As 2008 comes to a close, I decided that it was time for another Game Central update. I was quite lax with new postings in December, so it is definitely for a new entry. In November, I rediscovered the joys of LucasArts adventure games. I dusted off my copies of The Secret of Monkey Island and Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis. Thanks to ScummVM, both are perfectly playable, even on newer systems.

Several years ago, I came very close to completing Monkey Island, but never did. This time around, I finished the game and it was as great as I remembered. Fate of Atlantis was pretty much a new experience as I had barely scratched the surface on it years back. The quality was right up there with Monkey Island and it added voice acting to the mix. I had to resort to the hint book more times than I would have liked but I was eager to play through it. Both games lived up to their lofty reputations as some of the best from the golden era of adventure games. I still have Day of the Tentacle, Sam and Max Hit the Road, and Full Throttle to play as well. Something to look forward to in 2009!

In December, I added some new independent Mac games to my library. One game was RocketBowl, somewhat of a combination of bowling with miniature golf. It sounds a bit odd but it works. I had a lot of fun with it.

I also purchased the 15th Anniversary Holiday Bundle from Ambrosia Software. It included six great games massively discounted to $19:

• Apeiron X. Arcade-style, fast-paced, frantic gameplay. You versus the nefarious Pentipede and other mushroom patch baddies.
• Redline! Put the pedal to the metal in this intense 3D racing game. Hop in and burn rubber through myriad race tracks across the Web.
• Bubble Trouble X. Arcade-style family fun, filled with frolic, fins, and fishy foes. Use the maze itself to pop the cutthroat competition.
• Darwinia. Save a virtual world from a deadly computer virus. Real-time strategy and lush3D landscapes remind you remember why gaming is fun.
• SketchFighter. Pilot your sketched ship through hand-drawn graph paper mazes, battle bugs and bosses, solo or with a friend.
• Aki Mahjong Solitaire is an elegant blend of the ancient Chinese game of Mahjong with an enchanting journey across Japan.

I’ve played a few of the games from the bundle. Thus far, my early favorite is certainly SketchFighter 4000 Alpha. It features retro arcade action with a style all its own.

Now that the season has finished, North American League Baseball has announced its prestigious individual awards for 2007.

League 1
Outstanding Batter Award: Hooks Goetz (Brooklyn Knights)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Hap Bedford (Cornfield Axemen)
Newcomer of the Year: John Edwards (Cornfield Axemen)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Ralph Kerfoot (Dunedin Otters)
Catcher: Ted Pollet (Brooklyn Knights)
First Baseman: Chet Corwin (Dayton Grizzlies)
Second Baseman: Smoky Wortman (Nashville Firecats)
Third Baseman: Nick Callison (Dayton Grizzlies)
Shortstop: Leo Sullivan (Luisville Beasts)
Left Fielder: Tony Rice (St. Rock Mudcats)
Center Fielder: Steve Gelnar (Luisville Beasts)
Right Fielder: Dan Kelly (Cornfield Axemen)

League 2
Outstanding Batter Award: Travis Araoz (Stade Maples)
Outstanding Pitcher Award: Max Brown (Stade Maples)
Newcomer of the Year: Martin Swader (St. James Crusaders)

Slick Fielder Award Winners
Pitcher: Brian Pitz (Richmond Slam)
Catcher: Al Abernathy (Quebeck Sky Chiefs)
First Baseman: Travis Araoz (Stade Maples)
Second Baseman: Red Valdez (Washington Allies)
Third Baseman: George Montgomery (Richmond Slam)
Shortstop: Martin Swader (St. James Crusaders)
Left Fielder: Chuck Yeabsley (Phoenix Rattlers)
Center Fielder: Shawn Cuyler (St. James Crusaders)
Right Fielder: Roberto Rentería (Stade Maples)