Ghost Ball

I will be shocked if there is anyone out there who actually enjoys this game. It's not even worth the time to download it to your mobile device. With literally millions of games and fun applications out there, there is just no reason to play Ghost Ball. Let me tell you why: You control a white ball. You move it with the pad or arrows. Meanwhile, colored balls crash into you. You need to try and avoid them. If you hit them or one of the sides, you lose. That's it. You can hit "retry" all you want, but I highly doubt you will ever last more than ten seconds. The game may pretend to be based on skill, but it is really blind lick that controls how things operate. The speed is simply too fast for anyone to be able to control. Especially if you are playing on a mobile device, you will break your thumbs before you get beyond the first level. Why anyone would design such a game is really beyond me. It is just not fun and even though it doesn't take much time to play and lose (and believe me, you will lose), it is still a waste of time that you could be using to play something actually fun. I mean, why not play an online blackjack game or anything in which you can use your brain rather than you thumb to try and win. Blackjack can be won, Ghost Ball can only be played until crying in frustration, you turn off your mobile in disgust and actually go back to work (or whatever you needed to do).

Bandit Ludo

Let's be honest. Bandit Ludo is nothing more than a video version of Parcheesi. While it may come in handy to have Parcheesi on your mobile device, is that really necessary? I mean I have never fully understood the concept of turning all board games into video games. The reason board games tend to be fun is that they are played on a board with competitors gathered around. Taking that experience and putting it on a cell phone is something else. Parcheesi and cell phones just don't seem to go together.

But enough of my rant, on to the game. The game is played on a board that looks like your standard Parcheesi board with I guess what you would call a "Mexican" look. Yes, you guessed it. Sombreros and guitars dot the background and add, well I have to be honest, absolutely nothing to the game experience.

You roll an animated die and move your pawns around the board. If you land on an enemy pawn, that pawn goes back to his start. You need to roll a "star" to move out of your home, and the first one to move all his pawns to the home territory is the winner. Now, since you re playing against the computer, this just means that if you move your pawns before the computer does you win.

There are a lot of free mobile games out there, perhaps too many. I think that Bandit Ludo may prove that point. It backs the maxim: Just because a game is fun, it may not be fun as a mobile game. Sorry, but playing Parcheesi on a cell phone? I have better games to play (see my review of Absolute Zero for something more fun).

First Light

First Light is a clever game. I have to admit that much. It is a simple concept, but it is very fun and will keep you coming back for more. Unlike most games that record scores, your score rises when you do well, but sinks when you mess up. Keeping a high score requires constant effort.

How does it work? Simple. You control a large white ball. You use the arrow keys to navigate around the screen. You bounce off the walls that frame the playing area. Small white balls appear at random bouncing around with you. If you can hit a small white ball with your large one, you get one point.

At the same time, there are small black balls that are also bouncing around with you. If you hit a black one, you lose a point. The point total is always shown in the center of the screen. It can get real frustrating as you chase down the white balls only to run from the black ones.

In the beginning, there is only one black ball. But each time you hit a white one and get a point, another black ball rolls into the playing area. When you have more than ten points, the playing area is crowded with black balls and navigating to the one white one that can win you a point takes patience, skill, and a quick hand. One small slip, and your point total starts to fall.

In this game, within a few seconds you can go from a personal best record to almost nothing. That's why when you have a large total and you want to end the game and record your score, you press the space bar. Otherwise, the game will keep going forever.

Absolute Zero

Absolute Zero is a modern update of the classic game Asteroids that can be downloaded to a cell phone, PDA, or other mobile device. It is really fun and does what games like these are supposed to do: It makes time fly by. After all, the reason you are playing on a mobile device is that you have some "down" time during the day. Playing Absolute Zero makes this down time just fly by (pardon the expression, it is a flying game.)

What are the differences between Absolute Zero and Asteroids. Well, first the graphics are nicer. In Asteroids, you just have three crude lines forming a triangle. This is supposed to be your spaceship. In Absolute Zero, your spaceship actually looks like a spaceship. You don't have to try that hard to imagine your ship flying through space blasting at asteroids.

Also, you have a double gun which gives you a slight edge in shooting. What is really different however is that the asteroids are no longer the main target. You have other ships going around trying to take shots at you. If you get hit you lose health. As you fire, you also lose ammo. Unlike Asteroids, there is no unlimited ammo available. Luckily, you can replenish both your health and your ammo.

To move your spaceship, just use the arrow-keys and watch your ship zip through space. The "Z" key turns on the tractor beam to pick up astronauts. The spacebar is what you need to press continuously to fire on enemies and asteroids. Asteroids will sometimes be hiding health packs or ammo. Run them over with your ship and you can reload and bring yourself back from near dead.

The gaming experience is both fun and challenging. Look, it's been thirty years since Asteroids was released. A new design every thirty years isn't so bad when you think of it.

Ocean Catch Match

Ocean Catch Match is a fun, aquatic version of the game concentration. It is easy to learn and keeps your mind focused when you are trying to kill some time. It is great to play on a cell phone or PDA since you can play anywhere and everywhere. Just download it and roll.

The main character in the game is the guy referred to as "Crazy Uncle Ned." Now, Ned is a rare enough name so they probably didn't offend anyone by using it. Still, using "Ned" actually takes away from the game. You don't need to know that the symbols you are trying to match represent his collection from the ocean. It is simply extra, non-essential information that game designers these days feel compelled to add to every game.

Anyway, once you get past Uncle Ned, your job is to match all the odd symbols representing creatures and items from the deep. Of course, there are the usual sea shells and shark cards. Yet there are also some neat items that you may never have seen. Before playing, I had known what a sea urchin was (they make delicious sushi!), but I did not know what one looked like.

I did know what a jellyfish looked like because I have had the misfortune to be stung more than once. I wonder why the game designer felt the need to add such a horrid creature to what is a simple fun game? Personally, he could have used images of tasty fish like flounder instead of the big jellyfish. It may not seem like a big deal, but loading a game with images that you detest actually dampens the whole gaming experience.

Still, if you want to test your brain and kill some time, download Ocean Catch Match to your mobile device and play a few rounds.

Free Sonic

Many will remember a video game called "Sonic the Hedgehog" back when you had to play video games in arcades and they all cost a quarter. Now, a free mobile game called "Free Sonic" attempts to replicate the action and plot of the original "Sonic" series with surprising results.

What is remarkable is that the images are true to form. Sonic and Knuckles looks the same as they did back in the seventies, just with a few details updated for the new millennium. What is great is that even on a small cell phone or PDA display, the graphics are intense. The Sonic file is large since it contains multiple characters at multiple levels. Yet once you download the game, playing is as easy as making a call.

Even the soundtrack is based on the original. Of course, if you are in a busy office and killing time playing Sonic, you may not want people to know what you are doing. That is why there is a mute option. As far as anyone knows, you could be sending an e-mail or setting up a conference call, not controlling a hedge hog to total domination of the universe.

For those not familiar with Sonic and the game series based on the character, all you need to know is that Sonic and his friends are the good guys. The scorpions and spiders are bad. Jump over them and try to touch as many gold rings as possible. Every touch gives you more points. On the other hand, if you are bitten by a scorpion, you will lose one of your three lives, so be careful.

The game is structured around a multi-level universe which is full of jumps, drops, and loops. Always look ahead to see what obstacles are coming your way next and you will do fine.

Go Sudoku Crazy on your iPhone

I only recently discovered Sudoku when I was trying to kill some time between flight connections. I saw a Sudoku puzzle book at the airport gift shop next to the usual crossword puzzle and word search game books. I had heard about Sudoku but never tried it. I bought a bag of peanut M&Ms with it and settled down to play. I have to admit I was hooked from the beginning. I started with the easy puzzles just to get a feel for it. One hour into it, I realized that I was getting a little obsessive. I ran to the gift store and bought two more Sudoku books. I was ready for the challenging puzzles. This numbers game is very easy in concept, but quickly becomes difficult. The object of this game is to fill a 3x3 square with the number 1-9, but also horizontally and vertically, which are three, 3x3 squares up and down. I know it sounds confusing, but trust me when I say it's easy to catch on and get hooked.

When I discovered I could get free downloads of Sudoku on my cell phone, I was in heaven. Any time I'm standing in a line, I pull out my phone and play a few games. I can't carry a Sudoku notebook and pen on me everywhere I go, but my cell phone fits nicely in my pocket so I'm never without an opportunity to play. It challenges the brain, which is a nice change of pace from some of the mindless mobile games and iPhone games on the market. Give it a try. You won't regret it.