Sample Chapter: Games and Other Fun Activities Internet Directory for Kids and Parents

Games and Other Fun Activities

Play online or download (copy) games to your computer's hard drive. Some are free; others involve shareware, which means that you can try something and, if you like it, you pay to keep using it. Before you run anything you download, do a virus check.

Some games you can play alone or with people sitting next to you. Other sites team you up with Internet gamesters who may live on the other side of the country, or the other side of the world!

This section also includes sites that sell software games online and sites that give you the chance to download samples and demonstrations of various software products.

Here are a few advisories to keep in mind as you begin exploring game sites. These tips aren't meant to discourage you from visiting these sites, and you may never encounter any of the following situations. But I figure that you want to know all the possibilities, so here goes:

If you live with a parent or guardian, be sure to ask permission before you commit to spend any money at a site, register with a site, or provide any site with personal information.

Chat rooms are common to game sites, ostensibly to discuss games, but many are unmoderated. Make sure that the chat room is an appropriate, safe environment to visit.

Be aware that many game sites (and other sites), with or without your permission, set cookies in your hard drive that trace your surfing activities. I resent them, but for now, they are legal, and proponents insist that cookies are helpful to surfers. To learn more about them (and how to defeat them, if you choose), visit internet.junkbuster.com/cookies.html.

Sites may or may not work well depending on your computer, modem, and browser systems. Just try another site if one site doesn't work. I've tried to provide you with several alternatives that will work, no matter what.

Mega Game Sites

The following sites describe games or links to games, both online and software.

Electric Playground

www.elecplay.com/

For sophisticated computer gamers: This self-described online game superstore features news, reviews, previews, and interviews, for Sega, Nintendo, Macs, PCs, and more. You can also visit the download area for the latest demos or shareware software for the PC and Mac. Parents should probably look over the shoulder of kids cruising this site.

Entertainment Online

www.e-on.com

Super-sized online entertainment site: Get a 30-day free trial of all the multiplayer games, single-player games, brain games, Java games, which the site rates, and the "best of the Net" games, which the site rates. There are e-zines, digital offerings, chats, broadband services, and an extremely useful help service. Be sure you have a Java-capable browser and get the Multiplayer plug-in to compete online with other gamers.

Gamepower

www.gamepower.com

Lots of game action: Inside the jazzy design is a large collection of game reviews from various sources, updates on games for PC, Mac, Playstation, Nintendo 64, and Saturn, plus an array of demos and promotional items, as well as a chat area and contests. Parents will probably want to screen for age-appropriate language and games.

GamerZone

www.gamerzone.com/

Games for everything: You can find both new and classic PC games and links to game sites, including Nintendo 64, Sony Playstation, Super Nintendo, Sega Saturn, and Sega Genesis. Get the latest information on hardware, video cards, sound cards, joysticks, and other software accessories. Click to find the hottest driver, to connect with game newsgroups, and to scour online gaming magazines. Because some of the content in some of these games can be high in violence and the language in the newsgroups can be a bit off-color, parental oversight is advised.

Games Domain

www.gamesdomain.co.uk/

The mother of all game sites: Visit this site for flashy, commercial, incredibly action-packed games -- both free and fee. The site could be intimidating to the less experienced big-game hunter. But it's still worth exploring, with its 1,300-plus games, thousands of links, access to shareware/freeware/demonstrations, magazines, competitions, FAQs (that's frequently asked questions), walkthroughs (which is usually an animated or interactive file that shows you the game graphics and strategy), charts, and a special kids section. It requires registration, quite a bit of reading, and good comprehension skills. Parents need to help select appropriate games. A Java-capable browser is recommended.

Gamespot

www.gamespot.com/

Extremely well-designed game center: Gamespot offers high-band and low-band versions of games and activities to serve any personal computing system. If you are connected to the Internet with a slower modem or just don't want to wait for the graphics to load, choose the low-band version of this site. Get the latest news, reviews, and previews, as well as demonstrations of puzzles and action, adventure, interactive, sports, simulation, and brand-new games. Take advantage of tips about playing and advice about hardware. Parents are advised to preview games and system requirements. Because many of the games reviewed include demos, movie clips, or sound clips that can be downloaded, not many plug-ins are required. Most Java-capable browsers will handle this site. However, after you download any of the files to your systems, be sure that you have the necessary utilities to play the files.

Happy Puppy

www.happypuppy.com/

Giant online software game store: This site isn't about dogs, but it is brought to you with a theme of puppies throughout. Check out freebies from Cindy Pawford, computer classifieds, online ordering, software reviews from Bark Kent, and information on some 20,000 games. Not all areas are geared to kids, but the site has a special kids section, overseen by Junior, of new downloadable demo software so that you can try it before you buy it. The site features a radio show detailing new games.

Kidsoft

www.kidsoft.com/

Software online superstore with products geared especially to kids: The games range from educational to fun and silly. (How about buying a software cyberpet?) Shop at the simulated Town Square. The Parents Café has an online survey to get parents' feedback and ideas, and a chat room gives parents and educators a chance to discuss issues relevant to kids. The KidSoft Select Sites are tested by kids and approved by parents. About Our Products is a section where software titles are reviewed. It's a family-friendly software environment, though some pages require RealAudio or  Shockwave plug-ins.

Webfoot Technologies PC Games

www.webfootgames.com/

Demos of arcade, puzzle, action, and simulation games: If you like the demos you find here, you can buy them and download the full versions of the games. Titles include BLUPPO! Bluppo must collect all the fish in each level without getting squished or attacked by sturgeon), Yendorian Tales: Chapter 3 (a strategy and RPG, or role-playing game), and Inner Worlds (an action adventure featuring Nikita, the woman warrior who has to defeat a monster). These shareware games are for DOS and Windows. This site has neat graphics and music, plus chat and other activities. Start out at the hints and tips section to get help with utilization and other questions. Parents will want to lead the visit here in relation to age-appropriateness and suitability of various games and the chat area.

WebFun

www.webfun.com/free.htm

Download free games: Read descriptions of games (for example, 3D Shooters -- Games that take a quick trigger finger), what you need to run them, and download free demo versions to try before you buy. Almost all the games require a program like WinZip, which you can download at the WinZip Home Page. There are sports games (for basketball, baseball, and so on), RPGs (role-playing games), arcade style games, adventures (such as Curse of Monkey Island), classics (such as Space Invaders), action and cyber shoot-'em-ups, strategy games,and some that are a bit of both (Outlaws, for example, in which you are a former marshal who needs to rescue your kidnapped daughter). One major heads up for parents -- at the very end of the list of games is a section classified as "Mature."

Online Activities Just for Fun

Visit these sites for some guaranteed smiles. Most are extremely uncomplicated and offer giggles for even the youngest computer user (or keyboard pounders, as I call them).

Apple Corps

jubal.westnet.com/apple_corps/apple_corps.2.html

Making faces with fruit: This Java game is based on the same principle as Hasbro's Mr. Potato Head, but you can use any fruit or vegetable. The site features great graphics and is easy to play-- sweet and simple, like a good apple. Note that the site contains a few subtle political comments that kids won't get but should amuse parents. Choose your fruit or vegetable (I thought a "Newt" referred only to an amphibian) and then click on a facial feature. Click again where you want the facial feature to appear on your fruit or vegetable of choice. Laugh at the results.

Ask the Eight Ball

www.pe.net/diversions/8-ball/

Have a ball with your future: Type in a question, click "Ask," and the answer is yours for the taking (or leaving). Try to keep your questions to the traditional 8-ball yes-or-no type; this orb won't return winning lottery ticket numbers. The site works okay with 14.4 Kbps modems.

Billy Bear's Playground

www.worldvillage.com/kidz/bilybear/wgames.htm

Free fun and games: Explore traditional paper-reliant games and new online games. The games on this site will keep kids busy for weeks -- be sure to go offline sometimes to get some sleep! The site is heavy on the Java applets, so you must have a Java-capable browser before venturing into some of the storybooks, clip art, and creative activities, as well as some of the links to other kid sites. When you load the first Web page of the Playground, it begins playing a great midi file; visitors can get more sound files in the Midi section of the site, and
some even come with the lyrics so you can have a sing-along. For kids and adults alike, the Storybook section features information on how to create your own storybook, complete with illustrations, either for the Web or for printing. The Holiday section has coloring pages, games, and clip art for the most popular American holidays.

Blue Dog Can Count

kao.ini.cmu.edu:5550/bdf.html

This doggy does math: Just type in two numbers; the doggy adds or subtracts and then gives you the total by barking. The site can be a little buggy, especially with Version 3.0 of Netscape Navigator -- but then, what dog isn't a little buggy sometimes? Be patient because sometimes Blue Dog needs a minute or so to come up with the answer before she barks out the answer in the form of an AU file. But I adore this site because of the tickled reaction it always solicits from little kids.

Build A Monster

www.rahul.net/renoir/monster/monster.html

Create your own animals: What would a duck look like with a frog's head? This simple activity for very young Internet users lets them choose various animal heads, torsos, and limbs and then combine them in funny ways. The site uses CGI scripting and works fine on slow modems.

BU's Interactive Web Games

scv.bu.edu/Games/games.html

Good times with classic games: Old standards gone electronic include Mine Sweep, Battleship, Tic-Tac-Toe, Pegs, and a number of challenging puzzles. Never fear if your browser is Java-challenged; this page comes in both Java and non-Java versions. 

Carlos' Coloring Book

www.ravenna.com/coloring/

Stay in the lines every time: This site is another one of my favorites because of its creativity and gentility. It provides a great way for little ones to get comfortable with moving a mouse, clicking, and creating. Choose a drawing, choose colors, indicate where you want the colors, and the computer does the rest. Remember to set your browser so that it automatically loads the images.

Cartoon Mania

www.worldchat.com/public/jhish/cartoon.html

Draw cartoons: Do you like comic books? Why not try drawing your own comic characters? This site shows you step-by-step how to create your own cartoon-style animals by putting a circle here or a squiggly line there. It's not intimidating, so get out your paper, pencil, eraser, and coloring tools of choice and launch your graphic art career!

Castle Infinity

www.castleinfinity.com

Save the dinosaurs: Castle Infinity is the last refuge of the dinosaurs, and it's your job to save the castle and the dinosaurs from some really gooky monsters. The good news is that it's all very exciting but not violent, which makes it great for kids. Sign up for a free CD-ROM starter kit, and then you and your amazing Frisky Broom can sweep justice over the land. You get a four-hour free play period, but after that, if you like the game, you must pay $30 to get the full version. You do need a Pentium PC running Windows 95, 8MB RAM, a 2X CD-ROM drive, and Windows 95-compatible sound card.

CyberJacques

www.cyberjacques.com/

Several kid-friendly games: You can play games including Hangman, Connect the Dots, Simon Says, and Fish! Adults may need to help kids set up to play certain games. Be sure to have the Shockwave plug-in installed before you gather the kids around, or you'll be looking at a mutiny on your hands with CyberJacques leading the group!

Duck Hunt

aurora.york.ac.uk/ducks.html

Find ducks lurking in various photos and art: Okay, I'll admit it. I love Duck Hunt because it's totally dumb. Click where you think a duck drawing is hiding. If you're right, you are congratulated for catching the thing. This game is so silly that it's endearing. In addition to the color version, a black-and-white version is available for slower systems.

Electric Origami

www.ibm.com/Stretch/EOS/

Mindbenders: Twist your mind like a paper origami with this offbeat site that lets you make alien snow, assess the mood of the Internet on a daily basis, or post your art on a cyber-refrigerator door. Brought to you by IBM, this site is very creative, offbeat, and lots of fun. Other activities include a cyber-kaleidoscope, a tour of spectacular fractals, puzzles, and brain teasers.

Elmo's Playground

members.tripod.com/~ElmosPlayground/

Sesame Street's lovable Elmo is here: This fan page is completely devoted to Elmo, the beloved red monster of the Sesame Street TV series. Sing-along to the show's theme song, take the Elmo Lover evaluation test, visit Elmo's art gallery and download some Elmo graphics for your own home page, and listen to Elmo talk. You can join in the polls, write a message to Elmo, read poetry written about Elmo, and link to related Sesame Street sites.

Family Games!

www.familygames.com

For family fun: Play these games as a family, including demos of Jumble, Pic-Tac-Toe, a funny word play game, and action adventures featuring Santa (can you rescue Santa's magic items?) and Uncle Julius (with his fabulous Anywhere Machine). Another offering, Twisted Tails, takes a fun-filled look at the classic fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen. Try the four-level On-line Science Trivia Quiz! Demo play is free, and full versions are reasonably priced. The games emphasize family enjoyment, as well as language and communication skills.

Guess-A-Sketch

showcase.digiplanet.com/guessasketch.html

Multiplayer drawing and guessing game: You play this game against opponents on the Internet through a chat room. Using JavaScript technology, a player can draw a picture while others try to guess what it is. If no one gets it in two minutes, the game starts over. The person who guesses the most drawings in the shortest amount of time is the winner. Because this does involve a chat room used by both adults and kids, parents will want to play along, too. You must sign up to play.

Hangman

www.allmixedup.com/cgi-bin/hangman/hangman

Flawless in its simplicity and enjoyability: Ask for a word. Guess its letters. Every correct letter shows up. Every wrong letter moves your little stick man closer to the gallows. Guess the word, and you win a gold star. Designer Andrew Wilson welcomes your e-mail feedback and word ideas. I give this ingenious little site a gold star. (You can reach three other games from here: tic-tac-toe, connect 4, and slider.)

The Hat: Online Magic Tricks

www.geocities.com/Paris/Metro/8777/

Mega magic site: Now you see it, now you don't. Discover the magic of magic through this extensive Java-enhanced site that features card tricks, illusions, articles about famous magicians, and tips from experts on perfecting your own skills. Submit a trick, chat with others about magic-related topics, and become a member to get even more inside secret information. Poof!

I Spy

www.geocities.com/~spanoudi/spy/

Learn colors and identify objects online: Vibrant, busy pictures contain lots of items for little searchers to find when a grown-up or older sibling says, "I see something...." Choose from two sets of images based on your system capabilities; the smaller set of images loads more quickly, but the larger set has better image quality.

Kendra's Coloring Book

www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/7155/

Interactive coloring book: Select and mix colors, and then choose a picture from a variety of black and white choices. Drop in your colors. If you're happy with the results, you can print your pictures. Though limited in the number of pictures to choose from, this site can keep the kids happy for quite some time. If you want to color the pictures while you're offline, you can print the pictures. You need a Java-capable browser before becoming an online Picasso.

Kids Corner Puzzle

kids.ot.com/

Cute and fun: Put a little puzzle together by picking pieces with a click of the mouse, play hangman, or vent your frustrations or find a penpal by speaking out in the Kids' Speak area, which has separate postings for younger kids and teens. When you are through in the Kids' Corner site, you can visit other kid-related links to Web sites. The site is ever-growing because its content is based on submissions from the kids who use the site. You can send in pictures that will be used for the puzzle page or even featured on the home page.

MadLibs

www.mit.edu:8001/madlib

Classic party game: You need to know about verbs, nouns, and adjectives to play. Think of words and fill out a form. The computer takes your words and sticks them into a song or poem. The results can be really hilarious. You can play this game even with a slow modem.

Mr. Edible Starchy Tuber Head

winnie.acsu.buffalo.edu/potatoe/

Based on Hasbro's good ol' Mr. Potato Head: Kids of all have ages can have tons of really goofy fun in honor of the total spud. Choose facial features, stick them on, and customize your tuber man. This game should work reasonably well with any modem speed. If you get bored constructing your masterpiece, you can always read the fan mail, which contains some pretty good humor. Or check out the PotatoCam shots of previous visitor creations. Can't quite master the English language? Try the International Pig Latin version of this site.

Professor Bubbles

bubbles.org/pbfa2.htm

Bubble-based games and activities: Try Tic-Tac-Bubble and then make your own soap solution and bubble blowers for supersized, extraordinary bubbles. The recipe for the solution and some ideas for blowers and bubble machines are posted. Professor Bubbles is an international personality who's capable of blowing large bubbles that can even surround a person! Be sure to have a frame- and Java-capable browser before blowing over to this site.

Stubbed Toe

www.stardot.com/~lukeseem/stubbed.html

A variation of Tic-Tac-Toe: Neat graphics and a quick response time make this a fun version of a classic game. You play against the computer. Although the game is fine for any age, other sections of the site invite feedback that may contain blunt language. So parents should check out the management page before the kids do. Tables are used for the Tic-Tac-Toe board, so be sure your browser is capable.

Tarot

205.186.189.2/ms/tarot/tarot.html

Online tarot card reading: Type or think of a question, choose the type of card reading and card deck you want the computer to use, and then await the answer. Parents may want to visit this site first. If you don't object to Ouija boards and palm readings, this site is interesting and graphically attractive. Frames are used for the tarot reading as well as some of the other branches of the home page, www.thenewage.com.

Thunderbeam Kids' Software

www.thunderbeam.com/w/m/index.html

Java-based games for kids: If you have a Java-enabled browser, you can play online arcade, puzzle, strategy, learning enhancement (don't panic, they're fun), and skill game demos. These games are rated by kids, which is a really nice feature of the site. This site does require you to accept a cookie in your hard drive before you can play. You can shop here, and the site lists itself as having a secure server for worry-free credit-card transactions over the Internet.

Virtual Pizza

www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~pizza/pizzaweb.html

The ultimate no-cal pizza: Okay, so visiting virtual game sites creates a virtual appetite. Stop by here to order up a customized virtual pizza with the usual, or some highly unusual, toppings. Within seconds, your unique pizza is delivered to your screen. You can almost smell the steaming tennis balls. (I warned you that some toppings were unusual!)

Web a Sketch

www.digitalstuff.com/web-a-sketch/

Based on Etch A Sketch by Ohio Art Company: This online version is a whole lot harder than the handheld toy, which is what makes it both frustrating and addicting. Just view the Sketch of the Week to get properly intimidated before attempting your own drawing. Click your pointer where you want to place a line. Fortunately, the activity comes with an online eraser. It can be maddeningly slow on some systems, but the novelty makes it worth a visit.

Whack-A-Beaver

www.cs.orst.edu/~gottfrhe/java/whackABeaver.html

Java version of the classic arcade game, Whack-A-Mole: Score points by whacking beavers on the head. Guess where they will appear next. The site includes a High Score List and source code for anyone interested.

Where's Waldo?

www.findwaldo.com

He's lost again, try to find him: This time, Waldo is hiding at the circus in yet another big crowd. See if you can spot him. Click some of the scenery and you get noises. Try downloadable demos for games on both Mac and Windows platforms, or play the games online. You'll also find a fun geography game.

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