a chain that connects to all of the squares together. Sounds easy? Just try a few levels.

Ball Physics

Ok, the name kinda sucks. I'll be the first to admit that. But Ball Physics is actually a pretty good little game. There are two types of balls on the board. The camouflage ones are your troops. Soldiers, tanks, hunters, sirens and ice cream trucks. (That last one is a decoy, but it's pretty effective!) The black ones are bombs. You have to destroy the bombs before they explode, all the while working around a series of traps and obstacles, in order to save the world from the dreaded Dr. Destructo and his diabolical plans.

Featured Game: Cirplosion

At first, Cirplosion looks like another boomshine take off, but it isn't. There is no option for chain reactions for one thing. Click your mouse once and hold the button down until your circle is as big as you can get it without touching either the floating dots or the edges of the board. Then release the button and move your circle on top of as many of the dots as you can. Click again to remove any dots you're covering from the board. In some levels you may get only one shot to remove them all. In others, you can use multiple cirplosions. The clock is always ticking though, and there's never as much time on it as you'd like.

Featured Game: Mercury Drops

Today's game is Mercury Drops, another of those food chain games that I love so much. In the game, you're a drop of mercury trying to absorb other drops without being absorbed by bigger drops. The unique aspect here is that all of the other drops on the board have the same goal, so they're also absorbing and growing. And as you get into the harder levels, some of them start out bigger than you, so watch out!

Featured Games:

Somehow, I seem to have missed posting yesterday. See what happens when I give myself the weekends off? So, since there was no game for Wednesday, there will be two for Thursday.

The first is Excit. It's a game that I'm sure you've played before, just not quite like this. The object is to move your cursor to the exit. Use the arrow keys to move in any direction, but you won't stop unless you hit something. Work your way from block to block until that big green sign is in view, and then go for it. Oh, and the entire thing is played on a spreadsheet...

Game #2 is a classic. Gold Miner was popular enough that it spawned a sequal (or two). Press the down arrow key to send your claw searching for loot. Be careful what you pick up though, heavy objects take longer to reel in than light ones and rocks really aren't worth much. Each level has a goal, and your money earned carries over to the next level. Once you complete a level, you are sent to the bonus shop where you can purchase supplies to help you on your way, but if you spend too much there, you may find yourself in trouble in the next level.

Featured Game: World of Solitaire

Solitaire games are a dime a dozen on the net, so I seldom pay them much attention. World of Solitaire is a little different though. They've set out to make the ultimate solitaire website, and I think they're well on their way there. There are plenty of games to choose from, from classics like Klondike and Spider, all the way through several I had never played before. You can customize your game too. Pick from several themed decks, and choose a background or use one from anywhere on the web. Decide if you want the computer to help you play, if you want the cards to be a little larger, or if you want your game to be timed or scored. Even for those who long ago got bored with playing solitaire on the computer, this site is worth a look!

Featured Game: ARC

ARC is a chain reaction type game, in which you have to rotate stars in their orbits to hit other stars. When two stars hit, they send trails around their respective orbits, which in turn explode any other stars they contact. See how long you can make the chain go on!

Featured Game: Mr. Mothball

From the Casual Gameplay Design Competition at Jay is Games comes Mr. Mothball, a scroll-free platformer where you play as -- yep you guessed it -- a mothball. That aside, the game is rather pretty in a dingy, unique kinda way. The controls are simple: arrow keys to move and jump. The objective is easy: collect all of the coins and move to the next level. So what are you waiting for? Go give it a try!

Featured Game: Picross

Picross is a game where you have to fill in a picture on a grid. Do this by using basic logic skills to fill in the blocks on the grid. Each column or row tells you how many black blocks there are, and how they are grouped. From this information, you must determine which are black and which are white. Clicking a block once will turn it black, click again to put in a placeholder if you're sure the block should be white. I recommend turning fade on, so you can see which rows are already complete.

Oh, and this is also apparently playable on a Wii. (which I still don't have and can't test)

Featured Game: Circle Chain

Circle Chain is a bit like BoomShine, but with some additional features. Place your circle anywhere on the board and click to explode it. It will shoot out four smaller circles, which will in turn explode anything they hit. There are three types of circles on the board: green (explodes horizontally and vertically), blue (must not explode) and yellow (explodes diagonally). Your object is to explode a certain number of circles per level, without ever touching the blue ones. It's harder than it looks!

featured game: infect.evolve.repeat.

In infect.evolve.repeat, all you have to do is infect a certain number of blood cells each level. Do this by dragging your virus onto healthy red cells, but avoid the white blood cells and don't let yourself be swept off the screen. After each level, you'll be given the chance to upgrade various aspects of your virus, making it a more powerful germ over time.

Featured Games: Blox Forever

In Blox Forever, the object is to get rid of all the blox. You can move blox left or right, but gravity always pulls them downward. Blox are removed by matching them with other blox of the same color. In some levels, matching pairs will do, but as the levels progress you may find yourself with odd-numbered sets of blox. Elevators, traps and slugs make the game play more interesting. Can you remove all of the blox?

Featured Game: Warbears

The first in a series, Warbears is a fun little action puzzler. You've been called in to stop a bank robbery in progress. Lead your team of four warbears, each with their own specializations and talents, to rescue the hostages and thwart the bad guys. But be careful. Each action can either help or harm your mission, depending on the order in which they're performed.

Featured Game: Chain Facor

At first glance, Chain Factor looks like a game that requires a lot of math skills. Rest assured, it isn't. The object is to clear discs off the play grid. You clear a disc by placing it in a row or column that is the same size as the number on the disc. Of course, not all discs will have numbers on them... To clear unnumbered discs, you must first break them by clearing discs next to them twice. Warning: this game is HIGHLY ADDICTIVE. I will not be held responsible for anything you miss out on because you can't step away from the computer.

Featured Game: Flash Circle TD

On the surface, Flash Circle TD looks like any other tower defense game. Build towers, upgrade them, defend against incoming creeps, same old same old, right? Of course, this one has a bit of a twist to it. Rather than entering the screen and traveling toward a specific point where it will attack you, taking one of your lives, these creeps just hang around. That is, move around, but never leave. So rather than having a set number of lives to lose, you have a set maximum number (100) of creeps that can be on the playing field at any time. While that may seem like a small difference, it does change the strategy of the game, just a bit. Enjoy!

Featured Game: Turkey To Go

Since it's Thanksgiving and all, I figured I'd go with a holiday-themed game today. Turkey To Go is a simple but amusing game. Guide your turkey across the table cloth in an attempt to regain all of his feathers. Collect bonus corn, but avoid the forks and watch out because the clock is ticking. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Featured Game: Mass Attack

Mass Attack is a simple, straightforward game, that may take a while to master. You're presented with a balance scale, one side of which is already weighted down. You have to bring the scales into balance by adding up to three weights. To add a weight, click your mouse button and hold it down until the weight reaches what you believe to be the correct size. As soon as you release the button, the weight will drop and the scales will adjust accordingly. In the first level, you'll have a margin of error of five, but that will decrease with each subsequent level. See if you can master the scales!

Featured Game: Defender

Defender is kind of like a tower defense game, except that your towers are characters. Place mages, villagers and other characters on the paved areas. Click on grassy areas to pave them (for a price). And be sure to level up your characters when they begin to glow.

Featured Game: Flow

Flow is a food chain type game, but it's not your typical anything. The controls are about as simple as it gets. Use your mouse to move, left click to speed up. On each level there is a little orb with a red center and one with a blue center. Eat the red orb to dive deeper (next level) or the blue one to head back toward the surface (previous level). Meanwhile, gobble up all of the other critters on each level to make yourself bigger and tougher, but watch out because there are some out there who will try to munch on you as you munch on them!

Blade of Innocence

Blade of Innocence is a postage-stamp (as in really little) version of a real time strategy game. You have a tiny little city (top left) from which to make improvements and train troops, and the computer has same (bottom right) for use in attacking you. Balance economy, defense and military recruitment to take down the enemy castle before he takes you down.

Featured Game: Trivial Blitz

While Trivial Blitz may look a whole lot like Jeopardy, its play-style is quite a bit different. Each round, you are given one category and sixteen answers. Some of the answers will fit the category, and some won't. Each correct answer you pick will have a higher score than the previous one, but one wrong answer will wipe out your score for the round and move you to the next one.

Featured Game: Gem Tower Defense

Gem Tower Defense is not your typical TD game. There are a few twists to work around here:

• You can't pick what type of tower you want to build. You place five randomly selected towers per turn, and then choose one of them to remain, while the rest just turn to wall pieces.
• Towers level themselves up, according to how many kills they have.
  
• You can combine certain stones to create special towers with enhanced abilities which can be upgraded.
• Enemies have to hit certain pre-designated points to continue through the maze. You can't build on top of these points, and you can't completely wall them in.
  

There are a few other atypical features, but I'll let you find those yourself... ;)

Featued Game: The Battle

Fire rockets from your home base. Send out troops. Acquire oil wells. Man turrets. Upgrade your technology. Defeat the enemy. What are you waiting for? Go start The Battle!

Featured Game: Shield Defense

Betcha thought I forgot, didn't you? Well, this featured game may be a bit late, but it's a good one none the less. In Shield Defense, you are being attacked by several types of tanks who circle your base, firing at you. You have no weapons, but you do have a shield that will bounce ammo away. Redirect shots back toward your attackers to earn upgrades (like sticky shield) and bonuses, but don't let too many hits get through!

Featured Game: Grow Cube

If you haven't tried the Grow series of games, you're certainly in for a treat. The concept is simple. In Grow Cube, you start with a large cube and you add elements to it, one at a time. The elements (water, people, flowers) interact with one another to grow and change the cube. If you add them in the right sequence, you win. If you add them in the wrong sequence, it's still fun to see what they do!

Featured Game: Tactical Assassin

In Tactical Assassin, you are a sniper charged with assassinating the bad guys. At the beginning of each level, you are given a briefing. Learn how to identify your target, what secondary objectives you have (if any) and what constitutes failure. Then use your scope to locate and pick off the stickman in question.

Featured Game: Factory Balls

In Factory Balls your goal is to create balls that match the label on their shipping box. Use paint cups, inflation pumps and all kinds of other gadgets to accomplish your task. Be careful not to waste too many balls though, or you will find you don't have enough to complete the last level!

Papa's Pizzeria

Make the perfect pizza, every time, in Papa's Pizzeria. You've been left in charge (because Papa Louie is otherwise occupied) so you get to run the pizzeria all by yourself. Take the customers' orders in a timely manner, arrange the toppings just so, bake the pizza to the perfect temperature, slice and serve, all while juggling multiple orders coming in faster than you can get them out! Better pizzas bring in better tips, which will help you advance through the levels. Good luck!

Featured Game: ZetaFlow

ZetaFlow is a new take on an old classic. Fly your spacecraft, dodging shots, missiles and lasers and shoot up the bad guy till he explodes. Simple. Of course the real fun begins when you defeat all of the publishers' levels and get to the part where you can build your own or play levels created by other players.

Featured Game: Pointer

Pointer is a game with a very simple concept: move your mouse from start (S) to end (E) without touching anything. Sounds easy enough, right? It is, to start. But the mazesget more complex as you go and there are plenty of moving walls involved, so perfect timing becomes as essential as having a steady hand. Oh, it's also WiiPlayable, in case you have a Wii. Which I don't. So I haven't tried it that way.

Featured Game: Escape the Phone Booth

Third in the Escape series, Escape the Phone Booth is a logic puzzler that will really make you think. Click on everything (and I do mean everything), use all of the resources at your disposal (what few you have), and you just might find a way out. Or, you can always click the link to the walkthrough if you get too frustrated trying to figure it out for yourself.

Featured Game: Deflector

In Deflector you must protect your planet from invasion. Use your mouse to draw energy shields and block shots taken at you. Bounce those shots back and hit your enemies to destroy them. Some enemies will leave behind a power-up to help you in your quest, but you must collect it by hitting it with a deflected shot. Be careful not to take too much damage or it's game over!

Featured Game: Day of the Bobteds

Day of the Bobteds is a puzzle game in which your goal is to collect all of the targets. You collect targets by hitting them with a ball. The catch: in most levels, you only get to drop one ball, one time, and once it's dropped you can't manipulate it in any way.

Featured Game: Crickler

Crickler is a crossword puzzle without the framework. Every day a few new puzzles are posted, most ripped from world news headlines. Just fill in the blanks with the appropriate words and you win. If you're stumped on an answer, in typical crossword fashion, solving other clues will provide some of the letters. And you might just learn a thing or two as you play! Unfortunately, the layout for this one is less than ideal, but hit F12 a few times to find a format that works for you. If you have a wide screen (like I do) you may want to resize your browser window to bring the text back into a decent size.

Featured Game: Tactics 100 Live

Tactics 100 Live is a Turn-Based strategy game in which you lead a small army into battle against other armies. Choose warriors, archers, mages and healers and upgrade them to the level you see fit. You only have 100 upgrade points to spend, so choose wisely. Once your army is assembled, see how your choices and your strategies fare against the computer or against other players' armies.

Featured Game: Swords and Sandals II

Welcome to my second official post of NaBloPoMo 2007! Yeah, I should have announced this yesterday, but I didn't. So I'm announcing it today. NaBloPoMo is a takeoff of NaNoWriMo, in which you commit to writing at least one blog post a day for the entire month of November. I already post games five days a week here, so this means that I will now be adding two games per week for the next month. Think you can keep up? Go sign up! It's not too late!

On to the game! Today's feature is called Swords and Sandals. It's a gladiator roleplaying game in which you create, design, equip and train a gladiator, then take him into battle and show off what he can do. Every time you win a duel or tournament you gain more gold to spend on weapons, armor and the like. As you level up you'll also gain special abilities like Win the Crowd or Psyche Up. And after each tournament you win, your gladiator is saved for future battles.

Featured Game: Look 'n Cook

Look 'n Cook is a very simple game, but one that takes a certain amount of caress to master. The object is to cook meals to match the customer's preference. Sounds like another of those Diner Dash type games? It's not. The meal consists of a single item and all you have to do is cook it until both sides reach the color that the customer has requested. The trick? You can't actually see the side that is cooking, and once you flip it you can't go back and cook that side more. So you have to time your flips perfectly, something that takes a bit of practice to manage, and hope for the best!

Side note: I'm betting the compact size of this game makes it playable on mobile phones, but I can't say for sure because I don't use my phone to play games. (That's what laptops are for...) So, I'm going to categorize this one as a mobile game (as well as browser). If anyone tries it and finds that I'm wrong on this point, just leave a comment stating so and I will remove the mobile designation.

Featured Game: Spot the Differences

Spot the Differences games are a dime a dozen, but this one has a graphical design that far surpasses most. Scan the surreal landscapes for differences without being distracted by the flickering and changing animations.

Update: It looks like that link no longer works. Thanks to Katie for pointing it out! Fortunately, the game is still available through CrazyGames and Kongregate.

Featured Game: Peekaboom

Peekaboom is a little like Pictionary, but the pictures are already drawn for you. You and a random partner take turns revealing parts of an image, while the other has to guess what the image is. Even better, while you play, you're improving visual search cues by "teaching" computers to recognize images.

Snowball

Remember in the cartoons how anytime someone was running down a hill in the snow, they'd trip and roll into a snowball which would then consume anything in its path until it finally hit a tree or a building? Well, that's exactly the concept behind the game Snowball. Roll your snowball, collect animals, snowmen, even people. But watch out for the trees and cabins and those slippery patches of ice!

Squares

On the surface, Squares looks like a food-chain-type game, but the difference is there is no food chain. The rules are simple:

• Absorb the black blocks (regardless of size)
  
• Avoid the red blocks (regardless of size)

Circles are special, red ones are bad, black are good. They may grant you invincibility, change the size of your square, or simply hand you a thousand points. And of course, the game gets faster (and therefore harder) as you progress.