Fun Rating: Really Fun

In a Nutshell: Wake up on an island, punch trees.

Developer: Markus Persson

Website: http://www.minecraft.net/

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Verdict: spooky

In a Nutshell: I can’t describe it any better than the website can.  The still-being-developed, second installment of Closure was one of the 2009 PAX 10.

(from the game’s website)

“A creepy puzzle about darkness and the unknown.”

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Verdict: more please

In a Nutshell: Puzzle game involving a tree spirit and captive bears. This was one of the 2009 PAX 10

(from the game’s website)

“Puzzle Bloom is the innovative action-puzzle game where you control the tree spirit Canotila in her quest to bring back life to her island. Canotila needs the assistance of the island’s native creatures to get past the rigid machines of the world. She flies from creature to creature and uses her powers to guide them. New life will bloom into the world for each time Canotila breaks a machine, bringing Canotila closer to her ultimate goal of a return to nature.”

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Verdict: mind-bending fun

In a Nutshell: This is a group card game of pattern recognition

(from the game’s website)

“SET is a highly addictive, original game of visual perception; a fascinating challenge for either solitaire or competitive play.  To create a SET, a player must locate three cards in which each of the four features is either all the same on each card or all different on each card, when looked at individually. The four features are, symbol (oval, squiggle or diamond), color (red, purple or green), number (one, two or three) or shading (solid, striped or open).  Age is no advantage in this fast paced family game.  SET is great fun for the whole family because there is no previous knowledge required.”

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Verdict: how is this a game?

In a Nutshell: This application is a very slimmed down version of Dungeons & Dragons that is reminiscent of a choose-your-own-adventure story but without so many choices.

(from the game’s website)

“Welcome to Dungeons & Dragons: Tiny Adventures! Choose a hero to send on epic adventures. Be your hero’s guide through encounters with menacing monsters and dangerous traps. Equip your hero with magical weapons and armor. Get an RPG experience on Facebook without having to play for hours at a time!”

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Verdict: delightful

In a Nutshell: Zatikon is an electronic strategy board game that feels like chess but with a good helping of medieval fantasy thrown into the mix.

(from the game’s website)

“Welcome to Zatikon. Construct your army out of creatures as varied as the magnificent dragon or mighty warrior to the evil necromancer or holy Templar. Destroy your opponent with a heavy cavalry charge or defeat their army before they can reach you with archers, crossbowmen and mages. Use an unlimited number of strategies to defeat your opponents and earn gold to increase the might of your army. Play Zatikon for free and start building your armies today!

Zatikon is a turn based multiplayer tactics game featuring over 50 unique units. Build your army and defeat your opponent. With an almost unlimited number of possible strategies at your disposal Zatikon highly addictive and fun. Zatikon includes online player ranking and several extra game types including co-op, single player and random army mode.”

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Verdict: so strategical!

In a Nutshell: Alteil is a virtual trading card battle game with elements similar to both Pokeman and Magic: The Gathering card games.

(from the game’s website)

“Alteil is a story-driven online card dueling game with art by Japan’s most talented fantasy artists!

. . .The Gods of Old traveled out into the universe, looking for the saviors of Lavato. They eventually came to Earth, and found a planet filled with the universe’s greatest strategists. The gods named their saviors the Iczers, bestowing upon them the remainder of their power and entrusting them with the enchanted cards. Now the Iczers hold the magic of Lavato in their hands. They duel to gain power, fame, and to prepare for the day when evil returns to Lavato. The question is: are you an Iczer?”

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