The Game of the Day is kicking it wintry in the spring. Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season:
Warm up your holidays with Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season, an uplifting time management sequel filled with romance and joy! Winter has come to Snuggford and Emily is looking forward to her family's holiday party.
Click --> Play Delicious - Emily's Holiday Season
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.
Friday, December 30, 2011
FarmVille LE English Countryside Costumes: Cricket and Polo Outfits
Cricket Outfit
Time to go out and swing the bat around, eh guv? Now that I've sufficiently offended our British readers, let's get on with the news: Two new FarmVille avatar costumes have released to the English Countryside Market. For 10 Farm Cash a piece, players can choose between a Cricket or Polo outfit complete with bat or mallet. The two outfits are only available for the next two weeks and reward you with 350 XP for your purchase, so hop on those free Farm Cash offers fast.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you seen all the new English items in FarmVille? Which would you buy first?
Time to go out and swing the bat around, eh guv? Now that I've sufficiently offended our British readers, let's get on with the news: Two new FarmVille avatar costumes have released to the English Countryside Market. For 10 Farm Cash a piece, players can choose between a Cricket or Polo outfit complete with bat or mallet. The two outfits are only available for the next two weeks and reward you with 350 XP for your purchase, so hop on those free Farm Cash offers fast.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you seen all the new English items in FarmVille? Which would you buy first?
Former EA, LucasArts folks form social game studio, November Software
The above trailer for November Software's first game, Inemeri: A Familiar World, is a pretty accurate display of what this brand new social game studio is all about. Gameinudstry.biz reports that the San Francisco-based studio was formed by ex-LucasArts and EA Tiburon developers, and it intends to bring hardcore visuals to casual, social gameplay. "We are gamers and we want to take what we know and love about next-gen games: the deep immersion, high-fidelity atmosphere, multi-layered skill based mechanics, and bring them into the casual social gaming world," co-founder Szymon Swistun said to Gamesindustry.biz.
Its first game will be playable on the web and iOS platforms, so you can almost guess what tech is being used (cough, Unity Engine, cough). Though, that's purely speculation at this point. November Software is expected to launch an closed beta of Inemeri this summer, and you can sign up right here.
What do you think of November Software after seeing the trailer for its first game? How successful do you think this approach will be?
Its first game will be playable on the web and iOS platforms, so you can almost guess what tech is being used (cough, Unity Engine, cough). Though, that's purely speculation at this point. November Software is expected to launch an closed beta of Inemeri this summer, and you can sign up right here.
What do you think of November Software after seeing the trailer for its first game? How successful do you think this approach will be?
Social games publisher RockYou chooses CEO from within, Lisa Marino
Isn't it always nice to hear of companies finding talent right at home? RockYou, the social games publisher who just signed a deal with John Romero's Loot Drop, has promoted Lisa Marino, its current COO, to CEO today. According to TechCrunch, Marino spent the majority of her time as COO restructuring the company and preparing it for a comeback. Since then, the company has obviously leaped back into the social games scene after publishing only one game in 2010, Gourmet Ranch.
Marino had this to say of the company's potential success in an interview with TechCrunch:
I completely agree that a turnaround is difficult. I believe that we've been very effective and successful in the last six months. We made some difficult decisions early on about the DNA of the company and things we want to focus on and commit to. We decided that social gaming is where we were going to place our stake and be successful. We're still very bullish on [Facebook]. There are new demographics emerging, and we think that the product value of games are increasing and improving--those are places where we can succeed and differentiate ourselves from Zynga.
She went on to explain RockYou's interest in mobile as the next platform for social games, but those "demographics" aren't terribly specific. Does she mean that RockYou is focusing on hardcore social games? Who knows, but what we do know is that with developers like Romero and Brenda Brathwaite, RockYou is serious.
[Image Credit: Inside Facebook]
What do you think of RockYou's decision to promote from within? Will RockYou be able to successfully reenter social games?
Marino had this to say of the company's potential success in an interview with TechCrunch:
I completely agree that a turnaround is difficult. I believe that we've been very effective and successful in the last six months. We made some difficult decisions early on about the DNA of the company and things we want to focus on and commit to. We decided that social gaming is where we were going to place our stake and be successful. We're still very bullish on [Facebook]. There are new demographics emerging, and we think that the product value of games are increasing and improving--those are places where we can succeed and differentiate ourselves from Zynga.
She went on to explain RockYou's interest in mobile as the next platform for social games, but those "demographics" aren't terribly specific. Does she mean that RockYou is focusing on hardcore social games? Who knows, but what we do know is that with developers like Romero and Brenda Brathwaite, RockYou is serious.
[Image Credit: Inside Facebook]
What do you think of RockYou's decision to promote from within? Will RockYou be able to successfully reenter social games?
Facebook games could make money thanks to social, not just addiction
It's a common belief that Facebook games are so successful thanks to an incredible small, dedicated, addicted minority that is willing to spend on things like Farm Cash in FarmVille. While that's certainly true, the Scrooge McDuck-style pools of money for Mark Pincus and other CEOs is thanks to not just addiction, but social features within Facebook.
According to the New York Times, designer clothing companies like American Eagle and national box offices like Ticketmaster have seen record increases in revenue thanks to features such as the "Like" button. For instance, Facebook said to NYT on Wednesday that visitors to Ticketmaster through the Facebook News Feed spent an additional $5.30 on average than other visitors. Wait, didn't Playfish recently add the Like button to its games?
The company introduced the new feature to its games like Pet Society back in 2010, and while there aren't hard numbers on the feature's success rate, you can imagine that it's doing relatively well compared to Ticketmaster and Eventbrite's results. Even before the like button, social gamers were already inclined to share their every move. So, why not purchases? Come to think of it, it is a wonder that Zynga and other developers haven't already hopped on this idea.
It's brilliant, really. Banner ads don't work--they haven't for years since users became savvy of what to click on (for the most part). But a recommendation from a friend? Those are, in most cases, priceless. (Well, in this case, they'd be full of price, no? Never mind.) If popularized, this would not only change revenue numbers, but the way in which we buy virtual goods.
Eventually, social gamers could rely on their friends' word more than anything before buying that new plow, most of which they don't even know outside of Facebook. Now, does this have the potential to turn social games into social shopping malls? Have you looked at Facebook games lately?
Do you think the Like button could change the way you buy online content? Would you buy virtual goods more often if your friends honestly recommended them?
According to the New York Times, designer clothing companies like American Eagle and national box offices like Ticketmaster have seen record increases in revenue thanks to features such as the "Like" button. For instance, Facebook said to NYT on Wednesday that visitors to Ticketmaster through the Facebook News Feed spent an additional $5.30 on average than other visitors. Wait, didn't Playfish recently add the Like button to its games?
The company introduced the new feature to its games like Pet Society back in 2010, and while there aren't hard numbers on the feature's success rate, you can imagine that it's doing relatively well compared to Ticketmaster and Eventbrite's results. Even before the like button, social gamers were already inclined to share their every move. So, why not purchases? Come to think of it, it is a wonder that Zynga and other developers haven't already hopped on this idea.
It's brilliant, really. Banner ads don't work--they haven't for years since users became savvy of what to click on (for the most part). But a recommendation from a friend? Those are, in most cases, priceless. (Well, in this case, they'd be full of price, no? Never mind.) If popularized, this would not only change revenue numbers, but the way in which we buy virtual goods.
Eventually, social gamers could rely on their friends' word more than anything before buying that new plow, most of which they don't even know outside of Facebook. Now, does this have the potential to turn social games into social shopping malls? Have you looked at Facebook games lately?
Do you think the Like button could change the way you buy online content? Would you buy virtual goods more often if your friends honestly recommended them?
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
FarmVille Royal Wedding Tent glitch causing royal pains for farmers
Just once, I was thinking that Zynga might be able to release a feature in FarmVille (the Royal Wedding Party / Wedding Tent) without a horrible issue popping up and ruining the fun. Alas, in this event, that wish was too good to be true, as users are reporting issues with the Wedding Tent that see RSVP'd guests simply disappearing from the tent, removing players' progress at unlocking the event's four prizes.
Quite a few threads have appeared on the official FarmVille forums, full of users that are having the above issue (guests disappearing multiple times, forcing them to start over from scratch), or the inability to send out invites to guests to come to their party altogether. There's also the issue of friends accepting requests but never showing up as a guest in others' parties. Clearly, things are a bit of a mess right now, but as of this writing, the issue hasn't been officially addressed by Zynga, nor is it marked as a known issue. I guess we're all just stuck for a short while, until Zynga can acknowledge and push out a quick fix to get the event back on track. Until then, invite guests if you'd like, but don't say we didn't warn you if they vanish only minutes later.
Quite a few threads have appeared on the official FarmVille forums, full of users that are having the above issue (guests disappearing multiple times, forcing them to start over from scratch), or the inability to send out invites to guests to come to their party altogether. There's also the issue of friends accepting requests but never showing up as a guest in others' parties. Clearly, things are a bit of a mess right now, but as of this writing, the issue hasn't been officially addressed by Zynga, nor is it marked as a known issue. I guess we're all just stuck for a short while, until Zynga can acknowledge and push out a quick fix to get the event back on track. Until then, invite guests if you'd like, but don't say we didn't warn you if they vanish only minutes later.
FarmVille Bug Report: Cornflower Contingency Co-Op not counting for English Countryside quest completion
Before you charge into the Cornflower Contingency Co-Op farming job in FarmVille, that is required to finish during the Village Faire quests in the English Countryside, know that things might not according to plan. A new bug has popped up in the game, spawning a 21-page thread on the official FarmVille forums, as users are completing the difficult, time consuming job, only to have their hard work go to waste as the mission doesn't update / complete as though they have done so.
Fortunately, the mass feedback from farmers has caused Zynga to take action, as they have flagged the thread and have updated the bug as a "known issue." Currently, the situation is just "under investigation," but we're happy to see that Zynga has officially acknowledged the problem either way, as it means a fix is surely coming sooner rather than later. Until then, however, you might hold off on spending any Farm Cash or using saved Instant Grows to finish this mission sooner, as there's no guarantee that your progress will actually count. We'll make sure to update you when Zynga changes this issue from "Under Investigation" to "Fixed" as soon as we know more.
Fortunately, the mass feedback from farmers has caused Zynga to take action, as they have flagged the thread and have updated the bug as a "known issue." Currently, the situation is just "under investigation," but we're happy to see that Zynga has officially acknowledged the problem either way, as it means a fix is surely coming sooner rather than later. Until then, however, you might hold off on spending any Farm Cash or using saved Instant Grows to finish this mission sooner, as there's no guarantee that your progress will actually count. We'll make sure to update you when Zynga changes this issue from "Under Investigation" to "Fixed" as soon as we know more.
FarmVille Mini Hedges allow for decorating on a smaller scale
If you'd like to create new designs in FarmVille using green hedges (as they'd blend in with the green grass background when looked at from above), but don't always like the large size of the hedges currently available, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has released two new Mini Hedges in the game - one for each of your two farms.
The basic Mini Hedge is available for your Home Farm and it costs 200 coins to place a single Mini Hedge on your land. Meanwhile, the English Countryside has received the Country Mini Hedge, which may look identical, but is actually a bit darker in terms of its shade of green. The Country Mini Hedge also costs 200 coins, so at least they're cheap enough to be used in bulk around your farm.
As of this writing, neither item has an expiration date, so these look like permanent additions to the store. We'll let you know if that changes, but for now, take your time in buying as many or as few of these cute little hedges as you'd like.
Will you decorate your land / create any artwork with these new miniature pieces of greenery?
The basic Mini Hedge is available for your Home Farm and it costs 200 coins to place a single Mini Hedge on your land. Meanwhile, the English Countryside has received the Country Mini Hedge, which may look identical, but is actually a bit darker in terms of its shade of green. The Country Mini Hedge also costs 200 coins, so at least they're cheap enough to be used in bulk around your farm.
As of this writing, neither item has an expiration date, so these look like permanent additions to the store. We'll let you know if that changes, but for now, take your time in buying as many or as few of these cute little hedges as you'd like.
Will you decorate your land / create any artwork with these new miniature pieces of greenery?
FarmVille: Midland Hawthorn trees appearing from Mystery Seedlings
Heading into the weekend, we have some pretty exciting news for tree collectors in FarmVille. A new tree is now appearing from Mystery Seedlings, as FVNation has found the Midland Hawthorn trees are now available to grow (or claim from your friends' news feed posts), but are as-of-now still unreleased in the game's store.
We brought you a sneak peek of the Hawthorn trees earlier this week, so we already know what the other tree will be, we just don't know how much the trees will cost once they're released in the store. If recent releases tell us anything, the Midland Hawthorn will likely cost 12 Farm Cash on Sunday evening, so make sure you claim every Mystery Seedling you can before its release to save yourself some Farm Cash, and still have this lovely tree growing on your land.
[Image Credit: FVNation]
Have you received a Midland Hawthorn from a Mystery Seedling, or were you lucky enough to snag a fully grown tree from your news feed?
We brought you a sneak peek of the Hawthorn trees earlier this week, so we already know what the other tree will be, we just don't know how much the trees will cost once they're released in the store. If recent releases tell us anything, the Midland Hawthorn will likely cost 12 Farm Cash on Sunday evening, so make sure you claim every Mystery Seedling you can before its release to save yourself some Farm Cash, and still have this lovely tree growing on your land.
[Image Credit: FVNation]
Have you received a Midland Hawthorn from a Mystery Seedling, or were you lucky enough to snag a fully grown tree from your news feed?
FarmVille: Royal Steed producing Knight Steed Foals [Updated]
UPDATE: The Royal Steed has been fixed, and the Royal Steed Foals are now appearing as normal.
A new "glitch" (I use the word lightly) has appeared in FarmVIlle this week, also dealing with the Royal Wedding Party event (as if disappearing guests wasn't a big enough issue to deal with). This issue deals with the top prize, received for inviting the full amount of 32 guests to your party - the Royal Steed. Interestingly, users that have already earned the Steed are reporting that instead of producing Royal Steed Foals when bred in the Horse Stable, they're receiving Knight Steed Foals.
While the adult Knight Steed has been re-released as part of the Enchanted Love item set in-game, the Royal Steed should definitely be producing Royal Steed Foals. Zynga's response? According to Community Manager Stumpgrinder - "There are no Royal Steed Foals." What? You mean this foal right here isn't real? This foal has already showed up on users' farms that weren't hit with the "glitch" (purposeful change?), and yet it is apparently imaginary? Could this be a clever way for Zynga to ignore players' concerns, or is this legitimately a case where fans and players of the game know more than Zynga about their own product? I shutter to think if the latter happens to be true, but for now, place the Royal Steed in your Horse Stable at your own risk until this "bug" can be resolved. We'll make sure to let you know when it is.
Have you received a Knight Steed Foal from your Royal Steed? Did you participate in the Royal Wedding Party event just to have a chance to breed the proper Royal Steed Foals, or does this glitch not affect you?
A new "glitch" (I use the word lightly) has appeared in FarmVIlle this week, also dealing with the Royal Wedding Party event (as if disappearing guests wasn't a big enough issue to deal with). This issue deals with the top prize, received for inviting the full amount of 32 guests to your party - the Royal Steed. Interestingly, users that have already earned the Steed are reporting that instead of producing Royal Steed Foals when bred in the Horse Stable, they're receiving Knight Steed Foals.
While the adult Knight Steed has been re-released as part of the Enchanted Love item set in-game, the Royal Steed should definitely be producing Royal Steed Foals. Zynga's response? According to Community Manager Stumpgrinder - "There are no Royal Steed Foals." What? You mean this foal right here isn't real? This foal has already showed up on users' farms that weren't hit with the "glitch" (purposeful change?), and yet it is apparently imaginary? Could this be a clever way for Zynga to ignore players' concerns, or is this legitimately a case where fans and players of the game know more than Zynga about their own product? I shutter to think if the latter happens to be true, but for now, place the Royal Steed in your Horse Stable at your own risk until this "bug" can be resolved. We'll make sure to let you know when it is.
Have you received a Knight Steed Foal from your Royal Steed? Did you participate in the Royal Wedding Party event just to have a chance to breed the proper Royal Steed Foals, or does this glitch not affect you?
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Moshi Monsters, home to Dustbin Bieber, reaches 50 million kids
Well, in theory, unless a swathe of middle-aged mothers with intense inner-children are skewing the numbers. Moshi Monsters, a Facebook game released by London-based Mind Candy for 6 to 12-year-old kids, has scored 50 million registered accounts. The home to adorable celebrity parodies like Dustbin Bieber Beaver (What? This stuff grows on you after a while.) and kid-oriented play has certainly reached an impressive milestone. According to Mind Candy only 15 million of those registered accounts are from North America, meaning the company has quite the global reach.
Now that the news has broke, Mind Candy can confidently announce that Moshi Monsters are getting the Angry Birds treatment. Of course, that means the Moshi are headed into the worlds of "toys, books, video games, trading cards and a Moshi magazine within the UK and Australia," Mind Candy said in a statement. Even more intriguing than a magazine surrounding the game is the use of the words "video game," implying that more games will be released outside of Facebook.
Could Moshi Monsters transform into the Angry Birds of Facebook before they even land on the platform? Who knows, but keep in mind that "registered accounts" is not synonymous with "active players," as shown by AppData. In other words, it's entirely possible, but now is time for Moshi Monsters to bring out the big guns. Speaking of "big guns" (enough with the quotes already, sheesh), Mind Candy provided us with Exhibit A behind the break, so enjoy Lady Goo Goo's "The Moshi Dance"--last time, promise.
Now that you've seen the lovely, colorful Lady Goo Goo, what do you think of Moshi Monsters reaching 50 million registered players? Is this a sign of where the brand might be headed?
Now that the news has broke, Mind Candy can confidently announce that Moshi Monsters are getting the Angry Birds treatment. Of course, that means the Moshi are headed into the worlds of "toys, books, video games, trading cards and a Moshi magazine within the UK and Australia," Mind Candy said in a statement. Even more intriguing than a magazine surrounding the game is the use of the words "video game," implying that more games will be released outside of Facebook.
Could Moshi Monsters transform into the Angry Birds of Facebook before they even land on the platform? Who knows, but keep in mind that "registered accounts" is not synonymous with "active players," as shown by AppData. In other words, it's entirely possible, but now is time for Moshi Monsters to bring out the big guns. Speaking of "big guns" (enough with the quotes already, sheesh), Mind Candy provided us with Exhibit A behind the break, so enjoy Lady Goo Goo's "The Moshi Dance"--last time, promise.
Now that you've seen the lovely, colorful Lady Goo Goo, what do you think of Moshi Monsters reaching 50 million registered players? Is this a sign of where the brand might be headed?
Mafia Wars Live: Blue-Eyed Nate discusses new Fight System [Video]
Do you love news directly from the source? How about news ... with pictures! The third episode of Mafia Wars Live is, well, live now on the Mafia Wars Blog. In this edition, Zynga community representative Blue-Eyed invited team member "Month" onto the show to chat about the all-new Fight system in the combat Facebook game. But that's far from all the duo discussed in the 37-minute-long video cast. Of course, Nate and Month answered chat room questions and teased some upcoming features as well. Interested in hearing the two discuss the legitimacy of scripts too? Then click the play button on the video above, kick back and enjoy. But probably over lunch--this is a nice and long chat.
How are you liking the new Fight System (if you have access), or how about the new War presentation? Are you a fan of video podcasts?
How are you liking the new Fight System (if you have access), or how about the new War presentation? Are you a fan of video podcasts?
The Sims creator Will Wright is making a Facebook game, and it's not SimCity
And, oddly enough, it will be based on Bruce Sterling's short story "Maneki Neko," Eurogamer reports. The information was revealed to the news site at E3, which has yet to even officially begin. Wright (pictured) said that the game will be released on smartphones and tablets in conjunction with Facebook, and he confirmed that it will be released within a year's time. However, that does mean it could launch as late as the first half of 2012.
"He describes a karmic computer that's keeping a balance of payments between different people, and causing them to interact with each other in interesting ways to improve their lives even though they're strangers," Wright told Eurogamer in an interview Los Angeles. "They earn karmic points that are redeemed by having somebody else help them."
And that's all we have on Will Wright's Facebook and mobile game. Considering the man has released two of the most iconic PC game franchises of all time, we're hopeful to see how Wright can turn the social and mobile game scenes on their respective heads. Of course, the game won't be released by EA (though, it is reportedly handling SimCity for Facebook), which Wright left in 2009, but through either his think tank StupidFunClub or independently. Either way, color us excited to see what the father of simulation games (Zynga can thank this man for its existence, basically) can do for the new breeding ground of his best genre.
[Via Touch Arcade]
[Image Credit: CEOWorld]
Are you excited to hear that Will Wright is headed to Facebook and mobile? How do you think the father of The Sims will transform social games?
"He describes a karmic computer that's keeping a balance of payments between different people, and causing them to interact with each other in interesting ways to improve their lives even though they're strangers," Wright told Eurogamer in an interview Los Angeles. "They earn karmic points that are redeemed by having somebody else help them."
And that's all we have on Will Wright's Facebook and mobile game. Considering the man has released two of the most iconic PC game franchises of all time, we're hopeful to see how Wright can turn the social and mobile game scenes on their respective heads. Of course, the game won't be released by EA (though, it is reportedly handling SimCity for Facebook), which Wright left in 2009, but through either his think tank StupidFunClub or independently. Either way, color us excited to see what the father of simulation games (Zynga can thank this man for its existence, basically) can do for the new breeding ground of his best genre.
[Via Touch Arcade]
[Image Credit: CEOWorld]
Are you excited to hear that Will Wright is headed to Facebook and mobile? How do you think the father of The Sims will transform social games?
Want to work for Marriott Hotels? Play the Facebook game first
Employee training videos are so yesterday. Marriott Hotels has made a Facebook game, titled My Marriott, that's said to release this week with the intention of attracting potential employees to apply to become a member of the Marriott team, Wall Street Journal reports. We had no idea there was such a demand for hotel employees, but alas, here we are, recruiting them through ... Facebook games. And we're not sure whether Facebook games have the same gripping effect on gamers as the US military might have with its America's Army PC shooter, but we'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
The game enlists players in running the kitchen at a Marriott Hotel, and the general play looks a lot like Facebook staples Cafe World and Restaurant City. However, Marriott told WSJ in a detailed interview that the game will be "more realistic." The company says it will roll out other aspects of running Marriott hotels later on, but expect to be commandeering cooks at the Marriott kitchen this week. Until then, check out WSJ's full preview of the game right here.
[Image Credit: Wall Street Journal]
Are you intrigued by My Marriott? What are your thoughts on advergames, or in this case, recruitment games?
The game enlists players in running the kitchen at a Marriott Hotel, and the general play looks a lot like Facebook staples Cafe World and Restaurant City. However, Marriott told WSJ in a detailed interview that the game will be "more realistic." The company says it will roll out other aspects of running Marriott hotels later on, but expect to be commandeering cooks at the Marriott kitchen this week. Until then, check out WSJ's full preview of the game right here.
[Image Credit: Wall Street Journal]
Are you intrigued by My Marriott? What are your thoughts on advergames, or in this case, recruitment games?
Friday, December 23, 2011
Scene It? Daily prods your pop culture chops on Facebook, iPhone, Android
No longer will you be out of the loop when someone at a party quotes The Godfather 3. (Seriously, who even watched that one?) Screenlife, the creators of the hit Scene It? pop culture trivia board games, has launched a cross-platform social game for Facebook, iPhone and Android devices. It's called Scene It? Daily, and it allows players to start and finish trivia puzzle across devices.
"For example, begin playing a celebrity-themed quiz on your mobile device during the commute to work, and finish it up on Facebook once you get to the office," Screenlife explained in a statement. "Or try beating the TV quiz sitting at home on the couch."
The reason for the "Daily" moniker is that the game will be updated, well, daily with new questions across about movies, music, TV and celebrities. The game features a single log-in for each player across all devices, and a unified leader board to aspire to (or dominate).
And while in-game, players can take advantage of streak bonuses for answering multiple questions correctly in a row, and three different power-ups to gain competitive advantage. Now I guess I have no excuse for not knowing what Taylor Swift wore to the Grammys last night ... or something like that.
Scene It? Daily
Click here to play Scene It? Daily on Facebook Now >
"For example, begin playing a celebrity-themed quiz on your mobile device during the commute to work, and finish it up on Facebook once you get to the office," Screenlife explained in a statement. "Or try beating the TV quiz sitting at home on the couch."
The reason for the "Daily" moniker is that the game will be updated, well, daily with new questions across about movies, music, TV and celebrities. The game features a single log-in for each player across all devices, and a unified leader board to aspire to (or dominate).
And while in-game, players can take advantage of streak bonuses for answering multiple questions correctly in a row, and three different power-ups to gain competitive advantage. Now I guess I have no excuse for not knowing what Taylor Swift wore to the Grammys last night ... or something like that.
Scene It? Daily
Click here to play Scene It? Daily on Facebook Now >
Play Facebook games on your iPad with iSwifter ... for $2.99 a month
Wait, but aren't Facebook games supposed to be free? Why yes, yes they are. But thanks to iSwifter, an iPad app with a $2.99 monthly subscription, you can play Flash-based Facebook games right on your 10-inch tablet. (Seriously, what can't you do on that thing?)
VentureBeat reports that Youweb chairman Peter Relan, the financial incubator for iSwifter, revealed at the GamesBeat conference in San Francisco that 500 thousand Facebook gamers are paying for the app. And we're willing to bet (five bucks?) that those 500 thousand players are of the same 3 percent companies like Zynga rely on to buy their digital goods like Farm Cash and new Sheep patterns.
Considering 40 percent of all games played through iSwifter are Zynga games, according to VentureBeat, we'll take that five dollars now. The most popular games on iSwifter are CityVille and Empires & Allies--what a surprise.
iSwifter for iPad
The app converts what would be mouse clicks on standard PCs into touches in real time, meaning what you're playing within iSwifter is actually the game on Facebook. However, you must be constantly connected to a WiFi source in order to play Facebook games through the app. With all of these stipulations--and a subscription fee at that--it looks like some hardcore social gamers will stop at nothing to play their favorite games on the go.
[Image Credit: InterArtix]
Would you pay a monthly fee to play Facebook games on the go? What social game can you simply not for to come to mobile devices?
VentureBeat reports that Youweb chairman Peter Relan, the financial incubator for iSwifter, revealed at the GamesBeat conference in San Francisco that 500 thousand Facebook gamers are paying for the app. And we're willing to bet (five bucks?) that those 500 thousand players are of the same 3 percent companies like Zynga rely on to buy their digital goods like Farm Cash and new Sheep patterns.
Considering 40 percent of all games played through iSwifter are Zynga games, according to VentureBeat, we'll take that five dollars now. The most popular games on iSwifter are CityVille and Empires & Allies--what a surprise.
iSwifter for iPad
The app converts what would be mouse clicks on standard PCs into touches in real time, meaning what you're playing within iSwifter is actually the game on Facebook. However, you must be constantly connected to a WiFi source in order to play Facebook games through the app. With all of these stipulations--and a subscription fee at that--it looks like some hardcore social gamers will stop at nothing to play their favorite games on the go.
[Image Credit: InterArtix]
Would you pay a monthly fee to play Facebook games on the go? What social game can you simply not for to come to mobile devices?
Rumor: Zynga offered PopCap $1 billion in cold, hard cash
Smart move, guys. PopCap apparently turned down $1 billion in straight cash from Zynga before agreeing to EA's offer of $650 million in cash, Forbes reports. (Keep in mind that another $100 million in EA stock and a $550 million bonus based on performance over two years were also part of the deal, totaling a potential of $1.3 billion.)
Forbes cites an unnamed source, who claims that Zynga would have financed the deal in part thanks to Goldman Sachs, which is one of the underwriters leading the company's $1.5 billion IPO. And, according to Forbes, Zynga had just under $1 billion in cash as of March 31, implying that the company was willing to put up almost all of its clams for the Bejeweled creator.
If anything, it makes you wonder what Zynga would have done with PopCap. Take over the world ... for real? (Nah, it would probably just make more games ... world dominating games!) We've contacted Zynga for comment.
What do you think Zynga would have done with PopCap? Did PopCap make the right move to go with EA?
Forbes cites an unnamed source, who claims that Zynga would have financed the deal in part thanks to Goldman Sachs, which is one of the underwriters leading the company's $1.5 billion IPO. And, according to Forbes, Zynga had just under $1 billion in cash as of March 31, implying that the company was willing to put up almost all of its clams for the Bejeweled creator.
If anything, it makes you wonder what Zynga would have done with PopCap. Take over the world ... for real? (Nah, it would probably just make more games ... world dominating games!) We've contacted Zynga for comment.
What do you think Zynga would have done with PopCap? Did PopCap make the right move to go with EA?
Earn two free FarmVille Farm Cash from Fuse's CeeLo Green promotion
Over the last month, we've seen not one, but two Fuse promotions launch in FarmVille, offering players free Farm Cash for completing short activities. In this case, three doesn't seem to be a crowd, as a third promotion has launched advertising CeeLo Green's "Talking to Strangers."
To start this activity, click on the sponsored link button beneath the gameplay area. From there, you'll see the activity window below, which automatically plays a trailer for the new show. Afterwards, you'll see a quiz that has you identifying celebrities based on altered pictures (hint: the celebrities are seen in the trailer, so it'll be easier if you can remember the clothes they were wearing). There are four questions, but it doesn't appear that incorrect answers really penalize you (especially helpful if you're not a big music fan). Just answer the questions any way you'd like, and you'll be rewarded with your sweet, sweet Farm Cash.
Whether you save that Farm Cash or immediately spend it is up to you, but either way, make sure to not miss your chance at it, as it's absolutely free.
Have you had this particular Fuse promotion appear on your farm? What will you do with your free Farm Cash? Are you saving up for something in particular?
To start this activity, click on the sponsored link button beneath the gameplay area. From there, you'll see the activity window below, which automatically plays a trailer for the new show. Afterwards, you'll see a quiz that has you identifying celebrities based on altered pictures (hint: the celebrities are seen in the trailer, so it'll be easier if you can remember the clothes they were wearing). There are four questions, but it doesn't appear that incorrect answers really penalize you (especially helpful if you're not a big music fan). Just answer the questions any way you'd like, and you'll be rewarded with your sweet, sweet Farm Cash.
Whether you save that Farm Cash or immediately spend it is up to you, but either way, make sure to not miss your chance at it, as it's absolutely free.
Have you had this particular Fuse promotion appear on your farm? What will you do with your free Farm Cash? Are you saving up for something in particular?
Cafe World Lights Camera Cook Goals: Everything you need to know
It turns out that the Movie Warp Party Catering Order in Cafe World hasn't been the only mention of Hollywood and film-making in the game recently, as Zynga has announced the release of a new goal series entitled "Lights, Camera, Cook" to go along with it. This set has five individual goals, each of which rewards you with either a "Romantic"-themed decoration, or a new recipe for cooking. Since these goals will likely take you quite a while as it is, let's not waste time with anymore introductions. Here's the guide!
Lights, Camera, Cook I
Serve or ask for 5 Lox Bagel
Serve 5 Powdered French Toast
Serve 5 Buttermilk Pancakes
Lox Bagel only takes three hours to cook, so it's interesting that we've been given an "Ask for" option here. Still, if you know you have a lot of friends that play throughout the day, I suppose it's worth sending out a few requests while you focus on cooking other things. Speaking of, the Powdered French Toast takes 20 minutes to cook, while the Buttermilk Pancakes take 45 minutes. You'll receive four Romantic Tables for finishing this first goal.
Lights, Camera, Cook II
Serve or Ask for 25 Stuffed Mushrooms
Ask for 5 Make Up Boxes
Ask for 5 Movie Lights
Here's a case where you may want to skip asking for the servings of the Stuffed Mushrooms, and focus your daily limited requests on the Make Up Boxes and Movie Lights instead. As it stands, Stuffed Mushrooms do take a full day to cook, so I can understand the draw of asking your friends for servings to speed up your journey to 25, but just make sure you don't waste all of your gift requests in one place. Completing this second goal gives you four Romantic Chairs, to go along with those tables you just received.
Lights, Camera, Cook III
Serve or ask for 40 Vegas Buffet
Serve 10 Vegetarian Tamales
Ask for 15 Bitter Sweet Chocolates
Each Vegas Buffet takes 9 hours to cook, while Vegetarian Tamales are ready after just one hour. Completing this goal gives you a Romantic Wall Light, or sconce, if you prefer.
Lights, Camera, Cook IV
Serve or ask for 20 Delicious Chocolate Cake
Ask for 9 All-Purpose Flour
Ask for 9 Movie Lights
Yet again, if you don't have a very large amount of friends that play Cafe World, your best bet would be to simply cook the Delicious Chocolate Cakes yourself (mmm, cake) for 14 hours, and use all of your requests for these two items that can only be received that way (or by spending Cafe Cash, which is worse). Finishing this goal will see you earning an additional three Romantic Wall Lights, so that each of your four tables can have a romantic bit of lighting.
Lights, Camera, Cook V
Serve or ask for 50 Creme Fraiche Caviar
Serve of ask for 20 Impossible Quiche
Ask for 19 Bitter Sweet Chocolate
Creme Fraiche Caviar takes just 30 minutes to cook, while Impossible Quiche takes a whopping two days. If you have any of these servings saved up in your Gift Box, or have spices that will speed up the cooking process, now would definitely be the time to consider using them. Your hard work pays off at the end of this goal, though, as not only will you have completed the entire goal series, but you'll also receive the Romantic Brownie Sundae recipe as a reward.
One final thought chefs: If you're at all interested in finishing these goals, you'll want to start them as soon as possible, as the movie shoot wraps in your game on July 20. After that point, it's likely that the accompanying Catering Order will vanish as well, so stop everything and work on these tasks now while you can.
What do you think of the rather short time limit associated with these goals? Will you attempt to finish them in time, or will you simply skip them to work on other things?
Lights, Camera, Cook I
Serve or ask for 5 Lox Bagel
Serve 5 Powdered French Toast
Serve 5 Buttermilk Pancakes
Lox Bagel only takes three hours to cook, so it's interesting that we've been given an "Ask for" option here. Still, if you know you have a lot of friends that play throughout the day, I suppose it's worth sending out a few requests while you focus on cooking other things. Speaking of, the Powdered French Toast takes 20 minutes to cook, while the Buttermilk Pancakes take 45 minutes. You'll receive four Romantic Tables for finishing this first goal.
Lights, Camera, Cook II
Serve or Ask for 25 Stuffed Mushrooms
Ask for 5 Make Up Boxes
Ask for 5 Movie Lights
Here's a case where you may want to skip asking for the servings of the Stuffed Mushrooms, and focus your daily limited requests on the Make Up Boxes and Movie Lights instead. As it stands, Stuffed Mushrooms do take a full day to cook, so I can understand the draw of asking your friends for servings to speed up your journey to 25, but just make sure you don't waste all of your gift requests in one place. Completing this second goal gives you four Romantic Chairs, to go along with those tables you just received.
Lights, Camera, Cook III
Serve or ask for 40 Vegas Buffet
Serve 10 Vegetarian Tamales
Ask for 15 Bitter Sweet Chocolates
Each Vegas Buffet takes 9 hours to cook, while Vegetarian Tamales are ready after just one hour. Completing this goal gives you a Romantic Wall Light, or sconce, if you prefer.
Lights, Camera, Cook IV
Serve or ask for 20 Delicious Chocolate Cake
Ask for 9 All-Purpose Flour
Ask for 9 Movie Lights
Yet again, if you don't have a very large amount of friends that play Cafe World, your best bet would be to simply cook the Delicious Chocolate Cakes yourself (mmm, cake) for 14 hours, and use all of your requests for these two items that can only be received that way (or by spending Cafe Cash, which is worse). Finishing this goal will see you earning an additional three Romantic Wall Lights, so that each of your four tables can have a romantic bit of lighting.
Lights, Camera, Cook V
Serve or ask for 50 Creme Fraiche Caviar
Serve of ask for 20 Impossible Quiche
Ask for 19 Bitter Sweet Chocolate
Creme Fraiche Caviar takes just 30 minutes to cook, while Impossible Quiche takes a whopping two days. If you have any of these servings saved up in your Gift Box, or have spices that will speed up the cooking process, now would definitely be the time to consider using them. Your hard work pays off at the end of this goal, though, as not only will you have completed the entire goal series, but you'll also receive the Romantic Brownie Sundae recipe as a reward.
One final thought chefs: If you're at all interested in finishing these goals, you'll want to start them as soon as possible, as the movie shoot wraps in your game on July 20. After that point, it's likely that the accompanying Catering Order will vanish as well, so stop everything and work on these tasks now while you can.
What do you think of the rather short time limit associated with these goals? Will you attempt to finish them in time, or will you simply skip them to work on other things?
FarmVille Spain Animals: Pottok Pony, Latxa Sheep and Spain Flag Pig
Tonight's FarmVille update sees the launch of all new items in the Spain theme, with quite a few animals being available for your various collections. There's a new Sheep, and a new Pig, but unfortunately, it doesn't look like either will contribute to breeding. Meanwhile, a new Pony will make horse collectors very excited.
The three animals are the Latxa Sheep (20 Farm Cash), Spain Flag Pig (18 Farm Cash) and Pottok Pony (24 Farm Cash). As with other flag-patterned animals, this Spain Flag Pig isn't specifically named a "Boar," so you can't expect to breed a pen of Piglets with this pattern (unfortunately). Meanwhile, the Latxa Sheep is an incredibly wooly little fella, that is inspired by the real-life sheep that are native to Basque Country in Spain. Finally, the Pottok Pony may not immediately scream of cuteness, but I personally think there's something pretty endearing about this tiny Pony. Just remember, this Pony can be bred, allowing you to share Pottok Pony Foals with your friends if you choose.
Regardless of the animal you pick, you've got two weeks to do a bit of shopping for your barnyard. After that point, these animals will disappear from the store, and there's no telling if or when they'll ever be re-released.
Which of these animals are you planning on purchasing in the coming days? Would you buy either the Sheep or Pig if you knew they could pass their traits on to Lambs/Piglets?
The three animals are the Latxa Sheep (20 Farm Cash), Spain Flag Pig (18 Farm Cash) and Pottok Pony (24 Farm Cash). As with other flag-patterned animals, this Spain Flag Pig isn't specifically named a "Boar," so you can't expect to breed a pen of Piglets with this pattern (unfortunately). Meanwhile, the Latxa Sheep is an incredibly wooly little fella, that is inspired by the real-life sheep that are native to Basque Country in Spain. Finally, the Pottok Pony may not immediately scream of cuteness, but I personally think there's something pretty endearing about this tiny Pony. Just remember, this Pony can be bred, allowing you to share Pottok Pony Foals with your friends if you choose.
Regardless of the animal you pick, you've got two weeks to do a bit of shopping for your barnyard. After that point, these animals will disappear from the store, and there's no telling if or when they'll ever be re-released.
Which of these animals are you planning on purchasing in the coming days? Would you buy either the Sheep or Pig if you knew they could pass their traits on to Lambs/Piglets?
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Smurfs' Grabber latches onto iPhone, iPad with its puffy, white claws
At this point, mobile gamers are blue with Smurf fever after what I like to call "The Summer of the Smurf." To ring out this smurftastic summer with a bang is yet again Beeline Interactive, Capcom's mobile games arm, with Smurfs' Grabber. Released today--for free, mind you--to App Store, Smurfs' Grabber puts players in control of a giant mechanical Smurf arm in what amounts to a grab machine.
Well, a grab machine with a purpose: It's your job to not only grab as many ingredients from the ground within the allotted 60 seconds you have for each session, but to grab the right ones for a series of potions and other items. Between rounds, you can turn in these items in various quantities and combinations to unlock prizes, namely your fellow Smurfs. These Smurfs bring special powers into your gameplay sessions like dropping presents for bonuses or providing extra XP to level up.
As you continue to grab items, you'll notice that the gameplay is bit more complicated than your standard grab machine. The ingredients have a tendency to do as they please, and will rearrange themselves randomly as you attempt to grab them. So, you can likely already imagine that timing is crucial in Smurfs' Grabber. But don't worry, you'll get to improve your grabbing skills across three differently-themed grab machines with Papa, Smurfette and Greedy Smurf.
Smurfs' Grabber in action
The game doesn't have any Facebook features to speak of--though, they're coming soon--but is integrated with Apple's Game Center to spur some competition. Better yet is the promise that, after a future update, you will be able to grab items in Smurfs' Grabber for your village in Smurfs' Village (yo dawg), Beeline's first Smurfs game. While the game isn't much more than an adorable time-waster at the moment, it could become far more useful to you Smurfs' Village fans once the update arrives.
Again, this smurfable (what?) game is free-to-play, but is supported by in-game purchases, a point Beeline makes terribly clear in the game's description on the App Store. A notice even appears the first time you boot up the game, warning you of the many facets of in-app purchases. Remember, parents: iPad games with mommy and daddy only!
Click here to download Smurfs' Grabber for Free in the App Store Now >
[Image Credit: Apple]
Are you already in on the Smurfs craze on your iPhone and on Facebook? What do you think of Smurfs' Grabber, and how long can the Smurfs madness last?
Well, a grab machine with a purpose: It's your job to not only grab as many ingredients from the ground within the allotted 60 seconds you have for each session, but to grab the right ones for a series of potions and other items. Between rounds, you can turn in these items in various quantities and combinations to unlock prizes, namely your fellow Smurfs. These Smurfs bring special powers into your gameplay sessions like dropping presents for bonuses or providing extra XP to level up.
As you continue to grab items, you'll notice that the gameplay is bit more complicated than your standard grab machine. The ingredients have a tendency to do as they please, and will rearrange themselves randomly as you attempt to grab them. So, you can likely already imagine that timing is crucial in Smurfs' Grabber. But don't worry, you'll get to improve your grabbing skills across three differently-themed grab machines with Papa, Smurfette and Greedy Smurf.
Smurfs' Grabber in action
The game doesn't have any Facebook features to speak of--though, they're coming soon--but is integrated with Apple's Game Center to spur some competition. Better yet is the promise that, after a future update, you will be able to grab items in Smurfs' Grabber for your village in Smurfs' Village (yo dawg), Beeline's first Smurfs game. While the game isn't much more than an adorable time-waster at the moment, it could become far more useful to you Smurfs' Village fans once the update arrives.
Again, this smurfable (what?) game is free-to-play, but is supported by in-game purchases, a point Beeline makes terribly clear in the game's description on the App Store. A notice even appears the first time you boot up the game, warning you of the many facets of in-app purchases. Remember, parents: iPad games with mommy and daddy only!
Click here to download Smurfs' Grabber for Free in the App Store Now >
[Image Credit: Apple]
Are you already in on the Smurfs craze on your iPhone and on Facebook? What do you think of Smurfs' Grabber, and how long can the Smurfs madness last?
Game of the Day: Tropix: Puffer Popper
Escape to the (not so) relaxing world of Tropix, where puffer fish have all but taken over. It's up to you, a lone crab, to pop the puffers' colorful bubbles by matching three of a kind. What ever you do, don't let them crush your castle!
This game starts off fairly slowly, but don't lose your concentration, because by the time you reach level 3-1, those pesky puffers will have caught you completely off guard. If you've ever played a Zuma game, you'll definitely love Tropix: Puffer Popper.
Click here to play Tropix: Puffer Popper!
tropix puffer popper game of the day tropix puffer popper game of the day
Pro Tips:
Don't rush, there is no bonus for moving quickly. Aim carefully before firing a bubble. At the later levels, even one mistake can cost you your castle.
Don't attempt extremely difficult shots until you're used to how the bubbles stick together. When shooting at a funny angle, fired bubbles always stick to bubbles closer to you than you'd expect.
Bounce bubbles off the sides! This technique opens up a ton of new shots for those sticky situations. You'll learn to love it in the later levels.
Click here to play Tropix: Puffer Popper!
What do you think of Tropix Puffer Popper?
This game starts off fairly slowly, but don't lose your concentration, because by the time you reach level 3-1, those pesky puffers will have caught you completely off guard. If you've ever played a Zuma game, you'll definitely love Tropix: Puffer Popper.
Click here to play Tropix: Puffer Popper!
tropix puffer popper game of the day tropix puffer popper game of the day
Pro Tips:
Don't rush, there is no bonus for moving quickly. Aim carefully before firing a bubble. At the later levels, even one mistake can cost you your castle.
Don't attempt extremely difficult shots until you're used to how the bubbles stick together. When shooting at a funny angle, fired bubbles always stick to bubbles closer to you than you'd expect.
Bounce bubbles off the sides! This technique opens up a ton of new shots for those sticky situations. You'll learn to love it in the later levels.
Click here to play Tropix: Puffer Popper!
What do you think of Tropix Puffer Popper?
Call of Duty lands on Facebook ... in its upcoming Elite social network
Did you know that there is a Call of Duty (CoD) convention now? (And that the Dropkick Murphy's and Kanye West are performing there?) Crazy, we know, but at any rate some vital details about Activision Blizzard's Call of Duty Elite social network were revealed during the event in Los Angeles known as Call of Duty XP, according to VentureBeat.
Most importantly, the social network for all things CoD from consoles to the web and mobile apps will feature Facebook integration, allowing players to invite their friends to become CoD buddies with them. Better yet, you'll even be able to send Facebook friends invites for them to join you while you're playing, which should make it easier to find friends to play with.
We're not at the point of posting Achievements to your News Feed or asking friends to help you build your new gun just yet, but this a major step for a publisher that has yet to submit completely if at all to the allure of Facebook gaming. The service will also be free to use ... sort of.
Activision Blizzard plans to charge players $49.99 annually for an optional premium version of the Call of Duty Elite service. This will give players access to 20 pieces of downloadable content released for the game (including the map expansion packs that go for $14.99 usually), the ability to level up your clans, access to insider tips and video content directed by acclaimed directors Ridley Scott and Tony Scott.
Call of Duty Elite
The freebie players will still have access to multiplayer, stat tracking and the ability to join clans among other features, to which Activision Publishing president Eric Hirshberg added, "We made sure that we didn't take anything away from people who are paying money for the game," according to VentureBeat.
What Hirshberg is saying is that if you choose not to pay the premium subscription fee and buy additional content at your leisure, not much will change for you when it comes to gameplay. Call of Duty Elite, which has been in development at the publisher's Beachhead Studios for two years, is a huge step in the buzzword direction nearly everyone else is headed: social. Though Activision Blizzard does say that it's investing in Facebook games, Call of Duty Elite seems to be a far better gauge of where the company's interests in Facebook lie, at least with the oomph we see from its competitors like EA.
What do you think of this Call of Duty Elite network now that it has Facebook features? Do you think Activision Blizzard should focus on Facebook games more heavily like its competitors, or is this where the company should stop?
Most importantly, the social network for all things CoD from consoles to the web and mobile apps will feature Facebook integration, allowing players to invite their friends to become CoD buddies with them. Better yet, you'll even be able to send Facebook friends invites for them to join you while you're playing, which should make it easier to find friends to play with.
We're not at the point of posting Achievements to your News Feed or asking friends to help you build your new gun just yet, but this a major step for a publisher that has yet to submit completely if at all to the allure of Facebook gaming. The service will also be free to use ... sort of.
Activision Blizzard plans to charge players $49.99 annually for an optional premium version of the Call of Duty Elite service. This will give players access to 20 pieces of downloadable content released for the game (including the map expansion packs that go for $14.99 usually), the ability to level up your clans, access to insider tips and video content directed by acclaimed directors Ridley Scott and Tony Scott.
Call of Duty Elite
The freebie players will still have access to multiplayer, stat tracking and the ability to join clans among other features, to which Activision Publishing president Eric Hirshberg added, "We made sure that we didn't take anything away from people who are paying money for the game," according to VentureBeat.
What Hirshberg is saying is that if you choose not to pay the premium subscription fee and buy additional content at your leisure, not much will change for you when it comes to gameplay. Call of Duty Elite, which has been in development at the publisher's Beachhead Studios for two years, is a huge step in the buzzword direction nearly everyone else is headed: social. Though Activision Blizzard does say that it's investing in Facebook games, Call of Duty Elite seems to be a far better gauge of where the company's interests in Facebook lie, at least with the oomph we see from its competitors like EA.
What do you think of this Call of Duty Elite network now that it has Facebook features? Do you think Activision Blizzard should focus on Facebook games more heavily like its competitors, or is this where the company should stop?
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Berylboy's spacious country pasture
Berylboy's FarmVille English Countryside farm is an interesting specimen. It really doesn't do anything groundbreaking, but somehow it still looks rather aesthetically pleasing, and I'm not exactly sure why. Perhaps its the dozens of sheep scattered across the rocky pasture. Maybe it is simply how evenly spaced everything is. It could be any one of the many little structures around the farm such as the fortress, cottage, or rocky lake. But I think what makes this farm design so special is all those things combined.
So many times we see farms jam packed by farmers who wanted to use up all their available space. But in reality, a real farm is a wide open expanse, much more like Berylboy's country pasture farm. There is space between things. That open air feeling, in combination with all the wonderful things found in Berylboy's FarmVille design, is what makes this farm a real gem.
What do you think of Berylboy's farm?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
So many times we see farms jam packed by farmers who wanted to use up all their available space. But in reality, a real farm is a wide open expanse, much more like Berylboy's country pasture farm. There is space between things. That open air feeling, in combination with all the wonderful things found in Berylboy's FarmVille design, is what makes this farm a real gem.
What do you think of Berylboy's farm?
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Get Pac-Man on iOS for a buck (in seven flavors) this holiday weekend
So what if you can already play Pac-Man for free on Facebook in two shades of beautiful, monochromatic yellow. What happens when you're on the toi--I mean, in line at the grocery store?
Thankfully, Namco Bandai has slashed the prices of all eight versions of Pac-Man for iOS devices along with a number of classic games the company has ported there for our greasy thumbs to enjoy. And it's all to honor this glorious (if pointless) holiday we Americans call Labor Day. Check out all the games below with links to where they hang on the App Store:
Ace Combat Xi: Skies of Incursion – $4.99 $2.99
Buccaneer Blitz – $2.99 $.99 [Universal]
Dig Dug Remix – $2.99 $.99
Galaga Remix – $2.99 $.99
Mr. Driller – $1.99 $.99
Ms. Pac-Man – $4.99 $.99
Pac-Attack - $2.99 $.99
Ms. Pac-Man for iPad – $4.99 $1.99
Pac-Chain Compact – $2.99 $.99
Pac-Chain – $2.99 $.99
Pac-Man Championship Edition – $4.99 $.99
Pac-Man Remix – $2.99 $.99
Pac-Mania - $1.99 $.99
Pole Position Remix – $2.99 $.99
Ridge Racer Accelerated – $6.99 $2.99
Splatterhouse – $2.99 $.99
Star Trigon – $1.99 $.99
Time Crisis 2nd Strike – $6.99 $2.99
It looks like Namco has taken a cue from EA, which is having an equally-tempting holiday sale this weekend. And even if you're over Pac-Man, why not pick up Dig Dug or Galaga--if those games kept you up for hours at night back in the day, what's to stop them now? Just remember to, you know, interact with your friends and family this weekend at the barbecue.
[Source: TouchArcade]
Do you plan on picking up any of the whopping seven versions of Pac-Man available for a dollar this weekend? What's your go-to classic game after all these years, if not Pac-Man?
Thankfully, Namco Bandai has slashed the prices of all eight versions of Pac-Man for iOS devices along with a number of classic games the company has ported there for our greasy thumbs to enjoy. And it's all to honor this glorious (if pointless) holiday we Americans call Labor Day. Check out all the games below with links to where they hang on the App Store:
Ace Combat Xi: Skies of Incursion – $4.99 $2.99
Buccaneer Blitz – $2.99 $.99 [Universal]
Dig Dug Remix – $2.99 $.99
Galaga Remix – $2.99 $.99
Mr. Driller – $1.99 $.99
Ms. Pac-Man – $4.99 $.99
Pac-Attack - $2.99 $.99
Ms. Pac-Man for iPad – $4.99 $1.99
Pac-Chain Compact – $2.99 $.99
Pac-Chain – $2.99 $.99
Pac-Man Championship Edition – $4.99 $.99
Pac-Man Remix – $2.99 $.99
Pac-Mania - $1.99 $.99
Pole Position Remix – $2.99 $.99
Ridge Racer Accelerated – $6.99 $2.99
Splatterhouse – $2.99 $.99
Star Trigon – $1.99 $.99
Time Crisis 2nd Strike – $6.99 $2.99
It looks like Namco has taken a cue from EA, which is having an equally-tempting holiday sale this weekend. And even if you're over Pac-Man, why not pick up Dig Dug or Galaga--if those games kept you up for hours at night back in the day, what's to stop them now? Just remember to, you know, interact with your friends and family this weekend at the barbecue.
[Source: TouchArcade]
Do you plan on picking up any of the whopping seven versions of Pac-Man available for a dollar this weekend? What's your go-to classic game after all these years, if not Pac-Man?
FarmVille: Double Mastery Weekend on now for Labor Day holiday
Well, you can't say this wasn't expected... Zynga has launched a Double Mastery weekend in FarmVille to celebrate Monday's Labor Day holiday. As they tend to hold Double Mastery events when anything even remotely resembling a holiday rolls around, you might already know how these work, but for the uninitiated, here's a rundown.
Even though Animal Mastery has been released in the game, this Double Mastery weekend will only give you double the mastery points on any tree or crop harvested; all of your animals will remain the same. Another thing to note is that if you've purchased a Platinum Mastery statue (which gives you permanent double mastery), this event will not stack, and therefore you'll see no change in your points.
If you don't have one of these statues, and you wish to make the most of this event, make sure to activate a Bushel of the crop you're about to harvest, so you'll really earn three points - instead of one - for every crop that you harvest. This particular double mastery event will last until Tuesday, September 6. at 9:00 PM PDT. Hopefully, within that time, you'll have mastered plenty of crops and trees alike to make this event really memorable! Happy farming!
Which crops or trees will you work on mastering during this double mastery event? If animals were available for double mastery as well, would that change how frequently you played the game?
Even though Animal Mastery has been released in the game, this Double Mastery weekend will only give you double the mastery points on any tree or crop harvested; all of your animals will remain the same. Another thing to note is that if you've purchased a Platinum Mastery statue (which gives you permanent double mastery), this event will not stack, and therefore you'll see no change in your points.
If you don't have one of these statues, and you wish to make the most of this event, make sure to activate a Bushel of the crop you're about to harvest, so you'll really earn three points - instead of one - for every crop that you harvest. This particular double mastery event will last until Tuesday, September 6. at 9:00 PM PDT. Hopefully, within that time, you'll have mastered plenty of crops and trees alike to make this event really memorable! Happy farming!
Which crops or trees will you work on mastering during this double mastery event? If animals were available for double mastery as well, would that change how frequently you played the game?
Big Fish Games Labor Day Sale sees all iOS games priced at $0.99
While EA Mobile is holding an iPhone / iPad sale of their own, I think I have just found one that trumps all others. Big Fish Games, one of the biggest names in the casual gaming space, has price-dropped all of their iPad and iPhone games... Let me repeat - all of their iPad and iPhone games to $0.99.
This deal will only be available until (apparently) the end of the day on September 5, Labor Day proper. While that doesn't give you a ton of time to shop, it doesn't take a lot of convincing to pick up some of these stellar games. To put this awesome sale into perspective, I'll remind you that most (if not all) of Big Fish's iPad games start at $9.99 for the full version. Do the math on this, and you're saving 90% on each iPad game! As for the iPhone games, they start at a price of $3.99 for the full version of each, which makes the $0.99 another great deal, but not 90% off.
If you're a hidden object or puzzle game fan, but may not have much experience with the genre(s), some of my personal recommendations would be to pick up Drawn: the Painted Tower, along with both games in the Empress of the Deep series. Even if these don't do it for you, there are games here combining fantasy and historical themes, and everything in between, so you'd really do yourself a disservice if you didn't at least browse through the available options.
To look at the full list of available sale titles, head over to Big Fish's official website. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some games to download!
This deal will only be available until (apparently) the end of the day on September 5, Labor Day proper. While that doesn't give you a ton of time to shop, it doesn't take a lot of convincing to pick up some of these stellar games. To put this awesome sale into perspective, I'll remind you that most (if not all) of Big Fish's iPad games start at $9.99 for the full version. Do the math on this, and you're saving 90% on each iPad game! As for the iPhone games, they start at a price of $3.99 for the full version of each, which makes the $0.99 another great deal, but not 90% off.
If you're a hidden object or puzzle game fan, but may not have much experience with the genre(s), some of my personal recommendations would be to pick up Drawn: the Painted Tower, along with both games in the Empress of the Deep series. Even if these don't do it for you, there are games here combining fantasy and historical themes, and everything in between, so you'd really do yourself a disservice if you didn't at least browse through the available options.
To look at the full list of available sale titles, head over to Big Fish's official website. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got some games to download!
Cafe World Kitchenus Maximus Goals: Everything you need to know
Whether you're a fan of the near-daily updates in Cafe World or not, there's yet another goal series available in the game to complete. This goal series is entitled "Kitchenus Maximus," and it will see you unlocking "amazing ancient flavors from the pages of history," which of course translates to you unlocking more recipes for your cafe. Similar to the Pasta Maker feature, these recipes are unlocked using the help of the new Kitchenus Maximus Statue, but the dishes themselves are cooked on your own regular stoves.
Before we begin on our guide, let me remind you that this is another goal series that will likely give you dishes that are different than those listed here to cook. As in past scenarios, there's no way for us to exactly predict which dishes each and every user will be required to cook, which we apologize for, but you should be able to expect to spend the same amount of time cooking as your friends, as the dishes should (in theory) have similar cooking times, or at least those that even themselves out when added together when all is said and done. With that out of the way, let's get started on these new goals, shall we?
Kitchenus is Here!
Place Kitchenus Maximus
Serve 20 Caramel Apples
Ask for 3 Roman Lettuce
The Roman Lettuce can be earned by asking your friends to help you. Meanwhile, the new Kitchenus Maximus item can be placed in your cafe and then built (we'll have our guide to building the statue coming soon).
Et Tu, Croutons?
Have 7 Spatulas
Ask for 6 Stone Ground Croutons
Serve 10 Spaghetti and Meatballs
Finishing this goal series rewards you with your first recipe of the goal series: Julius Caesar's Salad.
Serving Caesar
Serve Julius Caesar's Salad 15 Times
Ask for 5 Ides of Anchovies
Ask for 10 Very Shortcakes
Finishing this goal gives you 300 coins and 300 Cafe Points.
Baking History
Ask for 6 Fire-Roasted Shanks
Serve 10 Herbed Halibut
Ask for 10 Roaring Paprika
Again, no new recipe comes with this dish, but we do know the other rewards: 500 coins and 500 Cafe Points.
Pros and Khan
Have 9 Pieces of Sandal Strap
Serve 20 Basil Finger Sandwiches
Collect 8 Conquered Caraway Seeds
Your reward for finishing this goal is another new recipe, named with one heck of a pun: Genghis Mongoulash.
Onward Kitchenus
Serve Genghis Mongoulash 15 Times
Have 13 Toques
Serve Fruit Punch 8 Times
As a reminder, the Fruit Punch can be found and served from within your Drink Bar - not cooked on top of a stove. For completing this goal, you'll receive 750 coins and 500 Cafe Points (I bet you were thinking they would both be 750, huh? Unfortunately not).
Short and Sweet
Ask for 10 SacreBleu-berries
Serve 20 Chocolate Cream Pies
Have 16 Colorful Togas
For finishing this goal, you'll receive a new dessert (your final free dish), with yet another clever name: Napoleon's Napoleon. But wait - while you may think this mars the end of the goal series, there's actually one more to tackle before Kitchenus says good night.
A Historical Menu
Master Genghis Mongoulash to Level 1
Master Napoleon's Napoleon to Level 1
Master Julius Caesar's Salad to Level 1
Remember, while these dishes may be associated with a new "tool" in your cafe, they can be cooked on your own stoves, giving you much more flexibility in how they're cooked. That is, you can cook all three dishes at the same time in bulk, depending on how many stoves you have open, which may even save you some time in the long run (or will at least keep you more entertained than just slogging through a single dish). Finish this final goal and you'll receive 1,000 coins and 500 Cafe Points.
And there you have it - a historically inspired goal series that will see you cooking three clever dishes by the time all is said and done. Feel free to push these goals to the back-burner, however, if you have catering orders or time-limited goals you've yet to complete; they'll be here waiting when you're ready.
What do you think of the Kitchenus Maximus item and these goals? Is your cafe becoming full of nothing but tools and appliances, or are you always happy to see another item released to build?
Before we begin on our guide, let me remind you that this is another goal series that will likely give you dishes that are different than those listed here to cook. As in past scenarios, there's no way for us to exactly predict which dishes each and every user will be required to cook, which we apologize for, but you should be able to expect to spend the same amount of time cooking as your friends, as the dishes should (in theory) have similar cooking times, or at least those that even themselves out when added together when all is said and done. With that out of the way, let's get started on these new goals, shall we?
Kitchenus is Here!
Place Kitchenus Maximus
Serve 20 Caramel Apples
Ask for 3 Roman Lettuce
The Roman Lettuce can be earned by asking your friends to help you. Meanwhile, the new Kitchenus Maximus item can be placed in your cafe and then built (we'll have our guide to building the statue coming soon).
Et Tu, Croutons?
Have 7 Spatulas
Ask for 6 Stone Ground Croutons
Serve 10 Spaghetti and Meatballs
Finishing this goal series rewards you with your first recipe of the goal series: Julius Caesar's Salad.
Serving Caesar
Serve Julius Caesar's Salad 15 Times
Ask for 5 Ides of Anchovies
Ask for 10 Very Shortcakes
Finishing this goal gives you 300 coins and 300 Cafe Points.
Baking History
Ask for 6 Fire-Roasted Shanks
Serve 10 Herbed Halibut
Ask for 10 Roaring Paprika
Again, no new recipe comes with this dish, but we do know the other rewards: 500 coins and 500 Cafe Points.
Pros and Khan
Have 9 Pieces of Sandal Strap
Serve 20 Basil Finger Sandwiches
Collect 8 Conquered Caraway Seeds
Your reward for finishing this goal is another new recipe, named with one heck of a pun: Genghis Mongoulash.
Onward Kitchenus
Serve Genghis Mongoulash 15 Times
Have 13 Toques
Serve Fruit Punch 8 Times
As a reminder, the Fruit Punch can be found and served from within your Drink Bar - not cooked on top of a stove. For completing this goal, you'll receive 750 coins and 500 Cafe Points (I bet you were thinking they would both be 750, huh? Unfortunately not).
Short and Sweet
Ask for 10 SacreBleu-berries
Serve 20 Chocolate Cream Pies
Have 16 Colorful Togas
For finishing this goal, you'll receive a new dessert (your final free dish), with yet another clever name: Napoleon's Napoleon. But wait - while you may think this mars the end of the goal series, there's actually one more to tackle before Kitchenus says good night.
A Historical Menu
Master Genghis Mongoulash to Level 1
Master Napoleon's Napoleon to Level 1
Master Julius Caesar's Salad to Level 1
Remember, while these dishes may be associated with a new "tool" in your cafe, they can be cooked on your own stoves, giving you much more flexibility in how they're cooked. That is, you can cook all three dishes at the same time in bulk, depending on how many stoves you have open, which may even save you some time in the long run (or will at least keep you more entertained than just slogging through a single dish). Finish this final goal and you'll receive 1,000 coins and 500 Cafe Points.
And there you have it - a historically inspired goal series that will see you cooking three clever dishes by the time all is said and done. Feel free to push these goals to the back-burner, however, if you have catering orders or time-limited goals you've yet to complete; they'll be here waiting when you're ready.
What do you think of the Kitchenus Maximus item and these goals? Is your cafe becoming full of nothing but tools and appliances, or are you always happy to see another item released to build?
Building the Cafe World Kitchenus Maximus: Everything you need to know
As with many goal series in Cafe World, the newest Kitchenus Maximus goal series comes along with a new tool to build in your cafe of the same name. This new statue is mythological in design, granting you access to all sorts of cleverly named dishes, like Julius Caesar's Salad, as a single example. Of course, you'll not simply be given this completed statue outright; instead, you'll need to collect various building ingredients and build it from scratch in your cafe.
After placing the base, you'll be able to start asking your friends to send you seven Spatulas, nine Sandal Straps, 13 Toques and 16 Colorful Togas in order to complete its construction. If some of these items look familiar to you, remember that you'll need to request many of the same just to finish the matching goal series. For instance, you need to have collected nine Sandal Straps before you can finish the "Pros and Khan" goal. However, if you happen to finish building the Kitchenus Maximus statue before you ever reach those particular goals, those tasks will simply be completed for you - you don't have to collect any additional parts, as they'd be entirely useless.
Once you've finished building this statue, and have finished the accompanying goals (thereby unlocking everything the Kitchenus Maximus can give you in the first place), you'll be able to either keep the statue out in your cafe as a decoration, or can feel free to store it in your inventory forever. You don't have to keep the statue out to keep your recipes; once you unlock them, they're yours to keep and master at any time you see fit.
As of this writing, there doesn't look to be a time limit for how long you have to build Kitchenus Maximus or complete its accompanying goals, but if you have a chance to finish it sooner, rather than later, that certainly wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, with the near-daily updates launching in Cafe World, if you're like me you're only one or two goal series away from being completely overwhelmed. Just stick with it Chefs - you'll finish these goals over time and can then move on to other things.
What do you think of the Kitchenus Maximus statue? Do you like building these new things, even if they have no real purpose after they've been built?
After placing the base, you'll be able to start asking your friends to send you seven Spatulas, nine Sandal Straps, 13 Toques and 16 Colorful Togas in order to complete its construction. If some of these items look familiar to you, remember that you'll need to request many of the same just to finish the matching goal series. For instance, you need to have collected nine Sandal Straps before you can finish the "Pros and Khan" goal. However, if you happen to finish building the Kitchenus Maximus statue before you ever reach those particular goals, those tasks will simply be completed for you - you don't have to collect any additional parts, as they'd be entirely useless.
Once you've finished building this statue, and have finished the accompanying goals (thereby unlocking everything the Kitchenus Maximus can give you in the first place), you'll be able to either keep the statue out in your cafe as a decoration, or can feel free to store it in your inventory forever. You don't have to keep the statue out to keep your recipes; once you unlock them, they're yours to keep and master at any time you see fit.
As of this writing, there doesn't look to be a time limit for how long you have to build Kitchenus Maximus or complete its accompanying goals, but if you have a chance to finish it sooner, rather than later, that certainly wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, with the near-daily updates launching in Cafe World, if you're like me you're only one or two goal series away from being completely overwhelmed. Just stick with it Chefs - you'll finish these goals over time and can then move on to other things.
What do you think of the Kitchenus Maximus statue? Do you like building these new things, even if they have no real purpose after they've been built?
Pioneer Trail 4F (Animal) Mastery Club: Everything you need to know
While it may have taken a long time for Zynga to release Animal Mastery in FarmVille, they've already jumped the gun in Pioneer Trail, releasing Animal Mastery this weekend, completing skipping the crop and tree mastery that many have been wanting / expecting. Such as it is, this new Animal Mastery feature isn't just something that's been "turned on;" instead, you'll need to build the 4F Mastery Club (think 4H) which will give you a chance to unlock new animals and master the others that you've already placed on your Homestead.
This 4F Mastery Club unlocks for users that are at least level 10. From that point, you'll be able to place the base and then collect various building ingredients to finish its construction. You'll need the following:
10 Wooden Planks
10 Rafter Beams
10 Lattice Wood
15 Glass Panes
15 Prize Cases
15 Roof Shingles
Once you've collected all of these items, you'll unlock Animal Mastery proper, which allows you to earn points for mastering all sorts of animals: Sheep, Cows, Pigs and Chickens, among others. You'll earn points each time you tend these animals, sell them, or tend them on your friends' Homesteads. Each animal has three levels of mastery, and you'll earn special animal rewards each time you reach one of the three stars. For instance, mastering level one of Chickens will reward you with the Rhode Island Red chicken. Each time you unlock one of those animals, you'll then be able to purchase more of it from the store. In this example, the Rhode Island Red chicken costs 142 coins.
Along with building this new structure, you'll have three goals to complete that are one-time goals, and will also unlock a series of repeatable goals - one for each animal - that will reward you with mass animal mastery points (for that particular animal, of course) once they're completed. You can check out our complete guide to completing those goals right here.
While Animal Mastery in FarmVille may be incredibly simplistic, here it is anything but. There's a lot to keep track of here, so just take your time to get acclimated and you'll do fine.
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >
Are you excited about seeing Animal Mastery launch in Pioneer Trail? Which animals would you like to master first?
This 4F Mastery Club unlocks for users that are at least level 10. From that point, you'll be able to place the base and then collect various building ingredients to finish its construction. You'll need the following:
10 Wooden Planks
10 Rafter Beams
10 Lattice Wood
15 Glass Panes
15 Prize Cases
15 Roof Shingles
Once you've collected all of these items, you'll unlock Animal Mastery proper, which allows you to earn points for mastering all sorts of animals: Sheep, Cows, Pigs and Chickens, among others. You'll earn points each time you tend these animals, sell them, or tend them on your friends' Homesteads. Each animal has three levels of mastery, and you'll earn special animal rewards each time you reach one of the three stars. For instance, mastering level one of Chickens will reward you with the Rhode Island Red chicken. Each time you unlock one of those animals, you'll then be able to purchase more of it from the store. In this example, the Rhode Island Red chicken costs 142 coins.
Along with building this new structure, you'll have three goals to complete that are one-time goals, and will also unlock a series of repeatable goals - one for each animal - that will reward you with mass animal mastery points (for that particular animal, of course) once they're completed. You can check out our complete guide to completing those goals right here.
While Animal Mastery in FarmVille may be incredibly simplistic, here it is anything but. There's a lot to keep track of here, so just take your time to get acclimated and you'll do fine.
Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here. >
Are you excited about seeing Animal Mastery launch in Pioneer Trail? Which animals would you like to master first?
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Producer on anticipated PS3 game ditches Sony for Facebook games
One the most anticipated PS3 games of 2012, The Last Guardian (pictured), just lost its executive producer to Facebook games. And in other news, the sky is falling. Jokes aside, former Sony Computer Entertainment president and executive producer on The Last Guardian Yoshifusa Hayama has left Sony for UK-based social games studio Bossa Studios, Eurogamer reports.
Hayama, who previously worked on the popular Final Fantasy series and cult classic Ico, will serve as creative director at Monstermind creator Bossa and work to bring the studio's first 3D Facebook game to life. The game is set to launch this year, according to Eurogamer, which we imagine means within the next 365 days. Hayama sounds exceedingly confident (refreshingly so even) in 3D Facebook games.
"The future of gaming is definitely online and thanks to recent developments with Flash 11, there is no reason why a social game can no longer be as visually stunning and as compelling as the big console titles," Hayama told Eurogamer. "Together at Bossa we have plans to bring a plethora of games to Facebook and eventually other appropriate social media channels, which include 3D elements and can be enjoyed by all age and interest groups."
Not only does this news follow the unfortunate reports of Ico creator Fumito Ueda had left Sony, but the increasing rate at which big time Japanese game creators are hopping on the social games bandwagon. This year alone saw the folks behind Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog and games like No More Heroes break onto the scene. At least where "compelling" social games are concerned, let's hope they're all onto something.
[Via Gamasutra]
Why are more and more Japanese game makers entering the social games space? Are you waiting for more "compelling" 3D social games?
Hayama, who previously worked on the popular Final Fantasy series and cult classic Ico, will serve as creative director at Monstermind creator Bossa and work to bring the studio's first 3D Facebook game to life. The game is set to launch this year, according to Eurogamer, which we imagine means within the next 365 days. Hayama sounds exceedingly confident (refreshingly so even) in 3D Facebook games.
"The future of gaming is definitely online and thanks to recent developments with Flash 11, there is no reason why a social game can no longer be as visually stunning and as compelling as the big console titles," Hayama told Eurogamer. "Together at Bossa we have plans to bring a plethora of games to Facebook and eventually other appropriate social media channels, which include 3D elements and can be enjoyed by all age and interest groups."
Not only does this news follow the unfortunate reports of Ico creator Fumito Ueda had left Sony, but the increasing rate at which big time Japanese game creators are hopping on the social games bandwagon. This year alone saw the folks behind Mega Man, Sonic the Hedgehog and games like No More Heroes break onto the scene. At least where "compelling" social games are concerned, let's hope they're all onto something.
[Via Gamasutra]
Why are more and more Japanese game makers entering the social games space? Are you waiting for more "compelling" 3D social games?
Diamond Dash rushes to blast back at Bejeweled Blitz on iPhone, iPad
Watch out, PopCap: It looks like someone is gunning for your best game. Berlin, Germany-based social games maker wooga announced at the Le Web Conference in Paris that its Facebook hit Diamond Dash has finally hit iPhones and iPads everywhere. (The keyword in that sentence is "iPad", folks.) Better yet, the Facebook-connected game--announced way back in July--is 100 percent free to play.
Through Facebook Connect, players can compete for dominance between their friends on weekly leaderboards on their iOS device, and the game will track their progress should they hop back in on Facebook. While the game is free to play, you'll be governed by that dastardly Heart system--just the way it is on Facebook. However, you can also dole Hearts to your friends like you do on Facebook. (Of course, you can buy more, too.)
Wooga also promises players that the game, which is available in nine languages, will be updated frequently with new content. Diamond Dash hits the App Store the same day as its main competitor, Bejeweled Blitz, relaunches as an independent freemium game. While Diamond Dash is beating Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook in monthly players, according to AppData, the alternative gem crusher has some catching up to do on mobile devices. And the fact that it's first to officially hit the iPad certainly helps.
Click here to download Diamond Dash on the App Store for Free Now >
Do you prefer Diamond Dash or Bejeweled Blitz for your shiny smashing fix? Does the fact that the former is on iPad first sway you at all?
Through Facebook Connect, players can compete for dominance between their friends on weekly leaderboards on their iOS device, and the game will track their progress should they hop back in on Facebook. While the game is free to play, you'll be governed by that dastardly Heart system--just the way it is on Facebook. However, you can also dole Hearts to your friends like you do on Facebook. (Of course, you can buy more, too.)
Wooga also promises players that the game, which is available in nine languages, will be updated frequently with new content. Diamond Dash hits the App Store the same day as its main competitor, Bejeweled Blitz, relaunches as an independent freemium game. While Diamond Dash is beating Bejeweled Blitz on Facebook in monthly players, according to AppData, the alternative gem crusher has some catching up to do on mobile devices. And the fact that it's first to officially hit the iPad certainly helps.
Click here to download Diamond Dash on the App Store for Free Now >
Do you prefer Diamond Dash or Bejeweled Blitz for your shiny smashing fix? Does the fact that the former is on iPad first sway you at all?
EA, Playfish developing 'the hell out of SimCity' for Facebook [Report]
Hey, if The Sims Social struck gold, it only makes sense at this point. Business Insider reports, citing nameless sources, that a China-based Playfish team has suspended all other projects to "develop the hell out of SimCity" for Facebook. Of course, the idea is that the second place developer is doing so to go toe-to-toe directly with CityVille, the number one game on Facebook.
Zynga's city-builder has held the top spot on Facebook for over a year, and EA is reportedly doing everything in its power to dethrone the king of social games. According to Business Insider, multiple sources within the company say that SimCity has been in development for over a year, around the same time that Zynga started work on CityVile. But when the game broke every record in the book over the past year, EA had no choice but to ramp up work on SimCity.
At the time, Zynga had more time and resources to pour into CityVille than EA did with SimCity, which had "doubled down" on The Sims Social. Since the game has now proven itself, putting a dent into Zynga's then spotless lineup, the veteran games publisher has placed a laser focus on the social iteration of game designer Will Wright's masterpiece.
According to the news outlet, Playfish's Norway and San Francisco teams are working on entirely new games for EA. And yes, it's OK to be more excited by that rumor than yet another city-builder. This better be good.
[Via IndustryGamers]
Are you excited by the thought of SimCity hitting Facebook? Do you think it could give CityVille a run for its (boatloads of) money?
Zynga's city-builder has held the top spot on Facebook for over a year, and EA is reportedly doing everything in its power to dethrone the king of social games. According to Business Insider, multiple sources within the company say that SimCity has been in development for over a year, around the same time that Zynga started work on CityVile. But when the game broke every record in the book over the past year, EA had no choice but to ramp up work on SimCity.
At the time, Zynga had more time and resources to pour into CityVille than EA did with SimCity, which had "doubled down" on The Sims Social. Since the game has now proven itself, putting a dent into Zynga's then spotless lineup, the veteran games publisher has placed a laser focus on the social iteration of game designer Will Wright's masterpiece.
According to the news outlet, Playfish's Norway and San Francisco teams are working on entirely new games for EA. And yes, it's OK to be more excited by that rumor than yet another city-builder. This better be good.
[Via IndustryGamers]
Are you excited by the thought of SimCity hitting Facebook? Do you think it could give CityVille a run for its (boatloads of) money?
Raptr users fell in love with The Sims Social in every way this year
Who saw this one coming? (Not us, based on AppData numbers.) Raptr, the social network and tracking service for gamers, issued a report detailing its First Annual Playtime Awards, recognizing the most played games across several genres. When it comes to social games, EA and Playfish's The Sims Social dominated, accumulating more playtime in its first month than any social game released this year did in its first 30 days.
The report goes on to reveal that the average Sims Social player logged 1.37 hours in the first week, which is 16 percent more than Zynga's two best games released this year. Breaking it down even further, The Sims' debut on Facebook also garnered five times the playtime of Zynga's Mafia Wars 2, 18 percent more than CastleVille, and 33 percent more than Empires & Allies. (However, CastleVille garnered longer average play sessions than its competitor.)
Finally, Raptr points out that, when The Sims Social launched this summer, playtime in FarmVille and E&A dropped by 25 percent. In other words, The Sims killed it this year on Facebook--at least where Raptr users are concerned. This is undoubtedly an achievement for Playfish's most successful game, but it's story plays out rather differently on services like AppData. You could argue that Raptr users are generally more "hardcore" gamers, so we can't wait to see their response when (or if) SimCity lands. Check out the full report, including the winners of all of the other genres, right here.
Are you surprised that The Sims Social won Raptr users over this year? Who do you think should have won?
The report goes on to reveal that the average Sims Social player logged 1.37 hours in the first week, which is 16 percent more than Zynga's two best games released this year. Breaking it down even further, The Sims' debut on Facebook also garnered five times the playtime of Zynga's Mafia Wars 2, 18 percent more than CastleVille, and 33 percent more than Empires & Allies. (However, CastleVille garnered longer average play sessions than its competitor.)
Finally, Raptr points out that, when The Sims Social launched this summer, playtime in FarmVille and E&A dropped by 25 percent. In other words, The Sims killed it this year on Facebook--at least where Raptr users are concerned. This is undoubtedly an achievement for Playfish's most successful game, but it's story plays out rather differently on services like AppData. You could argue that Raptr users are generally more "hardcore" gamers, so we can't wait to see their response when (or if) SimCity lands. Check out the full report, including the winners of all of the other genres, right here.
Are you surprised that The Sims Social won Raptr users over this year? Who do you think should have won?
Monday, December 12, 2011
If DeNA's Kaito Royale got a TV series, could a FarmVille movie work?
Maybe a straight-to-DVD flick? DeNA's 10 million player-strong Kaito Royale on its Mobage network will be brought to life in an upcoming television series, Kotaku reports. The game focuses around "gentlemanly thieves," which is what "kaito" translates to roughly, that act as vigilantes to rid the evils of society. Think of Mafia Wars-meets-Robin Hood, and you're about there.
Throughout the game, players must battle each other for supremacy in a rock, paper, scissors-style combat system and steal goods from the competition. More importantly, players will face the bosses of the criminal underworld, one of which is known as Sister Snake. Japanese fashion model Nozomi Sasaki (pictured) will star in the Kaito Royale series as Sister Snake, complete with habit and machine gun, according to Oricon.
Of course, we can't help but wonder what this means for future films and TV shows based on casual or social game products. The Angry Birds movie is very real, and set to land in 2014, while a FarmVille flick is at least in talks right now. But because of how early the supposed FarmVille movie is in its creation, that could go either way at this point.
As much as we hate to admit it, if a mobile social game with 10 million players can get a TV series, then a social game with 28 million players can probably seal a film deal. Then again, there are a lot of places that a TV show based on righteous thieves can go, and that's not really the case for FarmVille. Unless, of course, it goes the parody route.
Would you watch a TV series based on your favorite social game? Do you think mobile and social game developers are onto something with this, or should they stay away?
Throughout the game, players must battle each other for supremacy in a rock, paper, scissors-style combat system and steal goods from the competition. More importantly, players will face the bosses of the criminal underworld, one of which is known as Sister Snake. Japanese fashion model Nozomi Sasaki (pictured) will star in the Kaito Royale series as Sister Snake, complete with habit and machine gun, according to Oricon.
Of course, we can't help but wonder what this means for future films and TV shows based on casual or social game products. The Angry Birds movie is very real, and set to land in 2014, while a FarmVille flick is at least in talks right now. But because of how early the supposed FarmVille movie is in its creation, that could go either way at this point.
As much as we hate to admit it, if a mobile social game with 10 million players can get a TV series, then a social game with 28 million players can probably seal a film deal. Then again, there are a lot of places that a TV show based on righteous thieves can go, and that's not really the case for FarmVille. Unless, of course, it goes the parody route.
Would you watch a TV series based on your favorite social game? Do you think mobile and social game developers are onto something with this, or should they stay away?
Nordeus passes Top Eleven's stat-crunching soccer to Android devices
Before you get into a tizzy, it was for the sake of the headline--we all know it's known as "football" everywhere else in the world. Serbian social game creator Nordeus announced that its hit football simulator game Top Eleven has launched for Android phones. Of course, the game is 100 percent free to download right here. But more importantly, the game allows for cross-platform play.
This means that, if you started something with Top Eleven on Facebook, you can easily pick it back up on Top Eleven for your Android phone later. For all intents and purposes, the game is essentially the same as it is on Facebook, which currently caters to 3.1 million monthly players, according to AppData. However, there are certain advantages that Android users might have over the non-mobile competition.
Top Eleven for Android takes advantage of push notifications, "reminding [players] to bid on the best strikers and hiring medics to overcome player injuries," according to a release. This way, Android players have no excuse to miss lucrative player transfers or training timers that keep their teams in tip-top shape.
This new version of the game comes just after Nordeus updated Top Eleven on Facebook to Version 2.0. Top Eleven for Android marks Nordeus's new motto: "Unifying gaming experiences throughout devices and platforms," as company CEO Branko Milutinović told us recently.
"Top Eleven on Android allows you to never miss the big match and discreetly access and manage your team at critical moments, so that you can win the league even if in real life you're stuck in a boring business meeting," Milutinović said in a release. Aha! We think your staff might be onto you, Branko.
Click here to download Top Eleven for Android Now >
Are you a Top Eleven fan on Facebook? Do you think a mobile version of the game will help your game?
This means that, if you started something with Top Eleven on Facebook, you can easily pick it back up on Top Eleven for your Android phone later. For all intents and purposes, the game is essentially the same as it is on Facebook, which currently caters to 3.1 million monthly players, according to AppData. However, there are certain advantages that Android users might have over the non-mobile competition.
Top Eleven for Android takes advantage of push notifications, "reminding [players] to bid on the best strikers and hiring medics to overcome player injuries," according to a release. This way, Android players have no excuse to miss lucrative player transfers or training timers that keep their teams in tip-top shape.
This new version of the game comes just after Nordeus updated Top Eleven on Facebook to Version 2.0. Top Eleven for Android marks Nordeus's new motto: "Unifying gaming experiences throughout devices and platforms," as company CEO Branko Milutinović told us recently.
"Top Eleven on Android allows you to never miss the big match and discreetly access and manage your team at critical moments, so that you can win the league even if in real life you're stuck in a boring business meeting," Milutinović said in a release. Aha! We think your staff might be onto you, Branko.
Click here to download Top Eleven for Android Now >
Are you a Top Eleven fan on Facebook? Do you think a mobile version of the game will help your game?
Facebook mobile social games will grow industry at once, CTO expects
When Facebook launched its mobile apps and games platform on iPhone and iPad, we were admittedly confused. But after Facebook CTO Bret Taylor (pictured) spoke with mocoNews, we have a better idea of what Facebook is getting at with "Project Spartan." According to Taylor, Facebook hopes to go 100 percent cross platform with Facebook Mobile through the mobile web, but its master plan goes deeper still.
"It really addresses some of the areas I've heard a lot of concerns about from mobile developers, and it plays to our strengths," Taylor told mocoNews. "For startups, it's very difficult to get their apps discovered. They have a honeymoon period in the app stores where they might be in a top 10 list and get a lot of downloads, but once that honeymoon period is over, discovery is very difficult. By integrating with these social channels in mobile, they can get discovered in really organic ways."
Facebook looks to bring the discoverability of Facbook games and apps to mobile. Sure, Facebook has the support of some major game creators with HTML5-based versions of Words with Friends, FarmVille and even wooga's new Magic Land. But at the moment, users have to search for these apps through Facebook's iOS app or mobile web presence--not exactly an ideal method for discovery.
It sounds like Taylor and Facebook look to grow the mobile and social games industries all at once across all platforms including Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry. To do that, Facebook is encouraging more developers to create HTML5 or native mobile app versions of their social games that Facebook Mobile can redirect to, which is about the only way we see this method working. However, with game shares (at least for non-gamers to see) almost entirely in the Ticker--which doesn't exist on mobile--where do the new social gamers come in?
[Via PocketGamer.biz]
Have you tried the current lot of HTML5 Facebook games yet? Do you think Facebook's mobile gaming strategy will work in the long run?
"It really addresses some of the areas I've heard a lot of concerns about from mobile developers, and it plays to our strengths," Taylor told mocoNews. "For startups, it's very difficult to get their apps discovered. They have a honeymoon period in the app stores where they might be in a top 10 list and get a lot of downloads, but once that honeymoon period is over, discovery is very difficult. By integrating with these social channels in mobile, they can get discovered in really organic ways."
Facebook looks to bring the discoverability of Facbook games and apps to mobile. Sure, Facebook has the support of some major game creators with HTML5-based versions of Words with Friends, FarmVille and even wooga's new Magic Land. But at the moment, users have to search for these apps through Facebook's iOS app or mobile web presence--not exactly an ideal method for discovery.
It sounds like Taylor and Facebook look to grow the mobile and social games industries all at once across all platforms including Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry. To do that, Facebook is encouraging more developers to create HTML5 or native mobile app versions of their social games that Facebook Mobile can redirect to, which is about the only way we see this method working. However, with game shares (at least for non-gamers to see) almost entirely in the Ticker--which doesn't exist on mobile--where do the new social gamers come in?
[Via PocketGamer.biz]
Have you tried the current lot of HTML5 Facebook games yet? Do you think Facebook's mobile gaming strategy will work in the long run?
It Girl maker CrowdStar looks beyond Facebook for 1 billion players
At last month's HTML5 Dev Conference in San Francisco, CrowdStar CEO Peter Relan (pictured) said, "We want to create the game that reaches a billion people." The company has announced just how it plans to make that happen: Project Trident. CrowdStar revealed its plans to create a global, mobile platform and recognizable gaming franchises. Of course, CrowdStar will still hang out with Facebook--let's just say "it's complicated."
TechCrunch reports that, as part of its plan to diversify beyond Facebook, CrowdStar will launch It Girl (and Top Girl for iOS) franchise in Asia across Japan, Korea and China. Starting with NHN Japan, the company plans to introduce both It Girl and Top Girl to five Asian social networks in Q4 (October through December) alone. According to TechCrunch, Top Girl has already been downloaded from the App Store 4 million times.
In addition to launching It Girl on five Asian social networks before Dec. 31, CrowdStar reportedly plans to release another three games before year's end across Facebook, mobile and global networks. That amounts to more games released in the end of 2011 than CrowdStar put out in all of 2010.
It looks like the maker of hits like Happy Aquarium seeks to make a comeback, and according to TechCrunch, one of those eight games will hit this weekend. (We'll have more details on that soon enough.) But this comes just as competitor Zynga announces its own pseudo-independent social game platform and a ton of games. Anyone else feeling a bit ... claustrophobic?
What do you think of CrowdStar's plans to gain financial independence from Facebook? How do you plan on finding the time to play all of these new games that are likely to hit before the holidays?
TechCrunch reports that, as part of its plan to diversify beyond Facebook, CrowdStar will launch It Girl (and Top Girl for iOS) franchise in Asia across Japan, Korea and China. Starting with NHN Japan, the company plans to introduce both It Girl and Top Girl to five Asian social networks in Q4 (October through December) alone. According to TechCrunch, Top Girl has already been downloaded from the App Store 4 million times.
In addition to launching It Girl on five Asian social networks before Dec. 31, CrowdStar reportedly plans to release another three games before year's end across Facebook, mobile and global networks. That amounts to more games released in the end of 2011 than CrowdStar put out in all of 2010.
It looks like the maker of hits like Happy Aquarium seeks to make a comeback, and according to TechCrunch, one of those eight games will hit this weekend. (We'll have more details on that soon enough.) But this comes just as competitor Zynga announces its own pseudo-independent social game platform and a ton of games. Anyone else feeling a bit ... claustrophobic?
What do you think of CrowdStar's plans to gain financial independence from Facebook? How do you plan on finding the time to play all of these new games that are likely to hit before the holidays?
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Retire in style at Tamilyn3's Halloween Estates
Are you a mad scientist, an abominable creation, or a reclusive vampire who just wants to play Facebook games instead? Then head on down to Tamilyn3's FarmVille Halloween Estates farm, where pitchforks are banned and you won't find an angry mob for miles around. With over a dozen Halloween buildings available including the Haunted Castle, Haunted House and Haunted Hut, residents can live in style. Want something a bit more cozy? There's also a Frankenstein Lab, Candy Corn House, Candy Corn Home, Halloween Cottage and Pumpkin Cottage.
Aside from these lovely buildings, we've also got a local cemetery (for those of you who enjoy staying buried), lots of surrounding orchards and the south involves a full working farm. Each residence is also tended to by a costumed gnome (who are supposedly way more reliable than Igors). This kind of self-sufficiency means you won't ever have to leave home to bite into the neck of a goat--you can just have a fresh jar of blood delivered to your door on midnights.
If you like seclusion and sailing, we've got the original Mayflower Ship (from the 2010 Thanksgiving Basket) docked at one of two waterfalls. (They're actually made of blue hay bales, but that's our little secret.) For a smaller body of water, head out a bit west to Kraken Lake, home of our resident legendary sea monster. Maybe you can read some Tennyson together. And don't worry, he doesn't bite. He just swallows whole.
If you were one of the famously undead, which would you be and where would you live? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
Aside from these lovely buildings, we've also got a local cemetery (for those of you who enjoy staying buried), lots of surrounding orchards and the south involves a full working farm. Each residence is also tended to by a costumed gnome (who are supposedly way more reliable than Igors). This kind of self-sufficiency means you won't ever have to leave home to bite into the neck of a goat--you can just have a fresh jar of blood delivered to your door on midnights.
If you like seclusion and sailing, we've got the original Mayflower Ship (from the 2010 Thanksgiving Basket) docked at one of two waterfalls. (They're actually made of blue hay bales, but that's our little secret.) For a smaller body of water, head out a bit west to Kraken Lake, home of our resident legendary sea monster. Maybe you can read some Tennyson together. And don't worry, he doesn't bite. He just swallows whole.
If you were one of the famously undead, which would you be and where would you live? Sound off in the comments. 2 Comments
If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!
G5 builds a free download of Virtual City Playground on iPhone, Android
CityVille Hometown is the only definitive CityVille experience on iPhone, but some mobile gamers might dream bigger. That's where Swedish developer G5 hopes to come in with Virtual City Playground for iPhone and Android. The game was just released to both devices for absolutely free, which allows players to enjoy its Sandbox Mode, building and maintain their own city.
Recently released to the iPad in August, the game appears to take numerous factors into consideration as players develop their cities like mass transit, recycling and general eco-friendliness. Players get to launch community events in their cities to keep citizens happy, which contribute to the balance players must keep between Time, Income, Environment, Population, and Happiness for a successful city.
G5 will provide free updates to the game regularly, but Virtual City Playground contains 87 quests that you must pay up to access through in-app purchases. And just like its city-builder competition, the game sports Game Center and Facebook integration as well as 95 achievements to earn.
And when you keep Virtual City Playground in the background, it's said that your citizens will continue to work for you by transporting goods. Not much seems to have changed since the game hit iPad, but that doesn't seem to be the point. If you've yet to get a look at what Virtual City Playground is all about, check out this trailer. (Hint: It looks a lot ... like, way similar to most city-builders.)
Click here to download Virtual City Playground on iPhone and here to download on Android Now >
Are you interested in taking on another city-builder on your mobile phone? What do you think of G5's approach to the crowded city-builder genre on both Facebook and mobile?
Recently released to the iPad in August, the game appears to take numerous factors into consideration as players develop their cities like mass transit, recycling and general eco-friendliness. Players get to launch community events in their cities to keep citizens happy, which contribute to the balance players must keep between Time, Income, Environment, Population, and Happiness for a successful city.
G5 will provide free updates to the game regularly, but Virtual City Playground contains 87 quests that you must pay up to access through in-app purchases. And just like its city-builder competition, the game sports Game Center and Facebook integration as well as 95 achievements to earn.
And when you keep Virtual City Playground in the background, it's said that your citizens will continue to work for you by transporting goods. Not much seems to have changed since the game hit iPad, but that doesn't seem to be the point. If you've yet to get a look at what Virtual City Playground is all about, check out this trailer. (Hint: It looks a lot ... like, way similar to most city-builders.)
Click here to download Virtual City Playground on iPhone and here to download on Android Now >
Are you interested in taking on another city-builder on your mobile phone? What do you think of G5's approach to the crowded city-builder genre on both Facebook and mobile?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Don't miss Games.com's Cyber Monday FarmVille Giveaway!
Call the neighbors and wake the children, because on Monday November 28th we're giving away ten FarmVille plushies (with Farm Cash) for FREE!farmville plush free farm cash giveawayAs many of you folks know, the Monday after Thanksgiving is the online shopping event of the year. You'll see incredible mark-downs, sales, and unbeatable deals at all the biggest outlets on the internet. But although you'll see plenty of discounts, you won't find anything for free, that is, unless you're checking out Games.com's Cyber Monday FarmVille Giveaway! Best Buy has begun selling exclusive FarmVille mystery plushies for $9.99. Each plushie comes with a $10 Zynga Game Card and a virtual prize for your farm. Collect all eight animals and you'll receive an in-game Super Orchard. And we're giving away ten of these adorable FarmVille collectibles for free! Folks, this is one event you do not want to miss.
So check back on Monday to find out how to win a free FarmVille Collectible Plush!
Find out more about the FarmVille plushies here.
So check back on Monday to find out how to win a free FarmVille Collectible Plush!
Find out more about the FarmVille plushies here.
Play the other football on Thanksgiving with Top Eleven on iOS
Sorry, friends around the world, but we only say that because Thanksgiving is originally an American holiday, after all. Nordeus has finally released its hit football/soccer game Top Eleven on iPhone and iPad for the fine price of free. Based on a brief description of the game provided by Nordeus, this looks to be simply a port of the Android version released in October.
A port this game may be, but one that will likely expand the game's player base. Just like before, players can create their own football clubs and take on nearly every aspect of the process as manager. And when we say "every aspect," we mean everything from training players to getting sponsorship for the team. More importantly, however, is that Top Eleven veterans can access their existing football clubs from Facebook, iPhone or Android and interact with their friends on any said platform.
"We aim to provide a seamless gaming experience for our Top Eleven fans no matter what device you're using." Nordeus CEO Branko Milutinović said in a release. "You can kick off a Top Eleven game on a desktop, and if you have to pop out at half-time you can now continue to follow your game on your iPhone."
Top Eleven iPhone in action
According to the developer, the Top Eleven is enjoyed by 3.5 million monthly players since its Android release last month, and Nordeus clearly looks to see that number grow through the App Store. So, now you can play football while watching football tomorrow ... just don't tell the rabid NFL fans in your life when they come to visit.
Click here to download Top Eleven for iPhone and iPad on the App Store Now >
Are you a Top Eleven fan? What games are you going to spend Thanksgiving playing tomorrow?
A port this game may be, but one that will likely expand the game's player base. Just like before, players can create their own football clubs and take on nearly every aspect of the process as manager. And when we say "every aspect," we mean everything from training players to getting sponsorship for the team. More importantly, however, is that Top Eleven veterans can access their existing football clubs from Facebook, iPhone or Android and interact with their friends on any said platform.
"We aim to provide a seamless gaming experience for our Top Eleven fans no matter what device you're using." Nordeus CEO Branko Milutinović said in a release. "You can kick off a Top Eleven game on a desktop, and if you have to pop out at half-time you can now continue to follow your game on your iPhone."
Top Eleven iPhone in action
According to the developer, the Top Eleven is enjoyed by 3.5 million monthly players since its Android release last month, and Nordeus clearly looks to see that number grow through the App Store. So, now you can play football while watching football tomorrow ... just don't tell the rabid NFL fans in your life when they come to visit.
Click here to download Top Eleven for iPhone and iPad on the App Store Now >
Are you a Top Eleven fan? What games are you going to spend Thanksgiving playing tomorrow?
Sure, Zuma Blitz is free-to-play, but so is its grandaddy (for one week)
Zuma
If you consider Zuma's Revenge father to the more recent Zuma Blitz, then meet the grand pappy of all that is Zuma: Um, Zuma. And it can be yours for absolutely free, if you sign up for PopCap's free email newsletter. Starting right now all the way through to Nov. 30 at 12:01 a.m. PST, all you need to do to get the original Zuma (on PC or Mac) for zilch is provide PopCap with your email address.
And since the original Zuma is the foundation for all games of its ilk, we're sure it still holds up. According to the promotion page, "there are big doings at PopCap," and the company can't wait to tell us about them. (Oh, you mean these big doings?) For those wary about giving up their email address: Look, if you're playing either Bejeweled Blitz or Zuma Blitz, PopCap already knows your email address.
So, why not just take advantage of the fact that PopCap has this knowledge and get a free game out of it? But since this post mentions the words "Zuma" and "free" multiple times, we're sure you've already hit up Google. In case you haven't, you can download the game for free right here.
Are you a Zuma Blitz fan? What are you looking forward to next from PopCap?
If you consider Zuma's Revenge father to the more recent Zuma Blitz, then meet the grand pappy of all that is Zuma: Um, Zuma. And it can be yours for absolutely free, if you sign up for PopCap's free email newsletter. Starting right now all the way through to Nov. 30 at 12:01 a.m. PST, all you need to do to get the original Zuma (on PC or Mac) for zilch is provide PopCap with your email address.
And since the original Zuma is the foundation for all games of its ilk, we're sure it still holds up. According to the promotion page, "there are big doings at PopCap," and the company can't wait to tell us about them. (Oh, you mean these big doings?) For those wary about giving up their email address: Look, if you're playing either Bejeweled Blitz or Zuma Blitz, PopCap already knows your email address.
So, why not just take advantage of the fact that PopCap has this knowledge and get a free game out of it? But since this post mentions the words "Zuma" and "free" multiple times, we're sure you've already hit up Google. In case you haven't, you can download the game for free right here.
Are you a Zuma Blitz fan? What are you looking forward to next from PopCap?
Games.com Gift Ideas: PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3 is the system of choice right now, and it's easy to see why. If you want to play some of the most gorgeous games we've ever seen while getting a high-definition BluRay player, PS3 is your only option. Here we outline some of our favorites that should be on the top of your shopping list for the holidays, and be sure to scroll to the bottom to find some amazing Black Friday deals on the actual system.
Uncharted 3
If video games has an equivalent to Hollywood's "big summer blockbuster," Uncharted is it. The third adventure starring Nathan Drake has the same humor, romance and, oh yeah, the unbelievable action that we have come to expect from developer Naughty Dog.
The easiest way to describe Uncharted is as if Indiana Jones took place in present day, but with nonstop action as you travel the globe in search of ancient relics. The game's story is beautifully told, and while part two concentrated on a love story, this edition tackles the friendship between Nathan and longtime partner Sully that definitely tugs on some heart strings.
The main game has action set pieces that we have never seen before in any game. Wait until you get to a burning building that you have to escape from and look at how the wallpaper curls up as the room starts disintegrating all around you in a furious fire. The whole scene would be beautiful if it wasn't so terrifying, and that continues in parts of the game that take place underground, in secret cities, and even in a sinking ocean liner. Uncharted 3 takes you on a ride and does not let you go until the end.
And even at the end, you still have a multiplayer component that currently has tens of thousands of gamers online right now, playing a variety of different modes with each other. The more you play, the better your weapons and perks become, making Uncharted 3 the classic "just one more time" game that will keep you glued to your PS3 for a long time to come!
Saints Row 3
While Uncharted 3 may tell a tender story with subtle humor and a deft touch, Saints Row 3 wants to bust through your TV with a sledgehammer. Want to dress up like a crazed gorilla with huge fists that will make quick work of any foe? Sure. How about flying through the air while combating an airplane by flying through the airplane and taking out its criminal passengers in mid-air? Why not?!
Saints Row 3 just focuses on having fun, and while it may not be the classiest game (it definitely earns its Mature rating), it succeeds in being a blast. If you've ever played the Grand Theft Auto series, you have a good idea of what THQ is going for with one of the most impressive open world's we've seen in all of gaming.
The best thing about Saints Row 3, and potentially the most surprising thing, is that despite all its envelope-pushing, it is a great game! It doesn't just rely on shock value but puts together creative missions and even cool side quests (you can even become a real estate mogul) to make it one of the more robust games we've seen so far. It gets even better once you get together with a friend for cooperative missions, so if you're shopping for yourself this holiday season, you may want to consider another copy for your buddy to join in the crazy action.
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One
The Ratchet and Clank series has a gameplay style that should be familiar to anyone who has ever played a 3D platformer, and its humorous attitude is how the series sets itself apart from the crowd. All 4 One is no different, as cutscenes throughout the game will keep the atmosphere light and funny, even with the multitude of explosions raining down around you.
The game has you and up to three other friends going through a variety of levels as you defeat enemies with tons of crazy weapons, collecting bolts (used to upgrade those weapons), and solving puzzles together. The cooperative play is the star of the show as players have to work together to progress through the game's different environments.
If you have a PlayStation 3 and some extra controllers, and if you've been looking for another good party game (Singstar and Dance Central are already tops in that category on the PS3), Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One is a welcome addition to keep the gaming going into the wee hours.
FIFA 12
Another year, another version of FIFA, but that's just perfect for the millions of soccer fans who make up FIFA Nation. FIFA is consistently one of the best selling games on the entire planet, and it's easy to see why. Take the world's most popular sport and give it the works: include every big league and team you can think of, give it a broadcast-quality presentation, and keep the gameplay tight so it feels like you're running the pitch. FIFA 12 continues the tradition of great soccer gaming, and adds a few new moves to the mix.
If you're unfamiliar with the FIFA series, it's pretty simple to get started. Use your controller to pass, lob and through-pass (which means passing slightly ahead of the recipient) to get as close to goal before trying to shoot for the net. Sounds simple enough, but when you look at some of the more advanced techniques, you'll have a lot of weapons at your disposal.
While it's not the easiest game to get into if you're a rookie (the options are plentiful but could be daunting), FIFA 12 is without a doubt the best game of the series. Its already racking up record sales as football fans of all sizes get their kick on, and if you have even just a little bit of soccer in your heart, you have to pick up FIFA 12.
EyePet & Friends
EyePet is the virtual pet that uses the PlayStation Move and camera to bring little critters to life in your very own living room. Now, with EyePet & Friends, you can have two players play simultaneously with two EyePets in the same room. Now you can groom them, dress them up, and even have them compete in little mini games that take place right on your coffee table. A must-have for any household with kids that are animal-lovers.
Holiday PlayStation 3 Bundles
The bargain hunters over at CAG have put together this list of the best Black Friday deals that will get a PS3 bundle into your home at a low price.
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.97 at Walmart - Thursday 10PM to Friday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99 at Best Buy - Friday 12:01AM
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99 at Radio Shack - Friday 5:30AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199 at Target - Friday 12:01AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99at Meijer - Friday 4AM to 12PM
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* + Bonus Powered A Wired Controller $199.99 at Toys R Us - Thursday 9PM to Saturday 11PM
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99 at Kmart - Friday 5AM-11AM
- 160GB Entertainment Bundle (LittleBigPlanet 2 SE, Ratchet & Clank All 4 One + Blue Dualshock) $239.99 at Sam's Club - Friday 12:01AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* at GameStop - Friday 12:01AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* at Sears $199.99 - Friday 4AM to Saturday
* 160GB Holiday Bundle contains: LittleBigPlanet 2 SE, Ratchet & Clank All 4 One + 30 days PS+
Other Games.com Gift Ideas
Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS Gift Ideas
Xbox 360 Gift Ideas
Video Game Accessories Gift Ideas
Uncharted 3
If video games has an equivalent to Hollywood's "big summer blockbuster," Uncharted is it. The third adventure starring Nathan Drake has the same humor, romance and, oh yeah, the unbelievable action that we have come to expect from developer Naughty Dog.
The easiest way to describe Uncharted is as if Indiana Jones took place in present day, but with nonstop action as you travel the globe in search of ancient relics. The game's story is beautifully told, and while part two concentrated on a love story, this edition tackles the friendship between Nathan and longtime partner Sully that definitely tugs on some heart strings.
The main game has action set pieces that we have never seen before in any game. Wait until you get to a burning building that you have to escape from and look at how the wallpaper curls up as the room starts disintegrating all around you in a furious fire. The whole scene would be beautiful if it wasn't so terrifying, and that continues in parts of the game that take place underground, in secret cities, and even in a sinking ocean liner. Uncharted 3 takes you on a ride and does not let you go until the end.
And even at the end, you still have a multiplayer component that currently has tens of thousands of gamers online right now, playing a variety of different modes with each other. The more you play, the better your weapons and perks become, making Uncharted 3 the classic "just one more time" game that will keep you glued to your PS3 for a long time to come!
Saints Row 3
While Uncharted 3 may tell a tender story with subtle humor and a deft touch, Saints Row 3 wants to bust through your TV with a sledgehammer. Want to dress up like a crazed gorilla with huge fists that will make quick work of any foe? Sure. How about flying through the air while combating an airplane by flying through the airplane and taking out its criminal passengers in mid-air? Why not?!
Saints Row 3 just focuses on having fun, and while it may not be the classiest game (it definitely earns its Mature rating), it succeeds in being a blast. If you've ever played the Grand Theft Auto series, you have a good idea of what THQ is going for with one of the most impressive open world's we've seen in all of gaming.
The best thing about Saints Row 3, and potentially the most surprising thing, is that despite all its envelope-pushing, it is a great game! It doesn't just rely on shock value but puts together creative missions and even cool side quests (you can even become a real estate mogul) to make it one of the more robust games we've seen so far. It gets even better once you get together with a friend for cooperative missions, so if you're shopping for yourself this holiday season, you may want to consider another copy for your buddy to join in the crazy action.
Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One
The Ratchet and Clank series has a gameplay style that should be familiar to anyone who has ever played a 3D platformer, and its humorous attitude is how the series sets itself apart from the crowd. All 4 One is no different, as cutscenes throughout the game will keep the atmosphere light and funny, even with the multitude of explosions raining down around you.
The game has you and up to three other friends going through a variety of levels as you defeat enemies with tons of crazy weapons, collecting bolts (used to upgrade those weapons), and solving puzzles together. The cooperative play is the star of the show as players have to work together to progress through the game's different environments.
If you have a PlayStation 3 and some extra controllers, and if you've been looking for another good party game (Singstar and Dance Central are already tops in that category on the PS3), Ratchet and Clank: All 4 One is a welcome addition to keep the gaming going into the wee hours.
FIFA 12
Another year, another version of FIFA, but that's just perfect for the millions of soccer fans who make up FIFA Nation. FIFA is consistently one of the best selling games on the entire planet, and it's easy to see why. Take the world's most popular sport and give it the works: include every big league and team you can think of, give it a broadcast-quality presentation, and keep the gameplay tight so it feels like you're running the pitch. FIFA 12 continues the tradition of great soccer gaming, and adds a few new moves to the mix.
If you're unfamiliar with the FIFA series, it's pretty simple to get started. Use your controller to pass, lob and through-pass (which means passing slightly ahead of the recipient) to get as close to goal before trying to shoot for the net. Sounds simple enough, but when you look at some of the more advanced techniques, you'll have a lot of weapons at your disposal.
While it's not the easiest game to get into if you're a rookie (the options are plentiful but could be daunting), FIFA 12 is without a doubt the best game of the series. Its already racking up record sales as football fans of all sizes get their kick on, and if you have even just a little bit of soccer in your heart, you have to pick up FIFA 12.
EyePet & Friends
EyePet is the virtual pet that uses the PlayStation Move and camera to bring little critters to life in your very own living room. Now, with EyePet & Friends, you can have two players play simultaneously with two EyePets in the same room. Now you can groom them, dress them up, and even have them compete in little mini games that take place right on your coffee table. A must-have for any household with kids that are animal-lovers.
Holiday PlayStation 3 Bundles
The bargain hunters over at CAG have put together this list of the best Black Friday deals that will get a PS3 bundle into your home at a low price.
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.97 at Walmart - Thursday 10PM to Friday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99 at Best Buy - Friday 12:01AM
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99 at Radio Shack - Friday 5:30AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199 at Target - Friday 12:01AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99at Meijer - Friday 4AM to 12PM
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* + Bonus Powered A Wired Controller $199.99 at Toys R Us - Thursday 9PM to Saturday 11PM
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* $199.99 at Kmart - Friday 5AM-11AM
- 160GB Entertainment Bundle (LittleBigPlanet 2 SE, Ratchet & Clank All 4 One + Blue Dualshock) $239.99 at Sam's Club - Friday 12:01AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* at GameStop - Friday 12:01AM & Saturday
- 160GB Holiday Bundle* at Sears $199.99 - Friday 4AM to Saturday
* 160GB Holiday Bundle contains: LittleBigPlanet 2 SE, Ratchet & Clank All 4 One + 30 days PS+
Other Games.com Gift Ideas
Nintendo Wii and Nintendo 3DS Gift Ideas
Xbox 360 Gift Ideas
Video Game Accessories Gift Ideas
Sorry, fellas: The Sims Social goes girly in Pink Paradise Week
The Sims Social players of the fairer sex are in for a treat this week. Well, at least those who love, like, really love the color pink. EA and Playfish have declared the week of Thanksgiving "Pink Paradise" in its hit Facebook game, and have brought more than just a few new items to celebrate all that is lady-like. Starting Thursday, players will get to embark on a brand new quest: "It's a Date!"
A new girl in town, Scarlett, is looking for help to run her new business in Littlehaven, The Perfect Date Company. It's up to you to help Scarlett across six sub quests that will reward players with items like a new dressing table. Ultimately, players will earn a clockwork bird that their Sims can wind up. While players tackle this quest, a limited edition Ultimate Hot Tub that allows Sims to relax, bathe and maybe even make WooHoo (ooh, lala) with other Sims.
The Sims Social Pink Paradise Rose Garden
Playfish provided us with some early images of all the brand new items in their rosy, saccharine glory. In fact, I don't we've seen this much pink in The Sims Social to date. Between delicate rose gardens and a bedroom that looks like a shrine to the almighty cupcake, there are enough salmon and coral tones to give us our fill for, say, another year?
Are you psyched for Pink Paradise Week in The Sims Social? What kinds of themes are you still waiting for in the game?
A new girl in town, Scarlett, is looking for help to run her new business in Littlehaven, The Perfect Date Company. It's up to you to help Scarlett across six sub quests that will reward players with items like a new dressing table. Ultimately, players will earn a clockwork bird that their Sims can wind up. While players tackle this quest, a limited edition Ultimate Hot Tub that allows Sims to relax, bathe and maybe even make WooHoo (ooh, lala) with other Sims.
The Sims Social Pink Paradise Rose Garden
Playfish provided us with some early images of all the brand new items in their rosy, saccharine glory. In fact, I don't we've seen this much pink in The Sims Social to date. Between delicate rose gardens and a bedroom that looks like a shrine to the almighty cupcake, there are enough salmon and coral tones to give us our fill for, say, another year?
Are you psyched for Pink Paradise Week in The Sims Social? What kinds of themes are you still waiting for in the game?
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Modern Warfare 3 Leaked, Says Report
VentureBeat reports that a pirated copy of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 is already being distributed illegally over the internet.
According to the article, the second disc of the PC version of Modern Warfare 3 was stolen from a shipping warehouse in Fresno California. While the article on VentureBeat doesn't clarify this, there doesn't appear to be a leak of the game on any torrent websites. Instead it seems as though multiple persons are selling illegal copies of the game.
The article says that Activision is aggressively pursuing anyone distributing the game -- as well as anyone caught playing it as one post on Craigslist warns: "Do Not Buy MWF3 Before Release Date...They Will Come Get You...(Everywhere)."
It's worth pointing out that even if one was able to get a hold of this alleged leaked copy, you can't play the game with just the second disc.
According to the article, the second disc of the PC version of Modern Warfare 3 was stolen from a shipping warehouse in Fresno California. While the article on VentureBeat doesn't clarify this, there doesn't appear to be a leak of the game on any torrent websites. Instead it seems as though multiple persons are selling illegal copies of the game.
The article says that Activision is aggressively pursuing anyone distributing the game -- as well as anyone caught playing it as one post on Craigslist warns: "Do Not Buy MWF3 Before Release Date...They Will Come Get You...(Everywhere)."
It's worth pointing out that even if one was able to get a hold of this alleged leaked copy, you can't play the game with just the second disc.
Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales (PC)
One of the best gags from The Secret of Monkey Island placed our scrappy hero behind a wall where he got into a series of preposterous events out of view. All players could see was onomatopoeia describing his exploits while the HUD showed him using bizarre objects until he emerged several seconds later with his pockets full of random, inevitably useful items. The new point-and-click adventure, The Book of Unwritten Tales, recycles this bit. It's still funny today, but far from original. This is endemic of the game as a whole; it's a loving tribute to the genre's heyday that cribs from the best, but fails to build on them.
The story surrounds a handful of characters whose fates intertwine with an elderly archaeologist that holds knowledge of an artifact that could end an ongoing war. Initially you play as a wood elf and a restless gnome looking for adventure, but the playable cast gradually expands. Most of the time you can only control one character at a time, but specific sections later allow you to toggle between characters at will.
Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales (PC)
It's a throwaway plot, but that's only a small part of the story. Characters are well written and exceptionally voice-acted by a European cast. One thing I really appreciated about the dialogue was that the lines you select are slightly different from what comes out the character's mouth (ala Mass Effect). It's subtle, but it makes things slightly more engaging when you've not already heard your next line verbatim.
More often than not the humor is clever with plenty of sharp satire, though there was a bit too much fourth wall breaking for my tastes and it occasionally crosses the line from homage to rip-off. Its numerous pop culture references are more akin to Shrek than The Princess Bride, but it's still nevertheless charming. My only major qualm with the script came in the last two minutes when the subtitles inexplicably reverted back to their native German before the incredibly abrupt, unsatisfying denouement.
The game looks beautiful with a smooth blend of 3D characters merged with 2D backdrops. Animations are lovely, making it especially rewarding when you crack a solution. It's a gorgeous world, too, with varied set-pieces and some creative character designs spread over its dozen-plus hour campaign.
Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales (PC)
In many ways The Book of Forgotten Tales feels like a throwback to vintage point-and-clicks, though its puzzles play things too safe, rarely straying from the "use everything with everything else" formula. Often the best brain teasers from classic games required you to think outside the box, but there's none of that here. Most of the solutions are sensible, but too obvious. That "a-ha!" moment you get from figuring out an unusual way of using a typical household item is lacking.
Making things easier, the streamlined interface allows you to highlight objects you can interact with and all actions are handled by one button. For better or worse, you can't attempt to use inventory objects where they won't work. On one hand this makes trial and error much quicker since you can tell by whether your cursor lights up if you can do anything. Unfortunately, one of the best parts from old-school point-and-clicks was listening to characters chastise your stupider suggestions, which is missed here.
For something called The Book of Unwritten Tales, it treads awfully familiar ground; yet it does so with moxie and high production values. It's generally knowing and polished enough that it can be forgiven for not innovating a great deal. The Book of Unwritten Tales feels like a great cover of what's come before, even if it can't quite capture its forebear's magic.
PROS: Smart, funny script; fantastic voice-acting; splendid presentation, clean interface; puzzles make sense.
CONS: Uninspired puzzles; some jokes over-explain themselves; a few translation issues.
The story surrounds a handful of characters whose fates intertwine with an elderly archaeologist that holds knowledge of an artifact that could end an ongoing war. Initially you play as a wood elf and a restless gnome looking for adventure, but the playable cast gradually expands. Most of the time you can only control one character at a time, but specific sections later allow you to toggle between characters at will.
Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales (PC)
It's a throwaway plot, but that's only a small part of the story. Characters are well written and exceptionally voice-acted by a European cast. One thing I really appreciated about the dialogue was that the lines you select are slightly different from what comes out the character's mouth (ala Mass Effect). It's subtle, but it makes things slightly more engaging when you've not already heard your next line verbatim.
More often than not the humor is clever with plenty of sharp satire, though there was a bit too much fourth wall breaking for my tastes and it occasionally crosses the line from homage to rip-off. Its numerous pop culture references are more akin to Shrek than The Princess Bride, but it's still nevertheless charming. My only major qualm with the script came in the last two minutes when the subtitles inexplicably reverted back to their native German before the incredibly abrupt, unsatisfying denouement.
The game looks beautiful with a smooth blend of 3D characters merged with 2D backdrops. Animations are lovely, making it especially rewarding when you crack a solution. It's a gorgeous world, too, with varied set-pieces and some creative character designs spread over its dozen-plus hour campaign.
Review: The Book of Unwritten Tales (PC)
In many ways The Book of Forgotten Tales feels like a throwback to vintage point-and-clicks, though its puzzles play things too safe, rarely straying from the "use everything with everything else" formula. Often the best brain teasers from classic games required you to think outside the box, but there's none of that here. Most of the solutions are sensible, but too obvious. That "a-ha!" moment you get from figuring out an unusual way of using a typical household item is lacking.
Making things easier, the streamlined interface allows you to highlight objects you can interact with and all actions are handled by one button. For better or worse, you can't attempt to use inventory objects where they won't work. On one hand this makes trial and error much quicker since you can tell by whether your cursor lights up if you can do anything. Unfortunately, one of the best parts from old-school point-and-clicks was listening to characters chastise your stupider suggestions, which is missed here.
For something called The Book of Unwritten Tales, it treads awfully familiar ground; yet it does so with moxie and high production values. It's generally knowing and polished enough that it can be forgiven for not innovating a great deal. The Book of Unwritten Tales feels like a great cover of what's come before, even if it can't quite capture its forebear's magic.
PROS: Smart, funny script; fantastic voice-acting; splendid presentation, clean interface; puzzles make sense.
CONS: Uninspired puzzles; some jokes over-explain themselves; a few translation issues.
First Footage of Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Film
Yesterday Olivia posted the first image of Hiroli Narimiya on the set of the Japanese Phoenix Wright. We now have footage from the film, and it's just as ridiculous as you'd expect.
It seems like the film is going to remain very faithful to the game, at least visually. I can appreciate that. It would be just as silly if the adaptation went in a serious, John Grisham type of direction, but boy oh boy does this movie look awful. I think that Phoenix Wright would have worked quite well as an animated series, a kind of Saturday morning cartoon Law & Order, but there are some things that don't translate into live-action. The haircuts should have been the first sign of trouble.
It seems like the film is going to remain very faithful to the game, at least visually. I can appreciate that. It would be just as silly if the adaptation went in a serious, John Grisham type of direction, but boy oh boy does this movie look awful. I think that Phoenix Wright would have worked quite well as an animated series, a kind of Saturday morning cartoon Law & Order, but there are some things that don't translate into live-action. The haircuts should have been the first sign of trouble.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
In the coming weeks, there will be about a million Battlefield 3 vs. Modern Warfare 3 comparisons on the Internet. But I only need one reason to keep playing Battlefield 3--tanks. Once I get to know these maps, the world will be mine. Mine.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Not shown: his arms ripping off his torso.
How Does Nathan Drake Still Have Arms?!| Chris
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I've been playing the Uncharted series back to back to back these past few weeks. And this has been a really humbling experience in regards to my own rock climbing prowess. When I see Nathan Drake perform mantels and double dynos whilst being shot at, I wonder why the heck I'm struggling with a 5.11 C in the comfort of my own gym. Maybe it's because I don't have a theme song, I don't know.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
What I Was Digging…Until My Xbox Stopped Generating Color | Patrick
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I’ve never been a particularly huge fan of Batman aside from Rocksteady’s gritty Batman video games, which are among some of my favorite action games of the last few years. But about two hours into the new game, Arkham City, the color was mysteriously sapped out of my Xbox 360 (yeah, I already tried switching out the video cables), leaving me with an entirely monochromatic display. Guess it’s time to upgrade to the Xbox 360 S.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Screw Your Nintendo 3DS, I've Got Mage Gauntlet | McKinley
An awesome storyline, slick animation, cheap price tag, spunky female protagonist -- man, Mage Gauntlet has it all. Honestly, I don't even care about what I could be playing on the Nintendo 3DS or my broken PlayStation Portable right now. With apps like this, I could go all night on $3. BOOSH.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
I Prefer the Prone Position | Tom
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
This could probably be my "what I'm playing" entry for the next nine months or so, considering how much time I spent online with the last Battlefield. But BF3 is superior, and the only question for me right now is how much will I level up my support class character before bothering with the others? I may get a few rounds in playing engineer in vehicle-heavy maps, but I just cant stop racking up those support assist points from the prone position.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
100 Car Club Members. 100 Floors. 10,000 Zombies. | Julian
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
My Forza 4 Car Club hit the max 100 members this week -- a nice surprise, which has the added benefit of ensuring Rivals mode presents me with a whole bunch of new times to beat every day thanks to the competitive nature of my Car Club chums. Speaking of 100, I also hit the century mark in Tiny Tower -- I've been plugging away for weeks, and was happy to finally reach that milestone 100th floor. The other thing I've been playing is Dead Nation. I've had it for ages, but didn't play it properly until earlier this week, whereupon I went all-out. Brilliant fun, especially in co-op mode which my girlfriend also loves.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
God Dammit | Will
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Because Chris Holt is apparently an inherently awful person, I'm playing Shall We Date?: Heian Love for my OMFG review. Who would've thought that a dating sim based around honor-bound imperial folks in kimonos would be really, really boring? Oh wait, everyone would've thought that.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
More Spiky Death Over Here! | Pete
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I loved the concept of Dungeon Defenders when it launched on iOS -- tower defense plus action RPG sounded like a whole lot of win to me -- but the clunky touchscreen controls marred the experience a little. Now I can play it on my big TV with mouse and keyboard, my suspicions are confirmed: this is, without doubt, one of the most fun co-op multiplayer games I've ever played. Grab some friends and jump in -- you won't be disappointed, especially not for $15.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Finally | Justin
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Now that Battlefield 3 is out and Modern Warfare and Skyrim are so close, Arkham City almost feels like yesterday's news. No one on my friend's list is playing it anymore, but I'm excited to finally get to try it myself. The game already reminds me (in a good way) of Assassin's Creed 2, but I have no idea how I'll find time to finish the main quest when so many side missions keep calling out to me.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Missile! | Olivia
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
With a quirky, overzealous cast of detectives, innocents, and ghosts, and an adventure story wrought with clever mystery and puzzle mechanics, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a DS game that comes highly recommended. The game's stand-out character, a spunky, dedicated Pomeranian named Missile, is another highlight. Only the coldest of souls could play Ghost Trick and not be charmed by that little firecracker.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Not shown: his arms ripping off his torso.
How Does Nathan Drake Still Have Arms?!| Chris
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I've been playing the Uncharted series back to back to back these past few weeks. And this has been a really humbling experience in regards to my own rock climbing prowess. When I see Nathan Drake perform mantels and double dynos whilst being shot at, I wonder why the heck I'm struggling with a 5.11 C in the comfort of my own gym. Maybe it's because I don't have a theme song, I don't know.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
What I Was Digging…Until My Xbox Stopped Generating Color | Patrick
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I’ve never been a particularly huge fan of Batman aside from Rocksteady’s gritty Batman video games, which are among some of my favorite action games of the last few years. But about two hours into the new game, Arkham City, the color was mysteriously sapped out of my Xbox 360 (yeah, I already tried switching out the video cables), leaving me with an entirely monochromatic display. Guess it’s time to upgrade to the Xbox 360 S.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Screw Your Nintendo 3DS, I've Got Mage Gauntlet | McKinley
An awesome storyline, slick animation, cheap price tag, spunky female protagonist -- man, Mage Gauntlet has it all. Honestly, I don't even care about what I could be playing on the Nintendo 3DS or my broken PlayStation Portable right now. With apps like this, I could go all night on $3. BOOSH.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
I Prefer the Prone Position | Tom
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
This could probably be my "what I'm playing" entry for the next nine months or so, considering how much time I spent online with the last Battlefield. But BF3 is superior, and the only question for me right now is how much will I level up my support class character before bothering with the others? I may get a few rounds in playing engineer in vehicle-heavy maps, but I just cant stop racking up those support assist points from the prone position.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
100 Car Club Members. 100 Floors. 10,000 Zombies. | Julian
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
My Forza 4 Car Club hit the max 100 members this week -- a nice surprise, which has the added benefit of ensuring Rivals mode presents me with a whole bunch of new times to beat every day thanks to the competitive nature of my Car Club chums. Speaking of 100, I also hit the century mark in Tiny Tower -- I've been plugging away for weeks, and was happy to finally reach that milestone 100th floor. The other thing I've been playing is Dead Nation. I've had it for ages, but didn't play it properly until earlier this week, whereupon I went all-out. Brilliant fun, especially in co-op mode which my girlfriend also loves.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
God Dammit | Will
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Because Chris Holt is apparently an inherently awful person, I'm playing Shall We Date?: Heian Love for my OMFG review. Who would've thought that a dating sim based around honor-bound imperial folks in kimonos would be really, really boring? Oh wait, everyone would've thought that.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
More Spiky Death Over Here! | Pete
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
I loved the concept of Dungeon Defenders when it launched on iOS -- tower defense plus action RPG sounded like a whole lot of win to me -- but the clunky touchscreen controls marred the experience a little. Now I can play it on my big TV with mouse and keyboard, my suspicions are confirmed: this is, without doubt, one of the most fun co-op multiplayer games I've ever played. Grab some friends and jump in -- you won't be disappointed, especially not for $15.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Finally | Justin
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
Now that Battlefield 3 is out and Modern Warfare and Skyrim are so close, Arkham City almost feels like yesterday's news. No one on my friend's list is playing it anymore, but I'm excited to finally get to try it myself. The game already reminds me (in a good way) of Assassin's Creed 2, but I have no idea how I'll find time to finish the main quest when so many side missions keep calling out to me.
What We're Playing This Week: October 24 - 31
Missile! | Olivia
What GamePro Is Playing This Week
With a quirky, overzealous cast of detectives, innocents, and ghosts, and an adventure story wrought with clever mystery and puzzle mechanics, Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective is a DS game that comes highly recommended. The game's stand-out character, a spunky, dedicated Pomeranian named Missile, is another highlight. Only the coldest of souls could play Ghost Trick and not be charmed by that little firecracker.
BioShock Infinite: How Occupy Wallstreet Has Actually Influenced it
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Irrational Games Creative Director and Co-Founder Ken Levine reveals that ongoing series of demonstrations have helped him craft certain parts of BioShock: Infinite's story. Levine notes that by observing the real-life demonstrations unfold on the news, he's been able to figure out how to develop the Vox Populi in the upcoming BioShock game.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
"Ive been spending a lot of time watching Occupy Wall Street..." Levine says. "Leftist groups tend not to like authority; nobody in them tends to listen to it. So Occupy Wall Street has been helping me because I've been struggling to figure out how the Vox Populi get to the point in the demo. Throughout the game, you're actually watching them -- you see in the beginning of the game that they're a dead movement and a movement that really fails, and it picks up steam based upon your actions."
"Hopefully, Occupy Wall Street won't get to the point that the Vox Populi does," Levine continues, "but seeing it spread and taken more seriously, that's been interesting and really helpful."
Of course, this isn't the first time the BioShock series has been impacted by things going on in the real world; the original BioShock's story was also influenced by Russian philosopher Ayn Rand and objectivism.
Here's an excerpt from the interview:
"Ive been spending a lot of time watching Occupy Wall Street..." Levine says. "Leftist groups tend not to like authority; nobody in them tends to listen to it. So Occupy Wall Street has been helping me because I've been struggling to figure out how the Vox Populi get to the point in the demo. Throughout the game, you're actually watching them -- you see in the beginning of the game that they're a dead movement and a movement that really fails, and it picks up steam based upon your actions."
"Hopefully, Occupy Wall Street won't get to the point that the Vox Populi does," Levine continues, "but seeing it spread and taken more seriously, that's been interesting and really helpful."
Of course, this isn't the first time the BioShock series has been impacted by things going on in the real world; the original BioShock's story was also influenced by Russian philosopher Ayn Rand and objectivism.
OMFG You're Making Me Review: Shall We Date?： Heian Love
The iTunes App Store is, in many ways, one of the Information Age's many ghettos -- a rickety wooden flophouse looming over the street corner where "YouTube Comments Section Boulevard" and "Abandoned Social Network Avenue" meet. Despite its diverse variety of mixed media and time-eating apps, there's still a disparate divide in the quality and the promotion of its many, many titles. A good chunk of its releases are rarely given even a passing glance because of this, and they end up doomed to an unknown existence alongside the umpteenth Angry Birds rip-off and its microtransaction-based brethren.
For me, Shall We Date?: Heian Love was one of those apps -- a feudal Japanese dating sim that surreptitiously snuck under my radar, because, quite frankly, I never would've looked for it otherwise. The apps that pepper my iPhone's home screen are generally of the one-touch variety, and easy to pick up and play while trapped on public transit. The Shall We Date? series, which is a very real thing from Japanese iOS and e-book developer NTT Solmare, consistently follows a nameless, faceless heroine as she swoons over a series of wispy pretty-boys, and blah blah blah romance. It's not the kind of thing you usually see on my iTunes receipt, but hey, it was assigned to me as my OMFG review, and I'm all about venturing outside of my comfort zone. Hell, I was even thinking of wearing flip-flops next week, but one adventure at a time.
OMFG You're Making Me Review: Shall We Date?： Heian Love
OR DO I?
Shall We Date?: Heian Love is a very traditional visual novel game, meaning that it's primarily text-based with the occasional dialogue option thrown in for good measure. Cast as a meek maiden of some imperial Japanese court in the country's feudal era, you're asked to pursue one of five kimono-clad dudes to make kimono-clad babies with, including the court's emperor, your childhood friend, and, naturally, your uncle, because incest. As the app costs $4.99 -- already an admittedly high price-point for the App Store -- you're essentially paying a dollar per love interest, with an additional three introduced to you in the game's prologue, but then dangled over you as in-app purchases at the surprisingly nonsensical cost of another $6.99. You're essentially paying $12 to unlock every arguably interesting arc in this period piece, but can you really put a price-tag on love?
(Answer: Yes, especially if it's fake love that you're buying with an iTunes gift card that you could've spent on twelve other, better apps. S'matter with you?)
Because the option's just sitting there like an incestuous samurai elephant in the room (didn't think I'd type that this week), my first playthrough chronicled the romantic conquering of my uncle. Now, the game makes an interesting decision from the get-go in that it makes you select your potential love interest in its prologue, meaning you're stuck with your preferred bachelor until the story's completion, leaving no room for genre staples like love triangles and, god forbid, harems. That, matched with a maximum of two dialogue options per chapter, makes for a game with very little actual interactivity, even for a dating sim. After you choose your mate you're more or less waiting it out until the story's conclusion, and hoping you make the right decision when the next choice menu appears, which is always a 50/50 split. After choosing my uncle, it was more or less a waiting game of "Oh my, how far will this go?" proportions.
OMFG You're Making Me Review: Shall We Date?： Heian Love
Your love interest send you an e-mail after every chapter. You know, via fuedal Japanese wi-fi.
Spoiler alert: All the way, but -- shock, awe, etc. -- they're not blood related, so it's all A-okay. But, you know, still pretty darn creepy.
Honestly, Heian Love isn't a bad game -- it's just an overpriced and boring one. You know where the story's headed the moment you choose your partner in its preliminary chapter, and the characters, bless their melodramatic little hearts, are hardly interesting enough to warrant more than one or two total playthroughs. There's no music, voice acting, or sound effects to speak of, and the text is littered with tiny, but annoying, translation errors that lower the game's overall production values.
It's tough to recommend Heian Love, even as a Shall We Date? game (hell, a cursory glance at the developer's other games reveals Ninja Love, which sounds infinitely more interesting), but hey, if it's your cup of tea, I'm not one to stand in the way of romance. In fact, I prefer to stand pretty far out of romance's line of sight, where I can play Jetpack Joyride in peace, and not have to worry about that cute girl on the bus wondering what the hell I'm doing romancing some Heian era emperor on my goddamn iPhone.
For me, Shall We Date?: Heian Love was one of those apps -- a feudal Japanese dating sim that surreptitiously snuck under my radar, because, quite frankly, I never would've looked for it otherwise. The apps that pepper my iPhone's home screen are generally of the one-touch variety, and easy to pick up and play while trapped on public transit. The Shall We Date? series, which is a very real thing from Japanese iOS and e-book developer NTT Solmare, consistently follows a nameless, faceless heroine as she swoons over a series of wispy pretty-boys, and blah blah blah romance. It's not the kind of thing you usually see on my iTunes receipt, but hey, it was assigned to me as my OMFG review, and I'm all about venturing outside of my comfort zone. Hell, I was even thinking of wearing flip-flops next week, but one adventure at a time.
OMFG You're Making Me Review: Shall We Date?： Heian Love
OR DO I?
Shall We Date?: Heian Love is a very traditional visual novel game, meaning that it's primarily text-based with the occasional dialogue option thrown in for good measure. Cast as a meek maiden of some imperial Japanese court in the country's feudal era, you're asked to pursue one of five kimono-clad dudes to make kimono-clad babies with, including the court's emperor, your childhood friend, and, naturally, your uncle, because incest. As the app costs $4.99 -- already an admittedly high price-point for the App Store -- you're essentially paying a dollar per love interest, with an additional three introduced to you in the game's prologue, but then dangled over you as in-app purchases at the surprisingly nonsensical cost of another $6.99. You're essentially paying $12 to unlock every arguably interesting arc in this period piece, but can you really put a price-tag on love?
(Answer: Yes, especially if it's fake love that you're buying with an iTunes gift card that you could've spent on twelve other, better apps. S'matter with you?)
Because the option's just sitting there like an incestuous samurai elephant in the room (didn't think I'd type that this week), my first playthrough chronicled the romantic conquering of my uncle. Now, the game makes an interesting decision from the get-go in that it makes you select your potential love interest in its prologue, meaning you're stuck with your preferred bachelor until the story's completion, leaving no room for genre staples like love triangles and, god forbid, harems. That, matched with a maximum of two dialogue options per chapter, makes for a game with very little actual interactivity, even for a dating sim. After you choose your mate you're more or less waiting it out until the story's conclusion, and hoping you make the right decision when the next choice menu appears, which is always a 50/50 split. After choosing my uncle, it was more or less a waiting game of "Oh my, how far will this go?" proportions.
OMFG You're Making Me Review: Shall We Date?： Heian Love
Your love interest send you an e-mail after every chapter. You know, via fuedal Japanese wi-fi.
Spoiler alert: All the way, but -- shock, awe, etc. -- they're not blood related, so it's all A-okay. But, you know, still pretty darn creepy.
Honestly, Heian Love isn't a bad game -- it's just an overpriced and boring one. You know where the story's headed the moment you choose your partner in its preliminary chapter, and the characters, bless their melodramatic little hearts, are hardly interesting enough to warrant more than one or two total playthroughs. There's no music, voice acting, or sound effects to speak of, and the text is littered with tiny, but annoying, translation errors that lower the game's overall production values.
It's tough to recommend Heian Love, even as a Shall We Date? game (hell, a cursory glance at the developer's other games reveals Ninja Love, which sounds infinitely more interesting), but hey, if it's your cup of tea, I'm not one to stand in the way of romance. In fact, I prefer to stand pretty far out of romance's line of sight, where I can play Jetpack Joyride in peace, and not have to worry about that cute girl on the bus wondering what the hell I'm doing romancing some Heian era emperor on my goddamn iPhone.
Minecraft Convention MineCon is Sold Out
On his personal blog today and on the the MineCon home page, the event is now completely sold out:
MineCon is now sold out. Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket. We are now working hard to make the best event possible for all Minecraft fans.
The event's a little less than a month away now, so it's an impressive feat but sad news for procrastinators. Mojang hasn't revealed yet exactly how many people it took to sell out the show, but since tickets started at $100, we're guessing they garnered a large group of very faithful fans. Hopefully, if you wanted to go, you've already got your tickets squared away.
MineCon is now sold out. Thank you to everyone who bought a ticket. We are now working hard to make the best event possible for all Minecraft fans.
The event's a little less than a month away now, so it's an impressive feat but sad news for procrastinators. Mojang hasn't revealed yet exactly how many people it took to sell out the show, but since tickets started at $100, we're guessing they garnered a large group of very faithful fans. Hopefully, if you wanted to go, you've already got your tickets squared away.
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