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Games in Flash and javascript that you can play online and/or download |
News
November 15, 2009
A week ago while I was driving in Pennsylvania on the I-80 to pick up Sue, my right-front tire blew out. I managed to make it to a rest stop, where a wonderful person changed the tire for me and then followed behind to make sure I reached the next exit. In the space of a few days, both Sue and I had vehicle breakdowns, and on each occasion, a stranger provided excellent assistance, people whom we had never seen before and probably will never seen again. How to thank them?
September 27, 2009
December 21, 2008
I've been making notes on a rather ancient game, and perhaps I'll get to it in 2009. I hope so.
July 28, 2008
July 27, 2008
July 20, 2008
July 4, 2008
May 15, 2005
December 19, 2004
Online: Mancala is perhaps the oldest board game known. Its strategy is simple but allows many variations. If you unfamiliar with Mancala, I've a page of rules. All 48 stones are animated separately. Version 3.5 has a speed control, if you'd prefer faster-moving stones. Version 3.6 adds a random option: if you'd like to play fantasy Mancala, in which each cup has a random number of stones. And 3.7 adds a learning mode, by which you can choose to see individual cup totals.
Download: (NOTE: This game is now freeware as of Nov. 15, 2009; the downloadable version is the full registered version.) The downloadable version includes a pool of 26 individual stone types to make up the 48 stones in the game. Version 3.7 (July 2008) adds a speed option and a fantasy mancala option. The fantasy version randomly distributes the 24 stones for each side at the start of the game. It also includes within the game various notes and a brief history of the game, as well as a learning mode in which a player can see individual cup totals.
MiniGOLF: 36 Holes Plus
Online: The online version has the first nine holes from each of the two courses (plus each course's bonus hole).
Download: The shareware version has the first eleven holes from each of the two courses, and the registered version has the full eighteen holes. Both versions feature the bonus hole of each course. Screen shots.
MiniGOLF (original version)
Online: Here we have a 6-hole miniature golf course (plus a bonus hole if a single player scores under par or as a sudden-death playoff for two players) that you can play either by yourself or with another person. Notes and hints.
Download the game to play on your PC or Mac. (Freeware)
Online: Image a pond by which people fold paper sailing ships from their favorite newspapers. The paper ships (rated in terms of eighteenth-century warships and having from 100 to 12 cannons) are then launched to see which is superior. In this game, you choose and control one such ship and battle an adversary. The notes page describes the entire game and includes screen shots. The folded newspapers include the New York Times, Al Jazeera, and the Guardian.
Download: The shareware version is available for download, and the registered version of the game includes 16 different ship types, including ones folded from the National Review, Newsday, and the Helsingin Sanomat.
I've decided to turn my shareware version of Mancala into freeware. Toward that end, I'm putting online the full version of Mancala (that is, it includes the mode of showing stone totals in individual cups, if you so desire it; but the various notes are on a web page of mine to help keep the size smaller). The reasons for all this follow:
I can't think of anything truly appropriate, but have decided to make my most popular online game completely free.
At the moment I'm being overwhelmed by an abundance of freelancing (in book production), and haven't had the time for much game thinking. But it's there . . . in my mind, and I hope to get to it . . . eventually.
A holiday thanks to everyone who has been playing my games, and an extra special thank-you for those great people who have registered one of my games. I truly appreciate it.
Downloadable versions of my Flash Mancala are now available: both the shareware and registered versions (version 3.7). Overall, I've uploaded six versions and six readmes in zip and sit files. No wonder I delayed doing working on the game for six years. But it's here!
I've added another option to the online Flash Mancala: Random stones for mixed-up or fantasy mancala. Of course, if you don't select the option, everything else is the same as before. (I haven't added this feature to the downloadable versions yet. I suppose one could call it a "live" test.)
The online version of my Flash Mancala now has a speed control: You can set the stones to move either at their regular rate or twice as fast. (I haven't added that feature to the download versions yet. Soon.)
I've updated Chicken Little today (adding a fourth alien and a high score box); however, I've also left the previous version online should anyone prefer it. In addition, for the past year I've been making notes on a new game.
I should really update Mancala. Or at least provide my present email address in it. If anyone has any suggestions for a desired feature . . .
Now I remember why I seldomly update games: It's a lot of work to handle the six read-me's, in addition to testing the game in three OSs. However, I think it's finished. Paper Ships 1.7 is aboard. If you've registered the game, your password is still valid for this update; if it doesn't work, email me.
Flash
Written in version 5, my Flash games also work in the Flash 6 player as well, on both the Mac and the PC, in both Internet Explorer and Mozilla.
Chicken Little Saves the Earth!, v. 1.4 (arcade)
Chicken Little Saves the Earth!, v. 2.0 (arcade)
Ten or so years ago, computer games flooded the market: They were simple and fun. Chicken Little allows its hero to blast away at incoming invaders whose evil purpose is to turn the Earth into one vast oilfield.
Mancala (classic board game)
MiniGOLF (putt for pleasure)
March 2004: Two versions are available both for online play and downloading.
Paper Ships: Journalism Ain't Yellow (simulation/strategy)
The Shell Game (classic)
The game opens with a pea being shot into one of three shells. The shells move around, and you have to guess under which shell is the pea. Guess correctly twice in a row, fantasy variations occur.
Javascript
My javascript dates back to 1997 when the main challenge was to guess which elements would work in both Netscape and Internet Explorer. Thus far, these games have held up to the latest updates of both browsers and play both on the PC and the Mac. They've also worked okay on web-tv.
[Mac note: IE 5 and 5.1 hang on the javascript mancala, whereas Mozilla and Netscape work fine.]
Mancala (classic board game)
Mancala is perhaps the oldest board game known. Its strategy is simple but allows many variations. If you unfamiliar with Mancala, I've a page of rules.
Tic-Tac-Toe
Since tic-tac-toe is an easy draw to anyone familiar with the game, I included several variations of increased and decreased difficulty.
Two chess endgame techniques
At the time, chess didn't have a large presence on the web, and the techniques here allow one to queen a pawn (with only two other kings on the board) and to create a passed pawn with three pawns versus three pawns. (I once saw a good player lose a game because he overlooked the latter.)