(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Zio Interactive's Spawn is a straightforward beat-'em-up game reminiscent of some older desktop PC classics (Street Fighting Man, Robocop, and others). Based on the popular and highly stylized superhero comic of the same name, Spawn uses a 3rd-person 3D perspective to place you in the middle of a series of missions in which you achieve special objectives while collecting weapons and advancing to higher levels.

It doesn't have much depth, but the appeal of beating up bad guys still comes across in Spawn.

The missions are divided by animated comic book segments. During the action, the player is allowed to select Spawn's responses, which affect the progress of the game. The missions are really just about killing, and the camera is always directly behind the player, which makes combat very difficult with the jerky movement controls. You can use the stylus or the d-pad for input, but neither works very well. Unfortunately, the game is rife with spelling and grammatical errors.

The combat interface gets the job done (you push the appropriate button and Spawn attacks), but I would prefer having a wider variety of attacks available. The game has decent image quality and resolution. The levels have a variety of locales, which keep the game from being too repetitive. I can't deny that mindless violence has a certain appeal. If you can accept its flaws, Spawn manages to be an enjoyable effort.

For more information on Spawn, visit the ZIO Interactive Web site (www.ziointeractive.com). Spawn supports the original iPAQs and all Pocket PC 2002 devices. A free trial version is available; the full version can be purchased for $29.95.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

I like emulatorsùsoftware programs that allow one computer system to run games or programs written for another. I've played with the majority of the game platform emulators available for the Pocket PC and find that most have compatibility problems. Hence, I find the idea of paying money for one questionable.

It doesn't get much more 80s than Ghostbusters, and you can relive the game, and a lot of other C64 classics, with Pocket C64.

However, for the modest price of $6.95 you can get Pocket C64, a Commodore 64 emulator that is definitely a notch above most. It has a bunch of slick features, including multiple screen sizes and orientations (that you can change on the fly), support for multiple drives, and a great overlay interface that gives you access to all the functions of the program. It still has some of the quirks found in other emulators, including spotty sound reproduction and problems running certain games. But many of the original games that do run on this emulator look, sound, and play pretty well. An overhead shooter called Raid on Bungeling Bay ran quite nicely. With a slew of features and free upgrades, this one will be a worthwhile investment for Commodore 64 nostalgia buffs.

For more information about Pocket C64, visit the Clickgamer Web site (www.clickgamer.com). Pocket C64 supports all Pocket PCs. A free trial version is available, and the full version can be purchased for $6.95.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

The popular wealth-accumulation game now on your Pocket PC

I remember playing Monopoly when I was a child, back home in India. Yes, the popular game spread all over the world and is now available in over 80 countries. It's also now available for the Pocket PC.

A Pocket PC version of the popular Monopoly board game.

Up to four people can play Monopoly on the Pocket PC. You can play against real people or you can play against up to three computer-generated opponents with eight different identities and playing styles available. The computer acts as the banker and automatically keeps track of all the transactions. Tap on the dice icon to start rolling them and tap again to stop. Your token automatically advances the number of spaces shown on the dice. If the space your token lands on is an un-owned property, the name and price of the property are displayed. You can either purchase it or auction it off. If the property is owned by someone else, you are charged rent. You can even propose trades, as well as accept or reject opponents offers.

The bottom part of the screen displays icons representing the properties you own and the total cash that you have. You can tap on any of the player tokens to see the summary of the cash and properties owned by that player. You can save games and re-load them at a later time. You can even beam them to a friend who has Monopoly installed on his or her Pocket PC. Handmark has implemented this game very well on the Pocket PC. Like the board version, the game is fun to play and will entertain you for hours.

Monopoly is priced at $29.99 and is available for all Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 devices. The commercial version and a free demo are available on the Handmark Web site (www.handmark.com/products/monopolyppc).

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

A Mahjongg game with a twist

There are a number of Mahjongg games available for the Pocket PC, but Hexacto's King's Mahjongg is the best I've seen in terms of graphics and game play. Mahjongg is about matching identical pairs of tiles and removing them from the board until none are left.

King's Mahjongg game with the unique challenge mode in which you have to clear 72 levels.

There are three modes in this game: One-player Shanghai mode, two-player Shanghai mode, and the Emperor's challenge. The two-player Shanghai mode is a turn-based game in which the player who clears the board in the least time is the winner. In the Emperor's challenge mode, you have to clear 72 levels and collect "wisdoms" by clearing each level. The wisdoms are given in the form of proverbs or gems. The Emperor's mode is challenging enough to appeal to the most ardent game players.

King's Mahjongg has 72 different layouts grouped in 6 different themes: Horoscope, Natural Elements, Crafts, Scenery, Martial Arts, and Emperors. There are three difficulty levels in the game: Normal, Easy, and Very Easy. You can create game profiles for different players. You can undo a move, get a hint for the next move, and reshuffle tiles. There's even a layout editor that lets you create your own tile layouts. Each time you use a hint, the game penalizes you by adding time to your score. You can also post your high scores online at the Hexacto Web site. King's Mahjongg gives a feeling of its Chinese origins by using original patterns of tiles and Chinese background music. However, listening to the same background music over and over again can be boring. It would have been more fun if the game had different background music for different levels or games.

If you like Mahjongg games, King's Mahjongg is the best buy. King's Mahjongg is priced at $19.95 and is available for all Pocket PCs. The full commercial version and a free demo are available at the Hexacto Web site (www.hexacto.com).

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

Not everyone wants shooters or simulations. Some prefer more cerebral pursuits such as word games. The now-defunct Hasbro Interactive introduced an officially licensed version of the word game Scrabble a few years ago, but it was never released for Pocket PCs running the StrongARM processor. Additionally, the Slovakian company Resco released a feature-packed Scrabble clone entitled WordGame (www.resco-net.com/wordgame.asp). Now a new, licensed version of Scrabble has been introduced by Handmark, supporting all Pocket PCs including the ARM and XScale devices.

Scrabble for Pocket PC is a playable and faithful reproduction of the original.

This new game displays the official version of the game board, something Resco's game lacks, and includes a built-in official Scrabble dictionary. It also has an optional full-definition dictionary to which you can add your own words. The game interface is easy to use: Tap on the letter you want to place, and then tap where you want it to go. You can play against one, two, or three human opponents, or against the computer with skill levels of beginner, novice, intermediate, or expert. The game also has a hint mode and the ability to save games and reload them.

Although I didn't see any flaws in game play, I would like to have seen more features, especially considering the game's fairly high price tag of $30. Although Resco's product isn't official, it has a lot more features at about half the price, such as the ability to accept custom dictionaries, a variety of board styles and a board editor to create new ones, a kibitz mode, an undo feature, and better sound and animation. Still, Scrabble offers a multiplayer mode, something WordGame doesn't. Besides, you can't deny the appeal of playing an official version.

Additional information is available on the Handmark Web site (www.handmark.com/products/scrabbleppc). Scrabble for Pocket PC supports all Pocket PCs. A free demo is available and the full version can be purchased for $29.99.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

This game from Rapture Technologies (which has done a few titles for Microsoft's game bundles), won 1st place in the card game category of Pocket PC magazine's Best Software Award 2001. It calls itself the "king of solitaire games," and for good reason. Featuring a whopping 70 variations on the game, this game gives you all the solitaire you could possibly want in one trim package.

King Sol is one of the best values in card games, featuring solid graphics and 70 variations on solitaire.

Numerous features make for an enjoyable experience and keep gamers coming back for more. King Sol has save/resume capability, descriptive documentation for each game, customizable scoring, shuffle mode, and an undo/redo moves feature. You can even display statistics on how well you're doing in each game. Although the graphics are fairly limited, the cards are well drawn and easy on the eyes. Playing the game is simply a matter of tapping on cards and dragging them to the desired spot. You can even customize the card designs and backgrounds. If you like solitaire and are looking for a little more variety and pizzazz, King Sol is still the only game in town.

For more information on King Sol, visit the Rapture Technologies Web site (www.rapturetech.com). King Sol supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $19.95.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

I originally reviewed this game in the November 2002 issue of Pocket PC magazine (www.PocketPCmag.com/Nov02/games.asp), and nominated it for the 2002 Pocket PC Awards. Additionally, it's gotten a slew of positive reviews in the press.

Black Jack Pro is a real treat, featuring gorgeous visuals and plenty of features designed to make the game more enjoyable.

Blackjack is a popular casino game in which the player and the dealer bet against the value of each other's cards. This version of the game tries to push the limits in every category. For starters, it's a multimedia feast, with sharp graphics, vibrant colors, and plenty of ambient noise and sound effects. The dealer even speaks to you in a smooth, feminine voice. Throughout the game, you'll find plenty of the neon lights and spectacle the casino industry relies on to draw people in. The table looks just like the real thing, and the animated cards are dealt by a pair of realistic-looking hands.

The developer, G3 Studios, didn't skimp on game play. This is a fast, challenging, and addictive title, thanks to a smooth interface and enhancements like "speed bet," which automatically duplicates your last bet at the touch of a button. Hardcore players can adjust the game's rules to suit the variations found in different casinos. However, novices are also welcome: an optional tutor mode corrects you when you err, and an excellent offline manual gives a nice overview of how to play, including a primer on different strategies. There's even a strategy tutor in the game to help you play more strategically and "beat the house." I was able to grasp the fundamentals quickly and dive right into the game, even though I had never played previously. Whether you're a newbie or an experienced card shark, Black Jack Pro deals out a good hand.

For more information about Black Jack Pro, visit the G3 Studios Web site (www.g3studios.com). Black Jack Pro supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $12.99.

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(This review was published in Pocket PC magazine and is available online at www.pocketpcmag.com, Copyright ⌐ 2003 Thaddeus Computing Inc.)

BrickSlider 2 is one of the more challenging variations on the block-matching puzzle game genre. The goal of BrickSlider 2 is to eliminate all of the blocks in the center of the grid by pushing blocks from the outer edges of the screen toward the center.

BrickSlider 2 is a colorful, well conceived, and highly addictive block-matching puzzle game

Brickslider 2 is colorful, well constructed, visually appealing, and very playable. It has 100 levels, multiplayer support, and a number of bricks and bonuses to keep things interesting. One of the best features of the game is that it "remembers" previous levels you've played, so you never have to start all over again. It runs a little slowly, and the sound effects are nothing to write home about, but it's still a lot of fun. If you haven't played this type of game before, Brickslider 2 is a good way to get your feet wetùespecially since it contains a nice tutorial.

For more information on BrickSlider 2, visit the Ball Shooter Website (www.ballshooter.com). BrickSlider 2 supports all Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 devices. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $14.95.

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