The games created in these pages are based on the principle that learning should be fun. The aim is to provide an entertaining way for you to learn about Newfoundland and Labrador through playing crossword puzzles, memory games, and sliding puzzles. Because the games are intended to positively reinforce learning, where appropriate, links are provided to pertinent articles. This allows you to discover the solution for yourself. For example, the crossword puzzle clues are hyper-linked to the articles from which the answers were taken.

There are six major headings on the site and various games have been created for each of them. Links to any of these games can be found on the sidebar to the left of this introductory page. Under each section (ie. Natural Environment), there appears a list of games which has been specifically created for that particular area.

Miniature screen-shot of Hangman Game. This game uses the words and clues from the crossword puzzles.

All of the games have been created using Java™, a programming language developed by Sun Microsystems Inc. Using Java™ has enabled us to create truly interactive and fun games; surpassing the limitations and restrictions of JavaScript and HTML (HyperText Markup Language). To play these games you must be using a Java™ enabled Internet browser. If you cannot see a game on any given page, follow the link on the sidebar entitled 'Fun and Games Troubleshooter.'

Miniature screen-shot of Governor's Game This is a game of identification. There are 18 Newfoundland Governor's which you must identify given pictures and clues of each.

Some games are fairly easy, some are more difficult. The Memory Matching Games, for example, merely require you to match a series of nine images. Points are awarded for correct matches, and deducted for incorrect ones. On the other hand, the most challenging series of games are likely the sliding puzzles. For each thread we chose a selected image, sliced it into a number of blocks and scrambled the blocks. You are asked to re-sort the image. Two puzzles are provided for each thread, a simpler one consisting of 9 blocks, and a more difficult one consisting of 16 blocks.

Miniature screen-shot of Sliding Puzzle Shuffle the blocks and then try and re-sort them to complete the image.

We hope you will learn more about the heritage of Newfoundland and Labrador through playing these games. Above all, we hope you have fun.