Fly around, bounce green balls into red swirls and save the world. Bobby is a simple, strangely addictive physics-based game that will have you swearing out loud and and restarting levels more than once. And, thanks to a policy change at Nooskewl Games, it is now absolutely free for computer users everywhere.

There are plenty of free games out there, but many of them suck. So when I find a free game I actually enjoy, I like to share it - especially when it works on Linux, Mac and Windows, letting owners of any PC play. Cave Story comes to mind in this category - it's free, amazingly well-crafted and works on all three computing platforms.

Bobby works not only on these platforms but also on the iPhone and the XBox (although the XBox version isn't free). I'm having fun playing Bobby instead of working, so the least I can do is write about it. That way I'm kind of working, and spreading the inability to work to everyone else. You're welcome.

Gameplay!

So, how's this game work? Like every video game ever, it has a completely realistic and plausible premise. You are a bullet named Bobby flying through space, bouncing green balls off walls. These green balls must end up in red swirls resembling galaxies, or the world will end. Or something. You know, the daily grind of everyday life.

It's the controls that make this fun. They're loose, yet intuitive.

You don't have to play the levels in order. You can replay levels you've beaten as much as you'd like and sometimes skip ahead.

The levels can quickly become chaotic if you're not careful, but don't panic, you can always restart, or slowly clean things up yourself. Learn the angles and the game quickly becomes more fun.

You can get a much better idea of the gameplay, and hear the awesome soundtrack, by watching this video.

Does it look easy? It's deceptive.

Download Now

But videos and screenshots can only get you so far. You really need to play this game to love it.

Click here to download Bobby. You'll find links for most major platforms there, from Windows to Mac to Linux to the Ubuntu Software Center to iPhone, so enjoy. Be sure to check out the other games from Nooskewl. Some are free, some are cheap, but they all seem worth checking out. I know I will.

Conclusion

Playing games doesn't need to be a waste of time. It can be a great momentary break, giving you time to reflect on what you're doing before you get back to work. Simple games like Bobby are perfect for this, because they don't necessarily need to take up all of your mental energy to play. More importantly, though, games are fun. I like this one, and hope you do too.

Do you know of something better? Feel free to link to other high-quality free games in the comments below, along with your thoughts about this. I'll be around to chat, so feel free to ask questions.