The match 3 game play is the cornerstone of casual games. To me, this is the type of game that always came to mind first when I would hear the words ‘casual game.’ That’s why I’m always willing to play them especially when they involve finding treasure like gemstone jewelry.

El Dorado Quest is a casual game of the match 3 game play. Match three gems or more in a row to clear them from screen. While this type of game play is standard when it comes to casual games, I’m usually more moved to play the newer types of casual game styles like hidden object and time management. Every once in a while I do like to play this type of game. Next time that mood strikes, El Dorado will be the game I try. It does look enticing and fun. I may have to try it sooner than later.

After playing and finishing (yes I’m very proud of that fact) Big City Adventure: San Francisco, I can’t wait for the next Big City Adventure to be released. Here are my top 5 locations that I think the sequel should take place.

5. Chicago. Chicago has a beautiful buildings and landmarks. It would be fun to virtually tour Chicago and find out more about the city.

4. Honolulu. Honolulu is no doubt a beautiful place and could be a lovely backdrop for a hidden object game.

3. Branson. Think of Branson as a cross between Nashville and Las Vegas. A lot of shows take place there, and it’s located in a very scenic part of Missouri. The star aspect could lead to a possible guest appearance in the casual game.

2. London. London with it’s many recognizable landmarks would make a great location for a hidden object casual game. Maybe even throw in a British accent guide to seal the deal for this to be a very popular casual game location.

1. North Pole. In honor of Christmas, an enchanted hidden object game set where Santa lives would be fun. Sugar plum fairies and dancing reindeer could make this a very popular holiday casual game.

One classic board game that will be popular until the end of time is Chess. It’s a game for two players that requires strategy and patience. There are so many games that have been based on the basic game play of Chess, which is a testament to its appeal. A lot of strategy board games like Navia Dratp and Stratego challenge players to use their minds and choose their moves wisely, much like the game of Chess.

The basics of Chess can be easily learned, but it can take a lifetime to master the game. This is one of the reasons that the game has kept its appeal. For those wishing to learn to play Chess can practice by playing Chess online. You can play Chess online and hone your skills or learn the game. Playing online is a great way to find others interested in playing the game at any time. Sometimes it’s challenging to play your favorite game with a busy schedule. By playing your favorite games online, you can play when you have time and find an opponent, too.

Online games create a win-win situation for gamers in that they can enjoy the games they love at any time of the day. They are also a great tool in learning to play a game as tutorials and other helpful hints are prominently displayed in the game. Since Chess can be a difficult game to master, learning to play it online can make it easier and fun to learn.

A couple of new PC games that have been released today that have potential interest to casual gamers.

Petz Dogz 2 is a sequel game that allows gamers to take care of a virtual pet.

EA Sports 07 Collection is the ultimate collection of sports games from the 2007 selection including NHL 2007 and Madden 07.

Hard to believe I actually do buy gifts that aren’t game related but on occasion I do. I have found a neat gift for my nephews. When an opportunity came up to review dog tags, I was extremely interested since I had given a some to one nephew before. He really like it. These personalized dog tags are much cooler than the ones I gave him.

I blurred out his last name but here is the dog tag I received. The color is very pretty and the dog tag has a nice, solid weight to it. It came with a chain and was shipped in a sealed bag to protect it from getting scratched. Ordering was easy and shipping was very fast.

You can have each line personalized to say whatever you like. This nephew is four years old and can’t wait to start school. I chose to make it appear like a reward from school since he can’t wait to go to kindergarten. I’m so impressed with this one that I will be ordering some for my other nephews just as soon as I think of a slogan for each of them.

The dog tag is really cute and will be a big hit. I will be one cool Aunt when he opens this at Christmas.

Download and take a spin of some of these fun casual games this week:

5. The Scruffs - Hidden object game. Finally a family messier than ours.

4. Fairy Godmother Tycoon - Help bring back the Fairy Godmother’s potion business.

3. The Game of Life - The board game that makes life fun now has two mode of play in the PC version.

2. Word Whomp to go - Make words from letters held by cute, furry animals.

1. Diner Dash Hometown Hero - Flo is on a mission to save her hometown.

Diner Dash Hometown Hero is the latest casual game to feature Flo, one fast waitress with big dreams. In Hometown Hero, Flo returns to her hometown to visit her grandmother. What she discovers saddens her and makes her determined to do something to bring about change. Diner Dash Hometown Hero continues the fun and challenge of the series.

All of her favorite places are basically in shambles. The town is barely a town and really needs to make something happen. Flo sets her sights on helping the local zoo, which was one of her favorite places to go as a child.

Players begin the game with a quick tutorial that explains the basic game play of Diner Dash. Once that first level is completed, players move on to the next round that has a higher earnings goal. Each level comes progressively harder as the earnings goal continues to rise. There are five restaurants to save in Hometown Hero beginning with the one located at the zoo - the Safari cafe. At the end of each round, you get to choose an upgrade for the restaurant. Sometimes it’s decor like different tables or plants. Other times it might be faster shoes for Flo or a new stove. You have to choose wisely which upgrades will be of most benefit to you.

There are some new challenges for Flo with the new Diner Dash Hometown Hero game. Flo must train waiters to take over when the time is right and tables for two can now be pushed together to accommodate up to four people. Reserved tables are for guests that will only sit at that table. Each table has a countdown clock so you will know when to expect the patrons. Here is a screen shot of Flo training the waitress Amie. While you may be training, to get past the level you must score more points than they do.

The Diner Dash Gourmet Edition is available only on the PC version but features a boutique where users can create avatars, design their own restaurants, or take part in a multi player game of Diner Dash. Diner Dash is from the casual game company PlayFirst and retails for $19.99. As with most casual games, there is a free demo version, so you can try it before you buy it.

Last night was our weekly -sometimes bi-weekly - D and D game. It never fails that the gathering time is around 4pm, but we never get to gaming until around 7:30pm. Guitar Hero III for the week took center stage for a while. Once we ate and leveled our characters since something “big” was coming, we got to playing.

The DM had told my husband that he had something special planned just for his character, a Bard/Dragon Shaman. It was something big and special alright- a red dragon. Being a newbie role player, I hadn’t encountered a dragon yet but luckily my D&D coach - my hubby - gave me advice on what to do. We were able to defeat thanks to the DM. Had it not been for the dragon landing, we would have been toast.

It was a fun time. But it really shows just how little I know about things when it comes to D&D. I have much reading to do.

Now that we have a Wii, our gaming setup needs some work. Our entertainment center is really an old desk, so we really need some shelving to make it work with all of our gaming consoles.

On our make shift entertainment center also resides some of our home lighting that must stay since the overhead light is just too much. The lamp gives off just enough light to watch TV and play games comfortably during the evening. What I really need is a shelf for video games and controllers. That would free up some of the tabletop space.

Thank goodness that we only have the PS2 and Wii hooked up at this time. They both can stand on their edges and not take up much room at all. When we add the Dreamcast and Xbox back to the gaming setup, we will need a better display solution.

I’ve been trying to establish an exercise routine around fun. That’s why I use games like Dance Dance Revolution and Eye Play to help get me moving and having fun. Today I came up with a brilliant gym idea that will probably only appeal to gamers but could be a lot of fun.

My idea is to transform a space about the size of a basketball court into a real-life Diner Dash set up. People would have to race to seat customers, take order, drop off food, and then clean up tables. All of the items would be free weights possibly disguised as those items. So, that way people are nearly sprinting to tables with weights, giving them a better workout. Each round could be timed and then tables moved around to different spots, some obstacles adding to increase the intensity of the workout. Having to balance trays on heads or hold above the head could make for an interesting time since it would help to work more muscles and work on balance.

It would probably take more work to set up the actual course than to run it, but it could potentially be a great way to get a good, fun workout.