Believe it or not, it's actually more complicated than it looks

Wonderputt is an elaborate game of minigolf. But if you think windmills are cool, how about cow abductions, freak storms, Stone Henge, and exploded missiles? (That last one is a pun although you need to play to get it. It won’t be funny then either.)

Dampgnat’s previous game, Icycle, was written about in this column when I was going through all of the Flash games submitted to the 2009 Independent Games Festival. You should go back and play that one, for nothing else then to relive one of my blogs.

More than just great art design the game’s controls are note perfect and after your first 18 holes you’re treated to an elaborate breakdown of your game and allowed to try your putter at a slightly trickier version of the game. Future attempts can be compared and contrasted and you can even practice holes that are frustrating you.

Fun to look at, fun to play, and fun to play again. That, dear readers, is what a Weekly Waste of Time is all about.

Click here to play Wonderputt.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

James graduated from Columbia University in 2000 and moved to Austin a year later. Ever since, he has followed the arts and video game scene in ATX, editing and writing stories for the Chronicle along the way. Over his more than 20 years with the paper he has climbed the "corporate" ladder from lowly intern to managing editor.