Projects, clients, and deadlines at work can be very stressful at times. Every once in a while we need to take a break and clear our mind from the troubles. Many people have found that playing online games for a few minutes can help them relax and they do go back to their job refreshed. Lately I have discovered 3 games that have such an effect on me as well. I invite you to try them out and see for yourself.



Bloxorz

In the mood for a stylish logic game? Check out Bloxorz, an interesting and fresh foray in the puzzle genre. In it, you control a rectangular prism that needs to get inside of a square hole. While this premise may seem simple, complicated terrain, varied switches, collapsing blocks, and the ever-present threat of falling off of the board impede you at every move.

The levels in Bloxorz start off simple and progress into the mind-numbingly hard. The fact that the block you control is a rectangle makes it difficult to maneuver through tight spaces and you'll find yourself plummeting into the abyss quite a few times. The game never feels repetitive, though, because you eventually get into the mindset that you NEED to finish the level. It's challenging but not insanely so; it gets fairly easy to complete after you get the hang of it.

In short, Bloxorz is a very stylish and professionally made game. Even if you don't normally like puzzles, this is something you need to check out, there's nothing else like it out there. A friendly warning, though: don't play Bloxorz if you don't have much spare time because you're going to want to ride it all the way to the end.

Bubble Shooter

Reminiscent of puzzle games like Bejeweled, Bubble Shooter is an interesting way to pass some time. In the game, you control (obviously) a bubble shooter that fires different colored spheres. Your goal is to destroy a wall of multicolored bubbles that advance quickly upon you by matching up groups of three spheres before they reach the bottom.

The gameplay is quite amusing and offers lots of strategic options. You can bounce the bubbles you shoot off of walls to get better angles for your shots as well as get combos. Because bubbles that aren't attached to anything automatically disappear, building up groups of bubbles that can be taken out with one shot is satisfying. Shooting is just as hard as it should be, presenting an experience that's easy to get into but hard to master.

The sounds in the game are perfectly suited for it. There's a gratifying series of cartoonish pops when you knock out a huge combo and a nice "whoosh" sound for every shot fired.

Overall, Bubble Shooter is a hard yet fun experience, presenting something for all gamers to enjoy. If you're ever in the need of a good time-waster, look no further: Bubble Shooter is what you need.

Raiden X

Based on an older series of arcade games, Raiden X is a fast-paced and frantic scrolling shooter. In it, you control the "Raiden Supersonic Attack Fighter" whilst battling hordes of enemy aircraft. Five main powerups exist in the game, including various kinds of lasers, missiles, and bombs.

Gameplay consists of flying through levels while trying to avoid death. This can be caused by many things: kamikaze pilots, bullets, and running into a wide variety of other planes. Hundreds of missiles can proliferate on the screen at once, creating a frenzied atmosphere that engrosses you in the game. Your own arsenal of armaments is nothing to laugh at either, with multiple upgrades available for each weapon. Another cool feature of Raiden X is the boss battles at the end of each level. These are particularly challenging and have some cool surprises and twists in them that keep the game fresh.

Raiden X keeps the formula simple: shoot baddies, fly around dodging bullets, and collect upgrades and powerups. This, combined with great explosions, nice special effects, and fitting sounds, makes Raiden X a true winner. If you like shooting stuff and having fun (as most of us do), then try out Raiden X, you won't regret it.