Issue Date: April 25, 2004
You've got games
Where to go for fun online.
The days of killing time with Solitaire, FreeCell and Minesweeper are over. The new way to truly waste your time on the computer is to hit the arcades. Some of the Web's best are free, and most don't even require lengthy downloads.
For '80s video games, Tripletsandus.com has a special section with links to 70-plus classics, like Tetris, Asteroid, Snake and PacMan. The old standbys appear in their original low-tech form -- a sharp contrast to the ads for products like PS2 and E-book framing them. You'll find they still have the same rules, sound effects and basic control keys, too.
If you think that's sweet, visit Candystand.com. The one-of-a-kind games on the Kraft Foods-sponsored site are live multiplayer competitions in games such as golf, pool and bowling. Play against friends on the other side of town, or participate in "open games" with strangers.
Candystand's games are so easy to play that participating is almost as satisfying as really hurling a bowling ball down an alley or sinking an eight ball. In fact, real bowling and billiards leagues actually meet online and play Candystand's games to perfect their skills, says Scott Tannen, senior manager of Kraft's e-Marketing.
"I didn't realize how passionate people can get around this stuff," Tannen says. "You see groups meet online to play at 1 in the morning."
At Nick.com, Nickelodeon fans of all ages can enjoy hundreds of exclusive games, ranging from sports and 3-D entertainment to puzzles and multiplayer board games. If you've ever had a favorite Nick show, chances are you can find a game based on it. Search by the show's title or click on the "Nick Games" icon. In the "Jimmy Neutron: Gotta Blast" 3-D game, players build their own rockets in Jimmy's high-tech lab, then race their creations. You also can relive the classics with games like the "Clarissa Explains It All Match Master" memory game or the "Rocko's Modern Life Slider" puzzle. (Players must register at this site for a free screen name and password.)
For decidedly low-key games, go to Snoozleberg.com. The site's creators, Sarbakan, have dreamed up some fun, multilevel adventures. In "Good Night Mr. Snoozleberg," for example, players must protect the sleepwalking hero from an assortment of dangers, including falling off city rooftops and walking into dinosaurs. (You wouldn't want to wake up in a jungle or a mad scientist's lab, so why let Mr. Snoozleberg?) In addition to attractive animation, the games boast creative sound effects and snappy background music.
-- Katie Aberbach
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