Head games! Not the mean kind.

April 13, 2007 1:19 PM

Point me towards some online games that allow players to link up and play a game together by remote access. Bonus points for things not too mentally taxing, for times when one wants to just veg.

I have a very good friend who is very long distance. We talk a lot and keep each other company a lot, but there are times when we may not feel like talking, but still want company. Sometimes a game is a good substitute for conversation. Part of the problem is that we come from different countries, so our knowledge bases are a bit different, which causes an issue with, say, trivia games - anything pop culture is inevitably biased towards one of our home countries, leaving the other person a bit frustrated after saying, "pass" for the eightieth time. Ditto for one of the only online games I know that allow player links: the History Channel's PastMaster, which is an excellent game, but only if you a) like and know some history, b) have the mental energy for such an academic game, and c) can overcome the wealth of British history in the UK edition, or American history in the US edition (much easier when both players come from the same educational system!). Yahoo! games also has other things like chess and checkers, which are great options if one is in a board-game mood. I've got these bookmarked. But what am I missing? And, in particular, what games am I missing that can be kind of mindless (quite unlike chess!)?

posted by AthenaPolias to computers & internet (7 comments total)

iSketch! We play it over in metachat all the time. The interface is a little hard to get used to, but it's a great way to waste some time playing Pictionary with your digital friends.
posted by muddgirl at 3:03 PM on April 13, 2007

Sissyfight
posted by Foam Pants at 3:20 PM on April 13, 2007

Any of the online poker sites - my friends and I use Full Tilt - often I'll be on in the evening and my friends will log on, search for my name, and next thing you know they're sitting next to me at the table. You can play for real or fake $, at least on FT.

Also, I've visited Conquer Club almost every day since I first found it on the blue.

Also, search the blue for games.
posted by allkindsoftime at 3:38 PM on April 13, 2007

Puzzle Pirates! It's easy and catchy as Tetris. There are free servers (Hunter and one other one I think).
posted by tylermoody at 5:43 PM on April 13, 2007

Recently my friends and I have started playing Carcassonne. It it a tile laying game where you try to complete different features like roads and cities. The game doesn't really get repetitive as you essentially make the landscape randomly each time. Also there are many expansions to it that extend the options of play. Gameplay consists of drawing a tile and placing it in a legal place on the board and optionally placing a 'meeple' on the tile you just placed to earn points.

Asobrain has an online version, called Toulouse, that you can play for free against other people or bots. They also have 2 of the expansions available for use.
posted by o0dano0o at 6:58 PM on April 13, 2007

Asobrain also has Explorers, which is Settlers of Catan for all intents and purposes.

It's an awesome game - but you need at least 3 players. The bots do a good job if it's just the two of you.
posted by backwards guitar at 9:27 PM on April 13, 2007

If you want really simple, mindless-and-allows-for-chatting-while-playing, Gaia has mini fishing, slots, and jigsaw puzzle games that can be played with friends.
posted by Smilla's Sense of Snark at 10:56 PM on April 13, 2007