Archive for May 2011

Yars’ vs. Yar’s: 30 Years of Fighting Space Insects

I was eight-years-old in 1981 when Yars’ Revenge was released for the Atari 2600 console. At that time, Yars’ seemed a radical departure from most other available titles. Unlike the other games I owned at that time (Combat, Space Invaders, Basketball), the goal of Yars’ Revenge isn’t immediately discernible by simply looking at the playfield. […]

The Top 5 Most Disappointing Nintendo DS Games

I’m not in the habit of spending money on games I think I’ll hate. I’m sure these games are miles away from the worst the DS has to offer, but of all the games I was expecting to enjoy, these were the biggest letdowns.  

The Top 10 Nintendo DS Games

With the 3DS unleashing a wave of headaches across the land, now seems as good a time as any to rate the top 10 games to come out on the most successful console of this last generation. Unlike most DS top lists, this list is going to be from the viewpoint of an adult who […]

The Lost Islands of Alabaz (PC)

Children’s interactive fiction is not precisely a neglected genre — Adventure was first written for Will Crowther’s children — but most modern IF is by adults, for their peers. There are plenty of games that are suitable for children, but quality games written for them can readily be counted without taking one’s shoes off. There’s […]