Games That Provoke Thought

Some games are designed as a way to do away with some extra free time, while others are created to make you think. The niche for brainy games is growing constantly, and here are some fresh additions for this year.

MoonTycoon (PartyTop)

In MoonTycoon you have to rocket to the moon and beyond to build and manage your personal 3D lunar colony. The game lets you control all aspects of colony life – from building colonies and creating industries, to trading with Earth and alien races – everything is in your hands. In MoonTycoon, your role as the colony’s leader is multifaceted. For example, you must build structures, maintain balance among use of water, energy, and power; keep your citizens happy; and ensure sufficient cash flow. No easy task. But if you master MoonTycoon, you’ll take mankind to the final frontier by colonizing the Moon, solving the Earth’s energy crisis, and boldly going beyond the stars to befriend or conquer aliens, while unlocking the mysteries of the universe.

AntWar (Anarchy Ent.)

AntWar is not your serious tycoon game. It takes on a humorous look at how fast ants always seem to multiple and feel like they are taking over. There is no tutorial, but AntWar is easily learned, which makes it a great choice for younger trategy/tycoon fans. This of course doesn’t mean that adults won’t enjoy it! I sure did. An addictive game that will have you striving for just 10,000 more ants to get to the next level. Before you know it, it’ll be midnight and your ants will only just be starting to take over the world. In AntWar you’re the leader of a tiny colony of ants, with a very simple victory condition: Grow your colony from humble origins to a grand total of one billion ants. AntWar won’t be easy, as your colony will be beset by rival ants, other insects, and a variety of enemies who will either kill your ants, destroy parts of your colony, or destroy your food stocks.

Enigmo (MumboJumbo)

Enigmo is a 3D puzzle game where you move various streams of flowing liquid so that the droplets get to their destination. Liquids (water, oil, and lava) fall from “droppers” and will bounce around the walls of a mechanism. You move and rotate into position various types of bumpers, sliders, accelerators, and sponges in order to divert the flow of the falling droplets. The faster you complete each level, the more bonus you will receive.

Be forewarned: Enigmo gets hard, and it gets hard fast. Admittedly, my masochism streak is fairly low, as is my pain tolerance, but I was desperately gasping for help after about level 9 or 10 – out of 50. If you’re not one who enjoys a strong mental workout, you might want to let Enigmo go.

Download Links

MoonTycoon http:///moontycoon.htm

AntWar http:///antwar.htm

Enigmo http:///enigmo.htm

John Deprice is a big fan of brainy games. His collection is available to public for free download at http:///games.htm