Flash games: Boiling Down

It's time we gamers faced facts as a community. Our genre has expanded to a point of near-critical mass, and the sheer number of games available on a constant basis is staggering. Discounting the traditional platforms (basically anything you can buy at GameStop), anyone with an internet connection can game for countless hours, fulfilling whatever base genre desires your little heart has. Google "flash games" sometime for kicks. Try to find one single game that can capture your attention for more than fifteen minutes. The search itself renders more than 173,000,000 hits. It could send a Zen master into an ADD tizzy.
The problem here is that, upon my initial research, almost 50% of these hits are flash game hosting sites, and even with larger game hosting sites such as armorgames.com, only maybe 70% of their content is original (I'm being generous in my estimation). The others are linked from sites such as Kongregate and addictinggames, etc. and vice-versa. Another problem is that we only have maybe 30 game concepts floating around for the vast majority of the games out there. What I'm getting at is that there are very, very few original games available on a flash platform. So where do we find good games in this veritable sea of mediocrity? Even the casual flash gamer with only a few minutes to spend deserves good games.
What I propose is a list of games that I, as a flash gamer, enjoy. This is a purely subjective list. I am subject to whims of my own fancy, and to the bonds of some loose genre loyalty, so if you don't like RTS or tower defence games, some of the games on the list may seem somewhat undeserved. That being said, here are the games, and a short synopsis/review of each, starting from 10;

10. Seed This game lives up to it's host site's title. It's a fun and addictive little DNA/evolution sim dealing with flowers. Mainly attracting players who like Spore, the number of variations available is pretty impressive, given the game's format. There isn't much diversity to the gameplay itself, but it serves the concept well. Simple, easy to play, and time-altering. Don't play this if you have something to do in the next hour.

9. This Is the Only Level The name says it all. You are a poor little immortal elephant, forced to replay the same level over and over again. Though it sounds repetitive (and in some ways it is), the level evolves with each new iteration to produce an addictive and sometimes infuriating jumping platform game. Mario-esque fun in a challenging, if not somewhat samey box. Easy to learn, impossible to master.

8. Learn to Fly Cute factor is high in this side-scrolling physics game. You are a penguin who has taken it upon himself to break free of his flightless anatomy. Fun upgrades and a very intuitive set of controls makes for a great setting, and by the end I was really becoming invested in the adorable protagonist.

7. Warzone This game is getting huge. Between Facebook and the various tower defence sites pimping it out, mad cow interactive is making a lot of noise with this tight, well polished tower defence strategy game. Not overly creative, but a great way to waste an hour or two.

6. Hedgehog Launch Another cute physics game, there are a few more complexities to this game than Learn to Fly. You are ordered by your government to launch the nation's mascot, a hedgehog, into space to spearhead the nation's space program. The fun in this game is the play. It is genuinely enjoyable to launch that little guy into space, and the ending, though darkly adorable, is tinged with regret that it's over already. The good news: the sequel retained the basic charm. Another game to avoid if you have pressing commitments.

5. The Space Game Not strictly a tower defence game, The Space Game is more of a defence-based RTS. This is a challenging game with many layers of strategic complexity, requiring a high level of tactical improvisation. The story mode's plot is a little thin, but a decent attempt. It would have done just as well without the pretext. Overall, I would recommend this game to fans of management RTSs or turn-based strategy.

4. Dark Orbit Generally, I am not a fan of MMOs or their soul-sucking flash spawnlings, but Dark Orbit managed to suck me in anyway. I credit this to my love for sci-fi and the total lack of necessity to make friends or talk to people in-game. I understand that party building is half the fun in MMOs, and you have the option to do so in Dark Orbit, but I appreciate the game not ramming it down my throat.

3. Effing Hail Catharsis embodied, this game requires you destroy everything you encounter with gusts of wind propelling bits of hail skyward, keeping them aloft as they grow in size until they crash down upon the hapless inhabitants of the tiny world you are tasked to destroy. Definitely worth the time, especially on a bad day.

2. Epic War 2 This game is impressive. Side-scrolling RTS with massive armies, a neat story, and one of the few flash games that gave me a sense of accomplishment when I achieved victory by drowning my foes with waves and waves of expendable troops. There are three unique races to choose from, and great upgrades to quash your enemies. Having to buy the upgrades again every level is a little irritating, but it adds a sense of urgency to what would otherwise be a rather mild difficulty curve. Highly recommend for Warcraft 3 junkies and Tolkien fans.

1. Toss the Turtle This game's major selling point is the artwork, and sell it does. The object of this dark side-scroller is to shoot the turtle out of a cannon as far as you can. The poor little guy takes a lot of damage on the way, eliciting some morbid chuckles. The power-ups at the shop are designed to inflict even more damage on what must be the most masochistic turtle to exist. The artwork, done by Gonzo, is bright, colorful and would make Jhonen Vasquez proud. I highly recommend this game if you have a few minutes, or if you need a way to stay awake all night so the clown under your bed doesn't eat you.

So there you have it; my top 10 flash games currently on the net. No, they aren't the most influential or even consequential, games, but they are fun and provide a doorway to new game artists looking to break in with the industry. Do the right thing, people. Play indie games. Save America.