Flytrap Games http://www.flytrapgames.com Flytrap Games is simple: we crawl the web and hand pick the best free online games. We also like downloadable games, mobile games that make the ride to work less painful, and frivolous Facebook apps. We have a poster above our desk that says: “We will be the definitive guide to fun games”. Anything we blog about is guaranteed (in a totally non-legally binding way) to be fun for at least 10 minutes at lunchtime – or your money back. Now go play something. http://www.flytrapgames.com/media/feedlogo_flytrap.gif http://www.flytrapgames.com en-us Copyright 2010 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Love is in the air for adventure gaminghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/love-is-in-the-air-for-adventure-gaming/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/love-is-in-the-air-for-adventure-gaming/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/love-is-in-the-air-for-adventure-gaming/#commentsFiled under: ,

Valentine & Cupid

Time for another Minoto game. This one's a bit romantic, what with Valentine's Day being just round the corner and all. No, the picture isn't all that representative.

Valentine & Cupid

 

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]]>adventurefree online gameFreeOnlineGamehidden objectHiddenObjectMinotopoint and clickPointAndClickEdwin2010-02-08T06:15:00 00:00Get to grips with American Footiehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/get-to-grips-with-american-footie/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/get-to-grips-with-american-footie/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/get-to-grips-with-american-footie/#commentsFiled under: ,

Pro Football

We know nothing about American Football, other than that "the best dee-fense is a good oh-ffense" and you should always go long. Miniclip's Pro Football is still absolutely comprehensible. In fact, it's incredibly addictive.

There are two stages. First you've got to score a touchdown by bulldozing your way across a field sprinkled with defenders. Then you've got to kick the ball between those two shiny post things. All this is achieved with the arrow keys and Z.

If you prefer the English variety (and zombies), try something from Mousebreaker.

Play Pro Football

 

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]]>American footballAmericanFootballballfree online gameFreeOnlineGameMiniclipsportDoree2010-02-08T05:59:00 00:00Toy robots go time-travellinghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/toy-robots-go-time-travelling/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/toy-robots-go-time-travelling/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/08/toy-robots-go-time-travelling/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Chronotron

Anyone out there read Calvin and Hobbes comics? There's an absolutely brilliant strip where the boy and his stuffed tiger go time-travelling. You should probably go read it. Then come back here and play this.

In Chronotron, you play a robot rocking a broken Tardis lookalike. Spare parts for the latter are scattered across the game's 35 levels (with another five available on Kongregate). To recover them, you'll need to create "clones" of yourself by repeatedly warping back in time.

Run and jump with the arrow keys, and hit space bar next to the time machine itself to do the timewarp (again). Be careful not to trap your past selves - everybody needs to make it back to the machine eventually.

No clone can run as fast as this one. Try Paradox Embrace for more meddling with dimensions.

Play Chronotron

 

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]]>Back to the futureBackToTheFutureKongregateplatformingWeeblEdwin2010-02-08T05:24:00 00:00Grinning fruit threatened by hailstones, againhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/05/grinning-fruit-threatened-by-hailstones-again/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/05/grinning-fruit-threatened-by-hailstones-again/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/05/grinning-fruit-threatened-by-hailstones-again/#commentsFiled under: ,

Cover Orange 2

Cover Orange 2 is Cover Orange with mildly fancier visuals and a "2" on the end. No bad thing in our book - sheltering fruit from inexplicably wrathful storm clouds never gets old.

Click to drop objects around or on top of your spherical charges, protecting them from the elements. The fruit have ickle weeny arms now with which to wave happily should you shield them adequately, or gesticulate in agony should you fail to do so.

Play Cover Orange 2

 

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]]>Bubbleboxgroceryphysics gamePhysicsGamepuzzleDoree2010-02-05T07:50:00 00:00Do babies dream of flying hotdogs?http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/05/do-babies-dream-of-flying-hotdogs/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/05/do-babies-dream-of-flying-hotdogs/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/05/do-babies-dream-of-flying-hotdogs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Babies Dream of Dead Worlds

What do newborn infants dream of? Their imaginations have no memories to draw on, save those of the womb, no intricate, fertile aggregate of neuroses and prejudices.

Perhaps they dream of sheer darkness, stasis. Or perhaps they dream of winged sausages jumping on blocks.

Gregory Weir is the mind behind the slightly more straightforward but equally earnest Grow Your Own Dragon.

Play Babies Dream of Dead Worlds

 

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]]>arthousefree online gameFreeOnlineGameNewgroundsphilosophicalplatformingEdwin2010-02-05T07:09:00 00:00Trapped in a broken spaceship with... some boobshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/trapped-in-a-broken-spaceship-with-some-boobs/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/trapped-in-a-broken-spaceship-with-some-boobs/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/trapped-in-a-broken-spaceship-with-some-boobs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Space Oddity 2

The Space Oddity series continues. All's not terribly well aboard the USS Mysteriously Adrift In Asteroid Field. True, the percentage of cleavage on display has increased, but so too has the percentage of dreadful killing machine. That computer has the right idea.

The puzzles have got a lot simpler, being less of the crack-the-code nature and more of the find-this-and-use-it-on-this dispensation. As before, the gorgeously eldritch art style is a bit confusing.

Try Foreign Creature 2 and I Remain if your thirst for eerie scenarios remains unslaked.

Space Oddity 2

 

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]]>adventurefree online gameFreeOnlineGamePastel GamesPastelGamespoint and clickPointAndClickYo ArcadeYoArcadeEdwin2010-02-04T07:04:00 00:00Make your balls pretty for a third timehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/make-your-balls-pretty-for-a-third-time/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/make-your-balls-pretty-for-a-third-time/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/make-your-balls-pretty-for-a-third-time/#commentsFiled under: ,



Bart Bonte's unveiled another sequel to Factory Balls, an Arts & Crafts puzzler in which you decorate balls to match the picture on the box. The new game doesn't change much, and is still awesome.

Click and drag the ball onto tool icons to decorate it. You kick off with paint buckets and stencils, but less conventional methods - and tougher assignments - become available later on.

Paint The Fence is similar, but loonier.

Play Factory Balls 3

 

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]]>Bart BonteBartBontefree online gameFreeOnlineGameNot DopplerNotDopplerpuzzleDoree2010-02-04T06:30:00 00:00Donkey Kong with a Tenacious D soundtrackhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/donkey-kong-with-a-tenacious-d-soundtrack/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/donkey-kong-with-a-tenacious-d-soundtrack/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/donkey-kong-with-a-tenacious-d-soundtrack/#commentsFiled under: , ,



In a quite excessively brilliant stroke of brilliance, one of the Ludum Dare chaps has coded a Donkey Kong '94 clone with an 8-bit Tenacious D soundtrack. We never knew Tribute to the Best Song in the World went so well with bananas.

Tower of Heaven's harder. And greener. For more retro gaming fun, try Jamble Legends.

Play Monkey Kong

 

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]]>Excite MikeExciteMikeLudum DareLudumDareplatformingretroEdwin2010-02-04T05:56:00 00:00Last surviving egg faces never-ending levelhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/last-surviving-egg-faces-never-ending-level/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/last-surviving-egg-faces-never-ending-level/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/last-surviving-egg-faces-never-ending-level/#commentsFiled under: ,



Eggs aren't known for athletic prowess, but when you're the sole surviving specimen of a type you learn to improvise.

In Last Egg Alive, players hop and skip around a small platform collecting... wait a minute, eggs? I guess he isn't the only one left, then. Blatant false advertising.

Tiers of crates and other objects float on from the right. Jump on them to reach your limbless brethren, or to avoid being shoved to your death, or to bridge the gaps that start to appear in the platform.

The longer you live, the harder it gets. To paraphrase Cormac McCarthy, this ain't no country for omelettes. [Dreadful - Ed]

Play Last Egg Alive

 

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]]>Eggys GamesEggysGamesfree online gameFreeOnlineGameplatformingsurvivalDoree2010-02-04T05:18:00 00:00Dungeon questing? All it takes is one buttonhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/dungeon-busting-all-it-takes-is-one-button/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/dungeon-busting-all-it-takes-is-one-button/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/04/dungeon-busting-all-it-takes-is-one-button/#commentsFiled under: , ,

One Button Bob

One Button Bob is the great equaliser of twitchy retro platformers. Sick of elaborate control schemes? Fear not. Here's a game in which you dodge falling spikes, leapfrog bats, sprint over crumbling bridges and batter giant green boss monsters by way of left mouse button and left mouse button alone.

Play One Button Bob

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameNinjadoodlepoint and clickPointAndClickEdwin2010-02-04T04:55:00 00:00How many ways can you level a building?http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/03/how-many-ways-can-you-level-a-building/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/03/how-many-ways-can-you-level-a-building/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/03/how-many-ways-can-you-level-a-building/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rubble Trouble

Answer: more than you might think. In Nitrome's Rubble Trouble, players can have their merry way with cement mixer cannons, helicopter-mounted wrecking balls, missile batteries, rocket-powered drills and, of course, good old back-to-basics TNT.

The idea, as you may have gathered, is to reduce a succession of architectural landmarks to dust. Each demolition tool has its own control set: to launch a missile strike, for instance, you click to fire and hold to guide the projectile home. Generally speaking you'll have a limited number of uses per level.

As in other blockbusting sims like Demolition City, damaging non-condemned buildings and hapless civvies is a no-no. If you prefer a moving target, try Dynamite Blast.

Play Rubble Trouble

 

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]]>demolitionfree online gameFreeOnlineGameMiniclipNitromephysics gamePhysicsGameEdwin2010-02-03T09:25:00 00:00Relive the Flight of the Phoenixhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/03/relive-the-flight-of-the-phoenix-sort-of/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/03/relive-the-flight-of-the-phoenix-sort-of/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/03/relive-the-flight-of-the-phoenix-sort-of/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Balloon in a Wasteland

Balloon in the Wasteland is the easiest wave defence game we've rocked in a while. Your character crashlands his blimp in a angry-blob-infested fastness, and must repair it whilst fending off the locals.

Use WASD to move, and the mouse to shoot. Shopkeepers periodically arrive with new guns, traps like landmines and flat-packed easy-assemble forts and turrets.

Patch up your balloon by moving near it during a lull and holding S. It'll take a while, but don't worry - even later and massier breeds of foe pose little problem providing you keep refreshing your cannons.

In an interesting touch, your character must also sleep at intervals or else suffer an accuracy cut. The screen darkens gradually while you're asleep, threatening to obscure the all-important wave timeline at bottom.

You might recognise that hat from jmtb02's other, more ambitious defender, The Next Floor.

Play Balloon in the Wasteland

 

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]]>Armor GamesArmorGamesfree online gameFreeOnlineGamestrategysurvivaltower defenceTowerDefenceDoree2010-02-03T08:51:00 00:00Plant trees by playing Facebook gameshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/plant-trees-by-playing-facebook-games/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/plant-trees-by-playing-facebook-games/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/plant-trees-by-playing-facebook-games/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Plant Me

If you're into donating cash to ecological charities in a somewhat roundabout fashion, try new Facebook app Plant Me.

It's another in a long line of slow burn resource management games - you pick a planet, sow seeds on it and nourish them into mighty trees - but here's the USP: for every five dollars (about three to four quid) you spend on virtual in-game cash, the publishers will plant one more tree in reality. Or so they tell us.

In-game cash, otherwise known as "Ozone Credits", can also be earned by accepting third party offers. Sign up for a free 14 day trial of LoveFilm, for instance, and you'll haul in 53 OC.

Feeling un-ecological? Don't worry - not everything in Plant Me costs Ozone Credits. You can get by perfectly well without.

Play Plant Me

 

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]]>charityecologyenvironmentFacebooksocial networkingSocialNetworkingDoree2010-02-02T13:03:00 00:0010 great Facebook games you've never heard ofhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/10-great-facebook-games-youve-never-heard-of/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/10-great-facebook-games-youve-never-heard-of/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/10-great-facebook-games-youve-never-heard-of/#commentsFiled under: ,

10 great Facebook games you've never heard of

As we've noted, Facebook's game page is a bit of a taxanomic nightmare. The category system cuts precisely two ways: you can check out what's been added recently, or what's most popular, which entails wading through either 20 pages of flimsy, badly translated guff or 20 pages of, well, Zynga.

That's a shame, because the occasional gold speck does float out of the muck, and unless you go prospectin' every day you're going to miss out. We've done you the favour of dredging up 10 of the best. Aren't we nice, eh?Bad Apples



Bejeweled with a twist - besides squashing trios of tasty fruit to fill up your juice tube, you must avoid squishing rotten specimens.

Crazy Taxi



Speed down the highway, switching lanes and leapfrogging other cars.

Guitar God



A devastatingly high quality Guitar Hero rip-off, complete with streaming footage of real-life bands.

Kick the Buffoon



Bizarre but beautiful 3D French endeavour in which you try to backslap a courtly jester across an entire kingdom.

Rox



Superbly simple mouse-controlled schmup. Click rapdily to fire, hold to use your shield.

The Shell Game



The old "which cup is it under" trick in Facebook form. How fast are your peepers?

Ski Simulator



Nail the gates, dodge the trees and get to the end of the course as quickly as possible.

Square Madness 2



Scoop up black squares with your reticule whilst avoiding the red ones.

Sushi Wars



Graphically unremarkable but well-rounded cooking sim. You might learn a bit about Japan in the process.

Worm Warrior



Get medieval on the local worm population before they devour the contents of your larder.

 

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]]>Facebookgalleryround-uptop 10Top10Edwin2010-02-02T11:37:00 00:00Return of the parasitic alien point and clickerhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/return-of-the-parasitic-alien-point-and-clicker/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/return-of-the-parasitic-alien-point-and-clicker/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/return-of-the-parasitic-alien-point-and-clicker/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Foreign Creature 2

My giddy aunt, it's Foreign Creature 2. We blogged the original not long after Flytrap's first birthday, back in the exciting age of composite images. The game hasn't changed much, which is to say it's still a dark and disturbing pixel-scrutiny fest you probably shouldn't play if you're under 16.

Things begin where the last game left off, with your parasitic alien anti-hero at bay in an office. Click objects to make good (or not) your escape.

They've put together a walkthrough. Try Zeebarf's Another Small Favor for more sci-fi point and clickage.

Play Foreign Creature 2

 

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]]>adventureBelugerin StudiosBelugerinStudiosBubbleboxhorrorpoint and clickPointAndClickEdwin2010-02-02T09:46:00 00:00Unleash your hidden penguinhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/unleash-your-hidden-penguin/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/unleash-your-hidden-penguin/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/unleash-your-hidden-penguin/#commentsFiled under: ,

Monotone 3

Room escape time. Monotone 3 features stuff we're comfortable with, such as screwdrivers and pieces of string, and stuff we're less comfortable with, such as a panda-based hints system.

There's plenty of Japanese text, but none of it's essential.

Try Loom Dawn if you haven't already. It'll light up your day. As will Hanamushi. Thanks, E4.

Play Monotone 3

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGamepoint and clickPointAndClickroom escapeRoomEscapeDoree2010-02-02T09:09:00 00:00Weirdest fusion of DJ sim and puzzler everhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/weirdest-fusion-of-dj-sim-and-puzzler-ever/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/weirdest-fusion-of-dj-sim-and-puzzler-ever/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/02/weirdest-fusion-of-dj-sim-and-puzzler-ever/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Record Tripping

Record Tripping, we salute you, for surely thou art strangest among this day's offerings. The game's one part turntable simulator to one part puzzle game to one part Alice in Wonderland. We've seen Alice in some odd scenarios before, but this takes the biscuit.

Use your mousewheel to scratch the deck forwards and backwards, and click-hold to slow it down. This will have different effects depending on the chapter. In one level, the turntable itself is a rolling wooden ball maze. In another it's a windmill. Kittens and rabbits are plentiful.

Play Record Tripping

 

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]]>Bell BrothersBellBrothersDJLewis CarrollLewisCarrollmusicpuzzlerhythmEdwin2010-02-02T08:16:00 00:00Sheep suicide makes great entertainmenthttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/sheep-suicide-makes-great-entertainment/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/sheep-suicide-makes-great-entertainment/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/sheep-suicide-makes-great-entertainment/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sheep Cliff Jump X-Treme

We thought we knew what extreme was, but boy were we wrong. Sheep Cliff Jump X-Treme is so extreme it doesn't look extreme at all. It looks like sheep jumping off a cliff.

Ask yourself this: how far will you go in your pursuit of extremity? I managed just over 33 metres.

Play Sheep Cliff Jump X-Treme

 

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]]>Ballistic GamesBallisticGamesfree online gameFreeOnlineGameRexGamessheepEdwin2010-02-01T17:24:00 00:00Robinson Crusoe with a dash of toilet humourhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/robinson-crusoe-with-a-dash-of-toilet-humour/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/robinson-crusoe-with-a-dash-of-toilet-humour/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/robinson-crusoe-with-a-dash-of-toilet-humour/#commentsFiled under: ,

Island Escape: Funky Parrot Redemption

Island. Parrot. Old school telephone. Bog roll. No Man Friday, but you do get room service. Our top hint? There's plenty of fish in the sea. Here's the video walkthrough. Go bonkers.

Play Island Escape: Funky Parrot Redemption

 

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]]>adventureEscapeGames24free online gameFreeOnlineGamehidden objectHiddenObjectpoint and clickPointAndClickRexGamezDoree2010-02-01T16:39:00 00:00Knee-high knights prove exceedingly gnarlyhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/knee-high-knights-prove-exceedingly-gnarly/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/knee-high-knights-prove-exceedingly-gnarly/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/knee-high-knights-prove-exceedingly-gnarly/#commentsFiled under: ,

Chibi Knight

Monty Python took the old "questing knight" cliche and made it funny. Chibi Knight takes it and makes it cute.

As the titular tyke in tinfoil armor, you must lay the hurt on some Fisher Price monstrosities via considerable tapping of the A key. S unfolds your hand of spells, which are pretty devastating but fetch a hefty price in magic points.

Beware, male players - the vocals may induce gooey behaviour in passing female colleagues. For something a little bit more macho, try Nitrome's classical classic Double Edged.

Play Chibi Knight

 

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]]>actionArmor GamesArmorGamesfantasyhacknslashNitromeswordEdwin2010-02-01T10:14:00 00:00Mo' Monster Truck smash n' bashinghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/mo-monster-truck-smash-n-bashing/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/mo-monster-truck-smash-n-bashing/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/mo-monster-truck-smash-n-bashing/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Monster Truck Destroyer

Reasons not to own a Monster Truck: the spare tyre needs its own trailer. Reasons to own a Monster Truck: Mr T might bother looking your fool ass in the eye when you pass in Sainsburys' car park.

It's a 2D racer with real-ish physics!! Involving the arrow keys!!! Never seen that before.

Play Monster Truck Destroyer

 

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]]>Armor GamesArmorGamesfree online gameFreeOnlineGamephysics gamePhysicsGameracingDoree2010-02-01T09:49:00 00:00Shoot and slash invading Orcs in first-personhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/shoot-and-slash-invading-orcs-in-first-person/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/shoot-and-slash-invading-orcs-in-first-person/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/02/01/shoot-and-slash-invading-orcs-in-first-person/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Fortress Guardian

It's always the same: you get up to put the kettle on and when you come back there's an Orc insurrection. Look Lurtz, we don't like Mondays any better than you do, but there are other ways to deal with start-of-week apathy than razing the nearest castle.

Point, click-hold and release to fire arrows at incoming greenskins. If any of them manage to scale the wall, click your sword to seize it, click again to strike, and use space bar to block. Awesome.

Play Fortress Guardian

 

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]]>actiondefencefantasyfirst-personfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGamesfreepoint and clickPointAndClicksurvivalEdwin2010-02-01T04:43:00 00:00Go on a building wrecking rampagehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/30/go-on-a-building-wrecking-rampage/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/30/go-on-a-building-wrecking-rampage/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/30/go-on-a-building-wrecking-rampage/#commentsFiled under: ,

World Cleaner

"Clean world, destroy buildings!!!" That, my friends, is a message we can get all behind. You certainly wouldn't want to be in front of it, would you?

Gird your wrists.

Play World Cleaner

 

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]]>actionfree online gameFreeOnlineGamepoint and clickPointAndClickstupidwrecking ballWreckingBallEdwin2010-01-30T07:55:00 00:00Nine reasons GTA is the best iPhone game yethttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/9-reasons-gta-is-the-best-iphone-game-yet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/9-reasons-gta-is-the-best-iphone-game-yet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/9-reasons-gta-is-the-best-iphone-game-yet/#commentsFiled under: ,

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars

A friend of mine finally made the switch to iPhone last week. He was dubious as to its value as a gaming platform, but not for long: by pleasant coincidence, Rockstar's fantastic, foul-mouthed urban epic Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars had just arrived on the App Store.

It was the first game he purchased. It's the only game he's purchased. Frankly, we don't expect the situation to change anytime soon. Here are nine reasons why Chinatown Wars is in a league of its own on iPhone and iPod Touch.Killer looks

On first firing up Chinatown Wars, you could be forgiven for mistaking the real-time graphics for a pre-assembled video sequence. Really, is there anything prettier on a touch screen? The older PSP version is a bit more glam, but nothing else on iPhone comes close.

Soundtrack to die for

Rockstar doesn't mess about when it comes to music, and the uniquely stylised themes in Chinatown Wars prove it. Sadly you don't get all the tracks from the PSP and DS versions, thanks to the App Store's file size limit, but it's still a quality selection. Have a listen.

Liberty City's back

You may already know and love the bustling old burg from playing Grand Theft Auto IV. This pocket rendition of our favourite fictional city is kind of cute, but no less dangerous. Watch out for those hidden items.

Gripping storyline

What's not to love about the Chinese Triads wreaking havoc on the East Coast? The whole avenging-yer-father's-death and symbolic-sword-passed-down-generations thing may be cliché, but the script's infused with that classic Rockstar blend of satirical charm.

Characters we care about

While we preferred Niko Bellic, Roman and the rest of GTA IV's fully 3D bravos, Huang Lee and his fellow yakuza are amazingly good company for hand-drawn stills who speak in text.

Handles a treat

The targeting system leaves a bit to be desired, but everything else feels right to us - whether it's racing around the streets or sampling the game's little touch-screen distractions, like hotwiring a vehicle. Where the PSP version could be imprecise, Chinatown Wars is right at home on the iPhone. Rockstar has bolted on an optional feature called "Steering Assist" for good measure, which subtly straightens out your driving when active.

Play your own soundtrack

Don't like the bundled beats? No problem: on iPhone you can simply switch to Independence Radio - an all-new customizable radio station that allows you to paste in iTunes playlists and listen to them in-game.

Endless, or near enough

Perhaps my most played iPhone game last year was Ragdoll Blaster, which took up a solid three to five hours of my life. Multiply that by a factor of 10 for Chinatown Wars. Epic.

Dirt cheap

Do we look loaded to you? We run a free gaming blog, for crying out loud. That £5.99 price tag might seem on the expensive for an iPhone title, but it's peanuts next to the DS and PSP games. Given the size of the beast, you're getting more than enough bang for your buck.

What are you waiting for?

 

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]]>actionGrand Theft AutoGrandTheftAutoiPhoneiPod TouchIpodTouchRockstar GamesRockstarGamesTake TwoTakeTwoDoree2010-01-29T10:49:00 00:00Running Man homage involves man, runninghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/run-run-as-fast-as-you-can/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/run-run-as-fast-as-you-can/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/run-run-as-fast-as-you-can/#commentsFiled under: , ,

The Running Clone

As you can probably tell from the title (providing you're over thirty, anyway), The Running Clone makes absolutely no bones of its inspirations. It is, indeed, a clone of The Running Man, Steven King's dystopian future thriller cum Arnold Schwarzenegger flick cum Commodore 64 game.

Evil Rat has changed things up a bit, to be fair. They've turned it into a match-the-button-prompts game, for starters. And they've made it a lot less rubbish. Copy arrow key sequences to guide your fugitive along the long, wreckage-strewn, heavily patrolled path to freedom.

Play is interrupted at intervals by fake adverts (it's all taking place as part of this fictional game show, see). The artwork is remniscent of the extraordinarily violent MadWorld.

Play The Running Clone

 

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]]>Evil Rat GamesEvilRatGamesMoFunZoneplatformingrhythmEdwin2010-01-29T07:46:00 00:00A Simpsons jigsaw puzzlehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/a-simpsons-jigsaw-puzzle/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/a-simpsons-jigsaw-puzzle/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/a-simpsons-jigsaw-puzzle/#commentsFiled under: ,

Bart Simpson Jigsaw

Some things never go out of style. Jigsaws aren't among them. But look, this one has Bart Simpson in it.

Alternatively, you could try making a jigsaw with your own face.

Play Bart and the Ritalin

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGamepicturepuzzleDoree2010-01-29T07:17:00 00:00Overdosing on glue, colour puzzlinghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/overdose-on-glue-colour-puzzling/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/overdose-on-glue-colour-puzzling/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/29/overdose-on-glue-colour-puzzling/#commentsFiled under: ,

Gluey

Don't know about you, but there's nothing I like better than fondling a bag of goo. Our friend the psychologist says this has something to do with what he calls my "latent perversities", but I think it owes more to all those sci-fi B-movies I watched as a lad. Goo's pretty big in B-movies, don't you know.

Gluey has all the goo you can fondle. It's Tetris under a blowlamp: runny blobs of colour drop from the top and must be removed in groups of two or more. Single blobs won't budge, but you can combine them with blobs of the same hue if you pick and choose your clicks.

Check out our Top 10 Tetris rip-offs for other creative reinterpretations of the arcade classic.

Play Gluey

 

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]]>free online gamesFreeOnlineGamesKingpuzzleEdwin2010-01-29T04:57:00 00:00Ride back to the 1980s on a hoverbikehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/ride-back-to-the-1980s-on-a-hoverbike/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/ride-back-to-the-1980s-on-a-hoverbike/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/ride-back-to-the-1980s-on-a-hoverbike/#commentsFiled under: , ,

JetPsycle

Feeling a bit retro? JetPsycle is so old school it practically smokes a pipe and wears carpet slippers. Your task, should you choose to accept it, is to hurl a guy on a jet-propelled bike off a jump ramp.

Further = better = more reward cash. And reward cash, old son, gets spent on upgrades. Like a nitrous injector, for instance (nitrous = fast).

Space out your space bar taps correctly for a successful launch. Fly Squirrel, Fly = similar. Bubble Guinea Pop = weirder.

Play JetPsycle

 

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]]>Edwin2010-01-28T06:48:00 00:00Guiding atomic particles = herding catshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/guiding-atomic-particles-herding-cats/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/guiding-atomic-particles-herding-cats/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/guiding-atomic-particles-herding-cats/#commentsFiled under: ,

Pulsus

Pulsus is a particle puzzler comparable to MagnetiZR (only more accessible) and Auditorium (which I thought we'd blogged already). Players must arrange "Forces" to push coloured particles from emitters to goals. The level's over once all the goals are full.

Creator Antony Mattox is a digital artist and designer by profession - this is his first game. Pretty stunning work for a n00b, if we do say so ourselves. Be sure to show your appreciation.

Play Pulsus

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGamemagnetparticlephysics gamePhysicsGamePulsusDoree2010-01-28T06:22:00 00:00Play Tumbledrop on iPhone - and send its maker to San Franhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/play-tumbledrop-on-iphone-and-send-its-maker-to-san-fran/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/play-tumbledrop-on-iphone-and-send-its-maker-to-san-fran/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/play-tumbledrop-on-iphone-and-send-its-maker-to-san-fran/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tumbledrop

Never let it be said that we won't lend a hand to a game developer in need - though it helps when there's a game as glorious as Tumbledrop involved.

Hayden Scott-Baron of Starfruit Games is in the running for an Independent Games Festival award. Trouble is, he can't afford the associated plane trip and hotel bill. Help him out by donating here, or by dropping 59p on the game he's been nominated for.

Originally released for browsers, Tumbledrop is a chirpy, violently coloured physics gaming classic in which players remove shapes, one by one, to lower a purple star to ground level. Careful you don't tip the old girl into the drink.

Play Tumbledrop (browser version)
Play Tumbledrop (App Store)

 

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]]>Hayden Scott-BaronHaydenScott-baroniPhoneiPod TouchIpodTouchphysics gamePhysicsGameshapeStarfruit GamesStarfruitGamesEdwin2010-01-28T05:34:00 00:00Shape-shifting boxes need sorting outhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/shape-shifting-boxes-need-sorting-into-reds-and-blues/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/shape-shifting-boxes-need-sorting-into-reds-and-blues/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/28/shape-shifting-boxes-need-sorting-into-reds-and-blues/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Werebox

WereBox is another smiley-face physics puzzler from the lovers of 90 degree angles at Bubblebox. The idea is to convey red boxes to their doom while preserving all the blue ones.

Most boxes can be transformed into balls with a mouse click. Do this to a box positioned on a slope, and naturally the little chap will start to roll. And Stuff Will Happen. You'll see.

Try doing it with less symmetrical objects, such as polar bears. Blosics is good, too.

Play WereBox

 

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]]>Bubbleboxfree online gameFreeOnlineGamephysics gamePhysicsGamepuzzleDoree2010-01-28T05:04:00 00:00Hidden object gamers roll out the red carpethttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/hidden-object-gamers-roll-out-the-red-carpet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/hidden-object-gamers-roll-out-the-red-carpet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/hidden-object-gamers-roll-out-the-red-carpet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Red Carpet

A bowl of soup. "When the stomach becomes empty, it eats." A school jotter. "It is a book to which epoch-making study results are written." Minoto, we salute your grasp of the English language.

The developer's latest hidden object adventure is Red Carpet. We'd discuss it, but then we'd have to explain what electric blankets and rock concerts have in common. Which is more than you think.

Play Red Carpet

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGamehidden objectHiddenObjectMinotopuzzleEdwin2010-01-27T11:21:00 00:00The universe in your browser, from microbe to Milky Wayhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/the-universe-in-your-browser-from-microbe-to-milky-way/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/the-universe-in-your-browser-from-microbe-to-milky-way/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/the-universe-in-your-browser-from-microbe-to-milky-way/#commentsFiled under: ,

The Scale of the Universe

We're unimaginably small. And unimaginably huge. It all depends on your perspective - whether you cast your gaze outward to the furthest reaches of space or inward to the anatomies of electrons.

The Scale of the Universe, a sort of telescoping interactive exhibit, gives you access to both perspectives and all those in between. Move the slider to expand or contract the view. Educational stuff.

Play The Scale of the Universe

 

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]]>educationfree online gameFreeOnlineGameNewgroundsscienceEdwin2010-01-27T09:04:00 00:00Test your memory and your sketching skillshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/test-your-memory-and-your-sketching-skills/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/test-your-memory-and-your-sketching-skills/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/27/test-your-memory-and-your-sketching-skills/#commentsFiled under: ,

Sketch

Here's a light and fluffy one to put a smile on that mid-morning face. Sketch is a copy-the-picture game: use red pins to help you memorise each outline, then hit draw and put your magic marker to work. Classic.

Nothing beats fence-painting though.

Play Sketch

 

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]]>drawingfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGimme5Gamespicturepoint and clickPointAndClickDoree2010-01-27T05:09:00 00:00When top-down shooting plays roughhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/when-top-down-shooting-plays-rough/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/when-top-down-shooting-plays-rough/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/when-top-down-shooting-plays-rough/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Last Breath: Overwhelmed is deceptively unassuming. "Don't worry," it purrs in your ear. "I'm just a back-to-basics, run-of-the-mill arcade shooter, the sort of arcade shooter your dad used to play when the Atari brand name still meant a damn. Check out my understated 2D visuals. Nod complacently at my keyboard controls."

Wade in a few levels, however, and the shooter's finer points start to emerge. There are two things between your pilot and the interstellar void: the ship's hull, which doesn't regenerate, and its shields, which do.

So what, I hear you whine. Recharging shields do not a work of staggering genius make. Ah, but there's another piece to the puzzle: debris. Destroyed opponents will jettison it randomly, and you can suck it up with your tractor beam for bonus credits - more of 'em if you're quick.

Trouble is, doing so will stop your shields recharging for a crucial fraction of a second. This is all very well initially, as there aren't enough craft/bullets around to seriously threaten. Later on, though, making a dash for a dwindling fragment is a life or death affair.

You can reprogram your homing missiles to target enemies in different circumstances - low health, furthest away horizontally, closest vertically, and so on. Pick a setting to suit your play style, and marvel at the flexibility this ostensibly minor feature affords.

Play Last Breath: Overwhelmed

 

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]]>arcadeBrain OxideBrainOxidefree online gameFreeOnlineGamehardretroshootertop-downEdwin2010-01-26T17:23:00 00:00Electricity: the secret to great grid puzzleshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/electricity-the-secret-to-great-grid-puzzles/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/electricity-the-secret-to-great-grid-puzzles/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/electricity-the-secret-to-great-grid-puzzles/#commentsFiled under: ,

Electric Box

Ah, electricity. So hazardous, so expensive, yet so much fun to mess around with. Not that Electric Box has much in common with the idea of "messing around". On the contrary, it's one of the most exacting puzzlers we've blogged.

Each level contains at least two circuits - one attached to a power supply, the other to a motor. The idea is to communicate a current from the former to the latter by transforming it into other forms of energy - heat, light, movement, and so on.

At its simplest, this could involve plugging a lamp into the powered circuit to charge a solar panel on the unpowered circuit. In later and more complicated scenarios, however, you might be feeding the steam from a kettle into a sensor to trigger an electromagnet and pull a mirror across to intercept a laser beam and open a water valve and our brains just collapsed under the pressure.

If you're smarter than we are, feel free to build your own level. Then run along and play with your chemistry set, you insufferable know-it-all.

Wait, there's more. Candystand has released a couple of level packs in the weeks between our failure to notice the game's publication and this oversight being brought to our attention (thanks Dan). Go click.

Play Electric Box

 

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]]>CandystandElectric BoxElectricBoxfree online gameFreeOnlineGamepuzzleDoree2010-01-26T16:11:00 00:00I remain... thoroughly sick of zombie gameshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/i-remain-thoroughly-sick-of-zombie-games/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/i-remain-thoroughly-sick-of-zombie-games/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/i-remain-thoroughly-sick-of-zombie-games/#commentsFiled under: ,

I Remain

OK, chaps. Let's get down to brass tacks here. Zombie games. There's a fair few of them. Some would say too many. The word "infestation" comes to mind, followed closely by "hackneyed".

Just as well they're so playable, isn't it? Nothing beats splatting a good zombie, unless it's escaping from one. I Remain has players doing the latter. You're trapped in a barricaded apartment with naught but some clickable hotspots and an inventory bar for company. Do what comes naturally.

Days 2 Die is the acknowledged, gun-toting master of the undead subgenre, with Infectonator a good puzzler's alternative. For more suspenseful room escapism, try Escape the Dungeon or the playfully deranged Alice is Dead.

Play I Remain

 

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]]>adventureKongregatepoint and clickPointAndClicksurvival horrorSurvivalHorrorzombieEdwin2010-01-26T08:47:00 00:00The efficient art of block-spinninghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/the-delicate-art-of-block-spinning/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/the-delicate-art-of-block-spinning/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/the-delicate-art-of-block-spinning/#commentsFiled under: ,



Fatking's dizzying block puzzler Rotato is old news - but not to us (or E4). Players rotate a square board with the arrow keys to send blocks of certain hues and temperaments crashing into two or more of their fellows. Match-three with a splash of Turnz, then.

Complete levels in the miminum number of turns for extra points. Bombs may be clicked to remove inconvenient stonework.

Play Rotato

 

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]]>blockFatkingfree online gameFreeOnlineGamepuzzleEdwin2010-01-26T06:14:00 00:00Is this still SPARTAAA?http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/is-this-still-spartaaa/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/is-this-still-spartaaa/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/26/is-this-still-spartaaa/#commentsFiled under: ,

Spartaman 2

Some internet memes don't go out of fashion without a fight. But is Gerard Butler's six pack buff enough to turn back the tide of history?

Play Spartaman 2

 

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]]>300celebrityfree online gameFreeOnlineGamegerard butlerGerardButlersatirespoofDoree2010-01-26T04:16:00 00:00Going to hell with a pickaxehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/going-to-hell-with-a-pickaxe/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/going-to-hell-with-a-pickaxe/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/going-to-hell-with-a-pickaxe/#commentsFiled under: ,

Go To Hell

We're often told to "go to hell", usually in response to phrases like "our last invoice" and "payment in advance", but we've never actually taken the words at face value. Unlike the hero of Go To Hell, it seems, who is hell-bent on doing exactly that.

Contrary to popular perception, there are reasons to go to hell. Fifty golden disc-shaped reasons, to be precise. Move with the arrow keys, pushing against horizontal or vertical surfaces to dig through them. Nasty things await in the depths, but you can drown them in convenient pockets of water.

Once you've reached Hell, of course, you'll need to escape from it. Maybe a crow will tell you how.

Play Go To Hell

 

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]]>A10arcadefree online gameFreeOnlineGameplatformingEdwin2010-01-25T13:38:00 00:00Balance a band singer on your bonnethttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/balance-a-band-singer-on-your-bonnet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/balance-a-band-singer-on-your-bonnet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/balance-a-band-singer-on-your-bonnet/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Freeway Fallguy

Freeway Fallguy, then. Man drives car. Other man sings rock solo while standing on bonnet of car. Man driving car tries to keep soloist alive for as many verses as possible.

Brake pedal seems to be bust. Cops do their utmost to interfere. Lethal accident inevitable.

Brought to you by Raygun, who actually tried it at home.

Play Freeway Fallguy

 

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]]>bandfree online gameFreeOnlineGamepopracingRaygunrockstupidviralEdwin2010-01-25T13:21:00 00:00Boy's toys: radioactive teddy bear zombieshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/boys-toy-special-radioactive-teddy-bear-zombies/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/boys-toy-special-radioactive-teddy-bear-zombies/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/boys-toy-special-radioactive-teddy-bear-zombies/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Radioactive Teddy Bear Zombies

Welcome to the town of Sunny Acres. Suspiciously heartwarming name, isn't it. The sort of name that attracts catastrophic irony as readily as I attract emails about the size of my genitals.

Business isn't booming at the local stuffed animal factory. Those slavering, psychopathic but very cuddly mutants lurching off the production line might have something to do with that. Fortunately, the town happens to be the home of a juvenile redneck thug wielding more weapons than the average NRA convention.

As the custodian of said thug, you use WASD to move-jump around each threatened district, clicking the mouse to gun down any child's playthings that rear their heads. Two firearms can be carried at once: our favourite combination is the rocket launcher and AK47. Cue Scarface quote.

Play Radioactive Teddy Bear Zombies

 

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]]>actionAdult SwimAdultSwimfree online gameFreeOnlineGameplatformingshooterDoree2010-01-25T12:58:00 00:00The ultimate celebrity Flash game round-uphttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/the-ultimate-celebrity-flash-game-round-up/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/the-ultimate-celebrity-flash-game-round-up/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/the-ultimate-celebrity-flash-game-round-up/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Ultimate celebrity Flash game round-up

There's a Flash game for every celebrity on the planet, more or less. Look, even Mel Gibson has one.

Some of these games are the work of ardent fans, or teenage girls, or ardent teenage fangirls. Others are designed to drag the ego of the celeb in question down a few rungs.

And still others spring from the unspeakable hard drives of the more up-to-date breed of pornographer.

We've rounded up fourteen of the cleaner ones after the jump, numbered in order of excellence. Don't tell Russell Crowe.14. Brad Pitt Makeover



Have you merry way with Mr Pitt's complexion. Loses points for absence of Angelina Jolie tattoos, bubble pipe, pirate hat and love bites. 2/10

13. Dancing Bush



Turn Dubya into the disco dynamo he might have become but for that ill-fated jaunt in politics. Could have used a climatic dance-off, perhaps against Saddam Hussein? 2/10

12. Britney Brawl



The sometime Princess of Pop throws down with the Commander-in-Chief of Sleaze. Some eye-watering moves on offer, but it sorely needs a tag-team finish with Christina Aguilera. 2/10

11. Jumping Jacko



Help Michael Jackson make off with some infants before the papparazzi get wind. Predictably tasteless, but at least the platforming mechanics work. 3/10

10. Simon Cowell Ditches American Idol



A five-year-old could have coded this, but we like Frogger. 3/10

9. Kanye vs. Taylor



Help Ms. Swift assert her claim to a VMA award. Sit yo ass down, West. 5/10

8. Celebrity Fight Club



Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stalone are getting rowdy. Sort 'em out. Timely use of catchphrases ushers this into "acceptable" territory. 6/10

7. Dawn of the Celebs



Keep a star-studded undead line-up from scratching your limo's polish. Ben Stiller's an easy kill, but Natalie Portman dies hard. 6/10

6. Celebrity Kung-Fu



Hey look, it's Kanye again. This time he's engaging in disputation with Lady Gaga. That poker face won't see off a high kick, girl. Nice animations here. 7/10

5. Slapperazzi



In which boozed-up residents of the big red carpet backhand intrepid photographers. Watch you don't slap an innocent bystander - though Peaches Geldoff is apparently fair game. 7/10

4. Charles 007



His Befuddled Highness breaks off a royal bank visit to cap some terrorists. The hit recognition is a bit dodgy, but this is comedy gold. 8/10

3. Rooney on the Rampage



The mighty Roon needs the aid of your mousebutton to headbutt his way from one goalmouth to the other. Simple = good. 8/10

2. Ronaldo 2 Real



Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Nope, it's an injured Man United striker with his eye on a world record transfer deal. 9/10

1. Obama Alien Defence



Barack Obama proves he's got a steady arm and itchy trigger finger to back up that pretty face. Top of the class. 10/10

 

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]]>celebfree online gameFreeOnlineGamegalleryround-upsatirespoofEdwin2010-01-25T07:29:00 00:00Reclaim space from weird alien pondlifehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/reclaim-space-from-weird-alien-pondlife/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/reclaim-space-from-weird-alien-pondlife/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/25/reclaim-space-from-weird-alien-pondlife/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Reclamation

Reclamation is a top-down shooter - wait, scratch that last bit. It's no shooter, despite strongly resembling Geometry Wars. Rather, it's a top-down "partitioner". (I'm still tagging it "shooter", mind you.)

Move around each level with the arrow keys. Block off parts of it by inscribing a line from one wall to another. You'll need to section off a certain proportion to put down the local cosmic bug infestation.

Cheers, E4.

Play Reclamation

 

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]]>alienarcadefree online gameFreeOnlineGameGlobotixKongregateretroshooterDoree2010-01-25T04:42:00 00:00Tiger Woods still in Flash gamers' bad bookshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/tiger-woods-still-in-flash-gamers-bad-books/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/tiger-woods-still-in-flash-gamers-bad-books/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/tiger-woods-still-in-flash-gamers-bad-books/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Tiger's Transgressions

Tiger Woods might have won back the editors of Vanity Fair, but the old charmer hasn't quite pacified the browser gaming industry. Expect plenty more where this came from.

In Tiger's Transgressions, you must knock out wandering prostitutes with golf balls before they communicate Mr Wood's liasons to the press. Tactful, subtle, tasteful - it's none of these things and less.

Play Tiger's Transgressions

 

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]]>celebrityfree online gameFreeOnlineGamepoint and clickPointAndClicksatireTiger WoodsTigerWoodsEdwin2010-01-22T12:01:00 00:00When billiard balls turn to vampirismhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/when-billiard-balls-turn-to-vampirism/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/when-billiard-balls-turn-to-vampirism/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/when-billiard-balls-turn-to-vampirism/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Vampire Fever

Take a game of billiards, turn the cue ball into Dracula and the other balls into goofy monsters, and you've got the (startlingly hard) Vampire Fever. Click, drag and release to launch your vampire around each level, bouncing off monsters to infect them.

Beware - bouncing a healthy monster into an infected one will cure the latter. You'll need a clean sweep to progress, with more efficient players reaping gold stars for their troubles.

Watch out for special monsters too. The lipstick-wearing cuties split into lots of ickle baby monsters when jostled, for instance.

Play Vampire Fever

 

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]]>ballboardfantasyfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGimme5GamespoolsnookerUmut DervisUmutDervisDoree2010-01-22T06:23:00 00:00Go rocketeering in search of red starshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/go-rocketeering-in-search-of-red-stars/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/go-rocketeering-in-search-of-red-stars/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/22/go-rocketeering-in-search-of-red-stars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Little Rocket

Little Rocket is, indeed, rather little. Players fly around what looks like a section of graph paper, gathering red stars and landing (bottom first) on planets. Point and hold-click to boost in a direction.

Puzzles lurk deep in the light blue void, and sometimes you'll have to collect a certain number of orange stars to activate a red one. Each planet has its own gravity well, too, so keep your foot on the pedal.

Rockitty has a lot more ricochet. And cats.

Play Little Rocket

 

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]]>Edwin2010-01-22T05:29:00 00:00The un-bear-able uprightness of penguinshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/the-un-bear-able-uprightness-of-penguins/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/the-un-bear-able-uprightness-of-penguins/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/the-un-bear-able-uprightness-of-penguins/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Polar PWND

As if concerns over declining polar bear and penguin populations weren't riding high enough, it appears the two species are at war. It's quite a one-sided war, thus far: all the penguins do is squat behind their cunning defences, while the bears attempt to knock them down aboard huge chunks of ice.

Polar PWND sees you gunning for the furry cause, arranging ramps and explosives to propel your bear towards the penguin battalion at the other side of the level. Items are selected, rotated and placed via the menu at bottom. When you're ready to go, click the walrus. I kid you not.

The bears' dislike probably stems from jealousy, we reckon. From platform-racing to maths sims, bows and arrows to tower defence, the Flash gaming world is oddly fond of penguins...

Play Polar PWND

 

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]]>Arcticfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGameboltzicephysics gamePhysicsGameEdwin2010-01-21T17:49:00 00:00Golf on Facebook is still golf, pretty muchhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/golf-on-facebook-is-still-golf-pretty-much/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/golf-on-facebook-is-still-golf-pretty-much/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/golf-on-facebook-is-still-golf-pretty-much/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Gimme Golf

Golf does disturbing things to males who have yet to hit the big three-oh. We're all well aware that it's the sport our granddads would/still play, and that it's therefore about as chic as a pair of Star Wars themed boxer shorts, but somehow you find yourself agreeing to just... Argh.

Just... one... more... game. Help.

Gimme Golf will at least prevent the experience from taking its toll on your wallet. Providing you stick to the handful of free courses and characters, anyway.

Watch out, it's a 60MB download. Gameplay is as simple as point, drag and click, with the game automatically selecting the best club for the situation.

Play Gimme Golf

 

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]]>3DdownloadableFacebookgolfTiger WoodsTigerWoodsDoree2010-01-21T17:09:00 00:00Guns, aliens - you work it outhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/guns-aliens-you-work-it-out/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/guns-aliens-you-work-it-out/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/guns-aliens-you-work-it-out/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Alien Slayer 3D

Brethren. It has been over 24 hours since you last slayed an alien. You must be feeling all calm and non-violent. Ugh.

Let's get right back to it. Last one through the airlock's a rotten egg.

Play Alien Slayer 3D

 

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]]>alienBubbleboxfree online gameFreeOnlineGameQiGamesshooterDoree2010-01-21T08:27:00 00:00The most complex free rock sim everhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/the-most-complex-free-punk-rock-sim-ever/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/the-most-complex-free-punk-rock-sim-ever/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/the-most-complex-free-punk-rock-sim-ever/#commentsFiled under: ,

Punk-o-Matic 2

"Hot dang" are the words that come to mind. They aren't, really, but the words that do come to mind can't be printed because Won't Somebody Think Of The Children.

Don't worry though, older readers, there are more than a few of those words in Punk-o-Matic 2. Other words featured include: "manuals", "specials", "bridge riff", "dude" and "awesome".

The game's about turning a basement punk act into a globe-shaking musical colossus, in case you hadn't guessed. What sets it aside is the sheer depth of its song creation options. Rock Band Sim looks about as involved as a tamborine by comparison.

Play Punk-o-Matic 2

 

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]]>compositionmusicNewgroundsrhythmsimEdwin2010-01-21T06:51:00 00:00Rescue space men in a space buggy in spacehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/rescue-space-men-in-a-space-buggy-in-space/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/rescue-space-men-in-a-space-buggy-in-space/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/rescue-space-men-in-a-space-buggy-in-space/#commentsFiled under: ,

Neptune Buggy

Yay, more physics-enabled 2D driving. Neptune Buggy is a glossy, gentle crater racer which should help wash away those bruising memories of Creepy Rider.

Burn rubber across the icy extra-terrestrial landscape to save your astronaut mates from suffocation. The arrow keys are all you need.

Play Neptune Buggy

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameGametopphysics gamePhysicsGameracingEdwin2010-01-21T06:30:00 00:00So you think you can think?http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/so-you-think-you-can-think/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/so-you-think-you-can-think/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/21/so-you-think-you-can-think/#commentsFiled under: ,

So you think you can think?

So you think you can think? Well YOU THOUGHT WRONG. Quick, reacquire your intellectual credentials by taking this cunning true-or-false quiz for a spin.

Each question presents you with a picture of two shapes and asks you to affirm or deny a statement pertaining to them, like "the circle dwarfs the box" or "the circle is in front of the box". Simplicity itself - except you're racing against the clock, and any mistakes will set you back a hundred points.

Obey The Game! is cleverer (it doesn't fudge up its own title screen, for one thing). Have you cracked open the Impossible Quiz Book?

Play So you think you can think?

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameIQ testIqTestKongregatequizshapewordDoree2010-01-21T06:11:00 00:00One-fifth of women dumped partners over gaming habitshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/one-fifth-of-women-dumped-partners-over-gaming-habits/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/one-fifth-of-women-dumped-partners-over-gaming-habits/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/one-fifth-of-women-dumped-partners-over-gaming-habits/#commentsFiled under:



Salt-shaker at the ready? Then get your teeth into this: according to a survey conducted by online discount site MyVoucherCodes (as sourced - exclusively, it seems - by PCWorld) 20% of women have given their boyfriends the boot for excessive gaming.

[And there we were thinking games would get us laid... - Doree]

There's more. 80% of the women interviewed claimed their significant others spent too long playing games and surfing the web, and 70% revealed that "gaming addiction" was the main cause of marital strife. Call of Duty was the game most likely to spark a row.

By contrast, 72% of men declared that their partners spent too long on the web, and a mere 6% said they'd throw in the towel over the matter. Guess all those Call of Duty sessions have a soothing effect on the masculine temperament.

Note the preference for percentages over headcounts, and draw whatever conclusions you wish as to the true scope of the site's research.

PS. Finding My Heart paints a plausible picture of how a hard-gaming dumpeé might go about winning his beloved back.

 

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]]>controversygaming addictionGamingAddictionnewsrelationshipsEdwin2010-01-20T18:59:00 00:00Light dawns in high concept room escapehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/light-dawns-in-high-concept-room-escape/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/light-dawns-in-high-concept-room-escape/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/light-dawns-in-high-concept-room-escape/#commentsFiled under: ,

Loom Dawn

You might recall Akarika as the creators of Loom Custody, the abstract prison-breaker we blogged last July. (We got the name wrong originally, but do bear in mind that we're idiots.) The developer's latest is Loom Dawn, and it's a treat.

Play begins in almost total darkness, but the lights gradually come up as you uncover and solve each pattern- or number-based puzzle. Few real head-scratchers await, but the experience is so elegant you may find yourself going for a second run-through.

Play Loom Dawn

 

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]]>Akarino-Arikafree online gameFreeOnlineGamepoint and clickPointAndClickroom escapeRoomEscapeEdwin2010-01-20T09:39:00 00:00Play keepy ups with a rubber chickenhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/play-keepy-ups-with-a-rubber-chicken/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/play-keepy-ups-with-a-rubber-chicken/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/play-keepy-ups-with-a-rubber-chicken/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rubber Chicken

To counterbalance the nerd-centric bloodthirstiness of our last post, we do hereby present a game about winsome bouncing things. Chickens, namely. They bounce pretty good, you'll be surprised to know. We always thought the typical broiler hen was more of a "splat" phenomenon.

Whatever. Think Pong for the farmyard. Gather all the floating chicks before the timer runs out. It's a lot less harrowing than this.

Play Rubber Chicken

 

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]]>ball and paddleBallAndPaddlefactory farmingFactoryFarmingfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGamezheroPongDoree2010-01-20T09:14:00 00:00It's space marines vs aliens time againhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/its-space-marines-vs-aliens-time-again/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/its-space-marines-vs-aliens-time-again/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/20/its-space-marines-vs-aliens-time-again/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Back 2 Back

Space marines. Aliens. Let's face it, you can't have one without the other.

Back 2 Back is an offworld defence game which pits your upgradeable roughneck troop and their fixed windows of fire against sundry green scaly exploding arachnids. It's a 10 MB file, so it'll take a while to load, but those graphical riches are worth waiting for.

Armor Games has published some corking strategy games over the months and years. Try Colony, for instance.

Play Back 2 Back

 

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]]>Armor GamesArmorGamesFalloutfree online gameFreeOnlineGamesci-fiStarcraftstrategytower defenceTowerDefenceEdwin2010-01-20T05:09:00 00:00Become Mayor of a Facebook metropolishttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/become-mayor-of-a-facebook-metropolis/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/become-mayor-of-a-facebook-metropolis/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/become-mayor-of-a-facebook-metropolis/#commentsFiled under: ,

FunCity

Sick of corrupt or inefficient local government? Fancy taking the reins for yourself? No, don't bother putting your name on the ballot - just fire up new Facebook app FunCity.

On signing in, you're assigned a one-horse burg consisting mostly of empty building plots. Construct homes, workplaces, supermarkets, monuments, kindergartens, football grounds and, um, giant teddy bears for your citizens as per the demands on the City report.

Most of the stuff you can buy costs made-up dosh, but the very fanciest items are worth "Fun-Gold", available for a decidedly non-virtual price. Time progresses at a relaxed pace - once a few construction projects are underway, it's best to come back in a few hours, though you can blow Fun-Gold on a Time Machine if you want to cut to the chase.

The graphics are simple but appealing, and performance is smooth. We doubt Zynga's sweating at the sight of this, but it's a pleasant distraction.

Play FunCity

 

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]]>Facebookfree online gameFreeOnlineGamemanagementmayorpoliticalsimDoree2010-01-19T13:11:00 00:00Bubble Bobble meets Geometry Wars on Facebookhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/bubble-bobble-meets-geometry-wars-on-facebook/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/bubble-bobble-meets-geometry-wars-on-facebook/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/bubble-bobble-meets-geometry-wars-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under: ,

Transcripted

Transcripted is an excellent, fast-paced but brainy Facebook shooter which all but sweats "must add". Players take control of a microscopic lump of heavily armed jelly, and use it to click-blast diseased cells off the face of the Petri dish.

Once sufficiently click-blasted, those diseased cells may release cuboid DNA fragments which can be used to disrupt the gene chains looping across portions of the screen. Fly into a fragment to collect it, then click to launch it at a chain. Match three or more same-coloured fragments to evaporate 'em.

One of the finest insta-fix games on the shop, by our lights. Jog on, FarmVille.

Play Transcripted

 

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]]>Facebookfree online gameFreeOnlineGameneonpuzzleretroshootersocial networkingSocialNetworkingEdwin2010-01-19T06:38:00 00:00Breed monster gladiators from media deviceshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/breed-monster-gladiators-from-media-devices/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/breed-monster-gladiators-from-media-devices/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/breed-monster-gladiators-from-media-devices/#commentsFiled under: , ,



We've played some seriously good adver-games in our time, but My Media Monster definitely takes things up a gear. Brought to you by Verbatim, creators of portable storage tech, it's essentially Pokemon through the fibre-optic eyes of a hardware catalogue.

This is how it rolls: you create a monster by combining four Verbatim products and choosing one of the resulting oddities. Then you make your monster (ours is called "Ben") beat up other monsters in pin-sharp real-time 3D.

The battling is automated, save for special moves, projectiles and self-repairs, which you trigger yourself via the buttons at bottom. There's even a camera mode and replay feature.

Play My Media Monster

 

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]]>3Dcomedyfree online gameFreeOnlineGamePokemonsimVerbatimviralDoree2010-01-19T05:48:00 00:00Four Bejeweled-ish block puzzlers in onehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/four-bejeweled-ish-block-puzzlers-in-one/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/four-bejeweled-ish-block-puzzlers-in-one/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/four-bejeweled-ish-block-puzzlers-in-one/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Jamble Legends

You can't have too much of a good thing, Queen Latifah excepted. So here are four Bejeweled rip-offs in one charming retro package.

They're essentially the same game with different kinds of block - fluffy critters, ancient runes and fruit plus the normal four-cornered variety. Choose a theme and give them lines o' three or more some welly.

For something a tad tricksier (or so Doree tells us), try Phyzballs.

Play Jamble Legends

 

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]]>arcadeBejeweledblock puzzleBlockPuzzlefree online gameFreeOnlineGameGamesGamesretroEdwin2010-01-19T05:18:00 00:00Forget Guitar Hero - it's Pole Dance Herohttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/forget-guitar-hero-its-pole-dance-hero/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/forget-guitar-hero-its-pole-dance-hero/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/19/forget-guitar-hero-its-pole-dance-hero/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Pole Dance Hero

Another tap-buttons-to-the-beat rhythm game, you cry? Wait here whilst I fetch my Aerosmith T-shirt and trusty plastic Gibson.

Ah, but you won't need your guitar for this game, son. It's a rhythm basher of a more... sensual sort. And one we really shouldn't have published before 9pm.

Hey, look, there's no actual nudity. The more extreme bits have been blurred out. And before you lambasters of the objectification of women clamber onto your hobbyhorses, bear in mind that it's satire. Satire, see.

You're all over 25, right?

Play Pole Dance Hero

 

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]]>ActivisionAdult SwimAdultSwimfree online gameFreeOnlineGamemusicrhythmspoofEdwin2010-01-19T04:40:00 00:00Carry on building bridges in medieval timeshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/carry-on-building-bridges-in-medieval-times/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/carry-on-building-bridges-in-medieval-times/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/carry-on-building-bridges-in-medieval-times/#commentsFiled under: ,

Cargo Bridge: Armor Games Edition

Add another pair to the list of great historical combinations: Armor Games and Cargo Bridge. It's as affable as Richard and Judy, as whimsical as Laurel and Hardy, and as addictive as cocaine on toast. Trust us, we know.

You're tasked, once again, with constructing a bridge or series of bridges strong enough to bear the weight of several workers and their loads. Work the structure up in blueprint mode, then hit "test" to, um, test it.

Play Cargo Bridge: Armor Games Edition

 

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]]>Armor GamesArmorGamesCargo BridgeCargoBridgeconstructionphysics gamePhysicsGamesimDoree2010-01-18T12:59:00 00:00The non-euphemistic joys of ball-poppinghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/the-non-euphemistic-joys-of-ball-popping/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/the-non-euphemistic-joys-of-ball-popping/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/the-non-euphemistic-joys-of-ball-popping/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Poppable Cascade

Poppable Cascade is one part bubble wrap, one part match-3 game and one part physics puzzler. Each level is filled to the brim with coloured balls, and your job is to pop the lot of 'em.

Only groups of three or more balls can be popped, however, and the heap will shift and topple as trios are removed, jostling balls out of or into alignment. Be choosy in your clicks. See-through bubbles don't count towards your score and can be popped singly.

It's an illiterate version of Must Pop Words, essentially.

Play Poppable Cascade

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameNot DopplerNotDopplerphysics gamePhysicsGameEdwin2010-01-18T12:41:00 00:00Ornate, oddball Japanese point and clickagehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/ornate-oddball-japanese-point-and-clickage/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/ornate-oddball-japanese-point-and-clickage/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/ornate-oddball-japanese-point-and-clickage/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Hanamushi

Hanamushi is a deeply conceptual, utterly gorgeous promo site cum Flash adventure. There are several minigames tucked away in its beautifully over-designed folds, but the main one's a mixture of dress-up sim and point and clicker.

Let's talk themes, people. Creation! Destruction! Imagination! Fertility! Sterility! Selfhood! Artifice! Isolation! And many, many more. Better put the kettle on.

If Dr Seuss ever made a Flash game, this would be it. Play it, revel in it, then check out the associated short films.

Play Hanamushi

 

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]]>adventurefree online gameFreeOnlineGamepoint and clickPointAndClickDoree2010-01-18T09:11:00 00:00The weirdest places you'll ever escape fromhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/the-weirdest-places-youll-ever-escape-from/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/the-weirdest-places-youll-ever-escape-from/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/the-weirdest-places-youll-ever-escape-from/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Warp!

Not every escape game is set in a humdrum, everyday studio apartment, dingy basement or paisley drawing room. Just as well, really, or we'd have tired of the genre long, long before the idea of cracking a keycode ever lost its allure.

Laid out for your delectation post-jump are nine room escape oddities of more-than-customary oddness. Some are threatening, some bizarrely appealing. All will entertain.1. Bermuda Triangle Escape

Bermuda Triangle Escape

Ah, the Bermuda Triangle. What would the world's UFO conspiracy theorists do without it?

2. Mystery House in Japan

Mystery House in Japan

Mysterious? Rather. A certain Mr Rorschach may once have been in residence...

3. Toybox

Toybox

You're chained to a wall. There's lots of Satanic paraphenalia around. And some girlie pin-ups.

4. The Submachine Series

Submachine Episode 5

An extraordinary sequence of games in which players escape from various huge, eerie, subterranean machines. Utterly unmissable.

5. Charisma

Charisma

What's this, a recording studio? Why's my hair purple? Who's the chap in the mixing booth?

6. Hotel 626

Hotel 626

Haunted house shenanigans and real video footage aplenty. Only playable between 6pm and 6am, but you can always cheat by changing your computer clock.

7. Magical Sphere Escape

Magical Sphere Escape

Like being trapped inside a Space-Odyssey-influenced New Age concept album. Warm up that third eye...

8. Onamis

Onamis

Fumble your way free of a mostly monochrome, Cold-War-ish nuclear bunker.

9. Escape Game of RPG

Escape from RPG

The world of Japanese role-playing is a nice place to visit, but you wouldn't want to live there. Too many blob monsters.

 

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]]>Doritosfree online gameFreeOnlineGameMinotoPastel GamesPastelGamesround-upTerminal ArcadeTerminalArcadeEdwin2010-01-18T06:23:00 00:00Play Tetris in first-person viewhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/play-tetris-in-first-person-view/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/play-tetris-in-first-person-view/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/18/play-tetris-in-first-person-view/#commentsFiled under: , ,

First-Person Tetris

I'm not quite sure what's so breathtaking about First-Person Tetris. It's just basic Tetris, really, although when you hit space bar to rotate your shape the entire viewpoint rotates with it.

There's a nice range of background themes and 8-bit soundtracks. Good for five minutes of office small talk, we reckon.

Play First-Person Tetris

 

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]]>arcadeblockfree online gameFreeOnlineGamepuzzleTetrisDoree2010-01-18T04:23:00 00:00Everything you should know about games in one picturehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/everything-you-should-know-about-games-in-one-picture/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/everything-you-should-know-about-games-in-one-picture/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/everything-you-should-know-about-games-in-one-picture/#commentsFiled under: ,

The world of gaming in pictures

This one's for you, despairing mothers and fathers of the English-speaking realm, and you, confused and frightened grandparents, and you, raging Daily Mail readers. Every juicy gaming statistic, every cold hard fact, one big, beautiful jpeg. Online Education, your work here is done.

Take a look. Then print this out and have it tattooed across your chest, or alternatively your partner's forehead.

 

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]]>facts and figuresFactsAndFiguresNintendo DSNintendoDsPlayStation 3PlayStation PortablePlaystation3PlaystationPortablePS3PSPstatisticsWiiXbox 360Xbox360Edwin2010-01-15T11:42:00 00:00Military Rescue suits battle-proven gamershttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/military-rescue-suits-battle-proven-gamers/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/military-rescue-suits-battle-proven-gamers/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/military-rescue-suits-battle-proven-gamers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Military Rescue

Atten-SHUUN. AGAME has hammered out a great tribute to classic gung-ho bullet dodger Metal Slug.

Their succinct write-up puts things best: "bash and crash through this captive-strewn battlefield like you're Rambo reborn."

You heard the man, sweethearts. For more of those apples, check our Guns & Ammo category. Helicops is a keeper.

Play Military Rescue

 

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]]>arcadeContrafree online gameFreeOnlineGameMetal SlugMetalSlugretroshooterDoree2010-01-15T11:20:00 00:00Hide and seek in a slick sci-fi laboratoryhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/hide-and-seek-in-a-slick-sci-fi-laboratory/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/hide-and-seek-in-a-slick-sci-fi-laboratory/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/hide-and-seek-in-a-slick-sci-fi-laboratory/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Matiawase

The ever-reliable Bart Bonte directs our attention to Matiawase, an elegant, vaguely Gattaca-esque escape game from Bianco-Bianco.

Backstories are conspicuous by their absence as you take your first look around the clean, curvaceous, absurdly technological setting, spotless save for some weird, badly translated graffiti. Given the size of the place, the minimap in bottom right seems a bit surplus.

Follow the vague clues to unlock the door. Hint: sometimes you have to give to get back.

Mandrake and Escape the Dungeon are pretty hot.

Play Matiawase

 

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]]>adventureBianco-Biancofree online gameFreeOnlineGamepoint and clickPointAndClicksci-fiEdwin2010-01-15T10:38:00 00:00Run, run, run as fast as you can...http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/run-run-run-as-fast-as-you-can/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/run-run-run-as-fast-as-you-can/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/run-run-run-as-fast-as-you-can/#commentsFiled under: ,

Kawairun

The object of Kawairun is to delay the inevitable. The screen jogs briskly from left to right, and you must keep pace with it, leaping over logs and gaps, dodging venomous bees, sliding under branches and so on.

Sooner or later you'll stumble, take a stinger to the face or fall to your doom, but in those precious seconds or even minutes of lateral motion, why - you'll be a man my son. Or a woman, if you prefer. Or a sort of anime robot thing. You get the point.

Caveman Run is a prehistoric take on the same ideas. If you want to really sweat, though, try the infamous Run!!.

Play Kawairun

 

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]]>actionfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGameBoltzrunning the gauntletRunningTheGauntletsurvivalDoree2010-01-15T04:53:00 00:00Thumb wars: the browser versionhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/thumb-wars-the-browser-version/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/thumb-wars-the-browser-version/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/15/thumb-wars-the-browser-version/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Royal Thumble

It might be the stupidest thing we blog this week. It might also be the greatest thing we blog this week. Royal Thumble allows you to participate in the gentlemanly sport of thumb wrestling without actually tarnishing your nail polish.

It works the same way as rock-paper-scissors. Smashes beat strikes, swipes beat smashes, strikes beat swipes, and specials (which must be charged up first) mop the floor with everything.

Play Royal Thumble

 

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]]>fightingfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGamesGameswrestlingWWFEdwin2010-01-15T04:37:00 00:00Navigate two dangerous mazes simultaneouslyhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/navigate-two-dangerous-mazes-simultaneously/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/navigate-two-dangerous-mazes-simultaneously/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/navigate-two-dangerous-mazes-simultaneously/#commentsFiled under: ,

2Mazed

2Mazed is a cheeky little labyrinth-buster which puts you in charge of two critters at once. Each level is split in two vertically, with one jovial jellyfish protagonist per portion. Using the arrow keys, you must bring the pair together on the exit tile.

One character's exploits mirror those of the other: hit left to move them apart, and right to move them together. Levels aren't quite so symmetrical, alas. Each half has its own layout and hazards, so allocate your attention as necessary.

We're strongly reminded of - ooh, any number of Nitrome games.

Play 2Mazed

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameGamesGamesmazepuzzleDoree2010-01-14T10:04:00 00:00Find out who deFriended you on Facebookhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/find-out-who-defriended-you-on-facebook/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/find-out-who-defriended-you-on-facebook/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/find-out-who-defriended-you-on-facebook/#commentsFiled under:

Defriended T-Shirt

Facebook's "don't ask, don't tell" approach to defriending is pleasantly diplomatic, but when you get right down to it human beings aren't altogether enamoured of diplomacy. Personally I like to throw two good strops a day.

iPhone app Defriended should get some sparks flying. The 59p widget runs its hands over your friends list every time you load it up, letting you know who's dropped off radar.

Then you can buy that T-shirt in the picture. See, we've thought of everything.

Buy Defriended

 

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]]>FacebookiPhoneiPod TouchIpodTouchiTunessocial networkingSocialNetworkingStoreEdwin2010-01-14T07:41:00 00:00Walk on walls to touch the starshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/walk-on-walls-to-touch-the-stars/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/walk-on-walls-to-touch-the-stars/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/14/walk-on-walls-to-touch-the-stars/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Wall Walker

If you can overlook the stiffness of the controls and sloppiness of the English translation, Wall Walker has a lot going for it.

It's a 3D platformer in which you collect stars to unlock blue doors. The twist - literally - is that you can rotate levels themselves left and right with (surprise surprise) left and right arrow keys, dropping your character across otherwise impassable gaps.

A good excuse to re-pimp free-wheeling block puzzler Knightfall. VVVVVV is "flipping" great too, boomity-boom.

Play Wall Walker

 

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]]>3Dfree online gameFreeOnlineGameNewgroundsplatformingDoree2010-01-14T04:42:00 00:00Classic games and how they fare in realityhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/classic-games-and-how-they-fare-in-reality/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/classic-games-and-how-they-fare-in-reality/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/classic-games-and-how-they-fare-in-reality/#commentsFiled under: ,

Pacman in real life

The line between fact and fiction is a thin one, and people have a nasty habit of breaking it. Take the somewhat disturbing enthusiasm of certain Avatar fans.

With a video game, thanks to the medium's unique immersive capabilities, the lure of fantasyland is particularly strong. Doree, for instance, has been known to sit rigid on the sofa after intense bouts of Halo, tapping bemusedly at imaginary buttons as he tries to remember how to walk without a controller.

Consider also the following futile but highly amusing efforts to bring classic games to life. In some cases, the actors have managed to retain a sense of humour about it. In others, well - best just watch.

We've scored each game and its real-life "port" separately. Thanks to Patrick Runte for the article shot.1. Tetris



Game score: 10/10
Life without Tetris? Unimaginable. This isn't just a game, it's part of our genetic code.
Real life port: 6/10
It's not Tetris's fault - people are to blame. We're just too rounded and asymmetrical, with the honorable exception of Victoria Beckham.

2. Assassin's Creed



Game score: 8/10
The Crusades weren't the West's finest hour, so killing Templars in the persona of an Arabian assassin can only be a good thing.
Real life port: 5/10
There's nothing more embarrassing than a geek doing parkour, unless it's a geek dressed like a member of the Ku Klux Klan.

3. Pong



Game score: 5/10
Pong is like our very first teenage love affair - we're glad it happened, but we certainly wouldn't care to relive the experience.
Real life port: 7/10
Sheep are a bunch of retroheads, evidently, but only being able to play at night/with Welsh farmers is a bummer.

4. Mortal Kombat



Game score: 8/10
One of gaming's original bad boys, as detailed in our controversy round-up. We like a rogue, especially wearing pyjamas.
Real life port: 7/10
None too shoddy in reality. Loses points for use of a green screen, and for crass ending joke. Raiden must be spinning in his grave.

5. Call of Duty



Game score: 9/10
First-person shooting perfection. The multiplayer mode is a more than serviceable substitute for a girlfriend, providing you like it rough.
Real life port: 2/10
Ewww, we don't want to actually see the shrill testosterone-addled juvenile militants we play against. Nice simulated teabagging though.

6. Mario Kart



Game score: 9/10
Not so much a kick up the bum for the racing genre as a tortoise shell to the face.
Real life port: 8/10
Runs a heck of a lot slower, but startlingly enjoyable. As throwing ninja turtle action figures at people often is.

7. Parappa the Rappa



Game score: 8/10
The first "big" console music game. Could still take 50 Cent to the cleaners.
Real life port: 6/10
White middle-class college students shall not rappers make.

8. Pacman



Game score: 9/10
Champion of the super-obese, scourge of unquiet spirits.
Real life port: 1/10
The Pac doesn't want or need studio applause, fool, and since when did the ghosts have truncheons?

 

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]]>comedylolround-upvideoWTFYoutubeEdwin2010-01-13T10:48:00 00:00Free effeminate multiplayer poker! With Germans!http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/free-effeminate-multiplayer-poker-with-germans/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/free-effeminate-multiplayer-poker-with-germans/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/free-effeminate-multiplayer-poker-with-germans/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Goodgame Poker

Goodgame Poker is the internet's latest dastardly attempt to corrupt the manly spirit of Texas Hold 'Em by letting people play each other without putting actual cash on the table. Disgraceful. You wouldn't catch Hulk Hogan and Genghis Khan amassing wimpy "virtual dollars" now, would you, lads?

Each player gets an avatar, customisable after registration and given sufficient funds. As with other multiplayer freebies, this will probably enjoy a steady following for a few weeks before nose-diving, so get it while it's hot.

Most of the players we encountered were German, bless 'em.

Facebook's Poker Rivals is posher. For single-player card thrills, try the Governor of Poker.

Play Goodgame Poker

 

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]]>cardfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGoodgamemultiplayerpokertexas hold emTexasHoldEmDoree2010-01-13T10:10:00 00:00Alice is still dead, Wonderland still messed-uphttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/alice-is-still-dead-wonderland-still-messed-up/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/alice-is-still-dead-wonderland-still-messed-up/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/alice-is-still-dead-wonderland-still-messed-up/#commentsFiled under: ,

Alice is Dead Episode 2

Bubblebox has the second episode in the Alice is Dead point and click adventure series. It follows on from the events of the first, so make sure you've got that game firmly under your belt.

Players don the paws and pinstripe suit of an amnesiac, newly gangster-tastic March Hare. When the game begins, you're stuck in jail with a decomposing squid-man, much theatrical paraphenalia and the Mad Hatter, who has come over all Hannibal Lecter.

Surreal happenings are soon afoot, as you break free from your cell and find yourself alone in the facility with the rampaging Hatter. Plus a lot of corpses and an R-rated Cheshire Cat. Point, click, and do your best to disentangle the original Wonderland concept from the slick of blood and bodies.

The production values (especially the audio) are first rate. Don't play this if you're not old enough to watch Saw.

Play Alice is Dead Episode 2

 

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]]>adventureAlice in WonderlandAliceInWonderlandfree online gameFreeOnlineGamehorrorlewis carrollLewisCarrollEdwin2010-01-13T09:32:00 00:00Can you master the blast?http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/can-you-master-the-blast/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/can-you-master-the-blast/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/can-you-master-the-blast/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Is there any more satisfying phrase than "chain reaction"? Not by my lights.

Blast Master is a "wipe-the-slate" bomb dropping game in the tradition of Boom It and Polygonal Fury. Position the sticks of dynamite, four-way depth charges and other highly dangerous objects at your disposal amongst the mines on each level, then hit start to explodify the lot of 'em.

Or not, as the case may be, in which case reset the level and try, try again. Quite the head-scratcher, this, once it gets going.

Blast Master

 

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]]>bombfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGame BalanceGameBalanceJay Is GamesJayIsGamespuzzleEdwin2010-01-13T05:05:00 00:00Comedy highlight: Mario on the outsidehttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/comedy-highlight-mario-on-the-outside/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/comedy-highlight-mario-on-the-outside/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/13/comedy-highlight-mario-on-the-outside/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Mario Jumping

Retro Sabotage has done the dirty on our portly chum Mario, as reported by Kotaku. It's more joke than game, but still worth the minute or two it'll take you to find the punchline.

Hint: the sky isn't the limit.

Play Mario Jumping

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameNESNintendo Entertainment SystemNintendoEntertainmentSystemsatirespoofDoree2010-01-13T04:21:00 00:00Old arcade game, new glowy bitshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/old-arcade-game-brand-new-glowy-bits/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/old-arcade-game-brand-new-glowy-bits/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/old-arcade-game-brand-new-glowy-bits/#commentsFiled under: ,

Missile Rush

How many times must we put up with visually spectacular but otherwise unimaginative riffs on elderly coin-op classics?

At least once more...

Play Missile Rush

 

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]]>arcadeArmor GamesArmorGamesdefencefree online gameFreeOnlineGameMissile CommandMissileCommandEdwin2010-01-12T17:45:00 00:00Waging the War of the Wordshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/waging-the-war-of-the-words/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/waging-the-war-of-the-words/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/waging-the-war-of-the-words/#commentsFiled under: , ,

War of the Words

If there's a more civilised way to commit genocide than typing creatures to death, we haven't yet stumbled upon it. War of the Words sends players on a one-mutant-killing-spree against the learned inhabitants of an alien planet.

Type the word which floats above an area to move there. Type the word blazoned across each critter to fire at it. Like all the best games, it starts off easy but gets tough - longer words and more resilient beasties await at higher levels.

Wordy action games aren't in short supply. Try Clockworks: Prelude and Letter RIP.

Play War of the Words

 

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]]>Doree2010-01-12T06:33:00 00:00Practice your basketball shots against the internet's finesthttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/practice-your-basketball-shots-against-the-internets-finest/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/practice-your-basketball-shots-against-the-internets-finest/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/practice-your-basketball-shots-against-the-internets-finest/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Basketball

Basketball would be today's ultimate quickfire time-waster but for one minor issue - it forces full screen display. Still, this is good, wholesome, sociable fun.

The idea is to sink baskets from several positions around the court, moving the mouse to aim and clicking to throw. Each round lasts a couple of minutes, with hundreds of players competing in tandem. The faster you shoot, the more points you could score, but the more likely you are to miss.

Why not brush up on your top-down marksmanship too? Or run the Rat Race?

Play Basketball

 

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]]>basketballfree online gameFreeOnlineGameOnline GamesOnlineGamespoint and clickPointAndClicksportEdwin2010-01-12T06:14:00 00:00Flying the neon, randomly generated gauntlethttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/flying-the-neon-randomly-generated-gauntlet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/flying-the-neon-randomly-generated-gauntlet/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/flying-the-neon-randomly-generated-gauntlet/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Rubble Racer

Oh noes! You're trapped in a 640x480 pixel box of pure blackness, blacker than the inside of a coal mine or Ronnie Wood's libido. How on earth will you escape? The answer, my friend, isn't blowing in the wind - it lies somewhere off to the right. Best be flying in that direction, then.

Click the mouse or hit up arrow to ascend. Try not to hit anything. Don't worry, some wireframe models and cheery 8-bit music will be along shortly...

Play Rubble Racer

 

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]]>arcadefree online gameFreeOnlineGameirRegularGamesretroshooterDoree2010-01-12T05:52:00 00:00Run, jump and dimension-warphttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/run-jump-and-dimension-warp/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/run-jump-and-dimension-warp/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/12/run-jump-and-dimension-warp/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Paradox Embrace

Paradox Embrace is a solid, handsome platformer which splits its towering, key- and baddy-infested levels between three different dimensions: Nature, Supernatural and Technology. Your goofy dude hero can flick across the dimensional rift by donning appropriately themed get-ups at Changer plinths.

Each dimension has its own audio-visual vibe, enemies and rules. The ravening wolves of Nature crumble to bones in Supernatural, but hideous stone gargoyles spring to life. Old propellor fans become operational in Technology, but so too do flaming exhaust jets. Choose your garb wisely.

It's a Zeebarf project, so the aesthetic is cartoony yet adult. Beware, this may run a tad slow on older computers (you can adjust the level of quality to suit).

Play Paradox Embrace

 

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]]>fantasyNewgroundsplatformingsci-fiEdwin2010-01-12T05:18:00 00:00Defend seaside towns with giant tennis ballshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/defend-seaside-towns-with-giant-tennis-balls/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/defend-seaside-towns-with-giant-tennis-balls/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/defend-seaside-towns-with-giant-tennis-balls/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Sandcastle

Sandcastle has a misleading title. Castles are certainly in evidence, but none appear to made of sand. Just as well the game's awesome or we'd be filing a formal complaint.

It's a defensive shooter in which you toss tennis balls, bananas, bars of soap and whatnot at toy ships to stop them blowing up a toy town. Lovely concept, and the clean, bright visuals do things justice.

Point and click-hold to aim and charge each shot. For something equally stylish but more fast-paced, try either the recent Heli Cops or The Next Floor.

Play Sandcastle

 

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]]>Armor GamesArmorGamesfree online gameFreeOnlineGameshootertower defenceTowerDefenceEdwin2010-01-11T12:23:00 00:00Facebook's towering numbers get number towershttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/facebooks-towering-numbers-get-number-towers/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/facebooks-towering-numbers-get-number-towers/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/facebooks-towering-numbers-get-number-towers/#commentsFiled under: ,

Tower Blaster

If there's one thing we like better than building towers, it's putting numbers in the right order. Guess what? Now you can build towers by putting numbers in the right order. On Facebook, no less. Ours is a golden age indeed.

Play Tower Blaster

 

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]]>Facebookfree online gameFreeOnlineGamenumber puzzleNumberPuzzleDoree2010-01-11T12:00:00 00:00Gravity goes topsy-turvy in space platformerhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/gravity-goes-topsy-turvy-in-space-platformer/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/gravity-goes-topsy-turvy-in-space-platformer/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/gravity-goes-topsy-turvy-in-space-platformer/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

VVVVVV

Terry Cavanagh, creator of the quite, quite brilliant Don't Look Back, has put together another platformer. It's set in space, features reversible gravity, and is quite, quite brilliant. Well-spotted, Bart.

The full version of VVVVVV will cost you $15 (or just under a tenner in Real Money), but two of the eight levels are available in demo form so kindly QUIT YOUR WHINGING.

Players step into the shoes of a small but smiley starship captain, whose crew are accidentally teleported to different corners of the universe during a technical mishap. The task at hand, naturally, is rescuing them.

Levels are divided into rooms. Each features an ingenious little reflex puzzle built around the idea of altering gravity (space bar). There's quite a lot of insta-death, but save points make a regular appearance.

Shift 4 and Time Cfuk (our official favouritest game evah) are in the same surreal ballpark. Sorry, Limey patriots - I meant cricket ground. You might also want to consider what malleable gravity can do for arcade shooting...

Play VVVVVV demo

 

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]]>demofree online gameFreeOnlineGameKongregateplatformingretrosci-fiEdwin2010-01-11T05:59:00 00:00Fight your social networking addiction - with a staplegunhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/fight-your-social-networking-addiction-with-a-staplegun/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/fight-your-social-networking-addiction-with-a-staplegun/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/11/fight-your-social-networking-addiction-with-a-staplegun/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Social Networking Wars

Monday mornings are the worst. You've only been at your desk an hour (or five minutes in our case), but already your hands are starting to shake, your vision blur at the edges, as the need begins to take hold.

It's a terrible business, a chronic social networking habit. Nobody understands. Especially not the big fat bloke with the posh tie and fancy paperweights who keeps jabbing his finger under your nose. It's your cross to bear.

Oh no! The hallucinations commence. Phantom corporate icons are lurching towards your desk. Their eyes are cold, cold, like the deepest midwinter night.

Grab that staplegun, quick. Avert! Go back to the shadow, fiends! Don't you know I have a presentation at 11 am?!

Play Social Networking Wars

 

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]]>Facebookfree online gameFreeOnlineGameGoogleMyspacepoint and clickPointAndClickshooterTwitterDoree2010-01-11T05:17:00 00:00Creepy Rider, also known as Really Hard Riderhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/10/creepy-rider-also-known-as-really-hard-rider/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/10/creepy-rider-also-known-as-really-hard-rider/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/10/creepy-rider-also-known-as-really-hard-rider/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Creepy Rider

Most physics-flavoured 2D car or bike games - take Escape from Hell, for example - are quite unabashedly thrill-oriented, sending players careening down slopes and over jump ramps and generally leaving treadmarks all over the skill factor.

Not so the Creepy Rider. Unnerving in appearance he may be, but this man expects 110%. You'll earn those loop the loops, dang it.

Control falls to the arrow keys, as you'd expect. Get out there and do your best to stay upright.

Play Creepy Rider 2

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameracingEdwin2010-01-10T17:59:00 00:00Room escape with added mad scientisthttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/room-escape-with-added-mad-scientist/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/room-escape-with-added-mad-scientist/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/room-escape-with-added-mad-scientist/#commentsFiled under: ,

Escape the Dungeon

Quick spot of room escape before the alcoholic seas of Friday night close over your head?

Escape the Dungeon takes place on the Starship Enterprise. Only kidding, it takes place in a dungeon. You want to escape from it. Why? Because it's decidedly unsanitary, and you've been poisoned, and some ginger-haired Biology undergrad is about to transform you into a trout.

The poison takes effect in 10 minutes. Get cracking. Hint: there's a right old spectrum of possibilities...

Play Escape the Dungeon

 

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]]>Addicting GamesAddictingGamespoint and clickPointAndClickroom escapeRoomEscapeEdwin2010-01-08T14:42:00 00:00The five minute shoot 'em uphttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/the-five-minute-shoot-em-up/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/the-five-minute-shoot-em-up/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/the-five-minute-shoot-em-up/#commentsFiled under: , ,

5 Minute Shoot 'Em Up

Got exactly five minutes to spare? Why not spend them drilling gaping neon holes in giant space crabs?

If you get less than an "Amazing" rank, you're officially Worse At This Game Than Us, and May Be Subject To Ridicule.

Play The 5 Minute Shoot em Up

 

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]]>arcadeMiniclipretroshooterEdwin2010-01-08T14:17:00 00:00Colourless clockwork maze puzzlinghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/colourless-clockwork-maze-puzzling/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/colourless-clockwork-maze-puzzling/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/colourless-clockwork-maze-puzzling/#commentsFiled under: ,

Grayscale

Grayscale is a maze crawler in which you build the maze itself in the process of navigating it. Direct your little glowing blob with the mouse, turning cogwheels to join up broken pathways.

Dashed-line pathways evaporate once traversed. Watch you don't cut yourself off.

Try Tilt if you crave the sight of slightly pixellated 3D wood. Seven Mazes is one for the number fetishists.

Play Grayscale

 

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]]>cogsCoolbuddyKomix GamesKomixGamesEdwin2010-01-08T05:33:00 00:00Police 3D cities in a helicopterhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/police-3d-cities-in-a-helicopter/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/police-3d-cities-in-a-helicopter/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/08/police-3d-cities-in-a-helicopter/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Helicops

Armor Games has just the thing for your itchy trigger finger. Helicops is a simple top-down two-and-a-half dimensional shooter which pits you, a helicopter pilot, against an entire city-full of paramilitaries.

WASD moves, while the arrow keys change the craft's orientation. You can play it the up-to-date way, with full camera control, or the classic way, with a fixed perspective.

Play Helicops

 

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]]>Armor GamesArmorGamesfree online gameFreeOnlineGameshooterDoree2010-01-08T05:16:00 00:00Defend your vegetables with gun-toting birdshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/defend-your-vegetables-with-gun-toting-birds/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/defend-your-vegetables-with-gun-toting-birds/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/defend-your-vegetables-with-gun-toting-birds/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Crop Defenders

Imagine a scene from Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of The Birds. Now give all the gulls explosive weapons, and swap the obnoxious suburbanite cast for a bunch of hungry woodland quadrapeds. Hey presto, it's Crop Defenders.

Whoever designed this game isn't very well versed in zoology, though they probably hold a Masters degree in FUN. Prep your avian horde, sprinkle the map with traps like electrocuting plates and spikes, and launch into battle. Napalming a bunny rabbit is as simple as point and click.

Elona Shooter is similarly adverse to biodiversity. Don't forget to yell "IT'S COMING RIGHT FOR US"...

Play Crop Defenders

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGameKongregateshootertower defenceTowerDefenceEdwin2010-01-07T17:45:00 00:00Business sims go to the dogshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/business-sims-go-to-the-dogs/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/business-sims-go-to-the-dogs/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/business-sims-go-to-the-dogs/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Gone to the Dogs

Ever been to a dog race? I haven't, but that hasn't stopped my greyhound Laskie nabbing first place, a trophy and over 10,000 squids in prize cash at the New York track. In virtual reality.

Gone to the Dogs is a skinny canine management sim. Pick a dog, train it up, take it to the races, place a bet, win or lose, rinse and repeat. Everything's rendered in cheesy cartoon 2D.

Otherwise, why not manage a hospital? Or build a railway? Or direct traffic?

Play Gone to the Dogs

 

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]]>free online gameFreeOnlineGamePlayHubsimDoree2010-01-07T07:27:00 00:00Hidden object genre goes star-gazinghttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/hidden-object-genre-goes-star-gazing/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/hidden-object-genre-goes-star-gazing/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/hidden-object-genre-goes-star-gazing/#commentsFiled under: ,

Hoshi Saga Ringo

Hoshi Saga Ringo is another one of those "crack the puzzle to expose the image" experiences. We really should invent a subgenre to cover them, but these games are hard to categorise: some scenes play out like physics puzzles, others make cunning use of perspective, and still others put your reflexes to the test.

Commonly shared attributes do, however, include gallons of whimsy, invention and technical polish. Go on, find the star. If you see any boxes, think outside them.

Rivals for our affections include ClickPLAY!, The X-Spot, Pupzzle and Droppy.

Play Hoshi Saga Ringo

 

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]]>Edwin2010-01-07T06:47:00 00:00Create your own desktop fireworks displayhttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/create-your-own-desktop-fireworks-display/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/create-your-own-desktop-fireworks-display/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/create-your-own-desktop-fireworks-display/#commentsFiled under: ,

FireWorkOut

FireWorkOut is a wee bit vacuous but LOOK, FLASHING LIGHTS AND COLOURS. The idea is to detonate New Year rockets as they arc across the screen. Move your mouse over a rocket to target it, then click to explode it. Queue them up for combo points.

Play FireWorkOut

 

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]]>FastGamesfireworksfree online gameFreeOnlineGameHappy New YearHappyNewYearEdwin2010-01-07T06:22:00 00:00Top 5 Android gameshttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/top-5-android-games/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/top-5-android-games/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/07/top-5-android-games/#commentsFiled under:

Android game round-up

Google's Android operating system has kept a low profile since its release a year or two ago, but the arrival of Nexus One, an Android-powered "superphone", should change all that. So what are the gaming offerings at present for an Android user? Is success of iTunes-Store-sized proportions just round the corner?

Expert blog Eurodroid has loaned us a shortlist of killer apps.

Let's be honest - unless you're a fan of word searches or Sudoku, there's not a lot to keep gamers entertained on the Android Market at the moment. Google's hackable open-source OS is great if you're after Twitter apps or things to monitor your system resources, but gaming? Not so much.

Many Android games are little more than tech demos - ball rolling game Amazed shows off the Android hardware spec's sensitive accelerometer, but is hardly fun for more than five minutes, while chopper sim ThrottleCopter is the sort of thing that ought to be illustrating how scrolling on the ZX81 worked in 1983. But, among the service's 20,000 apps, there are a few good games. Literally a few.

This five really is about it.1. Bebbled, £FREE

Now Bebbled really is a proper game. Well, proper as in you wouldn't be upset if you'd spent £4 or maybe even £6 downloading it off Xbox Live or the PlayStation Network. A simple gem-matching exercise, the puzzles gradually ramp up in difficulty until you convince yourself they're impossible or have been programmed wrong. I've been stuck on Campaign Level 11 for the best part of a week. It's probably been programmed wrong. Great game apart from that error.

2. Robo Defense, $2.99

The makers of this have achieved the impossible - made a real-time-strategy game you can play with one finger. Even better, once you start really maxing up your army, the pace of the game explodes, turning it into a speed-press battle to spend the money you earn from killing enemies as it rings up in your account. Even the demo Robo Defense FREE kept us entertained for several solid hours over Christmas. Brilliant game.

3. Coloroid, £FREE

Very, very basic, and looks like you've accidentally entered some sort of test menu or debugging screen on your Android phone, but no, you play it. You select colours from a palette, which then assimilates all similar colours on the top screen. Doesn't sound thrilling written down, but utilises the touchscreen and is easy to "get".

4. Buka, £1.50

Again proves that what Android needs to do is create experiences that suit the hardware, not try to shovel a downgraded PS3 game onto your memory card. Buka's a mad little thing - you protect a vulnerable floating sphere from attack, with the sphere egging you on and begging for protection in cute, broken English. Works great on the touchscreen and is a properly original little gem.

5. Radiant, £1.50

Hexage, the maker of Buka, strikes again with Radiant, a stylised cross between space Invaders and Asteroids. All you do is steer left and right as you earn money to upgrade your auto-firing weaponry, but it's the stylish look and slick presentation that makes Radiant stand above the numerous tatty clones that clog up the Android Market.

Be sure to bookmark Eurodroid, Google lovers.

 

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]]>AndroidGooglemobile gamesMobileGamesNexus OneNexusOneround-upDoree2010-01-07T05:15:00 00:00Drop boulders on cities from your mountain retreathttp://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/06/drop-boulders-on-cities-from-your-mountain-retreat/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/06/drop-boulders-on-cities-from-your-mountain-retreat/http://www.flytrapgames.com/2010/01/06/drop-boulders-on-cities-from-your-mountain-retreat/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Mountain Man

Mountain Man is a winning combination of pixels, pinball, picturesque alpine vistas and violent social alienation.

You stand at the top of the mountain with a very big hammer. Trot left and right with the arrow keys, then hold and release up arrow to send several tons of granite careening down the slopes towards the peaceful settlement below.

Each level requires you dish out a certain amount of damage. Between levels, you must "talk" the authorities out of locking you away. Don't worry, a hammer is capable of some very persuasive arguments.

Play Mountain Man

 

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]]>Adult SwimAdultSwimfree online gameFreeOnlineGamegenocidemountaineeringphysics gamePhysicsGameEdwin2010-01-06T19:16:00 00:00