Get your thrills for free (pogo.com)

Member Name: SophieRainbow

Product:	pogo.com
Date:	18/08/09 (23 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great range of games, fun, free, adverts not too intrusive, no membership necessary

Disadvantages: Loading takes a while

Pogo is a game website as fun as its name offering free online and downloadable games.

*Layout and Navigation*
The homepage begins with the colourful bouncing Pogo logo and has a refreshing green background. On the left hand side are a list of game categories as follows: Puzzle, Word, Card, Board, Casino, Arcade & Sports, Downloadable, Club Pogo games (for paying members) and All Free Games. Clicking on one of these categories reveals a list of all games in that category, with an image and description for each, and Club Pogo games relegated to the bottom of the list.

Scrolling down reveals lists of the 5 most popular games in each category which are good to start with until you find your boredom busting niches (mine are Tumble Bees and Word Whomp).

There are a few flashing adverts on the home page but not too many, and 30 second adverts about every 3 plays on the free games but this is not too disruptive to game play.

*Games*
They is a great selection of games available from tetrissy style puzzle ones, to monopoly, chess and connect 4, simple strategy sims-type games (like Dinner Dash and Virtual Villagers), fruit machines, boggle, a selection of card games including bridge, pairs games and more. The only games lacking are walking-around Mario type arcade games, but there are other sites to find these I guess.

The games I have played have been enjoyable and absorbing to the point of being addictive. They are simply and colourful, with the typical jangly or atmospheric music, clock tickings or popping sound effects of arcade games. The games are challenging to master, but easy to start off with which is perfect and there are many games suitable in content and skill level for children.

Some games have to be downloaded and have a limited amount of play time on them. Games are reasonably quick to load and download, though I am impatient and often fiddle around with things on my desk while I wait, though this can be a problem as games will start without you and close from lack of activity after a minute or so.

*Features*
The website also features comprehensive league tables for the games, as well as several game rooms for each game allowing competitive play in both 1-player scoring type games (e.g. comparing scores in Yahztee) and one-on-one matches like chess. There is a chat option on each game which I rarely use, but this is a good feature for allowing friends to set up games against each other and chat at the same time.

*Membership*
Membership is optional.

You can sign up for free with a few details and a password and username, and this allows access to more online games, plus a profile with a mini you, a list of favourite games on the homepage and allows you to accrue tokens for use in certain games. Membership to Club Pogo costs either £4.99 a month or £34.99 a year, and provides additionally more games, tokens for betting games, chances to win prizes and allows you to play without adverts. Personally, I don't think this is necessary with so many good games available online for free!

*Conclusion*
This is a games site which I return to for my weekly Vitamin Fun. Fun to look at, fun to play, overall an excellent resource for lovers of wasting time and addictive challenges who get their thrills for free.

Summary: An excellent games site