Alice’s Tea Cup Madness is a game much like the popular “Diner Dash” series. In this game, players are Alice (from Wonderland), running a Tea shop, and attempting to serve all your customers in a timely and efficient manner. Customers are all characters from the Lewis Carroll classic including the White Rabbit, the Mad Hatter, and the Cheshire Cat. If Alice’s customers are not served in the correct manner they will leave or attempt to steal from her. Success, in the game, is based upon goals for each day at Alice’s tea shop, which are attained by properly serving a majority of customers in a given time. Goals increase in difficulty as the game progresses throughout over 60 challenging levels.

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Reasons to buy Alice’s Tea Cup Madness:

- The game is very addicting. While simple in concept, the progression of difficulty throughout game play encourages players to keep going at a maddening pace.

- Mini-games are included throughout the game after completing various levels. These games provide fun and entertaining seek and find puzzles, and a variety of other fun games to encourage players to keep beating their challenges.

- While addicting and fun, it is also challenging. Nobody enjoys a game they can just breeze through without difficulty. This game challenges a gamer’s mental abilities, along with hand-eye coordination to point-and-click quickly and accurately

Reasons not to buy Alice’s Tea Cup Madness:

- After a few minutes of game play it becomes very repetitive. Mini-games help break up the repetition, but then players are right back to making orders.

- The game length seems nearly insurmountable. The game is likely to take five or more hours for an average player to beat. Many people enjoy games that are beatable in one sitting; this game is not.

-The main character looks nothing like Alice from “Alice in Wonderland.” Younger players might enjoy playing as their favorite storybook character, and could be mislead by the title. Beyond wearing the blue dress, the character has no common resemblance to the Alice we all grew up with.

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Alice’s Tea Cup Madness is worth the $10 investment. It has excellent graphics, full of beautiful pastel colors. Characters are well illustrated and adorable. Sounds are realistic, but simplistic. The cash register makes the “ding” of any common cash register. Players can buy a jukebox to provide customer entertainment, and plays upbeat elevator music. The only real downfall of the game is its lack of creativity. Many games with a similar concept have already been created such as “Lemonade Stand” and “Diner Dash.” However, Alice’s Tea Cup Madness stands above others for its challenge and graphics. If you are a gamer who enjoys a lengthy, challenging game, then Alice’s Tea Cup Madness is a perfect fit.

You can download the game from their web site here.

VVVVVV is an interesting name for a downloadable game. Likely, it was chosen to represent the spike strips that litter each stage of this classic style puzzle adventure. The creators of this game took many chances in design, relying more on game play than spiffy graphics. It might have been a worthwhile gamble.

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GAME PLAY

Players take on the role of a little alien guy as he runs through futuristic space settings. His capabilities are limited, but cover everything he needs to navigate the maze. He can run left and right, interact with terminals and change the direction of gravity. There is no need to jump, when one can run on the ceiling. This ability is behind most of the puzzle aspects of the game. Players have to time the switch just right, sometimes taking moving platforms into account, sometimes running while doing it. The V-shaped spike strips are not the only things that need to be avoided. There are plenty of bad guys floating around the screen in classic repeated patterns.

After the first few minutes of game play, the challenges get incredibly difficult. Fortunately, there are many automatic save spots, and there is only a one second delay between death and restart from the save spot. This alleviates much of the frustration associated with great challenges.

Graphics

VVVVVV is a clear attempt to look like a classic, old-school, 8-bit game. There is no doubt the graphic designers achieved this look and did so with smooth flowing graphics.The look clearly fits the style of game, but it likely would have been the same game, even if the quality of the graphics were improved.

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Audio

In the same vein, the game was designed to sound like it was twenty years old. Some may enjoy this, others may find it to be a cop out.

Creativity and innovation

Chances were taken in design and game play. For the most part, it works. This is not the first game with gravity shift but VVVVVV probably uses it the best.

Overall

VVVVVV is strangely addictive, utilizing just enough storyline to draw the player in and offering screen after screen of unique challenges. It may not be the most enjoyable game ever made but it will satisfy most who enjoy action in their puzzle games. 4/5

THREE REASONS TO BUY

-This is a game unlike any other.
-Unlimited lives and quick restart lead to reduced frustration.
-There are eight large stages to explore.

THREE REASONS NOT TO BUY

-$15.00 is a bit steep for a game that looks like this.
-There are only three real actions players can take.
-All the puzzles revolve around gravity shift, making them somewhat redundant.

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Awesome Soccer is an austere soccer game available for Windows, Linux and Mac. Play is fast and easy. This is a fun game with some remarkable options for a game in its price range.

Reasons to buy the game
• Simple game controls
• Basic graphics
• Customizations

Reasons not to by the game
• Poor view of the pitch
• Limited player control
• Limited options

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Review

Control of game play in Awesome Soccer is very simple, involving only the four directions and an “action button.” During play, the focus automatically shifts among players depending on the location of the ball. A quick game option lets you get started without needing to select any options. Game length can be set, a major feature for someone wanting a brief diversion from a busy work day.

Graphics are simple in Awesome Soccer, giving the game a retro feel of the days when computer games were easy to understand and fun. No extraordinary graphics adapters are required, meaning that this game will run on almost any computer.

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Customizations available in Awesome Soccer offer additional entertainment to those who desire more than a fleeting pastime. Built in editors allow you to create custom players, teams, kits, formations, leagues and tournaments. You can substitute players and change player skills as well.

View of the pitch is restricted and inhibits game play. The user is not able to zoom in or out or utilize side and angled views of the match. The game displays an overhead view of just one section of the field at a time, causing the screen to be constantly shifting. The orientation of the pitch is vertical, leaving much of the screen’s horizontal area underutilized. Although a radar screen shows the location of players and an indicator points in the direction of the goal, these features are not enough to compensate for difficulty viewing the game.

Control of the players is very limited making advanced play almost impossible. As the match progresses, the software automatically selects what player is under control. There’s no way to change focus to other players and move them as you see fit.

Options for the game are limited. For example, difficulty levels are relevant only in tournament mode. Other options such as music, crowd, stadium, time of day and weather are nonexistent.

For $9.95, Awesome Soccer is a great game for those whose passions lie outside the computer gaming world.

He gives users the option to play an online demo at Kongregrate here or you download as windows or mac demo.

The game costs $15.00

Ever been in search of a lantern, skateboard or a stuffed bear? Then you may have been at a yard sale. In the game Yard Sale Junkie you can search for these treasures as well as many more.

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The premise of the game is to begin with a Yard Sale in Malibu and work your way through all of the various stops and cities along the way until your arrival in Hollywood.

The way the yard sale is conducted is that several yard sale items are placed in a yard scene that makes the items disappear into the background and less visible to the eye.

At the same time a shopper will pop up in the corner. The player then must match the shopper’s request with the correct item. If an incorrect item is chosen it will simply fall to the bottom of the scene.
The player is racing the clock to see how much money can be raised before the time runs out. If all the items are sold before the time is up, the player earns bonus bucks.

As the player increases in levels the number of items to find becomes more complex. There are boards with small jewelry items that the player will need to zoom in on in order to see the items for sale. This is done by holding the left click.

The graphics are fairly simple, but it fits the complexity of the game. The graphics are used primarily to disguise items. Some items can be difficult to determine what exactly they are at a quick glance. For example see-saw comes up. Instead of expecting an actual teeter totter it is a statue with people on a see saw. This is just part of the disguise. The item pictures aren’t always what you immediately think of with the item.

Sound is also very simple, but if it had much more to it, it would probably be a distraction. When a bonus is granted a sound is given. Otherwise the music is low key with very few other sounds.
The game probably isn’t the most creative or original, but it was enjoyable in a small dose. It was fun to see how much money could be earned and it did motivate the player to want to continue around the track of sales.

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This game is not for those that are looking for adventure and action. It is a good memory game that would be good for kids. Because it is very good at reinforcing memory skills with no violence or sexual content. This would be an excellent game for kids. It would appear to be suited for children age 8 and up. The shopping aspect of the game may make it more appealing to girls as well.

The instructions and tutorials make the game extremely easy to jump into and learn how to play. This is one of the strengths of the program.

Overall it is a good family game that is good for memory and matching skills. For this reason I would rate it 3/5. I lowered it for simplicity and lack of a real original concept.

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We won’t share the solar system, and the aliens are not impressed!
Harvest: Massive Encounter by Oxey Game Studio is a unique real-time strategy game which incorporates 2D fantasy. You are the base commander of a space colony deep within the galaxy, your job is to expand the colony while bravely defending it in every manner you can.

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You have a selection of five building types. Now use these creatively, protect the colony, and fight hordes of evil aliens. Construct power plants, defense towers, and mineral harvesters. Supply them with adequate energy to fend off the evil intruders. There are a plethora of strategies on offer which will see you facing the greatest battle ever fought.

Buildings will cost you credit and energy; these are gained by harvesting from the mineral fields. Energy of course will come from the power plants. One of the most challenging areas of the game is getting the power and energy to the construction in need. Now this is not easy at all as you will need to place your energy links well. Energy is moved from power plants to other locations by jumping between these links. Setting your way points well is all part and parcel of strategy intelligence.

Build your defenses well, ensure you have as many as possible. The aliens are far from shy, and intend to gain the pocession of the colony at all costs; it could be at your death. Laser Towers, Missile Turrets, bombs, need to be charged well. Link the Laser Towers together for added security. When linked together this improves their range and damage control. Upgrade your missile turrets for a host of varied uses.

The aliens are well equipped for a great battle; they have the use of ten units. You will need to have all your wits about you in this battle of survival. Stay alive; survive, well at least for as long as possible. Get your name on the on-line high score list. Join player groups, and battle other player groups, Beat your own record while exploring three planets.

The game is a real award winner, I loved it. Planning and creative thinking are definitely the highs while the 2D graphics are sensational. The five game modes which range from the easy to the insane are great. With nine types of alien enemies who have your death as their mission, the game is highly challenging. The seven building types which come with a great range of abilities are well designed.

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Summary:
The game is fabulous, but crazy in many areas. You will only have 2-3 power plants to begin with and this makes for some radical thinking on your behalf. These power plants produce 1 energy per second, spend fifty minerals and you will purchase a placement. You will need twenty energy points to construct it first! With up to a thousand ways to set up your defense, the possibilities are endless.

Highly entertaining for the entire family. A game which certainly gives hours of strategy challenges. A great gift for one and all.
A 9/10 rating. Well worth the purchase price. Enjoy!

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Game Review Summary

Buy this game if
-You want a simple yet satisfying 2D action game.
-You are looking for a game with a lush but charming visual style
-You love classic fantasy with a warm and light hearted touch.

Do not buy this game if

-You want a deep and engrossing story and characters.
-You want deeply developed gameplay.
-You want a little more RPG with your medieval fantasy.

Full Game Review
Do you like Gnomes? Do you like Goblins? Do you like Gnomes beating the ever-loving Snot out of Goblins? Then you will love Emberwinds. Emberwinds is a 2D-action platform game from indie developer TimeTrap. While the game sports an interesting visual style and entertaining gameplay, it seems somewhat unpolished.

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Windows PC – System requirements
Windows XP or newer,
50MB of HD, 256 MB of RAM,
1 GHz processor

Mac OS X – System requirements
OS X Tiger or newer,
50MB of HD, 256 MB of RAM,
G4, G5 or Intel processor

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Story

The game takes place in the fantasy kingdom of Dalriada, a land teeming with Gnomes, Fairies, and Brownies. Players take the role of Kindle Elderwood: local Gnomish watchman. When his beloved home is besieged by goblins, Kindle leaves his beloved “Gnomestead” with his trusty white owl Wick on a journey to liberate the nearby villages and set things right in the land. So basically, it is your standard Tolkienesque fantasy tale, yet told with a slight hint of humor to take some of the edge off. While the story is charming, the writing seems a bit on the sparse side, with NPC dialogue coming off as little more than filler than anything truly remarkable.

Gameplay

The gameplay is your basic 2D sidescrolling fare. Run and jump through the levels, whacking at Goblins with your staff. Occasionally, you’re called upon to light fireplaces in villagers’ homes, which has its own sort of “fetch quest” vibe to it. The fighting is a mix of melee combat with RPG elements thrown in for good measure. Although the fighting can be fun, some of the levels can be rather confusing in their design. Often times, players are only given a vague objective with little indication of where to go or how to get there. This is made more complicated by the games spotty controls, which often have you running when you’re only mean to walk.

Graphics

The in-game visual style is impressive. Characters definitely have a surreal fairy tale quality to them, giving them a truly inspired look. The world itself is definitely a treat to behold, taking medieval fantasy and taking it back to much more charming look. Meanwhile, power-up and combat effects are visually stunning, lighting up the screen with explosions and sparkling effects. The image of cartoon goblins being lit a flame is definitely entertaining in its own right.

While the game is a gem to look at and entertaining for a while, it is not the most polished experienced. The tragedy is that it seems that there was a lot of potential here. Sadly, Emberwinds is not a truly realized experience. This is definitely a game that could have used some more development time.

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Windows PC – System requirements
Windows XP or newer,
50MB of HD, 256 MB of RAM,
1 GHz processor

Mac OS X – System requirements
OS X Tiger or newer,
50MB of HD, 256 MB of RAM,
G4, G5 or Intel processor

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The Perfect Tree is the perfect seasonal fix for those who love the traditional 3 in a row game. The star of the show is a lonely pine tree and you have been given the task of making it the perfect tree by decorating it with all manner of shiny things.

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Game Play

This game is no genre buster. What it is is a solid, straight forward 3 in a row tile swapping. Think Jewel Quest for Christmas and you’re in the right ball park. There are numerous power ups along the way, and after each round you are given a number of stars. These stars can be used to buy decorations for your tree, making it the perfect tree. If you are struggling, you’ll get a helpful hint. However, there is no option to give you a hint as and when you require it – the only downside of this game in my books. Game play can be either in Relaxed Mode or Timed Mode depending on your taste.

Graphics

The Perfect Tree is absolutely gorgeous. My 8 week old daughter was transfixed by the shiny colours and festive tiles. The backdrops are simply a joy to behold, all featuring Christmas/winter scenes of country cottages in forests. The whole shebang is topped off with animated falling snow flakes floating gently down the screen.

Sound

Jingling bells, tinkling chimes, sweeping strings – it fits the seasonal mood perfectly. The explosions are not too in your face to break up the joyful spirit of the game and overall it works exceptionally well.

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Reasons to buy this game:

1. It’s the perfect game for the Christmas season – you might even want to buy it for that last minute Christmas present!
2. While not original, it’s extremely well done for lovers of 3 in a row
3. It’s certainly a game for all ages – hey, even my daughter loves it and she’s only 8 weeks!

Reasons not to buy this game:

1. I don’t think I would want to play this game out of the Christmas season.
2. If you are suffering from “Cashmus” then this is not the game for you.
3. No hint button.

Overall, this gets a festive 5 out of 5 from me. I love Christmas and I love this game. The only flaw is that I would have liked to see a Hint button for those moments when I’m flummoxed (a sign of my age), but I still rate it highly. Merry Christmas everyone!

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