Brad Adrian
10-12-2004, 11:00 AM
When we recently came across a link and description for a free Mastermind clone for the Pocket PC, we thought there might be a few folks out there who like the game and would be interested in downloading it. If you've never played it before, the rules are pretty simple. Basically, you have to figure out the sequence of four colored balls by systematically entering guesses. For each guess, the computer gives you hints about how close you are to the correct answer.<br /><br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/pmastermind.gif" /> <br /><br />Anyway, the more I looked, the more versions of the game I found. So, if you like Mastermind, here are a few different versions to take a look at.<br /><br />• <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=140054">Mastermind Freeware</a> is, as the name states, a completely free version of the game. The graphics are pretty 2-dimensional and unexciting, but hey, the price is right.<br />• <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=119096">Pocket Mastermind</a> (pictured above) has some very nice graphics and gameplay, plus it's available for only $1.00 (sorry, no demo).<br />• <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=127701">Mastermind</a>'s graphics are pretty good, but nothing fancy. You can get it for only $2.49.<br />• <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=85801">Scientist Code</a> plays just like Mastermind, but takes a bit of a different approach to the rules. It goes for $2.99.<br />• <a href="http://www.handango.com/brainstore/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=31036">Brainworks Lite</a> gives you 36 levels of play and difficulty. There's a free demo available, but it costs more: $7.95.<br /><br />There are actually a lot of similar Mastermind clones out there for the Pocket PC. So, you should be able to find one that fits your needs for price, graphics and gameplay. If none of the ones I've mentioned catches your eye, go to the <a href="http://www.handango.com">Handango Web site</a> and search for the term "mastermind."<br /><br />Have fun!