Urban Rivals is an online trading card game available for PC, iPhone and Android. It is free to play, though cards can also be purchased with real money. Cards have a comic book art style and there are hundreds of them with new ones added regularly. Battles are fought one on one and the cards used in each fight gain experience points, allowing them to gradually level up. Some cards have more levels than others (the most being 5), and as they gain levels they become stronger and the picture on the card changes to reflect the characters increase in power. Players can also gain levels themselves by winning battles and as they level up they gain access to more modes and features, such as guilds which allow players to group together and socialise.

As well as stand-alone battles the game features tournaments and other events. Winning battles or placing highly in tournaments rewards players with credits which can be used to purchase more cards (although cards can also be bought and sold in an auction house).

The card game at its heart is fairly simple, with four cards being drawn from each player’s deck at random at the start of the match. Cards have different strengths and special skills available but with only four in play at once things never become too complex. However there is still room for some strategy, with counters and bluffs not being uncommon. With so few cards used in each match it also means games normally only last a few minutes, which makes it easy to fit in a game on your coffee break or in other small gaps around your commitments. Equally though longer play sessions are encouraged thanks to tournaments which require players to fight numerous battles.

Though it doesn’t have the depth of some trading card games, Urban Rivals is accessible and packed with cards and features. It is also very popular, so there is never a lack of other players.

Every Day The Same Dream is a free bite sized art game playable in browsers. It has been described by its creator as ‘a short existential game about alienation and refusal of labour. Or, if you prefer, a playable music video,’ and both of those descriptions seem apt. The game has a bleak, black and white art style and see’s players taking control of an ordinary man living an ordinary life. He gets up, gets dressed, says’ goodbye to his wife, drives to work and types away till the end of the day and then it loops, playing out identically again and again. But it doesn’t have to, as the game inspires players to try and break the monotonous looping, and so on subsequent plays it becomes clear that it is possible to explore other parts of the world and perform other actions in an attempt to make things end differently. Some of the options are quite dark and the whole theme of the game is as bleak as the visuals suggest but it’s a haunting experience that will likely stay with you.

The interactive music video description comes thanks to the catchy haunting music that plays throughout. It fits the art style and on screen action perfectly and as the game can be played to completion in around twenty minutes it could almost be a long music video.

Every Day The Same Dream is as much a piece of art as it is a game, it is experimental and may not appeal to everyone, but as it’s free and so short it is absolutely worth giving it a try.

A large number of board games have made their way from the table to computer screens and in many ways it’s a natural fit. Though there will always be an inherent appeal to playing a game around a table with friends and family, the reality is that you don’t always have three or four other people at hand who want to play. Playing online solves that problem as you can join a game with random people from around the world. While many board games can now be played this way, here are some of the best:

Monopoly Millionaires – This is a Facebook game and is a fairly straightforward take on the classic boardgame ‘Monopoly’. A large number of players can play together in one game and the graphics are quite attractive, adding details that are absent on the original board game, such as grass on vacant plots, and railway lines coming out of stations.

Chess – There are many online versions of this iconic game. Some see players competing against the computer while others are multi-player, there are even a few that change the designs of the chess pieces and board to give them for example a fantasy or science fiction theme and others that show battles taking place between two pieces. However fancy graphics or not they all play more or less the same, which is to say the same way chess has always been played.

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, many basketball fans worldwide turn to the 2K series to add to their basketball fix and as one of the leaders in the sports gaming market, Visual Concepts does not disappoint with NBA 2k12. Last year's game marked the return to video games of the King himself; Michael Jordan and many fans thought 2K would struggle to top their monumental game.

In keeping with the theme of the return of legends, 2K goes two steps further, adding the Boston Celtics hero Larry Bird and the Los Angeles Laker icon Earvin ‘Magic' Johnson to the series as the faces of a large influx of legends of the past; over 50 to be exact from the 70's, 80's and 90's. Fans of the game can purchase a copy with one of the three main legends on the cover so whoever you are a fan of, your favourite legend can take place on your game shelf.

Adding to the many legends, there is also a new feature called the Legends Showcase which serves almost as a mini game of its own within the main game of NBA 2k12. Using legends such as an in-his-prime Shaquille O'Neal or Jordan and Pippen, you can take to the streets playing a host of legends 2-on-2 or 3-on-3, playing your way through the NBA, beating other legends and unlocking more teams.

Online play is also much improved, which will be a definite plus to players of past NBA 2k games who found the lagging and stuttering too much to take. Smoother animations and even more control over the movement of your player provide an immersive feel to the game and one of the most realistic sports games on the market.

One of the highly anticipated games of the year recently released a debut teaser video to whet the appetites of gamers worldwide. 2012 marks the return of the Max Payne franchise with Max Payne 3 set to be released this spring. Brought to you by Rockstar Games, the people behind the Grand Theft Auto franchise, Max Payne marks the return of the storied gaming series after a turbulent nine year absence in which the Max Payne story switched developers from Remedy Entertainment.

With this being the Max Payne series' first foray into next-generation gaming, one look at the preview will let you know that Rockstar let it all hang out graphics-wise. The visuals are the first thing to grab your attention, with great attention to detail and a gritty realism that fans have come to expect from the developers at Rockstar.

Taking into consideration the extended absence of the franchise, Rockstar have chosen not to lean too closely on the franchises past and leaves the door open for the newer gamers who may not have had any previous experience of Max Payne or his life. Starting some years after his last foray, this game will provide a new take on the Max Payne story so this iteration of Max will be new for both old and new gamers alike.

Sandbox or nonlinear games are a form of video game where the player is free to explore an “open world” scenario. This means they are free to ignore the main plot of the game or the pattern of objectives which have been laid out for them and simply go their own way through the game world, making their own decisions. Frequently designers furnish these worlds with lots of side quests and subplots to really allow the player to feel they are interacting with the world at large and that there are living breathing people within the game. Here are some of the most interesting examples.

Elite (1984): One of the earliest examples of a sandbox games was this space trading simulator which, through a then revolutionary though now rudimentary graphical interface of 3 dimensional wire frames, appeared to contain an entire galaxy of planets, races, traders, currencies, products and laws. As well as buying and selling products (both legal and illegal) across the galaxy you also had to contend with or join up with criminal elements, cyber police and spy networks.

The Elder Scrolls Series (1994-Present): Perhaps the most fascinatingly detailed world ever committed to a video game is the continent of Tamriel in which The Elder Scrolls takes place. A rich, diverse landmass separated into nine vast and widely differing states, Tamriel has stretched across five major games plus another nine releases. Each country has its own history, landmarks, races, culture, laws, government and police and the overall detail of the franchise is absolutely stunning.

It looks like 2012 is going to be yet another awesome year for games fans everywhere with all kinds of great titles on the way in the next twelve months. Here are a few of the standouts that you should be looking forward to and a little bit of information to let you plan your purchasing over the next year. 

Mass Effect 3: One of the most hyped of all this year's releases is set to be the third instalment in the Mass Effect series. Putting the player in a world which has become over-run by an ancient alien race known as The Reaper, Mass Effect 3 is a live or die fight for the survival of the planet. With a whole galaxy of playability on offer, with a hugely story centric narrative which allows the moral decisions of the player to effect the world as much as their actions.

Street Fighter x Tekken: What could be more exciting for fans of fighting games than the coming together of two of the genres greatest titles. These two names are enough to enthuse any gamer so putting them side by side could well result in the greatest fighting game of all time. The game will take the look and world of Streetfighter (with Capcom's traditional 2-D viewpoint and hyperactive, cartoonish graphics) but will also feature all of Tekken's most famous characters. This will not mean watering down their capabilities or style, however – though they will be somewhat reimaging for the Streetfighter universe, the cast of Tekken will retain their unique fighting skills and moves.

Online gaming has had a huge psychological impact on the people of today. There are a lot of mixed opinions about what people think or believe about online games. Many people say that online gaming is replacing actual outdoor games. This is not really good because online games do not involve any sort of physical activity.

Orthopaedics and psychologists say that extensive online gaming promoted ambidextrous behaviour in human beings; meaning that it enables extensive online gamers to use both their hands with equal ease. It also improves motor skills in people.

Playing MMPORG games increases emotional activity in a human being. It makes them experience a wide gamut of emotions which they have never experienced before. For example, a human being may have never fear animals or monsters, in real life. By experiencing such emotions by role playing, they become more equipped to handle them. Research has also shown that the emotions experienced while role playing are very strong in most occurrences. They also feel leadership qualities when they assume a particular role.

On the negative side, many people believe that online gaming should not really be encouraged. Playing too many violent games inculcates a negative streak in the player. It promotes violence and aggressive behaviour. Children should not really be allowed to play violent role playing games. Games like Virtual Tennis can be played by children.

Online gaming has come a long way. It has become a business for many people. People also use online gaming as a platform for speculation and betting. There are many legal and illegal forums which allow online gaming and betting. Internet gambling is also known as igambling.

Some of the most popular gambling platforms are:

• Texas Holdem Poker: Texas Holdem Poker has created a platform for playing multiplayer poker in an environment similar to that of a real casino. They can make money in the form of chips. Real time money is also offered as tournament fees.

• Online casinos: there are many casinos online which allow users to play games like black jack, roulette, baccarat and many other games. Most casinos allow gambling using real money.

• Online Bingo: The game of Bingo has been popular all over the world. Online Bingo uses random number generators to generate numbers.

• Lotteries: There are many online lotteries which are both legal and illegal depending on which sites you use.

You may also go online to bet on races and other sporting events. Most players use credit cards or debit cards to buy virtual chips and other online gaming services. Winnings are directly transferred to the credit card. Bigger amounts need wire transfers from banks. Paypal, Moneybookers and many other money transfer services are also used to make transactions.

If you are defining a video game, it is basically an interaction with a user interface and the feedback is given to a video device. Video games became popular in the eighties and nineties. Atari, Nintendo, Sony etc. were some of the most popular brands which sold consoles for video games. These video game consoles could be connected to the television. They also had a joystick which was used to play the game.

With the improvements in technology, faster computers and better quality hardware brought about the era of PC games. Games had to be installed on the computer. They were played with the help of the keyboard or a joystick connected to the computer. Hand held video games also became very popular. People played games alone or with a virtual opponent.

As the popularity of the internet grew, high speed internet became available to everyone. Online games became very popular. People could play online games alone or with an opponent from anywhere across the globe. These games became popular owing to the fact that people could actually play with opponents and also talk to them at the same time.