New Games Feature Multi-Player Options

When it comes to computer games, holiday time used to mean the 12 days of isolated game-play. Now you can share the experience with friends, loved ones, and strangers from France, with enhanced multi-player options letting you hook up modem-to-modem or via the Internet. With the exception of Riven and the kids titles, all of the CD-ROMs on the list have some sort of multi-player option.

RIVEN, Cyan/Red Orb (PC/Mac). The beautiful, immersed environment puts you into a cinematic adventure like no other game since . . . Myst, its predecessor. The music is sensational, the graphics are astounding, and the puzzles--oh, the agony. (The hint book will set you back another $20.)

DUNGEON KEEPER, Bullfrog/EA (PC). Did you ever think SimCity was too goody-two-shoes? Then you’ll fall for this humorous dungeon sim, with the tag line “Evil is good.”

JEDI KNIGHT, LucasArts (PC) and QUAKE 2, id/Activision (PC). Two reasons that 3D cards will fly off the shelves this Christmas. Quake 2 could be the 3Dfx “killer app,” looking pedestrian without a special card, but spectacular with it. The first-person blast-and-kill game has “innovations” like flashing colored light and flies that buzz around corpses. Jedi is the flip coin, with no blood, and a stronger story line. Multi-player levels for both games make them even better.

YOU DON’T KNOW JACK VOLUME 3, Berkeley (PC/Mac). The champ of pop culture trivia games, YDKJ is still the only computer game that will captivate a crowd at a party. The new version includes “The Impossible Question” and “ThreeWay Question” (a speed comparison of three like items). In true Trivia Pursuit fashion, there are now TV and movie add-on packs.

SID MEIER’S GETTYSBURG, Firaxis/EA (PC). From the guy who made the lauded Civilization game comes a real-time Civil War simulation. Though most in this genre are turn-based games, this one lets you make moves as the battle rages. Though there’s plenty of background info for war buffs (and even a tactics handbook written in 19th century style), Gettysburg is easy for novices to pick up.

DARK REIGN, Activision (PC) and TOTAL ANNIHILATION, Cavedog/GT (PC). Both of these offer real-time strategy sims--games where you build bases and send troops to battle. Dark Reign has a throbbing soundtrack, beautifully lush terrain, and helpful training missions, while Total Annihilation has a simpler interface and lets you employ MechWarrior-type robots.

ARIEL’S STORY STUDIO, Disney (PC/Mac). Timed for the re-release of “The Little Mermaid,” this edutainment title gives the Disney tie-in more depth for kids. They can follow Ariel’s story, or do activities like sing-alongs, stock a virtual aquarium, or create their own songs with an undersea orchestra. Great for girls.

SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK 1ST & 2ND GRADE ESSENTIALS, Creative Wonders/ABC (PC/Mac). My guess is that a lot of parents with young children remember watching “Schoolhouse Rock” when they were growing up. That’ll make this two-disc set enjoyable for both parents and kids, with great math, reading and even geography games. But best are the retro videos, from “Zero My Hero” to “Conjunction Junction.”

NIGHTMARE NED, Disney (PC). This cartoon adventure doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a “Home Alone” theme leading to our young hero Ned’s horrifying excursions. It’s a great game to help 6-to-10-year-olds dispel their fears, though the spooky graphics might truly scare anyone younger.

BARBIE MAGIC HAIR STYLER, Mattel (PC). What’s Christmas without Barbie? This disc will make even the most computer-scared girl comfortable giving new looks to Barbie or three other glam girls.

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Mark Glaser is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and critic, and writes the Cybertainment column for Calendar. He can be reached at glaze@sprintmail.com.