10 Most Addictive Online Games ...

Originally called “Diamond Mine,” this game is the ultimate time-waster. Set up lines of three or more similar jewels to earn points and advance to higher levels. The more jewels you line up, the more points you earn. It may not sound addictive, but trust me, it is. My Phys Ed professor even catches herself saying “one more level!” when she ought to be grading papers!

Be the ultimate drama queen! Collect experience points, fashionable clothes, sweet rides, and the ultimate accessories by organizing events and vacations. Slap snooty gals from other houses, rate friends’ outfits and new looks, and leaves messages for your own entourage on their white boards. Addictive glam fun! Play on Facebook or MySpace.

At one point or another, who hasn’t wanted to be a mobster? In this game, you recruit your friends to be in your mafia, then work your way up to be the master mobster in New York, Cuba, Moscow, and soon, in the west U.S. and in Asia. To gain experience and much-needed cash for weapons, armor, and vehicles, you do jobs… whack members of rival gangs, bribe public officials, that sort of thing. You even get to choose your own mobster name!

How many precious fireflies can you find before time runs out? Pretty backgrounds, awesome music, great graphics, and very addictive game play. What else do you need to make an online game addictive?

Pop three or more connected bubbles of the same color as new lines of bubbles keep coming! Easy to play, but also easy to “lose” an hour or two before you know it! Good for a little adrenaline rush… trust me!

Perhaps the original most addictive online game! I first played this classic on Nintendo, but now you can play it online, on just about any portable video game console (like the DSi or PSP), or even download the game app for your iPhone. I’ve played TETRIS so much sometimes that I see falling blocks as I’m falling asleep. That’s addicted!

The premise is simple: plant crops and spend the gold coins you earn harvesting the crops on planting new crops. Or save your gold coins to buy livestock and other animals, decorations, even a million-dollar villa. I admit it: at first I didn’t see the appeal, but now I’m completely hooked! I’m not as bad as Jil Wrinkle from the Philippines, quoted in a recent New York Times article as saying that he actually sets his alarm to wake up in the middle of the night to harvest his crops. But I’m getting there! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some green tea to harvest…

Each player gets seven cards, and the goal is to get rid of all of your cards first! Don’t forget to announce how close you are to running out of cards… when you only have one left, shout “Uno!” so everyone knows!

This simple game was built around the idea that popping balloons in real life is noisy but fun! You have a certain amount of time to use a certain number of darts to use to pop a certain number of balloons, and as the clock ticks down, you’ll find yourself panicking!

I admit it: I just don’t understand this game well enough to get addicted. But I know a lot of guys who are totally hooked! There are thousands of sites where you can play for free, or even gamble and play for a fee, but this pogo version is easy and fun!

So if you just have a few minutes or a couple of hours to kill, these are the best ways to do it! Or are you already hooked on an online game? Which one are you addicted to, and why? Please let me know… and good luck busting knees, planting trees, and becoming the queen bee!

Top Photo Credit: sabrina.dent