What did I just play?

What did I just play?

There are titles out there with concepts that are not that easy to wrap your head around. Jasmine Osada picks six offbeat games for some quirky fun.

Dinosaur Simulator 3D Pro

$1.25 (Android), $1.28 (iOS)

Have you ever wondered how it feels to be a two-storey-tall Tyrannosaurus Rex?

Dinosaur Simulator answers that question by turning you into a T-Rex.

Your job is to run around town and cause as much destruction before the timer runs out. As your total score increases, so does your time limit.

If you run out of time, your T-Rex gets tired and it is game over.

There is not really much to do in this game besides charging at buildings, people, cars and trees, to try to knock them over, or to trample on as many things as you can.

However, all the stomping somehow made for quick, mindless smashing fun.


Can You Escape 2

Free, Android and iOS

You are stuck in a mysterious room with only one exit but the door is locked. To escape, you will need to search the tiny space for clues to solve the puzzle you are trapped in.

Can You Escape 2 is not your regular brain teaser and you will need more than logic and pattern-spotting skills to ace each stage.

Every item lying about in the room might be a tool that you can use and clues can be cleverly hidden anywhere.

Featuring sleek graphics and some pretty challenging stages, this game almost makes you feel like you are part of a James Bond death trap.

Room escape games can lose their magic once the puzzles are solved but this is not a deal-breaker as this game is free anyway.

Cabela's Big Game Hunter

Free, Android and iOS

Hunting games are often seen as either a perfect solution for those seeking to experience the thrill of hunting without any bloodshed, or as a devious tool to promote the real-life sport.

Developed in collaboration with hunting outfitter Cabela's, this game lets you take part in some pretty exciting hunts, from the woodlands of the American Northwest, to the savannahs of Africa.

Your quarries include a huge variety of game comprising deer, bears, lions and even endangered rhinoceroses. But in this game, the animals can retaliate by attacking you, turning the hunter into prey.

If you enjoy shooting games, this one promises a thrilling, unique experience. Of course, no real animals or humans were harmed in the process.


Construction Simulator 2014

$1.79 (Android), $2.58 (iOS)

Working at a construction site might not sound like fun, but fire up this quirky simulation game and you will be in for a surprise. Featuring 14 different construction machines, this game lets you learn how to operate excavators, cranes and cement mixers.

The highly detailed vehicles are true to the originals made by some of the world's biggest construction machine manufacturers.

The game has a simple storyline and mission-based stages that will see you building impressive structures such as a wind generator, swimming pool and town hall.

But it is really the operating of the machines, and getting those giant vehicles to work the way you want them to, that make it strangely addictive.

DelusionCreatureGacha

Free, iOS

If you grew up in the 1980s, you will remember gachapon dispensers, the vending machines that dispense cheap toys in plastic capsules for a dollar.

This extremely simple game features hand-drawn graphics, which adds to the old-school nature of the game. To play, all you need to do is to turn the gachapon machine's crank lever to dispense a new capsule.

No coins, real or virtual, are needed and you can get as many capsules as you like.

The game might seem mundane but the action of turning the handle is rather therapeutic.

There are more than 100 virtual toys to collect and the rare ones are pretty hard to find. You will find yourself playing this game several times a day to try to catch them all.


 

Ramen Restaurant

Free, Android and iOS

Play this game and develop a newfound respect for your neighbourhood fishball noodle seller. Ramen Restaurant puts you in charge of cooking the delicious Japanese noodles for fussy, impatient customers.

Every bowl of ramen is cooked to order, so you have to make exactly what each customer wants. There are three kinds of broth to go with the noodles and nine types of toppings including eggs, seaweed and bamboo shoots.

Customers can order any combination, so making sure each order comes out perfect will test your time management and concentration skills.

The game's simple graphics are nothing to shout about but the challenging gameplay made slaving away at the stove a lot of fun.


This article was first published on Nov 19, 2014.
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