With the load of similar titles being released after FrontierVille landed on the Facebook gaming scene earlier this year, it's no surprise that yet another "clone" title would be released. This time around, we see Koramgame hoping to latch onto the success found by titles like FrontierVille, and more recently Ravenwood Fair, by offering a new game called Kingdom Saga, that incorporates major gameplay elements from both of these games, but offers them in a setting that's 40,000 years in the past.
As the cave man or cave woman or your own design, you'll be able to build various structures in your kingdom, but only after you clear the land of debris (grasses, rocks and the like) first. From there, it's a bit of a city-building game, mixed in with basic quests, as items must be connected with roads in order to function.
For more information about Kingdom Saga, meet us behind the break.
Kingdom Saga resembles FrontierVille in the way that Bonus Pop-ups appear after collecting from buildings (which earn profits over time), and in the overall quest set-up that sees you purchasing certain items, completing the building of Wigwams and other buildings, and so on. Of course, an energy bar is also present here, so you'll need to wait for your energy to recharge once it empties to continue participating in most in-game actions.
For those that prefer Ravenwood Fair, there are elements of that game here as well, as you can only clear out debris that is closest to you. That is, you'll have to work your way outwards from the middle of your kingdom when you clear the land - you can't walk over one piece of grass to get to another.
As the game combines these elements with those from a city-building game, there is a bit of refreshing uniqueness here. When you build a home, for example, you'll be able to invite one of your real-world Facebook friends to live in that home. Oddly, they'll be given the standard avatar to represent them as they walk around the town, so boys in the real world could be presented as girls in the game, and vice versa. If you can get the friend to actually start playing the game, however, you can customize their appearance.
When not completing quests, the majority of your time early on will be spent clearing the land. This uses your energy, but also earns you experience points. As you level up using these points, you'll be able to unlock the ability to purchase more homes for your village, and therefore add more friends to your town. You'll also be able to add numerous decorative items to your town, including a slew of Christmas-themed items, if you choose to start playing the game before the holiday season ends.
Once you reach level 5, you'll be able to build Resource Buildings, allowing you to earn wood and stone which are gathered just like wood or food would be in something like FrontierVille. In addition to these structures, you can purchase actual businesses, like wineries and clothing markets that will earn "taxes," that need to be collected once full (think of collecting from an attraction in Tiki Resort or Happy Island, as examples, and you have the system here).
In terms of social elements, you can visit your neighbors' towns at will, and in doing so, will be given the opportunity to "Help Out" at a handful of businesses or shops, earning you additional coins and "Love," or reputation points (this is an exact replica of the system in FrontierVille). You can also choose from a number of free gift items to send to your friends if you'd like.
As with other "ancient" city-building games, Kingdom Saga will soon be given Wonders, presumably allowing you to build real historical items in your town.
All told, Kingdom Saga looks to be a solid offering in both the city-building genre, and in those games that can be respectfully called FarmVille clones. It seems to offer enough unique features to keep one interested over time, and with the mass amount of Facebook games anyone can choose to play, you can't really ask for anything more than that.
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
Earn 2 free FarmVille Farm Cash from Ford Focus promotion
On the lookout for some free Farm Cash in FarmVille? Why not take part in Zynga's newest cross-promotion with Ford that offers 2 free Farm Cash just for doing so?
Interested? You'll be able to start this simple activity by looking for the "Sponsored Link" picture as seen at the right side of this post. This newest promotion is for the "Ford Focus Global Test Drive" contest that, of course, is being run by Ford (yes, the car company). This activity loads in a new window, and is comprised of you listening to a fairly lengthly trailer for Ford's Global Test Drive contest, which is also being held on Facebook. Note: Here is the link for the activity, but note that it might not work on your account.
This contest asks users to create a video submission for a chance to win a trip to Spain and a $10,000 donation to a charity of your choosing, but if you're just interested in the free Farm Cash, you can skip the video by clicking on the "Get Started Now" button and "faking" your way through creating a video. The video you "create" can be a second long, and can be downloaded and deleted in a matter of seconds. After the video has been "completed," you'll earn your free Farm Cash notification, and can close the activity window.
Head back to your game of FarmVille and you'll see your Farm Cash total rise by two. Sure, this may be an activity that's a bit more involved, but if you follow our simple steps, you'll be able to finish it as quickly as possible and get to spending your free Farm Cash. Of course, you can always take the time to create a real video for the contest as well - whatever works for you.
Interested? You'll be able to start this simple activity by looking for the "Sponsored Link" picture as seen at the right side of this post. This newest promotion is for the "Ford Focus Global Test Drive" contest that, of course, is being run by Ford (yes, the car company). This activity loads in a new window, and is comprised of you listening to a fairly lengthly trailer for Ford's Global Test Drive contest, which is also being held on Facebook. Note: Here is the link for the activity, but note that it might not work on your account.
This contest asks users to create a video submission for a chance to win a trip to Spain and a $10,000 donation to a charity of your choosing, but if you're just interested in the free Farm Cash, you can skip the video by clicking on the "Get Started Now" button and "faking" your way through creating a video. The video you "create" can be a second long, and can be downloaded and deleted in a matter of seconds. After the video has been "completed," you'll earn your free Farm Cash notification, and can close the activity window.
Head back to your game of FarmVille and you'll see your Farm Cash total rise by two. Sure, this may be an activity that's a bit more involved, but if you follow our simple steps, you'll be able to finish it as quickly as possible and get to spending your free Farm Cash. Of course, you can always take the time to create a real video for the contest as well - whatever works for you.
Earn 100 free FarmVille Farm Cash through ProFlowers promotion
Back again for another holiday is the ProFlowers promotion in FarmVille. If you weren't around for the Mother's Day or Thanksgiving flower promotions in Zynga's games like FarmVille or Cafe World, then here are all of the details surrounding this new offer.
This cross-promotion is one of the more profitable ones we've seen. For all users that click on the ProFlowers "Sponsored Link" window found at the bottom of the FarmVille gameplay area, they'll activate the ability to earn 100 free Farm Cash by making any purchase at ProFlowers.com. By clicking on the Sponsored Link, you'll load a new window, where you'll find all of the official rules (it must be a valid purchase, your farm cash can take upwards of 30 minutes to arrive on your account, and so on).
In addition, users that order through this offer will receive 50% on holiday flowers and gifts, so if you've been looking for something for that special someone in your life, or just someone who is incredibly difficult to shop for otherwise, this might be worth looking into. After all, why not receive something for yourself in the process of buying something fabulous for a loved one? No one will blame you, most certainly not me.
Shop fast, as we're assuming that this offer will disappear just as quickly as the holidays after this week.
What do you think of this new promotion? Will you purchase from ProFlowers to earn 100 free Farm Cash? Have you ordered from ProFlowers through a FarmVille promotion in the past?
This cross-promotion is one of the more profitable ones we've seen. For all users that click on the ProFlowers "Sponsored Link" window found at the bottom of the FarmVille gameplay area, they'll activate the ability to earn 100 free Farm Cash by making any purchase at ProFlowers.com. By clicking on the Sponsored Link, you'll load a new window, where you'll find all of the official rules (it must be a valid purchase, your farm cash can take upwards of 30 minutes to arrive on your account, and so on).
In addition, users that order through this offer will receive 50% on holiday flowers and gifts, so if you've been looking for something for that special someone in your life, or just someone who is incredibly difficult to shop for otherwise, this might be worth looking into. After all, why not receive something for yourself in the process of buying something fabulous for a loved one? No one will blame you, most certainly not me.
Shop fast, as we're assuming that this offer will disappear just as quickly as the holidays after this week.
What do you think of this new promotion? Will you purchase from ProFlowers to earn 100 free Farm Cash? Have you ordered from ProFlowers through a FarmVille promotion in the past?
CityVille Let it Snow Goals blanket your town in frosty flakes
Let it Snow!
While you were prepping the town's Holiday Tree, Zynga added another Goal to CityVille to turn your city into an even more wonderful winter wonderland. In "Let it Snow!" Sam asks players to ask their friends for 10 Snow Flakes and 10 Snowballs. Each requirement can also be met using 20 City Cash and doing either will allow you to buy one new Decoration item from the Build menu, Snow Cover.
For just 500 coins, Snow Cover will blanket your city's streets in snow. Interestingly enough, this change is irreversible, but the snow will automatically melt come March 20, 2011. As for the second part of this Goal series, players will have to collect 15 Winter Lights from their friends. Doing so will open up Snow Top in the Decorations tab of the Build menu. For another 500 coins, this will blanket your buildings and decorations in snow, which also will not disappear until March. Start asking away for those items now if you want your town to celebrate a white Christmas like some of us on the East Coast might enjoy.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Have you started the Let it Snow Goals yet? Will you be completing them knowing that the change is semi-permanent?
While you were prepping the town's Holiday Tree, Zynga added another Goal to CityVille to turn your city into an even more wonderful winter wonderland. In "Let it Snow!" Sam asks players to ask their friends for 10 Snow Flakes and 10 Snowballs. Each requirement can also be met using 20 City Cash and doing either will allow you to buy one new Decoration item from the Build menu, Snow Cover.
For just 500 coins, Snow Cover will blanket your city's streets in snow. Interestingly enough, this change is irreversible, but the snow will automatically melt come March 20, 2011. As for the second part of this Goal series, players will have to collect 15 Winter Lights from their friends. Doing so will open up Snow Top in the Decorations tab of the Build menu. For another 500 coins, this will blanket your buildings and decorations in snow, which also will not disappear until March. Start asking away for those items now if you want your town to celebrate a white Christmas like some of us on the East Coast might enjoy.
Find the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Have you started the Let it Snow Goals yet? Will you be completing them knowing that the change is semi-permanent?
Age of Champions on Facebook doesn't cry over spilled blood
Fantasy social games are almost dime a dozen, but what are they missing? Why, half naked men spilling the blood of goblins and other beasts, of course. In Age of Champions on Facebook, players take the role of one of three races: a human, an elf or a minotaur as they vie for the throne of an emperor who recently kicked the can. As it turns out, so is everyone else. After choosing which of the three warring factions that you'll be siding with in this sprawling conflict, you'll be launched into battle with a band of goblins, your warriors sprinting across a green, war-torn field, bronze daggers flailing. After witnessing the green, gooey bloodshed as your avatar guts the goblin leader, you realize that this is not standard fantasy fare on Facebook.
Find out more about Age of Champions and our impressions after the break.
Defeating the Orge
If you hadn't noticed by now, this game isn't necessarily for the little ones. There will be blood in Age of Champions, lots of it. Developed by Sacramento, CA-based studio KlickNation, this game's primary focus is on two important things: story and gameplay. Absolutely filled to the brim with quest text designed to give purpose to otherwise mundane tasks, Age of Champions contains a plot that weaves throughout the game's primary mode of spending Energy--a social game staple--quests.
However, Energy is plentiful in Age of Champions' early levels as opposed to other social games. You'll frequently level up through questing, restoring your Energy each time. (However, the game does offer Blue Crystals, a paid currency, to replenish Energy and Stamina.) Quests are completed through the Travel menu, which opens up the game's story in a book-shaped menu, offering the plot in chapters that almost always contain at least one session on the battlefield and one boss monster to defeat. Rewards from quests are normally the standard gold coins, which are used to hire more soldiers and outfit your army with weapons and armor, and experience points. Leveling up also rewards players with points to enhance their primary character's Energy, Attack strength, Stamina (used to battle other players) and Health. While Energy and Stamina will allow you to play the game for longer sessions without having to pay up for more, Attack and Health are extremely important in combat.
Questing Book
Ah, yes, the meat and potatoes of Age of Champions. Combat scenarios are somewhat rare treats, but are most definitely not to be underestimated. These special quests are marked with an icon shaped like a shield adorned with two swords. Clicking on "Go to Battle" will open up the battlefield. While battles play out automatically based on the size of your army compared to the enemy's, it all happens in real time and takes equipment statistics into account as well. It's not until all of your units fall that your main avatar will rush into the fray, duking it out with the opposing commander. In the early stages of the game, your army will almost always be wiped out, but that doesn't mean you lose them forever. However, improving their equipment by buying quantities of armor and weapons that match your squad's numbers will increase their lasting power. There is the option to skip each battle sequence, but why would you want to do that?
While combat and questing are plenty entertaining, Age of Champions does include some fairly deep social elements. Throughout the game, players can attempt to craft items that are more powerful than what can be bought in the store, but some of the ingredients can only be found through Gifting. Thankfully, social interaction goes deeper than that with Raids, or massive enemies that require cooperation from friends to defeat. Furthermore, players can join Guilds, which are groups of friends within the game that can collaborate without the need of being Facebook friends. In other words, you won't find too many request-athons here, but more teamwork through the game's Raid bosses and Battle system.
Raid on the Ice Dragon
With an interesting albeit violent approach to combat, an engaging story for those who take the time to read it and social features similar to other, more current social games like Knights of the Crystals and Legacy of a Thousand Suns, Age of Champions delivers on nearly all fronts aside from a few annoying bugs such as losing access to the top of game screen at times. Just ignore the fact that your avatar will be without pants for quite a while and you should have a grand time.
Find out more about Age of Champions and our impressions after the break.
Defeating the Orge
If you hadn't noticed by now, this game isn't necessarily for the little ones. There will be blood in Age of Champions, lots of it. Developed by Sacramento, CA-based studio KlickNation, this game's primary focus is on two important things: story and gameplay. Absolutely filled to the brim with quest text designed to give purpose to otherwise mundane tasks, Age of Champions contains a plot that weaves throughout the game's primary mode of spending Energy--a social game staple--quests.
However, Energy is plentiful in Age of Champions' early levels as opposed to other social games. You'll frequently level up through questing, restoring your Energy each time. (However, the game does offer Blue Crystals, a paid currency, to replenish Energy and Stamina.) Quests are completed through the Travel menu, which opens up the game's story in a book-shaped menu, offering the plot in chapters that almost always contain at least one session on the battlefield and one boss monster to defeat. Rewards from quests are normally the standard gold coins, which are used to hire more soldiers and outfit your army with weapons and armor, and experience points. Leveling up also rewards players with points to enhance their primary character's Energy, Attack strength, Stamina (used to battle other players) and Health. While Energy and Stamina will allow you to play the game for longer sessions without having to pay up for more, Attack and Health are extremely important in combat.
Questing Book
Ah, yes, the meat and potatoes of Age of Champions. Combat scenarios are somewhat rare treats, but are most definitely not to be underestimated. These special quests are marked with an icon shaped like a shield adorned with two swords. Clicking on "Go to Battle" will open up the battlefield. While battles play out automatically based on the size of your army compared to the enemy's, it all happens in real time and takes equipment statistics into account as well. It's not until all of your units fall that your main avatar will rush into the fray, duking it out with the opposing commander. In the early stages of the game, your army will almost always be wiped out, but that doesn't mean you lose them forever. However, improving their equipment by buying quantities of armor and weapons that match your squad's numbers will increase their lasting power. There is the option to skip each battle sequence, but why would you want to do that?
While combat and questing are plenty entertaining, Age of Champions does include some fairly deep social elements. Throughout the game, players can attempt to craft items that are more powerful than what can be bought in the store, but some of the ingredients can only be found through Gifting. Thankfully, social interaction goes deeper than that with Raids, or massive enemies that require cooperation from friends to defeat. Furthermore, players can join Guilds, which are groups of friends within the game that can collaborate without the need of being Facebook friends. In other words, you won't find too many request-athons here, but more teamwork through the game's Raid bosses and Battle system.
Raid on the Ice Dragon
With an interesting albeit violent approach to combat, an engaging story for those who take the time to read it and social features similar to other, more current social games like Knights of the Crystals and Legacy of a Thousand Suns, Age of Champions delivers on nearly all fronts aside from a few annoying bugs such as losing access to the top of game screen at times. Just ignore the fact that your avatar will be without pants for quite a while and you should have a grand time.
Thứ Tư, 11 tháng 1, 2012
Corrie Nation on hold: First-ever soap opera Facebook game breaks for makeover
Last year, after roughly four decades on television, ABC canceled TV soaps "All My Children" and "One Life to Live". Commentators were quick to point to Facebook games as the culprit, spear-headed by an April AdWeek report, with even earlier speculation supplied by GamaSutra a month prior. Then, "As the World Turns" ended in September, and it no longer felt like speculation. Everyone was running with it.
In this climate stepped "Corrie Nation", a social game on Facebook to mark the 50th anniversary of the U.K soap opera, "Coronation Street". Because obviously, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" seemed like a good call.
Corrie Nation Coronation Street characters actors
But for a show that brings in millions of viewers, the Facebook game only managed an all-time high of 88K monthly average users. Players have been falling since the launch, leading ITV to announce their taking down the game by the end of this coming July. But ITV hasn't given up on the concept. They want a major rehaul over the summer, so they're dropping their contract with Enteraction and will soon be in the market for a new games developer.
Anyone who's interested in checking out "Corrie Nation" within the next two months, can play it on Facebook. There's already a surge of activity due to news of the (hopefully) temporary shutdown.
In this climate stepped "Corrie Nation", a social game on Facebook to mark the 50th anniversary of the U.K soap opera, "Coronation Street". Because obviously, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em" seemed like a good call.
Corrie Nation Coronation Street characters actors
But for a show that brings in millions of viewers, the Facebook game only managed an all-time high of 88K monthly average users. Players have been falling since the launch, leading ITV to announce their taking down the game by the end of this coming July. But ITV hasn't given up on the concept. They want a major rehaul over the summer, so they're dropping their contract with Enteraction and will soon be in the market for a new games developer.
Anyone who's interested in checking out "Corrie Nation" within the next two months, can play it on Facebook. There's already a surge of activity due to news of the (hopefully) temporary shutdown.
Games.com Weekly Roundup: Spotlighting social games at E3 2011
Couldn't get your daily Games.com news fix and want to know what you've missed? Whether it's a major FarmVille guide or the launch of a new Facebook game, the Roundup will bring you up to speed on the most important or popular or just plain out amazing and weird social gaming stories of the week.
Monday:
The Sims creator Will Wright is making a Facebook game, and it's not SimCity
Instead, Wright is basing his new game on Bruce Sterling's short story "Maneki Neko".
Want to work for Marriott Hotels? Play the Facebook game first
"We had no idea there was such a demand for hotel employees, but alas, here we are, recruiting them through ... Facebook games."
Zynga hangs on iPhone in Hanging with Friends: Fuhgettabout pen and paper
"Developed by Texas-based Zynga subsidiary Zynga with Friends, Hanging with Friends is a mobile multiplayer take on the classic two-player puzzle game Hangman."
Playdom's City of Wonder on iPhone: Conquer the world wherever
"Playdom has released City of Wonder, it's Civilization-like empire-building Facebook game, to iOS devices. And better yet, it's absolutely free."
The Sims Social: Yup, The Sims is finally coming to Facebook
Were you as creeped out by the debut trailer as we were? Nonetheless, it's hard not to get excited.
Tuesday:
Apple Game Center in iOS 5 mirrors Facebook gaming, coming this fall
"Social gaming has effectively become mobile gaming in many a developer's eye, and Apple is poised to strike the competition this fall with the new Facebook games-inspired Game Center."
'Arookoo: World Explorers' steps up social gaming, but stumbles on Facebook
Reader's Digest Association and Vivity Labs' create a Facebook game to complement a free iPhone app that nabs you virtual perks for real world strolls.
E3 2011: Prime World mixes free-to-play MMO with Facebook friend interaction
"You'll be able to invite your Facebook friends to play the game with you . . . There's even a Zuma-inspired marble game for those that would prefer to match marbles than enter combat (at least temporarily)."
E3 2011: Yoostar Playground puts you in the movies on Facebook
"With Yoostar Playground, you're really given the opportunity for your 15 minutes of fame, as the company routinely holds contests over the best videos uploaded to the service."
Wednesday:
Zynga celebrates FarmVille's 2nd Birthday with an explosion of items
For the full scoop, check out our FarmVille 2nd Birthday Guide.
E3 2011: Walking Dead game gets a Facebook tie-in
"A few months ago, we learned that The Walking Dead, a hit TV series on AMC as well as a comic book series with a serious cult following, is getting the game treatment."
Casino City, Bar World and Slot City get the axe
"[A]s a result of Zynga's recent acquisition of DNA Games (its 14th purchase in just a year!), all three of the studio's games will shut down come July 8."
Thursday:
E3 2011: Fruit Ninja Frenzy takes a slice out of Facebook this summer
"In Fruit Ninja Frenzy, the same basic gameplay from the mobile version has been retained, but has been chopped (no pun intended) into 60-seconds of bite sized fruity goodness."
E3 2011: Pet Society Vacation on iPhone takes your Facebook pet on a tropical trip
Playfish fans are definitely excited, but the catch is this iOS game won't crossover with the one on Facebook except when it comes to porting over your pet.
John Carmack: Facebook offers the 'Walmart experience of gaming' [Interview]
"[Social games are] not a connoisseur experience, but it's important to recognize that most of what people consume in the world is not a connoisseur experience."
E3 2011: Shooters, not social, are still king
So how's E3 treating the social games scene? Our EIC, Libe Goad, spent the week over there and left us this thoughtful piece.
The Amazing Spider-Man's Emma Stone was hooked on FarmVille
"I got to level 42, and I wasn't doing anything else anymore, so I had to stop," Stone told ELLE.
FrontierVille Oregon Trail becomes 'Pioneer Trail' after community vote
Not that we thought anyone could confuse the official Oregon Trail with Zynga's FrontierVille expansion on Facebook, but that's lawsuits for ya.
Scam Alert: 'Zynga Promotions' is not RewardVille, but another scam
Dastardly!
Monday:
The Sims creator Will Wright is making a Facebook game, and it's not SimCity
Instead, Wright is basing his new game on Bruce Sterling's short story "Maneki Neko".
Want to work for Marriott Hotels? Play the Facebook game first
"We had no idea there was such a demand for hotel employees, but alas, here we are, recruiting them through ... Facebook games."
Zynga hangs on iPhone in Hanging with Friends: Fuhgettabout pen and paper
"Developed by Texas-based Zynga subsidiary Zynga with Friends, Hanging with Friends is a mobile multiplayer take on the classic two-player puzzle game Hangman."
Playdom's City of Wonder on iPhone: Conquer the world wherever
"Playdom has released City of Wonder, it's Civilization-like empire-building Facebook game, to iOS devices. And better yet, it's absolutely free."
The Sims Social: Yup, The Sims is finally coming to Facebook
Were you as creeped out by the debut trailer as we were? Nonetheless, it's hard not to get excited.
Tuesday:
Apple Game Center in iOS 5 mirrors Facebook gaming, coming this fall
"Social gaming has effectively become mobile gaming in many a developer's eye, and Apple is poised to strike the competition this fall with the new Facebook games-inspired Game Center."
'Arookoo: World Explorers' steps up social gaming, but stumbles on Facebook
Reader's Digest Association and Vivity Labs' create a Facebook game to complement a free iPhone app that nabs you virtual perks for real world strolls.
E3 2011: Prime World mixes free-to-play MMO with Facebook friend interaction
"You'll be able to invite your Facebook friends to play the game with you . . . There's even a Zuma-inspired marble game for those that would prefer to match marbles than enter combat (at least temporarily)."
E3 2011: Yoostar Playground puts you in the movies on Facebook
"With Yoostar Playground, you're really given the opportunity for your 15 minutes of fame, as the company routinely holds contests over the best videos uploaded to the service."
Wednesday:
Zynga celebrates FarmVille's 2nd Birthday with an explosion of items
For the full scoop, check out our FarmVille 2nd Birthday Guide.
E3 2011: Walking Dead game gets a Facebook tie-in
"A few months ago, we learned that The Walking Dead, a hit TV series on AMC as well as a comic book series with a serious cult following, is getting the game treatment."
Casino City, Bar World and Slot City get the axe
"[A]s a result of Zynga's recent acquisition of DNA Games (its 14th purchase in just a year!), all three of the studio's games will shut down come July 8."
Thursday:
E3 2011: Fruit Ninja Frenzy takes a slice out of Facebook this summer
"In Fruit Ninja Frenzy, the same basic gameplay from the mobile version has been retained, but has been chopped (no pun intended) into 60-seconds of bite sized fruity goodness."
E3 2011: Pet Society Vacation on iPhone takes your Facebook pet on a tropical trip
Playfish fans are definitely excited, but the catch is this iOS game won't crossover with the one on Facebook except when it comes to porting over your pet.
John Carmack: Facebook offers the 'Walmart experience of gaming' [Interview]
"[Social games are] not a connoisseur experience, but it's important to recognize that most of what people consume in the world is not a connoisseur experience."
E3 2011: Shooters, not social, are still king
So how's E3 treating the social games scene? Our EIC, Libe Goad, spent the week over there and left us this thoughtful piece.
The Amazing Spider-Man's Emma Stone was hooked on FarmVille
"I got to level 42, and I wasn't doing anything else anymore, so I had to stop," Stone told ELLE.
FrontierVille Oregon Trail becomes 'Pioneer Trail' after community vote
Not that we thought anyone could confuse the official Oregon Trail with Zynga's FrontierVille expansion on Facebook, but that's lawsuits for ya.
Scam Alert: 'Zynga Promotions' is not RewardVille, but another scam
Dastardly!
E3 2011: Playfish hee-haws in 'Risk: Factions' debut trailer
Last week at E3, Playfish debuted a trailer of their latest Facebook title, Risk: Factions, a game that looks to be setting itself up as competition to Zynga's latest hit, Empires & Allies. But unlike E&A, which borrows heavily from another Zynga game, CityVille, Playfish's game is spun off of a platform game by its parent company, Electronic Arts. And also unlike E&A, Playfish is definitely after a different demographic than Zynga.
So while a carrot-chomping donkey with 'Bad Ass' tattooed on its rear doesn't exactly scream 'grizzlied, battle-hardened space Marine', if you're a fan of the critically acclaimed StarCraft II (made by Blizzard, the same folks who created 'World of Warcraft'), then Playfish has you in on the joke.
Even if the Playfish spoof is pretty funny as a standalone sequence, if you want to fully appreciate the silliness, I recommending seeing the original StarCraft II trailer here.
So while a carrot-chomping donkey with 'Bad Ass' tattooed on its rear doesn't exactly scream 'grizzlied, battle-hardened space Marine', if you're a fan of the critically acclaimed StarCraft II (made by Blizzard, the same folks who created 'World of Warcraft'), then Playfish has you in on the joke.
Even if the Playfish spoof is pretty funny as a standalone sequence, if you want to fully appreciate the silliness, I recommending seeing the original StarCraft II trailer here.
A Peggle sake set? PopCap's auctioning it off (and more) for charity
PopCap Games is embarking on another major charity endeavor this month. Beginning today and lasting until July 12th, all proceeds from their official eBay listing will go to benefit the Starlight Children's Foundation in America and SpecialEffect in the United Kingdom.
PopCap Peggle sake setPopCap Games / eBay
Thirty-four pieces of artwork are expected to be put on sale (currently, 9 are available) and they all feature PopCap's various games from Plants vs. Zombies to Zuma Blitz to Peggle, which gets its own ceramic sake set! There's no Bejeweled Blitz goods in sight though, but we're sure one will appear in the coming weeks. Go to www.ebay.com/popcap to visit the auction.
PopCap's past fundraising efforts included raising $100K to help Susan G. Komen for the Cure fight breast cancer on Mother's Day in 2008, $85K for Haiti relief in 2010, and most recently, $200K going to the International Red Cross for Japan back in March.
PopCap Peggle sake setPopCap Games / eBay
Thirty-four pieces of artwork are expected to be put on sale (currently, 9 are available) and they all feature PopCap's various games from Plants vs. Zombies to Zuma Blitz to Peggle, which gets its own ceramic sake set! There's no Bejeweled Blitz goods in sight though, but we're sure one will appear in the coming weeks. Go to www.ebay.com/popcap to visit the auction.
PopCap's past fundraising efforts included raising $100K to help Susan G. Komen for the Cure fight breast cancer on Mother's Day in 2008, $85K for Haiti relief in 2010, and most recently, $200K going to the International Red Cross for Japan back in March.
'Nintendo is not interested' in Facebook, mobile games, president says
Nintendo Satoru Iwata
Whelp, there goes our dream of a Pokemon game on Facebook. In a lengthy interview with All Things Digital, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the company is simply not interested in joining the social or mobile games space. Iwata alluded to the company's disinterest during its GDC 2011 keynote address, but he has effectively buried any possibility of Nintendo entering either market entirely. His argument? Maintaining the perceived value of software.
My point is about how we can keep the public's perception of the software. If we are going to destroy the value of the game software - once we have done so, it's a difficult job to recover from that situation. Yes, it is true. There are great examples of advertising and doing the micro-transactions, and several companies who have come up with that kind of system. But on the other hand, if you ask me, is this the system that can be sustained for the long time? I don't know the answer. And, my point is that I'm not willing to go that direction, as well.
Nintendo's focus has always been focused on selling hardware and games that play to the strengths of it. But increasing pressure from Facebook and mobile megaliths like Zynga and EA has caused the company to vocalize its confidence in its current strategy and denounce the allure of social and smartphone gaming. However, Iwata realizes that Nintendo's competitors are willing (and already have gone) to go in that direction, and that it must create new business models to adapt. The question is, however, how does one compete with "free?"
Whelp, there goes our dream of a Pokemon game on Facebook. In a lengthy interview with All Things Digital, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata said that the company is simply not interested in joining the social or mobile games space. Iwata alluded to the company's disinterest during its GDC 2011 keynote address, but he has effectively buried any possibility of Nintendo entering either market entirely. His argument? Maintaining the perceived value of software.
My point is about how we can keep the public's perception of the software. If we are going to destroy the value of the game software - once we have done so, it's a difficult job to recover from that situation. Yes, it is true. There are great examples of advertising and doing the micro-transactions, and several companies who have come up with that kind of system. But on the other hand, if you ask me, is this the system that can be sustained for the long time? I don't know the answer. And, my point is that I'm not willing to go that direction, as well.
Nintendo's focus has always been focused on selling hardware and games that play to the strengths of it. But increasing pressure from Facebook and mobile megaliths like Zynga and EA has caused the company to vocalize its confidence in its current strategy and denounce the allure of social and smartphone gaming. However, Iwata realizes that Nintendo's competitors are willing (and already have gone) to go in that direction, and that it must create new business models to adapt. The question is, however, how does one compete with "free?"
Zynga's CityVille Hometown on iOS: A small town for small screens
CityVille Hometown iPhone
While the lot of us has been hankering for some CityVille on the go, it would be almost a chore to manage a mobile metropolis. And with Zynga's newest mobile game, CityVille Hometown, it's clear that developer Zynga Mobile has achieved telepathy. The company's brand new, bite-sized version of its runaway city-building hit will be available worldwide as early as this week. And here's the clincher: it's the first Zynga Mobile game to launch in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian and German. But that's far from what might make CityVille Hometown your go-to game on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
The game tightens its focus on a small town, and it's laundry list of characters (most of which you'll have a hand in creating). Players will first be greeted by Bert and his grandmother, Gilda, who will show them the ropes of creating and managing a bustling small town. This includes building new businesses, sprucing up the place and, most importantly, getting to know its citizens. As you continue providing your inhabitants with more places to live, work, shop and hang out, you will learn more about their stories.
Gallery: CityVille Hometown
It sounds like CityVille Hometown plays a lot like its Facebook predecessor, and you'd be right in saying that. However, this game is not like FarmVille for iOS in that it's not an extension of the Facebook game. This is a brand new, stand-alone game--for now, as Zynga Mobile GM Justin Cinicolo hinted at to us today. Though, CityVille Hometown incorporates your existing CityVille friends to exchange resources, Energy and other gifts with. And while the game appears to take place in another locale than the city you're used to overseeing, Cinicolo told us that some CityVille favorites might make some cameos in Hometown in the future.
CityVille Hometown
CityVille Hometown will be a 100 percent free game to download and play, and Zynga will support it the old-fashioned way through micro-transactions like Energy and other items. The game will be available to play on devices that supports iOS 3.2 and above, and it will launch first on the Canadian Apple App Store with a global release to come later. We know you want to play the game now (expect a full preview when the game launches), but let these first images hold you over until then.
While the lot of us has been hankering for some CityVille on the go, it would be almost a chore to manage a mobile metropolis. And with Zynga's newest mobile game, CityVille Hometown, it's clear that developer Zynga Mobile has achieved telepathy. The company's brand new, bite-sized version of its runaway city-building hit will be available worldwide as early as this week. And here's the clincher: it's the first Zynga Mobile game to launch in five languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian and German. But that's far from what might make CityVille Hometown your go-to game on iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
The game tightens its focus on a small town, and it's laundry list of characters (most of which you'll have a hand in creating). Players will first be greeted by Bert and his grandmother, Gilda, who will show them the ropes of creating and managing a bustling small town. This includes building new businesses, sprucing up the place and, most importantly, getting to know its citizens. As you continue providing your inhabitants with more places to live, work, shop and hang out, you will learn more about their stories.
Gallery: CityVille Hometown
It sounds like CityVille Hometown plays a lot like its Facebook predecessor, and you'd be right in saying that. However, this game is not like FarmVille for iOS in that it's not an extension of the Facebook game. This is a brand new, stand-alone game--for now, as Zynga Mobile GM Justin Cinicolo hinted at to us today. Though, CityVille Hometown incorporates your existing CityVille friends to exchange resources, Energy and other gifts with. And while the game appears to take place in another locale than the city you're used to overseeing, Cinicolo told us that some CityVille favorites might make some cameos in Hometown in the future.
CityVille Hometown
CityVille Hometown will be a 100 percent free game to download and play, and Zynga will support it the old-fashioned way through micro-transactions like Energy and other items. The game will be available to play on devices that supports iOS 3.2 and above, and it will launch first on the Canadian Apple App Store with a global release to come later. We know you want to play the game now (expect a full preview when the game launches), but let these first images hold you over until then.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
CityVille scores Zynga Social Center; send return gifts in one click
While we're not sure anything was particularly wrong with with the Zynga Message Center, sure, we'll take an update. The developer has unveiled the Zynga Social Center (ZSC), a new-and-improved version of the previous gifting and help request overlay. Still accessed by pressing the white envelope in the far upper right corner of your screen, the new ZSC certainly looks smoother than the previous edition of the feature. However, there are two key improvements beyond just looks.
First, multiple instances of the same gift received will be lumped into a single notification and a single button to accept all of them. For instance, if 15 of your friends send you Zoning Permits in CityVille, then just one notification will appear in your feed, and you'll only need to press one button to accept all 15, though it takes a bit longer to process with more requests.
Second and most importantly, however, is one-click gifting. When a friend sends you a gift, and you're given the option to return the favor, a small check box will appear--already checked--that will allow you to skip the normal Facebook pop-up that appears when sending future gifts back. Keep in mind, this is done on a friend-by-friend basis. It's kind of like one-click sharing, but far less controversial.
Zynga Social Center
Another minor change is that items that players can no longer accept will stay in the ZSC until players can accept them. For example, if you attempt to accept a +3 Energy item from a friend, but have too much of the item in your inventory, the ZSC will remember that and keep that +3 Energy right where you left it rather than delete it. Unfortunately, Zynga introduced the feature through CityVille, and it seems to only be available in that game at the moment. Though, I would expect Zynga's other games to enjoy the update soon enough.
First, multiple instances of the same gift received will be lumped into a single notification and a single button to accept all of them. For instance, if 15 of your friends send you Zoning Permits in CityVille, then just one notification will appear in your feed, and you'll only need to press one button to accept all 15, though it takes a bit longer to process with more requests.
Second and most importantly, however, is one-click gifting. When a friend sends you a gift, and you're given the option to return the favor, a small check box will appear--already checked--that will allow you to skip the normal Facebook pop-up that appears when sending future gifts back. Keep in mind, this is done on a friend-by-friend basis. It's kind of like one-click sharing, but far less controversial.
Zynga Social Center
Another minor change is that items that players can no longer accept will stay in the ZSC until players can accept them. For example, if you attempt to accept a +3 Energy item from a friend, but have too much of the item in your inventory, the ZSC will remember that and keep that +3 Energy right where you left it rather than delete it. Unfortunately, Zynga introduced the feature through CityVille, and it seems to only be available in that game at the moment. Though, I would expect Zynga's other games to enjoy the update soon enough.
Take-Two taking the 'wait-and-see' approach with social games
So, basically, don't expect Grand Theft Auto on Facebook anytime soon. In a recent earnings call, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick announced that the company would be taking a new approach to their future gaming lineup, to remove their "dependence" on Grand Theft Auto. As reported by Edge, Zelnick has announced that the company is "focused on building new franchises. For example, you can look at what Red Dead Redemption did for us in our last fiscal year." If that means that more Red Dead Redemption games are in the works, I'm definitely all for it - but wait! Does this diversification of Take-Two's approach mean we'll see the company branching into social games? I wouldn't count on it.
Zelnick commented on social gaming juggernaut Zynga, stating that their games were far too different, when compared to the titles produced by Take-Two. "The business Zynga's in has only been around for about four years," he said. "Playing Zynga titles doesn't scratch the same itch as playing Grand Theft Auto - that's a dynamic that doesn't change in the videogame business."
Does that mean Take-Two thinks their games are better, or simply different? With other hardcore game developers already jumping into the Facebook game pool (Ubisoft and EA, as examples), it would only make sense for Take-Two to dive in as well, but it doesn't look like the company has any interest in doing so. At most, they've only confirmed that they're "keeping an eye" on other platforms, like mobile. Either way, it leaves us to wonder: if Take-Two does eventually warm up to the Facebook gaming idea, will it be too little, too late? Only time will tell.
Zelnick commented on social gaming juggernaut Zynga, stating that their games were far too different, when compared to the titles produced by Take-Two. "The business Zynga's in has only been around for about four years," he said. "Playing Zynga titles doesn't scratch the same itch as playing Grand Theft Auto - that's a dynamic that doesn't change in the videogame business."
Does that mean Take-Two thinks their games are better, or simply different? With other hardcore game developers already jumping into the Facebook game pool (Ubisoft and EA, as examples), it would only make sense for Take-Two to dive in as well, but it doesn't look like the company has any interest in doing so. At most, they've only confirmed that they're "keeping an eye" on other platforms, like mobile. Either way, it leaves us to wonder: if Take-Two does eventually warm up to the Facebook gaming idea, will it be too little, too late? Only time will tell.
THQ reorganization places major focus on social games
With just 9,000 monthly active users across its entire catalog of Facebook games (according to AppData), it's easy to say that THQ has plenty of climbing left to do to make a stand in the social space. With its upcoming MargaritaVille Online game for Facebook, it's clear that THQ has seen the light, but that light might turn into a giant beacon after the company's recent reorganization.
In a recent press release, THQ announced that the company will place its focus into four major digital areas, one of which is social gaming. In fact, the social gaming space actually comes in at number two on the four-part list (number one being an increased focus on established IP like Saints Row). In terms of social games, the company wishes to "create a critical mass of users on social media platforms such as Facebook and mobile platforms, including iOS and Android(TM), using THQ-owned or branded content, such as the upcoming fall release of Margaritaville(R) Online, based on Jimmy Buffett's popular brand."
So what does this mean for the end-user? If I had to make an educated guess, I'd wager that we'll likely see a slew of side-games released on the service in the same way as EA's Dragon Age: Legends was released; that is, games that tie-in to the console versions of THQ's new titles, offering players incentive to play the Facebook game as well. Of course, if MargaritaVille takes off, we could see plenty of other branded or at least original titles released in the future as well. If anything, it almost seems as though THQ is dedicated enough to the social gaming space to throw tons of games at the wall and see which ones stick. Either way, we'll make sure to keep track of THQ's continued social gaming efforts, and will bring you all of the news on MargaritaVille as soon as we know more.
In a recent press release, THQ announced that the company will place its focus into four major digital areas, one of which is social gaming. In fact, the social gaming space actually comes in at number two on the four-part list (number one being an increased focus on established IP like Saints Row). In terms of social games, the company wishes to "create a critical mass of users on social media platforms such as Facebook and mobile platforms, including iOS and Android(TM), using THQ-owned or branded content, such as the upcoming fall release of Margaritaville(R) Online, based on Jimmy Buffett's popular brand."
So what does this mean for the end-user? If I had to make an educated guess, I'd wager that we'll likely see a slew of side-games released on the service in the same way as EA's Dragon Age: Legends was released; that is, games that tie-in to the console versions of THQ's new titles, offering players incentive to play the Facebook game as well. Of course, if MargaritaVille takes off, we could see plenty of other branded or at least original titles released in the future as well. If anything, it almost seems as though THQ is dedicated enough to the social gaming space to throw tons of games at the wall and see which ones stick. Either way, we'll make sure to keep track of THQ's continued social gaming efforts, and will bring you all of the news on MargaritaVille as soon as we know more.
With Wall Street Game on Facebook, you can pretend everything's OK
What wonderful timing you have, Ender's Fund. (And yes, the game is simply titled Wall Street Game.) The developer, which has little to no web presence, recently released its free market trading game on Facebook, and it couldn't be more aptly titled. The game begins with a terribly dramatic intro about a man losing it all on the stock market, only for a legendary investor to swoop in and write him a $10 million check. That man is you, and it's time to make some money.
Wall Street Game, rather than simply present players with spreadsheets and mock Excel documents filled with numbers and foreign symbols, takes on the familiar isometric, avatar-driven play style of most Facebook games. (However, there are lots of numbers to translate if you've never invested in company stock before.)
There are a number of customization options for your wheelin' dealin' trader, but what's more important is the gameplay. The game uses real time data from the stock market to influence gameplay, which is basically gaming the market by buying and selling at the correct times.
Wall Street Game Facebook in action
However, it's made competitive through throw-downs, or challenges to your friends to see who can make the most market gains in a period of time. The developer says, "If you are winning in our game, you could be winning on the real Wall Street." Perhaps we just found the cure to the already-ailing stock market ... nah, but how about a nice alternate reality for the troubled trader to escape into? Wall Street Game has just 407 monthly players since its July release, so we hope would-be traders latch onto either motive, and fast.
Wall Street Game, rather than simply present players with spreadsheets and mock Excel documents filled with numbers and foreign symbols, takes on the familiar isometric, avatar-driven play style of most Facebook games. (However, there are lots of numbers to translate if you've never invested in company stock before.)
There are a number of customization options for your wheelin' dealin' trader, but what's more important is the gameplay. The game uses real time data from the stock market to influence gameplay, which is basically gaming the market by buying and selling at the correct times.
Wall Street Game Facebook in action
However, it's made competitive through throw-downs, or challenges to your friends to see who can make the most market gains in a period of time. The developer says, "If you are winning in our game, you could be winning on the real Wall Street." Perhaps we just found the cure to the already-ailing stock market ... nah, but how about a nice alternate reality for the troubled trader to escape into? Wall Street Game has just 407 monthly players since its July release, so we hope would-be traders latch onto either motive, and fast.
EA social games exec ditches for the top dog, Zynga [Rumor]
And, no, this would certainly not be the first. Develop reports that Jeff Karp, an executive heavily involved with EA's social games efforts, is leaving for number one competitor Zynga. More specifically, Karp was executive VP of EA Play, the company's family-friendly games division, as of six months ago.
The website cites an anonymous US source that "engages with EA at senior levels," and said that Karp has made his intention to leave known. Karp, after an 11-year stint with the veteran games publisher, joins former EA CCO John Schappert in his reported move to Zynga.
In fact, Karp would join a number of former high-level EA employees in his move to another social games company. Just recently, it's been rumored that creator of NBA Jam and former senior creative director at EA Sports Mark Turmell left for Zynga in July. And way back in June, we know that Ben Cousins, GM of EA casual game developer Easy Studios, left to head Ngmoco's Sweden studio. Of course, who could forget former EA CCO Bing Gordon, who is now an investor in the creator of CityVille? (And the list goes on, really.)
The news comes as EA shifts its leadership structure to include existing high-level EA employees Peter Moore, Andrew Wilson and Frank Gibeau in even more senior roles. Amidst losing several execs, EA just released The Sims Social to Facebook. While it suffered performance issues on its first day out of the gate, it's certainly an ambitious effort on the platform, and one that could help make EA a viable competitor in the social games space. We've contacted both EA and Zynga for comment.
The website cites an anonymous US source that "engages with EA at senior levels," and said that Karp has made his intention to leave known. Karp, after an 11-year stint with the veteran games publisher, joins former EA CCO John Schappert in his reported move to Zynga.
In fact, Karp would join a number of former high-level EA employees in his move to another social games company. Just recently, it's been rumored that creator of NBA Jam and former senior creative director at EA Sports Mark Turmell left for Zynga in July. And way back in June, we know that Ben Cousins, GM of EA casual game developer Easy Studios, left to head Ngmoco's Sweden studio. Of course, who could forget former EA CCO Bing Gordon, who is now an investor in the creator of CityVille? (And the list goes on, really.)
The news comes as EA shifts its leadership structure to include existing high-level EA employees Peter Moore, Andrew Wilson and Frank Gibeau in even more senior roles. Amidst losing several execs, EA just released The Sims Social to Facebook. While it suffered performance issues on its first day out of the gate, it's certainly an ambitious effort on the platform, and one that could help make EA a viable competitor in the social games space. We've contacted both EA and Zynga for comment.
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas Items
Today's cheats, found by the experts over at The Facegamer, are for free Island Paradise items. I know you probably stopped playing Island Paradise long ago, or with the release of CityVille. But perhaps these Island Paradise cheats will send you back for a visit to the tropics. The links below are for free Island Paradise Christmas items. They can be placed on your tropical island. All you have to do is click the images below, and you'll instantly receive the item in Island Paradise for free. But note, you can only accept five items every 24 hours, so choose wisely. Make a mistake and you'll have to wait a whole day to get more Island Paradise free Christmas items. If you're having trouble choosing, I recommend the Firecracker; when you click it, it actually explodes!
Get started with my Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas Items below.
island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items
island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items
island paradise cheats free christmas items
Click on up to 5 items to receive them for free.
For more Facebook game cheats, check out The Facegamer.
Check out more Island Paradise Cheats & Tips:
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free trees and animals
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies
Which free Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas Item is your favorite?
Get started with my Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas Items below.
island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items
island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items island paradise cheats free christmas items
island paradise cheats free christmas items
Click on up to 5 items to receive them for free.
For more Facebook game cheats, check out The Facegamer.
Check out more Island Paradise Cheats & Tips:
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free trees and animals
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies
Which free Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas Item is your favorite?
FarmVille creator Zynga sued by Walker Digital over gaming patent
Well, what do you know, it's almost noon. Time for another Zynga lawsuit, isn't it? Walker Digital has sued Zynga and Activision Blizzard for patent infringement, claiming the three companies made use of U.S. patent no. 6, 425,828, which belongs to Walker Digital, according to TechCrunch. Issued on July 30, 2002, the patent is titled, "Database driven online distributed tournament system." More specifically, Walker Digital's 20-page patent boils down to:
A method and a system for a distributed electronic tournament system in which many remotely located players participate in a tournament through input/output devices connected to a central controller which manages the tournament. The method includes the steps of (a) uniquely identifying a player communicating with the central controller via an associated input/output device...
While there are three more steps to how the patent operates involving prize winnings and database management, what's most interesting is the first. Because of how widely terms like that could interpreted, games like Mafia Wars, World of Warcraft and the Call of Duty series are claimed by Walker Digital to infringe on the patent, Tech Crunch reports.
With the amount of times the company has faced legal disputes in 2010, it is almost unsurprising that the social gaming juggernaut didn't even make it through the first month of 2011 without a lawsuit being presented to them. Oh, the joys of running multi-billion dollar companies. We've contacted Zynga for comment, so stay tuned.
A method and a system for a distributed electronic tournament system in which many remotely located players participate in a tournament through input/output devices connected to a central controller which manages the tournament. The method includes the steps of (a) uniquely identifying a player communicating with the central controller via an associated input/output device...
While there are three more steps to how the patent operates involving prize winnings and database management, what's most interesting is the first. Because of how widely terms like that could interpreted, games like Mafia Wars, World of Warcraft and the Call of Duty series are claimed by Walker Digital to infringe on the patent, Tech Crunch reports.
With the amount of times the company has faced legal disputes in 2010, it is almost unsurprising that the social gaming juggernaut didn't even make it through the first month of 2011 without a lawsuit being presented to them. Oh, the joys of running multi-billion dollar companies. We've contacted Zynga for comment, so stay tuned.
Tatty Teddy: Popular UK teddy bear launches Facebook game
Me To You: My Palce
We've seen the launch of Facebook games supporting many American brands and services, but so far the craze hasn't caught on in other countries. Me to You: My Place is a brand new game developed by Sharkius Games in collaboration with Carte Blanche Greetings, to promote the teddy bear line Me To You Bears (and their Blue Nose Friends). In this game, you assume the role of popular UK icon Tatty Teddy and navigate a world, trying to find all of your stuffed animal friends. Cute to the max? I think so!
The game plays much like other popular games that we know and love. The core gameplay is that of treasure seeking games such as Treasure Isle. You unlock new areas to visit, and while you're there you search squares looking for collection items and new stuffed friends, using your energy that accumulates over time. The unique aspect to the game is the finding your friends bit. While you are digging, the main point is to find your Blue Nose Friends and bring them back to your 'garden' where you can interact with them.
In your garden, you can interact with the Blue Nose Friends that you have collected. Each animal has a name, and various meters that determine how healthy and happy the animal is. Once you have raised the Friendship level with that animal to a particular level, they become your "Friend For Keeps" and you can access them by clicking on your house. With that said, we're not sure what the point is of having Friends for Keeps.
There is also a farm that allows you to grow food for energy for yourself or for your Blue Nose Friends. The store features a few decorative items and trees and the ability to buy more food and energy. The art style feels mixed, as if many artists worked on the game without a cohesive vision on how the graphics would look. In addition, the fonts in the UI are a bit over-stylized and therefore hard to read and interact with.
If you are a fan of the Tatty Teddy brand, you may enjoy this game. However, for the dedicated Facebook game player you'll find that there is much to be desired. The game is lacking innovation and polish. The interface feels a bit clunky, and going out to dig for treasure simply doesn't feel that fun. It feels like a rudimentary attempt at putting together a Facebook game. It might appeal to the fans of the Me to You Bears, but we don't think this one has mass market appeal unless it becomes a much more fun game. It feels like the game took elements of farming, treasure seeking, and standard Facebook fare (like neighbors and gifting) and plopped some of Ravenwood Fair's fonts on top hoping for a win.
Are we missing the mark here? Do you think Me To You: My Place is a fun game?
We've seen the launch of Facebook games supporting many American brands and services, but so far the craze hasn't caught on in other countries. Me to You: My Place is a brand new game developed by Sharkius Games in collaboration with Carte Blanche Greetings, to promote the teddy bear line Me To You Bears (and their Blue Nose Friends). In this game, you assume the role of popular UK icon Tatty Teddy and navigate a world, trying to find all of your stuffed animal friends. Cute to the max? I think so!
The game plays much like other popular games that we know and love. The core gameplay is that of treasure seeking games such as Treasure Isle. You unlock new areas to visit, and while you're there you search squares looking for collection items and new stuffed friends, using your energy that accumulates over time. The unique aspect to the game is the finding your friends bit. While you are digging, the main point is to find your Blue Nose Friends and bring them back to your 'garden' where you can interact with them.
In your garden, you can interact with the Blue Nose Friends that you have collected. Each animal has a name, and various meters that determine how healthy and happy the animal is. Once you have raised the Friendship level with that animal to a particular level, they become your "Friend For Keeps" and you can access them by clicking on your house. With that said, we're not sure what the point is of having Friends for Keeps.
There is also a farm that allows you to grow food for energy for yourself or for your Blue Nose Friends. The store features a few decorative items and trees and the ability to buy more food and energy. The art style feels mixed, as if many artists worked on the game without a cohesive vision on how the graphics would look. In addition, the fonts in the UI are a bit over-stylized and therefore hard to read and interact with.
If you are a fan of the Tatty Teddy brand, you may enjoy this game. However, for the dedicated Facebook game player you'll find that there is much to be desired. The game is lacking innovation and polish. The interface feels a bit clunky, and going out to dig for treasure simply doesn't feel that fun. It feels like a rudimentary attempt at putting together a Facebook game. It might appeal to the fans of the Me to You Bears, but we don't think this one has mass market appeal unless it becomes a much more fun game. It feels like the game took elements of farming, treasure seeking, and standard Facebook fare (like neighbors and gifting) and plopped some of Ravenwood Fair's fonts on top hoping for a win.
Are we missing the mark here? Do you think Me To You: My Place is a fun game?
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies
island paradise cheats free building supplies
Hello Facefolks, It's Mr. Cheats here with the down-low on the things you shouldn't know.
The Facegamer has discovered cheats for Island Paradise free building materials. You're going to need these supplies if you want to upgrade Barns and other structures requiring materials in Island Paradise. Usually, to get these building materials, you have to be gifted the parts by friends or buy them with real money. Fortunately, my Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies will get you the parts you need to upgrade your barn without having to ask your friends or spend a dime. The catch is you can only receive 5 building supplies every 24 hours. So choose carefully.
Get started with my Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies below.
island paradise cheats free building supplies island paradise cheats free building supplies island paradise cheats free building supplies
island paradise cheats free building supplies island paradise cheats free building supplies
To receive building supplies, click on up to 5 images above.
For more Facebook game cheats, check out The Facegamer.
Check out more Island Paradise Cheats & Tips:
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free trees and animals
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas items
Was this guide useful to you? What other Island Paradise cheats do you want to see?
Hello Facefolks, It's Mr. Cheats here with the down-low on the things you shouldn't know.
The Facegamer has discovered cheats for Island Paradise free building materials. You're going to need these supplies if you want to upgrade Barns and other structures requiring materials in Island Paradise. Usually, to get these building materials, you have to be gifted the parts by friends or buy them with real money. Fortunately, my Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies will get you the parts you need to upgrade your barn without having to ask your friends or spend a dime. The catch is you can only receive 5 building supplies every 24 hours. So choose carefully.
Get started with my Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free building supplies below.
island paradise cheats free building supplies island paradise cheats free building supplies island paradise cheats free building supplies
island paradise cheats free building supplies island paradise cheats free building supplies
To receive building supplies, click on up to 5 images above.
For more Facebook game cheats, check out The Facegamer.
Check out more Island Paradise Cheats & Tips:
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free trees and animals
Island Paradise Cheats & Tips: Free Christmas items
Was this guide useful to you? What other Island Paradise cheats do you want to see?
UNO Boost on Facebook: A goofy, give-and-take twist on the original
The fast track, scream-inducing card game, UNO, has reintroduced itself to Facebook with a new look and feel. UNO Boost puts the classic in unique, new packaging that publisher Game House hopes will spur virtual goods purchases and that UNO fans will appreciate. Game House took the original Facebook card game and... didn't do much to it.
Well, aside from taking Boost cards, turning them into both a strategic tactic and a commodity, and apparently removing what made the original so enjoyable. UNO Boost, while introducing an element that could launch its fun and strategy levels into the stratosphere, inexplicably removed the live play feature found in the original Facebook rendition. Game House giveth new features and taketh away defining ones.
Find the rest of our impressions of UNO Boost after the break.
UNO Boost in actions
All things considered, the core gameplay of UNO in UNO Boost remains unchanged. The color switching, number matching and quick turning still remains, but Game House turned Boost cards into more of a conscious decision than ever. While players can still draw Skip, Draw and Wild Cards, they can also replace cards in their hand with Boost Cards at will. These Boost Cards come from a pool that will recharge once daily, but can also be purchased using Coins. This currency, which accumulates from matches won, can be purchased from within the game using several methods including credit cards (but no Facebook Credits yet, sorry folks).
Boost CardsAlso found in the store are new characters to play against, individual Boost Cards and Boost Packs. Notice my use of the word "characters." These are the guys who have seemingly replaced your friends in UNO Boost (the ability to add friends is currently bugged in my experience). The personally-adored live play feature (complete with chat room) in the original UNO for Facebook is, hopefully for now, no more. Imagine the possibilities of being able to play Boost Cards against your friends in real time, shifting the playing field in an instant under your control. Sure, things would get crazy quickly, but that's what UNO is all about, right?
Instead, your friends are merely people to compare scores with this time around as you play characters like Kevin the Coach and Oog, a cave man. Opponents increase in difficulty level as you increase in player level, which is determined by how badly you defeat opponents in matches. Your experience points earned for each successful match is a combination of the numbers on his cards multiplied by the character's difficulty level and other factors. Basically, the more cards your opponent has in his hand when you win, the more experience points you gain for winning.
UNO Boost is a fun way to waste some time thanks to the brand new Boost Card system, but without the live play feature of the original it could loose steam quickly. Hopefully this is added to the game at a later time, because Boost Cards plus live play and chat could make for a huge success.
Well, aside from taking Boost cards, turning them into both a strategic tactic and a commodity, and apparently removing what made the original so enjoyable. UNO Boost, while introducing an element that could launch its fun and strategy levels into the stratosphere, inexplicably removed the live play feature found in the original Facebook rendition. Game House giveth new features and taketh away defining ones.
Find the rest of our impressions of UNO Boost after the break.
UNO Boost in actions
All things considered, the core gameplay of UNO in UNO Boost remains unchanged. The color switching, number matching and quick turning still remains, but Game House turned Boost cards into more of a conscious decision than ever. While players can still draw Skip, Draw and Wild Cards, they can also replace cards in their hand with Boost Cards at will. These Boost Cards come from a pool that will recharge once daily, but can also be purchased using Coins. This currency, which accumulates from matches won, can be purchased from within the game using several methods including credit cards (but no Facebook Credits yet, sorry folks).
Boost CardsAlso found in the store are new characters to play against, individual Boost Cards and Boost Packs. Notice my use of the word "characters." These are the guys who have seemingly replaced your friends in UNO Boost (the ability to add friends is currently bugged in my experience). The personally-adored live play feature (complete with chat room) in the original UNO for Facebook is, hopefully for now, no more. Imagine the possibilities of being able to play Boost Cards against your friends in real time, shifting the playing field in an instant under your control. Sure, things would get crazy quickly, but that's what UNO is all about, right?
Instead, your friends are merely people to compare scores with this time around as you play characters like Kevin the Coach and Oog, a cave man. Opponents increase in difficulty level as you increase in player level, which is determined by how badly you defeat opponents in matches. Your experience points earned for each successful match is a combination of the numbers on his cards multiplied by the character's difficulty level and other factors. Basically, the more cards your opponent has in his hand when you win, the more experience points you gain for winning.
UNO Boost is a fun way to waste some time thanks to the brand new Boost Card system, but without the live play feature of the original it could loose steam quickly. Hopefully this is added to the game at a later time, because Boost Cards plus live play and chat could make for a huge success.
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
Cafe World Renovations Goals: Everything you need to know
If you've managed to complete the Valentine's Day goals in Cafe World, and are looking for something else to sink your proverbial teeth into in the game, why not try your hand at one of the three new Renovations goals in the game? These missions all have to do with "free" items, as you'll be able to complete them to earn some free decorations that can otherwise only be purchased with Cafe Cash.
The first goal in this series is called Free Renovations," and it will require you to do a bit of cooking, and a bit of item collecting in order to complete it.
Serve 7 Eggs Benedict
Serve 7 Bacon and Eggs
Ask for 5 Ladders
As usual, click on the "Ask" button to send individual requests to your friends that you think will send you the five ladders. While you're waiting on them to arrive, you can start cooking the required dishes. Eggs Benedict can be cooked for 300 coins, and is ready in 6 hours, while Bacon and Eggs can be cooked for 1,000 coins, and takes 9 hours to cook. Your reward for finishing this first of three quests is a Stainless Wall Oven, which is normally only available to purchase in the store for 10 Cafe Cash.
Note: If you can't see this quest on your account, due to having too many quests active in your game at once, simply serve one of the two dishes and the black progress window will appear in the top left corner of the screen. Click on this, and you'll see the quest window, where you can ask for the Ladders.
Meet us behind the break for a look at the rest of this quest line.
Part II is called "Free Matching Set," and it asks you to serve more dishes, along with asking for more items.
Serve 7 Fish n Chips
Ask for 7 Lunchboxes
Ask for 7 Coolers
Fish n Chips can be cooked for 1,650 coins, and is ready to serve in just 2 hours. Hopefully, in that time, you'll be able to send out some individua requests to friends, asking them to send you the 14 collectible items needed to move on. Two rewards await you for finishing this quest - a Stainless Steel Cabinet, and Stainless Steel Sink, which are normally available to purchase for 10 Cafe Cash each.
Finally, part III of this mission set is called "Free Steel Counter," and it works in basically the same way as the previous two quests - that is, you'll need to do both some cooking, and some item collecting in order to earn your final free item.
Serve 35 Ginger Plum Pork Chops
Ask for 9 Bibs
Ask for 9 Serving Bowls
Ginger Plum Pork Chops are available to cook for 2,200 coins. They take a full day to cook, but remember, you can always speed this up by using spices. After collecting your final 18 items from friends (via individual gift requests), you'll receive your final free prize - a Stainless Steel Counter, that works as other counters, allowing you to serve food. Without this mission, you would have had to pay 30 Cafe Cash to add one of these to your cafe.
Some things to note: Unfortunately, all of these dishes must be cooked and served - simply cooking them and throwing them away (as in other recent quests) will not count. Additionally, each time you complete one of these three quests, your free item will immediately pop into your inventory. Either head into the Decorative of Functional portion of the in-game store, and you'll see a x1 next to each of these free items. Simply drag that item into your cafe, and you won't be charged the Cafe Cash price.
And there you have it - by recent standards, a fairly simple mission trio to complete. This appears to be a permanent addition to the game, so take your time finishing the Valentine's Day quests before tackling these, to make sure you have time to complete everything before it expires. We'll be sure to let you know if other opportunities for free Cafe Cash items arise, so keep checking back.
What do you think of these three "free" missions? Will you add the Stainless Steel decorations to your cafe after unlocking them?
The first goal in this series is called Free Renovations," and it will require you to do a bit of cooking, and a bit of item collecting in order to complete it.
Serve 7 Eggs Benedict
Serve 7 Bacon and Eggs
Ask for 5 Ladders
As usual, click on the "Ask" button to send individual requests to your friends that you think will send you the five ladders. While you're waiting on them to arrive, you can start cooking the required dishes. Eggs Benedict can be cooked for 300 coins, and is ready in 6 hours, while Bacon and Eggs can be cooked for 1,000 coins, and takes 9 hours to cook. Your reward for finishing this first of three quests is a Stainless Wall Oven, which is normally only available to purchase in the store for 10 Cafe Cash.
Note: If you can't see this quest on your account, due to having too many quests active in your game at once, simply serve one of the two dishes and the black progress window will appear in the top left corner of the screen. Click on this, and you'll see the quest window, where you can ask for the Ladders.
Meet us behind the break for a look at the rest of this quest line.
Part II is called "Free Matching Set," and it asks you to serve more dishes, along with asking for more items.
Serve 7 Fish n Chips
Ask for 7 Lunchboxes
Ask for 7 Coolers
Fish n Chips can be cooked for 1,650 coins, and is ready to serve in just 2 hours. Hopefully, in that time, you'll be able to send out some individua requests to friends, asking them to send you the 14 collectible items needed to move on. Two rewards await you for finishing this quest - a Stainless Steel Cabinet, and Stainless Steel Sink, which are normally available to purchase for 10 Cafe Cash each.
Finally, part III of this mission set is called "Free Steel Counter," and it works in basically the same way as the previous two quests - that is, you'll need to do both some cooking, and some item collecting in order to earn your final free item.
Serve 35 Ginger Plum Pork Chops
Ask for 9 Bibs
Ask for 9 Serving Bowls
Ginger Plum Pork Chops are available to cook for 2,200 coins. They take a full day to cook, but remember, you can always speed this up by using spices. After collecting your final 18 items from friends (via individual gift requests), you'll receive your final free prize - a Stainless Steel Counter, that works as other counters, allowing you to serve food. Without this mission, you would have had to pay 30 Cafe Cash to add one of these to your cafe.
Some things to note: Unfortunately, all of these dishes must be cooked and served - simply cooking them and throwing them away (as in other recent quests) will not count. Additionally, each time you complete one of these three quests, your free item will immediately pop into your inventory. Either head into the Decorative of Functional portion of the in-game store, and you'll see a x1 next to each of these free items. Simply drag that item into your cafe, and you won't be charged the Cafe Cash price.
And there you have it - by recent standards, a fairly simple mission trio to complete. This appears to be a permanent addition to the game, so take your time finishing the Valentine's Day quests before tackling these, to make sure you have time to complete everything before it expires. We'll be sure to let you know if other opportunities for free Cafe Cash items arise, so keep checking back.
What do you think of these three "free" missions? Will you add the Stainless Steel decorations to your cafe after unlocking them?
CityVille: More neighbors can now visit your city at once, plus other game updates
If you're someone that relies on your CityVille neighbors to harvest or fertilize your crops, send tourists to your businesses, or collect rent from your citizens because you never seem to have enough energy to complete these tasks yourself, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has increased the limit of friends that can appear in your town from 10 to 15. This means that the next time you login to check on your city, if your neighbors have been busy, you'll now see up to 15 different friends' profile pictures hovering above your properties, rather than just 10.
In other CityVille update news, Zynga has lowered the requirements for many of the games quests, requiring less collectibles for quests like the "Hungry Firemen" quest that had you collecting breakfast-themed items, for instance. Additionally, City Cash options have been added to many quests for those that would rather purchase complete tasks than actually complete them, and the City Cash requirement for previously released goals has been decreased in many instances. These seem like great changes all around.
Finally, collectibles required for quests have had their drop rates increased. This means that those items that are specifically required for certain quests will be found more frequently when collecting from the appropriate business or home, or harvesting crops.
All of these improvements seem to be for the better. Now, if we can only get that land expansion bridge we were promised, that would be even better.
What do you think of these changes? Would you pay City Cash to complete a goal, or do you like working through steps the old-fashioned way?
In other CityVille update news, Zynga has lowered the requirements for many of the games quests, requiring less collectibles for quests like the "Hungry Firemen" quest that had you collecting breakfast-themed items, for instance. Additionally, City Cash options have been added to many quests for those that would rather purchase complete tasks than actually complete them, and the City Cash requirement for previously released goals has been decreased in many instances. These seem like great changes all around.
Finally, collectibles required for quests have had their drop rates increased. This means that those items that are specifically required for certain quests will be found more frequently when collecting from the appropriate business or home, or harvesting crops.
All of these improvements seem to be for the better. Now, if we can only get that land expansion bridge we were promised, that would be even better.
What do you think of these changes? Would you pay City Cash to complete a goal, or do you like working through steps the old-fashioned way?
FarmVille Update 02/08/11: Pink Stallion Foal, Cinnamon Heart Tree fixed, other bug fixes
While we didn't technically see the release of any new items with tonight's FarmVille update, Zynga did update the game with a few bug fixes, which were definitely needed and appreciated.
First, if you had purchased a Cinnamon Heart tree from the market, you might have been surprised to find it in your inbox, and not on your farm where you left it. Your surprise would have grown when, after replacing the tree on your farm, it popped, again, back into your Gift Box. This was one of the issues addressed with tonight's update, so if you have a Cinnamon Heart tree in your inventory, feel free to place it back on your farm, with little fear of it disappearing again.
Second, when the Pink Stallion was first released, and users started placing it into their Horse Stable, they were quick to notice that instead of a Pink Stallion Foal, the Pink Stallions were actually breeding Black Stallion Foals. This too has been fixed, with the Pink Stallion Foal now making an appearance in the game.
Other bug fixes include those dealing with the disappearance of requests for Greenhouse seed experimentation from the Zynga Messaging Center (where you accept your game requests), one causing Greenhouse crops to show "double" text in the market, and one that corrected an issue with users trying to share their free seeds after creating a hybrid. There are other Greenhouse issues still to be found in the game, like one that causes an out of sync error when trying to plant Greenhouse-created seeds with a vehicle, but Zynga assures us they are working on that as well.
We'll be sure to let you know when the game is updated again (next time hopefully with new items), so keep checking back.
First, if you had purchased a Cinnamon Heart tree from the market, you might have been surprised to find it in your inbox, and not on your farm where you left it. Your surprise would have grown when, after replacing the tree on your farm, it popped, again, back into your Gift Box. This was one of the issues addressed with tonight's update, so if you have a Cinnamon Heart tree in your inventory, feel free to place it back on your farm, with little fear of it disappearing again.
Second, when the Pink Stallion was first released, and users started placing it into their Horse Stable, they were quick to notice that instead of a Pink Stallion Foal, the Pink Stallions were actually breeding Black Stallion Foals. This too has been fixed, with the Pink Stallion Foal now making an appearance in the game.
Other bug fixes include those dealing with the disappearance of requests for Greenhouse seed experimentation from the Zynga Messaging Center (where you accept your game requests), one causing Greenhouse crops to show "double" text in the market, and one that corrected an issue with users trying to share their free seeds after creating a hybrid. There are other Greenhouse issues still to be found in the game, like one that causes an out of sync error when trying to plant Greenhouse-created seeds with a vehicle, but Zynga assures us they are working on that as well.
We'll be sure to let you know when the game is updated again (next time hopefully with new items), so keep checking back.
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Lantern Tree, Money Tree, Kung Fu Duck, & Heart Chicken
Hey farmers! It appears as though Zynga isn't done releasing Chinese New Year or Valentine's Day items in FarmVille, as we've come across four new unreleased images of animals and trees, some of which fit into both themes.
Three of these items are Chinese New Year items, coming in the form of the Lantern Tree, Money Tree, and Kung Fu Duck. The trees themselves are very interesting, as they are both already available to purchase for your farm in FarmVille Chinese, with the Lantern Tree costing 5 Farm Cash, and the Money Tree going for 18 Farm Cash. Right now, it's unknown whether or not these two trees will actually make it to the standard version of FarmVille, but we can only hope that they do. The Kung Fu Duck, though, is an entirely new item, not available in the Chinese version of the game.
Finally, the new Valentine's Day animal is the Heart Chicken, but rather than being a pink chicken with a heart pattern as many of the Heart animals have been this year, this Heart Chicken instead has a white body and tail feathers that are shaped like red hearts. There's no official release date of price for this little fella either.
As usual, we'll be sure to let you know as soon as Zynga releases these items into the game, and how they can be earned, so keep checking back.
Three of these items are Chinese New Year items, coming in the form of the Lantern Tree, Money Tree, and Kung Fu Duck. The trees themselves are very interesting, as they are both already available to purchase for your farm in FarmVille Chinese, with the Lantern Tree costing 5 Farm Cash, and the Money Tree going for 18 Farm Cash. Right now, it's unknown whether or not these two trees will actually make it to the standard version of FarmVille, but we can only hope that they do. The Kung Fu Duck, though, is an entirely new item, not available in the Chinese version of the game.
Finally, the new Valentine's Day animal is the Heart Chicken, but rather than being a pink chicken with a heart pattern as many of the Heart animals have been this year, this Heart Chicken instead has a white body and tail feathers that are shaped like red hearts. There's no official release date of price for this little fella either.
As usual, we'll be sure to let you know as soon as Zynga releases these items into the game, and how they can be earned, so keep checking back.
Game of the Day: Puzzle Express
The game of the day has a little bit of Tetris in it. All aboard the Puzzle Express! Use Tetris style pieces to fill the train car puzzles and reveal beautiful photographs. Never see the same picture twice! Click on puzzle pieces from the loading dock, right-click or use the space bar to rotate them, and click again to drop them. Relax and play at your own pace in Scenic Mode, or play against the clock with complex pieces.
Click here to play Puzzle Express
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Click here to play Puzzle Express
Important side note: Just by playing The Game of the Day you will be entered into a monthly drawing to win a FlipCam HD. You don't need to do anything else, just play! The more you play, the more chances you have to win. For more information on the Game of Day check out the official Game of the Day hub.
Thứ Sáu, 6 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille English Countryside Sneak Peek: Music to your ears
Music can define a videogame as much as its gameplay, graphics and art direction, and Zynga knows this well. It's exactly why Zynga released a sneak peek on YouTube of the tunes behind the English Countryside expansion in FarmVille. Frankly, it sounds an awful lot like a toned-down version of FrontierVille's music. Nothing sounds particularly "English" about it. I'm no composer, but I would have created a FarmVille motif that built off of the original theme song. At any rate, enjoy the minute-long clip of what you'll likely hear on loop for months to come.
[Via FarmVille Freak]
What do you think of the English Countryside music? Would you enjoy listening to this music every time you logged in?
[Via FarmVille Freak]
What do you think of the English Countryside music? Would you enjoy listening to this music every time you logged in?
Assassin's Creed creator Ubisoft promises more social games in 2011
The company behind games like CSI: Crime City for Facebook and the Assassin's Creed franchise, Ubisoft, says that social games will be a bigger part of its strategy for 2011. The French publisher told All Things Digital that more than 15 percent of its employees in the Ubisoft San Francisco offices will be dedicated to "companion gaming." This new strategy involves the company using Facebook games to promote coinciding consoles releases. Remember the Assassin's Creed Facebook game, Project Legacy, released to promote the second game in the series?
Yeah, you're going to see a lot more of that in 2011. The third-largest independent videogames publisher hopes to turn this trend into dollars, though its previous efforts haven't caught on like competitors such as Zynga's games. And almost inversely, Ubisoft VP of Digital Publishing Chris Early said, "Digital will not kill physical. There will always be support for a certain percent."
While he is likely correct, I'm not sure that's the mindset you want when investing 15 percent of your developers into an online-only platform. "You have to look at the top 10 sellers, or rely on a friend," Early said to ATD of the issues surrounding online game sales. "There's a significant hurdle to digital." This couldn't be more true on Facebook, and it's quite a hurdle for Ubisoft to jump over. Can the company can do it with backing from iconic industry names like Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia? Companies including Konami, EA and Disney (and Ubisoft) have tried before and failed, so here is their chance to prove it.
[Image Credit: Ubisoft]
What do you think of the potential girth of promotional Facebook games to come from Ubisoft? Do you think it will be successful using this strategy?
Yeah, you're going to see a lot more of that in 2011. The third-largest independent videogames publisher hopes to turn this trend into dollars, though its previous efforts haven't caught on like competitors such as Zynga's games. And almost inversely, Ubisoft VP of Digital Publishing Chris Early said, "Digital will not kill physical. There will always be support for a certain percent."
While he is likely correct, I'm not sure that's the mindset you want when investing 15 percent of your developers into an online-only platform. "You have to look at the top 10 sellers, or rely on a friend," Early said to ATD of the issues surrounding online game sales. "There's a significant hurdle to digital." This couldn't be more true on Facebook, and it's quite a hurdle for Ubisoft to jump over. Can the company can do it with backing from iconic industry names like Assassin's Creed and Prince of Persia? Companies including Konami, EA and Disney (and Ubisoft) have tried before and failed, so here is their chance to prove it.
[Image Credit: Ubisoft]
What do you think of the potential girth of promotional Facebook games to come from Ubisoft? Do you think it will be successful using this strategy?
FarmVille: Mac & Cheese Tree and Giant Mac & Cheese Tree now available in the store
Earlier this week, we brought you the news that current Stouffer's promotion in FarmVille has seen the release of a new Mac&Cheese Tree in the game. If you liked receiving one free tree from the Stouffer's Farm, but wish that you could have more, your wish has now come true, as Zynga has released the tree in the marketplace - wait for it - for coins!
That's right, not only can you purchase the Mac& CheeseTree for coins, but only 1500 coins at that! This is a great opportunity to stock up on these trees and increase the rate at which you master them, without having to wait for your single tree to be ready to harvest once every two days.
Additionally, the Giant Mac&Cheese Tree is also now available in the store, at a price of 5 Farm Cash. One final thing to note is that the Mac&Cheese Tree, when placed inside the Orchard now offers the Giant Mac&Cheese Tree as a Mystery Seedling (when it was first released, it only produced more of itself).
Feel free to take all the time you want with purchasing these trees. Both are listed as permanent additions to the store, with no time limit, so we can at least expect them to be around longer than we'll actually need to continue purchasing them.
What do you think of these two trees? Will you purchase a slew of these cheap trees so that you can master them more quickly?
That's right, not only can you purchase the Mac& CheeseTree for coins, but only 1500 coins at that! This is a great opportunity to stock up on these trees and increase the rate at which you master them, without having to wait for your single tree to be ready to harvest once every two days.
Additionally, the Giant Mac&Cheese Tree is also now available in the store, at a price of 5 Farm Cash. One final thing to note is that the Mac&Cheese Tree, when placed inside the Orchard now offers the Giant Mac&Cheese Tree as a Mystery Seedling (when it was first released, it only produced more of itself).
Feel free to take all the time you want with purchasing these trees. Both are listed as permanent additions to the store, with no time limit, so we can at least expect them to be around longer than we'll actually need to continue purchasing them.
What do you think of these two trees? Will you purchase a slew of these cheap trees so that you can master them more quickly?
FarmVille English Countryside: Mail delivery offers free English Calf
With the FarmVille English Countryside 20 Comments, we've received another Mail Delivery on the outskirts of our farms, giving a recap of activities that will be available in the new expansion from a few of the game's new characters: Lily, Agatha, and Professor Milton.
We've been reminded that we'll be able to farm on rich English soil, plant new crops, craft new items, and breed new sheep, but the main reason for this new Mail Delivery is the prize that we'll receive inside - a brand new (and downright adorable) English Calf. This calf looks like a regular brown and white calf, only it has been given a large themed hat that covers up half of its face, due to the calf's small size.
To receive one of these little cuties, remember to click on the plane on the outside edge of your farm, and then take note of the fact that you can share an extra English Calf with your friends via a general news feed post. Hopefully with this recap postcard, Zynga is trying to tell us that the English Countryside will be here very soon. We'll make sure to let you know if that's the case.
Have you claimed the other prizes being given away through these postcard deliveries in the past?
We've been reminded that we'll be able to farm on rich English soil, plant new crops, craft new items, and breed new sheep, but the main reason for this new Mail Delivery is the prize that we'll receive inside - a brand new (and downright adorable) English Calf. This calf looks like a regular brown and white calf, only it has been given a large themed hat that covers up half of its face, due to the calf's small size.
To receive one of these little cuties, remember to click on the plane on the outside edge of your farm, and then take note of the fact that you can share an extra English Calf with your friends via a general news feed post. Hopefully with this recap postcard, Zynga is trying to tell us that the English Countryside will be here very soon. We'll make sure to let you know if that's the case.
Have you claimed the other prizes being given away through these postcard deliveries in the past?
FarmVille: Green Roses Crafting recipes now available
So, it turns out that the three unreleased Green Rose crafting recipes in FarmVille won't be coming to the English Countryside version of a Crafting Building after all (or, at the very least, they won't be exclusive to the expansion), as Zynga has launched all three recipes in the game this afternoon.
As usual with new recipes, there is a new offering available in each of the three types of Crafting buildings. The Spa will be able to create wooden containers of Green Potpourri, the Bakery can make Green Mocha Cake [pictured] and the Winery can make Green Rose Water.
Luckily, all three of these recipes require just six bushels to create, three of which are Green Rose bushels. The other bushel you'll need varies depending on the crafting building. Spas will need three Morning Glory bushels, Bakeries need three Wheat bushels, and finally, Wineries require three White Grape bushels.
The Green Rose crop will be available to grow for the next 19 days, and we can't imagine that these three recipes will be available for much longer after that time. You'll be able to master these limited time recipes for those highly prizes mastery signs, so this very well may give you enough reason to grow more Green Roses, even if you have already mastered them prior to the release of these recipes. At least, I know it gives me enough reason. Will you join me?
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Do you like completing limited time Crafting recipes, or have you already mastered Green Roses and don't see this as a good enough reason to start planting them again?
As usual with new recipes, there is a new offering available in each of the three types of Crafting buildings. The Spa will be able to create wooden containers of Green Potpourri, the Bakery can make Green Mocha Cake [pictured] and the Winery can make Green Rose Water.
Luckily, all three of these recipes require just six bushels to create, three of which are Green Rose bushels. The other bushel you'll need varies depending on the crafting building. Spas will need three Morning Glory bushels, Bakeries need three Wheat bushels, and finally, Wineries require three White Grape bushels.
The Green Rose crop will be available to grow for the next 19 days, and we can't imagine that these three recipes will be available for much longer after that time. You'll be able to master these limited time recipes for those highly prizes mastery signs, so this very well may give you enough reason to grow more Green Roses, even if you have already mastered them prior to the release of these recipes. At least, I know it gives me enough reason. Will you join me?
Check out the rest of our St. Patrick's Day 2011 coverage right here.
Do you like completing limited time Crafting recipes, or have you already mastered Green Roses and don't see this as a good enough reason to start planting them again?
Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 1, 2012
The guys behind Collapse! Blast are super serious about social games
That's not to be confused with "super cereal." GameHouse, creator of hit Facebook game Collapse! Blast, announced that it's expanding its Victoria, B.C. studio with a larger office with plans to double staff there to 45 staffers in 2012. And they'll be working toward one goal: making more social games.
"Social game development is the number one priority for our company in 2012 and Victoria is an attractive area for expansion due to the city's high caliber of talent combined with a great quality of life," GameHouse head Matt Hulett said in a statement. "I believe this strategic expansion of our social games studio in Victoria will not only grow our games portfolio, but it will also solidify our leadership position in the overall games industry."
This new office will be headed by Alex Mendelev, who came to GameHouse last year as a package deal with the acquisition of Victoria-based social games maker Backstage Technologies. Just in case Hulett wasn't clear, the Seattle-based games division of RealNetworks mentions it's invested $11 million in social gaming this year alone.
In short, expect a lot more from where the recent Bayou Blast came from. In speaking with us about the matching game, which has been growing since November, Hulett hinted that GameHouse is rather bullish on social casino games. (Well, so is everyone and their mother.)
[Via GeekWire]
Are you a Collapse! Blast or Bayou Blast fan? What other types of games would you like to see from GameHouse in 2012?
"Social game development is the number one priority for our company in 2012 and Victoria is an attractive area for expansion due to the city's high caliber of talent combined with a great quality of life," GameHouse head Matt Hulett said in a statement. "I believe this strategic expansion of our social games studio in Victoria will not only grow our games portfolio, but it will also solidify our leadership position in the overall games industry."
This new office will be headed by Alex Mendelev, who came to GameHouse last year as a package deal with the acquisition of Victoria-based social games maker Backstage Technologies. Just in case Hulett wasn't clear, the Seattle-based games division of RealNetworks mentions it's invested $11 million in social gaming this year alone.
In short, expect a lot more from where the recent Bayou Blast came from. In speaking with us about the matching game, which has been growing since November, Hulett hinted that GameHouse is rather bullish on social casino games. (Well, so is everyone and their mother.)
[Via GeekWire]
Are you a Collapse! Blast or Bayou Blast fan? What other types of games would you like to see from GameHouse in 2012?
Zynga feels the Christmas cheer, helps staffers out of a tough spot
On Dec. 10, three employees of Zynga's San Francisco headquarters came home to one of their worst nightmares: their apartment in flames. FarmVille development director Eric Matsumura, lead game designer Ben Seck and CityVille lead product manager Bradley Ross lost their apartment (pictured) to an all-consuming fire that sparked in their bottom floor neighbor's home.
When Zynga learned of their ordeal after that horrific weekend had past, the rest of its staff joined forces to help get them back on their feet again. Working behind the scenes ever since, the company called the unfortunate trio into the studio's 6th floor Sweet Shoppe kitchen on Dec. 16 (the same day Zynga went public). It was then that Zynga staffers presented Matsumura, Seck and Ross with $5,000 in cash--all from employee donations--to help soften the blow.
For the time being, Zynga has the employees in temporary housing and offered to dry clean what clothes were salvageable from the fire. "While this could have been a crushing and stressful ordeal, the support from our Zynga brothers and sisters has been amazing," Seck said. "We've always looked at our team as our family, but we never expected this type of over-the-top generosity."
It's refreshing to see such a big company as Zynga come through for its own in a tough spot. Zynga may treat its staff like family in times of need, but what about when things are hunky-dory? Reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal suggest otherwise, pointing to an intense corporate culture and threats of termination in exchange for vested stock. Maybe think of Zynga as one of those tough-love fathers from the '50s?
[Image Credit: Zynga]
What do you think of what Zynga did for its fellow man in a hard time? Has your company ever done such a thing?
When Zynga learned of their ordeal after that horrific weekend had past, the rest of its staff joined forces to help get them back on their feet again. Working behind the scenes ever since, the company called the unfortunate trio into the studio's 6th floor Sweet Shoppe kitchen on Dec. 16 (the same day Zynga went public). It was then that Zynga staffers presented Matsumura, Seck and Ross with $5,000 in cash--all from employee donations--to help soften the blow.
For the time being, Zynga has the employees in temporary housing and offered to dry clean what clothes were salvageable from the fire. "While this could have been a crushing and stressful ordeal, the support from our Zynga brothers and sisters has been amazing," Seck said. "We've always looked at our team as our family, but we never expected this type of over-the-top generosity."
It's refreshing to see such a big company as Zynga come through for its own in a tough spot. Zynga may treat its staff like family in times of need, but what about when things are hunky-dory? Reports from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal suggest otherwise, pointing to an intense corporate culture and threats of termination in exchange for vested stock. Maybe think of Zynga as one of those tough-love fathers from the '50s?
[Image Credit: Zynga]
What do you think of what Zynga did for its fellow man in a hard time? Has your company ever done such a thing?
Hey, Nintendo: Tell us how you really feel about Facebook games
We already know that Nintendo isn't interested in making Facebook or mobile games. Nintendo president Satoru Iwata has said as much, as has Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime, citing the company's dedication to its own hardware. But when All Things Digital's Tricia Duryee mentioned CityVille maker Zynga's public stock market debut to Fils-Aime during an interview, the Nintendo executive took the opportunity to get a few jabs in.
"What's the share price? It will be interesting when it breaks below $9," Fils-Aime said of Zynga's new publicly traded stock, which has already dipped below the $9 mark once or twice. "The thing about entertainment--as consumers have a range of experiences--their desires for what's new continues to be pushed out. So delivering the same experience all the time ... consumers will move on. So when I look at gaming experiences on social networks, there's a variety of entertainment value. Some are strong, some are not. But in the end, how will they evolve? Doing the same thing over and over again is no longer fine."
Fils-Aime went on to predict that the companies that win in the social game arena will have to "provide the new and different experiences, and a way to monetize it." Well, social game companies certainly have the whole "monetize" thing down. But what happens when social games are built around monetization (virtual goods) entirely, as many are quick to point out?
[Via SlashGear]
Do you think Nintendo is right in the criticism is lobs at social games? Are social games capable of delivering the experiences Nintendo touts so much?
"What's the share price? It will be interesting when it breaks below $9," Fils-Aime said of Zynga's new publicly traded stock, which has already dipped below the $9 mark once or twice. "The thing about entertainment--as consumers have a range of experiences--their desires for what's new continues to be pushed out. So delivering the same experience all the time ... consumers will move on. So when I look at gaming experiences on social networks, there's a variety of entertainment value. Some are strong, some are not. But in the end, how will they evolve? Doing the same thing over and over again is no longer fine."
Fils-Aime went on to predict that the companies that win in the social game arena will have to "provide the new and different experiences, and a way to monetize it." Well, social game companies certainly have the whole "monetize" thing down. But what happens when social games are built around monetization (virtual goods) entirely, as many are quick to point out?
[Via SlashGear]
Do you think Nintendo is right in the criticism is lobs at social games? Are social games capable of delivering the experiences Nintendo touts so much?
Facebook really wants games to succeed, makes welcome changes
What? You say, "the 30 percent cut Facebook takes from in-game sales might have something to do with it?" That's just probably true mean! Facebook announced Thursday night a few changes to its games and apps platform to increase game play time and, one of our favorite buzzwords, retention. The most noticeable change is that the amount of games you've played last, featured above the Games Ticker, has been upped from four to six.
According to Facebook's early tests, this boosted number of bookmarks has increased referrals to previously-played games by 20 percent. Speaking of bookmarks, those numbered game-related bookmarks on the Facebook home page now clear automatically once a user clicks on them, much like notifications do. The idea behind it: "This update should make it clearer to users when they have a pending action and drive greater re-engagement."
In short, players will play their favorite games more. Facebook has also merged the Games and Apps dashboards into one destination. The updated dashboard shows all app and game requests and notifications in one place, as well as recommends new apps and games to users based on what your friends are playing. Changes like these bring Facebook closer to Google+ in terms of how it promotes new games.
Finally, game stories have hit Facebook on smartphones. Now, players will get to see what games their friends are playing most, regardless of whether they play social games. Facebook hopes this will inspire users to play more Facebook games through their mobile devices. But depending on who you ask, game discovery is far from Facebook's biggest problem.
[Via VentureBeat]
[Image Credit: Facebook]
Do you have trouble finding new games to play on Facebook? Do you think these changes will help foster growth in new games from smaller game makers?
According to Facebook's early tests, this boosted number of bookmarks has increased referrals to previously-played games by 20 percent. Speaking of bookmarks, those numbered game-related bookmarks on the Facebook home page now clear automatically once a user clicks on them, much like notifications do. The idea behind it: "This update should make it clearer to users when they have a pending action and drive greater re-engagement."
In short, players will play their favorite games more. Facebook has also merged the Games and Apps dashboards into one destination. The updated dashboard shows all app and game requests and notifications in one place, as well as recommends new apps and games to users based on what your friends are playing. Changes like these bring Facebook closer to Google+ in terms of how it promotes new games.
Finally, game stories have hit Facebook on smartphones. Now, players will get to see what games their friends are playing most, regardless of whether they play social games. Facebook hopes this will inspire users to play more Facebook games through their mobile devices. But depending on who you ask, game discovery is far from Facebook's biggest problem.
[Via VentureBeat]
[Image Credit: Facebook]
Do you have trouble finding new games to play on Facebook? Do you think these changes will help foster growth in new games from smaller game makers?
Games.com's Top 11 Facebook Games of 2011
Facebook gaming fever mellowed in 2011, and as the dust started to settle, we've found that games on this new platform are both fewer in number and maturing at a rapid rate. Instead of endless click-farming, social games started to feature richer, more engaging experiences, borrowing everything from friend-vs-friend battles to role-playing game-style crafting from more traditional video games. We've also seen popular video games get the Facebook treatment, a risky maneuver which worked well for some (not so much for others). Here are the best of 2011.
zombie land best facebook games 2011
11. Zombie Lane
Digital Chocolate
For those of us who were sick to death of growing virtual crops, smashing/shooting/otherwise maiming zombies in this slightly subversive game was a refreshing change of pace.
Play Zombie Lane on Facebook >
castleville facebook best of 2011
10. CastleVille
Zynga
Just in case you didn't have enough 'Ville' games in your life, Zynga brings you another one -- this one in the form of CastleVille, where you build your kingdom and take up arms against 'the gloom' and its creatures as you explore uncharted territory. Aside from the general theme, this game expands on the whole simulation genre by tossing in a more mature crafting system and a large area to explore. Think of this as Ville 2.0.
Play CastleVille on Facebook >
empires allies best of facebook 2011
9. Empires & Allies
Zynga
Finally, a Zynga game where you can both help and hurt friends. OK, not really hurt them, but pit your troops against their troops and see who has the bigger guns. This player-vs-player action is one of the more compelling parts of this game, which is, essentially, an homage to the classic game Risk mixed with Zynga's special 'Ville' game formula.
Play Empires & Allies on Facebook >
deep realms facebook
8. Deep Realms
Playdom
Deep Realms doesn't have as loyal a following as, say, CityVille -- but it was one of the first games in 2011 to deliver a deeper game experience custom-created for the Facebook audience. So instead of mindlessly clicking to harvest crops in FarmVille, this role-playing adventure includes a well thought-out storyline, enemies, weapons, magic, potions and other things that you'd expect to see, well, pretty much anywhere other than a social game.
Play Deep Realms on Facebook >
fruit ninja frenzy best facebook game 2011
7. Fruit Ninja Frenzy
Halfbrick Studio
The popular iOS game makes the jump to Facebook, and while it doesn't exactly capture the magic of the original (you use a mouse rather than your finger to chop flying fruit), it's still a great way to kill (slice?) time while appearing to look busy on your work/school/home computer.
Fruit Ninja Frenzy on Facebook >
draw my thing best facebook games 2011
6. Draw My Thing
OMG Pop
Draw My Thing might be an unapologetic Pictionary clone, but it's also one of the more social, social games on Facebook. Just like the classic board game, you're tasked with alternately drawing pictures and guessing what other people's drawings represent, but instead of gathering in someone's living room to play, you're paired with other people (friends or otherwise) in a virtual room. Sure, the resulting scribbles often look like the work of a precocious toddler, but that -- plus the chance to bond with complete strangers -- makes this game that much more likely to draw you in.
Play Draw My Thing on Facebook >
maplestory adventures 2011
5. MapleStory Adventures
Nexon
Much like EA did with The Sims, Nexon took its popular PC game, MapleStory, and made a custom version for the Facebook gaming set. The results? A point and click affair that's much more complex than your average social game. This role-playing lite game includes character classes, roll-of-the-dice battles, crafting, weapon enchanting and a cutesy charm with a quirky, lost-in-translation vibe.
Play MapleStory on Facebook >
dream land facebook
4. Dreamland
FreshPlanet
If Tim Burton made a Facebook game, it'd probably be something like Dreamland, which is equal parts board game, role-playing game and fantastical adventure. This imaginative little gem immerses you (the dreamer) into a dream world and it's your mission to eradicate invading nightmares with the roll of a die.
> Play Dreamland on Facebook
gardens of time best 2011
3. Gardens of Time
Playdom
Hidden object games are the shooters (read: Call of Duty) of the casual gaming world. So it only makes sense to bring this I-Spy style game to the Facebook gaming masses. Gardens of Time wasn't the first game of this type on the social network, but it's certainly the most successful (so far), with a regularly updated roster of puzzles and a customizable garden that keep dedicated HOGers coming back for more.
Play Gardens of Time on Facebook >
tetris battles best facebook games 2011
2. Tetris Battle
Tetris Online Inc
Think you're a Tetris master? Put your shape stacking to the test in this Facebook rendition of the classic game, which pits you against other players in real-time matches. Each line you delete will be added to your opponent's board, bringing them that much closer to a KO (and you that much closer to victory). Coins -- or Tetris Cash, which costs real $$ -- can be used to buy both cosmetic and game-changing upgrades. Play once, and you'll soon discover you have a new mantra: "Just one more game."
Play Tetris Battle on Facebook >
sims social facebook
1. The Sims Social
Electronic Arts
The hit PC game that's been letting us live virtual fantasy lives since 2000 finally made its way to Facebook this year. It's the perfect blend of The Sims we all know and love -- right down to the regular bladder relief and making WooHoo -- mixed with social game elements, such as gifting, visiting neighbors, and buying in-game items with virtual (and real) dollars. If there was one reason to start playing games on Facebook in 2011 -- this was it.
zombie land best facebook games 2011
11. Zombie Lane
Digital Chocolate
For those of us who were sick to death of growing virtual crops, smashing/shooting/otherwise maiming zombies in this slightly subversive game was a refreshing change of pace.
Play Zombie Lane on Facebook >
castleville facebook best of 2011
10. CastleVille
Zynga
Just in case you didn't have enough 'Ville' games in your life, Zynga brings you another one -- this one in the form of CastleVille, where you build your kingdom and take up arms against 'the gloom' and its creatures as you explore uncharted territory. Aside from the general theme, this game expands on the whole simulation genre by tossing in a more mature crafting system and a large area to explore. Think of this as Ville 2.0.
Play CastleVille on Facebook >
empires allies best of facebook 2011
9. Empires & Allies
Zynga
Finally, a Zynga game where you can both help and hurt friends. OK, not really hurt them, but pit your troops against their troops and see who has the bigger guns. This player-vs-player action is one of the more compelling parts of this game, which is, essentially, an homage to the classic game Risk mixed with Zynga's special 'Ville' game formula.
Play Empires & Allies on Facebook >
deep realms facebook
8. Deep Realms
Playdom
Deep Realms doesn't have as loyal a following as, say, CityVille -- but it was one of the first games in 2011 to deliver a deeper game experience custom-created for the Facebook audience. So instead of mindlessly clicking to harvest crops in FarmVille, this role-playing adventure includes a well thought-out storyline, enemies, weapons, magic, potions and other things that you'd expect to see, well, pretty much anywhere other than a social game.
Play Deep Realms on Facebook >
fruit ninja frenzy best facebook game 2011
7. Fruit Ninja Frenzy
Halfbrick Studio
The popular iOS game makes the jump to Facebook, and while it doesn't exactly capture the magic of the original (you use a mouse rather than your finger to chop flying fruit), it's still a great way to kill (slice?) time while appearing to look busy on your work/school/home computer.
Fruit Ninja Frenzy on Facebook >
draw my thing best facebook games 2011
6. Draw My Thing
OMG Pop
Draw My Thing might be an unapologetic Pictionary clone, but it's also one of the more social, social games on Facebook. Just like the classic board game, you're tasked with alternately drawing pictures and guessing what other people's drawings represent, but instead of gathering in someone's living room to play, you're paired with other people (friends or otherwise) in a virtual room. Sure, the resulting scribbles often look like the work of a precocious toddler, but that -- plus the chance to bond with complete strangers -- makes this game that much more likely to draw you in.
Play Draw My Thing on Facebook >
maplestory adventures 2011
5. MapleStory Adventures
Nexon
Much like EA did with The Sims, Nexon took its popular PC game, MapleStory, and made a custom version for the Facebook gaming set. The results? A point and click affair that's much more complex than your average social game. This role-playing lite game includes character classes, roll-of-the-dice battles, crafting, weapon enchanting and a cutesy charm with a quirky, lost-in-translation vibe.
Play MapleStory on Facebook >
dream land facebook
4. Dreamland
FreshPlanet
If Tim Burton made a Facebook game, it'd probably be something like Dreamland, which is equal parts board game, role-playing game and fantastical adventure. This imaginative little gem immerses you (the dreamer) into a dream world and it's your mission to eradicate invading nightmares with the roll of a die.
> Play Dreamland on Facebook
gardens of time best 2011
3. Gardens of Time
Playdom
Hidden object games are the shooters (read: Call of Duty) of the casual gaming world. So it only makes sense to bring this I-Spy style game to the Facebook gaming masses. Gardens of Time wasn't the first game of this type on the social network, but it's certainly the most successful (so far), with a regularly updated roster of puzzles and a customizable garden that keep dedicated HOGers coming back for more.
Play Gardens of Time on Facebook >
tetris battles best facebook games 2011
2. Tetris Battle
Tetris Online Inc
Think you're a Tetris master? Put your shape stacking to the test in this Facebook rendition of the classic game, which pits you against other players in real-time matches. Each line you delete will be added to your opponent's board, bringing them that much closer to a KO (and you that much closer to victory). Coins -- or Tetris Cash, which costs real $$ -- can be used to buy both cosmetic and game-changing upgrades. Play once, and you'll soon discover you have a new mantra: "Just one more game."
Play Tetris Battle on Facebook >
sims social facebook
1. The Sims Social
Electronic Arts
The hit PC game that's been letting us live virtual fantasy lives since 2000 finally made its way to Facebook this year. It's the perfect blend of The Sims we all know and love -- right down to the regular bladder relief and making WooHoo -- mixed with social game elements, such as gifting, visiting neighbors, and buying in-game items with virtual (and real) dollars. If there was one reason to start playing games on Facebook in 2011 -- this was it.
Đăng ký:
Bài đăng (Atom)