how to get better

I am currently a 1200 level player.

what do you consider the best method to get better?

A. play as many games as possible

B.use the chess tactics trainer and chess mentor program.

C.take lessons.

I think you have it figured out. All three, in the order you listed in order of importance.

your on the right track.chess mentor is brilliant and so is tactics trainer.also play lots of games.you will get better.

Play alot of game, and study your games, especially the ones you lose.  Its always fun to win, but you gain more when someone outplays you.  Try to figure out what they did right and you did wrong.

If you are going to have study time outside of game time, focus on tactics training.  At lower levels game are won and lost on tactics, rather than some subtle strategic point.  You must develop to the point where you can see what your opponent threatens, where you can threaten him, and calculate at least a few ply deep when the situation calls for it.  Also, learn tactical motifs like pins, forks, skewers, etc.  Improving tactical skills alone can give you several hundred rating points.

My personal advice is to also spend a little time on endgame study.  Many lower level players ignore the endgame.  Not all games end in a middle game mate, and the ability to recognize that you can reduce a position into a superior endgame is a huge advantage to have in your arsenal. 

One thing NOT to do is to spend to much time on opening theory.  You need to know opening principles, but deep opening study is for later in your career.   Play for rapid development, control the center, watch out for tactical traps, get your king to safety.  If you can get that done in the first 10 moves you are doing ok.  Trying to memorize complex variation is something for later.   And even then, its better to know five lines with genuine understanding of why the moves are being played than to know fifty lines from simple memorization.

If you live somewhere that a coach is available and you can afford it a coach can greatly improve your game.  They can be expensive, however, at least in my tax bracket. 

Best of luck.  By following the above advice I have raised my rating in online from under 1200 to just over 1400 in less than two months

I have to agree with Sofademon. Don't spend a lot of time  studying opening theory. While you need a firm grasp of sound opening principles, memorizing openings is a waste of time at the beginning of your chess career. I put a lot of time into tactics. I use programs like personal chess trainer, etc. Also develop your "board vision." Many newer players spend so much time looking at the center of the board that they miss attacks from the outer edges of the board. See the entire board not just the central squares. Play as many games as you can. When you're about to make a move, examine the potential counter-move of each of your opponent's pieces.