Online Games
It's Not Just for Lonely Geeks
I admit, I play computer games. You would probably be aghast to hear that I also have been known to play console games as well. Yes, I own a PlayStation, Nintendo, and even an Atari 2600 (actually, two of them, just in case one breaks). Yes, it doesn't get better than that. I found that my enjoyment with computer and console games stems from my love of boardgames. So imagine my surpise when I discovered that two of my favorite boardgames are available as an online games. Best of all, you can play them at no cost and you do not have to download any extra software!
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Here's a delightful screenshot of me winning against the computer. |
AsoBrain.com offers online versions of two well-know board games: Settlers of Catan and Carcassonne. XPlorers is AsoBrain.com's version of Settlers of Catan, and you can easily generate a variety of maps and set your win points. Toulouse is the online version of Carcassonne, and you have your choice of playing the expansion and/or trade and builders. Although these games are not by any means connected or affiliated with the original boardgames, the rules are just the same. With these games, you have the option of playing against the computer or with others.
So you may be asking what is so sassy and intellectually stimulately about an online boardgame. If you have played Settlers of Catan and/or Carcassonne, you already know the answer. For those of you who have not had a chance to play these games, shame of you! I was turned onto by a friend several years ago, and I have been hooked since then.
| In this fairly light tile-laying offering, players pull a tile from the pool and place it against one of the previously played tiles. If you start a new object (city, road, farm or monastery), you can place one of your control markers on the tile to denote your control. Markers cannot directly compete when placed, so to achieve some gains you must place your marker and use later tiles to connect up to it. As subsequent tiles are arrayed on the board, objects get bigger or even merge. The goal is to have the most points at the end, which can be tricky to control considering your choice for each turn isn't the tile itself, but rather the placement of the tile that you drew. | In this award-winning board game for three or four players, Catan is an imaginary unexplored island, and players are explorers and settlers. The playing surface is made of hexagonal tiles that, depending on their placement, create a different environment each time the game is played. Settlers must use their resources to develop their island home, building roads and houses to create new towns. But watch out! There's a robber on the island, and that renegade can show up at any time to steal your valuable resources. Settlers of Catan takes only 15 minutes to learn, and the game can be played in a simple version for beginners or in a more complex version for experienced players. | ||
I will always prefer the board game versions better, but XPlorers and Toulouse are great alternatives, especially if you cannot find anyone else to play with you.
I highly recommend that you check AsoBrain.com out. Who knows, you may even find me lurking about, playing a non-ranking game of Toulouse.