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Mention 'online multiplayer games' and most people will probably think of someone wrestling with a joystick, deeply engrossed in a blood-spattered battle or high-speed car chase.
If you're not aged between 10 and 25 or partial to shoot-'em-ups, the prospect of playing online can be very daunting.
Nevertheless, at any one time, there are also hundreds of non-violent games being played online, from traditional board games such as chess and Scrabble to complex socioeconomic strategy games such as Civilisation.
Online gaming is a diverse culture with games being played internationally by everyone from beginners through to those competing in scheduled online tournaments.
This popularity hasn't gone unnoticed either. Dozens of 'play for cash' websites are being created with games such as Backgammon, Draughts and Solitaire, and the new version of MSN Messenger has a games feature built in.
Even games built in to Windows software, such as Hearts can be played online, and often have loyal followings. In fact, Microsoft has a mini site dedicated to the enjoyment of online games for Windows XP.
Read on for a selection of gore-free online games that we've tried and enjoyed.
Yahoo! Literati
Literati, like Scrabble, is a fast-paced, word-building game played with letter tiles on a game board. Up to four players construct intersecting words on the board, gaining extra points through high-scoring letter tiles and bonus squares.
To play Literati on Yahoo, you'll need to register for a free Yahoo ID. Once you're logged on you can join the Literati lobby and see what games are being played online.
Each game takes place at a 'table' which opens in a new window. You can join an existing table to either play or watch, or you can set up one of your own and invite other users to join you.
After you have 'seated' yourself at a table, you are dealt seven letter tiles and the game begins. Serious gamers are further accommodated by the inclusion of a timer for each table.
Creating a table gives you the power to make it a private game, remove other users from the table and turn off the chat feature that scrolls at the bottom of the screen.
This feature can add a bit of human element to the game but it sometimes becomes annoying when users start to chat more than play.
However, the online atmosphere is friendly and accommodating so if you're not sure what to do, just turn on the chat feature and ask a fellow player to show you the ropes.
PopCap Bookworm
Bookworm is played on a similar set-up to Boggle, with a 7 x 7 letter grid on which you link adjacent letter tiles to form words.
Once you find a word, those tiles are fed to the bookworm and the upper tiles shift down. As the game progresses, some of the letter tiles will turn green or gold for extra points, or burst into flame.
Unattended flaming tiles will eventually set fire to their neighbours and, if they reach the bottom of the grid without being used in a word, they end the game.
This is a fairly straightforward, single-player game that even computer novices will master in minutes. Initially, challenges are few and far between and the absence of timed rounds gives players ample time to contemplate their words.
But the action does get faster and more furious as the game progresses. Whether you stick it out this long will depend on your in-game temperament.
Bookworm for GameBoy Advance has recently been released, as well as Bookworm Deluxe for the PC, which can be downloaded as a free trial version.
If you like it you can buy the full version on CD. Bookworm Deluxe has a secondary 'action' mode which is much faster-paced than the web version.
A fun, new take on anagram games, but it takes too long to progress through each level.
MSN Reversi
Reversi (or Othello) is played with black and white stones on an 8 x 8 grid. It looks simple but is all about complex tactics that require patience and long-range thinking.
Reversi is a fairly common game on the internet and MSN is just one of many websites to offer a free version.
MSN's version offers three game options: casual multiplayer, competitive play, and a tournament level for experts. There are also tips and tricks on the main page for those unfamiliar with the game.
Choosing a game option opens a window to install a Zone-specific browser plug-in. This is harmless and installs without fuss.
A list of rooms in your chosen level then appears. Choose a room that isn't marked 'full' (there is a room specifically for beginners in the casual category) and either sit in on a game in session, or join a single player to begin a game of your own.
You can chat while playing, although to do this you will have to register for a Zone ID. This may be useful in picking up hints and tips from other players, and you will also need a Zone ID when competing in tournaments as many of these are set up by the players themselves.
A good learning curve for novices and plenty of challenges for experts, but it only works with Internet Explorer.
Flyordie.com Snooker Pro
Flyordie.com has been the home of 3D Billiards, the extremely popular multiplayer pool game, for three years.
The site recently launched an upgrade to this game - Snooker Pro - with several enhanced features, including a marked improvement in graphics and proportions (larger table, smaller balls).
The main difference, though, is in the realism. All the action in Snooker Pro is based on the real thing, so the cues hit the balls like real-life cues, the balls travel round the table like real balls do, and so on.
As with the other multiplayer games reviewed here, to start a game you simply log in, choose a table and play against global competitors or simply watch and learn. Signing in as a guest will allow you to challenge other players to games but to chat you'll have to register (which is free).
Unlike the other multiplayer games here, the controls aren't restricted to point-and-click playing.
The command buttons are on the right-hand side of the screen and include aim, fine aim, shoot and spin, plus you can spin the table and zoom in to determine your next move.
The free online version is a bit basic but the complete version (which costs $20) gives you access to the downloadable game, league statistics and entry to the tournament levels.
Realistic, fun, competitive and free, there's no forum for beginners but this is the 'pro' version.
Mahjong Solitaire
This apparently simple game of suits and dominoes originated in China over 3,000 years ago and became popular in the West in the 1920s.
Far from losing its appeal in the 21st century, Mahjong has gained an even wider audience thanks to the internet and its almost endless variations of the game (including Mahjong Towers, a stacking game of skill and cunning).
Mahjong Solitaire returns to the basis of Mahjong and aims to visually emulate the delicate beauty of the original Chinese design.
Playing Mahjong Solitaire is simple: log in, choose a game room, enter and start playing. Unlike the other multiplayer games, there is no specific 'watch' option, although other players won't object if you enter a game in session and remain inactive.
You can choose from two sets of tiles (or 'bones'): traditional or European. Once you have chosen, click on a tile to begin, then hold down the Ctrl key and click on its matching pair to progress through the game.
There is a help file for those unfamiliar with the game but the game controls themselves are not covered, so they will require a degree of trial and error. This isn't so bad as, if there are no obliging players online, you can play by yourself.
Beautifully designed but only works with Internet Explorer.
Play for cash
Websites where you can 'play, chat and win cash' are springing up all over the internet and have a wide appeal, thanks to their varied range of games.
On any one site you can expect to find leisurely chess and dominoes games alongside fast-paced, arcade-style challenges such as JewelQuest.
Registration is usually free, chat is integrated and you can really win big, but be discerning when choosing a site and stick to safe ones such as Pogo and Hotgames. Only over 18s can win cash but teens can win prizes.
Strategy games
For those who prefer their games with more thought and imagination and fewer bells and whistles, there are many strategy games available online.
Strategy games are generally set in either historical or futuristic worlds where it's up to you to amass wealth and power through trade, war, piracy, and so on.
Perhaps the most interesting of these is eCiv, a game which shuns all fancy graphics and technology and is played purely over email. eCiv is a version of Sid Meier's Civilisation, a hugely popular multiplayer game which is played across numerous formats all around the world.
The Multiplayer Games Online Directory carries a comprehensive list of online games and reviews them alphabetically and by genre.
See also:
Computer gaming used to be a very solitary occupation, but the rise of massively multiplayer games means you can make friends (and enemies) with thousands of gamers online 07 Jul 2004
Price cutting and fewer shipments responsible for decline in revenues, finds analyst 25 Nov 2003
All Online
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