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by Mischief Maker 05/12/2009, 8:33am PDT |
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Brainpipe $15
A psychadelic tube racing game. Played with just the mouse. Starts off really slowly and relaxingly and gradually increases to a frenzied pace. Possible plus being that the delightful and abstract color show and soundscape will lull the tyke to sleep. Resolution is adjusted by shortcut tags. Note that the full game does not hit "Coma" unless you fail level 10, that's just the designer's cute way of saying "demo's over."
Aquaria $20
I'm on the fence about suggesting this one. It's a beautiful underwater-themed zelda-alike designed to be played with the mouse alone (though keyboard buttons are available). Most of the visuals are watercolor storybook beautiful and much of the music is soothing, for added baby benefit, but be warned that a few parts of the game make use of creepy and grotesque imagery, if that's a deal closer.
Critical Mass ($20 alone, $30 as package with 12 other full games of varying quality)
Sean O'Connor's windows games are ugly as all hell, but also really really addictive once you get over the learning curve. Critical Mass is a turn based spacefighter combat game focusing on missiles with simple mouse-based controls. I'll be covering it in more detail in ICJ and my upcoming article. Also give Slay a try as it is really really simple but addicting, and firefight, which is like a randomly generated "Close Combat" game runnable on modern computers. You can buy individual titles for $20, or his entire selection of games (including a decent version of Risk) for $30.
Kivi's Underworld $20
A very simple Diablo-alike that's more fun than it has any right to be, and I can't put my finger on just exactly why. Playable with the mouse alone. A lot less scary than Diablo, but it has several monster snarling sound effects.
Break Quest $20
The most entertaining arkanoid clone I've ever played. Brings to the table a physics engine and the ability to adjust the ball's flight path with a gravity enhancer. Endless creative stage designs, including a level based on Space Invaders, and another based on Asteroids. Nothing scary, and the music is rather soothing. The one downside is that the main site is down, so you'll have to buy it from a secondary indie game dealer, and I'm not sure what kind of DRM they use. |
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Wanted: simple games and judgement about fathering by Mr. Kool 05/11/2009, 7:21pm PDT 
Re: Wanted: simple games and judgement about fathering by Mischief Maker 05/11/2009, 7:26pm PDT
Oasis NT by Bananadine 05/11/2009, 7:33pm PDT
I think Pirates! can mostly be played using the keypad by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/11/2009, 7:44pm PDT
(hint: make her an agoraphobe and she'll show up sooner or later) NT by up with pod people 05/11/2009, 8:16pm PDT
Caltrops fears: the outside, coffee houses, music, honest work, STDs from whores NT by Entropy Stew 05/12/2009, 10:16pm PDT
you forgot "enthusiasm" and "mediocrity" NT by up with pod people 05/12/2009, 10:39pm PDT
I can't fit that all in the title! Can I add EXISTENTIAL CRISES to the list? NT by Entropy Stew (Baudrillard) 05/13/2009, 7:59am PDT
Hm, no. See, the intersection of existence and video games exists solely in the NT by (Wittgenstein) 05/13/2009, 8:43am PDT
Freud said that the only unnatural video game was no video game at all (Freud). NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 05/13/2009, 8:46am PDT
(MONOCLE) NT by (Wittgenstein) 05/13/2009, 9:42am PDT
resisting. copious. new parent. advice. by up with pod people 05/11/2009, 8:15pm PDT
I did this. by Bunyip 05/11/2009, 9:09pm PDT
Hey also ITT most people are wrong by Bunyip 05/12/2009, 9:23pm PDT
How about anything in the Total War series? NT by Fortinbras 05/13/2009, 9:43am PDT
Audiosurf, Master Of Magic, Heroes of MM by Zsenitan 05/11/2009, 9:07pm PDT
HoMM++ definitely NT by up with pod people 05/11/2009, 9:11pm PDT
Blood Bowl is coming out in June! by Worm 05/11/2009, 9:09pm PDT
Online poker NT by Fussbett 05/11/2009, 9:20pm PDT
We've seen what you do to a controller when you're frustrated by Entropy Stew 05/12/2009, 10:20pm PDT
Hey, he's not me. He's an adult. NT by Fussbett 05/12/2009, 10:32pm PDT
You can fix a baby with some Sanwa parts too, I don't see the issue. NT by Worm 05/12/2009, 10:57pm PDT
That's how Daigo happened NT by Entropy Stew (Baudrillard) 05/13/2009, 8:04am PDT
any pc rts (dawn of war) NT by Weyoun Voidbringer 05/11/2009, 10:36pm PDT
A few more by Mischief Maker 05/12/2009, 8:33am PDT
deal breaker, I mean. NT by Mischief Maker 05/12/2009, 8:36am PDT
Warning: Contains cosmic horror, existential angst. Not for children under 1. by Jerry Whorebach 05/12/2009, 10:04am PDT
Jerry, ever the optimist by bombMexico 05/13/2009, 5:44pm PDT
any RTS NT by any RTS 05/12/2009, 10:50am PDT
sorry no NT by attack + move command 05/12/2009, 10:45pm PDT
He didn't say it was easy, just that it was doable NT by Click the Attack-Move button, moron 05/13/2009, 8:09am PDT
"attack + move" fears that Mr. Kool won't be competitive online without the keyb NT by Fussbett 05/13/2009, 8:18am PDT
NOOOO MY STARCRAFT LADDER RATING (SHAKES BABY) NT by Dramatization of Mr. Kool 05/13/2009, 8:39am PDT
He's only shaking the baby with one hand, though, and the baby falls asleep. NT by Awwwww 05/13/2009, 8:57am PDT
One-armed baby shaking is doctor approved! NT by Mr. Kool 05/13/2009, 3:46pm PDT
Are you the admin? He wasn't asking you NT by Arbit 05/13/2009, 11:16am PDT
You could play FPSs, too NT by Bind "move forward" to middle mouse 05/13/2009, 11:18am PDT
And Strafe Left/Right to the side buttons! Also play an Engineer on TF2 NT by Fortinbras 05/13/2009, 11:31am PDT
Or make middle-mouse a move-modifier (depress to aim, release to run) NT by The guy with the gimpy hand off QT3 05/13/2009, 11:37am PDT
the complete opposite of a rational control scheme NT by Weyoun Voidbringer 05/14/2009, 2:44am PDT
Any game. NT by Creexuls, a monster >:3 05/12/2009, 10:59am PDT
I would like to change my answer to Ultima III, Police 911 & Steel Battalion. NT by Ice Cream Jonsey 05/13/2009, 6:16pm PDT
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