Good games don't require a mouse or joystick

Some of my favorite computer games were created before the arrival of the mouse. Games like Snake and Lode Runner used keyboard keys and combinations to run, jump and shoot. And they were just as much fun as the joystick games from Atari and later Nintendo.

I was reminded of those games from the 1980s when I checked out the Bad Ice Cream series of games that are available on the web. Like the keyboard games I played on my Apple II Plus, the Bad Ice Cream games rely on simple graphics and key combinations to deliver a satisfying challenge.

According to the game developers, a new version called Bad Ice Cream 5 will be released soon. The game features a character that looks like a swirl of ice cream and the challenge is to move around the playing field collecting fruit items that are scattered on each level before time expires. The game is expected to support up to four players at once.

For more details, visit the Bad Ice Cream 5 website where you can play earlier versions for free.

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Written by Ric Manning

Follow me on Twitter @ricmanning and read my technology columns at My Well Being.