Angled Whiteboards

Puzzle Quest, oh how I adore thee. This is a game whose Nintendo DS version took 200+ hours of my life away. And now it’s going to take all that time away from you. You have been duly warned! For those unfamiliar with the game, think Bejewelled, but as an RPG. Sounds a little crazy, but boy does it work. And speaking of taking things away, this week’s episode of Grimm is The Girl Without Hands.

New premium games:

• American McGee’s Grimm: The Girl Without Hands
• Puzzle Quest Challenge of the Warlords
  

New free game:

• American McGee’s Grimm: The Girl Without Hands (free 8/28 for 24 hours)

I tried coming up with a number of video game-y subject lines (Game Over, Insert Coin to Continue, etc.), but they all sounded way too dire for what’s about to transpire.  But, as promised, the return of the countdown clock.  Only this time, my clever coworkers reworked the message a bit and hoisted it up above my desk while I wasn’t looking:

Yeah, that’s me in the TapHole.  Tomorrow marks my last day as a GameTap employee — on Monday I’m heading down the street to start my new job at Cartoon Network.  And while I’m super excited about this new opportunity, MAN am I sad about leaving this place.  Dinah brought me on two years ago, and it has been a life-changer.  Best job I’ve ever had, BY FAR.  So much of that has been about getting to know and mixing it up with everyone out there in the community.  Thank you so much for your contributions throughout my GameTap ride.

Keep it going — and I’ll join you as a fellow fan,

xamount.

This week, Patrician III allows you to add an “e” to words that don’t need it: towne, faire, shoppe.  Puss in Boots does not require an “e” or any other letter.  So don’t get fancy.

Also coming later today/tomorrow: the (brief) return of the infamous countdown clock?

New premium games:

• American McGee’s Grimm: Puss in Boots
  
• Patrician III
  

New free game:

• American McGee’s Grimm: Puss in Boots (free 8/21 for 24 hours)

So this past Monday’s first Leaderboard Tournament featuring a GameTap Original and Speed Running instead of High Scoring was a success!  I’m way impressed that folks were able to get their score down under 10 minutes.  That’s some serious seconds shaving.  Check the tournament calendar to see your next few Mondays worth of challenges… and be on the lookout: we might throw a non-Monday tournament or two into the mix with some of your other leaderboard favorites (afeury has specifically promised me a Sky Kid tournament and I WILL HOLD HIM TO IT.)

New premium games:

• American McGee’s Grimm: The Fisherman and His Wife
• Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones
  

New free game:

• American McGee’s Grimm: The Fisherman and His Wife (free 8/14 for 24 hours)

“I miss playing it.”

Then play it!

The free^(*) Grimm convoy continues this week with episode two - American McGee’s Grimm: Little Red Riding Hood.  Ok, I’ll go ahead and explain that asterisk now instead of forcing you to hunt for the fine print at the bottom of this post.  While the first episode is free to all forever, the remaining 23 episodes will only be free to play for 24 hours, so go get Grimmin’!

Next Monday will be our first Grimm tournament featuring the first, and still free, episode - American McGee’s Grimm: A Boy Learns What Fear Is.  This will be our second tournament that features a leaderboard where only your top score is listed (see last week’s leaderboard for Galaga).  A lot of people have been asking for single-score-per-user leaderboards for our tournaments for quite some time now, and we’re happy to finally deliver on such a great suggestion from our users!

New premium games:

• American McGee’s Grimm: Little Red Riding Hood
• Circus Empire
  

New free game:

• American McGee’s Grimm: Little Red Riding Hood (free 8/7 for 24 hours)