Sea Journey

Please Note: If the Sea Journey game fails to load properly, I invite you to instead play Marine Puzzle. Marine Puzzle is virtually the same exact game. I apologize for this inconvenience -- Richard.

Game Description: Battle enemy pirate ships in an exciting match 3 game!

How to Play Sea Journey: Sea Journey does an excellent job of explaining each new element as it is introduced into the game. I am not going to attempt to try to explain every detail here. Rather, I will explain some of the basic things you should know. You will easily pick up the rest along the way.

• As is typical in most match 3 games you will swap the positon of two pieces to make a match of 3 or more identical pieces in a row.
• To make a swap simply left mouse click on the first piece you want to move. Then, click on the second piece to complete the swap. The second piece must be directly above, below, or next to the first piece on it's left or right.
• You may only swap positions when the resulting switch creates a match of 3 or more identical pieces in a row. Should you attempt to make a swap that does not result in a match of 3 or more in a row nothing will happen. You must simply try again.
• Should there be no available move on the board Sea Journey will tell you, and then reset the field and the game continues.
• Make matches of 3 or more cannonballs in a row to fire cannonballs at the enemy pirate ships! They can do the same to you!
• Make matches of 3 or more wheels in a row to move your ship farther away from enemy fire or to bring the enemy ships closer when you fire.
• You and the enemy take turns. A turn consists of 3 moves. You make 3 matches in your turn. The enemy does the same.
• Anytime you can make a match of 4, you get one extra move during your turn. Make a match of 5, and you get two extra moves. The same applies for the enemy.
• Your goal for each level is to destroy the enemy pirate ship, or ships, before your own ship is destroyed! If you succeed, you go to the next level. If you fail, you must repeat the level until you succeed.
• Sea Journey has many levels. The game seems to save automatically. As long as you use the same computer, you should be able to come back to Richard's Game Reviews and pick up right where you left off. (Just click the 'Continue' button, instead of the 'New Game' button).

Sea Journey Game Options:

• The sound and music may be turned on or off by clicking the microphone icon located at the upper left corner of the game screen.

Sea Journey Playing Tips:

• Sometimes you need to plan one or two moves in advance. If you are already familiar with match 3 games you know that removing a piece from below causes the pieces above to fall. With a little bit of experience you will be able to accurately gage how far a particular piece will fall and know exactly where it will land before you make a match. This allows you to plan moves accordingly. For instance, if you make a particular match you will know that your next match will result in a match of 3 or more cannonballs (which allows your ship to fire on the enemy pirate ships!)
• You have 3 moves in a turn. If you are down to your last move and you do not see a good offensive move you may have to instead, make a good defensive move. That is, try to set up the board where your enemy cannot match up 3 or more cannonballs on their next move. You can also match 3 wheels with your last move to maneuver your ship farther away from the enemy.
• Sea Journey will always suggest a move by showing a sliding arrow. Basically, this is just a random suggestion. This may, or may not, be a good move. Take your time and study the board. You may find something much better!
• The game allows you to purchase new ships with the gold you earn on each level. You can also spend 'experience points' that you earn during your battles to make ship upgrades. Do buy new ships, and ship upgrades, when you can. This will help you succeed in the game. You make these purchases by visiting the Island between levels. (To visit the Island, click the Island icon on the left when you see the screen that says 'Who do you want to be in this battle').

Richard's Rating: 4 out of 5.

Comments: There are a couple of things I really like about Sea Journey that sets it apart from most other match 3 games. First, when you fail a level you do not have to repeat the entire game over again from the beginning. You simply repeat the level. How refreshing is that! Another cool feature is you do not have to battle the clock. There is no time limit. You can take your time to plan each move and strategize. With its mesmerizing music and enchanting storyline, Sea Journey is an exciting adventure you will want to play over again and again!

Other Games: In the spirit of full disclosure, I should point out that I also have Marine Puzzle here on Richard's Game Reviews. And yes, as far as I can tell, Sea Journey seems to be the exact same game as Marine Puzzle. However, just by chance, if there are any minor differences between the two games, I decided to have both games here on my site. Even if they are exactly the same, it certainly doesn't do any harm to have both games.

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Arkadium Spider Solitaire

Game Description: In Arkadium Spider Solitaire you have 10 minutes to try to build 8 stacks of cards from King to Ace of the same suit.

How to Play Arkadium Spider Solitaire:

• Select your game level: Easy-One Suit, Medium-Two Suits, or Difficult-Four Suits.
• Spider Solitaire is always played with two full decks of cards. Therefore, you will use 104 cards.
• In spider solitaire the cards are ranked from King (high), to Ace (low) as follows: K, Q, J, 10, 9, 8. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, A.
• When you begin a new game, 54 cards are dealt to 10 stacks. All cards are dealt face down, except for the top cards of each stack which are dealt face up. The remaining 50 cards are placed face down in 5 stacks at the upper-right corner of the game screen and are used to deal a new row 10 at a time.
• In spider solitaire only the bottom card, or cards, can be moved from one stack to another stack.
• To move a card, drag the card from one stack to another.
• You can move a card from the bottom of a stack to a card with the next highest value, regardless of suit or color. For instance, any four may be moved on top of any five as long as that five is the bottom card of a different stack.
• You can move a set of cards all of the same suit, and in descending numeric order, as if they were one card. For instance, if you have built a sequence consisting of the 9, 8, 7, and 6 of spades these cards may be moved as if they were a single card.
• You can move a card from the bottom of a stack to an empty stack.
• When you have no plays left click the top stack at the upper-right to deal another row of cards.
• There must be at least one card in each stack before you can deal a new row of cards.
• When you create a set of cards from king through ace, they will automatically move as one card to the top of the playing field.
• Your goal is to build all 8 stacks from King to Ace of the same suit to win!
• There is a 10 minute time limit!

Arkadium Spider Solitaire Game Options:

• The game sounds may be turned on or off by clicking the 'Sound On/Off' button located just to the left of the clock.

Arkadium Spider Solitaire Playing Tips:

• If you are new to spider solitaire, or not very experienced, start with the One-Suit game level. Then, work your way up to the more advanced levels.
• Try to clear a stack as soon as possible by turning over all the cards in a stack. Then play cards on the space you just opened. This will give you the greatest flexibility and allow you to build the longest runs.

Richard's Rating: 4 out of 5.

Comments: Even though Arkadium Spider Solitaire calls the One-Suit game easy, I personally have a hard time completing it before the 10 minutes are up. I guess, perhaps, I need more practice? Maybe I just need to get into a faster rhythm of playing? (I would rather think that, instead of thinking of the alternative that I am not very bright. lol.) Anyway, it really is a lot fun to try. If you want to face the ultimate challenge, Arkadium Spider Solitaire is certainly the game for you! Spider Solitaire is tough enough. But, Arkadium Spider Solitaire takes things to a whole new level and makes it even tougher with a 10 minute time limit! Good luck!

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Other Games: If you would like to play spider solitaire without a time limit, you may like to try Crystal Spider Solitaire.

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A Short History of the World

Game Description: A Short History of the World is a thrill ride through the history of time. There are 36 mini games, each one covering a different period in history from the Ice Age to present day.

How to Play A Short History of the World:

• Click the 'Play' button.
• There are 36 mini puzzles to solve.
• This game is played with your left mouse button.
• Draw, drag, rotate, chop and shoot your way to solve each mini game before the time runs out.
• Pay close attention to the instructions before each game.
• You begin the game with 4 lives.
• Watch your counter. If it reaches zero, you lose a life.
• There are four different achievements to unlock.
• The game ends when you lose all of your lives, or when you solve all 36 puzzles.
• When the game ends, click the 'Main Menu' button and then click 'Play' to begin the game over again (or just click the 'Replay from Checkpoint' button).

A Short History of the World Game Options:

• The game sounds may be turned on or off by clicking the microphone icon located near the upper left corner.
• The game may be paused by clicking the pause button which is located just to the right of the microphone icon. To resume play, click anywhere on the game.

A Short History of the World Playing Tips:

• A Short History of the World is a game that simply requires trial and error. Each time you play you will learn a little more, which allows you to make a little more progress.

Richard's Rating: 3 out of 5.

Comments: A Short History of the World is a quick, challenging, and entertaining game.

Other Games: If you like playing A Short History of the World, you may also like to play The Impossible Quiz 2.




Play A Short History of the World on Full Screen

Please Note: Before playing A Short History of the World in Full Screen mode, you may want to take a moment, or two, to read my review. Then, after playing your game, simply click the back button on your browser to return to this page.

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Gems of Egypt

Game Description: Play an exciting Match 3 game in this classic battle between good and evil. The Evil Queen, Cleopatra II, and Prince Seth are fighting a battle for the throne. Prince Seth needs to increase his power by matching the gems. Help the Prince to match the gems and win the Battle and the Throne!

How to Play Gems of Egypt:

• Click the 'Play' button. (Please Note: Sometimes the game will load slowly. So, you may have to wait about 30 to 60 seconds before the 'Play' button will appear on the game screen).
• Select your difficulty: 'Easy', 'Medium', or 'Hard'. (Don't make this decision lightly. This is one game where the difficulty selection really does matter! If you are new to Match 3 play, or somewhat inexperienced, definitely go with 'Easy'. On the other hand, if you are an experienced Match 3 player you will definitely want to go with the 'Hard' difficulty. But, I should warn you, the very last level of 'Hard', level 4, more than lives up to its namesake. It is, at least for me, very hard indeed).
• After you select your difficulty, you will see part of the story. Anytime, while playing Gems of Egypt should you see part of the story, you will need to click anywhere on the game screen to advance to the next screen.
• For each contest of strength the Evil Queen, Cleopatra II, is pictured at the left. Your character, Prince Seth, is pictured at the right.
• Match like-colored gems of at least 3 in-a-row by swapping the positon of two adjacent gems.
• To swap gems, first click on one gem. Then, click on a gem right next to it (either directly above, below, left, or right).
• The gems will only swap positions if there is a resulting match of at least 3 like-colored gems in-a-row. (If there is not, nothing will happen and you must try again).
• Each match you make increases the power of Prince Seth.
• Make matches of 4 or more gems of the same color to help charge up Prince Seth's bonus power. (Price Seth's bonus power is depicted by the hammer beneath his feet. The Evil Queen also has her own bonus power which is depicted by the hammer below her feet).
• Each hammer charges up starting at the bottom of the handle then works it way up to the handle itself. As it does, the color will change. Once the entire hammer has changed color and has a glow around it, it is fully charged up and ready to be used. Simply click on Prince Seth's charged up hammer, then click anywhere on the board of gems to help Prince Seth gain more strength.
• Each character holds a magic white globe in their hands which emits colored lightning. You will see this at the top of the screen.
• As each character gains strength their lightning will lengthen and the opponents lightning will shorten.
• You goal is to help Price Seth overpower the Evil Queen by making matches of 3 or more.
• Gems of Egypt has 4 levels.
• If you win, you go on to the next level. (Please note: There are advertisements after almost every level. Each ad will run probably about 30 seconds, or less. Also, if part of the story comes back on the screen between levels, and if you don't want to take the time to read it, simply click anywhere on the game to keep advancing until you get to the next level).
• If you lose, the game is over!

Gems of Egypt Game Options:

• The game sounds may be turned on or off by clicking the microphone icon located near the lower left corner.

Gems of Egypt Playing Tips:

• When possible, make more than one match with each swap. (For instance, match at least 3 green and at least 3 gold gems will a single swap). This will really help Prince Seth gain strength.
• Make matches of at least 4 or more. This will help charge up Prince Seth's bonus power. Don't forget to use the hammer once is it fully charged!

Richard's Rating: 3 out of 5.

Pro: Gems of Egypt is an intense, wild ride!

Con: Even though the ads are short, (and some of them can be rather interesting), I still find it a bit irritating to have ads between levels.

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Stop The Bus

Game Description: Stop The Bus is a card game where you try to get your cards to add up to 31, or as close to 31 as you can.

How to Play Stop The Bus:

• After the game loads, click the 'Play' button.
• Select your character (your face) by clicking the 'Character' button arrows. (The 'Character' button is located near the lower left corner).
• Decide if you want to play with the 'ShowHelp' turned 'On' or 'Off'. (The 'ShowHelp' button is located near the upper right corner. I suggest, if this is your very first time playing Stop The Bus that you turn the 'ShowHelp' to the 'On' position. The game will do an excellent job of explaining how to play as you go along. On the other hand, if you have played before you will want to set the 'ShowHelp' button to the 'Off' position because it will simply become somewhat of a bother).
• Select your difficulty: Casual (Easy Opponents), Regular (Average Opponents), or Expert (Challenging Opponents).
• For each game of Stop The Bus you will play against 3 imaginary computer opponents.
• Every player begins the game with 3 bus tokens.
• Stop The Bus uses a standard deck of 52 playing cards.
• For each round, every player is dealt 3 cards.
• The aim is to score as close to 31 with 3 cards of a SINGLE SUIT, then stop the bus!
• Aces score 11.
• 10's and all picture cards score 10.
• All other cards in the deck score their regular numerical value. For instance, each 5 is worth 5 points and each 6 is worth 6 points, and so on.
• You can also score 30 points when you have 3 cards of the same rank (3-of-a-kind). For example, if you have three 2's, or three 8's, or three of any other card you will score 30 points.
• The bus moves clockwise and stops by each player, indicating it is that player's turn to make a play. When the bus stops by you, it is your turn to make a play.
• To start your turn, pick-up either the waste card (the face-up card), or a new card from the deck. Make your selection by clicking with your mouse.
• To complete your turn you must now discard one of your cards by clicking on it. This will leave you with 3 cards in your hand. (The card that you discard will go to the top of the waste pile and will now be eligible for the next player to pick-up if he or she chooses to do so).
• Once the bus has made one full circle, and each player has had a turn, any player may now 'Stop the Bus' when it is their turn by clicking the stop sign BEFORE they discard a card.
• After the bus is stopped, each player (except for the player who stopped the bus) gets one more turn to better their hand. After that, the player's show their cards and the scores are compared.
• The player with the highest score gets to go first in the next round.
• The player with the lowest score loses one bus token.
• If there is a tie for the lowest score, nobody loses a token for that round.
• Any player who loses all 3 tokens is kicked off the bus and is out of the game. (If you get kicked off the bus, this means you have lost and the game ends).
• Your goal is to be the last remaining player on the bus!

Stop The Bus Game Options:

• The music may be turned on or off by clicking the musical note icon located at the upper right corner.
• The game sounds may be turned on or off by clicking the sound icon which is also located near the upper right corner just to the left of the musical note icon.

Stop The Bus Playing Tips:

• If you think you have a good enough hand, stop the bus at your first opportunity.

Richard's Rating: 3 out of 5.

Comments: Stop The Bus is quite lively and a fun game to play. The sounds and graphics are very clever and certainly add to the overall enjoyment.




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Please Note: Before playing Stop The Bus in Full Screen mode, you may want to take a moment, or two, to read my review. Then, after playing your game, simply click the back button on your browser to return to this page.

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Skill Jam

Game Description: Play a game of pool. See how many balls you can sink in three minutes.

How to Play Skill Jam:

• Click the 'Start Game' button.
• Use your mouse to position the white ball (the cue ball) anywhere behind the white line. Then, click your left mouse button to begin play.
• To shoot the cue ball, first click your left mouse button. Then rotate the cue stick to determine the direction of your next shot. (Use the sight line to help you see the direction). Pull back with your mouse to increase the power of your shot. Release your mouse to shoot.
• Score points for each ball (other than the cue ball) that goes into a pocket.
• Don't hit the white cue ball into a pocket. This is called a scratch and you will lose 300 points.
• If you do scratch, click on any spot to place the cue ball for your next shot. Then, continue play.
• Your goal is to see how many balls you can sink in any of the 6 pockets.
• Should you sink all 9 balls, a new rack of balls will appear. Just keep playing.
• You have 3 minutes to sink balls and score as high as you can!
• Click the 'Reset Game' button to play again. (Hint: It can be a little bit tricky to spot the 'Reset Game' button unless you know where to look. The 'Reset Game' button is located just below the word 'Over' where it says 'Game Over!').

Skill Jam Playing Tips:

• As with any game of billards, the angle and the power of your shot will determine your success.

Richard's Rating: 3 out of 5.

Comments: Skill Jam is a fun game of billards with nice graphics and sounds.

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Wordz

Game Description: Rearrange the white letters to make mystery words. Compete with players from all around the world in real-time!

How to Play Wordz:

• If you are asked to do so, enter a name in the 'New Player' box. The player name is the name you will go by when you play the game. It is also the name your opponent will see on their screen. Many people use their first name. For instance, I usually use Richard. Sometimes I just use the letter 'R'. Whatever you decide, simply type your player name in the box. Then, click the 'Accept' button. Incidentally, you can easily change to a new player name later if you wish.
• Now that you have a player name you are ready to play! Click the 'Play Online' button.
• Select a language: English, German, French, Spanish, Italian or Russian. Then, click the 'Accept' button.
• The next thing you may see is a 'How to Play' window. After watching this for a moment, click the 'Close' button. Next, you may see a brief message that says 'Connecting to Server.' This should only take a moment.
• Your goal is to find all of the mystery words by swapping the white letters. You are also racing against your online opponent!
• Only the white letters may be moved.
• To move a white letter you will swap their positions. First, click on a white letter. Then, click on a second white letter and the two letters will swap positions.
• Each mystery word is color-coded. Only blocks of the same color belong to that word. (This can get rather confusing, when you get to the higher levels, because the blocks of words sort of get crammed together. Just try to remember that each word has its own separate color, and you'll be okay).
• In the English language version of Wordz, the only version I am capable of playing, some words are spelled across, from left to right. Other words are spelled down, from top to bottom.
• Each time you successfully solve a word you will hear a chiming sound. This sound lets you know that the word is solved. You will also notice that now since the word is solved, there are no longer any white letters remaining in the word. (The white letters have changed their color and now match the other letters of the mystery word). So, now you can concentrate solely on the remaining words that still have white letters.
• Your words are on the left. You can also see your opponents board on the right. Your opponent will also see your board at the right of his screen. This allows both you, and your opponent, to see each others game progress in real-time! (Both you, and your opponent can actually see each other swap letters. You can also see which words your opponent has solved, and vice versa, because each time a word is solved it will change its color on the right. Furthermore, your score is at the bottom left, below your words. Your opponent's score is at the bottom right, below his board).
• Score points for each word you solve.
• Score double points if you are able to finish a level before your opponent does!
• To complete a level, you must solve all of the mystery words.
• To continue playing, click the 'Level Complete Click To Continue' button.
• After you see your score, click the 'Next Level' button to advance to the next level.
• Any points you earned from earlier levels will carry over to the next level.
• I am not sure how many levels there are. In testing this game I proceeded through 20 levels. And, yes, level 21 did come up next. I suspect, although this is simply a guess on my part, that there could be perhaps an unlimited number of levels.

Wordz Game Options: The game options may be accessed from the main menu by clicking the 'Options' button. The options are as follows:

• The sound volume may be adjusted from 100% to Off.
• The music volume may be adjusted from 100% to Off.
• The Full Screen option will not work on here on Richard's Game Reviews. However, you can always increase the zoom level on your computer to make the game bigger. I personally recommend increasing the zoom level to 125% which makes the game screen nice and big!

Wordz Playing Tips:

• To repeat, I highly recommend increasing the zoom level on your computer to 125%. The reason is this. As you go up in the levels the words get longer and each letter gets smaller. If you increase your zoom level to 125% everything is nice and big. This will make it much more pleasant to play the game and prevent eye strain. I also recommend that you increase the zoom level before you start playing the game. This way, you will not risk losing any of your game progress.
• Wordz seems to attract a lot of very experienced players. I would say, in my brief time playing, that at least 80 to 90 percent of the time I was matched up with a highly experienced player. Because these people have obviously played the game numerous times before, they know the game very well. They are able to recognize common repeated words and patterns. I have come up against opponents that can solve even the most difficult levels in less than a minute. (While it may sometimes take me ten minutes, or more). If you come up against such players, and you will, don't let this intimidate you, or bother you in the least. Simply go about your business and solve the puzzles at a leisurely pace.
• As you play Wordz you may notice that some words seem to be repeated more often than others. Here is list of words, that I have noticed, that seem to come up rather often: EYE, ICE, ICY, ONE, PIE, SKI, BANK, BARK, BOLT, CITY, LENS, RICE, ABOVE, BEECH, BIRCH, BRUSH, CHECK, CHEEK, EARTH, FRUIT, HEART, MOUSE, MOVIE, ONION, OPERA, PEACH, SHORE, SHORT, COFFEE, COMBING, KETCHUP, NECKTIE, and PLUMBER. I suggest that you compile your own list of commonly repeated words and write them down on a piece of paper.
• Try to look for common letter combinations, such as ING, when forming words.

Richard's Rating: 4 out of 5.

Comments: As you go up to the higher levels the words get longer, and Wordz becomes increasingly more challenging. And, that's where the fun really begins! How satisfying it is, after struggling for several minutes, to finally solve some of the more difficult puzzles. Wordz is simply a splendid word game!

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TBS Texas Hold Em

Game Description: Texas Hold Em is a poker game. In TBS Texas Hold Em you play against 1-4 imaginary computer opponents.

How to Start the Game:

• Type your name in the box. Then, click 'OK'. (You are the only person who can see your name. Unless, of course, someone is standing behind you looking over your shoulder, lol. Even so, if you don't want to give your name, just click 'OK').
• Next, click the 'Play' button.
• Select how many imaginary players you want to compete against, from 1-4.
• Select your difficulty, either 'Easy' or 'Hard'. (Selecting 'Hard' will presumably bring you tougher opponents).
• After selecting the number of opponents and your difficulity, click the 'Play' button to begin the game.

The Object of Texas Hold Em:

• The object of Texas Hold Em is to win everyone else's money.
• The game ends when you run out of money, or when all of the other players run out of money.
• If you run out of money, the game ends, and you lose.
• If everyone else runs out of money, the game ends, and you win!

How to Play Texas Hold Em: Here is what happens in every hand of Texas Hold Em:

• First every player puts a little money in the pot, called the 'ante'.
• Then every player is dealt two cards apiece. These are the 'hole' cards, which remain face down. (You can see your own cards, but not the other players' cards.)
• There is a round of betting. The first two bets in this round are forced bets, called 'blinds'.
• Then comes the 'flop': three cards are dealt face-up. These cards are 'board' cards, held in common by all the players.
• After the flop there is a second round of betting.
• Then comes the 'turn': one more board card is dealt face-up.
• After the turn there is a third round of betting.
• Then there's the 'river': a fifth card is dealt face-up. This is the last card of the hand.
• After the river there is a final round of betting.
• When all the betting is over, it's time for the 'showdown', when the players all show their hole cards.
• The money in the pot goes to the player with the highest hand.
• Each player's hand is made from the best possible combination of five cards chosen from his seven available cards (his two hole cards and the five board cards).

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Please Note: Before playing Texas Hold Em in Full Screen mode, you may want to take a moment, or two, to read my review. Then, after playing your game, simply click the back button on your browser to return to this page.


Ranks and Suits:

• Texas Hold Em is played with a standard deck of 52 cards.
• Every card has a 'rank' and a 'suit'.
• The thirteen ranks are 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. Ace is the highest rank in poker.
• The four suits are Spades, Diamonds, Clubs, and Hearts.
• In poker, no suit is worth more than any other suit. (For instance, the 10 of Hearts is worth exactly the same as the 10 of Spades). But suits are important because certain hands called 'flushes' can only be made if you have five cards of the same suit.

Poker Hands:

• A 'hand' in poker is a set of five cards. No more, no less. (This might confuse you at first, because in Texas Hold Em you get seven cards - two that you hold, and five more that are common to all players. But your hand is still made up of only five cards, not seven).
• During the 'showdown' when the players compare their hands, TBS Texas Hold Em will automatically determine the very best five-card hand that can be made from among your seven available cards.

Kinds of Hands in Poker: Certain combinations of cards are worth more than others. These are the kinds of hands you can make in poker, listed from highest value to lowest.

• Royal Flush -- A Royal Flush is a 10, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suit. It beats all other hands.
• Straight Flush -- A Straight Flush is five sequential cards of the same suit. (To make a Straight Flush, you may count an Ace as 'low', or the rank below 2).
• Four of a Kind -- A Four of a Kind is a hand containing four cards of the same rank, plus one extra card. (The extra card is called a 'kicker', and its only use is to break ties. For example, a player with four 9's and a King beats a player with four 9's and a Jack).
• Full House -- A Full House is three cards of the same rank, plus two cards of the same rank. (For example, a player that has three 7's and two Queens would have a full house).
• Flush -- A Flush is five cards of the same suit.
• Straight -- A Straight is five sequential cards. An example of a straight would be a hand consisting of an 8, 9, 10, Jack, and Queen of any suit. (To make a Straight, you may count an Ace as 'high', the rank above King, or 'low', the rank below 2).
• Three of a Kind -- A Three of a Kind is three cards of the same rank, plus two 'kickers'.
• Two Pair -- Two Pair is two cards of the same rank, plus another two cards of the same rank, plus one 'kicker'.
• Pair -- A Pair is two cards of the same rank, plus three 'kickers'.
• High Card -- A High Card is a polite way of saying 'nothing'. For example, a player whose hand doesn't meet the standards of any of the kinds of hands listed above, and whose highest card is a 9, is said to have a '9 High'.

The Bets in Texas Hold Em:

• Ante -- The 'ante' is a small bet paid by all players equally every hand, before any cards are dealt.
• Bet (opening bet) -- You can open the betting if no other player has placed a bet yet in that round. Any amount you bet must be matched by the other players, if they want to stay in the hand.
• Check -- If no players have opened the betting, and you don't want to bet either, then you can 'check'. It just means you've decided not to bet.
• Call -- If someone has already opened the betting, you have to match his bet to stay in the hand. 'Call' means you are betting exactly what you have to bet to stay in the hand.
• Fold -- If you don't want to call, you can 'fold'. If you fold, you are no longer in the hand, and you won't get any of the money in the pot, no matter how good your hand was. (If every player except one folds, the hand ends prematurely. No more cards are dealt, there is no showdown, and the last remaining player collects the money in the pot).
• Raise -- A 'raise' is like a call, plus a bet. It means you are betting more than you have to bet to stay in the hand, and the other players must now match your extra bet.
• Blind -- A 'blind' is a forced bet posted by the first two players in the first round of betting. The first player to the dealer's left posts the 'small blind', and the next player to the left posts the 'big blind'. The other players must call these bets to stay in.
• All In -- Betting 'all in' means you are betting every dollar you have on this hand! If any player bets all in, all the other players must then also bet all in, or fold. (You may notice that sometimes a player who bets all in, then loses the hand, still gets some money back. This is because when players with different-sized banks go all in, they actually create separate pots with different sets of players competing for each pot. It's all terribly complex, but TBS Texas Hold Em knows what it's doing.

Minimums:

• For every bet, there is a minimum amount. Periodically throughout the game, these minimum bets are raised to higher levels. You don't need to think about this too much because TBS Texas Hold Em simply won't let you place any illegal bets.

TBS Texas Hold Em Game Options:

• The music may be turned on or off by clicking the button at the lower left corner.

TBS Texas Hold Em Playing Tips:

• Don't worry if you don't understand all of the betting and the terminology. Just start playing. You can easily pick it up as you go along.
• Bluffing can be good strategy! Many times, if you don't have a good hand but place a large bet this can scare everyone else into folding and you win the pot! Of course, there is certainly a risk in bluffing too often.

Richard's Rating: 3 out of 5.

Comments: TBS Texas Hold Em is certainly a lively version of the popular poker game of Texas Hold Em. If, like me, you have never played Texas Hold Em before, it is an easy way to learn the game. Now, when I see it on late night TV, maybe I will actually know what they are talking about!

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Fighting Games Page 1

Muay Thai		Side Ring Knockout
You are a tough street fighter. You must take on all comers. Good luck!		Fight your way to the top! Are you good enough to become champ?

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Board Games Page 2

Board Game pages:   1  2

Sudoku Challenge		SwizzlePop		Magic Rune Matching
Play Sudoku, the classic Japanese number game.		Form words fast enough to prevent the bombs from exploding!		Make matches to clear the entire board before time runs out.
Ball Lines		WordKool		Spark Chess
Destroy the balls by making lines of 5 or more balls of the same color.		Spell words as fast as you can to keep the letters from freezing.		Play chess against any of three imaginary computer opponents.
Springo Bingo Deluxe		Ultimate Chess		Word Drop
Use your Match 3 skills to rack up as many points as you can in just 3 minutes!		Play against the computer in this entertaining, and uniquely animated chess game.		Make words from letters that drop. There are 6 challenging levels.
World's Greatest Places Mahjong		Flash Checkers 3		Embed Mahjong
Visit some of the most beautiful places on Earth while playing the classic game of Mahjong.		Play a game of checkers against the computer. Standard checkers rules apply.		Play the game of Mahjong with no time limits! Score 2 points for each match you can make.
Triple Rotate
Rotate the figures to match identical shapes. Turn the entire board to gold to pass to the next level.

Board Game pages:   1  2

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Mysteriez

Game Description: Put your detective skills to work! Try to find all of the hidden numbers before time runs out. You will also compete against an online human opponent... live, in real time!

How to Play Mysteriez:

• If you are asked to do so, enter a name in the 'New Player' box. The player name is the name you will go by when you play the game. It is also the name your opponent will see on their screen. Many people use their first name. For instance, I use Richard. Other people like to use only numbers. Whatever you decide, simply type your player name in the box. Then, click the 'Accept' button. Incidentally, you can easily change to a new player name later if you wish.
• Now that you have a player name you are ready to play! Click the 'Play Online' button.
• If this is your first time playing you may see a 'How to Play' window. After watching this for a moment, click the 'Close' button. Next, you may see a brief message that says 'Connecting to Server.' This should only take a moment.
• Now, click on the left where it says 'Find Numbers (Click to Play)'.
• Your goal is to find all of the hidden numbers before the clock runs out. You are also racing against your online opponent!
• The clock, which shows you how much time you have remaining, is located on the upper right panel.
• You will also see two number boards on the right panel. The top number board is your opponent's number board. The bottom number board is your number board. As both you and your opponent click numbers, those numbers are removed from each player's board. This allows both you, and your opponent, to see each others game progress in real time!
• Use your magnifying glass to click on the hidden numbers that you find.
• Be careful! If you click anywhere other than on a hidden number you lose ten seconds off the clock. Also, if you click the same number more than once you will lose 10 more seconds off the clock. (You will need to check the bottom board, which is your board, to see which numbers you have not yet found to make sure this does not happen).
• Score 100 points for each number you find.
• Score bonus points if you are able to find all of the numbers before the time runs out. Also score extra bonus points if you are able to find all of the numbers before your opponent does.
• There are only ten different pictures used. These ten pictures will be repeated throughout the game.
• There are an unlimited number of levels.
• To continue playing, click the 'Next Level' button.
• Any points you earned from earlier levels will carry over to the next level.

Mysteriez Game Options: The game options may be accessed from the main menu by clicking the 'Options' button. The options are as follows:

• The sound volume may be adjusted from 100% to Off.
• The music volume may be adjusted from 100% to Off.
• Full Screen mode will not work on here on Richard's Game Reviews. However, you can always increase the zoom level on your computer to make the game bigger. I personally recommend increasing the zoom level to 150% which makes the game screen nice and big!

Mysteriez Playing Tips:

• Hidden numbers come, of course, in many different sizes. Some are small. Others are quite large. Many times the largest numbers blend into the background. So, look carefully there.
• Many times you will find objects that are shaped to look like the number. Click on the "object" and you will find your number.
• Don't forget to check around the four edges. Sometimes you will find numbers there.
• A few numbers are in roman numerals.
• Mysteriez uses some other tricks. Here are a few examples. On one of the scenes some of the numbers are represented by playing cards. (Be careful though. I am not sure, but if I recall correctly I think only some of the playing cards may represent numbers. Others may not). One scene, as I recall, has a hand with four fingers raised. The hand represents the number 4. So, clicking on the hand finds the number 4 for you. One other instance, that I recall, is a dice with three dots which represents the number 3. Therefore, you need to think outside the box. You get the idea!
• If the game appears small you may want to increase your zoom level to 125%, or even to 150%. That will make everything nice and big! (I recommend changing your zoom level before you start playing the game. Otherwise, you risk losing your points, and you may have to start the entire game again from the beginning).
• Occassionally you may come up against a player who is super fast and finds all of their numbers very quickly. This simply means that they have played the game many times before. Since there are only ten pictures repeated over and over they can, because of their experience, now remember where most of the numbers are. Don't let this intimidate you, or worry about it. Just go about your business, have fun, and collect your points.

Richard's Rating: 4 out of 5.

Pro: Mysteriez is intelligent, innovative, and most of all tremendous fun. I really like the added element of playing against another person. What a cool concept!

Con: With many hidden object games, once you find an object, the found object disappears from the playing screen. With Mysteriez, however, the found numbers remain on the screen. So, you must keep checking your board so that you don't accidently click the same number more than once and incur a 10 second penalty. What an improvement it would be if the found numbers could have been removed from the pictures.

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Desert Hunter

Game Description: Shoot as many animals as you can in two minutes.

How to Play Desert Hunter:

• You have two minutes to shoot as many animals as you can.
• Use your mouse to move the cross hair.
• Position the cross hair on an animal and press your left mouse button to fire.
• Each time you run out of bullets press your space bar to reload.
• Shoot a scorpion to earn 100 points.
• Shoot a small size bird to earn 30 points.
• Shoot a medium size bird to earn 20 points.
• Shoot a large size bird to earn 10 points.
• With every hit the bonus bar fills. If it is full you gain bonus points!
• Each coyote you shoot adds 5 seconds to your time.
• The game ends when your time expires.

Desert Hunter Game Options:

• The game sounds may be turned on or off by clicking the microphone icon located at the lower right corner.

Desert Hunter Playing Tips:

• Shoot as many coyotes as you can. This adds 5 seconds to your time. These 5 second increments can really add up and make a big difference.
• You cannot see the entire desert scene at one time. To see more, move your mouse pointer all the way to the right or left and the scene will change. So, for instance, if a coyote gets away on the first scene you may be able to chase it down by sliding to the next scene.
• Each time you run out of bullets don't forget to reload!
• Watch for scorpions on the large cactus in the center of the main screen. The scorpions, which earn you 100 points each, run up the cactus but disappear rather quickly.

Richard's Rating: 2 out of 5.

Comments: Although Desert Hunter is rather easy, compared to many other shooting games, I still find it fun to play.

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