This Week's Waste of Time

Believe it or not, you're the little red guy. Good luck with that.

I think I've been too easy on you these past few weeks, what with all the arty video games. It's time to fly to glory or explode in a barrage of bullets with Red Fluxion. The name alone is intimidating. And the odds couldn't be more against you.

In spirit, Red Fluxion most resembles the addictive and brilliant Geometry Wars which you can play here, although, if you've played the original on Xbox Live Arcade then you will likely be frustrated by the less responsive controls. Check out this YouTube clip for a genuine feel of the sensory overload experience that Geometry Wars was meant to be.

If you follow the genealogy of the game back a few decades you end up with the arcade classic Galaga or perhaps the less-known but more closely related 1942. However, playing 1942 is like playing Red Fluxion in super-slow-motion.

Red Fluxion is pretty forgiving in its progression through the levels. You likely won't have to play a level more than once or twice. Count your blessings for that, although you might want to count the number of times you take the Lord's name in vain for confession later. My record is 27. Beat that.

Click here to play Red Fluxion.

Quick side note: The Global Game Jam came and went. Most of those games require downloading and therefore are ineligible for inclusion in my column, but one game was pointed out to me and is pretty hilarious. It's called Gnilley, and the execution may be flawed (it was made in three days after all), but the idea behind it is pretty interesting. Chech out this video presentation, and expect to see it for the iPhone in no time.