Games and Gambling
Active XPilot Servers
XPilot is another popular online game. Check in at this page and see who's playing where around the world. When I last peeked, there were tons of Scandinavians, the French and Germans were doing battle, and the English team at St. Andrews had been joined by a player from Uganda.
Address: http://rs560.cl.msu.edu/misc/xpilot.html Region: World
BattleTech
This is an RPG in which giant robots battle until one is reduced to a pile of spare parts. This is done with a hex board and dice, not actual giant robots. Find out more here, including strategy tips.
Address: http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/~dlow/btech.html Region: Australia, World
Bolo
This is an Internet game for Macs, based on tank warfare. It can be played by huge international teams for hours and hours and hours. Find out more from this FAQ, then track down a game to join.
Address: http://www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/bolo-faq/faq.html Region: U.S., World
Bradford University Role-Play Society
The B.U.R.P.S play Mage: the Ascension, Masquerade, WereWolf: The Apocalypse, Call of Cthulhu, and Ars Magica, all of which are complicated, almost theatrical, role-playing games. They've put all sorts of information online to share with other players here.
Address: http://www.brad.ac.uk/~thoskiso/rps.html Region: England, World
Bridge on the Web
The Web page for the world's most popular card game has information about bridge clubs, bridge games via Telnet, tournaments, and so on.
Address: http://www.cs.vu.nl/~sater/bridge/bridge-on-the-web.html Region: Netherlands, World
China-Japan Super Go Matches
Go is the Japanese strategy game with the deceptively simple appearance. Maintained by a Go fanatic, this page features all of the China-Japan Super Go Matches in SmartGame format, as well as other important matches. Serious Go players can study the moves and get better.
Address: http://nobi.ethz.ch/martin/games.html Region: China, Japan
.coNsOle .wORlD
Yes, that's how it's written. This is an internationally popular site for video gamers, based in Cardiff, Wales. It has a large archive of video game information for Sega, Nintendo, Amiga, Atari, and 3DO, with the promise that 32X and 3-Di are coming soon. Material ranges from the most basic lists of games to files on programming your own. Also here are links to video gaming clubs, newsletters, and other related stuff. Of course, this site also has information on the Internet's favorite bloody shoot 'em-up, Doom.
Address: http://www.cm.cf.ac.uk/Games/ Region: Wales, World
Crambo's Place: The Word Games Page
This is the place for those silly word games that people all over the world know and love. The ones played here are the English and American ones, such as Crambo, Stinky Pinky, and Clarihew. There are also links to other word-games pages, including ones that cover crosswords, acrostics, and other word puzzles.
Address: http://www.primenet.com/~crambo/ Region: World
Dan's Poker Dictionary
This dictionary of poker has almost everything for the serious player, but doesn't include some of the more obscure stuff. For instance, he omitted the world's stupidest poker game, Indian Head Poker.
Address: http://www.universe.digex.net/~kimberg/pokerdict.html Region: U.S., World
Fantasy Role Playing Games
This is the best site I found for information on RPGs like Advanced Dungeons & Dragons, Star Trek, and the Web-based Heavy Ordinance. Includes links to free RPG stuff online and other fantasy RPGs. Some MUD info, too.
Address: http://www.fcaglp.unlp.edu.ar/~spaoli/games.html Region: Argentina, World
The Fascist Game
Fascist is a variation on a game called Nomic, which was invented by Peter Suber in 1980 and described by Douglas Hofstadter in his "Metamagical Themas" column in Scientific American in June 1982. It is a game about rule-making and legislation, and is very precise. The newsgroup is for discussion of Nomic and related games in general, the mailing list is for discussion about playing Fascist, and the Web page explains how to play Fascist, including archives of previous games.
Type: Usenet newsgroup Address: alt.games.nomic Type: Mailing List Address: listserv@cs.vu.nl Send e-mail message with body: SUB FASCIST Type: WWW Address: http://wombat.doc.ic.ac.uk/fascist/fascist.html Region: England
Foosball Arcade Archive
A site for foosball, full of lore, rules, and the strategy of the game. What's a "snake shot"? Find out here.
Type: FTP Address: conrad.harvard.edu/pub/foosball/ Region: U.S., England
Game Magazines
The FutureNet online service offers several on- and offline magazines about video games, including Sega Power and Edge, plus the week's current Gallup Games Charts.
Address: http://www.futurenet.co.uk/games/superplay.html Region: England
The Game Room
The Game Room is for information regarding tabletop games, including computer games; miniatures, role-playing, and war games; and a really interesting selection of obscure games from Asia. Learn here about Jungle, Xian Qui (Chinese Chess), Korean Chess, Shogi (Japanese Chess), Backgammon, Russian card cames, variations on Go and Chess that you've never heard of, Swedish games, and more. Includes copious links to more board-game and war-game pages.
Address: http://cs.weber.edu/home/val/www/games/gamespage.html Region: U.S., China, Korea, Japan, England, Russia, Sweden, World
Games and Puzzles on the Internet
You'll find on this page links to games and puzzles sites on the Internet, some information about events and clubs in the U.K., and eventually some more specific information about puzzles, especially the mechanical variety.
Address http://www.dcs.qmw.ac.uk/~steed/GandP.html Region: England, World
GamesNet
Shareware games, hints and tips on favorite video and computer games, and the Australian site for Internet Doom, too.
Address: http://www.next.com.au/games/ Region: Australia
Global Casino
Global Casino will open in the fall of 1995, if it can get around the legal obstacles that various governments would like to throw in its way. Operating out of Antigua in the Caribbean, it will offer online versions of craps, roulette, slots, mini-baccarat, video poker, seven other types of poker, Pai Gow, and other ways to lose your money. You can go ahead and open an account with them here if you must.
Address: http://www.netaxs.com/people/sportbet/casino.htm Region: Antigua, World
Go Rules
This page has The American Go Association Rules of Go, and several other documents that should make learning and playing Go easier.
Address: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/wjh/public/go/Rules.AGA.html Region: U.S., Japan
Illuminati New World Order
No, not the secret cabal behind the United Nations or Robert Anton Wilson, but apparently an outgrowth of the old role-playing game Illuminati from Steve Jackson Games, the company made famous when it was mistakenly raided during the "Operation Sundevil" hacker crackdown. Now there are a bunch of Illuminati trading cards and card decks to collect, and games to play with them.
Address: http://www.io.com/sjgames/inwo/ Region: U.S., World
Intelligent Gamer Online
This is an online, biweekly journal for "the mature gaming community." In other words, not for force-feeding Sega ad copy to the little kiddies. The articles actually have content, the layout is attractive, and if you enjoy video games, you'll like it.
Address: http://igonline.escape.com/igograph.html Region: World
Internet Chess Library
A good archive of chess-related software, text, and games. It has info on GNU chess, too.
Address: http://caissa.onenet.net/chess/ Region: World
Internet Slot Machine
Enter your name and e-mail address, and pull the lever to see what happens. What makes me think that the real winner is the company, which gets to add you to their database for free? Call me a cynic....
Address: http://www.datawave.net/slotmachine/register.html Region: World
IRCbot for Poker
Yes, you can play poker using Internet Relay Chat as your mode of communication. IRCbot is a program that does the dealing. The Web page lays out the rules and procedures; there are several IRC channels to choose from, such as #holdem.
Address: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/ mummert/public/www/ircbot.html
The Journal of the PK Institute for Information Engineering
This quarterly gaming 'zine is dedicated mostly to GURPS (Generic Universal Role Paying System) games.
Address: http://www.sils.umich.edu/~superman/JPK/
Ken's Go Page
Information about the page maintainer's Go idol, Wu Qing Yuan, and about famous Go matches. Emphasis is on strategy and improving your game. Although the URL indicates China, the guy who runs the page is an Asian-Canadian currently living in Switzerland. Lots of links here to Go clubs and resources worldwide.
Address: http://ltiwww.epfl.ch/~warkent/go/ Region: China, Japan, World
Kirk's List of Interactive Games on the Web
This is a British link to other games played on the Net. It's extensive and varied, and includes a film trivia quiz, tic-tac-toe, and the always-fun Pop Culture Internet Scavenger Hunt.
Address: http://web.city.ac.uk/~cb157/game.html Region: England, World
Lucky Number
Check here for information on playing international lotteries, like Spain's El Gordo ("The Big One," the world's largest), by mail or phone--and no doubt soon by Internet; and for links to lottery-number software.
Address: http://www.yahoo.com/Business/Products_and_Services/ Get_Rich_Quick_/Lotteries/ Region: World
Magic: The Gathering
This page offers an overview of Magic: The Gathering for the beginner. Magic is probably the hottest game for younger players in the U.S. right now (if you have kids, I'm sure this is not news). Players use decks of cards to "throw spells" at each other, and use other cards to ward off their opponents' spells. There are over 450 cards in this complex game, and they are highly collectable and avidly traded (see the Hobbies listings for more on this aspect).
Address: http://marvin.macc.wisc.edu/deckmaster/magic/overview.html Region: U.S., World
The Miniatures Page
The Miniatures Page is an online magazine dedicated to miniature wargaming in all periods: historical, fantasy, science fiction, and silly; ground or naval; all figure scales; from grand-tactical to skirmish level. Includes articles, graphics of well-done new miniatures, and information about new miniatures games.
Address: http://biochem.dental.upenn.edu/Mosaic/bill/tmp.html Region: World
More Magic on the Net
Everything you ever wanted to know about Magic, the trading cards and games. Lots of rabid collecting is going on here.
Address: http://marvin.macc.wisc.edu/deckmaster/magic/other.www.html
Netrek
It's like Star Trek, only you play it on the Internet. A space-based wargame so addictive that it has been banned on some college campuses. This page includes links to related archives, rules, FAQs, information for beginners and advanced players, and leads to Netrek servers. The FTP sites hold much the same information, for those without Web access, and the Usenet groups are for ongoing discussion of Netrek.
Address: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/Web/People/jch/netrek/README.html Type: FTP Address: grind.isca.uiowa.edu(128.255.21.233) Address: ftp.risc.uni-linz.ac.at(193.170.33.112) Address: infant2.sphs.indiana.edu/ Type: Usenet newsgroups Address: alt.games.xtrek Address: rec.games.netrek Region: World
The Nexus
This page was designed with the computer game developer, both novice and expert, in mind. Comprehensive information for the program-it-yourselfer.
Address: http://wcl-rs.bham.ac.uk/GamesDomain/gamedev/gprog.html Region: England, World
1995 World Series of Poker
This is where the high rollers play--the jackpot is a cool million. And the game is played for keeps. If you haven't ever seen a "real" poker game, check one out on one of the sporting networks, or peek in here: It's more intimidating than a Scientology personality test.
Address : http://www.conjelco.com/wsop.html Region: U.S.
Pachinko--Japan's Pinball
Every year the Japanese drop over $300 billion U.S. into pachinko machines! These incredible machines combine colorful art, mechanical animation, and top-flight electronics in a small, tabletop package. This page includes playing information and a bit of pachinko history.
Address: http://www.resultsdirect.com/pachinko.htm Region: Japan
Paintball
Paintball is a game where you dress up and play soldier, but instead of bullets you use a gun that shoots little round balls filled with paint. You get splattered, you're a goner. It looks like a kick! This page has rules and a lot of links to paintball groups.
Address: http://warpig.cati.csufresno.edu/other_pages.html Region: U.S.
Philippine Traditional Games
These sound like great fun. Games for children, although I think we grownups should try some silly things like this sometimes. Even the names sound great: Banog-Banog, Gagamba, Habulan Estatwa, and many more. They are traditional circle, chase, and tag games, and most are very active. Includes some stuff little boys will love--like spider fights.
Address: http://www.pitt.edu/~filipina/games.html Region: Philippines
Pinball Wizards
Pin-Wizard Archive is the best Web page to find out about different pinball machines, link up with players' associations, and find links to other pinball resources online. The newsgroup is for ongoing pinball chat. Tommy, can you hear me?
Address: http://www.glue.umd.edu/%7Edstewart/pinball/ Type: Usenet newsgroup Address: rec.games.pinball Region: U.S.
Play by E-Mail
If you'd like to try some play-by-electronic-mail games, check out PBEM, an e-zine with reviews, game openings, and more information.
Address: http://fermi.clas.virginia.edu/~gl8f/pbem_magazine.html Type: FTP Address: ftp.erg.sri.com/pub/pbm/magazines/ Address: ftp.funet.fi/pub/doc/games/play-by-mail/magazines/ Type: Usenet Address: rec.games.pbm Region: World
Puzzle Archive
The Web page archives puzzles and brain teasers from the newsgroup rec.puzzles. They're categorized by subject, and both the puzzles and their solutions are given.
Address: http://alpha.acast.nova.edu/puzzles.html Type: Usenet newsgroup Address: rec.puzzles Region: World
Railroad Games Home Page
These games were first developed by Francis Tresham, and they involve similar rules for running virtual railroad companies from their earliest beginnings into the twentieth century.
Address: http://ntia.its.bldrdoc.gov/~bing/mayf2.html Region: England
rec.gambling
This is the newsgroup for those who enjoy trips to Vegas, Reno, Monaco, and other gambling hotspots. Lately it's been consumed by talk about virtual casinos. The Web page includes FAQs and links to other gambling resources online.
Address: http://www.conjelco.com/r_g/las_vegas/r.g.html Type: Usenet newsgroup Address: rec.gambling Region: World
Roleplaying and Storyteller Game Archive
Player sheets, stories and other supporting materials for these games in English, German, and occasionally other languages. Offerings include Masquerade, Elric: The Eternal Hero (based on the books of Michael Moorcock), Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, Cyberpunk 2020, and many more, plus the freeware Fudge gaming engine, and a selection of fantasy, science fiction, and mythology books from the Gutenberg Project's archive for online inspiration.
Address: http://www.uni-passau.de/archive/WW/archive/ Region: Germany, World
Role-Playing Game Internet Resource Guide
A good link to information about RPGs, with a Danish and German mirror, and links to other RPG sites.
Address: http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~heresy/rpg/ Region: England
RPG Organizations
Groups available here range from the famous MIT Assassins Guild to Britain By Night, the Daughters of Twilight, and a long list of U.S. and European RPG clubs. If you are looking for people to play with, chances are some of the links here will eventually lead to what you're searching for.
Address: http://wwwpub.utdallas.edu/~kalxen/gaming.html Region: World
The Scottish Tiddlywinks Association
Although it sounds like something out of a twisted Monty Python sketch, this is real. You too can learn all about the complexities of tiddlywinks here, and it has links to the Oxford University Tiddlywinks Society's page, the Cambridge University Tiddlywinks Club, the St. Andrews University Tiddlywinks Society, and the alt.games.tiddlywinks newsgroup. Makes you wonder.
Address: http://www-groups.dcs.st-and.ac.uk:80/~ben/tiddlywinks/ Region: England, Scotland
Shebut...
This is a "serious" video game that involves world-systems simulation. The idea is to create a simple model of how economics and other systems work to illustrate how sustainable systems might be created--like SimCity on a global scale--and to have fun at the same time.
Address: http://shebute.com/Home.HTML Region: World
The TCP/IP Internet Doomer's FAQ
A how-to article on playing Internet Doom.
Address: http://www.cee.hw.ac.uk/~mapleson/doom/helpdocs/inetdoom.html Region: World
Universal Access Inc. Blackjack Server
This is a simple online blackjack game--just click on "play blackjack!" and go.
Address: http://www.ua.com/blackjack/bj.html Region: U.S.
URouLette
In this "game," you gamble that the randomly chosen Web page you're sent to from this gateway will turn out to be really cool. Check it out!
Address: http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/cwis/organizations/ kucia/uroulette/uroulette.html Region: World
The Virtual Vegas Home Page
Exactly what it sounds like, with a perfectly tacky American sensibility and sense of aesthetics. Showgirls, casino games, blackjack games, and real-time chat in their MUD are available, and it even has its own background theme music. Some information is in Japanese as well as English.
Address: http://www.virtualvegas.com/ Region: U.S.
The World Wide Web Virtual Library: Games and Recreation
The best Net source for anything to do with games, this page has information on all aspects of games and gaming.
Address: http://www.cis.ufl.edu/~thoth/library/recreation.html Region: World
Zarf's List of Interactive Games on the Web
A wonderful Web site with links to a large list of games and puzzles you can play on the Net--everything from tic-tac-toe to MUDs.
Address: http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/andrew/org/kgb/www/zarf/games.html Region: World