Posted December 31, 1969 by Ryan Lodata

We’ve all heard it before, "play video games and make money." However Groove Games has created something that can only be described as the right formula. SkillGround.com offers gamers the choice of many different games where you can compete against other players for real world money. So far there are four different games to play online; however, they are all made very well.

All of the games took only about 10 minutes to install on a high speed connection. The installation process was very simple and self explanatory. To install a game all you have to do is simply click on "Play Game" and it automatically downloads whatever you may need to play in a particular match.

You have your choice of two different first person shooters, a racing game and a fighting game. My first choice, naturally enough for me, was the first person shooter, Close Quarters Conflict. The look and feel of Close Quarters is very reminiscent of Counter Strike in its early days. Basically, you choose a class like sniper or assault and compete in deathmatch or team games. If you win and happened to have bet on the match, you can win money as well as points to increase your skill rating. As with a couple other games on SkillGround.com, you can also choose to enter yourself in tournaments to win money. The same entry fees translate to the other games as well.

Another first person shooter offered by Skillground is a game called Warpath. Warpath is a fast paced sci-fi shooter that pits you against other players. Warpath offers a wide variety of weapons, including a sniper rifle, which allows you to dispatch your opponents in a myriad of ways. The action in Warpath is definitely fast paced throughout and was pretty enjoyable, especially knowing that if I won a tournament I would receive $20USD or more.

LA Street Racing is much like its blockbuster counterparts as well. For example, LA Street Racing bears a resemblance to the Need for Speed Underground series. LA Racing has tracks that have you sliding around corners and burning rubber as you go. The thrill you get from racing other people is unmatched, especially if you are trying to win a tournament to get the big bucks.

Kung Fu is your typical 3d fighting game with destructible objects throughout. The biggest problem with Kung Fu was that I was rarely ever able to find someone online willing to play it. Although, even playing against the AI was good for practice and it was entertaining to throw them around.

Overall, my experience with Skillground.com was a fulfilling one. There is nothing greater than "capping" someone and knowing that with each kill you may be closer to winning some money. Skillground.com may only have 4 games right now, but they are all pretty solid. Each game caters to a variety of gamers and Skillground currently has a golf game in beta. This is one service that you should definitely keep an eye on. This holds especially true if you are looking for a starter gate into the competitive gaming world or if you just want to make some money with your "mad skillz."