In my last article, I wrote about 9 free and useless Mac applications. These apps were totally un-useful (except for Hide Folders, which in fact, turned out to be worth keeping) and were basically just pretty to look at and fun to have around. To my surprise, that article turned out to be a real hit although it was truly unorthodox for Make Use Of!

So, in the spirit of productive-lessness (Unproductiveness? Unproductivity?) I would like to introduce 16 simple, free and fun games which only require a very short attention span.

I must warn you though, some of these games are pretty addictive and may very likely distract you from your pending workload. But that's the point, isn't it?

Bug Defender

A turret defense game which is easily capable of wasting several of your precious hours. The objective: Kill all the bugs before they reach the welcome mat and enter your home.

Available in Windows and Mac flavours.

Bullfrog

Still in the 'bug' genre, Bullfrog doesn't require as much focus as Bug Defender but you might still get quite excited. In this game, you're the frog and you'll have to try and catch all the insects with your short and sticky tongue before the time runs out. Be careful of the mosquito, you'll lose time if it bites you.

Sorry guys, Mac only. Bullfrog is also available for the iPhone and iPod Touch from the iTunes AppStore but it ain't free. Grab this one instead and save $4.99.

Armagetron Advanced

Armagetron Advanced is a Tron clone, drive a light cycle around and try not to hit anything. Leave a trail for your opponent to run into. Armagetron supports single play as well as network and internet games. So if you're sick of always losing to the computer, challenge your friend!

Available for all OS platforms.

Chopper

This game isn't exactly free but it was so good that I had to add it to the list! It's shareware so you'll get 60 minutes of gameplay out of it. You may or may not be convinced to buy it after the time runs out but it'll be the best 60 minutes you spent that day. In a nutshell, Chopper is a 2D game in which you fly a helicopter around, saving people and shooting bad guys.

Come on. Don't tell me you've never wanted to do that.

It's Mac only. However, they also have an iPhone version in the iTunes AppStore that goes for $7.99.

X-Moto

Still keeping with the vehicle-motif, you might be familiar with this next game. X-Moto has come a long way since I started playing it 2 years ago. It's now a Universal Binary which means it won't burn down your Intel Mac. It's also available on all other operating systems.

When I reinstalled this game, one thing I noticed since the last time I played it was that it now has an abundance of levels packaged that wasn't there perviously. Most of them were created and submitted by players themselves. I didn't know where to start or which one to pick! I suggest clicking the 'Quick Play' button on the main menu to avoid wasting time choosing a level.

 

Hit me, dealer

Time for some cards. Mac users aren't as fortunate as Windows users. We don't have Solitaire packaged together with the operating system. Well, to make up for the loss, here are 4 great card games.

Klondike Forever

This pretty much makes up for all the card games lacking in Macs. It really is a whole lot of eye-candy! If you're sick of the plain old Solitaire on Windows, get this!

 

Poker Solitarus and PokerTH

Poker is probably one of the card games which took the world by storm. Texas Hold 'Em is played and loved almost throughout the world. Poker Solitarus (Mac only) is a simple video poker game of Jacks or better for quick and easy gameplay. I don't think further explanation is required.

 

PokerTH is more advanced. It's based on Texas Hold 'Em and you play against 7 other players. It also supports network and internet gameplay so you can play with your friends across the street or around the world. And oh, it's cross platform.

Blackjack International

I realised that there are a lot of Poker games online but only a few for Blackjack. After watching 21, I quickly read up about how to count cards, learnt the basics and now it's time to put it into practise. Blackjack International is a simple Blackjack game for Mac and Windows. There's a country-based theme going on in the game (hence the name) which is a tad childish. However, if you ignore that, the gameplay is pretty decent.

Point of View [No Longer Available]

This game is unbelievable. It's ridiculously simple yet puzzling and totally addictive. While reviewing it, I spent nearly an hour working on a puzzle and almost forgot that I had this article to write! Point of View is a block-puzzle game. As the developer puts it, it's a game of perspective. You've got to try and match the blueprints and the model in 3 different axes. I highly recommend this game, you have to try it!

Unfortunately, it's Mac only. Does anyone know a similar game for other platforms?

 

Quinn

How sad were you when they removed Tris from the iTunes AppStore? Don't be disheartened, Quinn is also a tetris clone for Mac and it's here to stay. It supports two-person tournament gameplay on the same computer and also network games with Bonjour. The graphics are pretty refined for a free game, I have to say.

MySokoban

MySokoban is a puzzle game where you have to push boxes to their destinations. Did you know that Sokoban is Japanese for "warehouse keeper"? MySokoban is Mac only but Windows users might like to try Sokoban YASC. I have to admit that the graphics for MySokoban isn't great but it's the game that we're interested in. I remember playing this on my friend's monochrome mobile phone years ago and still had a blast.

 

Name that iTune!

This game is slightly different from the rest. It tests your music knowledge against your own iTunes music library. How well do you think you know your music? This is a free alternative to Ohana Games' Music Challenge.

 

Frozen Bubble

For some short-term entertainment, this game actually performs quite well. It's fun and simple to play. Shoot the bubbles from the cannon to form a combination of 3 or more similar-coloured bubbles. It's available as a GPL so everyone can enjoy this game. There's a specific port for Mac which you can find here.

 

Another Mine

Minesweeper is such a classic game on Windows and since I'm a Switcher, I still miss it dearly. There are a few Minesweeper clones out there. Some better than others but I like this one. It's not totally authentic because it has its own look and if you click on a blank space, the numbers reveal themselves in a pretty cool animation.

Need I mention that it's Mac only?

 

Wormux

To end with a bang (no pun intended), here's a Worms clone. Worms 2 was one of my most loved games back in the days when I used a PC. I wasn't into all the cool first person shooter games. I had a very short attention span and could never finish any of those role-playing games either. Worms 2 provided me with the game-by-game basis fun I needed. Wormux is based on Worms 2, with a pinch of IT humor added to spice things up.

Go ahead and try it, it's available for all operating systems.

What games are you addicted to? Drop the links into the comments!