CLICK & DOUBLE CLICK: READY TO PLAY? INTERNET OFFERS PLENTY OF FREE GAMES AND CONTESTS (COLUMN 26)

Cybertip: Right now, all Internet addresses in the United States end in one of six ways: .com for commercial businesses, .org for non-profit organizations, .net for networks, .edu for educational institutions, .gov for governmental bodies or .mil for the military. Under the proposal by the International Ad Hoc Committee, seven endings would be added: .store for businesses offering goods, .info for information services, .nom for individuals who want personal sites, .firm for businesses or firms, .web for entities emphasizing the World Wide Web, .arts for cultural groups and .rec for recreational or entertainment activities.

Let the games begin.

Fun and games on the Internet have become sophisticated, big-time operations. As more and more sites compete for customers, some offer prizes, sweepstakes, games and even cash.

One of the biggest game sites is Yoyodyne. They offer free Internet games for prizes. How do they do it? Sponsors pay for the games and prizes.

http://www.yoyo.com

Joni: Yoyodyne is featuring four games, including the "Dave Barry in Cyberspace" game, the "Get Rich Click game" (win $100,000 or a Mazda Miata), the "H&R Block Will Pay Your Taxes" game or the "Dilbert Trivia" game. The site also offers an expanded list of games.

Peggy: Let's check out Dave Barry. Anyone who reads his column in our paper each Wednesday knows he isn't a fan of the Internet.

Joni: As with most Yoyodyne games, this is played via e-mail. But you can link to Random House's Dave Barry Page and even play a "ShockDave" game.

Peggy: At the Random House site, Dave says: "You spend 2 percent of your time typing in insanely complex web addresses, 2 percent of your time reading snippy messages stating there are no such web addresses, 2 percent re-typing insanely complex web addresses, 93 percent waiting for what seemed like at least two academic semesters per web page while the computer appeared to do absolutely nothing and 1 percent of your time actually looking at web pages."

Joni: Unbelievable. Dave's as impatient as we are.

Peggy: H&R Block will pay up to $20,000 in taxes in their trivia contest that continues for several weeks. If you don't owe, you're still entitled to a minimum $5,000 refund. While the games and their sponsors plug big grand prizes, most of them give you a real sporting chance to win T-shirts and other promotional items.

Joni: These e-mail games are OK, but I want more immediate gratification. I don't want to wait 10 weeks to find out I won a T-shirt. Another place that advertises great games and great prizes for free is Riddler.com.

http://www.riddler.com

Peggy: Riddler is highlighting three games right now: Incognito, a word search game; Klondike, a solitaire game; and Mental Floss Lite trivia challenge. Two require Java, one just requires a brain.

Joni: As a clever advertising tool, you have to look at the sponsor's whole ad before the game link appears. You don't have to register -- unless you want to win a prize. These people weren't born yesterday.

Peggy: How bad do you want to win that T-shirt, Joni? We tried the Mental Floss game, requiring just a brain. Trivia categories include "It's Alive," "Goulash," "In the Nick of Rhyme," "The World Series," "Reel Funny" and "Getting There." We picked Goulash.

Joni: Hungry, Peggy? We got 8 of 10 correct, a noble attempt. I like this better: immediate feedback. Our only complaint is that it didn't tell us the right answer, but you can play again.

Peggy: Riddler offers lots of other games, instructions and tips. Next stop, Bingo Zone, featuring free bingo games every 20 minutes, 18 hours a day.

http://www.bingozone.com

Joni: The site tells us that this is not gambling, because it's free. Again, sponsors pay for the prizes. You do get a password. Games pay between $3 and $20 per game, and there's no limit on the amount players can win each day. Out of the 54 games, only seven paid more than $5 per game.

Peggy: But they send you a check in the mail with your winnings. Not all bad. But at Prizes.com you can win up to $1 million instantly.

http://www.prizes.com

Joni: You can play instant games, contests and quizzes offering up to $100 in tokens. Cash games offer up to $4,950 instantly.

Peggy: The Quiz of the Day asked us to identify a photograph from an obscure ad and the ad's slogan. That's the problem with these game, not everyone can win.

Joni: I don't want everyone to win -- just me. Let's check out another popular game spot, The Gamemaster.

http://www.thegamemaster.com

Peggy: The Gamemaster asks, "Are you tired of complicated sites that tally points toward obscure prizes?" Why, yes I am.

Joni: Gamemaster has several games, including "Come on Down," the Internet's first audience-style audience participation game. The game is played once every day or so at a prearranged time. We might take a peek at this Internet game show at 8 tonight or the same time Thursday night.

Peggy: This site just kicked off Dec. 16, 1996. They award prizes hourly, daily, weekly and monthly. But if you are looking for the really BIG prize, check out Publisher's Clearing House, billed as the only Internet site where you can win $10 million.

http://www.pch.com

Joni: But will Ed McMahon or Dick Clark come knocking on my door? They also have special online only prizes. This month was a monitor. Hey, I could win a new $65,000 Jaguar. I'm clicking. It's a 1997 Jaguar, fully loaded. It's green like money.

Peggy: Dream on. Of course, to enter you must browse their magazines and other merchandise. And the $10 million prize for 1997 was already awarded. But you can enter for other prizes.

Joni: It seems that the bottom line is that even on the Internet there is no free lunch. While most of the games are free, we pay with our time. And every time you enter your e-mail address, you join another mailing list.

What's your favorite game site? E-mail us at movnldd.net.

See you in Cyberspace.

~Joni Adams is managing editor and Peggy Scott is graphics editor at the Southeast Missourian.