When you think foursquare, what comes to mind? A competitive childhood game played on the playground with a ball, four squares connected together and set of rules on how to play the game?

Well, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be a kid again or have that childhood competitiveness come out. Foursquare can give you back some of that childhood competitiveness. Foursquare is a game for your mobile device that gives you, your family, and friends a way to compete for Mayorships of places in town and earn badges and bragging rights.

Foursquare allows you play the game right from your mobile device with applications for BlackBerry, iPhone, Android, and Palm. If you have another type of device don’t feel totally left out as Foursquare works from your devices web browser or via text messaging.

How Foursquare works is, you check into a location to earn points and unlock badges. When checking into a location Foursquare sends alerts to your approved friends and family that play with you to show them your most recent check in.  You also have the option to update social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. You can also check in off the grid so no one knows where you have checked in leaving your friends to wonder. You also have the ability to leave tips where you have visited for others to see when they check in nearby.

Points are earned when you first check into a new place, when you add a new venue, and you can earn traveling points when checking into different locations throughout the day. Badges are unlocked for almost anything you can think of. Badges include Newbie, SuperUser, Photogenic, and a whole lot more to discover.

It’s also been said that it pays to be a loyal Foursquare user. Foursquare has published a list online of places you can get freebies from for your loyalty. You can view the list via this link.

When it’s all said and done, the more check in, the more points you earn, and the possibility of more mayorships and badges. Feel like joining a competitive adventure? If so join Foursquare now and find that kid again. You can join Foursquare now for free by following this link.