The weekend is upon us and that means another Weekend Download for your perusal. Featuring a mixture of freeware and demos, we have scoured the Web to cherry pick the finest download games that have recently become available. As usual, your purchase of any of the try before you buy demos helps support this site directly, and we simply could not continue to bring you the best in Casual Gameplay if it weren't for your kind support. Cheers!
Chalk
(Windows, freeware, 4MB) Sporting chalk-like visuals, this great looking arcade style shooter includes an innovative approach to its controls: draw chalk lines to destroy enemies against the backdrop of a blackboard. The lines to draw will depend on the type of enemy at hand. Some enemies require you to draw a line connecting all green spots, others require a line connecting ship and the bullet it fires. A quick tutorial is available from the main menu that gets you acquainted with all the various techniques. Definitely not your average shooter and it's a lot of fun to play. It's another exceptional game by veteran developer, Joakim Sandberg.
Escape from Paradise
(Windows, limited demo, 38MB) A brand new lost island adventure game in which you lead other shipwrecked castaways on a quest to build a tropical paradise by completing missions similar to other virtual island sim games. But while your villagers are off foraging for wood or food, building huts and digging wells, you can spend your time playing a wide variety of mini-games to earn power-ups and prizes. You will have to manage your resources carefully if you are to survive, and you must survive if you are to find the only one way off the island.
Snapshot Adventures
(Windows, limited demo, 46MB) A game that combines seek and find gameplay with snapping photos of birds in the wild, Snapshot Adventures: Secret of Bird Island is an enjoyable casual game with a refreshing change of pace. Instead of hurrying your way through a level in a race against the clock, take photos of birds at your leisure that are scored by the size, centering, and orientation of the bird within the frame. Score points to earn better equipment, and perhaps even take a shot that's worthy of the cover of a magazine. Created by the talented folks at Large Animal Games in NYC.
Argh, I got to level 5 on Chalk and the game froze up on me. Anyone else have their game freeze or is it just me?
I was wondering if I might make a suggestion. I have heard people complain on occasion about time-limited demo games, how they feel "cheated" because they are only allowed to play for a short time and then must pony up some cash if they want to continue. Personally, demos don't really bother me, but they apparently do bother some people out there.
As I looked through the list of downloads for this weekend, a thought occurred to me: why use the term "free demo"? Is there such a thing as a demo that is not free? It would kind of defeat the purpose of a demo to ask people to pay for it, no? And this may be a stretch, but perhaps the word "free" there is contributing to the disappointment some people feel. I know, I'm reaching... but still.
Anyway, it's mostly semantics. Wouldn't just "demo" be better? Or if a qualifier is needed, maybe "limited demo" would be more informative?
Just a little (hopefully constructive) feedback.
Wow. Chalk was simply AMAZING! I beat all levels, (didn't freeze). I think that for many computer lvl 5 is hard because of all the clouds going by in the background. My computer slowed, but it was fast enough to play still. I loved all the bosses, the most fun part was figuring them all out, especially the 'eye' boss, which took a bit of experimenting. Overall quite an easy game (didn't die once), and was the most fun time consuming hour of my day!
Thanks Suho1004, excellent idea, and done. =)
Suho1004: Yeah, there are non-free demos, but I haven't seen many around. I remember, years ago, a demo version of Theme Park selling for £1 (~$2). Deus Ex had a "Special Limited Edition"* with only a handful of levels. More recently, you can buy a £1.50 (~$3) World of Warcraft 14-day trial disc in some places.
They're not common, but do exist.
* It got a fair few complaints, because while it was much cheaper than the full game on release it was not at all obvious that "Special Limited Edition" meant, well, limited in content, rather than the more common meaning of "Limited Edition" in computer games.
Chalk is EXCELLENT, although a little easy. I suppose the challenge is in getting the highest scores / ratings.
While I was playing it I couldn't help but think of how well it would work on the Nintendo DS.
I actually have the full version of Yahtzee. It's a very good game with Regular, Triple, and Power Yahtzee. Also, the selection of trophies and the ability to get points from getting said trophy's adds a nice "try and get this" element to the gameplay.
I know that may be worded oddly, but, I think I got my point across. :P
Escape From Paradise is great fun. Been playing it for a few days now (yes, I bought it.) It's like Virtual Villagers, except without all the waiting for days for things to happen.
Yeah, I also remember having bought a "special" edition of Railroad Tycoon 2. It was an awesome game, except had only 3 campaigns. Even with those three there were many hours of fun involved, seeing as one campaign was to cross the Cape of Good Hope to Cairo. Still disappointing that it was just a cheap demo.
I played Secret of Bird Island for a while. Very cute, although it IS timed. (It's just a slower timer)
The thing is... They had me photographing passenger pigeons. *sputter* What next, dodos and great auks?
... ok, stupid complaint. But still, it's kind of weird.
How do you kill the eye boss on Chalk? I can't seem to do anything to it at all.
Chalk is simply awesome. It was like a shmup in some places, and an action puzzle in others. And sometimes both, like on the clock winding boss or the squashing walls.
@kat
To beat the eyeball boss: Blue hurts Blue.
Less vague:
Grab one of the blue diamonds that is passing by. Throw it at the eyeball boss. However, you need to time it properly so that it doesn't touch the white shields that are spinning around him. Also, you can't drag it directly on top of him and release it. You need to throw it.
Chalk is really great. Great find, Jay.
@Kat:
How to defeat the eye boss.
Stage 1:
Use the blue diamonds that float past on the left and right (remember, blue hurts blue) and throw them at the eye. Make sure it doesn't touch the white shields: blue objects, in this case, can't go through white. Remember to dodge the lasers and green lines as well - these will hurt you. Repeat until the white shell disappears, then move to stage 2.
Stage 2:
My favourite boss fight in the game, I think... Wait until the eye turns into a blue diamond (dodge any purple shots that he fires), then drag him off the edge of the stage to hit him. Make sure not to throw him at yourself (like I did at one point ^_^)
Chalk is REALLY fun. (and how come every time I play a good drawing game I want to play Okami again!?)
But I'm still waiting on the Snapshot download. Reflexive sure is taking its time today :l
Wow. I was really looking forward to chalk, but it crashes on boot. :-(
That's what I was trying to do but I guess I just wasn't good enough at it. Thanks.
Sadly, Chalk is good on fast computers, due to the data clogged in Level 5 - Sky.
It was awesome. But short. MAKE CHALK 2!
bahh.. after selecting my character, Escape from paradise doesn't load...
what should i do?
the 60 mins. trial was just wasted.. :(
HELP: if anyone has the Yahtzee regular, triple, and power yahtzee can you please explain to me HOW DO YOU GET THE "Best of the Best" trophy. GREAT GAME just so stuck on how to get this ONE trophy! GRRRRRRrrrr. LOL
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