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

By emphasizing game play, Hexacto has done a good job of creating a number of highly playable titles that have impressed lots of gamers, even people like me who aren't crazy about sports. Now you can step up to bat with their latest virtual sports game, Baseball Addict.

Baseball Addict: Getting a base hit is probably the most challenging part of the game.

Playing the game is easyùsimply select your game mode (exhibition, tournament, or home run derby), and choose the home team, opposing team, and stadium. The main screen places you in the catcher's position, with a transparent window above home plate. When you're pitching, you simply select your pitch style, then tap and hold in the window to determine the speed and angle of your pitch. Batting is handled in a similar mannerùsimply tap an area in the window to determine where to hit the ball. Timing is importantùyou'll need to tap the window at just the right time to make good contact with the ball. It's difficult at first, but fairly intuitive once you get the hang of it.

Fielding the ball is handled by tapping on the base you want the ball thrown to (or using the directional pad). You can also tap on an individual player to "take him over," if you feel he needs a helping hand. There's plenty of eye and ear candy, tooùambient noise, the boisterous shouts of the crowd, tension-building organ music, and even an electronic scoreboard are all included.

I found the game to be enjoyable, but a little frustrating. I had difficulty getting base hits and often relied on the occasional home run to score runs. Batting difficulty was also compounded by the fact that the ball sometimes jerks its way over the plate, making it difficult to time swings. I also wish that more teams were available, especially to help round out the competition. Still, it's a pretty good effort.

For more information about Baseball Addict, visit the Hexacto Web site (www.hexacto.com). Baseball Addict supports all Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 devices except the Jornada 54x. A free demo is available, and 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.)

When Links came along on the desktop PC, it became the preeminent golf game, and nothing else could touch it. The neatest thing it had was the circular click-and-release interface, which has been reproduced in plenty of sports games, including some made for the Pocket PC. The previous Pocket PC golf games, iGolf and ZioGolf, were also based on Links but were really pretty shoddy: bad graphics, goofy physics, slow performance, and overall weak game play. Since the Pocket PC version has the brand name and is from Hexacto, you'd expect it to be pretty good.

Links Pocket PC Edition isn't perfect, but it does live up to its namesake. The trademark control method is very well implemented here: tap and hold to select power, tap once more to set the angle. Just as in the real game of golf, you have plenty of control but will still need skill to use it properly. As in other computer golf games, the destination of the ball is selected by dragging a vertical pole to the desired spot. Sometimes it's hard to judge distance on a handheld display, but fortunately the game offers an overhead map which helps. Small icons on the left do a good job of telling you what you need to know: wind speed and strength, the exact distance to the hole (including the destination you've targeted), what part of the fairway you're currently on, and the horizontal angle. Advanced players can select the club and the type of shot, although the game does a fairly good job of automatically selecting these items on its own. Players can also modify the rules to make the game a little more strict.

Although load times are noticeable, if you have a faster device (400mhz) the speed is very good. The physics, including the trajectory of the ball and the strength of the various clubs, seem to be about right. All of the game's visuals are professionally drawn, from the course graphics (you only get one built-in course; look for add-ons in the future) to the text and menus, which are detailed and clear.

Some gotchas: the game only offers one built-in course, although it should be challenging enough for most players. Sound effects, while accurate, are fairly limited: I'd like more ambient effects (aside from chirping birds) to make me feel like I'm on a golf course. Another problem is that the ball is often hard to keep track of, although the game does offer visual aids like trailing smoke. Overall, Links is extremely well designed and enjoyable; I have no doubt that it will be the definitive golf game for the Pocket PC.

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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.)

Microsoft's Age of Empires (AoE) series of real-time strategy (RTS) games has done well for the company's gaming division, and now the first installment of the game is available on the Pocket PC thanks to ZioSoft.

AoE centers on the battle between ancient civilizations (Romans, Sumerians, Hittites, etc.) instead of the usual fantasy battles of orcs vs. humans or Earth vs. aliens. What made AoE interesting was that it wasn't just about destroying your enemies; sometimes victory depended on technological advancement and territorial expansion.

This version of the game is a little hard on the eyes since it uses the original graphics (images made of tiny little dots called "sprites")and everything looks very small. But ZioSoft managed to port the entire game over without losing the game play elements found in the original.

The fully installed game occupies over 15 MB. Fortunately, ZioSoft made the game modular, meaning that you can install and remove any of the pre-made campaign missions and scenarios at any time to save some space. If you haven't installed any missions or scenarios, the custom mission option allows you to create a mission "on the fly" by choosing from a series of options (number and strength of enemies, victory conditions, etc.)

For more information on Age of Empires, visit the ZioSoft Web site (www.ziosoft.com). Age of Empires supports all Pocket PC and Pocket PC 2002 devices. (A German language version is also available.) A demo is available, and 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.)

One of the most anticipated Pocket PC games to date, Argentum, promises a commercial-quality Real-Time Strategy (RTS) gaming experience. The game delivers this by pushing the limits of what your Pocket PC can do in terms of graphics, sound, and game play.

Argentum: The action may get pretty intense but it always looks good.

I'm pleased to report that, for the most part, Argentum delivers on its promises. The missions are well designed and advance a strong storyline. The graphics include such features as real-time shadows (objects cast realistic shadows on the ground) and alpha blending (allows windows to be transparent). The sound effects and music are truly groundbreaking. Although the game is a little hard on battery life and slows to a crawl when many units (troops, vehicles, buildings, etc.) are being displayed at once, it's so engrossing that most will be able to overlook these flaws. Argentum is the sort of title that'll make you forget about most of your other games until you finish the last mission.

Argentum is priced at $19.95 and is available for Pocket PC 2002 devices and Casio Pocket PC devices. The full version and a free demo are available at Handango (www.handango.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.)

Lemonade Inc. is Hexacto's long-awaited business simulation (which I'm told is a remake of an old Apple II game). Although running a lemonade stand may not sound like an ambitious proposition, Hexacto has managed to make an entertaining and balanced game where your goal is to serve your customers and grow your business to new levels.

You start by purchasing supplies and renting a stand. You'll have to keep careful track of your lemons, sugar, and ice, keep your price reasonable, and keep your lemonade recipe satisfying. Weather conditions play an important role--no one wants to pay a premium for lemonade on a cool day. Two play modes exist, a 30-day "challenge" and an ongoing career mode. As the game progresses, you can purchase productivity-enhancing upgrades and rent a spot in more lucrative space, such as the shopping mall. You can even sign up for the "Lemonade Stock Exchange," an Internet scoreboard on Hexacto's Web site, to see how your business ranks against those of players all over the world.

Lemonade Inc. is priced at $19.95 and is available for Pocket PC 2000 and 2002 devices. The full version and a free demo are available at the Hexacto Web site (www.hexacto.com).

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