NESpresso: Random Thoughts \ #006: The Freeloader Gamer

Disclaimer: The following software that's listed in this article carries no warrantee or guarantee that they will work on your computer. Please check the system requirements for the games before installing to ensure that the game will work. Even though these games are professionally designed, some of the games listed are beta or working versions & may include bugs which may not be worked out. Please note that some of the games can be used for copyright infringement, althought there are legal means to use them. I am not responsible for what you do (legal or not) to make these games work. You should also be aware that I am not responsible for anything these programs do to your system. Even though most of the software works for me, I cannot give you the same guarentee. Even though it's highly improbable, it is possible that these programs may turn your computer into a giant paperwork. Therefore, USE THESE PROGRAMS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

Like most old-school gamers, you've spent most of your cash on console games (like GTA: San Andreas, Halo 2, or Metroid Prime: Echos) & left practically no cash for computer games. Have no fear as there's a solution to your gaming problem. The games listed here may not be popular or as grand as the big-named games, but all these games are totally free (excluding the cost of your internet connection) & fun to play by yourself or with your friends online. Some of the games listed here were created by students as class projects, so you could be playing an early game of a future game programmer / developer! With that said, let's get to that list.

Arkoss is a dark RPG game with 6 playable characters. It's a very challenge & expansive game to give you lots of play time.

Matrix Attack is a new twist on a familiar game (Tetris Attack). You group 5 gems of the same color on the active side of the play field to clear them. You can move or flip the gems (between the passive & active side of the playfield) & create combos. There's two play modes: Time Attack, where you get two minutes to rack up as many points as you can; & Puzzle mode, where you have a limited number of moves to clear the playfield.

Capture the Dude -- available at Digipen.edu
Download Size: about 11 MB's
Online Multiplayer capable

Capture the Dude is a River City Ransom version of the classic "Capture the Flag". Teams are divided into two (Red vs Blue) & everybody tries to knock out the "White Dude" in order to toss him into your team's dumpster. The side who racks up the most points in the time limit or reaches the predetermined point goal wins.

Gen Jox -- available at Digipen.edu
Download Size: about 21 MB's
Online Multiplayer capable

Gen Jox is futuristic, top-down space shooter. Players move around the arena trying to pick up weapons & destroy each other. You use the keyboard to move your ship & the mouse to aim your guns in this simple deathmatch game.

You're a little kid who got lost & trapped in a big mall after closing. Just to make matters worse, there's monsters lurking in the dark mall who like to terrorize & eat little kids. Can you make your way out of the mall without the monsters getting to you?

T.H.U.G.S. -- available at Digipen.edu
Download size: about 43 MB's
Online Multiplayer capable

T.H.U.G.S is an urban strategy game where your gang tries to take over the entire city by taking out rival gangs. Who will rise as the ultimate gang? Prove your worth against 3 other gangs in the turn-based strategy.

Bontãgo -- available at Digipen.edu
Download size: about 23 MB's
Online Multiplayer capable

Bontãgo is a unique game where you try to capture the flag by using your blocks to build stacks & engulf it with your realm of influence. Did I lose you here? Let me explain. All players start on the edge of the playfield (which is a disc) & you try to increase your realm of influence (the area on the playfield with your color) by stacking blocks. The higher you stack, the more influence that stack provides. You try to capture the flag by extending your influence on them because you can't actually touch the flag. To make things interesting, no player may place pieces in another player's realm of influence (including the flag) & any blocks that violate another player's realm fall through the playfield. This means that the taller stacks will be harder to eliminate that the shorter stacks. There's also "gifts" which you can use against your opponents as well, but beware because some of the gifts can hurt you as well.

Bontãgo also includes a Sandbox mode so you goof off & practice your stacking techinques by yourself without the normal rules constraints. You can play with them like dominos, see how tall you can make a stack without toppling them over, or practice chaos theory & see how tall you can make a pile a block. Bontãgo: How well you do stack up?

Valence -- available at Digipen.edu
Download Size: about 3.5 MB's
Online Multiplayer capable

Like playing with atoms? The Valence is the game for you! In Valence, players try to build specific molecules of red, blue & yellow atoms in a certain arrangement as you try to beat the clock while defending your molecules-in-progress from viruses. Challenge yourself in the single player mode or play around in the sandbox & work on your building skill.Valence: Can you build it?

If you love Tetris but haven't had anybody to play against, then look no futher than Tetrinet. Now in version 2, you can play against players world-wide! Play against others in classic Tetris mode or challenge yourself with Tetrinet's modern mode. There's even the classic Tetrinet 1.13 mode (the previous version, which was a smash hit online) for those who refuse to let go of the past. You can even set up a private room so you & your friends (up to 6 players at one time) can play in private. Tetrinet 2 includes the most common play modes, but you can even modify the settings & create your own game variations or join up as a team & play against others. Just beware, some of the players of Tetrinet are really good & fast. Tetrinet: Eat, Sleep & Play Tetris.

Stepmania -- www.stepmania.com
Download Size: UNKNOWN (excludes songs)
Caution: Potential Copyright Infringement usage

Stepmania is a well known DDR simulator, where you can dance to your heart's content without spending $.50-$2.50 a credit. Stepmania can also be expanded to support other dancing games like Pump It Up! & Para Para Paradise. Stepmania also includes a stepchart editor so you can make your own steps to your favorite songs. Please be aware that Stepmania is a Do-It-Yourself program, so you have to pick up the songs & the stepfiles (either in DWI or SM format) as well as install the files yourself (although, Stepmania will give you a shortcut to the drop zone). It's possible to pick up the official DDR/PIU/PPP/ect. songs, so please take caution if you do choose to do this as you will be violating copyright laws.