Free games, no spyware: Life is very good
By BILL HUSTED
Cox News Service
November 11, 2008
I don't play computer games. Instead, I watch public television, take long walks and spend quiet hours studying mathematics and physics texts.
OK, so I lie. But numbers usually don't.
About 72 percent of U.S. consumers play video games, according to a study released by the NPD Group in April. Another study from the Consumer Electronics Association — made back in 2006 — says adults are more likely than kids to play computer games.
Who am I to argue with numbers like that? If you're going to play games, why not find some that are available for free online? Today I'll give you a few examples, limited to sites that are free of adware and spyware, at least as near as I can tell. If you stray from my suggested sites, I suggest you Google the name of the game or site and add the word "adware" to see if there have been reports of problems.
Let's start with my all-time favorite online game: Canyon Defense, at http://tinyurl.com/34v2a5.
At the same site, you'll find hundreds of other online games and puzzles including many G-rated games aimed at very young kids. The selection is great here, although many games depend on you using a finger-twisting assortment of letter keys to control the game. Many are more fun with a joystick.
Control is no problem for Canyon Defense. And it's also easy to figure out how to play — you click with a mouse to place assorted guns and defensive devices in the right places to protect a canyon from an enemy attack.
While this may sound like what the industry calls a "shooter," it is not. It relies on strategy instead of reflexes, a lucky thing for my rapidly aging twitch muscles. It's easy to play but amazingly difficult to win while playing in the hard mode. So this game ages well and offers hours of challenging play. Parents also will be pleased to learn that machines are demolished but people are not.
But, hey, I'm a guy, and guys tend to like messing with cannons and airplanes. So I checked with my wife. She is even more addicted to online games and puzzles than I am.
Mary favors more traditional stuff, such as crossword and Sudoku puzzles. For some reason, my brain is not wired correctly when it comes to crossword puzzles. And, as far as Sudoku, I haven't a clue. But I wanted to include these categories since they're so popular with newspaper readers.
Mary works through the print New York Times crossword puzzles — using ink — in the time it takes me to fry my bacon and scramble my eggs in the morning. So she knows her crosswords. She recommends the puzzles at the Los Angeles Times: http://tinyurl.com/lx4dm and MSNBC: http://tinyurl.com/6nodwr sites. You'll also find links to crosswords and other puzzles at http://tinyurl.com/35mqsf.
If Sudoku is your thing, check out http://tinyurl.com/259wow. This interactive site is speedy and reliable and lets users set various levels of difficulty.
You'll also want to check out Thinks.com, a great gathering place for puzzles and games of all types.
For animated games, check out coffeebreakarcade.com. If you like word games, you'll enjoy Word. It involves forming specific words from the letters you are given. Another good one is Wild Wild Words.
As is true with most online game sites, your computer will need to have Java installed. Java is a program that hooks up with the online site to enable the games to run. You can download it free at http://java.com/en.
The good news with all these game sites is that you won't need a state-of-the-art computer. I tested these sites with both modern computers and an old, underpowered unit that had been retired to my ham radio room. No problems.
No online games I've tried match store-bought games for graphics and wow factor, but they sure win on cost. And some — like Canyon Defense — can offer hours of entertainment. The fun may fade after a few tries with others, but if so, you can just move on to a new one.
So enjoy some games with no guilt. If you need an excuse, try this one: Taking a break from your real work can actually make you more efficient. Or that's what I tell Mary. And it's no lie.
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