Best point-and-click games of 2010
A bit early maybe, but we think our point-and-click-obsessed readers are going to love this: the best point-and-click games of the year.
We were planning to wait until the end of the year before publishing this list but such has been the demand from our readers for more point-and-click games that we decided to bring it forward. This article is a follow-up to our list of Top 10 point-and-click games that we published at the end of last year.
2010 has thus far proved to be a pretty good year for point-and-click fans. It has not perhaps yet reached the heights of 2009 when two of the greatest ever point-and-click games - Machinarium and Little Wheel - were released. But there have certainly been enough great new point-and-click games in 2010 to keep even the most voracious point-and-clicker sated.
Published by Tasha on 20th August 2010
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Top 20 music games you can play online
Get into the groove with our compilation of the best free music and rhythm games on the web.
Rhythm games, compose-your-own-music games, memorise the tune game, even music fighting games... we have them all and more. If you like music and you like gaming, then we hope you will enjoy our list of 20 music games that can be played in your browser for free. Without further ado, to the games:
We hope you like our list of games. If you think we have missed out any brilliant online music games, please tell us all about them in the comments section below.
Published by Tasha on 1st August 2010
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Ten games that make you think about life
Games might not yet be recognized as art but they are increasingly being used to explore the kind of deep themes that were previously the preserve of artists and philosophers.
At the start of this year, we decided to come up with a list of Flash casual games with a philosophical bent. To be honest, we struggled. After days of research, we could only find a handful of games that had the thought-provoking depth we were looking for. Our list (which you can view by clicking here) was therefore only five games long.
Fast forward to now, and it is remarkable how much difference a few months can make. Thanks to the work of pioneers like Daniel Benmergui, Gregory Weir and PixelAnte, there is now an abundance of clever arty Flash games to pique our intellects, and as a result creating this follow-up list of games that make you think has been a doddle.
Published by Tasha on 19th July 2010
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ImmorTall
ImmorTall is a beautiful, emotionally moving game that makes you ponder on the nature of life.
If you are expecting some mindless entertainment from today's Game of the Day - perhaps whacking hedgehogs into outer space, or lobotomising zombies with an AK47, or maybe just shooting up aliens - then, I am afraid, you are going to be disappointed. For today's Game of the Day cannot in any way be described as an action game (although it does have some action in it).
Neither is it an adventure style game (sorry, Zelda connoisseurs). Fans of escape-the-room games are also unlikely to find much in the game - there is very little point and clicking going on at all. And strategy game fans, get back to the latest version of Civilisation for there is nothing for you here. Ditto RPGers (replacing Civilisation with Dragons Age Origins).
Published by Tasha on 11th March 2010
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Home Sheep Home
Home Sheep Home is proof that casual games based on films or TV shows need not be shoddy rip-offs of existing genres.
Not so long ago, video games inspired by films or TV shows had a very bad reputation. They were usually just shameless attempts to cash in on the brand, rarely offering interesting game play or cutting edge graphics. Most seasoned game players didn't even consider buying them. That, however, was before the release of Ghostbusters: The Video Game and Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009.
These two games have transformed our expectations of brand-based games. Both of them are really quite good and are worth playing even if you have no interest in Ghostbusters or Batman. Hence why Ghostbusters: The Video Game scored a very respectable 79% on game-review mash-up site metacritc. Batman: Arkham Asylum did even better. As of today, it is rated as one of the top 20 xBox 360 games of all time, with an average rating of 92%, putting it above classics such as Mass Effect 1 and Rock Band.
Published by Tasha on 9th March 2010
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Top 10 most relaxing online casual games
Some games aim to soothe and calm your nerves rather than get your heart pounding like crazy with non-stop action.
Gaming need not be all white-knuckle adrenaline-buzzing action. Games can also soothe and relax, providing the perfect come-down after a frantic day at the office. Think games like Endless Ocean on the Wii and Flower on the PS3. But you don't need a console to get your fix of gaming serenity. There are plenty of cool relaxing games you can play online for free. So take a few deep breaths, put aside all stressful thoughts and settle down to some tranquil fun with Casual Girl Gamer's Top 10 most relaxing online games.
If you can think of any more great relaxing games, please share them with us in the comments section below.
Published by Tasha on 27th February 2010
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One button Bob
You don't need fancy controllers or joysticks to have fun with games, as One Button Bob - a game that requires just one button - amply proves.
One could be forgiven for thinking that a game needing just one button to play would be so limited as to be boring. Not so, if One Button Bob - an inventive new platform-style game that can be played for free in your browser - is anything to go by. While some games (Street Fighter, for example) force players to learn complicated combinations of button presses, the developers of One Button Bob have distilled the game play into the press of a single button (the left button of your mouse).
Rare is it to find a game that is so simple to control. And even more rare is it for such a game to offer such a wealth of game play as One Button Bob. The secret to the game's success is that what happens when you press the button changes depending on which level you are on. Sometimes pressing the button will cause Bob - the game's Indiana Jones-style protaganist - to jump. Other times it will make Bob fire his weapon. And other times still, you have to repeatedly click the button to fly or run fast. A press of the button may also cause Bob to climb ladders or stop on the spot to avoid falling objects.
Published by Tasha on 25th February 2010
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Fat Slice
Slice up shapes without letting the balls escape in this wickedly addictive puzzle game.
The best ideas always sound so obvious when you first hear of them. Suitcases with wheels. Pre-sliced bread. A status updating service limited to 140 characters. Why didn't I think of any of them. They're so simple.
Today's game of the day - Fat Slice - brings out similar feelings in me. The premise of the game is ridiculously simple - you chop off bits of shapes without isolating any of the balls bouncing around inside the shapes. To progress to the next shape, you have to reduce the size of the shape by a certain percentage.
Published by Tasha on 24th February 2010
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Finwick, Baby v Spider, Go Go
In the first of a new weekly column, we share with you the best new casual games that came out over the last seven days.
I sometimes wonder if casual game developers ever sleep - such is the surfeit of new games flooding the internet every week. We're not talking about a handlful of new games, here. But literally hundreds. Certainly, there are far too many for most people to keep up with.
But, if the idea of missing out on a new gaming experience causes you great upset, don't fret. From today, Casual Girl Gamer will do all the hard work for you of sifting through the hundreds of new games to uncover the gems. Every Friday, we will share with you the best new casual games to have come out over the past seven days.
Published by Tasha on 19th February 2010
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Top 25 Browser Platformers
The platform game genre is undergoing a major revival and nowhere is this more evident than in your browser. Platform gaming ecstasy awaits you.
Something weird has happened. Platform games have become cool. "Yeah, likely story", I hear you say. "Next you'll tell me flares are all the rage and Genesis is undergoing a revival".
I am being serious here. Put your prejudices aside. Platform games have progressed a long way since Manic Minor. Still don't believe me. Take a look at Braid and Shadow Complex on the XBox. They're both platform games and they have been hugely successful.
Published by Tasha on 12th February 2010
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Game reviews
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ClubWorld
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Popular articles
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Ten games that make you think about life
Games might not yet be recognized as art but they are increasingly being used to explore the kind of deep themes that were previously the preserve of artists and philosophers.
Read more -
Top 25 Browser Platformers
The platform game genre is undergoing a major revival and nowhere is this more evident than in your browser. Platform gaming ecstasy awaits you.
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Top 10 most relaxing online casual games
Some games aim to soothe and calm your nerves rather than get your heart pounding like crazy with non-stop action.
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Top 10 underwater games
Dust off your flippers, dig out your wet suit and wipe down your goggles, for we are going to be doing some deep sea diving in this issue's list of games.
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Top 20 online zombie games
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Developer spotlights
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Jake Elliott
You won't find any resource-management or mindless slash and dash games in Jake Elliott's portfolio. What you will find are thought-provoking games that encourage you to ponder on the human experience.
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Con Artist Games
Chris Condon of Con Artist Games has a reputation for developing some of the most polished games on the web. Casual Girl Gamer speaks to him about his gaming philosophy.
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Gregory Weir
By combining great story-telling with imaginative game worlds, Gregory Weir has created some of the most thought-provoking games on the internet.
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John Cooney
Armor Games' head of game development John Cooney - or jmtb02, as he is better known - is one of the most prolific and imaginative game developers around.
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Evan Miller
In ImmorTall, indie developer Evan Miller created one of the most emotionally moving games to grace the internet. We speak to him about his gaming philosophy and plans for the future.
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Mateusz Skutnik
Mateusz Skutnik is a rarity: a gifted artist who is also a skilled coder. He is responsible for some of the most beautiful casual games on the web.
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