Game Day

I am not a big online game player – I have very few apps on my iphone and the only two games I have are both free: Wordwarp and Hangman (for my daughter). I am, however, totally hooked on Wordwarp – it is a fun, challenging word game that is great for when you are waiting at the doctor or orthodontist’s office, in line at school pick up or on the train. But be warned, it is highly addictive! I have been known to chastise the kids if they start to play a game I have going with a very high point total accumulated.

In my online perusing, I often come across other games, most of which are of little interest to me. However, every once in a while I find something worth sharing, such as the couple I have for you today.

Entanglement is a fun visual game that involves creating an unbroken path that continues as along as possible without touching the exterior wall. You weave through hexagonal tiles that rotate to extend the meandering orange line. Turn the hexagons by using your arrow keys and then set them with your space bar. If you can achieve a score of 75, you move on to the next level. Sounds easy right? Well this conceptual game lures you in with its simplicity and next thing you know, you’re obsessed.

My next offering is not so much a game as a toy/tool. Designed by the incredibly creative Jim Bumgardner, Flickr Colr Pickr is amazing. Bumgardner describes it by quoting Alex Soojung-Kim Pang, “This is either something that designers and photo editors have been waiting their whole lives for, or one of those “I’ve created this because the Web lets me do it” kinds of things.” It works by clicking on a color in the adjustable center “wheel”. Colr pickr then offers you about 10 photos from flickr featuring that color. There are more permutations to this game but you should really visit and experiment for yourself. And while you’re there, check out some of Baumgarden’s other entertaining games, which are for players of all ages –  younger kids will love the Kaleidoscope and Spyrographer, while the older ones might enjoy The Oracle of Batboy, a fortune telling card trick. So have fun but be sure to keep track of the clock!