Gaming on the Web

Free online games are the perfect quick entertainment

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR: Scooby Doo and Shaggy star in Pirate Ship of Fools, one of the better online games out there.

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Games are an entertainment staple for anyone who needs to kill a few minutes between meetings, or a Friday afternoon at work. But what happens when you get sick of Spider Solitaire and Freecell?

Easy. You go online. There are thousands upon thousands of free games to play, most on a few major websites. A lot of them are, quite frankly, quite similar to other, more famous games like Bejewelled or Tetris. Whether you call them homages or rip-offs is up to you.

Here's a roundup of some online games that are a fun way to kill five minutes or an hour. A fast connection is a must for some of these, particularly if they involve a lot of quick movement. And as always, watch your data cap.

Click on the titles to play the games.

Pirate Ship of Fools
Shaggy and Scooby Doo star in this adventure game where you explore a ghostly pirate ship and try not to get scared. The puzzles are pretty easy - if you get stuck just click on everything you can- though it might move a bit slow for people who like action games. It's more like watching an episode than playing a game. Even the voices are pretty good, so is the music, and it's kid-safe. If you liked the humour of the show, you'll be at home here. There are other Scooby episodes, er, games on the site too.       

Bloxorz
This is an interesting twist on the usual falling block games. In Bloxorz you move a rectangular block around different platforms, rolling it on its side or head over heels to the finish. The catch is the platforms are so small and awkward there's often only one way to do it right. It gets really tricky quite quickly, and you'll find yourself thinking you've sussed it only to end up stuck halfway. Teleporters, switches and breakable tiles add to the fun.

Movie Munchies
Most people dream of being a movie star. Well, forget it. The closest you'll get it working behind the counter in a cinema, which is exactly what this game is about. Punch the numbers that correspond to what the customer demands (food, tickets, drinks, etc), and do it quickly, or they'll walk away. Just like a real McJob and good experience for kids with low career expectations. There is a moral lesson to it all though - people in cinemas eat far too much junk food.

Dirk Valentine
Steampunk fans will like this game. You play a very British, stiff-upper-lip colonial hero battling the evil Baron on board his blimps. The gameplay is fairly standard, running and jumping and shooting enemies. The weapon has some neat effects that can build bridges between platforms, which adds an extra dimension to the gameplay. The two handed play with be a bit confusing at first though. With stirring colonial music too

Moonshadow
Do you have what it takes to be a superspy? No you don't. But you can always pretend with this game. Moonshadow emphasises stealth, and you have to be on your toes for every possible threat. Alert the guards and you're probably a goner, despite your attack moves (which include flinging your hair - really). It takes a bit of practice to figure out what's going on. In the meantime you can pick locks, hack computers and generally be sneaky while you covertly infiltrate your secret mission, er, or something.

School Wars
A challenging strategy game where you control one of four teams trying to take over a schoolyard. The more territory you control, the bigger your army and the more kids you can beat up. But it's hard to keep track of everything that's going on, and each team has different strengths and weaknesses, so it will really keep you on your toes. Difficult controls don't help either, but a good way to waste 15 minutes and let out some of your frustrations from your school days.

Sim Taxi
Man, driving taxis for a living must be dull, if this game is any indication. Use your cab to pick up fares and drop them where they command in a fictional city. Bad driving (ie crashing) costs you money, which you'll need to pay for fuel and maintenance. You also have to drive on the wrong (right, not left) side of the road. Unfortunately there's no map, so you often can't really tell where you're going, and occasional grammar mistakes don't help. Don't let your kids think it's this easy to make money driving cab either.

Arms Dealer
Bring out your inner Victor Bout with this simulator of the arms trade. No clandestine night flights across Africa, just buying and selling instruments of death like grenade launchers, RPGs, and the always popular AK-47. It's just like the stock market - buy low, sell high, avoid the police - while you smuggle weapons into the world's trouble spots.

Bombs (online-games-zone.com)
Fans of Bomberman for various Nintendo consoles will find this game eerily familiar. Basically you place bombs and try to blow up the various opponents on the screen. I know it sounds easy, but finding the right locations for your bombs without getting exploded yourself can be infuriating. And if you take too long, the walking autobombs show up to hunt you down.

Fat Ninja
As the rather portly ninja in this game, you have to sneak your way through an office block, beating up the security guards as you go. You'll quickly find out it isn't the health bar you have to worry about, but the alarm meter, which goes up every time the guards blow their whistles. Hiding is essential, whether it's behind a pot plant, in a cupboard, or on the roof. It's a bit silly - ok, a lot silly - especially when things get too heavy and you unleash your flatulent "special move".

Railway Line
This game is a cross between Tetris and Railway Tycoon. You put down railway tracks to steer the train into the station - sounds easy, but you don't get to choose which ones you're given. And you're usually doing it while the train is on the tracks heading your way. Quick thinking, steely nerves, and a fair amount of luck are needed or the train will crash.

Space Bounty
The controls are a bit shonky and it's really, really easy to get killed when you start, especially in the pits, but this is one of the better platform games out there. Once you get used to it, you can fly about shooting all kinds of stuff and upgrade your weapons and armour. Interesting enemies and challenging levels too.