Last week’s Waste of Time got a bit heavy. I apologize. To make up for it, I have a few games to help you shake off the overcast doldrums you might be feeling. Simple, funny, cute, games to bring some fun into your otherwise cubicled lives. Hell, I was metaphorically transported from my computer for a few minutes. Join me, won’t you?
First, we have Snowball, a delightful romp through a winter wonderland. And it’s a pinball game. And inexplicably, it works. It reminds me a lot of past Waste of Time, Wonderputt. The play field is diverse and rewards exploration, which is never easy using snowballs and flippers. There’s also something deeply satisfying about the sound of snow hitting snow, and it happens a lot in this game. Mastering the magnet system that players utilize to rescue balls heading for the bonfire at the bottom of the course takes a while, so feel free to spend some quality time in a snowy environment that couldn’t be father removed from our Texas reality.
Heading into weirder waters we find Shit Snake 2: Shit Harder. You can thank local indie game collective Juegos Rancheros’ Fistful of Indies blog column for this one. It’s a text-based game (thank god) and tells the story of a young man playing a game called Shit Snake. Sometimes you’re just telling your snake to turn right or left and sometimes you’re trying to save your relationship with your girlfriend and sometimes you’re just trying to convince yourself not to eat shit. It should go without saying that it’s pretty funny.
Lastly, I call upon the pop-culture genius of R. Kelly to take us to a land where drama reigns. The game doesn’t have a proper name, and all you really have to do is watch a recap of Trapped in the Closet and click on R. Kelly whenever he says “Oh, shit.” Genius, right? Not really, but any excuse to watch a bit of Trapped in the Closet is OK with me.
Wanna play Snowball? Click here.
Shit Snake 2: Shit Harder? Click around here.
Trapped in the Closet? Click it.
This article appears in April 13 • 2012.
