Miss Diablo? Check out Monsters' Den!

A party-based dungeon crawl tactical RPG, Monsters' Den certainly packs a punch and is one of the best games uploaded yet to Kongregate. It reminds one of Diablo and it is heartening to note how far flash game programming has come. Credit to Garin, the developer! In the game, you are the brain behind the puppets, controlling 4 characters to explore the dungeon and save the day. There is no damsel in distress but plenty (an overdose though, I would say) of exciting items for you to uncover. There are 5 character classes to choose from - Warrior, Mage, Cleric, Rogue and Ranger. Each time you successfully navigate your way to the exit and descend a level, your characters will gain a level each. This bit is different from how usual games in the genre work. Typically, your characters will level up based on the experience accumulated i.e. the more mobs you crush, the faster you level - and so, your characters might even level unevenly. This is not so for Monsters' Den but that does not make the game any less fun. It certainly adds much enjoyment to many of my days as I explored the various combinations to try win the game. Well theoretically, the game is currently impossible to win since the number of levels is infinite (at least that's what I think, or it is quite definitely a big, big number). However, Kongregate has badges that act as milestones along the way so I consider myself to have completed the game since I got all the badges already. I am embarrassed to admit that it took me quite a few tries (and lotsa patience minus the complacency that tends to set in soon enough) before I managed to get the much-coveted "Hardest of Core" badge that requires reaching level 50 on "hardcore" mode. My winning combination was 3 rogues and 1 cleric at the back. The 3 rogues are all armed with daggers with life-draining capability and they will use the "Create Opening" skill that is basically 2 for the price of 1. If you can't find life-draining daggers, those with poison capability are great too. Otherwise, the higher the weapon damage, the better. The cleric is loaded with mp regeneration gear and spams "Heal" when necessary. The rogues can wear hp regeneration gear. Another combination that might work as well is 4 rogues who "Hide" then "Sneak Attack". I haven't tried this myself though. I personally think the combo with a cleric is better since otherwise, we can't do "free healing" near the end of each battle - and there are only that many potions and healing shrines around. So if what I have said sounds interesting, do check out Monsters' Den. Have fun! =)

Join the 200 million people who have downloaded Diner Dash!

Mommy: What do you want to do now? Kid: I want to play. Mommy: Wouldn't you say doing your homework is a better idea? Kid: No Mommy, I wannnnnna play first! Play first? You bet! There is a kid in everyone of us and when faced with work or play, a big part of us always wants to play first. PlayFirst is a leading publisher of casual games - you know, those weeny games that assault our days but which we still refuse to let go lol. :P This company has created many notable games such as Wedding Dash, Chocolatier and Dream Chronicles but what I want to introduce to you today is Diner Dash. Diner Dash is not just 1 game - it is an entire series. The 4th title - Diner Dash: Hometown Hero - has already been released and for those familiar, it features the lovable character, Flo - the heroine who ditched her desk job to start her own restaurant. In this part of the series, Flo returns to her hometown to help her grandma revitalize some of her favorite but rundown hangouts. Your objective in the game is to help Flo earn enough tips to upgrade each venue. Challenges such as noisy teenagers, impatient celebrities and a tough food critic will beset you as you struggle to get more "flo-dough". The basic version is free so you can grab it and have some fun. After that, you may be hyped up enough to be interested in the Gourmet edition that costs just $19.95. In the Gournet edition, more than 500 clothing & decor items are unlocked and you get to play with your friends in multiplayer mode. You also get 6 new customers and 50 new story mode levels (wow!!). Just a bit of trivia... do you know that Diner Dash has been downloaded over 200 million times? Yes, read that again - it is 200 MILLION times. Players have spent over $35 Million on Diner Dash games across all platforms and this is further proof that the game is fun! So run along and pop by the official Diner Dash site at http://www.dinerdash.com or go straight here to download their many games. * This is a sponsored post.

Escape from a spreadsheet in Excit

Now now, who would have thought that we could make a game out of Excel? Isn't Excel just spreadsheets and for "serious" stuffs? :P Check out Excit - a maze sort of game where you need to bound off walls to escape to the exit cell. You heard it right - you are trapped in a spreadsheet and you need to escape the 30 levels using the cursor keys without sliding off the screen. According to the developer, the game mechanic is similar to that of games like Road Blocks and Orbox. But despite it not being entirely innovative, the game has been polished and fresh elements have been introduced. You just need to maneuver your way around using the arrow keys. If you go off the screen "accidentally", the reset to initial position appears. I experimented with a few levels myself while multi-tasking. I guess it is an okay sort of game to play while you are pretending to work at the office (lol). So check it out when you are feeling bored at work or whenever. Play Excit at http://www.kongregate.com/games/Krystman/excit. =)

Tactics 100 Live for chess lovers

Do we have any chess lovers here? I am sure there are several hidden tigers and crouching dragons among us. :P This game with a dumb name, "Tactics 100 Live", is a twist on our familiar chess. It is somewhat like another version of those animated battle chess games. The game is straight forward once you figure out the move/attack commands which are not immediately intuitive. But give it a few rounds and you will soon get how the game works. It is simpler than the usual chess game in that it has only 4 units to choose from - Knight, Ranger, Mage and Cleric. Just load up the game, look at the unit artwork and you can easily guess the rest. There are 10 waves of attackers in various battle formations. Thrash them all and you win. Winning all 10 waves is not hard - but getting a perfect score i.e. no unit dying at all for all 10 rounds would be trickier. You can play Tactics 100 Live at http://www.kongregate.com/games/Gamebrew/tactics-100-live-v1-5 . Have fun! ^^ PS.: And yes, there *is* a multi-player mode.

Dice Mogul - an online substitute for Monopoly

We all know about the game, Monopoly. Published by Parker Brothers, it is a popular board game where players compete against one another to become the wealth magnate. I like the game a lot but the one pity is that the older you get, the harder it is to find like-minded players. Even after turning my sight online to look for human players, it would be dishonest to say that I found any platform to my liking. This post has no monopoly-online platforms to recommend. Rather, I came across this game, Dice Mogul, that is pretty similar to monopoly. The game is beautifully designed but the one drawback is that it is a one-player game. But hey, if you don't mind some "mindless" competition, you can perhaps spare Dice Mogul a glance. After all, it is free and can be played using your ever-ready browser. =) PS.: For those who find the repetitive music as irritating as I found it, there is a mute button - you just have to look real carefully to see it. It is white against a light blue background, just left of the game name and in the "inner circle".

Relive your arcade days with the Timewaster

Geez, I lost count how long I have not been to the arcade. Years? Decades? :P I remember one game that is a machine with big solid-color buttons. The theme of that game is memory and the rule is to hit the buttons in the order given. Since I sometimes have the memory of a dodo, I found that game somewhat challenging near the end. Check out "The Timewaster", a flash version of the game I just mentioned. The developer is one artistic guy as he leaves me amazed by his brilliant choice of colors as well as his artistic flair. This game is not my cup of tea but I know there will be people who would be excited by it. So if you are one of these people, you can catch the game at either http://www.ratherrandomreality.com/pages/games/the_timewaster.html or http://www.kongregate.com/games/RatherRandom/the-timewaster . Have fun! ^^

If you like Lemonade Tycoon, you may like Kebab Van too

This is a Lemonade Tycoon clone for those Lemonade Tycoon lovers. For those unfamiliar with Lemonade Tycoon, check out this wiki article. I was once talking to a friend and I was shocked when I learned from her that she spent good money to buy this game. Yes, this lemon game... I confess I played the lemon before too but I only played the trial version. I just didn't like the game enough to feed it any dime. In my opinion, there are other games far better and come with no price tag. :P Whichever, if you like the lemon game, you may like this Kebab Van too. Most importantly, it's free and you can just play it using the browser. The objectives of Kebab Van are straightforward and are much like Lemonade Tycoon's. Simply, order your stock, set your kebab mix and then adjust your kebab mixtures accordingly based on your customers' feedback. Meanwhile, remember to keep an eye on your stocks level and top it up when necessary. Since delivery is not instantaneous, you might want to allow a buffer amount so as to reorder in time. Go ahead and relive the Lemonade Tycoon in Kebab Van. You can play the game at http://www.kongregate.com/games/robotJAM/kebab-van .

Play a mage at "Book of Mages: The Chaotic Period"

If you are aspiring to be a mage (and of course we know it is not possible in this sad world) and desire to throw some magic around, check out this game with a naggy title, "Book of Mages: The Chaotic Period". It is a flash-based game which you can play using the browser. It is most suitable for those who want a quick fix since you can complete the game several times within a few hours. To test the game and indulge in soothing mindless numbness (because part of the game is just repetitive clicking), I completed it 3 times with 3 different characters. The game is "unique" in that it focuses on fire and water magics only. Usually, games using this theme will have full run of the elements. The developer chose instead to split fire and water magics into 3 sub-classes each. Namely, we have Chaos, Dark and Red on the fire side and Sea, Ice, Poison on the water side. For starters who want to have an easier time, I suggest choosing from the Chaos Fire, Ice Water and Red Fire clans. In my opinion, the Sea Water clan is the most difficult to play, especially in the beginning. Though you can heal, you have no attacking fortes and even a beginner battle seems to drag on for eternity while you fend off attacks with only defense moves. I shan't elaborate on the pros and cons of each clan since they are available when you choose your character. The artwork for the characters and attack/defense moves are pretty decent. The clan strongholds are rather plain looking though and I don't like the choice of colors for several. After a while, the music also gets on my nerves and I can't seem to find the mute button. The game itself is fairly straightforward and it is relatively easy to play. One strategy that works well for most clan characters is to spend your attacking turn mana sapping. Once your enemy has no more mana to do anything, the floor is clearly all yours. But of course, you would want to gear your strategy based on the pros and cons of your character and your opponent. "Book of Mages: The Chaotic Period" is available either at http://www.nobstudio.com/play.php?id=4 or http://www.kongregate.com/games/nobstudio/book-of-mages-the-chaotic-period . You have fun and throw some fireballs. =)

Heat up for the United States elections with the Campaign Game

For those heating up for the elections in U.S.A from the comfort of your living room couches, check out the Campaign Game to kill some time. It is a board game setting and you can play as one of the 6 candidates available. From the Democrats, we have Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton. Or you can play as a Republican - Rudy Giuliani, Mitt Romney or Fred Thompson. Choosing one candidate or another gives you no special advantages in the game but hey, I am sure we have our own favorites. :P So far, I have only tried the single-player mode despite there being a multi-player option. The reason is simply that I don't have the patience to wait forever for someone to hook up with me. Back to the game. Besides you, the candidate, you also have henchmen to help you. There are 4 different units to choose from, each with their individual strengths and weaknesses. They are Spinmeister, Hatchet Man, Fundraiser and Operative. The Spinmeister has a long attack range and can slow down opponents. However, his damage is relatively low. The Hatchet Man is the guy on the front line. Though he has a small state capture area, he is a good melee soldier who causes high damage and can hit more than 1 unit simultaneously. The Fundraiser is basically a "cleric" who heals. Though she moves slower than the rest, she has a large state capture area. Last but not least, the Operative can go "undercover" and disappear from the opponent's sight. When he hits a unit or state when "undercover", the damage is awesome. One disadvantage though is his relatively low power i.e. he dies more easily. There are 7 states in all on the map for your opponent and you to battle for. When you manage to "color" all the boxes making up a state with your "presence", you capture the state. When this happens, your opponent cannot move his units onto your area. To do so, he must attack the state like he attacks a unit. Once the power of the state reaches 0, you lose control of your place and it is free game for all again. In case you are wondering what the benefits of claiming states are (beyond the obvious result of winning the game), you get income every turn based on the number and size of states you have. You need this money to use some of the more interesting special abilities of your candidate. You can read the complete FAQ here. For the single-player mode, my favorite strategy is a simple and brute-force one. I choose 3 Hatchet Men as my starting force. When the game begins, I focus my effort on killing off the opponent's units by ganging up on them. You need not worry about the computer gaining areas or making a lot of money - the AI is just too plain dumb to use the cash effectively. For instance, it does not hire new henchmen even when it can well afford it. So once you eliminate his henchmen, you can either gang up on your enemy candidate or practise guerrilla warfare from the safety of your controlled states. And yes, this is for the "hard" difficulty level. For the "easy" level, er... you don't need much strategy. So whether you are interested in the American politics scene or not (I am not), this is a very fun game. If you find it confusing initially, just let the first game be a warmer. You will rock after that. =) The Campaign Game is available at http://www.campaigngame.us or http://www.kongregate.com/games/thup/campaign-game . And oh, it is a flash game so you just need your browser. PS.: Check out the coolest attack in the game. Turn on your speakers and "slap" your opponent! :P

FreeRice - a vocabulary game that saves life

I am not sure how wholly authentic this "Feed the Starving" program is but the vocabulary game at this website is really nice. The premise is that for every word you get right (and the words need not be consecutive), the site will donate 10 grains of rice through the United Nations to help end world hunger. It is a noble mission and though 10 grains may seem like an insignificant amount to the average man, even 10 grains means a lot to someone who is starving. There are two reasons why you might want to participate. The first is to believe in the authenticity of the program and help do your part to feed the starving. The rice is supposedly paid for by the advertisers whose names appear at the bottom of the vocabulary game. The second is that the game in itself is quite fun. I think the game is rather well programmed. It taps into a database of English words that are classified into different levels of difficulty - 50 being the highest. The beauty of it is that the game automatically adjusts to your level of vocabulary. It starts by giving you words at different levels of difficulty and then, based on how you do, assigns you an approximate starting level. You then determine a more exact level for yourself as you play. When you get a word wrong, you go to an easier level. When you get three words in a row right, you go to a harder level. This one-to-three ratio is best for keeping you at the “outer fringe” of your vocabulary, where learning can take place. See the complete FAQ here. So the game is fun, you get to boost your vocabulary power and you lend your support towards helping the starving needy all at the same time. Bookmark this "game" at http://freerice.com and play it perhaps once a day! =)

Check out Weewar

Weewar is a round-based strategy game that allows you to pit yourself against up to five other human players. The speed of the game was decent when I tested it and gameplay was generally smooth. But as you can see from the screen shot, I was in a rather bad shape then (lol) and was about to lose (I was playing blue). Just my first game... learning the ropes. For instance, I didn't know that artilleries were so powerful and effective. I also didn't realize that I can move and attack in the same turn (I just kept remembering the zone of control thingy only). Yes I know you may say that the guide explains all this but hey, reading and understanding are two completely different things. :P One thing I noticed is that they seriously need more players. When I tested the game, there were only 4 available games (all 4-player ones) that players can join. I thought I was lucky when I joined the one that was just short of one player. But alas, I had to wait and wait and the host still did not start the game after my patience ran out. My guess is that getting players to join a game is a hard thing and so that host just went AFK. So to test the game and write this review, I had to start a two-player game myself and wait a bit before someone came. For those who like games in the war and strategy genre and want to battle it out with tanks and troopers, this game is for you. I see a heck of a lot of work gone into this game - also evident from the extra tools provided - as can be seen from the tools page. They are even providing their API. ^^ And so, I think Weewar is something worth watching. Check it out at www.weewar.com . Right now, it is still not open to the public - but fret not, just request for an invite - they gave me an account the very next day. =)

Check out the RPG Feudalism

Here's a role-playing game that got me very excited the first time I played it - Feudalism at www.kongregate.com/games/Vitaly/feudalism . The simple official description of the game is "Choose a hero, complete quests, buy weapons and build the most powerful army to capture the whole world in this medieval strategy/RPG game." Arguably, the truth is exactly that. However, I feel that the developer, Vitaly, deserves more credit than only that. I quite like the artwork of this game. Many of the weapons, armors and units are beautifully designed and they make me want to keep playing the game. For a flash game, I think what we have here is very impressive. The game world is relatively large, with several nations and a considerable number of cities. The choice of weapons is plentiful and Vitaly even provided for characters of both genders (of course, this is not saying a girl can't play a male character or vice-versa - which was what I did since I wanted the starting attributes :P). Tips for the raw beginner: You may wish to start with the Japanese nation (referred to as Far East Empire in the game). The reason for this is that you can just concentrate on maxing one skill - the Far East Weapons skill - to get the benefits for both close and long range weapons. Otherwise if you want to use both kinds of weapons, you will need to max the two skills individually. That said, suffice to say that if you play the game right, you won't even need to attack with your hero. The units you command will easily send the enemies packing for you. Just make sure you max Patriotism and Art of War (and add points to Intelligence subsequently) to reap increased benefit of your units that are auto-controlled. My favorite long range weapon is the shuruiken and my favorite melee one is the katana. It is a pity the katana can't be used on a horse (which adds speed and/or defense) so I can only choose either. As for my favorite unit, it is the samurai. The samurai unit unfortunately does not have a horse (which helps it moves faster) so crusader/inquisitor would be a close second. I guess the trick of the game is to get the best horse, weapon (armor would be nice too) and units soonest possible in order to conquer the world (obvious right? lol :p). The screen shot shows my second full game and I definitely took my own sweet time - I was trying out different weapons, among other things. Once you get yourself familiarized with the game, I think you can perhaps win by level 15 or 20. So if you have a few hours of time to kill, go check out Feudalism. I hope you will enjoy it like I did. =)

Visit Kdice for a dose of risk

Recently, I have been moderately hooked on a "new" game - Kdice. It is modified somewhat from Dicewars which utilizes the concepts found in the popular board game Risk. I have been a great fan of Risk so it did not take me too long to warm to Kdice. You play this game via your browser and no program installation is required. For the basic instructions, check out the left panel of the site. Somehow, I missed this portion totally when I first signed up and I had quite a time figuring out how the game worked. The primary objective remains the same though - kill everyone else and proclaim yourself King. :P The main difference between Kdice and Dicewars is the multi-player aspect. Dicewars is a single-player game and you play against the AI. It is still quite fun nevertheless but after a while, you may hunger for the company of fellow humans. Kdice pits you against human players - though it is quite a chore (a minor one but still a chore) to find a table where you qualifies for and where you can sit in. One thing that gets on my nerve sometimes is the element of luck. I feel that luck is given too much a sway over the game. I don't want to spoil it for you so you can just try the game out and decide for yourself. If you like the original Risk, I think you will spend at least several hours on Kdice. And maybe even come back for more. :P PS.: Here's a useful guide - http://kdice.wikispaces.com .

Desktop Tower Defense

Allow me the introduce the most addictive game of the century - Desktop Tower Defense. It is a fun flash based puzzle/strategy game where you have to protect your desktop from invaders by spending money on attacking pieces and building a maze for them to follow. A strangely addictive yet stress relieving game... how many levels can you survive? I know I am exaggerating a bit about the "century" part but I guarantee that it is indeed very addictive. Check it out at http://www.handdrawngames.com/DesktopTD . The current version is 1.5 and it might get even better in future. ^^ You can play the game using only the mouse, or complement the mouse with the keyboard for the shortcut keys. I have been hooked onto this game. For far, I am only able to hit 5000+ points on the hard mode (2 lines of creeps +50% health). I am improving each time and thinking of better strategies! Also, I am getting better at managing my "income". To familiarize yourself with the game, I suggest you begin with the easy mode - I did, for my first game. If you like the game and want to donate, go ahead too. Have fun. =)

8 lessons from Romance of the Three Kingdoms III

"Romance of the Three Kingdoms III" (RTK3) is one of my all-time favorites. I remember starting out on this game more than 10 years ago. Believe you not, I am still playing this game now. It's not that I don't tire of the game. I do. Even though the game play is different each time, the game gets easier and easier for me the more times I play it. After a decade of plotting and warring, my intelligence would be questionable if I didn't get better. And when there is no more challenge, your interest wanes. It used to be that I needed to start out with the stronger characters and at least a few sittings to complete the game. Now, I can win with any player and within the same day. How's that for improvement? In fact you can post me any question on the game and I am quite confident of answering you. For those who need a copy of the game, you can download it free at http://www.the-underdogs.info/game.php?gameid=927 , courtesy of The Underdogs. It's a small DOS game but one that will fill your days with endless entertainment. :P So now, I like to share 8 lessons I have gleaned from my years of experience with this game. I trust they have real life implications. 1. A mentor is worth his weight in gold. Ever started with a character without any adviser? Then you might remember how helpless you felt when there was no one to give "predictions" on your recruitment or war campaigns. It's like traveling on the high seas on a raft, and blindfolded. Even a lousy adviser is better than none. But of course, once you find a good adviser (e.g. one with at least INT 90 so that you can give him a Sun Tzu manual to make him super smart), keep him close and make him loyal. 2. Trust is tough to build, but easy to destroy. You might have come across an occasional hardcore officer whose loyalty to you is a miserable 8 or 23. Even with CHA 100 and using gold, it takes many, many turns before you can brainwash him completely. Yet what happens when you *accidentally* revoke an alliance with another player whose hostility is less than 70? The loyalty of all your officers abruptly and rapidly tumbles like a canoe down Niagara Falls. If a player is smart enough to try recruiting your officers, they will all leave you without much thought. And if they happen to be city governors, be prepared to wave goodbye to all your sheep and turnips. 3. Make friends with your enemies. Let's face it: Some people will be your friends and some people will be your enemies. There are neutral parties - I call them the rocks and shrubs. Learn how to recognize potential winners and befriend them early. In the game, it is easier to secure alliances at the beginning. And once they are your allies, keep on requesting aid from them in Jul and Jan. By doing so, you strengthen yourself at their expense. When you target just 1 player, he gets weaker by 1 notch and you get stronger by 1 notch. The result is 2 notches between you. When you target 2 players, you become 3 notches above the nearest competitor. The formula is simple enough to understand. 4. United we stand, divided we fall. I have observed a common mistake made by computer players - they tend to overextend themselves. Their armies are typically split up among their various territories and when I attack them individually with my crack force, the cities they defend fall like zealous dominoes. In fact, one of my favorite strategies is to collapse all my starting territories (if more than 1) into just 1. So instead of a few weak states with little gold/food and a weak military, I create a super state with much gold/food and a strong military. 5. Sometimes, brain is more important than brawn. This is a strategy game that contains quite a fair bit of warring. Naturally, one would salivate when he manages to recruit a general of high war ability. But, is brawn all? Sure, I love it when he can draft many soldiers and beat his opponents in the occasional personal combats. But have you seen an adviser use "confuse" or "incite" tactics on the enemies? It is a home run when an enemy platoon gets snared. He is literally helpless as you gang up to obliterate his troops. (Click to enlarge screen shot and see animation.) 6. Don't just work hard, remember to eat too. This may sound funny but it is dead true in real life. I know of workaholics who forgo food just so that they can work more. How silly if you ask me - why would anyone want to work? But these people do it day in day out and end up wrecking their health. Money is good; food is better. In the game, I have sometimes won battles without losing a single soldier. Simply, I beat them with food. Obviously I don't throw sacks of grain at them - I merely starve them out. When I see that they have too little food relative to their troops, I play a game of cat and mouse with them. They can't catch me, they can't hit me, but they still keep eating food. And once it runs out, the battle is lost for them. If they have no way to run, I capture their city, including every soldier, coin and padi. That's how delicious. 7. If you have tools, use them. Remember the bows and crossbows you find from time to time? Well, if you can afford more, buy them. When you equip your soldiers with them, they can inflict damages without taking any loss. If you are waging a prolonged war campaign in one of the extreme corners of the map, you might recall how even with a lot of gold, recruiting more soldiers would be a problem. The city's population just isn't enough to back you up. Using these bows and crossbows would save you precious soldiers and time - you wouldn't want to turn back like a dog with its tail between its legs when you can finish off your enemy within one campaign. 8. Tangible assets are desirable, but not necessary. Ever smiled when your search turned up a precious Sword of the 7 stars or a Red Horse? Well, they are nice items to have in the game but more often than not, I find myself keeping them with the ruler - more to admire them like art pieces than anything. I could have given them to my officers and have their abilities raised by a few points. But what for since the improvement would not have made any huge or significant difference? Like these 8 lessons? Try applying them in real life! ;-)