Mahjong Solitaire - Online Mahjong Games Often Confused With Traditional Mahjong

This is a solitaire type matching game that, instead of cards, uses a set of Mahjong tiles. The tiles come from the popular four player game in Asia known as Mahjong. There are 144 tiles that are arranged most often in specific four or five layer patterns with the faces up.

The goal of Mahjong Solitaire is to match open pairs identical tiles, removing them from the board. "Open" tiles are those that can be moved either left or right without disturbing any neighbor tiles. As more tiles are removed, they expose more open tiles available for play. The game ends when all of the tiles have been removed from the board, one pair at a time. The game is also finished when there are no exposed, open pairs remaining.

This has become a very popular game to play online, and therefore has mistakenly become confused with the original Mahjong. Whether it is referred to as Mah Jong, Ma Jong, Mah Jongg, Ma Diao, Ma Cheuk, Mah Cheuck, Baak Ling, or Pung Chow, the history of this game is just about as fascinating as the game itself. Origins of the game have been attributed to everyone from Confucius to Noah, having been played on the ark. Although there have been tile games of some sort found in China from around 1120 AD, evidence or any records of Mahjong prior to 1900 are non-existent.

In the next 15 years after it emerged into the world, Mahjong spread very quickly across most of China, and slowly into the West, including America. Mahjong is historically recorded as being brought into America by Joseph P. Babcock, a representative of the Standard Oil Company. However, it wasn't until later that it became officially marketed and imported in large quantities.

Today, Mahjong is still very popular and Majong tile sets can be found on retail sites such as eBay. However, it has become wildly popular in its online variation of Mahjong solitaire, and has evolved into many different variations of the solitaire game. Some of these include Mahjong Connect, towers, medley, and many others, and are readily available on games sites such as Yahoo.

Make Video Games - Creating Hot Role Playing Games

Giving enthusiasts the ability to make video games gives this industry yet another arsenal for keeping interests high in an already most preferred form of indoors entertainment since this technology first hit the circuit. Of the many different types of video game formats RPG, short for role playing games, is very popular. It's technology enables users direct interaction with all aspects of creation including but not limited to mapping, selection of events, control over game intensity, graphics, and a host of many other interactive features. After making a map or the pinnacle from which to stage your adventures you would then create the parts of the (rpg) that make up the characters, good or bad. Events are then created and placed within the map completing your rpg. In working with maps you have access within the program to select graphics, good or bad, for villains, heroes, even monsters and enemies you simply name them and give them stats. Not to worry the bark is worse than the bite. An easy to use system tutorial is available for references and queries.

Having the ability to make video games, with an RPG maker, stories can be told in many different surroundings, in this case, events. Events anywhere from simple text and graphic displays to variable-wrangling technical tricks for creating intense RPG story lines are possible and unlimited. Quality RPG makers have grand features like interaction capabilities, some of which, allow the user to edit battle animations with full control of graphical special effects to multiple rpg characters during creation as well as spectacular battle scene layouts, customizable character graphics, and script editing options. That's right! Script editing capabilities. That puts you right in the drivers seat and gives you complete control of the entire engine's inner workings while you create your masterpieces. A chance at script editing to make video games unique to you.

No programming Experience? No Problem. One of the best features of a quality RPG maker is that you don't need to know anything at all about how to make video games. A quality RPG maker can have you building maps, houses, stores, characters and more with behaviors to match in no time because the easy to use user friendly interface! There is what they call a Ruby Game Scripting System (RGSS) in each RPG maker and the sole reason for it is to give the user complete control for adding customized actions to the game. No worries though. If you don't know how it's done there are reference materials included. So while building maps by working with tiles,  setting events, configuring triggers, and learning script language may seem intense, but (RPG)  makers actually makes learning how to make video games very easy and lots of fun!

Reasons To Use Adhesive Carpet Tiles

Since you've been searching for information about those tiles that can easily placed into the floor, you probably know a little something about them.

If you are planning to buy some, read on.

The key types of adhesive carpets available these days are; woven, tufted, need felt, Saxony and flat weave. If the place where to put these type of carpeting has high foot traffic, the need felt adhesive carpet tiles will have the desired effect. This is the best one for the purpose.

Buying an adhesive carpet tiles is actually a straightforward process. When selecting or searching for a particular type of it, you need to first calculate the area so you will know the amount or number needed.

Also take into account to order a few square footage from the item excessively, to be able to cut and cover further areas. The adhesive carpet tiles are obtainable at almost any carpet stores and there are numerous trusted on the web retailers that are in a position to provide them.

The adhesive type of carpeting is your superior choice if you have been suffering with your old one. That is, you continuously must change the complete carpet just for a couple regions because of deterioration or wear, or the price of carpeting has become expensive that you've not had the opportunity to style your area whilst using nearly luxury of carpeting.

Choose the best carpet tiles that are ready to suit individualistic requirements. Try it out and acquire creative touch to it and you will appreciate it and you will wonder why you did not use it in the first place before.

How to Play Mahjong - Major Variants of Mahjong

American Mahjong: if you sleep under a rock, you've probably heard of excitement sweeping the nation (and Internet)! This very popular strategy game of the tile is one of the hottest trends of the game in the United States. Brought from China nearly a century ago, Mahjong is a loyal fan base and gain little miracle - is social, and exciting! What more could you ask for? But before you learn how to play Mahjong, it is important to knowthat there are many different variations of this wonderful game.

Originally developed in China more than a century ago, mahjong fever has spread all over the globe and evolved into many different variations along the way. The original version, often called Classical Chinese mahjong is no longer very popular and has been replaced by newer variants. Hong Kong mahjong (sometimes referred to as Cantonese mahjong) is currently the most popular variant even though strangely it is identical to the classical version with the exception of minor scoring details. Japan also has their own variant that features scoring differences from classical mahjong as well as several unique features such as the rules of "riichi" and "dora."

When mahjong was brought over from China back in the 1920s, it was adapted to fit its new American audience, which meant faster game play and higher scores. Western Classical mahjong is a descendent of that variant and is currently based on the Wright-Patterson rules popular in the U.S. military. And then of course there is American mahjong, which features the biggest changes from the classical Chinese version and is a huge hit in the United States. American mahjong features joker tiles, the Charleston rule, melds of five tiles or more and shuns the use of the Chow and standard hands.

If you haven't learned how to play mahjong yet, you should! It's a challenging but exciting game that's extremely addictive, especially when played with friends and family. Don't miss out on this hot gaming trend!

Play an Ancient Four Thousand Year Old Game Called Mahjong

Mahjong is an ancient Chinese game. It is played with set of dices made of bone, wood, plastic resin and ivory. They contain tiles which are divided in three categories. The first set of his online game has suit tiles. All tiles have dots, lines and characters. These tiles look like a deck of cards, every set of suit tiles in the game has four sets of 9 dotted tiles, four sets of 9 character tiles and sets of 9 lined tiles. Some other special tiles are also seen in online games of Mahjong. One tile called as the honor tile contains three sets of dragon tiles. Each dragon has red, green and white color respectively. The white colored tile in this game is sometime depicted as a blank tile. Four other sets of tiles can also be seen in this game. These are called wind tiles, each of them depict a direction of North, South, East and West.

The main object of this ancient game called Mahjong is to make a winning hand in four sets having 3 tiles. The sequence of this game may start from a bamboo, circle or character. It may also start with a triplet of tiles. Very winning hand has total 14 tiles. In the beginning players have to deal with 13 tiles. They can create a big winning hand by drawing a Mahjong wall and discarding sets belonging to competitors. While playing one tile is to be discarded in the game in exchange of drawing one. The winning hand ends when a player obtains the Mahjong wall. By understanding the strategy and rules of the game a player can easily win over his opponents.

Some sets of Mahjong games depict tiles with themes of winter, seasons, spring and water falls including spring and summer season. These game sets may be slightly different from each other but all of them have 136 tiles. Many sets may even have 144 tiles. These are actually special decks of playing cards. All over line of these games make them sound to be classical. Now free online Mahjong games are available for playing. It's amazing to see that a game which is nearly four thousand years old has been turned into an online video game. It has been passed successfully from various generations of China to this modern world. These are now available in market in many versions, they are American version, Taiwan version, Japanese version and Vietnamese version.

Pai Gow Strategy That Works

Pai Gow is a truly fascinating game. There is something undeniably exotic about the manner in which it is played. And the name itself is just fun to say. Go ahead, say it a few times, out loud. Don't be a wimp. If you're feeling self-conscious, worried that the kids might hear you and either bust out in hysterics or tell your spouse you're having a nervous breakdown, just close the door and turn up the stereo to mask the sound of your voice.

Ready? Good, let's start. "Pai Gow... Pai Gow... Pai Gow..."

Continue this for as long as you want. It can be a quite soothing form of therapy. In fact, gambling lore claims that Pai Gow is actually an ancient form of sacred Zen meditation that some shrewd casino owner cynically turned into a money-based game of chance. Hey, are you done chanting yet? We have some important information to cover before this article runs out.

Now that we're back, let's take a look at some basic Pai Gow strategy. In game play, tiles are randomized on the table, and are stacked into eight stacks of four each. This is referred to as 'the woodpile.' Various ritualistic shuffles are made, rearranging the tiles in the woodpile in a number of different ways that result in a new woodpile. It is at this point that bets are made. Most commonly, seven players constitute a game. Each player's hand will be compared only against the dealer's hand to determine winners and losers.

Next, each player (including the dealer) is given four tiles with which to make two hands of two tiles each. The hand with the lower value is called the 'front hand,' and the hand with the higher value is called the 'rear hand.' If a player's front hand beats the dealer's front hand, and the player's rear hand beats the dealer's rear hand, then that player wins the bet. If a player's front and rear hands both lose to the dealer's respective hands, the player loses the bet. If one hand wins and the other loses, the player is said to" push," (meaning, tie) and receives in return only the money he or she bet.

Except for a few high-scoring exceptions, the best score a hand can have is nine. To find the value of a hand, simply add the total number of pips on the two tiles, and drop the 'tens place.' For instance, a 1-3 tile used with a 2-3 tile will score nine, since four plus five is nine. However, a 2-3 tile with a 5-6 tile will score six, and not sixteen. Why? Because you drop the 1 (which is in the tens place). Furthermore, a 5-5 tile with a 4-6 tile will score zero, since ten plus ten is twenty, and twenty reduces to zero when you drop the tens place.

Tricky, ain't it? That's all part of the fun. If you find yourself getting frustrated, just start chanting again (but now while operating heavy machinery).

Floor tile grout - how to mix mortar and Floor tiles reach the right consistency

No matter what method you use to mix floor tile mortar, be it by hand with a trowel or by power drill and mixing paddle, you must aim for the correct mortar mix consistency regardless. What you are looking to achieve is a mortar consistency similar to that of creamy mashed potatoes or pancake batter. This may take a little time to get correct, but when done properly it can save on a lot of time on the job of laying floor tiles, and a lot less hassle.

If your mortar mix is of a soupy or syrup-like consistency and is not able to stand upright on its own weight, then you will need to add more powder. If it is thick enough so that it does stand, but it does not flow slowly like molten lava when subjected to the force of gravity, then more water will be required. With regards to both instances where either powder or water is needed to be added, do this on a very minimal and gradual basis, other than hasty and generous scoops or pours.

There are no exact mix quantities to creating the perfect floor tile mortar consistency, therefore it's really much of a guessing game found through trial and error. The biggest factor which would throw these variables off would actually be the water you are using that is found in your particular region. Hard water has more of a dry chalky mineral content to it, so it would account for needing more water used in the mix as opposed to soft water regions.

For the correct amount of floor tile mortar to mix, again this is just a trial and error aspect depending on the speed of your laying floor tiles. Freshly mixed mortar should ideally all be spread within 15 to 30 minutes of mixing for best results; however it is possible for it to remain fresh for up to 2 hours. By placing a damp cloth or towel over your mortar mix bucket, you can slow down the drying-out process by keeping it moist for longer periods. Don't use a soaking wet cloth though, as it may drip more water into your mix and throw off the consistency.

As a final important time guide to obtaining the correct mix consistency of mortar, when you have that molten lava mix that your are happy with, you then need to give it mixing and rest periods. These allow the mortar dust to bond properly with the water and maximize its adhesive properties. Using your power drill and mixing paddle if possible to make the job easier and less strenuous, mix your mortar for a solid 5 minutes. Then, let it Sitting between 5 and 10 minutes to coagulate the better for them. Once rested, stirring continuously for another 2 minutes, and then is finally ready to begin immediately and the distribution of your floors.

Improve Your Memory by Playing Memory Games

You should be able to remember a number in the future if you say it over and over to yourself. However, if you try this when you are dialling a telephone number many times, even if it's for a couple of hours, you will forget it very soon.

This is because we don't keep the telephone number in our permanent memory. If you create a story in your head, this creates a strong mental image, enabling you to recall facts in the future. If you associate the event or fact with a picture, then you are more likely to remember it.

If you tell a story to a group, it can be great fun.

Put ten items, or more if you want, on a table. Try to remember what the items were. Each person then adds another item to the table, and then adds another part to the story. When all the objects have been added, and the story finished, take all of the items away, and see who can remember the most. Tell the story again, in order, taking it in turns to add each part.

If you tell the story in this way, you'll be surprised how many people remember the whole thing, and thus, all the items.

Another type of memory game is pexeso. This game involves matching pairs - they can be tiles or playing cards, when one of each pair isn't visible.

This game can be played by using half a pack of playing cards. Put 13 matching pairs of cards on a table - 2 jacks, 2 queens, 2 kings etc. The cards should be placed face down, and then shuffle them around, so you don't know what any of the cards are. Turn over one card at a time, and look at the picture, then place it face down again. You repeat this until you turn over a card which matches one you identified earlier in the game. When you find a matching pair, take them off the table.

Also, you can make up your own memory games, but make sure they are memory stimulating games which will stretch you mentally, such as problem solving games and puzzles.

Using Ceramic Art Tiles to Decorate Your Home

Looking for a new and exciting way to decorate your home? Tiles with decorative accent is a way to become very popular over the years. In the past it was something that only the rich could afford, but this has now changed. Ceramic tile art today is for everyone. If you plan to add an artistic touch to your home with these beautiful tiles is one of the best ways.

Ceramic tiles are original works of art and perfect inthe smallest detail. This makes them personal along with being decorative. You can choose from all types of designs that show your unique personality. You can take something that you love and want to keep forever and have it transformed into a painting onto ceramic tiles. These will never fade or become brittle like other items do, so you will always have a keepsake of your most treasured scenery or design.

They are a great way to turn a plain ordinary kitchen into a beautiful work of art. These tiles are so versatile that you can create any theme in your home that you desire. They are great for living rooms, bathrooms and bedrooms as well. Pools and patio areas look fantastic when decorated with these wonderful pieces. Children love to brighten up their bedrooms using the exciting designs that can be created by contemporary tile art. You will love all the great comments your originality will receive.

The designs that you can find on ceramic art Tile covers all types of animals such as birds and horses. Landscape sunsets, waves and flowers are very popular. Many people like the tiles create a loving environment for a romantic bedroom with a special ceramic art. You can also rural scenes, Victorian designs of the Southwest, and much more, which means that there is something perfect for everyone.

Mah Jong Game - A Popular Chinese Game is Quickly Becoming a Popular Game in America

I would like to define Mah Jong, also spelled Mah Jongg. For those of you that are wondering about this game that has become very popular in America.

How do you pronounce the Name

The dictionary has any of the following pronunciations: maa zhóng or maa jóng.

History of Mah Jong Tile Game

There are different beliefs about how the game originated. Some individuals believe a Chinese philosopher developed the game around 500 B.C. Others believe the Chinese Aristocrats developed the game 4,000 years ago. The game was kept secret until 1911 when China became a Republic. Mah Jong Games were brought to America. The game came to the Americas in 1920 by what we know as a popular casual clothing company Abercrombie and Fitch. The rules were translated into English the best way the people at that time could and the rest of the rules were invented by the American people.

What is Mah Jong

Mah Jong, also known as Mah Jong Solitaire, is a game played with tiles that have various colorful Chinese pictures. It is a little strange when you are learning how to play because you are not familiar with the pictures. If you enjoy playing the card games Solitaire or Gin Rummy, you should not have too much trouble understanding the rules of the game.

Fundamental Aspects of the Game

A game set consists of 144 tiles with 108 suit tiles, 28 honors tiles and 8 bonus tiles. The tiles can be subdivided into suits just like Solitaire or Gin Rummy. Keeping score is by adding the dots or dotted lines that are on the tiles. There are American translated versions of tiles which will make it easier to read the tiles. There are many variations of the game so be sure you know the rules of the the version you are playing.

The American Mah-Jongg Association

The game has gotten to be so popular that The American Mah-Jongg Association was formed in 1999 to keep the enthusiasm and spirit of the game popular among the American people.

Castle Ravenloft - A fun interactive game board for the family

Dungeons & Dragons are a fan? Do you have a board game with different scenarios and plot twists? You have the teamwork and the need for a strategy of fast-paced game? So buy a castle Ravenloft game. Play makes it fun, exciting and interactive.

Castle Ravenloft is 4 Installation of Dungeons & Dragons. The game begins with the story of a dinner invitation from the Lord of Castle Ravenloft. From there you will arrive at differentEnemies and traps, you must overcome to win.

The Castle Ravenloft board game consists of a die face 20, rule book, scenario book, 200 meetings and treasure cards, 13 sheet tile prison, and 40 plastic monsters and heroes. The games, the hero to play players in their choice between 4:59 what they can. The game objective is simple - you must complete the entire game to win. Miniature plasticHeroes and monsters a bit 'of a breeze in the imagination of the reader.

Like a game of role-playing games, characters must have the skills, HP and enough experience to and for the next record. Players have the option to change her, like her hero heroes statistics and level until have a better chance of winning attack. You need to find treasure maps for HP lost in battle to recover. Eventually, players must defeat the master of Castle Ravenloftthemselves.

Unlike other games, there is no Dungeon Master so that everyone has the same chance to fight. Another distinct feature is that other players have the ability to use mind-blowing strategies to defeat monsters and traps and as a team, unlike other games where each player has to fight. To be able to play, players must have knowledge about the rules of the game. But after a while, you can simply, without the need of a dramaGuidebook. The game lasts an hour, two hours, depending on the player's skill. And 'good for the players to join from age 10 and over, which means that means mom and dad could also spend an unforgettable gaming experience.

If you are a very exciting game playing time improves the quality of family tie, then buy a castle Ravenloft game. Even if you win or lose, everyone will surely have a good time to learning new strategies and rules.

Introduction to Domino

The domino-term (or domain) refers to parts (or tiles) that the facts have a domino effect. These sets are available in a variety of different variants of double-6 and double-nine dominoes, double 18. These figures represent the highest number of nuclei (data inlaid) on a tile in the crowd. The objective of the domino most games is in itself stop the opponent to empty his hand, while successfully doing. And 'one of the world's most popular tableGames, with many variations, including Mexican dominoes.

If you play Domino, the most elementary rules at the table with the domino apply for the six-dual block style of play. This is a series of games is using a set of tiles in adjacent tiles have the same value. Players take turns to play extension of the line until a player who can not. The winner is the player who plays their last card, unless the domino table is lockedbecause neither player is able to continue. In this case the player wins with the lowest total number of points remaining on their cards is the winner. The game is in nature, and is the mathematical world play at a high level in all the places. Domino games are played today in professional organizations like the International Federation of dominoes. amateur player, however, often buy tables and trays domino domino game to enjoyHome with family and friends. wood domino tables are one of the most popular styles, as well as colored dominoes. In places like Puerto Rico, is one of the most popular table game of dominoes, as a region occupied by the high sales figures in these tables.

The prices for professional domino tables which can vary from $ 70 to hundreds. plastic domino tables are becoming increasingly popular due in recent years, wood and fiberglass when compared to their low cost. Domino is nowalso come from a variety of sources. Regardless of the different components of the domino tables and tiles yourself, the game remains the same class play, has played for centuries and centuries of cultivation worldwide.

Pai Gow Poker: The Story of the game and rules

Pai Gow Poker is an ancient Chinese game, 1800, started being played in the United States in the early years. The game has changed a bit ', with cards used to play something besides the traditional use of tiles. It was their way into casinos until 1980.

The object of Pai Gow Poker is to make two poker hands winning to beat the dealer with both hands. The player has seven cards in a hand with five cards, (which the high hand) offers are made, and twoHandmade paper (the hand is down). These hands are then played and ranked poker hands as usual.

The only exceptions are: Ace, two, three, four and five is the second highest law, and the five cards in hand, which is the high hand must be higher than the two-card hand, which is the lowest hand. If the high hand and the lower are better than the dealer's hands, you win. If you lose both hands, you lose the game, otherwise it is a push. The banker always winsOur hands are tied, as King and Queen vs. King and Queen.

This game uses all 52 cards and a joker. The Joker can be used as an ace for a flush or straight. In Pai-Gow Poker is the only plan you need and share what you like and put your hand. In case you get confused and do not know what to do, you can show your hand to the dealer and they will tell you how the house would have had a hand. Couples usually wins the hand of two cards, and two pairs usually wins the hand of five cards, the ' only fear is that if split between two couples. This decision also depends on the house rules for splitting pairs. A hand that no pair has called Pai Gow.

This game is a game known as a relatively easy game to learn so much and, as Pai Gow is suitable for both beginners and experienced players. Pai Gow Poker is a game slow, time has the additional advantage that long, a small bankroll last a player. Pai Gow is an interesting break from the usualPoker game, and it is an acquired taste. If you're used to looking for a change of poker games or just a break from, you might want to try.

Discount Tile Flooring - Bargaining With Your Contractor

Remodeling of any kind involves huge investment outlays and tile flooring is no different. If you are planning to redo the flooring in your kitchen, bathroom or anywhere in your home, discount tile flooring is a good option. Putting in a brand new floor can cost a bomb; read this article to find out how you can avail of discounts through your contractor.

To get discount tile flooring you have to know how to find the best contractor at the best price. Contractors don't grow on trees nor do they come cheap! It will take you patience and persistence but it will pay off. Contractors usually come as a package deal inclusive of the tiles and labor. You have to use your street smarts to get ahead in the game and get discount tile flooring that will be beneficial to you.

You will find below tips to help you find your discount tile flooring through striking a good bargain with your contractor:

New businesses - Target new companies that are licensed and insured; do some research to find out about the company. Seek recommendations from friends and relatives who have used their service. Try to check them out online as well. Speak to the owner and follow your own instincts - they usually stand you in good stead.

New companies need the business and will give you maximum discounts for the job you want them to do. This is a sure method to get discount flooring. Contracting companies get good discounts from the manufacturer and they can pass on all or most of this discount to you the customer. Just because the company gives you a good discount does not mean that they don't know their job. On the contrary they are using discounts to build a reputation and client base; to do so they are willing to sacrifice the discounts they get in favor of the customer.

Seasonal Discounts - Contracting companies have exceptionally busy periods and lean periods in their business. These fluctuations depend on the economy, when it's up their services are in demand, when its down the demand also goes down. Plan your remodeling well in advance and set aside the budgeted amount. Normally December and January of any given year tend to be lean months in the contracting business. The holidays, the cold and the thought of the IRS knocking on your door can be considered as probable causes. Discount tile flooring is a definite possibility if you get your work done during this period. Avoid March, April and May at any cost if you want good discount tile flooring.

Negotiate - there is no rule anywhere that says you cannot negotiate. Most contractors put a margin of approximately 5% or even more on their prices should the customer decide to negotiate. You can get discount tile flooring if you are a good negotiator and can really drive a hard bargain. There is no need to feel embarrassed it's your hard earned money!

If the company you choose is going through a slack period, you can easily use these tips to get your discount tile flooring.

Family Games - Play Boardless Scrabble

Boardless Scrabble is a great family-friendly version of the popular board game. Because it's boardless, and because all players compete and participate at the same time, the game moves quickly. No more snoozing while you wait for Grandpa to make a seven-letter word!

And you can use Boardless Scrabble as a pre-writing activity disguised as a game, making it so much more fun to teach or reinforce spelling and vocabulary.

All you need is the bag of tiles from a Scrabble game, a pad of paper and a pencil. Here's how to play:

Place the Scrabble tiles face down in the middle of the table.



Each player picks seven tiles. Someone begins the game by calling, "Go!"



Working as quickly as possible, players try to use up all seven tiles to create their own little Scrabble puzzle.



The moment a player has used all his tiles, he shouts, "Go!" and everyone must grab one more tile.



Throughout the game, players continue adding to their Scrabble layouts, rearranging them as often as needed.



Once all the tiles have been taken, the first person to use all his tiles and complete his puzzle is the winner.



Score the game just like in regular Scrabble. For example, if a player uses "X" for "fox" (vertically) and ("taxi") horizontally, she will count the points for "X" twice. Deduct points for any unused tiles.

Tips and Variations

As the tile pile begins to dwindle, try to work with smaller parts of your puzzle rather than attempt to rework the entire arrangement. Remember that if the game ends before your puzzle is finished, unused tiles will count against your score!



Decide in advance your rules for the game. Will you allow foreign words? Obscure words? Proper nouns?



With mixed ages, you might allow younger children to use proper nouns.



Combine the tiles from several Scrabble sets to make a bigger pile on the table. You can often find old sets at garage sales. If they're missing a few pieces, it doesn't matter for Boardless Scrabble.



Give younger ones a handicap by doubling their final scores.



Or, don't count unused tiles against final scores.



Or, don't keep score at all. Simply admire one another's puzzles and best words!

Family Time Spent Tiling With Ceramic Tiles in the Bathroom

Modern living is full of pressure these days. Which is ironic as the creators of all our labour saving technology promised us lots of free time for leisure if I recall. The truth is families feel more disconnected than ever and need to reclaim time together so they can cherish and enjoy one another.

As a proud parent with two children I am acutely aware of the challenges faced. My children do have lots more opportunities than I ever did. In addition to this the access to technology such as the internet, social websites and games consoles means their time can be easily consumed just chatting to friends.

Recently we noticed our sons attitudes really changed when we allowed him to have a gaming system that was linked to the internet in his bedroom. He seemed withdrawn and consumed with being online, playing combat games all day long (if we would let him). To make things worse when he was not playing online he would be in constant communication with his Equal to the chat service on his cell phone and dinner.

This affected the atmosphere in our house when he had become a bit 'grumpy and ready to perform their duties without much reminded me to do first.

In order to solve this problem I rationed the amount of time each week, which is entitled to spend two online games or chatting with friends. Now he is obliged to provide us with the rest of society and we play games, take walks and hikesout together.

One surprising but pleasant event was when I insisted recently that he helped me fit some ceramic bathroom tiles. After quite a lot of moaning and complaining he began to get involved, really owning the project. So much so that I allowed him to pick out the tile border and do the grouting.

His enthusiasm spread and very soon my partner and daughter also got stuck in too. As well as achieving a new bathroom we spent hours together laughing and talking together and enjoyed some quality family time.

Scrabble Flash Cubes: A Modern Take on a Classic Game

What Is Scrabble Flash Cubes?

Scrabble Flash Cubes is a modern and easily transportable version of the classic board game. You use electronic tiles to play and there are 3 different game modes to try out.

This is a good game for both children and adults and is perfect for road trips and family vacation trips. It will be among the many best selling toys this year for Christmas. The suggested ages for this game is eight and up.

How do you play Scrabble Flash Cubes?

The game makes a chime noise to indicate the game's start and every SmartLink game tile will display a letter. Your job is to rearrange the tiles to produce words before time runs out. The SmartLink tiles can "read" each other when they are touching and know when you've spelled a word. Once you've spelled a word, the tiles will beep and light up and you can spell another word. As Once the time is up, Tiles, the present your guests. Then you can reset button and play again with a new collection of letters.

Scrabble Cubes Flash Game Modes

The game Scrabble Cubes Flash has three modes of play, the game can be. Two of these games are single player games and one is a multiplayer game.

Flash: The person is so many words as possibleusing the same 5 points in 75 seconds. Every word of five letters to carry an extra five seconds on the clock.
Five Letter Flash: The person must tiles-Letter Word 5 on the letter. If the player has completed a five-letter word - 5 new collection of letters will be an exhibition on the tiles. Brand, 75 seconds are so many players swear 5 to ensure that, within the given time.
Flash Pass: This is amultiplayer game. The players will pass the tiles around and try to make 5-letter words. Once one player has formed a 5-letter word the tiles are handed to the next participant and the tiles will show a fresh set of letters. If a player can't make a 5-letter word inside the allotted time, they are going to be eliminated. This continues until there is only 1 player left.

What is included in the box?

5 SmartLink Cubes
5 CR2032 Batteries (installed in the SmarkLink cubes)
Storage Box
Instructions Booklet

Dungeons and Dragons Castle Ravenloft Board Game

The Dungeons and Dragons Castle Ravenloft Board Game is an exciting board game for those who are not afraid to take risks - at least in the virtual sense. The scenario for the game is the Castle of Ravenloft. The master of this castle is throwing a dinner banquet and all of you are invited. But that is not all. The towers, passages and dungeons of the castle are full of dangers. You will have to brave these, and many other dangers, to get to your final destination. And you will have to prove your valor, remember: fortune favors the brave.

The board game is designed for 1 to 5 players and consists of multiple challenging quests, numerous scenarios, great amounts of value for replay and cooperative game play. This D and D board game includes the following components:

scenario book,
rule book,
13 sheets of interlocking cardstock dungeon tiles,
40 plastic heroes and monsters,
20 sided die and,
200 encounter and treasure cards.
Apart from these, there are other components like coffins, health pips, status modifiers and character cards etc. These component parts are sturdy and therefore will last for years. Different characters are painted in different colors. The heroes are light gray; infamous villains like the werewolf and Stradh are dark gray; the undead like skeletons and zombies etc. are white; spectral undead like ghosts, specters etc. are of a translucent blue shade while the animals are brown. This colour code is very helpful while playing. Even a cursory glance will help you know the positions of monsters, allies and animals enabling you to take quick decisions about the movements and maneuvers. The hero cards have only two levels of power set and are quite similar to the fourth edition of the Dungeons and Dragons Board Game. This simplifies the matters as you have to do minimum book and score keeping. Plus you get to understand and comprehend your hero very quickly and easily.

The scenario booklet aids you in the selection of the scenario that in turn determines the conditions of victory. Some of the scenarios can be connected one after the other so that the entire game becomes longer and more exciting. This will also keep the game going for several days or weekends. The game is of a group or cooperative nature and so either all the heroes win or the whole group loses.

The game board is built, as you go along. The tiles are the secret rooms and corridors of the castle and more games, more of the castle is revealed. The heroes do not have any tile in breakfast - just have the edge. Each tile bears a new monster. The player who has drawn the particular paper, will deal with the monster. Heroes win, defeating his equipment and points. This experience shows included in the gross value of communitypoints. They can be used either to negate some encounters or to level up your hero.

All in all, this is a wonderful game that will bring out your spirit of adventure and virtually transfer you in an age of castles, knights, heroes and monsters. The game is most suited for kids whose parents want them to enjoy the experience of RPG style play without getting into the technical complexities of race selection, character sheets, statistic generation and the other RPG convolutions. The beautifully printed tiles, included minis and the tokens can conveniently help you in dungeon mapping for your home campaigns.

The Best Saws For Cutting Hard Surfaces

Marble tile is commonly used. Marble is very popular and has proven successful for generations to bear. The Taj Majal in India is an example of use of marble. Most of the materials for the construction of the Taj Mahal marble are used. Marble signifies purity. It creates a glossy finish and style in any environment such as floors, counters and fountains for indoor and outdoor.

Marble cutting with diamond blades. They provide precise dimensions. To facilitate thebuffing, a polishing pad is then used. This polishing pad comes in different grits and sizes. You can ask the sales person to give you complete details on the marble you wish. The sales person can determine your specific needs.

Wet tile saws have changed the various methods in which any tiles are cut. The wet tile saws come with a hose and water pump to drench the tiles' area with water instead of hosing indiscriminately. This is to prevent overheating of the saw, keep the surface cool and to reduce friction. Wet tile saws are utilized to be cut-precise. They are also cost-efficient tools.

A wet tile saw works by making a channel through the ceramic tile. Thereafter a dull blade is used without serration. This varies from other tile saws that utilize sharp metal blades for cutting. Wet tile saws leave the tile's edge smooth. Working with tile saws will ensure your job is completed more quickly. Size specific blades can be utilized to facilitate whatever sizes and areas you need to complete in your tile work.

For bricks or thicker ceramic tiles, brick saws are specific for this purpose. Brick saws are equipped with larger than usual cutting blades and wheels of tile saws. Such examples of this type of saw are diamond saw blades and jig saw blades.

Before making the final purchase of the tile saw and blades online or in the store, you are strongly advised to seek further details from the seller or the manufacturer. They can provide the necessary information and complete. You should also ensure the product warranty for best results.

Scrabble Flash Cubes: This Year's Most Popular Game for Christmas

Scrabble Flash Cubes is a new twist on the game of Scrabble. Using new technology called SmartLink, you use 5 tiles with screens on them to build words to score points. The tiles communicate with each other over SmartLink to keep track of your words and our points automatically.

The game travels easily and very easy to use for younger players. There are 3 different play modes to keep the game interesting and fun. The first game is a solo game. In this game, you have a set time to find as many words as you can. We find that this game is one of our favorites.

The second game is Five Letter Flash. In this game, the player trying to find one five letter word with the letters provided. Once they find a word, then they get five new letters and they continue until they run out of time. The goal being to score as much as they can in the time provided.

The third game is a multiplayer game, called Pass Flash. Each player takes a turn forming a five letter word in the time limit. If they are not quick enough to complete their word and pass the blocks to the next player, they are eliminated from that game. This continues until no one is left.

Scrabble Flash Cubes is very easy to get started with and most people are able to pick up the game and start with very little instruction. Before you know it you will have the blocks flying around the table as you scramble to find new words.

The package comes with the blocks, a nice carrying case and it even includes batteries. So it's ready to go right out of the box. If you love Scrabble, this variation is a great way to enjoy the game either solo or with a group. It's great fun!

Important variations of Mahjong - Play Mahjong How

American Mahjong: if you sleep under a rock, you've probably heard of excitement sweeping the nation (and Internet)! This very popular strategy game of the tile is one of the hottest trends of the game in the United States. Brought from China nearly a century ago, Mahjong is a loyal fan base and gain little miracle - is social, and exciting! What more could you ask for? But before you learn how to play Mahjong, it is important to knowthat there are many variations of this wonderful game.

Originally, in more than a century ago developed fever Mahjong China has spread all over the world and has developed numerous variations on the road. The original version, which is often not a classic Chinese Mahjong very popular and has been replaced by newer versions. Hong Kong Mahjong (sometimes referred to as Cantonese mahjong) is currently the most popular version, although it is strangeidentical to the classic version, with the exception of minor details score. Japan also has its own variant, the differences in score from the classic Mahjong and has some unique features such as the rules of "Riich" and "Dora."

If mahjong brought from China in 1920 was adapted to a large number of his new American audience, which meant higher and faster the game. Western Classical Mahjong is a descendant of this variant and is currentlyat Wright-Patterson popular rules in the armed forces of the United States. And then there are American Mahjong, the biggest changes on the characteristics and traditional Chinese version is a great success in the United States. American characteristics Joker mahjong tiles, the Charleston rule merges five or more tiles and to avoid the use of standard chow and hands.

If you have not learned how to play Mahjong, this would be! It 's a challenge, but that is extremely exciting matchdependence, especially when playing with friends and family. Do not miss this trend in online gaming!

The games require verbal skills

There are a number of games available to the public, who pay close attention to words and vocabulary. Play any of these games is easily someone with a large vocabulary, yes, but it should be recommended for someone because they have shown that improving the verbal skills to help people of all ages and education. Some of the games available to focus specifically on the verbal part talking about a good vocabulary. The best we can talk and articulate theirLanguage, the better their performance. Other games focus more on words and a test of vocabulary knowledge and help players with the range of words.

Tabu and Mad were two games, vocabulary to focus more on the side of good talk. Taboo functions for the production of teammates to guess a specific word, without a specific list of forbidden words. These specific words are considered "taboo". If a player can have enough to think certain words or, to use,teammates to lead to the conclusion of the selected word in question are points. To know, to communicate a large number of alternative words that have similar ideas, is very helpful for players in the round. Taboo takes a lot of quick thinking in order to achieve their goals. Mad Gab, on the other hand, its energy is concentrated on the skills of expression. The players are a collection, which may in fact written by phoenetically. To understand what exactly the sentence reads:However, very difficult and players, the game knows how to make use of articulation skills will give its best in this.

Other games, however, are more effective with the vocabulary words necessary for a good. The words that are known, the better a player can do. Speed Scrabble, for example, is an interesting twist on the classic Scrabble, players who think and act quickly and still give a chance for creativityPlayer of the classic game come to love again. The concept behind the game is simple and its implementation is fast. Players are never forced to wait for another to finish their part to do and do not adapt their strategy, because someone took the place they had in mind for their next turn.

The game begins with a basic set of Scrabble. The tab for the game is down the side and ignored. All of the 100 letter boxes are placed face downon the table and mix everything. Each player picks seven tiles at random and puts them in front of himself, always face down. A player is therefore the first "Go-men", and if every player is ready to write that person, even as "Go!" All players then their 7 tiles Flip and continue with all the tiles to form words in crossword puzzles in basic form. All tiles must be used and all have to cut other words, just as awould find on a classic game of Scrabble, except that the player is based only on their own words. Players are challenged with this game, think creatively, outside the box, starting right vocabulary to benefit more than other players. All of these games, however, facilitate the learning of verbal skills in each player concerned.

Complete Wii Balance Board Game List

I took some time to write a simple list about all the Wii games that are compatible with the Wii Balance Board (Wii Fit Board). Most of them are already released, some will be by early next year. I also included a small summery for each of the games.

1.All Star Cheer Squad - basically you have to play a cheerleader who moves up to become the head cheerleader. Start of as the rookie who has to try out for even getting accepted into the squad. The more you play the game the more advanced routines you will learn. You can play career mode or mini game mode style.

2.Academy Of Champions: Soccer - the tile says it all, a game basically for boys who love soccer. This title includes 12 mini games. Or play the story line to battle against a football academy. Try to make your team win the championship.

3. Avatar - the game to the upcoming film Avatar. The film is by James Cameron. The game is an action based adventure game, which takes place at an alien planet. Will be released at the end of November.

4. Daisy Fuentes Pilates - a great workout game not only for all the pilates lovers, but also people in general who want to improve their posture and do some more exercise without going to the gym. This game includes 10 pilates routines. There are 5 pre set routines and 5 customizable ones. The game starts at the level of beginners, but will move up in difficulty to advanced. You can play this game in English or Spanish. The commentator is Daisy Fuentes that will guide you all the way with her great tips in subjects like health and fitness.

5. DanceDance Revolution Hottest Party 3 - a sequel to the DanceDance Revolution games. You can either play with the dance pad or as the title of this article says, with the Wii Balance Board. The game can be played in workout mode, story mode, lesson mode or kids mode. This rhythmic game is the best one until now, because all the previous titles didn't include the Wii Balance Board. It includes also more than 50 tracks of music.

6. Diva Girls- Divas On Ice - a nice girlie game who want to try out as ice princesses. There is a career mode available, but also mini games. Defiantly a game for girls for the age of 8+.

7. Doctor Fizzwhizzle's Animal Rescue - a game where you have to advance in stages to rescue animals. An arcade kind of game. You have more than 180 levels to play and can rescue 60 different animals. It includes also a kids mode with quizzes about animals.

8. Don King Boxing - a boxing game where you step into the ring to fight against the greatest boxers in real venues like Madison Square Garden or Boardwalk Hall. See if you can make it to the top - in career mode. This is one of the top rated games of this year. You should try this game, even if you are not too much into boxing. This gives you the workout of a fitness game, but still makes it fun to play. Has a teen rating.

9. EA Sports Active More Workouts - This is the sequel to the EA Sports Active Personal Trainer game that was released about a year ago. One of the highest rated Wii fitness games. You can use the Wii Balance Board, the Wii remote and Nunchuk to play this game. This game adds 35 new exercises that target the whole body. More Workouts is made to be played in the winter as it focuses on warm-weather games like surfing, jet skiing and rafting. It also keeps players motivated with a 6-week-challenge that tracks the players progress.

10. EA Sports Active Personal Trainer - This was probably the most successful game for the Wii Balance Board. You can play sports like running, basket ball, volley ball, roller skating, boxing, baseball, dancing, and many other games. This game includes a rubber resistant band for muscle workouts and a pouch for jogging and running. If you want to play this game with a friend you can get the gear also separately. Sign up for the 30 day challenge with its 20 minute workouts to get into shape. This game will make your living room into a gym without the need of leaving the house.

11. Go Play Circus Star - Go try out to become the greatest circus performer. Play in career mode and play stage-by-stage or play mini games. Most of the games in this title are compatible with the Wii Balance Board. One of three games of the Go Play series.

12. Go Play City Sports - Another one of the Go Play series. Play six street games like stick ball, kickball, street hockey and soccer. In career mode you have to stand up for yourself and become the top athlete of your street. A fun and casual game for the whole family.

13. Go Play Lumberjacks - The last one of the Go Play series. This title takes you to the outdoors where you can play five different event categories. In each one of those categories you compete against three other players. One of the fun games is defiantly the water log game where you have to balance on a log.

14. Gold's Gym Cardio Workout - Another great fitness title. What makes this game unique it that when you buy it, you get a free one week trial at any Gold Gym. In the game your workout is chosen according to your own fitness level. So you don't have to worry that you will not be able to keep up. Includes boxing, running, rope jumping and many other sports.

15. Imagine Fashion Party - A game for all the girls who love to live the world of fashion. Includes office mode where you play a designer that get challenged by difficult clients. Or try to be a make-up artist and style your models before they hit the runway. You can even own your own TV show just like the one from Heidi Klum. This game also lets you share pictures through the Wii Wifi connection.

16. Imagine Party Babyz - For all of you who love the cute baby games like baby food throwing, dancing and hula hoop. There are more than 30 fun mini games to play. Or go for the career mode where you are in charge of a daycare center.

17. Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009 - Another one of the popular fitness games for the Wii. This is a boot-camp-style game that focuses on four workout types: weight loss, intervals, hill climb and strength training. Just like in real life the game starts with warm-up, keeps you in your target zone to burn calories and cool-down for stretching. It even has a competitive mode where you play against a friend to find out who can burn more calories. The game is lead by fitness guru Jillian Michaels, that not only guides you through each exercise but also offers lifestyle tips.

18. Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2010 - The sequel to the boot-camp style fitness game. It adds on to the other game with a resolutions mode. In this mode you can plan ahead your routines for up to six months. Just like the first game it focuses on cardio like running, bicycle, swing kicks, jumping jacks. Strength training includes exercises like lunge kicks, push-ups, back kicks, sledge swings and many more. It offers very accurate motion tracking to give you a real-life experience. This is a recommended game if you want to get into shape fast.

19. Marble Saga Kororinpa - one of my favorite fun games from all Wii games. It includes more than 100 levels for the Wii Balance Board. Don't be fooled because I called it fun games. This game will defiantly challenge you while you try to move across the mazes and collect all the orange gems. If you collect also the green gems (one per level) you can unlock more stages at the end. Not only can you choose the difficulty but also different marbles - each with their own strengths. Collect all the stomp-temple-parts and you unlock the ability to design your own mazes at the end. You will play in 7 different worlds, each one with their own characteristics. So after you played the whole game you can even connect via the Wifi to get more advance levels. Check out the leader boards via the Wifi to see you is the best in the game.

20. Mario And Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games - Compete at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Canada. Choose your favorite character from players like Mario, Sonic and Donkey Kong. This game is aimed primarily at fans of these figures. You can play mode, the game in single player, multiplayer and festivals. Festival-mode means that you have become through all the Olympic sports, the greatest Olympic champions. This game includes winter themed games such as skiing, ice hockey, bobsled and figure skating. But that dream to play events will not happen in real life as a dream fight snowball. You move your character witha combination of the Wii Balance Board, wii remote and nunchuk.

21. Mountain Sports - Another winter themed game that features six full length sports to make your gaming experience more satisfying. These include skiing, snowboarding, biathlon, tobogganing, bobsledding and curling. The goal of the game is to become the champion of the white mountain. Most of the games make use of the Wii Balance Board (5 out of six)

22. My Fitness Coach - This fitness game includes 500 exercises like cardio, flexibility and strength training. You can choose your favorite environment to suit your mood. Also customize your music with styles like Latin music, hip hop, oldies, music from the 80's,... As you progress the workouts will get more demanding. It also includes a meditation garden to practice stretching and yoga.

23. My Personal Golf Trainer - The only golf game that makes use of the Wii Balance Board. Not yet release thus not much more information available.

24. NewU: Fitness First Personal Trainer - another fitness title that was released in 2009. Just like many of the other fitness based games your own personal virtual trainer guides you through a set of exercises. This game will try to get you in better shape through fitness and healthy living without you ever having to leave the comfort of your own home.

25. Overturn - a wii ware title that you can get through the Wii Shop via the Wifi Connection.

26. Playmobil: Circus - This game combines the playmobil characters with the circus theme to attract primarily the younger players. You can unlock more than 16 circus tricks to impress the crowd. Two multiplayer modes are available: versus, where you compete against a friend and teamwork, where you work together to reach your goal. Play acts with elephants, magician, tame the lion and many more wacky games.

27. Punch Out - The sequel to the popular game of more than 15 years ago. Play against characters like Glass Joe and King Hippo. Most of the names will be familiar if you played the first game. In career mode you will have to win against 13 opponents. Each one has their own characteristics and weaknesses. Boxing games are not only fun games to play but will definitely get you into The form you use to play as the whole body. The Wii Balance Board makes the game more realistic.

. 28 Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party - the only game in the Rayman Raving Rabbids, the card is compatible with the Wii. This game focuses on the TV series, commercials and TV classics. Play Story Mode, where you are going on TV for a week with hilarious challenges and unique tasks. O party play mode for up to 8 players, four ofwhich can play simultaneously. In all these mini games your overall goal is to help the rabbids destroy the daily TV viewing and thus drive Rayman crazy. Two of the 65+ games are Beestie Boarding (slide down a hill filled with obstacles where the board is a wildebeest) and Garden of Weeden (get rid of all the weeds in the garden by spraying them with poison - apply pressure to the Wii Balance Board to succeed in the challenge). Overall, one of the number one party games.

29. Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip - Shaun White will instruct you to become a great snowboarder. Turn the board so you glide down the mountain just like on a real snowboard. You can enjoy the scenery with the unique camera system and beautiful graphics. Or go for the challenges to compete in snowboarding events. There are four ventures to explore: Alaska, Europe, Japan and Park City.

30. Shaun White Snowboarding World Stage - was published only recently. It is the successor of Shaun White Snowboarding Road Trip game. This game, just like its predecessor, the 10 + rating. You can do it in half-pipe to be better than anyone else? A great game if you live far away from any snow, but you want to know what it feels like to snowboard.

. 31 Skate City Heroes - a skating game that is set in a futuristic city on top of skyscrapers. You have to race betweentrains, hoover over cars and other crazy moves. The goal of the game is to out-race your opponent with your skills and moves. You need to free a friend and make peace in the city. All these if you can become the skateboarding master. Has a multiplayer mode for up to four players.

32. Skate It - A more realistic skating game where you can customize your own skate park with ramps, rails, benches and many more skate-able objects. The career mode lets you compete in skate venues to become the skater of the year. This is the game for you if you are into skating and the whole skate culture.

33. Ski And Shoot - A biathlon style game that includes original world cup tracks. But you can not only compete in those original sport spots but also play real time biathlon sports icons like Kati Wilhelm and Michael Rosch. Choose from 20 different tracks and more than 15 international locations. As the title says, you will focus on cross country skiing and target shooting.

34. Snowboard Riot - another Wii Ware title that you can get through the Wifi Connect Shopping channel of your wii.

35. Stratosphere Yoga - not much yet known about this title or when it will be released.

36. Super Monkey Ball: Step And Roll - Planned release is in February of 2010. This is a sequel to the popular Super Monkey Ball series. You play a monkey (several different ones to choose one each one with their own strengths) in a giant bubble that has to finish levels and collect bananas on the way.

37. The Biggest Loser - The game to the popular TV show "The Biggest Loser". Not only for those who want to loose weight but also for those who want to stay in shape and not gain weight. Trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels will guide you through exercises, motivate you and stand by you all the way. This title includes more than 88 exercises which target the upper- and lower body, the core and cardio. It also teaches you yoga poses and thus improves your posture. The Wii Balance Board can be used in over 66 exercise. Choose from 4, 8 or 12 week challenges and see if you can stay above the yellow line in weigh-in. To all those above mentioned features it also includes more than 50 healthy recipes and a daily planning calendar.

38. Vertigo - An action game where you have to control a metal ball. Try to keep it from falling off the sides just with the balance of your body. Sounds easy but is in reality very tricky. The game is set in a futuristic environment on top of skyscrapers and tall buildings. It includes 54 levels and has 4 different modes. You can even customize your own ball to give it its unique controls.

39. Walk It Out - an upcoming walking game. This game will be released in January 2010. The more you take steps and walk, the more beautiful your world will become. This game features more than 120 songs which should keep you focused and motivated. The game keeps track of your progress and burned calories with charts and graphs. You can use the Wii Balance Board, the Dance Dance Revolution controller, the wii remote and the nunchuk to play the game. This is a very popular game in Japan, where it is already released.

40. Water Sports - The game focuses on summer themed games like windsurfing, jet skiing, kite surfing and wake boarding. You have different locations to choose from like Australia and South Africa. Do tricks and combine them to get lots of points.

41. We Ski And Snowboard - Choose from 14 courses and from beginner to advanced in this great skiing game. Choose if you want to go skiing or snowboarding. You are in the Happy Ski Resort where you can focus on just casual skiing, competitions or tricks with your snowboard. Explore the surrounding area by helicopter. You can even decide at what day-time you would like to experience skiing: during day, afternoon with its warm light or night under the light of fireworks.

42. We Ski - Again you are in the Happy Ski resort. This game lets you only do skiing but you will for sure enjoy the great two mountains. You can even try black diamond slopes. Just like in the previous game, you can select the time of day, and of course you would like to try. Overall a fun game for the whole family.

. 43 Wii Fit - The most popular game for the Wii Balance Board. This is the game that was released with the board. Part of the title to concentrate on the account balance as the balance games and yoga games. Places our family favorites are the balance games. You start with 5 games. The more time you spend exercising andplaying the more games you can unlock. The other categories are Strength Training and Aerobics. You can even create a Wii Fit Channel - a mode where you don't have to put in the DVD to do a daily body test. Each time you do a body test you will be weighed and your balance will be tested. According to that you will get a score that is your Wii Fit Age. Don't take it too seriously if you are 10 or so years older than your real age. This should just motivate you to do daily exercises and keep in shape.

44. Wii Fit Plus - The just recently released sequel to the Wii Fit game. It combines the two games so you can play both of them from one CD. The difference is that you can now customize your workouts much easier and even decide if you want to do 20, 30 or 40 minute workouts. This game adds six new yoga activities and strength training exercises and 15 new balance games. A very fun game for the whole family not only if you are into fitness and weight loss.

45. Wii Music - Use the Balance Board to play 60+ instruments. But it does not matter if you press buttons at a certain time like in other music games. This is a very casual game, where there is no right or wrong. Just enjoy yourself while playing in a band. You can invite up to 4 people to play with you in your band. And you can even connect with friends through the Wifi connection. Choose your flavor like rock, Jazz and Latin.

. 46 Winter Sports 2, the final challenge - a theme of Winter Wonderland game where you try in 18 disciplines of 11 different winter sports. In this game you are in the center of all sporting events will be broadcast all over the world. Some of the activities include snowboarding, ice skating, biathlon and ski jumping.

. 47 World Championships in Athletics - 28 different themes for the summer games. Sports in some of these gamesare: diving, obstacles and pole vault. See if you can improve to win the gold medal and the best.

-. 48 Yoga game just recently released that focuses only on the yoga lifestyle, but also for her is not unique. You can choose from Story Mode, where you start as a complete novice and end as a yoga guru yoga to choose. Training mode, where you can learn new poses. And how routine, where you customize a training that brings together different Yogaposes. This game is a must if you liked the yoga exercises in the Wii Fit game.

Most of the games are just casual games that you play for fun. Some of them are excellent fitness games like Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. And my pick for the most fun game from the whole list: Marble Saga Kororinpa. In this game you have to balance a marble through a maze and collect colored gems on the way. Might sound boring to you, but when you play it you get really addicted. You can play this game also with the Wii Remote only. (Not less fun!)

Bananagrams - The Banana Word Game That Will Drive You Bananas For More!

I've grown up with the video game generation and have never really been able to stay focused or entertained with most table top games like Monopoly or Scrabble. Maybe I'm just a little impatient with my games, but I never liked waiting for everyone else to finish taking their turns. I'd rather just cut the game short and be done with it most of the time. So last Christmas time, when my mom suggested me and my brothers all play a game called Bananagrams with her, I was skeptical about the "fun" that she was raving we'd have together.

My Mom had played Bananagrams a few weeks ago with her sisters and they were all hooked on it now. So she bought us our own Bananagram word game to play while we were all home for the holidays. The four of us sat around the table and then unzipped the little banana-shaped pouch and poured out all of the144 little tiles into a pile in the center of the table. The tiles must then be placed face down and this group of tiles in the center is referred to as the "BUNCH."

Then the game began! A player says "SPLIT" and all the players turn their tiles face-up and begin to form their own individual group of intersecting words. Nobody has to wait turns for other players. This was a surprising change for me. I could make my own words and the game action was non-stop! The words may be horizontal or vertical, reading left to right or top down like a crossword puzzle, and each player can order their new words, whenever they want.

If a player has left nothing of its original character, player says "peel" and take a stone from the pile. At this point, all other players must also be a card from the pile and add your collection of letters. This is part of what makes the game exciting in the race to create tiles with all your words before you are forced to peelmore tiles from the bunch.

Also, at any time and as often as desired during the game, a player may return a difficult-to-use letter back to the center of the bunch, face down, but must take three letters in return. The player must declare this action to the other players by saying "DUMP". This exchange doesn't affect the other players though.

The first player with no remaining letters shouts "BANANAS" and is the winner of that game. Each game can be played in as little as five minutes or for much longer depending on the number of players and their abilities.

In the end, we all played about ten games in that first sitting and we were all really pleased with Bananagrams! It looks simple, just being a banana-shaped pouch with some tiles, but it's really a fun game that challenges you to think. It's a great game but also a great educational tool too. I think all age groups will enjoy this game and it's a wonderful way to spend some quality time with friends and family.

The Bananagrams game has won several awards and has received high reviews from everyone from toy stores to schools. There's even a Facebook application for the game. It's also a really great game for travel since it's so portable and small. If you're looking for some addicting fun for the whole family or just a little stress relief from your busy life, then go do yourself a favor and invest in a Bananagram for instant entertainment!

By Alex Sumerall

How to Play the Carcassonne Game

Carcassonne is a game that involves strategically placing tiles. The name of the game comes from an ancient French city that was famous for its fortified walls. The aim of the Carcassonne Game is to build a medieval landscape from the tiles; the effectiveness by which players create this landscape will determine their overall success in the game. Carcassonne can be played two to six players and it normally takes less than an hour to play a game to its conclusion. The game ends when all the tiles are placed.

To start the game you place any random tile down on the surface. The rest of the tiles are then mixed up and placed face down. The players themselves will need to decide the order of play; most people decide to go clockwise and you can decide who goes first be seeing who scores highest or lowest on a dice roll- there is no rule about this so it is left to your discretion.

The first player begins the game by turning over a tile. This tile will then need to be placed next to the first tile that was laid down at the start of the game, and after this all tiles will need to be placed adjacent to a tile that is already turned over. It is also necessary that any feature tile be placed beside a feature tile of the same type; for example, a river tile needs to be next to a river tile and a road tile needs to be next to a road tile.

When you have constructed a feature it is up to you to decide if you want to place a follower or meeple there; this is important for your final score at the end of the game.

When a feature is complete the scores are divided among the players. So if a road, city, or cloister is complete during the game then the players will receive points dependent on the number of meeples they have on that feature and the overall size of the feature. The score from the fields will be given at the end of the game.

When the final tile has been placed then the rest of the scores can be awarded. As well as the fields there will also be points for unfinished features where a meeple is situated. A field that has a city bordering it will be given extra points. After all the scores have been added up the player with the most points will be proclaimed as the winner.

Carcassonne is a game that people can learn to play in a relatively short time. Despite the fact that it is really easy to get into the game, it still involves quite a bit of strategy and this makes it all the more engaging. It can provide hours and hours of entertainment, but if your interest ever does wane there are plenty of expansion packs to liven things up a bit. This is a game suitable for many different types of people from the beginners to experienced players.

Introduction to Mahjong

Mahjong is a board game that was originated in China but the exact date of origin of this game is unknown. The oldest records related to the game were found from Shanghai, China and this was in the 18th century. The game was introduced to the Western world in the 19th century and it is James Babcock who brought the game to United States. Babcock also wrote a book on Mahjong rules and strategies which are still considered as the best resource for a newcomer to learn the game. Interestingly, the original version of Mahjong is not played in China today but Chinese play a modified version of the original game.

Surprisingly, many people believe that Mahjong is a game that is completely associated with your luck and winning the game needs a lot of luck. One can't deny that your chances play a major role in Mahjong but with the right gaming strategies, you can improve your position and advance in the game even better. There are some simple game strategies such as;

Keep Your Tiles Together - This is pretty important when you're playing Mahjong because separating your tiles will give your opponents an idea on how close you are to win the game. If you can keep this information a secret, you have higher chances of obtaining the required pieces and finish your game faster.

Flower Tiles - It is not uncommon in Mahjong that players hand over flower tiles assuming that these tiles are of no use. Well, it may be true that these ties are useless for you but there will be some players in the line who badly need a flower tile to arrange his/her set. By not giving away your flower tile, you probably are blocking someone else's chance to win the game, a good strategy to keep in mind.

Maintain Your Piece Count - It is very important to maintain the count of your pieces because at a later stage there are chances that your opponent to open a debate about your card count. Opponents can accuse you of having lower number of cards or the opposite way. To enter such an argument quick, maintaining a count on your pieces is very important.

Psychology also plays a major role in determining your destiny in Mahjong. There are many instances where a player can figure out which piece their opponents are looking for. This is usually assumed from inspecting the pieces that he picked up in the previous turns. If you get an idea on which piece your opponent is looking for, a good thought is not to give them from your hand so that your opponent's chance of pairing all the pieces and winning the game will be delayed further. You can leave that particular piece only if you have to or whenever you have made your position secure. Mahjong is probably the only gambling game where talent also plays a major role and this is why thousands of people enjoy this game even today.

How to Play Mahjong - Declaring Mahjong

Over one hundred and fifty years ago, an amazing new game was invented: Mahjong. This strategic tile game later came to America and has since evolved into American Mahjong. Learning how to play Mahjong may at first seem like a daunting task, but it is well worth the effort. Thanks to a rich history and an exotic allure, it has become one of the hottest games in the United States.

The ultimate goal of Mahjong is to create a winning hand using fourteen tiles. These fourteen tiles are broken down into four sets and one pair. You can acquire your winning hand in one of two ways. The first is when you draw the last tile that you need to complete your hand. At this point you can declare "Mahjong" by self-draw. You can also declare "Mahjong" when another player discards the final tile that you need in order to complete your hand. In this case, you would win by discard.

When you declare "Mahjong" you will need to reveal your entire hand to the other players so that they can verify that you do in fact have a valid hand. Once verified you would score your hand and collect from the other players. After that, it is time to play again! Rotation in Mahjong occurs counter clockwise, so the player on the south end would move to the east and become the dealer, and so on around the table.

Learning how to play Mahjong might seem like a challenging experience, and it is, but it's also a very rewarding one. Few games have the rich history and allure of Mahjong, which has helped to make it one of the most popular games ever in the United States. Once you experience the fascinating and strategic game play of Mahjong you'll be hooked for life.