Globulos

Those new to the world of Globulos are in for a treat, but before you sit down and actually start playing the game, we recommend that you do a few things first. To start with, if you have any pets or children then make sure that they have enough food for a few days.

Then, phone in sick to work, have a bath, eat a large meal and consider installing a commode, as we can guarantee that you won't be going anywhere and doing anything for quite some time. Apart from playing Globulos, obviously.

Like so many of the best games, the object of Globulos is a very simple one: push the ball into your opponents' goal, while your opponents are trying to get the ball in yours. What makes it work though, is the way that simplicity cunningly morphs into that elusive 'just one more go' addictiveness.

Each team is made up of three 'Globulos', Pokémon-style round creatures, each with an arrow placed in front of them that automatically points towards the ball. The '2' and '8' buttons make the arrow longer and shorter (indicating your chosen Globulos' speed) and the '4' and '6' buttons rotate the arrow around your Globulos until you find the correct direction. See? It's all nice and straightforward.

The gameplay is turn-based, which basically means that you set up the direction and strength of the movement of each of your Globulos and then end the round to see if your strategy worked. Obviously your opponent will do exactly the same, so it's hard to predict exactly what will happen and the direction your Globulos will go in as most rounds involve at least one collision with the enemy.

The first couple of games are likely to be random affairs, as you simply point everything towards the ball and fire them off at high speed, but then you start to realise that things work better if you apply a bit more thought to the process.

For example, if you use one of your Globulos to head for the ball, you can use the other two as 'guards' – targeting your opponent's players to keep them away from your lead Globulos and hopefully also away from the ball.

Furthermore, you can also use the sides of the playing area to your advantage. One of the most satisfying moves of the whole game is bouncing off one of the walls to smack an opponent from behind just as its Globulos is about to hit the ball.

There's even a wide variety of game modes, too. You've got the standard Quick game, plus a Cup (play through four rounds), Challenges (score a goal with just one shot) and Duel (for two players, taking turns).

With plenty of options, wonderfully simple gameplay and the sort of maddening addictiveness that's guaranteed to keep you hooked, we have absolutely no problem recommending this delightful little game.