When Softonic programmers are tired of working and need a break, they usually play a quick game at the table-football the company has installed in the coffee room. But now that I've found this game, they won't have to leave their desks to play their favorite pastime!

Master Kick is a fun arcade football game that's already been available for a while on different portable devices (Palm, Pocket PC). It's not exactly like other football sims you may have seen before: actually, it's a table-football (or foosball) game, meaning you play with football players attached to bar that you can move up and down to play the ball around the game field.

I don't know if it was because I'm hopeless at table-football, or because the game's AI is too high, but I found scoring goals quite difficult even in the easiest playing mode. On the upside, the game in itself is quite elaborate, with a varied selection of fields and even some crowd cheering sound effects in the background. You can play either a quick match or a complete league, and also try different team layouts. The only thing I missed was the possibility to play against another human opponent.

Master Kick is a fun table-football game, more like an arcade than a simulator. Pity it doesn't have a multiplayer option!

Download Master Kick 1.4 in Softonic

A little game of pool is always good fun and MacPool makes it possible.

We liked the sleek graphics, the way the balls roll, the semi transparent interface window and the colors used in the game. Hitting balls is all done by dragging your mouse to add force to your shot and calculate the angle. You use the arrow arrow keys to adjust the hitting point on the ball and add effects like top spin.

The game offers detailed instructions for anybody who might not know the rules of pool and the advanced settings, available from the top menu, allow you to set table cloth color or table quality (traction and cushions). You can supposedly play online against competitors from anywhere in the world, but we never managed to connect with anyone when we tried out MacPool. There's more than a dozen narrator voices to comment your play, some of them rather annoying and others amusing.

MacPool is an entertaining pool game for Mac. Although the controls are a bit tricky at first, once you get used to it it should prove loads of fun.

Download MacPool 10.0 in Softonic

These days of football fever are probably the best time of the year to play KickOff, an original online football game.

KickOff follows the trend of online casual games you can play for free, just by registering a free account on the game's website and downloading the client. This time football (or soccer, if you prefer it that way) is the main subject of the game, but not in the way we're used to seeing it: in a big stadium, with a crowd of people roaring and 22 professional players running after the ball. Kick-off focuses on street football, on those casual matches you play against your friends in the neighborhood.

The game in itself is quite easy to control. There are only three keys for different kinds of pass and shoot, besides the arrow keys to control movement. Graphics don't follow a realistic style, but are based on a more manga-like design instead, using bright, shiny colors and paying a great attention to detail.

KickOff includes three different game modes: a practicing area, free gaming against people from all over the world and a complete league that you can only enter when you obtain the necessary license. This license, together with the so called "tics" (a kind of user points), is obtained by playing matches. Tics will also eventually allow you to acquire new abilities and new items for your player.

The only main drawback to KickOff is its server problems. While testing the game I was disconnected from the game twice, which automatically closes the client as well. I also had some minor lag issues while playing online matches. Hopefully these problems will be solved soon and we can all enjoy an exciting online soccer game for free.

KickOff is an enjoyable online football game with which you can play fun matches againts people from all over the world, though you may have the odd server problem while playing it.

Download KickOff 1.0.6 in Softonic

The game of Sudoku seems to have replaced the humble crossword as the king of bus travel pursuits.

What's more, the way people are playing the game is changing too, and more and more people are using digital incarnations of the game. When you first load Impossible Sudoku you'll probably fall out of your chair when you see the game board.

Unlike the games you get in puzzle books this one has loads and loads of little numbers as well as bigger numbers filled in every square on the grid. It's a little daunting at first but don't worry because these are here to help you. They are actually 'auto marks' that indicate the numbers that are available to enter in a particular square based on the current state of the grid. Don't worry if it's too confusing for you because you can switch the feature off (you can't toggle auto marks, unfortunately and the change will come into effect in the next game).

There are lots of other things you can customize in Impossible Sudoku, and it's actually one of the most impressive number games I've seen in terms of its options. You can undo, redo, mark, check moves, solve the puzzle, and access all manner of statistics. There are five levels of difficulty, and you can even create your own puzzles from scratch.

The presentation of the game is pretty impressive - there's a choice of nine bright, colorful skins and the sound effects that play when you enter numbers are quite cool without being annoying.

In fact, the only thing that really lets the game down is its feeble help system. All you get is a one-paragraph description of the rules and there's nothing in the way of tips and tactics that might help beginners.

Overall though, this is a wonderful simulation of Sudoku.

Download Impossible Sudoku 1.05 in Softonic

There are many different football videogames to suit all tastes: some like soccer simulators where you get to play actual games on field, while some others prefer a more strategic approach, that is, managing the team as a coach.

The latter will probably like Bygfoot Football Manager, an open-source football management game that puts you in control of a football team during the league season. As a coach/manager, you'll be in charge of training sessions, contracting new players, selling other players and defining team's strategy in order to succeed both in league and other football competitions.

Being an open-source project, you shouldn't expect high-res graphics or amazing physics. In fact, the game barely shows any animations as it's all controlled through windows and menus. However this should not be a problem for hardcore football manager fans who doesn't care that much about the realism of graphics, but about the gameplay in itself. In that sense, Bygfoot Football Manager is going to surely please them.

Bygfoot Football Manager doesn't have brilliant graphics or jaw-dropping physics, but as a classic football manager it proves to be quite complete and very entertaining.

Download Bygfoot Football Manager 2.2.0 in Softonic

I'm not particularly fond of football but I must admit I had some fun while testing Football Challenge, a simple 3D online football simulator that you can play for free.

Be aware that this is no FIFA or PES. In fact football sim junkies may feel a bit disappointed at the game's simplicity in graphics and controls. Here you won't get the official player names or uniforms – in fact you can customize the team's shirt any way you want. What's more, there are no special moves or button combinations: the arrow keys and two action buttons (kick and pass) is all you need to play. On the other hand, this easy gameplay is what makes the game attractive even for people like me who don't know what an offside is.

Football Challenge includes both offline and online gaming modes. You can play against the computer and also enroll in online tournaments just by filling in a simple form and creating your team right away. The game will automatically find a match partner for you to start playing. Obviously, the more games you win, the higher you'll reach in the player ranking.

Football Challenge is a simple football simulator with support for online games, great for some easy fun but definitely not aimed at hardcore football fans.

Download Football Challenge 2008 in Softonic

I love to go bowling, but unfortunately the prices at my local bowlplex seem to be getting higher and higher by the day, so I don't go as often as I like.

However, as with most pastimes, there are bowling games that you can play without even having to step outside your front door. Bowling PC is one such game, allowing you to take to the allies at one of four virtual bowling clubs.

In terms of its depth, Bowling PC is pretty impressive. You can choose from six different characters, four different clubs and pick from four different types of bowling ball. What's more, there are four different control methods for the game, each radically changing the way you play. Some are more intuitive than others, such as the 'Sim' mode, where you roll your mouse back and forward to control the flight of the ball (you can even make it bounce high in the air!) The Arcade modes are trickier to master and require you to stop power and direction gauges at the right time. It's nice to have these options though, because it keeps your interest in the game alive.

Graphically, the game is well presented, with slick looking menu systems and excellent 3D recreations of the bowling clubs. The animation is fluid enough and you can even change the camera angle using the A, S, Z and X keys.

Despite its wealth of options and plush graphics, there is still something that doesn't feel complete about Bowling PC. Perhaps it's the fact that you don't see the characters bowling the ball, or the lack of satisfying pin-smacking sound effects or cheers when you hit them. Fair enough, you do get a bit of music played when you get a strike, but I didn't feel this was satisfying enough to get me excited about scoring big points.

In terms of its graphics and the number of game modes, Bowling PC is a class act. Unfortunately, it lacks that bit of character and fun that would've turned it from a good game into a great one.

Download Bowling PC 1.0 in Softonic

I'm I big football fan so naturally I'm starting to get excited about the forthcoming European Championships in Switzerland and Austria.

As always with big tournaments like this, I'm warming up for the big event by playing soccer sims. As always, it's EA who have the official licence for the tournament. And, as always, I came away from the game feeling a little disappointed that the developer still has the freedom to release yet another slightly-tweaked clone if its long-running FIFA game, knowing that punters will snap it up in the hoards amid the excitement of another major championships.

Essentially, it plays virtually the same as FIFA 08 (and, no doubt, very similar to the next version of the series) aside from a few tweaks. For instance, there's a new 'flick' mode for free kicks (and penalties), where you control the power and swerve of the shot using your right-analog stick. It's a novel idea and one that attempts to address one of the few areas that no football sim has yet to do perfectly. It's certainly an improvement, but is for me, too fiddly and difficult to get master.

Other new additions are in-game player ratings which update in real-time depending how each individual is performing, and improved collisions, trapping and goalkeeper AI. You even get to see the managers' reactions to goals, free kicks and near-misses, which I thought was quite neat.

Aside from the gameplay changes, there are a couple of new game modes. Captain Your Country sees you take the role of your team's skipper and influence the other players while you're out on the pitch, and there's a new online mode called Battle of the Nations.

Of course, all the official stadiums, real players, kits, balls, haircuts, etc. are there and the game features 52 European teams. "But there are only going to be 16 teams at the Euro Championships" I hear you scream. Well, EA has decided to allow you to go through the rigours of a qualifying campaign instead of just competiting in the final tournament. I guess it helps to add more depth and longevity to this title, but the qualification is finished now so it's not that realistic. Why couldn't we have had this game two years ago, when qualifying got underway in real life? Not in keeping with the Electronic Arts marketing plan, I imagine.

UEFA 2008 provides a great way to warm up for the European Championships. However, if you already have FIFA 08 I wouldn't bother buying this one as well. It offers little more in terms of gameplay and will be out of date by August.

Download UEFA Euro 2008 Demo in Softonic

Do you like playing pool or snooker? Then you'll definitely have a great time playing Pool Sharks.

In this simple yet fun pool game you'll be able to play pool or snooker in all their variants against people from all over the world. Pool Sharks only supports online games, which means you don't get any chance to practice before you face a real competitor. On the upside, online games work pretty smoothly, with no lag or connection issues whatsoever. Also, games can be played for real money or fake bets – I'd personally stuck with the latter, at least until you improve your skills.

After registering your free user account, you enter the Pool Sharks lobby where you can see a list with all currently ongoing games, as well as a list with all the available tables you can join for a game. Games can only be played between two players though the game developers apparently plan to include support for tournaments some time in the future. While playing, you can chat with your opponent with the game's built-in IM client.

Pool Sharks includes realistic graphics regarding the pool table and balls, but realism reaches a higher degree when depicting physical movement: it does really feel like hitting a pool ball with your own cue.

In spite of not having offline playing mode, Pool Sharks is still a fun, interesting game for all pool and snooker lovers.

Download Pool Sharks in Softonic

Fishing beyond my desktop has never really appealed to me but this is one game that's strangely addictive and a lot of fun.

You are basically a pro-fisherman who has to cross the country entering competitions to catch the biggest and juiciest fish to climb up the rankings. The more fish you catch, the more you progress up the rankings but there's plenty of obstacles in store for you such as nasties that swim below the surface, steal your bate and even your rod! It's simple enough for kids to play but it's also got an addictive quality that adults will also, excuse the pun, get hooked on. The graphics are cartoon style and the fish in particularly are beautifully down with some huge bulging eyes that almost pop out of their head when caught. As you become a better fisherman - learning to beat the pelicans before they get to the fish before you - you earn more tokens which you can use to upgrade your boat to something really spectacular. Half the fun is riding around in your boat causing mayhem in fact, especially as you progress to the larger boats.

A highly entertaining game that will have fishing fans hooked and kids enthralled by the sounds and graphics.

Download Fishing Craze in Softonic

Carom literally means a collision followed by a rebound in a billiard game. Commonly, Pool is referred to a billiard game with pockets while Carom is a game without pockets but just using cushions. Carom unlike Pool is a game that you use the cushions to gain points rather than the pockets.

Carom 3D is an online multi-user billiard game created with special 3D graphic effects bringing every aspects such as 6 ball, 9 ball, 8 ball and others of Billiard game to life.

Download Carom3D 4.88 in Softonic

Aerial Antics is a curious and original game that challenges you to overcome a series of tests to enter into a circus of aerial acrobatics.

To achieve this objective you control a powerful propulsion backpack that you wear on your back - a jetpack basically. The goal is to reach a certain point - usually a sort of target - but to do so you may have to overcome all kinds of distances. The various levels are also complicated with additional obstacles that can be weather-night, wind, rain or specific challenges that you must overcome. Only by fulfilling all the requirements of the mission can you move onto the next mission. Controlling the jetpack is harder that you might imagine - you have to be very sensitive on the controls which are keyboard based. The best thing about this game is the sheer control you have and the distances you can travel with the pack. The controls are simply the cursors and the spacebar for power and the movements are incredibly realistic. The graphics are designed using "Cell-Shading" techniques which allow you to see the whole scene, as well as the character, in a cartoon animation style.

A great game although the only problems is that the levels are very boring in terms of the scenery as you move through the levels.

Download Aerial Antics in Softonic

Nostalgia Baseball is a challenging, unique, and captivating baseball sim played over the internet from a colorful software package that sits on your computer. As a comprehensive baseball sim, the program incorporate all the facets of owning and managing in a professional baseball league, from the draft to the league championship - all in a way that honors baseball's fabulous history.

Once you download the free software, you'll have a chance to get a free franchise in a practice league. In addition to the practice franchise, we're offering you a free franchises in one of our regular leagues for a limited time. Check out the regular leagues and see which one is right for you. Then, request a franchise with a free season. Requests will be filled within 12 hours with emailed instructions telling you how to install.

Nostalgia Baseball features highly reliable statistical outcomes, an innovative concept, and many more owner controls than fantasy baseball. It also connects you with a close community of owners and provides the consummate strategic challenge for the long haul.

Download Nostalgia Baseball 4.9 in Softonic

The 2008 ski season is about to start, but if you can't wait to slip on your ski suit and boots, try ORF-Ski Challenge.

This free ski simulator enables you to slide down snowy slopes in five different tracks in Italy, France, Austria and Switzerland. You can train for as long as you want to – or need to – and then take part in online races against other skiers from all over the world. Just take into account that in order to be able to qualify for the race and enter the competition, you'll have to register a nickname, which you can do for free from the game itself (takes about 20 seconds).

Graphics are not extraordinary, but they do provide quite a realistic speed sensation. Also, the fact that the game is not that difficult to play makes it fun and suitable for the whole family. Notice we said easy to play, which doesn't necessarily mean that races are easy at all. Online competition is, in fact, quite challenging!

ORF-Ski Challenge features several ways to customize the game, like changing your suit's design and colors, selecting between different weather conditions or adjusting your skiing style. Offline training may end up feeling a bit repetitive, but you absolutely need some if you plan to defeat all those pro skiers you'll find in online races.

A great ski simulator with which you can race online against players from all over the world.

Download ORF-Ski Challenge 2008 1.0 in Softonic

FooBillard was originally created for the Linux platform but luckily enough we can now enjoy this Windows version and have fun while playing pool on the computer.

The game doesn't require installation and starts a game right away after being launched. This can be a bit confusing because apparently there is no game menu or any way to change configuration settings. The trick is pressing the Esc key: you'll open the menu and will have access to the game's settings, where you'll be able to choose the type of pool (8-ball, 9-ball, carom or snooker), game mode (single game, tournament or championship), players (either human or computer-controlled) or decide if you want to play a game over the Internet.

FooBillard shows highly realistic physics in the ball's movements and in their reactions when hitting other balls or against the pool table. Despite the game's minimalist design (you only see the table against a dark background) the graphics are certainly impressive. Pity we can't say the same about the soundtrack, which is limited to some noises when the ball hits against something.

Play pool in your computer and enjoy the realistic graphics and physics of FooBillard.

Download FooBillard 3.0 in Softonic

Just when Christmas is just around the corner, the elves are attacking Santa Claus but hang on, help is at hand though through...bowling. If nothing else, this game wins full marks for originality. You take the role of Santa Claus who has to knock down the pins which are - you guessed it - elves.

It sounds easy but when you realise that these pesky goblins can out obstacles in your way, it becomes a whole lot more complicated. These obstacles can take the form of anything from oil, narrowing the bowling lane to even huge shields. Although fun for a while, the game becomes rather tiresome after several attempts although it's livened up by some fun graphics, especially when the elves get knocked down. The music however is so repetitive that you won't last long on this game.

A bit of festive fun and nothing more.

Download Elf Bowling 7 1/7: The Last Insult in Softonic

WiniGolf is a simple 3D mini-golf game that you can play either on your own or against some friends on the same computer.

It features a total of 36 holes with slopes, corners and other elements to make them more challenging. Also, you have permanent information about your number of hits and current par on the game's status bar.

WiniGolf certainly doesn't have brilliant graphics but it's perfect for a short break. It's all controlled with the mouse, so it's very easy to play. On the downside, I didn't like the fact that it automatically changes the shooting angle every time you hit the ball – it's really misleading.

Play mini-golf on your computer for free.

Download WiniGolf 1.0 in Softonic

There are people who like to play soccer and people who like to focus more on the strategic side of it. If you're find yourself in the latter, here's a game you're going to enjoy a lot.

FIFA Manager 08 is EA's latest version of their successful soccer managing franchise. You'll be in charge of the soccer team of your choice, picked up from a huge list of professional soccer leagues. The game features an impressive level of detail, to such an extent that you end up feeling overwhelmed with information. As an example, FIFA Manager not only covers the professional side of your life as a soccer coach, but also enables you to create a personal profile with pictures of your kids.

In all, FIFA Manager 08 is probably one of the most complete soccer managers available, but on the downside, it can take a long time to learn how to play it and therefore, be able to enjoy it.

Be a soccer manager and control your favourite team right from your PC.

Download FIFA Manager 08 Demo in Softonic

There are two main kinds of football games: the ones where you actually play the match against your competitor, moving the team players across the field, and the ones where you play as the manager of the team.

Football Manager obviously falls in the latter, as you can tell from its name, and offers gamers a comprehensive simulators that covers every single aspect of football management, from hiring players to game tactics, including training schedule, salaries and of course, dealing with team supporters.

In fact, the game is so complete that it feels just too overwhelming when you run it for the first time. Also, the fact that the tutorial is broken doesn't help either. But after playing it for a while, you can tell that this game is going to get you hooked on your computer for hours. Just one tip: use your own background music because the game doesn't have any.

Football Manager 2008 enables you to make your dream come true and manage your favorite football team with highly realistic detail.

Download Football Manager 2008 Strawberry Demo in Softonic

Let me confess something before I start this review. In 2001 I played my first game of Pro Evolution Soccer (PES). It was against my friend Aaron and I won 1-0. Then I won 2-1, then he beat me 1-0 with a lucky goal so I won the next one 6-1. He didn't actually score, I gave him the goal on a piece of paper. Since then every year on Earth has meant a new and improved experience of watching Aaron's sad and aging face. So I like PES. I like it a lot.

There are two kinds of football gamers, those that want an authentic footballing experience, and people who play FIFA. PES won the hearts of the former with their first release, which managed to make you feel like you were playing a game of football that you could have been watching on television. They got so much right in that first game that subsequent releases have been bemoaned for their lack of 'big' developments. But we have had faster gameplay, more subtle ball control and some great set-piece changes. Now in 2008 we have 'Teamvision'.

'Teamvision' is the big news of the latest edition of PES and involves the computer's players owning a kind of 'artificial intelligence' that allows them to adapt and react to your gameplay. So much so that you now need to play in true Kenny Dalglish-style as a kind of player-manager with one eye on winning the match and one eye on making sure your tactics outwit your opponent's. Defenders and goalkeepers are more responsive to danger and attacking players make more intelligent runs off the ball, which is now a special blue PES leather number four if I'm not mistaken - it does seem rather small. Plus there are some nice manager and dug-out shots during the games and goalscorers celebrate with the subs. You also get extensive editing options if false names still annoy you.

The retail version comes out in November so get in some practice early. Then you can beat all your mates and rest happy for another year.

Download Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 in Softonic