It's the game industry's dirty little secret: Casual games are exploding in popularity.
More people play these short online games, such as "Pac-Man," "Bingo" and endless others, than play the highly touted console games. Yet console games get all the glory because of their high production values and inspired graphics.
Even though the graphics on casual games are decidedly old-school, casual games arguably are more addicting than, say, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas."
Once you find a casual game you like, my bet is you won't stop playing it, especially after you make friends who play the same game with you online. There's a great variety of these offerings, too, since they cost so much less to produce (thousands of dollars rather than millions, or, in some cases, hundreds). In fact, if you make the trip to Garage Games, you can create your own game - if you're focused and have the time (along with a decent idea).
All of these games are like the classics of yore right in your Web browser, and they play seamlessly. You'll get a quick fix full of visceral thrills, and you'll play easily by using a few simple keyboard controls. For instance, in "Presidential Knockout," you can choose to be either Bush or Kerry, battling it out with boxing gloves on the White House lawn.
Beyond the quirky, there's the addictive. In "Bejeweled," for instance, you align gemstones horizontally and vertically, level after level. It's easy to pick up but hard to master, the perfect litmus test for an online game. I found myself addicted to "Lightning Pool," in which the designers created so many variations on the classic game that you can't stop playing. Hard core pool players will eschew this game, but I love the playing pool with, say, a golf putter. It's simply one of the most creative casual games on the Web today.
While there are no print publications devoted to casual gaming, "Millions of Games" on the Web collects and links to so many new ones each day, you'll likely find it hard to keep up. Start with the site's listing of most-played games.
Most of the U.S. TV networks have computer games based on their hit shows. The ABC hit "Lost," in fact, has three of them on its official site, the best of which is a short adventure game in which you traverse the island. It's not only compelling, it's as creepy as the show itself. You can also find games based on the TV game shows "Jeopardy!" and "Wheel of Fortune" online. Casual games are geared toward busy adults, primarily women. But whatever age you are, once you begin looking, you're sure to find a casual game that will suit you, one that you can't stop playing.
Harold Goldberg has written about games for Entertainment Weekly, Wired and The Village Voice. He is co-author of the bestselling book, "My Life Among The Serial Killers." You can e-mail him at mediaowl@aol.com.
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