It’s nice to take a break from board, dice, and card games and engage our minds with a puzzle or two. One could argue that puzzles are just like games, since the player is attempting to meet an objective. And like board, card, and dice games, the means to achieve the objective is right in front of you. The path to obtain it is not always clear, however. Unless you are playing Candy Land. In which case, just keep moving forward, kids. Continue reading
One of the first things children begin to recognize, other than the faces of their parents, is colors and shapes. There are thousands of books and videos that cover the education and exploration of these two subjects. As such, it’s a bit of an understatement to suggest that colors and shapes are at the core of our earliest learning. And yet, how often do you think about colors and shapes as an adult? As a gamer, you think about it more than you might realize. In this game, colors and shapes are used to match sets and win big. Thank goodness you paid attention to your earliest lessons as a baby, eh? Continue reading
Socrates said, “The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.” In the spirit of Socrates and his passion to challenge people’s thinking (which ultimately lead to his death), schools, colleges, and universities have been formed. Students of all ages and from all walks of life have met under roofs of thatch, mud, wood, metal, and marble for centuries to learn. You are now tasked to create a college that will house the greatest scholars so young minds might be challenged, nurtured, and released into the world in hopes of making it a better place. Continue reading
Evolution is dependent on variants. A slight change to a gene here or a DNA strand there, and you have a different version of the norm. Sometimes these variants can result in beneficial mutations that help a species survive. In some very rare cases, it can elevate a species beyond anything we can imagine. There are those among us who are almost human. They fight for what they believe in or what you tell them to believe in. Lead your army of the strange to rule the world. Continue reading
Dear lord, Ed Wood was right. Aliens have come to our planet to enslave Earth with the help of zombies that are very slowly chasing down the uninfected humans. You are part of an elite force of experts tasked to defeat the aliens and rid humanity of the undead. You boldly accept your mission, but unknown to your fellow experts, you have a private mission of your own. Meanwhile, humanity is either being probed, eaten, or enslaved. Probably all three. Continue reading
There’s a Chinese proverb that I’ve always liked. “The beginning of wisdom is to call things by their right names.” This proverb works great for this game, despite it’s unrelated deep philosophical undertones. You have to recognize images for what they are, or at the least, what you think they are. From there, you have the right information to make a decision. Of course, if you have no idea what the image is, no amount of wisdom is going to help. Continue reading
There are two worlds. The first is the one that everyone knows. You see it on the television, hear it on the radio, and wake up to it every morning. The second is the world between the noise and motion. This is the world of spies who lurk in the open, but work in the shadows. You know this world well and now command your own network of spies. Information is both currency and weapon here. You send your operatives to collect assets to strengthen your shadowy hold over governments and further your personal agenda. But there are other organization with the same goals as yours and you must put them down in order to succeed. Continue reading
After the third World War came to an end, there wasn’t much of a world left to inhabit. Life became a bitter exercise of survival of the fittest. Large groups built new cities behind giant walls and became the rulers over the wastelands that surrounded them. You live outside one of those city walls and have learned there is a way in. Influential individuals within the city need certain things that they cannot obtain. If you can get them, you’ll be allowed into the city. Easy enough, but others have been offered the same deal… Continue reading
In order to have a successful zoo, you need to have an attraction everyone wants to see. The problem is, everyone has already seen lions, tigers, and bears. These animals just aren’t drawing the crowds you want, so you turn to science to solve your problems. By splicing the DNA of different animals, you have brought forth creatures that no one has ever seen before! But rivals have been watching and are now doing the same thing for their zoos! It’s a race to see who can create a zoo full of the oddest animals! Continue reading
When you arrived at Pueblo County, Colorado, there wasn’t much to look at. A few buildings, a budding factory, and a lot of space. But you saw its potential and the vast fortune that could be made. This town, you decided, was going to be your family legacy. From that day forward you worked to build an empire. Your children have done the same and their children will continue your legacy. History will look back and determine if you were a person of vision or just another dreamer. Continue reading
From the banks of the Mississippi river, Saint Anthony Falls looks to be an endless wall of powerful water. Many see the falls as nothing more than a natural wonder to gaze upon and enjoy. You, however, see it as an untapped opportunity. Outside the Twin Cities, the prairie is full of wheat fields. Within the Twin Cities, mills are located by the river, tapping its strength, to grind the wheat to flour. All that is missing is a person to get the flour to buyers. You are that person and you plan to make this little venture very profitable. Continue reading
You have finally come of age. Your wings are strong, your dragon flame burns like the sun, and your teeth are as sharp as a thousand swords. Now you must make a name for yourself and spread fear and panic across the realm. There are castles to attack, knights to eat, treasure to hoard, and maidens to collect. The only problem is that there are other dragons with the same idea and there are only so many maidens to be had. Continue reading
