Joyswag: Win a $100 InstantAction account

by Christopher Grant { Mar 11th 2008 at 12:00PM }

click for screenshot tour

GarageGames wants you to reconsider the way you look at "web gaming" and it's hoping its InstantAction platform will be the lens that shifts your perspective. In short, InstantAction is a free web-based gaming platform with the requisite friends lists, chat rooms, and multiplayer; however, unlike web gaming sites of yore, InstantAction games sport impressive 3D graphics and similarly impressive exclusive games (like the excellent Marble Blast Online, Wideload Shorts' Cyclomite, and the upcoming spiritual successor to Tribes, Fallen Empire: Legion). While the gamesa rare free, everything won't always be; after the beta period, you'll be able to purchase additional maps, levels, weapons, et al for many of the games, and that's where our latest giveaway comes in.

GarageGames is already generously dropping 100 ActionTokens (the platform's virtual currency) into every new account sign-up, but they wanted to do a little better for five of our (luckier) readers. You'll have five days to leave comments on this post – one each day – for a chance to win one of five $100 InstantAction accounts (that's more than 10,000 ActionTokens). If you're the cautious type, check out our screenshot tour of the service before you get commenting.

To enter this giveaway, tell us your thoughts on InstantAction.com (you're in the beta, right?)
You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec; excuse-moi Quebecers).
Limit 1 entry per person per day. If you enter this giveaway more than once each calendar day you'll be automatically disqualified and forced to play internet solitaire!
This entry period ends in five days at 12:00pm ET Saturday 3/15/08. We'll randomly select 5 winners at that time (please check your email!)
For complete rules you can play in a web browser, click here

Gallery: InstantAction screenshot tour

Tags: GarageGames, InstantAction

Related From Joystiq

Critter Crunch dev working on new zombie game
15 days ago
Naughty Dog's Evan Wells: Motion controls will 'live alongside' conventional games
26 days ago
Sony discusses PlayStation Home's shift from social network to 'game platform'
28 days ago

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)

michaud.jon @ Mar 11th 2008 12:08PM

"(excluding Quebec; excuse-moi Quebecers). "

SOB!!!!!!!!!!!

naxe @ Mar 11th 2008 12:08PM

I'm going to be honest.. i think this is a moronic idea.

with live. Psn. and the VC for wii. this wont last too long.

Moofree @ Mar 11th 2008 12:27PM

Not to mention Piracy ;)

S Freude @ Mar 12th 2008 11:11PM

round two.

rom @ Mar 11th 2008 12:08PM

I like it so far. Can't wait for the Tribes game.

Ben Larson @ Mar 11th 2008 12:10PM

Marble Blast Online! Nice

Spoit @ Mar 11th 2008 12:14PM

It really is actually fairly entertaining

Boofa @ Mar 11th 2008 12:51PM

I think its a cool concept. It looks like there's a decent selection of a games everyone should be able to pick up and play.

Ballard @ Mar 11th 2008 12:41PM

sounds intresting enough

BattleHamster @ Mar 11th 2008 12:13PM

It seems like an ok idea, but there are a ton of great webgames out there that are free and are probably better then many of the one you listed.

deaftly @ Mar 11th 2008 12:14PM

I'll give it a shot but i doubt it'll last that long.

898 @ Mar 11th 2008 12:15PM

I haven't tried the program so far, at work currently, but the screenshot tour peaked my interest. Probably not as good as gametap but might be fun to mess around with. Online browser based Tribes like gameplay will probably get me to try it out when it comes out.

konajinx @ Mar 11th 2008 2:34PM

People, please, the term is something "piques" your interest, not "peaks" or "peaked" it.

Gunnar @ Mar 11th 2008 12:18PM

It is an idea that will need a lot of participants to catch on.

StrangeBum @ Mar 11th 2008 12:17PM

I'll take two please.

Xanto @ Mar 11th 2008 12:21PM

May as well go for it

felix @ Mar 11th 2008 12:30PM

i think this is a great step towards online social games. simple credits and some good lookin 3d games

masternave @ Mar 11th 2008 12:23PM

This is how gaming should be on the iphone. This is the kongregate of 3d online games, and i think it'll be rather succesfull. With a good scattering of games between the hopefully tribes-esque fallen legions to the marble blast/zuma style asteroid game, there's stuff for every age group they are targeting. The one thing I keep thinking is... this is how gaming should be on the iphone. :P

Charron @ Mar 11th 2008 12:26PM

Hopefully it's as platform-neutral as possible as quick as possible, but anything that lets me play Tribes-like games with a lot of other people has my stamp of approval.

lacrossekid01 @ Mar 11th 2008 12:29PM

Looking forward to the launch. This is a pretty cool concept!

Frank Thompson @ Mar 11th 2008 12:28PM

Nice idea!

Jigsaw hc @ Mar 11th 2008 12:32PM

The games will have to be really fun to be Kongregate

chaos3346 @ Mar 11th 2008 12:38PM

Interesting idea, should be interesting to see how it turns out.

Lam @ Mar 11th 2008 3:44PM

10k pts, I'd buy that for a dollar.

mrelusive @ Mar 11th 2008 12:46PM

I've always supported Garage Games and what they do. So far I'm liking IA, and I hope it has more long-term potential than their other project, Great Games Experiment.

Me, like most people, are probably looking forward to the spiritual successor to Tribes though. ;P

mrelusive @ Mar 11th 2008 12:46PM

kinshadow @ Mar 11th 2008 12:50PM

I like the concept, but the name sounds like a porno site.

Ghostbuddy @ Mar 11th 2008 12:57PM

I like the concept and im looking forward to how this service expands. That fallen empire game is pretty awesome.

P.S Woot to the Canadian inclusion in the last few joyswags.

daniel @ Mar 11th 2008 12:55PM

i want to give it a try. get my feet wet!

Jello00 @ Mar 11th 2008 3:10PM

oooh. I want some instant action!!!

The concept is cool, but they definitely need a lot of people to make this work. If only a few people join up it won't be fun.

Shmil @ Mar 11th 2008 12:58PM

i really can't voice an opinion on the website but i do like free stuff

aaron_k7 @ Mar 11th 2008 12:59PM

I LOVE Marble Blast!

Ghostsoft @ Mar 11th 2008 1:00PM

I think that Instant Action is a great way to distribute indie titles over multiple platforms. It its time to get some of these less known titles out there!

TWIXMIX @ Mar 11th 2008 1:02PM

I'd give you my opinion if it ran on linux.

For shame Garage Games, for shame.

Kurifurisan @ Mar 11th 2008 1:05PM

I'm enjoying the beta so far. It's pretty fun.

AJ @ Mar 11th 2008 1:09PM

meh

Tim Harding @ Mar 11th 2008 1:11PM

it's great!

Kye NFC: 7016 - 9552 - 1191 - 8991 @ Mar 11th 2008 1:11PM

Would it kill Joystiq to have just ONE competition that's open to UK residents?!

just... one?

Peter Hawker @ Mar 11th 2008 1:14PM

Come on, Tribes!

Rahabib @ Mar 11th 2008 1:13PM

I signed up for the beta long ago and have to say its a nice service. I had a few issues with the eternal "loading screen" but they seemed to have been worked out.

My favorite game is Marble Blast but once you get to the advanced area, it gets really hard

Joe @ Mar 11th 2008 1:16PM

I have not tryed yet but if I win this I will play it.

Spinfusor @ Mar 11th 2008 1:18PM

I think InstantAction.com is a great idea that's been a long time coming.

matt @ Mar 11th 2008 4:50PM

I own Marble Blast on XBLA, and while I much rather prefer playing with the XBOX360 Controller, the mouse and keyboard combo also lends itself well to this game. However, I do not get very good performance ingame...I have a pretty decent rig (C2D E6600@ 2.9GHz, 2GB RAM, ATi x1950xt, XP SP2), maybe I should try the applet in IE instead.

Anywho, here's to free stuff!

George @ Mar 11th 2008 1:21PM

Just signed up for the beta and will check it out. Thanks!

Angus @ Mar 11th 2008 1:25PM

InstantAction.com's a fucking brilliant idea.
Finally Marble Madness Ultra on my PC.
However, I'm still not sure how well it will do in general. I mean it seems like a hard sell to PC gamers who spend a bunch of money so they can run the hardcore games, to try and convince them to play in a browser.
Meanwhile the more casual gaming audience is plenty content with addictinggames.com, and everyone else is on consoles.