Webnesday - Kung Fu 2

So this week I went ahead and tried a few games out to see if anything would catch my attention enough to write about it. Sure enough, someone out there knew that the fastest way to my heart is with old-school punches and kicks. Oh, and Mr. X, of course.

Webnesday - Canabalt

In my usual "last one to the party" fashion, I decided to take on a game I hadn't played before but is so well-known that it's what the genre is usually named after. In this case, it's a game simple enough that one button is all you need but difficult enough that you'll be trying and cussing over and over again until you're no longer invited to the neighbor's place for dinner. That game is Canabalt from Semi Secret Software.

Webnesday - Super Laser Racer

About a month or so ago, Steam had easily one of the best digital sales I've seen this year with over two hundred items getting slashed anywhere from 25% to, in the case of a couple games, 90%. One game, Super Laser Racer, saw a 75% price cut and, considering it was originally $4.99 and had an interesting demo, I saw no reason not to spend a whopping buck and a quarter on it. In doing so I've found the best top-down single-player Mario Kart style racer in the history of PC gaming. And I'm not just saying that.

Webnesday - Nanaca Crash

This week's Webnesday update is going to be short and sweet. It's a game that most of you have played or, if not, you've probably tried some game very similar to it. A game that's so simple and at times brainless you can't imagine it would hold your attention for longer than a couple minutes but ends up ruining any chance you'll make it to class/work on time or finish whatever it was you were working on before you sealed your fate with one little click of the mouse. That game is none other than Nanaca Crash.

Webnesday - Plants vs. Zombies

During Steam's incredibly awesome sale that ended a few days ago, I picked up a small handful of games for roughly 20 bucks. One of those games was tower defense Plants vs. Zombies, a game I'd planned on just playing here and there to kill time. You know, like Peggle. Or Puzzle Quest. Or other games you plan on doing this with until they claim your free time like an obsessed girlfriend who swears if you talk to Suzie one more she'll never speak to you ever again so help her. And, well, I never talked to Suzie again, because Plants vs. Zombies rules me with an iron cute.

Webnesday - Bing

No, that's not an actual game, though I'm sure there's one out there with that name somewhere. Bing is essentially Microsoft's Yahoo (hey, I didn't know anything about it outside of their annoying ad campaign) and, like Yahoo, they stock a large supply of games for you to play in your own handy dandy internet browser. Want to try out most of Popcap's games? Lots of 'em are here, including my current addiction of Plants vs Zombies. More into word games? Got 'em. Puzzles? Point and click adventures? They're here. I'm afraid to go back there as I have to sleep sometime this week.

Yes, this sounds like an advertisement, but you all know I'm not cool enough to get money from anyone. I just like pointing you where the games are. Head over to bing.com/games/ and waste a little time. At the very least, try out Plants vs Zombies if you haven't already, then head over to Steam once you're addicted and buy the thing if it's still on sale.

Webnesday - Star Guard

A few months ago when I first started writing for ForceDisconnect I
tried getting an idea rolling for a score and achievement based
contest. It was supposed to promote some friendly competition in the
community and just get the word out about some of the fun and cheap or
free games around the internet. Sadly, after two months, the interest
in the contests was so low I stopped running them, but there was one
gigantic victory in that contest. Everyone got to play, and immensely
enjoy, an indie gem by the name of Star Guard.

Webnesday Games - Phantasmagoria of Flower View

Going back to the games that you can download for free, this week's Webnesday game is one that I feel a little guilty about posting. Not because of content or difficulty, but because it's one I haven't played in a while and it's from a long series of games I haven't tried outside of this one title. Regardless, I'm here tonight to mention a shmup unlike most other shmups out there. A shmup that's two player, competitive, plays a little like a puzzle or fighting game, is split-screen, and, of course, is free. Touhou Project's 9th title: Phantasmagoria of Flower View.

Phantasmagoria of Flower View (PoFV from here on out) is a shmup that differs from most others in that it drops the usual routine of flying forward, killing a bunch of stuff, fighting a boss, and going on to the next stage. Instead, you only get half the screen, with the other half going to your opponent, and you're killing things and dodging bullets while trying to send attacks at the other player. It's a puzzle game that plays like a shmup, much like Neo Geo shooter Twinkle Star Sprites.

Even though I haven't touched this game in nearly half a decade outside of firing it up recently for a little refresher course, the game still looks decent if a little dated. I also realized I could have cared less once the game starts as I'm too busy trying to dodge and intercept a bazillion bullets. That's what the Touhou series is famous for: its bullet hell gameplay that focuses on dodging ammo and recognizing patterns. On the downside, I do remember this game being a lot more fun when playing against someone else, and my experience this time was limited to playing the computer. If you get a chance or download the netplay patch, try this game out against someone else. It's an interesting experience, if not at least a unique one, and a great combination of two of my personal favorite gaming genres.

Anyone looking to download PoFV can hit up this link full of Japanese. Luckily, it's a bunch of mirrors for the download, so I'm pretty sure clicking any of them outside of the only one that's in English will find a download. If you actually want to learn more about the game or about patching the game for internet play, you can visit the Touhou wiki for PoFV at this clickable link here.

Webnesday Games - Thomas and the Magical Words

In today's web game we're going to take a step away from the need for quick reflexes and hand-eye coordination. Away from high speeds or blowing crap up. Today, we're going to do something the vast majority of the internet can't do anymore: we're gonna SPELL.

Webnesday Games - Tumiki Fighters

Like most people, I'm an alright fan of free games. I'm an even bigger fan, however, of free games that are good. Sure, there are a ton of decent games out there on the web that are free, but with any form of entertainment you'll be sifting through a much larger percentage of ones that don't exactly reek of quality. In a more current and specific trend, those are the ones that involve clicking your crops to watch your free time disintegrate and sending invites to MAKE ME BLOCK YOU ON FACEBOOK. One such game that doesn't fit into that diseased latter category is a somewhat older shoot-em-up by the name of TUMIKI Fighters, and it's a game that still makes me smile today.

Webnesday Games - Robot Unicorn Attack

In this new weekly segment, I get to talk about random downloadable and flash games from around the interwebs. With all the great independent games out there, in addition to the computer-only games like Plants vs Zombies, I figure I need to devote at least a little time to these gaming additions and addictions.

So yesterday I finally got around to trying out Robot Unicorn Attack, a game that a couple guys from ForceDisconnect kept INSISTING I try. I really didn't know what I was getting into, but I figured, "Hey, I just tried a game where I push some dude down the steps, what could possibly be worse?" Well, I definitely didn't find worse. What I found was the greatest two button platformer with a robot unicorn that has a song by an 80's band with an openly gay frontman ever. EVER.