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Thanksgiving… I’m counting the days until I can finally board that plane and come home to my mother’s home-cooked meals. I’m dreaming of roast turkey, sausage stuffing, and sweet potato pie. My mouth is watering right now I’m so hungry… and all I have is a bag of ramen that I’m eating raw. Ummmm tasty.

I know everyone does not believe in reincarnation but I find it fascinating. Haven’t you ever been traveling to a place you have never been to in your whole life and all of a sudden things start to look familiar to you? The hair stands up on the back of your neck and you are absolutely sure you know a house or some other building or field - that you must have been there before because it feels so familiar. I have and it is a very disturbing. You rack your brain and try to recall, but it never comes to you. It always makes me wonder if I lived before and if I did what was I. Boy or girl, rich or poor or maybe an animal of some kind. Will I ever know? Probably not.

Move over Farmville, Kelly Green Garden Queen is going to give you a run for your money! This awesome farm game kind of rocks hard core. As some of you may remember, my family owns a farm so I know all about milking cows and getting up early. Did you know that cows weigh a ton? True story, my uncle was milking one once and somehow he got his finger under a cow hoof… smashed the top part of his finger right off. He now has about a quarter of his pinky missing… talk about gross.

Well I have played all 3 of the Fishdom series games and they are all pretty good games. The first one was strictly Match 3 and you were limited to decorating one fish tank. Next came Fishdom H20 which was a hidden object game. I was born on Halloween so this one is my favorite so far. This one is back to the match 3 style and earning cash to decorate your fish tank, however this time you can buy and decorate as many tanks as you want. Some of the boards and decorations are Halloween themed but they are not very scary or spooky, just cute. As with most match 3 games you have special effects with dynamite and lighting rods to make things even more fun. There are frozen tiles that have to be broken twice and a lot more things to keep the game interesting but not too complicated. The further you go in the game the harder it gets. But you earn more money for the harder matches and that gives you more cash to shop and keep up your tanks.

Hello? Is there anybody out there? Why are they teasing me with games about food? It really is getting too much to handle… Do you know what I would do for a slice of cake around here? One that was homemade and not stale from being left out for two days in a row? Ummmm I’m pretty sure if I didn’t eat that cake yesterday, I’m certainly not going to eat it today… especially since I recognize that crooked flower that someone poked their finger in.

There have been a lot of great games that have come out recently and I'm sure most of you have played the top games like The Edgar Allan Poe Conspiracy or My Kingdom for the Princess. But what this feature article is about is that hidden gem you may have missed this month. That game that you would have kicked yourself for missing out on. So before you move on to next months' winners, take a few hours to try this month's hidden game gem: City Style.

A cold snap in LA today. Finally a reason to stay inside and play some games (like I really needed one). Recently I've been playing Zuma's Revenge. I'm a big fan of the original so I was excited to see what new things the sequel would have to offer.

When I was a teenager in the fifties when we would go to the movies and there would always be a short newsreel. Some of these newsreels would be about the future. By the year 2000 we were all supposed to be traveling around in flying cars. I thought that was the coolest thing ever and couldn't wait. Well, I am still waiting. Now my fondest wish is that I can zoom across California on the bullet train before I die! When I saw the new Match 3 Time Machine:Evolution I had to check it out. I love a challenging Match 3 game. This was not a disappointment.

This is a nice little game to pass the time. At first I didn't really understand what was going on because I hadn't played a game similar to it, but its very simple once you figure it out. Just drag the balls onto matching spots on the cards. Once you fill up a card, you get to play a little mini-game. If you enjoy card games or slots, you'll likely enjoy playing this one.

Dear Mom:

Well, I’m going to be honest why I picked this game… when I found out the name of the prince was Prince Adam, well I couldn’t resist… some of you might remember a certain cartoon called He-Man and Prince Adam was his blonde alter ego. Yeah I always had a thing for Prince Adam. Anyhow… enough of my pre-puberty crushes…on to the game.

Ummm… at first all I can say is that this game is extremely weird and yet strangely fascinating. A little disturbing and yet very addicting at the same time. Premise is as follows… you are Mr. Jones… you retired with your dog Cranky… but you soon get bored and realize you don’t want to spend the remainder of your days by yourself. But good news… your long lost girlfriend is in need of a sugar daddy and wants you to come live with her in a tropical paradise… but she has some demands first.

I just finished the game guide for Kuros. What can I say about this game but... WOW! The graphics are stunning! The voice acting is superb! The gameplay is intriguing - trust me you won't want to stop playing! The puzzles are just right, in fact, I didn't have to skip a single one!

In this game you play the role of FBI agent Claire Ellery. She has been called out to a small fishing village to help find 3 kidnapped girls. Right away you see that the local police are not going to cooperate. Someone keeps leaving you clues and Tarot Cards. The first thing you have to do is find the Tarot cards so you can get the list of objects to find. I like this game for several reasons. The graphics are great so it is easy to see. There is no time limit. It took me most of the day to complete the game, with interruptions from daily life of course, so I felt like I got my money’s worth. Plus each time you play the game there are new objects to find. Try not to stop in the middle of a chapter because it won’t save your game from that point and you will have to start the chapter over. There are unlimited hints available. You just have to wait for the hint bar to fill. You also get to go back and forth between scenes to solve the chapters which are always fun. There are nine chapters and each chapter has a mini game to play which you can skip if you wish. You have an inventory to store objects that you will need for future scenes. The storyline to me was just so-so but who cares. It’s the search that is fun. For me, this is a great game that I will play over and over. I think you will like it too.

One of the best things about going to our local Mall is the candy store. All those fancy candies in the window that look like you could gain 5 pounds just by glancing at them on the way by. The only time I dare go in is at Christmas or someone’s Birthday. I am not sure but I think I gained 5 pounds just playing Grandpa’s Candy Factory. The graphics in this game are spectacular. You can almost taste all the candy and nuts as they go by on the belt. The story goes like this; Cathy is a new collage graduate and must take over the candy factory so Grandpa can retire. But his mean assistant does everything he can to gum up the works. The more levels you play the more things go wrong. In this match 3 you drag your cursor over the candies and nuts to make a match. There are a certain number of candy and nuts you must match on each level. There is a special bonus for matching 4 of a kind and some mini games to play along the way. The further you get in the game the more trouble comes your way. Play the trial and see what you think. At first I didn't really like this game, but after I played it more it started to grow on me.

Well, I admit… I was attracted to this game because of the name… I know it comes as a big surprise to all of you that I fancy myself a princess, but hey a girl’s got to have a healthy dose of self confidence. Ok so mine might be a little extreme. Anyhow, on to the game!

My family all loved to sing sad songs and tell stories. My Grandfather was a master of the scary story. He loved to gather all the young Grandkids around and tell us the scariest story he thought we could handle. We got so we knew them by heart and when he got to the really scary parts we would all yell “Don’t say it Grandpa”. But he would anyway and we would all scream then laugh and laugh. What Fun.

In this merger of Pixelus and Soduku, you must find your way back to your own era in time by solving increasingly difficult puzzles. Once you solve the puzzle, a hidden mosaic is discovered. The mosaics take you through the Jurassic period, the Dawn of Civilization, and even the Renaissance. It’s always fun after you solve the puzzle to try and guess what the mosaic is before they reveal it to you. My tip is feel free to use the hints… there’s no penalty and you lose them if you don’t use them.

OK… maybe I found this game challenging because I’m an Italian from Jersey trying to make sushi… I don’t know. We don’t grow anything on our farm like the ingredients I was playing with in Youda Sushi Chef. Lol. Where were the cheese and the tomatoes man?

Normally we only do positive reviews on this site. We don't like wasting space to give bad reviews, we simply just don't review it if we don't like it. I have to say, though, I really did not enjoy Townopolis. I had really high hopes - it looked like a sort of updated version of SimCity mixed with Time Management. Maybe that was the pitch to the executives. However, it fell far short for me. One thing that turned me off in the beginning was the undercurrent of suburban homogeneity that game implied - everyone wants to live in big-box, upper-middle class land, where everyone demands a security system on their home or they aren't happy. And God forbid someone should have to live near a post office or shopping center. The concept of mixed-use was clearly not in the scope of these city planners.

Game Review: Magic Encyclopedia

Ahhh…If it were only this easy to make someone fall in love with you… then maybe cupid could do me a favor and hit hottie Mark for me right in the kisser with one of his arrows. Sigh. Too bad I’m covered in mayo and mustard at the deli every time he sees me. Anyhow, enough of my sorrows and back to the game!

Hey gamers! I hope you're having a great summer! It was nice getting a short visit from Jasper and Zavy. I'm starting to wonder if an internship would have been easier than all the ranch chores around here! Well, I'll finally get a break in a few weeks when I visit my cousin's in PA again. I'll finally be able to swim in something besides a lake, they have a great pool. Hopefully the weather will be nice, they've been reporting nothing but rain and cool weather right now. I feel bad for you Easterner's, that sure doesn't sound like a great summer to me.

After some collaboration between us, we finally got the Aveyond guide up after coming back from the ranch. Get your maps, Magical Mirror Express, Warp Eggs, and Goodies here. We also have a nice spreadsheet to track your progress and a walkthrough for all the side quests.

I have such a huge sweet tooth. It is so hard for me to go through the day without eating something sweet....sometimes several. So when I saw the new time management game, Jessica's Cupcake Cafe, I knew I needed to give it a try.

This is one of the best games I have played in awhile. This isn't just another physics-based puzzler re-purposed from Junior High days gone by. The Independent developers over at 2D Boy have created an ingenious game that is somehow both relaxing and addictive. It is visually stunning and infused with lots of comedy. If you like games like Lemmings or even Tetris, you'll probably really enjoy this game. Highly recommended.

This week I am getting ready for a big yard sale going on in the neighborhood. Everyone is going through their closets and garages to get rid of the stuff they just had to have and haven’t used in the last three years. Me included. I am always amazed at the junk I collect. Some of it bought at other people’s yard sales or thrift stores. I love Thrift stores. All those bargains are just too good to pass up. My house is full of bargains and no more room to put one more thing. So I need to get rid of the stuff I just had to have to make room for more stuff I will just have to have and then get rid of 2 or 3 years later. It is a vicious circle that never ends.

OK… I pride myself on being pretty darn good at time management games. I played a bunch and I rarely had to repeat a level… so when I saw Lovely Kitchen on here I figured no sweat, right? Boy was I wrong. For all you gamers out there who are like me and think that you are a wiz at time management games, try to play Lovely Kitchen on simulation mode. I still can’t beat level 8! That is so sad I know! I’m an Italian from Jersey, and I can’t even come close to getting past the first few levels of this game! You think I would know my way around a kitchen!

The weather here in my Northern California home has been so nice lately that my friend and I decided to load up in the little motor home and take a trip to the Redwoods in Homboldt County. It is beautiful there and the tourist season hadn’t begun yet so we had our favorite campgrounds and fishing spots almost to ourselves. However, we did have some company and it is always nice to visit with people from different parts of the country. We met a nice couple from Delaware and had some nice meals around the campfire at night. It is so relaxing to just sit in front of a nice fire and listen to the radio or play guitars and maybe sip a nice glass of wine from one of our many California vineyards.

By popular demand we've provided a walkthrough for Youda Marina. If you haven't had a chance, you may want to check out this title. It's a fun business sim mixed in with some time management elements.

Ugggg… it’s been a long night… cough… think I might be coming down with something… too sick to go to work. OK, what do you think? Think my boss will buy it? Cause I was up really late last night playing my new favorite game… Aveyond Lord of Twilight and I just can’t seem to stop!

Our friends at Alawar gave us special access to Kirill Plotnikov who gave some great new dish on Farm Frenzy 3 (and 4, and 5). Kirill has quickly moved up the chain of command at Alawar, having produced over 90 games. The Farm Frenzy series, Natalie Brooks - Secrets of Treasure House, and Virtual Farm are just a few of the successful titles he's produced.

Wow. Finally unpacked for the summer and wasting away on the farm in Jersey once again.

Hello, Morgan.

This game is a fun marble popper with a couple nice innovations. The game has a lot of levels and it varies the pace of the game by introducing different challenge levels now and then. The action can get really fun and crazy. You can basically just let your balls fly and watch a huge chain of explosions. I can't remember playing a marble popper with the level of intensity found in this game. Another nice feature is that you can collect coins which allow you to buy power ups. If you like marble poppers, you'll probably like this one a lot. If you need some tips, I put together a little walkthrough for the game.

With nothing to do but relax this summer, I have found lots of time to play, which means, game guides!

Well Anne is off to the ranch for the summer and Zavy and I are here at our jobs. So without school I'm feeling a little separated from my family. What better way to fill that void than by playing "Virtual Families". This game is sort of a mix between the Sims and Virtual Villagers and is a nice fill in while we're waiting for the Sims 3 to come out. Enjoy the game and enjoy the guide!

I just finished playing Dream Chronicles: The Chosen Child and all I can say is... WOW! Like the two games before it, it is fun, beautiful, and intriguing. If you haven't played it, play it now! Not tomorrow, NOW!

Hey gamers!

When I was 17 years old I left the sleepy little cow town where I went to High school and ventured forth to San Francisco to further my education. I decided I wanted to be a Registered Dental Assistant and so I enrolled in school, paid my tuition and away I went. I was all by myself and scared to death. The first few weeks I was there I lived with a very nice Jewish family. The school I went to was three bus changes away from their house. The day before school started their 11 year old son took me to the school and home to show me where to get on the busses. I was green as grass. I was very happy living with the family and babysitting for them for my room and board.

I am definitely not any kind of wine expert by any means, but I do very much enjoy a nice glass of wine with dinner on occasion. There is such a romantic air around everything wine, from the beautiful vineyards to the rustic wineries, and sipping on a glass of wine makes me feel that I am somehow a part of it.

Adam Lambert in the bottom 2 last week? "American-Idol-voters-say-what!!?" as Miley Cyrus would say. I am glad that Allison made it to through though.

If Greek Gods are one of your passions then this Match 3 game should be right up your alley. Prince Theseus is trying trying to rescue Ariadne from the clutches of Minotaur. I am very grateful that I don’t have to try and pronounce these names aloud because I would be in deep trouble. I am afraid my education of Greek Gods is sorely lacking. Fortunately you don’t have to know anything about them to play this game. This is a classic Match 3. The graphics are great and you have the option of playing at your own pace or being timed. There are Orbs, Power-ups and super combos to help you clear the board faster. There are also trophies and other prizes you can win as you complete the levels. The more pearls you get off the board the faster you will travel down the road to new adventures. Have fun!

This is both a match 3 game and Hidden Object. Although from the trial game I played it is mostly hidden object I think. The object of the game is to rebuild your uncle’s province while he is traveling around the world. You are using the mighty Alchemy Machine to accomplish the task. The graphics in this game are really spectacular. And it is pretty fast paced. You need to collect all the coins you can for gold to upgrade your village. Try to only break tiles with coins on them to avoid wasting time. There are mini games you can play to get power ups to help you through-out the game. There is a fun game with a Leprechaun that I really liked. Coins fall out of a tree and you move the Leprechaun around to try and collect them in his basket. I had a heck of a time trying to get those coins. But with practice I believe I will succeed!

Counting down the days until E3 returns to LA this summer... Zavy and I are both registered. In the meantime - here's a fun little game to pass the time. Fun fact: this guide was written almost exclusively in a Starbucks in South LA. Long story as to why I couldn't be in my dorm room...

There aren't many "casual hunting" games out there, so this one caught my attention. This game will quickly "reel you in". This creatively illustrated game features a lot of fun game play as you try and catch fish amidst a myriad of pesky birds, sharks, and eels that will attempt to thwart you at every turn. There are solo fishing challenges as well as bracket rounds where you have to out-fish your competitor.

Thanks again to Kristi for pulling together this thorough guide to Legend of Crystal Valley. I was too caught up in March Madness to contribute anything useful the past few weeks.

My husband and I recently purchased our first home, and the learning curve about everything house related has been pretty steep. Up until now we've only been apartment dwellers so there was a lot for us to soak in and fast. It has been such fun though. The real estate market is pretty fascinating to me. So when I saw the new game, Be Rich, I just had to try it out since it combines two interests, time management games and real estate.

Somehow between shuttling kids to soccer practice, being the photog at a wedding shower, and planning for birthday parties I was finally able to finish a Serpent of Isis Walkthrough. Enjoy!

I have to tell you that this was a really hard game for me to play. But I stuck with it because it was so much fun. I am sure that one of the younger people on this game site will do a review or a walkthrough from an entirely different viewpoint, but keep in mind this is from a senior perspective. It took me almost 3 days to finish and I got stuck so many times I had to find a walkthrough to help me out. Also the hint button did not do me much good. Some of the objects are really small and hard to see. If you keep clicking on the same spot too many times you lose a hint. So needless to say I kept losing hints. So I would have to just click all over the page and sometimes I never did see what the object looked like so I couldn’t find it the next time it came up on the list. Also, sometimes you will need to go to other scenes in the puzzle to find an object there so you can get the object you are looking for. I am sure by now I have you really confused. But don’t worry. All the directions are spelled out clearly before you start the game.