As you may have noticed, I've been playing some of the more obscure, different and downright random MMOs lately. Not all of them have been good (and some of them have been pretty awful), but one of them was definitely worth a try. In the hope of adding to this number I've been playing Project Powder, a snowboarding game released by Outspark earlier this month.

The game clocks in at a download-friendly 500MB, although you'll need to download a number of patches to get into Project Powder itself. There are three characters for new players to choose from, and the only thing that can be customised at character creation is their hair colour. I don't know about you, but I find this slightly disappointing. I'm used to customising my character's face, build and appearance, so its omission here is somewhat surprising. The characters available are an adult male, a teenage male and a cute girl.

Monday may be just around the corner, but you can still check out all of the exclusive features and noteworthy news articles that have been posted on ZAM this past week. You can find more links after the jump.

ZAM features

The Endless Forest: Oh Deer: Is The Endless Forest a relaxing experience or just lacking content? Sam "azerian" Maxted investigates.

We Dream of Genie: The newest update to Perfect World International includes genies, and we talked with Product Manager Jonathan Belliss to get all the details.

Gunz Online: Fast, Intense and... What Else?: Christopher "Pwyff" Tom checked out this MMORPG/FPS hybrid to see if the game is packed with anything besides adrenaline. Pwyff wasn't too impressed. Find out why in his editorial.

MapleStory: Still Worth Playing?: MapleStory just celebrated its fourth anniversary, so azerian decided to venture into the game's virtual world to see what's changed over the years.

Rub Our Exclusive Media Lamp: We got an exclusive look at the genies introduced in the newest Perfect World International update. Check out the screenshots to see what they look like.

Outspark's snowboarding MMO Project Powder has been officially launched and its micropayment store is now open for business. A contest has also been announced for players who purchase items from the store, with a gaming keyboard, mouse and in-game currency up for grabs.

The full press release follows after the jump.

The latest patch for the free-to-play snowboard racing game, Project Powder is now available! The content patch will be introducing twelve new items. Players will be able to customize their appearance with new items ranging from jump suits, hoodies, jackets and other cool items. Players can now hop onto new snowboards such as the fiery red D3 board or the icy blue Maximum 5 and shred up the slopes!

Players now have a new magic cube to work with, the Neonic Cube. Players who were lucky enough to have won ore from their matches will now be able to refine it by using the Neonic Cube, converting them into gems to enhance your gear.

The content patch also has a new track, the Eisen Watersource Part 2. This new track features destructible snow environaments and the biggest jumps in the game, giving players a chance to create sick new stunts!

Check out the official Project Powder website for more information.

Outspark has released exciting new content for its competitive online snowboard racing game, Project Powder, featuring a brand new single player mode, a new race track, and other additions.

Project Powder players looking to improve their snowboarding skills without the embarrassment of defeat can now take to the slopes in a new single player practice mode. Learn all of the secret shortcuts in Race Mode and track down all of those hidden gold coins in Coin Mode to own your friends in your next match.

Boarders can also take on a challenging new course, a mirrored version of Smallpox Part 2, and can race without fear thanks to improvements to Project Powder's X-Trap anticheat software.

For more details and full patch notes , visit the official Project Powder website now.

The first major content patch for Project Powder is now live. The competitive online snowboard racing game is currently in open beta; anyone can register and play for free at playprojectpowder.com .

Players can now take on a challenging new course, a mirrored version of Smallpox Part 1, or spend their PRO (Project Powder's in-game currency) on 27 new in-game items, including new snowboards and character-specific gear for Ross, Beth, and Max. The new patch also introduces the anticipated "CBT Hoodie," a special permanent item reserved for all players that reached level 5 during Project Powder's closed beta test.

Visit the official Project Powder website now and check out the full patch notes .

Outspark's upcoming free-to-play snowboarding MMO, Project Powder , has just begun open beta.

"Project Powder utilizes all of the benefits of online gaming to make an extreme sport a community experience," said Susan Choe, Outspark CEO and founder. "Our overarching goal is to expand our free-to-play Virtual Playground into a diverse entertainment destination, and Project Powder is a great addition to our game portfolio."

The open beta of Project Powder is available now with an official launch for worldwide audiences set for the end of summer. Features of the game include:

- 33 monster courses(10 available exclusively for open beta)

- 3 challenging game modes- Intense multiplayer action with up to 7 opponents

- Premium gear including new snowboards, clothing and accessories for your character

- Dozens of unlockable tricks

Outspark will also be hosting a number of exciting community events during the Project Powder open beta including a user-generated video contest.

To sign up for the beta, or to learn more about the events, visit their official site .

The second phase of closed beta testing for Project Powder, Outspark's competitive online snowboard racing MMO, will begin on Tuesday, July 15th. Current players will still be able to access the closed beta servers, and will retain all of their characters and items. New players must visit the Project Powder website now and register immediately in order to secure their spots.

Phase two of the Project Powder closed beta will introduce many exciting new features to the game. Players can now race down two brand new tracks in any of the game's three game modes, and will be able to form guild-like crews and utilize new crew features. And because players asked for it, the beta servers will now be online 24 hours a day, meaning there's no reason to ever stop shredding the slopes.

Outspark's GMs will also be busy running in-game contests and events for the duration of the closed beta, and will be rewarding players who show off their skills with cool new premium items.

Register now in order to guarantee your spot in the Project Powder closed beta and get ready to take to the slopes when the game servers come online on July 15th. Those lucky enough to get accepted into the closed beta will be notified via email.