Discovering Serious Online Games

Discovering a variety of serious games on the web was an easy task, playing some of the games was the difficult part, especially if you aren't a gamer!

I unearthed the Gameland site created by Shockwave, I played several of the online games.
http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding


Oil God Game
http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/oilgod.jsp

This online game is a strategic puzzle game developed by Persuasive Games. The Oil God Game gives the gamer a chance to "control the oil industry" by trying to double the cost of gasoline over a period five years. If you are tired of big oil companies running the show, this game is for you.

To start the game you are first asked to select your difficulty level: Regular Unleaded, Super Unleaded or Premium Unleaded. During the course of the game if you make the correct strategic moves you will accrue "Hand of God" credits every month, which in turn gives you the option to purchase new disasters to send down upon the unsuspecting countries.

The goal is simple, you are given "the hand of God" to control oil prices among several countries on three islands. You can use whatever means necessary to accomplish the task at stake. You can command natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Or you can change the politics of countries by spinning the wheel of fortune to discover what change Capitalism, Communism or Socialism will have on the cost of oil. Or you may want to control the form of the government in each country; you may try your hand at Totalitarianism, Capitalism, Imperialism, Theocracy or a Republic. Participants can even overthrow the government starting a civil war or creating a war between two or more of the countries. "The Hand of God" can even command an alien invasion throughout the counties with an extra-terrestrial attack!

The game was easy to play once you understood the point system. I can envision this game used by high school Economics students who would thoroughly enjoy controlling "The power of God" in this game.


Xtreme Xmas Shopping Game
http://www.shockwave.com/gamelanding/xtremexmasshopping.jsp


This Xtreme Xmas Shopping game is a strategic action arcade game developed by Persuasive Games. Although I believe that calling this a strategic game is a long shot, I would consider it more a game of chance.

The game requires participants to run around and collect items as quickly as possible and if someone else gets them first, you can knock them out and take them for yourself! Only in America can shopping be considered contact sport! As a shopper, you have a list of "must have" toys. You will need to use any means necessary to gather those gifts before someone collects them first! You can actually use physical harm to snatch the toys out of the hands of other greedy shoppers!

Players learn to use the arrow keys to move around the board and the spacebar to pick up items. Xtreme Xmas Shopping credits are earned each time you snatch up a gift from the "most wanted" list. I found no entertainment and had difficulty using the recommended and required strategies to do well.

And this is supposed to be Christmas??? Good Luck with this one!