3-in-a-bed

Despite some design flaws, this dart-simulation game makes a good tool for strengthening hand-eye-coordination skills. 3-in-a-bed lets you play several variations of dart games, including 301, 501, and 1001. As in other dart-simulation programs, this one gives you a first-person view of the dartboard from the oche. Unfortunately, the board is much smaller than it should be, and the numbers are tough to read, which makes correctly aiming your dart an even more daunting task than it is by default. It takes a while to get the hang of tossing darts by clicking the mouse, meaning that it's initially tough to beat the computerized opponents, even on the easy difficulty setting. The sound effects are realistic enough, although we detected some subtle distortion in the announcer's voice. 3-in-a-bed offers both exhibition and tournament modes, and you can play against a friend if the computerized challengers don't suit you. The program tracks your progress by keeping stats, and inveterate loafers will appreciate the Boss key, which quickly minimizes the game to your taskbar as a Notepad document. Although some competing games are more polished, folks looking to play the occasional game or virtual darts might as well give this one a shot.