<?xml version="1.0"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/"><channel><title>Download Squad</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com</link><description>Download Squad</description><image><url>http://www.downloadsquad.com/media/feedlogo.gif</url><title>Download Squad</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com</link></image><language>en-us</language><copyright>Copyright 2008 Blogsmith, LLC. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only.</copyright><generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title>Time Waster: Launch your hog over the hedges</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/03/time-waster-launch-your-hog-over-the-hedges/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/03/time-waster-launch-your-hog-over-the-hedges/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/03/time-waster-launch-your-hog-over-the-hedges/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/internet/" rel="tag">Internet</a></p><img hspace="4" height="181" width="226" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="Hedgehog Launch" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/07/vivalagames.com---hedgehog-launch.jpg" />Launching stuff is cool, and doing so in a flash game online is even cooler. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.vivalagames.com">VivaLaGames</a> brings us a new Time Waster with "<a href="http://www.vivalagames.com/play/hedgehog/">HedgeHog Launch</a>".<br /><br />The premise is simple, you go through a series of days and launch HedgeHogs with a nice launcher gear, much like you would water balloons. Except these aren't balloons, these are dangerous little beasts called HedgeHogs. it's not quite Sonic, but we think it's way more fun.<br /><br />The name of the game is to only get distance, but to grab money in the air while your HedgeHog flies. <br /><br />The controls are quite easy, and you can play in fullscreen mode too. Just don't do it at work, because we can't be held responsible for having "HedgeHog Screwoff" on your permanent record. But that would be pretty schweet though.<br /><br />You can dig in and tweak your thrusts left or right, and as you go through the days, your skills will get better and the stakes will get higher.  Collect money, buy better rockets, some stylish goggles, and even a parachute to get better scores.<br /><br />The music is addictive too.<br /><br />So launch your hog and share your scores in the comments.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.vivalagames.com/play/hedgehog/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/03/time-waster-launch-your-hog-over-the-hedges/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1245079/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/03/time-waster-launch-your-hog-over-the-hedges/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>flash</category><category>games</category><category>hedgehog</category><category>launch</category><category>vivalagames</category><dc:creator>Drew Olanoff</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-07-03T15:30:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>It's Cosmic man...it's on my Mac...whoah.</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/01/its-cosmic-man-its-on-my-mac-whoah/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/01/its-cosmic-man-its-on-my-mac-whoah/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/01/its-cosmic-man-its-on-my-mac-whoah/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a></p><img hspace="4" height="213" border="0" align="right" width="220" vspace="4" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/07/cosmicart.jpg" alt="CosmicPainter" />Do you know those cool art spinning booths at festivals and carnivals? Of course you do, they're awesomesauce aren't they?<br /><br />Well now thanks to CosmicPainter from <a href="http://www.garagecube.com/download/">garageCube</a> you can bring that to your Mac OSX desktop, minus the carnies and smell of funnel cake (booooo).<br /><br />CosmicPainter lets you make designs from different pre-set shapes and colors, as well as from other images you already have on your computer. You can really dig in with the shading and depth choices on the pallette and make some really rad shapes and designs.<br /><br />Why would you want to use this? Because it's hella fun and free.<br /><br />We sat in front of this thing for hours and got completely lost. But <a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/06/29/unique-mac-os-x-and-windows-freeware/">Chris Pirillo</a>, the tipster who sent this in to us, warned us that we'd get sucked in...and we're pretty sure you will too.<br /><br />[via <a href="http://chris.pirillo.com/2008/06/29/unique-mac-os-x-and-windows-freeware/">chris pirillo</a>]<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.garagecube.com/download/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/01/its-cosmic-man-its-on-my-mac-whoah/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1242128/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/07/01/its-cosmic-man-its-on-my-mac-whoah/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>art</category><category>cosmicpainter</category><category>mac</category><category>osx</category><category>paint</category><dc:creator>Drew Olanoff</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-07-01T15:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Jump cars with Sunny Day Sky - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/30/jump-cars-with-sunny-day-sky-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/30/jump-cars-with-sunny-day-sky-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/30/jump-cars-with-sunny-day-sky-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a></p><p><a href="http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/sunny.htm"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/sunnydaysky.jpg" alt="" /></a>Sometimes you just want to unwind with a simple flash game. Nothing overly complicated and to involved, just a simple one mouse click game. And Ferry Halim of <a href="http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal">Orisinal</a> fame has created such a game called <a href="http://www.ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/sunny.htm">Sunny Day Sky</a>.</p>
<p>The goal of the game is to simply glide from car to car using your umbrella . And the only control given is a click of your mouse button to open and close the umbrella. Points are given for the number of cars that can be passed and of course the more you pass in a single jump the higher the points.</p>
<p>The graphics and the colors used gives the game a very soft and inviting feel to it. The music reminds us of the <a href="http://amazon.com/gp/product/B00138EVKS/ref=dm_mu_dp_trk2/105-3691244-8034025">Happy Working Song</a> from Disney's Enchanted (not that we listen to the soundtrack here or anything like that).</p>
<p>So if you're just looking for a simple one click game to zone out with, give Sunny Day Sky a shot.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://ferryhalim.com/orisinal/g3/sunny.htm>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/30/jump-cars-with-sunny-day-sky-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1239798/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/30/jump-cars-with-sunny-day-sky-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>flash</category><category>games</category><dc:creator>Joey Celis</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-30T12:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>The Several Journeys of Reemus - Today's Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/24/the-several-journeys-of-reemus-todays-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/24/the-several-journeys-of-reemus-todays-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/24/the-several-journeys-of-reemus-todays-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><a href="http://www.digyourowngrave.com/the-several-journeys-of-reemus/"><img hspace="4" height="174" width="235" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/reemus06222008.jpg" alt="The Several Adventures of Reemus" />The Several Journeys of Reemus</a> is a Flash game that is somewhat reminiscent of the 90's Lucasarts games like Day of the Tentacle, Monkey Island, and Sam and Max. SJoR has a minimalist point-and-click interface that lacks the obvious verbs like "Use," "Look," and "Pick Up."<br /><br />The plot is centered around Reemus and his cute, yet melancholy purple-bear sidekick Liam. Reemus, an insect exterminator, is summoned by the local innkeeper to rid his establishment of ants before the prince and his bride-to-be arrive. The objective is to get Reemus and Liam out of each puzzle space, and that is accomplished by interacting with the environment to find a way out.<br /><br />The game is a bit brief, but the puzzles are entertaining and rather trippy. There are two endings, and original music accompanies the game.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.digyourowngrave.com/the-several-journeys-of-reemus/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/24/the-several-journeys-of-reemus-todays-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1233071/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/24/the-several-journeys-of-reemus-todays-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>adventure</category><category>point and click</category><category>PointAndClick</category><dc:creator>Todd Ritter</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-24T11:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Puzzle Farter... yeah we said fart - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/puzzle-farter-yeah-we-said-fart-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/puzzle-farter-yeah-we-said-fart-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/puzzle-farter-yeah-we-said-fart-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><p><a href="puzzlefarter.com"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/puzzel-farter.jpg" /></a>Developed by <a href="http://puzzlefarter.com">Pet Tomato</a> the object of the game is simple. Get your character from door to door. It's just the way that he gets there is rather um... how should we put this... <em>gas-tastic</em>.</p>
<p>While you can certainly jump, in order to reach the heights required to get to each level you'll have to expend you inner powers. Of course there is a limit to this and you can't very well expect an infinite supply, so use it wisely. As you progress, the levels get harder and enemies try to block your way from reaching your goal.</p>
<p>We've haven't been able to get very far in the game, so we'll need to work on our <a href="http://fourthmeal.com">fourth meal</a> to increase our strength.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://puzzlefarter.com/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/puzzle-farter-yeah-we-said-fart-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1230693/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/20/puzzle-farter-yeah-we-said-fart-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>flash</category><category>flashgame</category><category>fun</category><category>games</category><dc:creator>Joey Celis</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-20T10:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Kitten Cannon - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/18/kitten-cannon-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/18/kitten-cannon-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/18/kitten-cannon-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/freeware/" rel="tag">Freeware</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><div align="center"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.burststudio.com/kitten.html"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" alt="" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/kittycannon.jpg" /></a><br /></div>
<a target="_blank" href="http://www.burststudio.com/kitten.html">Kitten Cannon</a> addresses one of mankind's most primal urges; firing small fluffy animals out of a cannon. <br /><br />The goal is simple really; shoot the kitten out of the cannon as far as possible. You can adjust the aim and velocity of the cannon, but the real distance is obtained when poor fluffy lands on a pile of explosives, or is trampolined into a balloon-bomb. Watch out for the Venus Cat-traps and death spikes that will stop fluffy DEAD in her tracks. <br /><br />Some may think that there is a trivial amount of strategy involved in firing a Kitten from a cannon. Obviously they haven't reached 2,164 ft!<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.burststudio.com/kitten.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/18/kitten-cannon-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1229258/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/18/kitten-cannon-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>Game</category><category>time waster</category><category>TimeWaster</category><dc:creator>Alan Silcott</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-18T13:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Can't wait 'til September for Spore? Creature Creator is out now!</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/17/cant-wait-til-september-for-spore-creature-creator-is-out-now/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/17/cant-wait-til-september-for-spore-creature-creator-is-out-now/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/17/cant-wait-til-september-for-spore-creature-creator-is-out-now/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/windows/" rel="tag">Windows</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a></p><a href="http://spore.com"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/spore-1.jpg" alt="" /></a>Geeks everywhere are anxiously awaiting the September release of Spore, the species-creation game from SimCity genius Will Wright. Today, everyone is drooling just a little bit more over the release of <a href="http://spore.com">Spore Creature Creator</a>, the part of the game where you generate the prototype for your new species. Even without the rest of the game, messing around with the creature options is a lot of fun -- it's like the coolest game of dress-up for nerds that we could ever imagine. <br /><br />Creature Creator is available for PC and Mac as a free demo or a $9.99 full version (with all the creature parts). It hooks up with the Spore website so you can show off your critters to others on SporePedia. You can also take pictures of your creations and e-mail them with friends, and take videos to upload to YouTube -- all from within the game. <br /><br />It's not just building and coloring, though: test-drive your Spore, making it dance, sit, attack and more. This is just about the smartest marketing decision we could imagine, because we're already sort of attached to our Spores. Now we can't wait until September to see what they can do!<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.spore.com/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/17/cant-wait-til-september-for-spore-creature-creator-is-out-now/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1228414/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/17/cant-wait-til-september-for-spore-creature-creator-is-out-now/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>creature creator</category><category>CreatureCreator</category><category>games</category><category>Maxis</category><category>Spore</category><dc:creator>Jay Hathaway</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-17T20:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>BioLabs: Outbreak! - Today's Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/16/biolabs-outbreak-todays-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/16/biolabs-outbreak-todays-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/16/biolabs-outbreak-todays-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><a href="http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=54"><img hspace="4" height="235" width="235" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/biolabstw.jpg" alt="BioLabs: Outbreak! - Today's Time Waster" /></a>Time wasting is fun, especially when things need to get done. For that purpose <a href="http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=54">BioLabs: Outbreak!</a> is perfect, because it offers the player a fairly repetitive task that is interesting enough that you can keep doing it instead of what you should actually be doing. That, coupled with a very forgiving learning curve, allows you to really take your time with it and get the most out of your time wasting investment.<br /><br />The concept is simple: there is an outbreak of some sort (inside a purple rectangle of all places) and you must administer an antidote to contain and kill off all the elements of the outbreak. But there is a catch, of course. The quantity of antidote is limited and the outbreak continues to grow in size as you progress through the levels. You contain the outbreak by growing bubbles of antidote and surrounding the individual cells with those bubbles. If during the antidote-bubble-growing-process the antidote makes contact with the outbreak, the bubble breaks and wastes precious antidote. So, it is important to exercise caution when growing bubbles, especially in the later stages.<br /><br />And that's about as deep BioLabs: Outbreak! gets, which is probably good since you really don't want to spend too much time with any one time waster. In the end, BioLabs: Outbreak! will have wasted a good bit of your day and will let you enjoy the hectic catch-up session that follows your time wasting exploits.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=54>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/16/biolabs-outbreak-todays-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1225631/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/16/biolabs-outbreak-todays-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>biolabs outbreak</category><category>BiolabsOutbreak</category><category>fun</category><category>game</category><category>time waster</category><category>TimeWaster</category><dc:creator>Romeo Wahed</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-16T12:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Sleepless Assassin - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/12/sleepless-assassin-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/12/sleepless-assassin-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/12/sleepless-assassin-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/windows/" rel="tag">Windows</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/linux/" rel="tag">Linux</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/freeware/" rel="tag">Freeware</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://www.flashninjaclan.com/zzz1455_Sleepless_Assassin.php"><img hspace="4" height="219" width="400" vspace="4" border="0" alt="Sleepless Assassin" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/sleeplessassassin.jpg" /></a><br /></p>
<p>Some days when you're sitting at your desk at work, don't you just wish that you had a different job? Something a little more exciting, and maybe a bit dangerous? Something that makes you feel alive... Like maybe being an assassin! </p>
<p>If you're looking to get a little fix of being an assassin without actually having to, you know, kill people, check out <a href="http://www.flashninjaclan.com/zzz1455_Sleepless_Assassin.php">Sleepless Assassin</a>, a Flash-based side scrolling action game. While it looks and handles much like many other games that are of a similar style, Sleepless Assassin has one very cool trick up its sleeve. </p>
<p>When it comes time to shoot enemies, your character has a bow and arrow. Since the default view is fairly close up, the screen pulls back to give you a wider view when you click to draw the bow. You can then aim, and an arc is shown to give you an idea of your arrow's flight path. This allows for some "trick shots" where you can kill enemies that can't see you, as well as giving you a quick way to get the lay of the land. </p>
<p>In terms of the fun factor of the game as a time waster, with (very) little practice you can be good enough to have a good time with this little gem.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.flashninjaclan.com/zzz1455_Sleepless_Assassin.php>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/12/sleepless-assassin-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1222881/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/12/sleepless-assassin-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>flash-game</category><category>online-game</category><category>side-scroller</category><category>sleepless-assassin</category><category>time-waster</category><dc:creator>Jason Clarke</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-12T12:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Time Waster: Music Catch</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/11/time-waster-music-catch/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/11/time-waster-music-catch/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/11/time-waster-music-catch/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/internet/" rel="tag">Internet</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><a href="http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=94"><img hspace="4" height="156" width="250" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/musiccatch.jpg" /></a>If you need a minute to relax from some stress at work, <a href="http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=94">Music Catch</a> <a href="http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=94"> </a>is the game for you. The idea behind the game is pretty simple: catch the flying shapes while some relaxing piano music plays. <br /><br />Most of the shapes in the game are blue and teal in color. In addition to the blue and teal shapes there are yellow shapes that you can collect that make your man larger and multiply your score, red shapes that take away the bonus you earned with the yellow, and purple shapes that give you "Purple Power" which sucks in everything around you.<br /><br />The whole thing is pretty simple. There's only one level that takes about 5 minutes to play. With top scores over a million point however, it can be just as addictive as it is relaxing.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.reflexive.com/index.php?PAGE=WebGamePlay&amp;WGID=94>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/11/time-waster-music-catch/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1219602/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/11/time-waster-music-catch/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>flash games</category><category>FlashGames</category><category>music catch</category><category>MusicCatch</category><dc:creator>Emily Price</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-11T11:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Time Waster: SuperTuxKart: Mario Kart clone starring Tux the Penguin</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/time-waster-supertuxkart-mario-kart-clone-starring-tux-the-pen/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/time-waster-supertuxkart-mario-kart-clone-starring-tux-the-pen/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/time-waster-supertuxkart-mario-kart-clone-starring-tux-the-pen/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/windows/" rel="tag">Windows</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/linux/" rel="tag">Linux</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><img alt="" src="file:///tmp/SuperTuxKart.jpg" /><a href="http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Main_Page"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/supertuxkart-1.jpg" alt="" /></a><a href="http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Main_Page">SuperTuxKart</a> is a cross-platform version of the popular Nintendo racing game Super Mario Kart, with a few key differences. Instead of Mario characters, it stars the beloved Linux mascot, Tux the Penguin, and some of his friends. The racing takes place on all-new tracks, either as a one-off race or a series. Up to 4 human players can join in, and up to 10 racers can be on the track at once, including computer drones. <br /><br />SuperTuxKart is almost as fun as Mario Kart, but it has a couple of drawbacks. The multiplayer mode is a little tough to work out without a network play option, the splitscreen view and sharing of the keyboard reduces the fun-factor significantly. There are also some frustrating corners you can get stuck in on some of the tracks, and the game slows down a bit with all 10 racers in play. However, the plusses outweigh the minuses, and SuperTuxKart is actually a lot smoother and more visually appealing than playing Mario Kart on an emulator.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://supertuxkart.sourceforge.net/Main_Page>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/time-waster-supertuxkart-mario-kart-clone-starring-tux-the-pen/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1218450/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/10/time-waster-supertuxkart-mario-kart-clone-starring-tux-the-pen/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>games</category><category>linux</category><category>mario kart</category><category>MarioKart</category><category>supertuxkart</category><category>time waster</category><category>TimeWaster</category><category>tux</category><dc:creator>Jay Hathaway</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-10T10:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Egg Attack, show Ballmer who's Boss - Today's Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/04/egg-attack-show-ballmer-whos-boss-todays-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/04/egg-attack-show-ballmer-whos-boss-todays-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/04/egg-attack-show-ballmer-whos-boss-todays-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/internet/" rel="tag">Internet</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/microsoft/" rel="tag">Microsoft</a></p><div align="center"><img hspace="4" height="279" width="450" vspace="4" border="0" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/06/ballmeregg.jpg" alt="Egg Attack Steve Ballmer" /><br /></div>
<br />So you remember the whole <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/19/hungarian-student-throws-eggs-at-microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer/">Steve Ballmer egging incident</a>, right? Of course you do, how could you forget?<br /><br />Irked at the cost of Microsoft Office? Mad about Vista? Aren't we all.<br /><br />Now you can get your revenge by throwing eggs at Steve Ballmer, yourself. We're sure <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/18/microsoft-were-not-done-with-yahoo-yet/">Jerry Yang</a> is already playing this one.<br /><br />The concept is simple, throw eggs at Ballmer and get points. Most points makes you the most eggcellent egg tosser this side of Redmond.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.egg-attack.com/">Give this one a shot</a> and post your high score in the comments!<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.egg-attack.com/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/04/egg-attack-show-ballmer-whos-boss-todays-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1215116/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/04/egg-attack-show-ballmer-whos-boss-todays-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>egg attack</category><category>EggAttack</category><category>game</category><category>steve ballmer</category><category>SteveBallmer</category><category>time waster</category><category>TimeWaster</category><dc:creator>Drew Olanoff</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-04T12:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Neon Tango: Exploding geometry has never been so addictive - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/02/neon-tango-exploding-geometry-has-never-been-so-addictive-tim/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/02/neon-tango-exploding-geometry-has-never-been-so-addictive-tim/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/02/neon-tango-exploding-geometry-has-never-been-so-addictive-tim/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a></p><a href="http://www.freeverse.com/games/game/?id=7015"><img hspace="4" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/neon-tango.jpg" /></a>We at Download Squad strive to find apps and services that make it easier for you to get things done. If that's what you're looking for, you should stop reading this post now, because once you start playing <a href="http://www.freeverse.com/games/game/?id=7015">Neon Tango</a>, you won't be getting anything done for a while. Neon Tango is 50 levels of colorful geometric space-shooter, set to an adrenaline-pumping soundtrack by Digital Droo. <br /><br />The fun of Neon Tango is in its simplicity. While the visuals are pretty cool, the emphasis is clearly on gameplay. Your ship handles like a dream, and the variety of enemies in the three demo levels was sufficient to hold our interest through a few replays. Because the controls are so responsive, we wholeheartedly recommending playing a little Neon Tango as a break from work. The difficulty level of the game is adjustable, so blowing up rogue shapes can be challenging, but it doesn't have to be frustrating.<br /><br />Neon Tango carries a $24.95 pricetag, which seems pretty fair for the hours of playing time and replay value you'll get out of it. This is, of course, not taking into account any money you might lose by gaming instead of working. The game will run on a G4 or better, and you can turn off some of the fancy visual effects if it's not fast enough for you.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.freeverse.com/games/game/?id=7015>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/02/neon-tango-exploding-geometry-has-never-been-so-addictive-tim/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1210688/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/06/02/neon-tango-exploding-geometry-has-never-been-so-addictive-tim/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>Digital Droo</category><category>DigitalDroo</category><category>games</category><category>mac</category><category>Neon Tango</category><category>NeonTango</category><category>os x</category><category>OsX</category><dc:creator>Jay Hathaway</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-06-02T12:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>MotherLoad - Today's Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/30/motherload-todays-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/30/motherload-todays-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/30/motherload-todays-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><a href="http://www.miniclip.com/games/motherload/en/"><img hspace="4" height="227" width="227" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="MotherLoad - Digging for ore" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/motherloadtw.jpg" /></a>Today's time waster is <a href="http://www.miniclip.com/games/motherload/en/">MotherLoad</a> - the time waster that lets you excavate your time away. You are an operator of a digging vehicle on Mars, being one of the brave few that dares dig in this hostile environment. The game's objective is simple: dig your way to riches and upgrade your digging vessel as you sell the collected ore on your way to the hidden treasures deep within Mars.<br /><br />The game has fantastically intuitive controls, which - although being merely the arrow keys - can really be sensed when the digger moves exactly as expected. This not only allows you to get into the time wasting action quickly, but comes in handy as your digging vessel is rather fragile and needs to be cared for if you want to survive multiple trips below the surface.<br /><br />In order to make any progress in the game, getting upgrades is crucial. Your vessel's fuel range as well as the cargo space that holds the excavated ore is very limited, besides the fact that the beginning drill is awfully inefficient. But, as you make progress and hit certain depths, say 1,000 feet, you will get bonuses from your employers which should help with getting these upgrades more quickly. Once you have some good gear on your excavator, you'll be able to start hitting deeper depths where the ore becomes progressively more valuable.<br /><br />But be warned, after having pulled in your first few loads and made some basic upgrades, MotherLoad becomes incredibly addicting. Remember to waste time responsibly.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.miniclip.com/games/motherload/en/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/30/motherload-todays-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1208745/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/30/motherload-todays-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>games</category><category>motherload</category><category>time waster</category><category>TimeWaster</category><dc:creator>Romeo Wahed</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-30T11:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Blobular - Today's Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/blobular-todays-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/blobular-todays-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/blobular-todays-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><a href="http://www.freeworldgroup.com/games6/gameindex/blobular.htm"><img hspace="4" height="227" width="227" vspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="Blobular, blobbing your time away" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/blobulartw.jpg" /></a>On some days, the urge to waste time is just a little stronger than others. If it happens to be one of those days for you today, you are in luck, because <a href="http://www.freeworldgroup.com/games6/gameindex/blobular.htm">Blobular</a> will not only help you waste your time, but also make you slightly nauseous.<br /><br />The game starts innocently enough: Blobular, a blob out and about in the world, needs to get back home to Blobsville. To start you off on your journey, you pick how Blobular looks (his/her/its eyes and body color) and then enter a world of collectible items and foes. Each level has a given number of items you need to collect in order to pass it while running against the clock and avoiding enemies.<br /><br />But here's the catch: you move your blob by spinning the world around and letting gravity pull the blob around. Although this is slightly disorienting (and slightly nauseating), once you get adjusted this time waster has some potential. As you collect more items (say mushrooms), your blob begins to grow and won't fit through smaller gaps anymore. You can then split your blob apart into smaller blobs that can fit through these gaps, and merge again whenever you please.<br /><br />Continue until you have finished the game, are done wasting time, or can't continue due to nausea from all the spinning. Don't say we didn't warn you.<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.freeworldgroup.com/games6/gameindex/blobular.htm>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/blobular-todays-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1208702/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/29/blobular-todays-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>blobular</category><category>time waster</category><category>TimeWaster</category><dc:creator>Romeo Wahed</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-29T11:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Knuckleheads - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/26/knuckleheads-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/26/knuckleheads-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/26/knuckleheads-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/windows/" rel="tag">Windows</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/linux/" rel="tag">Linux</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" alt="Knucklehead TIme Waster shot" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/knuckleheadme.jpg" />Have you ever felt like a really colorful, but inexplicably ticked off tiki-head chained against your will to another tiki-head? Did it upset you that the only way you could get through your tiki existence was to work with the head to which you were chained, like it or not? If so, <a href="http://www.nitrome.com/games/knuckleheads/">stay far away from Knuckleheads</a>, today's Time Waster. We don't want you to get flashbacks.<br /><br />If the idea of manuevering little heads on chains around an arcade world reminiscient of those of your childhood (but with better graphics), Knuckleheads might be the escape from the month end paperwork you were looking for.<br /><br />The idea is to move your heads forward while hitting as many desirable targets (little star capsules, to start with) as you possibly can. Using your keyboard, the left and right arrows move your heads backward and forward, and the up and down arrows allow you to lengthen and shorten your chain. The game gets progressively trickier, calling upon your coordination and patience to hit correctly colored monsters with the matching head, avoid spikes, and adhere to some really unsavory sounding sticky blocks.<br /><br />A minute to learn, a lifetime to master? Yeah, well, maybe not. Nevertheless, Knuckleheads is entertaining, and even when you've pretty well mastered it, there's something really pleasing about the squash of a tiny grimacing head against a sticky block.<br /><br />[Thanks Jason!]<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.nitrome.com/games/knuckleheads/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/26/knuckleheads-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1205546/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/26/knuckleheads-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>arcade</category><category>flash</category><category>Knuckleheads</category><category>Nitro</category><category>time-waster</category><dc:creator>Kristin Shoemaker</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-26T17:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Dirk Valentine - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/23/dirk-valentine-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/23/dirk-valentine-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/23/dirk-valentine-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/windows/" rel="tag">Windows</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/macintosh/" rel="tag">Macintosh</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/linux/" rel="tag">Linux</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/freeware/" rel="tag">Freeware</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a></p><a href="http://www.nitrome.com/games/dirkvalentine/"><img height="158" alt="Dirk Valentine" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/dirkvalentine.jpg" width="240" align="right" vspace="16" border="0" /></a>Recently we've noticed more and more two-dimensional games incorporating use of both the keyboard and mouse, much in the same way that first person shooters do. The latest to catch our eye is <a href="http://www.nitrome.com/games/dirkvalentine/">Dirk Valentine and the Fortress of Steam</a>, a side-scrolling game in which you play the part of the hero, Dirk. Your goal is infiltrate Lord Battenberg's steam fortress, and destroy it.
<p>The control scheme includes the typical movement buttons including jump, but then you use the mouse for aiming your weapon. Dirk is equipped with a chain shooter that kills enemies, but it also allows him to build short bridges out of the chain between specific types of platforms. </p>
<p>The gameplay is solid, and the look of the game has a sort of quasi-steampunk feel. Rather than giving you a training mode or page of instructions, the game's creator has instead decided to train you as you go. You can stop at specific points to get more information, making the learning curve very comfortable yet giving the game the ability to introduce more depth as you continue. </p>
<p>If you're looking for a five minute distraction from your regular work, Dirk Valentine is not a good choice for you. This game appears to have hours of content. But if you're looking for something a little more engaging that you can come back to again and again, check it out. </p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.nitrome.com/games/dirkvalentine/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/23/dirk-valentine-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1203556/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/23/dirk-valentine-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>dirk-valentine</category><category>games</category><category>shooter</category><category>side-scrolling</category><category>time-waster</category><category>timewaster</category><dc:creator>Jason Clarke</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-23T10:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Budget Hero: balance the federal budget your way - Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/budget-hero-alance-the-federal-budget-your-way-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/budget-hero-alance-the-federal-budget-your-way-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/budget-hero-alance-the-federal-budget-your-way-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/fun/" rel="tag">Fun</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/internet/" rel="tag">Internet</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/news/" rel="tag">News</a></p><div align="center"><a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/budget_hero/"><img width="400" vspace="4" hspace="4" height="328" border="0" align="top" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/bh.jpg" alt="Budget Hero" /></a><br /><br />
<div align="left"><a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/budget_hero/">Budget Hero</a>, released by American Public Media, is an online game where you're in charge of balancing the federal budget. If you're tired of hearing politician's economic policies as seen through the lens of political parties or special interests, Budget Hero cuts through the bull and provides policy options that have been vetted by non partisan government and think tank experts.<br /></div>
</div>
<br />The object of the game is for you to balance the budget according to your values or goals, such as emphasis on national defense, health and wellness, economic stimulus, etc. You then play various cards from different categories representing sectors of the budget including among others, defense, school and kids, health care, and environment.<br /><br />You're supposed to pay attention to the deficit meter and think about what impact your choices will have on future generations. You can then print out your budget and use it as a discussion point with others and even perhaps your elected representative.<br /><br />We're happy to report in our own game we balanced the budget through 2028 and the budget bust point would not occur until 2070. We did this by repealing the Bush tax cuts, saving money on defense by having the troops come home soon, and raised taxes on the top 1% of wealthy Americans. We also raised the retirement age to 67, cut school lunch for kids who are not poor, and increased spending on mass transit.<br /><br />So what's the big deal about balancing the budget?<h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.boingboing.net/2008/05/20/online-game-balance.html>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/budget-hero-alance-the-federal-budget-your-way-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1202404/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/22/budget-hero-alance-the-federal-budget-your-way-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>balance the federal budget</category><category>BalanceTheFederalBudget</category><category>Budget Hero online game</category><category>BudgetHeroOnlineGame</category><category>online game</category><category>OnlineGame</category><dc:creator>Dolores Parker</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-22T10:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Guess The Google - Today's Time Waster</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/10/guess-the-google-todays-time-waster/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/10/guess-the-google-todays-time-waster/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/10/guess-the-google-todays-time-waster/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/web-services/" rel="tag">Web services</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/time-waster/" rel="tag">Time-Wasters</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/search/" rel="tag">Search</a></p><p align="center"><a href="http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google/"><img height="280" alt="Guess The Google" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/guess-the-google.jpg" width="440" align="top" vspace="4" border="0" /></a></p>
<p>Quick, what do the twenty images above have in common? If you guessed they're all images pulled from Google Images, you guessed right. But that's not the answer we're looking for. The correct answer is Windows. And now you pretty much know how to play <a href="http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google/">Guess the Google</a>.</p>
<p>The game picks a random word, performs a Google Image search, and then gives you the results. You have 20 seconds to figure out the original search query. The faster you figure it out, the more points you get. The game is simple, but surprisingly addictive.</p>
<p>[via <a href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-excellent-ways-to-waste-time-online/">MakeUseOf</a>]</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://grant.robinson.name/projects/guess-the-google/game.php?l=5>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/10/guess-the-google-todays-time-waster/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1191905/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/10/guess-the-google-todays-time-waster/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>game</category><category>guess-the-google</category><category>image-search</category><dc:creator>Brad Linder</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-10T12:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item><item><title>Nominate the best for the Flash Forward Film Festival</title><link>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/09/nominate-the-best-for-the-flash-forward-film-festival/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/09/nominate-the-best-for-the-flash-forward-film-festival/</guid><comments>http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/09/nominate-the-best-for-the-flash-forward-film-festival/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/design/" rel="tag">Design</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/games/" rel="tag">Games</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/internet/" rel="tag">Internet</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/video/" rel="tag">Video</a>, <a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/category/adobe/" rel="tag">Adobe</a></p><p><a href="www.flashforwardconference.com/"><img hspace="4" height="69" width="200" vspace="16" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.downloadsquad.com/media/2008/05/flash-forward-2008.jpg" alt="FlashForward" />Flashforward2008</a> is going to be in San Francisco this August. This annual conference is directed at Flash designers and developers and those who aspire to be called a designer or developer. Every year Flashforward features a Film Festival with open nominations of the best Flash content out there. In 2008 the categories have changed to the following:</p>
<ol>
    <li>Application </li>
    <li>Cartoon/Story/Narrative </li>
    <li>Code </li>
    <li>Experimental/Art </li>
    <li>Game </li>
    <li>Motion Graphics </li>
    <li>Navigation/Experience </li>
    <li>Sound </li>
    <li>Typography </li>
    <li>Video </li>
</ol>
<p>Anyone can submit links to Flash based works in all categories that are 'innovative and compelling.' Previous winners include <a href="http://blog.papervision3d.org/">Paper Vision 3d</a>, the <a href="http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/2005/contemporaryvoices/noflash.html">MoMA Contemporary Voice exhibition</a>, and the amazing <a href="http://www.tokyoplastic.com/">Tokyo Plastic</a>. If you do submit a nomination to Flashforward2008 via the <a href="http://www.flashforwardconference.com/nominate">official film festival page,</a> please let us know in the comments below with a link. The deadline for nominations is Father's Day, June 15, 2008.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.flashforwardconference.com/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/09/nominate-the-best-for-the-flash-forward-film-festival/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/forward/1190764/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.downloadsquad.com/2008/05/09/nominate-the-best-for-the-flash-forward-film-festival/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a><br />]]></description><category>adobe</category><category>animation</category><category>conference</category><category>festival</category><category>film</category><category>flash</category><category>flash forward</category><category>FlashForward</category><category>internet</category><category>nominate</category><category>nomination</category><category>web</category><dc:creator>Michael Schleifstein</dc:creator><dc:date>2008-05-09T10:00:00+00:00</dc:date></item></channel></rss>