AlphaQUEUE presents a very singular puzzle game that requires you to fire different pieces onto the board from different sheds that are at the edges of the board.  Each shed can fire a different shape, and to complete the level you need to get the different shapes over the top of their corresponding squares on the playing board.  Things get spiced up with sweepers and other obstacles that you must use to your advantage in order to get some of the pieces pushed into the spots they need to be in.  AlphaQUEUE presents a very interesting concept that provides a new angle on the puzzle genre.
 

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One of the two word-based puzzle games at the conference, Buzzwords has you connect letters in the honeycomb to create honey for the hive.  You star as Beesly, as you attempt to move up through the ranks past Janitor on up to CEO.  Buzzwords offers multiple types of game styles, each with a different tempo.  The game features very melodic music that seems to morph into the next track much like the beautiful backgrounds do when moving from one season to the next.  The comical voice of Beesly letting you know you doing well or running into trouble helps keep things on the light and enjoyable side.
 

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Building off of their audience award at last year's IGF, the guys at Shizmoo are back again with another fast paced web game.  This one is based on Billiards, and like their other games, allows you to take your turn whenever you want.  Both players try to set up shots as quickly as possible, to clear the board of the solid or striped balls, and then the 8 ball.  Along the way, the players take shots at each other, trying to knock the other player in one of the 8 pockets and thereby putting them one shot farther behind.
 

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Chomp! Chomp! Safari puts you in charge of feeding all of the animals at the Zoo.  While this is certainly a big task, this game does a splendid job of taking the theme to the max at creating a very friendly to play puzzle game.  Like Buzzwords, this game also offers multiple styles of game play, so the puzzle fan and the action fan should both be able to find something that appeals to them.  The game has something in common with collapse, but instead of clicking on squares, you must place different types of food in the squares.  Each food type lines up with one animal, so the key is to feed as many animals as possible while only putting down a single piece of food.
 

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From the team that was a finalist with last year's memorable Strange Adventures in Infinite Space, comes the story of a man and his crazy Petri dish.  In Dr. Blob's Organism, the name of the game is blasting!  Spinning the colorful petri dish around, you must blast away at the organism keeping it contained in the petri dish while attempting to take out its nucleus.  The game plays like an updated Gyruss  with fantastic graphics and music that won it a share of the best sound in an indie game in 2003 award.
 

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As the Game Tunnel 2003 Puzzle game of the year, Dungeon Scroll has already seen its far share of accolades.  However the fan support is well-deserved on this game.  Dungeon Scroll combines the game play of a spelling puzzle game similar to Scrabble with a a deep dungeon adventure.  In this game the words you spell out are spells that do damage to enemies as the words are completed.  Longer words do more damage.  In addition there are various special letters to keep the game challenging, not to mention a grueling set of monsters and a great deal of well-aimed humor.  Dungeon Scroll does a great job of keeping both puzzle and RPG fans happy.
 

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Building off of the amazing physics engine used in Pontifex II and Triptych, Gish takes the engine and makes it a thing of even more wonder.  Not your typical platform game, Gish is actually a piece of tar who quickly changes shapes as you move around the landscape.  The game puts a series of obstacles in your way that you resolve by using physics.  For instance, you might need to rock a platform to get it to slide off its roost, or grab a block with your sticky tar and fling it across a room.  In addition the game packs in one of the most entertaining two-player modes known to man.  Definitely one to check out at the show.
 

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Oasis is a different twist on the Civilization theme.  In this game, you build up an entire civilization, build commerce, roads, armies, and mines.  You discover new technologies, find treasures, retain advisors, explore the area and fight off a barbarian horde.  AND...you do it ALL  in 3-6 minutes.  Oasis was one of my more favorite games from the IGF this year, proving that deep strategy and kingdom building doesn't have to require weeks of time to play.  This game is definitely a winner, and one that comes highly recommended to people whether or not they attend IGF.
 

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As one of the more original sim games that I've played, Space Station Manager puts you in charge of creating a space station.  Many of the goals in the game are similar to other sim games, though obviously specific to this game.  The space station must have power, and be life-sustaining for the crew.  Revenue must be accessed, and perhaps a very different and interesting aspect of the game is the role that visual design plays alongside functional design.  Certainly a different game that is well-worth taking a look at, at a very small download size.
 

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What do you get when you mix a MMORPG with a puzzle game?  Well if you throw in the fact that the game is based on a pirate theme, then the answer obviously becomes Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates.  In this game you play in a large online world where everything from fixing the ship to dueling other pirates is done by playing different puzzle games.  As you save up money and become more famous, you can spend your money on food, swords, a ship or settle down and buy a merchant shop.  For the puzzle lover looking for an adventure, Yohoho! Puzzle Pirates creates a world you can pillage!
 

Game Review coming soon!

Developer not available for interview