Zynga hinted at the release of a Private Zoo in Mafia Wars for a short while, but has finally come through with releasing this new property in the game. The Private Zoo can be thought of like the Armory and Weapons Depot, both of which are found under your New York set of properties, except that instead of producing Armor (defensive items) and Weapons (offensive items), respectively, you'll now be able to "acquire" animals from around the world that will help fight on your side.
You can find your new Private Zoo by heading into your Properties bar while visiting Mafia Wars New York. As you might expect, the Zoo has a level, and yours starts out at just level 1. You'll need to collect various items to level up your Private Zoo and subsequently unlock better animals, so meet us behind the break for all of the details on how to go about that.
For starters, your Private Zoo can eventually end up reaching level 10, depending on how much work you put into collecting the ingredients necessary to upgrade it. For instance, to upgrade your Private Zoo the first time (from level 1 to level 2), you'll need to collect three each of five different ingredients: Aquariums, Big Cages, Bird Cages, Feeding Troughs, and Terrariums.
These can be earned either as loot drops from completely jobs (a fairly rare outcome), or you can ask your friends to send you these ingredients by clicking on the "Ask for More" button associated with a particular item. This will allow you to publish a news item to your wall asking your mafia members to send you that item. Unfortunately, this isn't a situation where you can ask individual friends for items, as that would make this process far easier. As it stands, you'll only be able to ask for help once every 12 hours.
Either way, you can boost your current upgrade progress at any time by simply purchasing ingredients outright for 1 Reward Point each. For the sake of argument, the total upgrade for level 2 would cost 15 Reward Points, if you wanted to purchase it without waiting for any of your friends to help you whatsoever.
And so the story goes - you'll collect more and more ingredients to upgrade your Private Zoo more and more times, each time unlocking new species of animals that can be created in your zoo, just like you create weapons and armor. You'll need to have Animal Feed on hand to "create" the animals, which become progressively stronger with the rise in levels. Here's a full look at what's available to build, and when:
Level 1 - Fennec Fox - 25 Attack and 36 Defense points
Level 2 - Spur Tortoise - 26 Attack and 43 Defense
Level 3 - Philippine Eagle - 48 Attack and 31 Defense
Level 4 - Bobcat - 42 Attack 49 Defense
Level 5 - Secretary Raptor - 51 Attack and 40 Defense
Level 6 - Brown Recluse Spider - 53 Attack and 41 Defense
Level 7 - Tiger Shark - 50 Attack and 48 Defense; +3 Attack points
Level 8 - Black Mamba - 45 Attack and 52 Defense; +1 Skill Point
Level 9 - Gharial - 48 Attack and 57 Defense; +3 Defense points
Level 10 - Warthog - 62 Attack and 50 Defense; +20 Health
While you may laugh at the inclusion of a spider on that list, being from the Midwest myself (their primary location), I can tell you that they are no laughing matter, as bites from a single spider (no matter how rare) can lead to tissue death, scars or worse - now, aren't you glad that you can have these guys on your team, rather than the enemy's?
Back to the topic at hand, for animals at levels 7-10, you'll need to have more than just regular Animal Feed to create these animals, as you must also have Exotic Animal Feed on hand. Exotic Animal Feed can only be earned by receiving it from friends as a gift. It will not drop as a loot item from jobs or fights.
As with other buildings, your Private Zoo will general some generic Animal Feed every 18 hours, which can be collected and added to your stash, so if you ever do run out, but also don't have the energy available to do some jobs in the hopes of receiving Feed as a loot drop, you can always come back when the time is right and collect from the Zoo again.
Let us know what you think of this new Private Zoo. Have you already upgraded your Weapons Depot and Armory to level 10? Will you do the same with your Private Zoo, or do you think the animals that can be created inside just aren't worth it?
Thứ Ba, 31 tháng 1, 2012
Earn 2 free FarmVille Farm Cash in GE promotion
At this rate, Zynga might start releasing new free Farm Cash activities in FarmVille before we can even tell you about the last, as just earlier this evening, we brought you news concerning the new Step Up 3 cross-promotion that will allow users to earn 2 Free Farm Cash, and now, not even a day later (as a matter of fact, merely hours later), we see the launch of a new promotion with GE which offers another 2 free Farm Cash for users that take a few minutes to participate.
As usual, this promotion can be found by clicking on the "Sponsored Link" window that now sits at the bottom of the FarmVille game page. Once you click on the link, a new window will appear, where you'll be asked to upload a photo fitting into one of three themes: Light, Wind, and Water.
You'll see a large "Upload" button, which will take you a page where you can "donate" one of your photos. You can voluntarily do this, as donating a photo that GE deems appropriate for the theme will result in an charitable donation on your behalf. However, once you click on the Upload button, you'll see the famous "You've earned for Farm Cash" text in the top right corner of this new window.
Whether or not you choose to actually upload a photo, simply close this new window and your Farm Cash total in-game should automatically go up by two. If not, a quick refresh of the game should do the trick of adding the Farm Cash to your account.
If you like free Farm Cash - and who doesn't - keep checking back with us, as we'll make sure you're the first to know when new opportunities arise.
As usual, this promotion can be found by clicking on the "Sponsored Link" window that now sits at the bottom of the FarmVille game page. Once you click on the link, a new window will appear, where you'll be asked to upload a photo fitting into one of three themes: Light, Wind, and Water.
You'll see a large "Upload" button, which will take you a page where you can "donate" one of your photos. You can voluntarily do this, as donating a photo that GE deems appropriate for the theme will result in an charitable donation on your behalf. However, once you click on the Upload button, you'll see the famous "You've earned for Farm Cash" text in the top right corner of this new window.
Whether or not you choose to actually upload a photo, simply close this new window and your Farm Cash total in-game should automatically go up by two. If not, a quick refresh of the game should do the trick of adding the Farm Cash to your account.
If you like free Farm Cash - and who doesn't - keep checking back with us, as we'll make sure you're the first to know when new opportunities arise.
FarmVille Festive Cow will make its grand appearance ... soon
The official Zynga Inc Facebook fan page just reached 1 million fans, and as promised, the FarmVille Festive Cow will make an appearance on our farm in the not-too-distant future. There's no word yet on when this wreathed cow will appear and how it will appear -- the hint we've heard so far is that "this special present is under your Holiday tree in FarmVille." Stay tuned.
[Via FarmVille Cows Fan Page]
[Via FarmVille Cows Fan Page]
Game of the Day: WikiLeaks: The Game
Today's game of the day is a bit of a departure for us -- something with fewer cats and more of a political slant.
In WikiLeaks: The Game, you play Julian Assange, and his mission is to steal information from President Obama's laptop. How do you do that? Wait until President Obama falls asleep and then reach over his desk to plug in your USB key and start downloading information. If the President wakes up and catches you in the act, it's game over.
Can you steal all 300,000 secret files from the President without getting busted?
Click here to play WikiLeaks: The Game
In WikiLeaks: The Game, you play Julian Assange, and his mission is to steal information from President Obama's laptop. How do you do that? Wait until President Obama falls asleep and then reach over his desk to plug in your USB key and start downloading information. If the President wakes up and catches you in the act, it's game over.
Can you steal all 300,000 secret files from the President without getting busted?
Click here to play WikiLeaks: The Game
Thứ Hai, 30 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille New Year Animal: Disco Ball Sheep
If you're like me, and like anything bright, shiny, or animated in FarmVille, you'll be just as thrilled as I am to know that Zynga has launched an item that fits into all three of those categories. The Disco Ball Sheep is now available in the FarmVille marketplace as part of the limited edition New Year item theme.
What makes this item so great isn't just its shiny "wool" that makes the sheep look like it's a disco ball - it's the fact that you can... wait for it... purchase it for coins! Yes, after releasing animal after animal to the game's store that could only be purchased for Farm Cash, Zynga has mercifully priced this item for coins. Sure, its price tag of 140,000 coins isn't necessarily a bargain, but if you're a player that simply refuses to spend premium / real currency in FarmVille, this will definitely allow you to celebrate the New Year in style.
The Disco Ball Sheep can be harvested from every three days, and you'll receive 28 coins each time you do so. You'll receive 1,400 bonus experience points for purchasing the sheep, which will be available in the game for just 10 days.
Find all our New Year's coverage right here.
What do you think of the Disco Ball Sheep? Do you like this animal more than others that have been released in the game?
What makes this item so great isn't just its shiny "wool" that makes the sheep look like it's a disco ball - it's the fact that you can... wait for it... purchase it for coins! Yes, after releasing animal after animal to the game's store that could only be purchased for Farm Cash, Zynga has mercifully priced this item for coins. Sure, its price tag of 140,000 coins isn't necessarily a bargain, but if you're a player that simply refuses to spend premium / real currency in FarmVille, this will definitely allow you to celebrate the New Year in style.
The Disco Ball Sheep can be harvested from every three days, and you'll receive 28 coins each time you do so. You'll receive 1,400 bonus experience points for purchasing the sheep, which will be available in the game for just 10 days.
Find all our New Year's coverage right here.
What do you think of the Disco Ball Sheep? Do you like this animal more than others that have been released in the game?
FarmVille Disco Ball Tree makes an appearance in the market
For quite some time now, we've been investigating the appearance of the mysterious Disco Ball Tree in FarmVille. We had seed reports of the tree showing up randomly as a Mystery Seedling, even before any other New Years themed trees had been released, and we were then put under the assumption that the Disco Ball Tree is the level 2 tree from the Confetti Tree, which was released at the beginning of the week. But what if someone didn't want to wait for their Confetti Tree to spawn a Disco Ball Tree Mystery Seedling?
Luckily, there is now a solid answer for that, as the Disco Ball Tree has finally been released as a standalone item in the FarmVille marketplace. Unfortunately, if you'd like to add this lovely tree to your land, you'll need to be willing to pay 15 Farm Cash. Once purchased, however, you can harvest the tree every two days, and you'll receive 150 coins for doing so. You'll gain just 15 experience points for purchasing the tree, but as any tree-lover in FarmVille can tell you - you don't purchase the trees for the experience point bonuses.
The Disco Ball Tree will be available in the game's store for the next 15 days, but luckily, will be available as Mystery Seedlings long after if you choose to hand onto your Farm Cash for the time being. One final note - the tree can be mastered, with the first star of mastery being available after 75 harvests, if that's something that will sway your decision in purchasing one.
Find all our New Year's coverage right here.
Luckily, there is now a solid answer for that, as the Disco Ball Tree has finally been released as a standalone item in the FarmVille marketplace. Unfortunately, if you'd like to add this lovely tree to your land, you'll need to be willing to pay 15 Farm Cash. Once purchased, however, you can harvest the tree every two days, and you'll receive 150 coins for doing so. You'll gain just 15 experience points for purchasing the tree, but as any tree-lover in FarmVille can tell you - you don't purchase the trees for the experience point bonuses.
The Disco Ball Tree will be available in the game's store for the next 15 days, but luckily, will be available as Mystery Seedlings long after if you choose to hand onto your Farm Cash for the time being. One final note - the tree can be mastered, with the first star of mastery being available after 75 harvests, if that's something that will sway your decision in purchasing one.
Find all our New Year's coverage right here.
FarmVille New Years Items: Fireworks I, II, III, & New Year Gnome
As part of tonight's FarmVille update, we've seen the release of four new decorative items in the game. All four of these items fit into the current New Year theme of limited edition items, but unfortunately for those that like to save their Farm Cash, all of these items are premium.
What's more, three of the four items are Fireworks, meaning that they are one-time use items that will disappear from your farm once launched, after showing you a pretty virtual fireworks show in your game. The Fireworks are labeled as Fireworks I, II, and III, and all three cost 3 Farm Cash each. It seems a bit unreasonable for Zynga to charge Farm Cash for a one-time use item, but luckily, there are ways to receive free Fireworks this year, as friends can post them on their wall as they complete stages in the New Years Party Barn event.
The other new item is the New Year Gnome, which will be a big hit with Gnome collectors. He's a cheerful little fella that's ready to party, as he comes equipped with a noise-maker and confetti, and a price tag of 18 Farm Cash. You'll receive 1,800 bonus experience points for purchasing the Gnome, if that makes you more likely to purchase him.
All four of these items will be available in the game's store for the next 10 days, so if you can't play FarmVille on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day proper, you'll be able to throw a post-holiday Fireworks show within your game to keep the party going.
Find all our New Year's coverage right here.
What do you think of Fireworks in FarmVille? Are they worth the cost, since you can only use them once, or would you rather save your Farm Cash for permanent decorative items or buildings?
What's more, three of the four items are Fireworks, meaning that they are one-time use items that will disappear from your farm once launched, after showing you a pretty virtual fireworks show in your game. The Fireworks are labeled as Fireworks I, II, and III, and all three cost 3 Farm Cash each. It seems a bit unreasonable for Zynga to charge Farm Cash for a one-time use item, but luckily, there are ways to receive free Fireworks this year, as friends can post them on their wall as they complete stages in the New Years Party Barn event.
The other new item is the New Year Gnome, which will be a big hit with Gnome collectors. He's a cheerful little fella that's ready to party, as he comes equipped with a noise-maker and confetti, and a price tag of 18 Farm Cash. You'll receive 1,800 bonus experience points for purchasing the Gnome, if that makes you more likely to purchase him.
All four of these items will be available in the game's store for the next 10 days, so if you can't play FarmVille on New Year's Eve or New Year's Day proper, you'll be able to throw a post-holiday Fireworks show within your game to keep the party going.
Find all our New Year's coverage right here.
What do you think of Fireworks in FarmVille? Are they worth the cost, since you can only use them once, or would you rather save your Farm Cash for permanent decorative items or buildings?
FrontierVille 12 Days of Christmas Goals: Everything you need to know for Day Two
On the Second Day O' Christmas
Just two days remain in FrontierVille's 12 Days of Christmas Goal series and, oddly enough, things are getting progressively easier. "On the Second Day O' Christmas" requires three simple, almost menial tasks, of pioneers. First, you're to visit two Neighbors. While you're there, tend two of your Neighbors' Pigs and clean up two Debris while you're at it.
And that's it. No, we're not kidding. This could very well be one of the easiest Goals in the game, which is odd considering we're one Goal away from being done with Christmas once and for all in FrontierVille. Come to think of it, you could probably finish this Goal in five minutes. You'd imagine that Zynga would start to end the holiday with a bang, but a break from gift requests and cross promotions never hurt anyone. Complete this Goal and a not-so-well earned 1,000 XP, one "Tend Here" Sign and one Fruitcake are all yours. But we're not out of the woods yet. Check back tomorrow to find out what the final Goal of this series has in store for the frontier.
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Just two days remain in FrontierVille's 12 Days of Christmas Goal series and, oddly enough, things are getting progressively easier. "On the Second Day O' Christmas" requires three simple, almost menial tasks, of pioneers. First, you're to visit two Neighbors. While you're there, tend two of your Neighbors' Pigs and clean up two Debris while you're at it.
And that's it. No, we're not kidding. This could very well be one of the easiest Goals in the game, which is odd considering we're one Goal away from being done with Christmas once and for all in FrontierVille. Come to think of it, you could probably finish this Goal in five minutes. You'd imagine that Zynga would start to end the holiday with a bang, but a break from gift requests and cross promotions never hurt anyone. Complete this Goal and a not-so-well earned 1,000 XP, one "Tend Here" Sign and one Fruitcake are all yours. But we're not out of the woods yet. Check back tomorrow to find out what the final Goal of this series has in store for the frontier.
Check out the rest of our Holiday 2010 coverage right here.
Create on Facebook: This fun physics game forgot you have friends
Create in motion
Most Facebook games are littered with suggestions, pop ups and missions to guide you along in your progress, which certainly serve their purpose well. But not Create. The most recent Facebook game launch by EA, Create is a modified release of the puzzler with the same name currently available for all major consoles, PC and Mac. Tailored specifically for Facebook, this physics-based puzzle game provides players with the tools required to complete each level, but it's hands-off after that. While achieving real time physics on Facebook is certainly impressive, leaving the guesswork to the player soon becomes a double-edged sword.
Find more of our impressions of Create after the break.
Create Dashboard
Essentially, Create is a Rube Goldberg machine on Facebook. Your goal in each level is to, using the tools you're given, guide a soccer ball so that it hits its bulls eye target, making its way through hula hoops along the way for bonus points. However, getting into the meat of the game is rather confusing as Create will always load in sort of a hub world called the Dashboard. It's here that players can create as many soccer balls as they wish to play around with, check their best times and high scores and see how their friends are doing with their own creations. There is also a global list where creators can put others' balls through their own solutions to the game's puzzles. To start, you're given one ball, so just click "Go!" and choose any of the four puzzles.
This is where the fun begins... sort of. In each puzzle, there is a general path players will have to take to reach the target, but it is entirely up to them on how to approach it using the game's five tools. (In other words, this is a thinker.) These items include balloons, which will not float until an object, preferably the ball, make contact with its string. Players can also make use of orange bumpers which will repel any object that comes in contact with them at a high speed in the opposite direction. Suspended fans can also be used to propel the ball while boxes and see-saws serve of malleable platforms, though the see-saws somehow defy gravity. There's no limit to the amount of tools that can be used in any given puzzle, but clutter will be your worst enemy.
Create in motion again
Designed specifically to take advantage of Intel processors, the physics in Create are surprisingly smooth considering it's all happening in real time on Facebook. However, they can easily be broken. So far, I've found that certain items won't respond to gravity if placed in strange places, but who knows what other ways there are to break the system.
While the game's physics are certainly impressive--not to mention that it's refreshing to see a social game that requires critical thought--it's tough to call Create a social game. There seems to be little reason that this game is on Facebook other than the fact that it's a popular platform at the moment. Having friends in the game doesn't effect any portion of gameplay nor is there an incentive to continue logging in, which is something social games in their current state need to thrive. Though, it's doubtful that EA had that in mind to begin with when porting Create to the platform.
And perhaps I'm somewhat rusty when it comes to puzzle games, but Create doesn't exactly lend itself to the instantly gratifying gameplay of most social games. If your experience is anything like mine, you're going to be cracking at some puzzles for quite a while, which one could imagine the average social gamer just doesn't have time for on their lunch break. But if you have an extra minute, try something a little different than your average 'Ville and give that brain some exercise.
Click here to play Create on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Create on Facebook yet? What are your impressions of the game? Do you think these types of games have a place on the platform?
Most Facebook games are littered with suggestions, pop ups and missions to guide you along in your progress, which certainly serve their purpose well. But not Create. The most recent Facebook game launch by EA, Create is a modified release of the puzzler with the same name currently available for all major consoles, PC and Mac. Tailored specifically for Facebook, this physics-based puzzle game provides players with the tools required to complete each level, but it's hands-off after that. While achieving real time physics on Facebook is certainly impressive, leaving the guesswork to the player soon becomes a double-edged sword.
Find more of our impressions of Create after the break.
Create Dashboard
Essentially, Create is a Rube Goldberg machine on Facebook. Your goal in each level is to, using the tools you're given, guide a soccer ball so that it hits its bulls eye target, making its way through hula hoops along the way for bonus points. However, getting into the meat of the game is rather confusing as Create will always load in sort of a hub world called the Dashboard. It's here that players can create as many soccer balls as they wish to play around with, check their best times and high scores and see how their friends are doing with their own creations. There is also a global list where creators can put others' balls through their own solutions to the game's puzzles. To start, you're given one ball, so just click "Go!" and choose any of the four puzzles.
This is where the fun begins... sort of. In each puzzle, there is a general path players will have to take to reach the target, but it is entirely up to them on how to approach it using the game's five tools. (In other words, this is a thinker.) These items include balloons, which will not float until an object, preferably the ball, make contact with its string. Players can also make use of orange bumpers which will repel any object that comes in contact with them at a high speed in the opposite direction. Suspended fans can also be used to propel the ball while boxes and see-saws serve of malleable platforms, though the see-saws somehow defy gravity. There's no limit to the amount of tools that can be used in any given puzzle, but clutter will be your worst enemy.
Create in motion again
Designed specifically to take advantage of Intel processors, the physics in Create are surprisingly smooth considering it's all happening in real time on Facebook. However, they can easily be broken. So far, I've found that certain items won't respond to gravity if placed in strange places, but who knows what other ways there are to break the system.
While the game's physics are certainly impressive--not to mention that it's refreshing to see a social game that requires critical thought--it's tough to call Create a social game. There seems to be little reason that this game is on Facebook other than the fact that it's a popular platform at the moment. Having friends in the game doesn't effect any portion of gameplay nor is there an incentive to continue logging in, which is something social games in their current state need to thrive. Though, it's doubtful that EA had that in mind to begin with when porting Create to the platform.
And perhaps I'm somewhat rusty when it comes to puzzle games, but Create doesn't exactly lend itself to the instantly gratifying gameplay of most social games. If your experience is anything like mine, you're going to be cracking at some puzzles for quite a while, which one could imagine the average social gamer just doesn't have time for on their lunch break. But if you have an extra minute, try something a little different than your average 'Ville and give that brain some exercise.
Click here to play Create on Facebook Now>
Have you tried Create on Facebook yet? What are your impressions of the game? Do you think these types of games have a place on the platform?
Thứ Tư, 11 tháng 1, 2012
Arab Facebook game Happy Oasis hopes to end Islamic extremism
Now, that's a social game for social good. Happy Oasis, created by Jordan native Suleiman Bakhit, looks to nip Islamic extremism in the bud, the BBC reports. Bakhit made the game, which launched this week to 59 thousand players, in hopes of providing a role model for Arab children who might otherwise be persuaded by extremist views.
While studying at the University of Minnesota in the U.S, Bakhit was attacked by four men shortly after the 9/11 tragedy because he was an Arab, the BBC reports. Bakhit, instead of turning to bitterness, decided to educate Arab kids back home in Jordan through positive comic books, and later Facebook games like Happy Oasis.
His comic books--like one about a female Arab secret agent that dispatches extremists--sold 300 thousand copies alone, prompting Bakhit to the web where 30 million Arabs use Facebook every day. Now, Bakhit looks to take the comic books (and we hope the Facebook game) to Pakistan, where issues of extremism are growing.
"I realized that you fight extremism by starting with the young. The message was simple--'We are not all terrorists'," he told the BBC. "Print media is dying but there are 30 million Arabs on Facebook so I thought about making social games with the same message," Bakhit said.
'Social games for social good' has been a tag line for many a developer. Many Facebook game creators like Zynga offer the power of their audience to make major donations to victims of natural disasters and the like. However, this could be one of the first attempts to use social gaming to alleviate a social issue as divisive as extremism in the Middle East. If this becomes an answer to the growing social problems in that part of the world, it's not just another win for Facebook games, but for the Arab community.
While studying at the University of Minnesota in the U.S, Bakhit was attacked by four men shortly after the 9/11 tragedy because he was an Arab, the BBC reports. Bakhit, instead of turning to bitterness, decided to educate Arab kids back home in Jordan through positive comic books, and later Facebook games like Happy Oasis.
His comic books--like one about a female Arab secret agent that dispatches extremists--sold 300 thousand copies alone, prompting Bakhit to the web where 30 million Arabs use Facebook every day. Now, Bakhit looks to take the comic books (and we hope the Facebook game) to Pakistan, where issues of extremism are growing.
"I realized that you fight extremism by starting with the young. The message was simple--'We are not all terrorists'," he told the BBC. "Print media is dying but there are 30 million Arabs on Facebook so I thought about making social games with the same message," Bakhit said.
'Social games for social good' has been a tag line for many a developer. Many Facebook game creators like Zynga offer the power of their audience to make major donations to victims of natural disasters and the like. However, this could be one of the first attempts to use social gaming to alleviate a social issue as divisive as extremism in the Middle East. If this becomes an answer to the growing social problems in that part of the world, it's not just another win for Facebook games, but for the Arab community.
Japan's Gree, OpenFeint invade U.S. mobile game shores this summer
Zynga, EA (and PopCap), Rovio: Prepare your defenses. One of Japan's leading mobile social game networks, Gree, plans to storm the beaches of the U.S. mobile gaming scene this summer, TMCnet reports. The Japanese company, which recently bought San Francisco-based mobile game network provider OpenFeint plans to release the first of its games on U.S. shores this summer. However, it's not as easy as you might think.
"We're starting everything from scratch in this market, even hiring," Gree VP of marketing and sales Sho Masuda told TMCnet. This is because regardless of Gree's experience with mobile games or the skill of its developers, there are inherent differences in the preferences of Japanese mobile gamers and those in the states, according to Masuda.
The VP added that Gree games will be made available for free on the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace, but will be supported through micro-transactions, which Masuda claims 15 to 20 percent of mobile gamers partake in. (Yeah, maybe in Japan.)
And according to TMCnet, Gree games may be ad-supported as well--just like the recent free version of Hanging with Friends. By November, Gree plans to have at least a few games available in the U.S. Prepare for an epic battle this summer in your smartphone, and not just in Infinity Blade.
"We're starting everything from scratch in this market, even hiring," Gree VP of marketing and sales Sho Masuda told TMCnet. This is because regardless of Gree's experience with mobile games or the skill of its developers, there are inherent differences in the preferences of Japanese mobile gamers and those in the states, according to Masuda.
The VP added that Gree games will be made available for free on the Apple App Store and Android Marketplace, but will be supported through micro-transactions, which Masuda claims 15 to 20 percent of mobile gamers partake in. (Yeah, maybe in Japan.)
And according to TMCnet, Gree games may be ad-supported as well--just like the recent free version of Hanging with Friends. By November, Gree plans to have at least a few games available in the U.S. Prepare for an epic battle this summer in your smartphone, and not just in Infinity Blade.
Hardcore PC games become Facebook games in a cinch with Overwolf
Well, sans the Neighbor Bars and arguably incessant gift sharing. Overwolf, an Israeli start up company and service, adds a social layer to existing hardcore PC games like World of Warcraft and Call of Duty. It does this through a free download that allows gamers to post their achievements and milestones in-game to social services like Facebook, Twitter and Skype without having to leave the game.
While GamePro notes that existing services like Steam and Raptr allow players to communicate in-game, Overwolf seemingly turns every hardcore game into, well, a social game. (Not to mention it has support for in-game email and web browsing as well.) But hardcore gamers have hardcore social tastes, so players can record video clips and post them to Facebook and other social channels, again, without leaving the game.
"Publishers are looking for ways to ignite the viral potential of online games, but integration has been difficult, especially with all of the demands of operating live titles," said Overwolf CEO Uri Marchand. "We're offering a way to add this functionality with zero effort required on the publisher's side. We've been getting amazing feedback from gamers telling us they love Overwolf, and it's a great way to engage friends and share their gaming life with their real lives, which has the effect of bringing more users into online games."
With major companies like Activision releasing social networks for their own games like Call of Duty Elite--and Xbox 360 having cross-game social features since its launch--the desire to share is certainly there. And as publishers and start ups alike begin to notice, the lines between Facebook game and hardcore game continue to blur. Services like Overwolf are only the beginning, so it might not be long before the word "social game" becomes moot.
While GamePro notes that existing services like Steam and Raptr allow players to communicate in-game, Overwolf seemingly turns every hardcore game into, well, a social game. (Not to mention it has support for in-game email and web browsing as well.) But hardcore gamers have hardcore social tastes, so players can record video clips and post them to Facebook and other social channels, again, without leaving the game.
"Publishers are looking for ways to ignite the viral potential of online games, but integration has been difficult, especially with all of the demands of operating live titles," said Overwolf CEO Uri Marchand. "We're offering a way to add this functionality with zero effort required on the publisher's side. We've been getting amazing feedback from gamers telling us they love Overwolf, and it's a great way to engage friends and share their gaming life with their real lives, which has the effect of bringing more users into online games."
With major companies like Activision releasing social networks for their own games like Call of Duty Elite--and Xbox 360 having cross-game social features since its launch--the desire to share is certainly there. And as publishers and start ups alike begin to notice, the lines between Facebook game and hardcore game continue to blur. Services like Overwolf are only the beginning, so it might not be long before the word "social game" becomes moot.
Here's the official Google Games logo, thanks to Google+ source code
Man, you can't hide anything on the Internet anymore, can you? Okay, so we already knew that the Google Games effort is 100 percent happening, thanks to some nerdery at Engadget that found clues referring to it in the recently released Google+ (essentially Google's answer to Facebook) source code.
However, in that same source code, TechCrunch has found a direct link to the official Google Games logo, courtesy of a tipster. Better yet, that tipster found some interesting bits of code that reveal what could be a social gaming service (as if it would be anything else):
/_/games/getGameFriends
/_/games/getActivities
/_/games/postToStream
While none of this is particularly shocking, we'll take all the confirmation of a worthy opponent to Facebook's games platform we can get. And don't think this will be some tacked-on feature to Google+. Earlier this year, the company posted a job offer specifically for its not-so-secret games project.
Google Games
And before that, Google has reportedly invested in numerous Facebook gaming companies including Zynga--not to mention it has already acquired gaming talent like Slide. Will the ultimate social gaming battle be between platforms Facebook and Google rather than creators like Zynga and EA? Our bet is in on both, and we have ringside seats.
However, in that same source code, TechCrunch has found a direct link to the official Google Games logo, courtesy of a tipster. Better yet, that tipster found some interesting bits of code that reveal what could be a social gaming service (as if it would be anything else):
/_/games/getGameFriends
/_/games/getActivities
/_/games/postToStream
While none of this is particularly shocking, we'll take all the confirmation of a worthy opponent to Facebook's games platform we can get. And don't think this will be some tacked-on feature to Google+. Earlier this year, the company posted a job offer specifically for its not-so-secret games project.
Google Games
And before that, Google has reportedly invested in numerous Facebook gaming companies including Zynga--not to mention it has already acquired gaming talent like Slide. Will the ultimate social gaming battle be between platforms Facebook and Google rather than creators like Zynga and EA? Our bet is in on both, and we have ringside seats.
Respectable research firm Doritos finds women like games more than sex
We've all heard the chocolate gag, but this is just ridiculous. Doritos--you know, Nacho Cheese?--found during a survey of 2,052 people for its upcoming Facebook game, Doritos Dip Desperado, that women like video games more than sex. Well, at least that's how we're (and everyone else is) spinning it, because crazy statistics like this are fun ... and its Friday.
According to the survey, 49 percent of women admitted to playing "online games," though as GamePro points out: It's not made clear whether these women are bombing cities in Call of Duty or building them up in CityVille. We're going to go with the latter. Regardless, this number is just 1 percent below men, meaning a whole darn lot of folks have their eyes glued to some screen, somewhere.
Of the 49 percent of video game femme fatale, 84 percent said they enjoy gaming sessions, compared to just 70 percent who said they enjoy love making, whoopee, boinking, what have you. (Women also reportedly enjoy games more than having a bath and shopping.) Now, here's the clincher: 23.1 percent of women, according to Doritos, spend more time online playing games than men, who came in at 22.3 percent. Dudes, we know you're digging on Halo more than FarmVille, but maybe it's time you joined the lady--ain't no shame in trying something new.
According to the survey, 49 percent of women admitted to playing "online games," though as GamePro points out: It's not made clear whether these women are bombing cities in Call of Duty or building them up in CityVille. We're going to go with the latter. Regardless, this number is just 1 percent below men, meaning a whole darn lot of folks have their eyes glued to some screen, somewhere.
Of the 49 percent of video game femme fatale, 84 percent said they enjoy gaming sessions, compared to just 70 percent who said they enjoy love making, whoopee, boinking, what have you. (Women also reportedly enjoy games more than having a bath and shopping.) Now, here's the clincher: 23.1 percent of women, according to Doritos, spend more time online playing games than men, who came in at 22.3 percent. Dudes, we know you're digging on Halo more than FarmVille, but maybe it's time you joined the lady--ain't no shame in trying something new.
Thứ Ba, 10 tháng 1, 2012
Activision Blizzard 'methodically investing in mobile and social gaming'
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
Can this love-hate relationship between veteran games publisher Activision Blizzard and Facebook games end now? VentureBeat reports that, during an analyst meeting, Activision CFO Thomas Tippl said that the company is "methodically investing in mobile and social gaming projects." Tippl also went into how the publisher could make a whopping $1.25 billion from new projects that seek new, non-traditional sources of revenue like micro-transactions and in-game purchases. You know, like Facebook and mobile social games?
However, there seems to be a major disconnect in the company's overall ideology between executives, unless Activision is simply telling the right folks what they want to hear. Recently, Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg said, "Valuations of some of the companies in that space are out of whack," to Bloomberg at this year's Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany. In the very same interview, Hirshberg hinted that the Call of Duty (pictured) pusher is looking into social games.
And before then, Hirshberg said during the 13th Annual Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum that, "Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game, and our players pay more per player on average than any Facebook game."
What's even better is that before Hirshberg came to hardcore gaming's defense, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick outright revealed that "a lot of work is being done on Facebook games" within the company. Now, it's completely fine for traditional publishers to get into new distribution models than your tried, true and tired retail stores--just look at, well, everybody else.
However, it seems that at least some Activision Blizzard folks are entering Facebook and mobile games kicking and screaming, based on what Hirshberg has been saying compared to his colleagues. (Though, neither Kotick nor Tippl sound particularly thrilled about the whole ordeal, either.)
That said, the publisher would definitely benefit from a more unified--and a little more chipper, eh?--message if it wants to convince Facebook and mobile gamers to hop on board. And based on the way Activision Blizzard has been talking about its social game efforts, we just can't wait to see these games.
Can this love-hate relationship between veteran games publisher Activision Blizzard and Facebook games end now? VentureBeat reports that, during an analyst meeting, Activision CFO Thomas Tippl said that the company is "methodically investing in mobile and social gaming projects." Tippl also went into how the publisher could make a whopping $1.25 billion from new projects that seek new, non-traditional sources of revenue like micro-transactions and in-game purchases. You know, like Facebook and mobile social games?
However, there seems to be a major disconnect in the company's overall ideology between executives, unless Activision is simply telling the right folks what they want to hear. Recently, Activision Publishing boss Eric Hirshberg said, "Valuations of some of the companies in that space are out of whack," to Bloomberg at this year's Gamescom event in Cologne, Germany. In the very same interview, Hirshberg hinted that the Call of Duty (pictured) pusher is looking into social games.
And before then, Hirshberg said during the 13th Annual Pacific Crest Global Technology Leadership Forum that, "Call of Duty has more players who pay-to-play online than any Facebook game, and our players pay more per player on average than any Facebook game."
What's even better is that before Hirshberg came to hardcore gaming's defense, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick outright revealed that "a lot of work is being done on Facebook games" within the company. Now, it's completely fine for traditional publishers to get into new distribution models than your tried, true and tired retail stores--just look at, well, everybody else.
However, it seems that at least some Activision Blizzard folks are entering Facebook and mobile games kicking and screaming, based on what Hirshberg has been saying compared to his colleagues. (Though, neither Kotick nor Tippl sound particularly thrilled about the whole ordeal, either.)
That said, the publisher would definitely benefit from a more unified--and a little more chipper, eh?--message if it wants to convince Facebook and mobile gamers to hop on board. And based on the way Activision Blizzard has been talking about its social game efforts, we just can't wait to see these games.
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!
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Thứ Hai, 9 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille Sneak Peek: Alaska Home, Visitor Center, Bear Fishing, Bald Eagle & More
Today has been fantastic for those looking for unreleased items in FarmVille. This latest edition of the FarmVille Sneak Peek not only offers us a look at some Alaskan (or perhaps general Winter-themed) buildings, but also some new animals, decorations, and even a clue as to what the next Mystery Game will contain.
As for the new buildings, we see and "Alaska Home," and a "Log Cabin Visitor Center." The names for both of these items seem a bit shaky, and there are no guarantees that that's what they'll actually be called, or if they'll even ultimately be released officially in the game.
There are a few decorative items to speak of as well, like the Bear Fishing item (a bear standing next to a stream, apparently trying to catch a salmon swimming upstream), a Snowy Bridge, a Snowy Tree, and a Totem Pole 2 (not to be confused with the first Totem Pole which was released just a few days ago).
Two unreleased animals are the Bald Eagle and the Eagle Owl, but we're not sure as to whether or not these will be true animals (that is, capable of being harvested for a profit), or whether they'll be "decorative" animals. Regardless, having a Bald Eagle on your farm would simply be awesome, so I'll take the item either way.
Finally, this week's Mystery Game will apparently contain the Siberian Tiger Cub that we brought you a sneak peek of earlier today, as it is the animal pictured in the Mystery Game icon that will apparently be released this week.
As usual, there aren't any other details concerning these items, like their prices (please, Zynga, make some of them for coins) or when they'll officially be released, so keep checking back with us, as we'll make sure you're the first to know when any of these items launch in the game.
What do you think of this wide variety of unreleased items? Will you participate in this week's Mystery Game if it does indeed contain the Siberian Tiger Cub?
As for the new buildings, we see and "Alaska Home," and a "Log Cabin Visitor Center." The names for both of these items seem a bit shaky, and there are no guarantees that that's what they'll actually be called, or if they'll even ultimately be released officially in the game.
There are a few decorative items to speak of as well, like the Bear Fishing item (a bear standing next to a stream, apparently trying to catch a salmon swimming upstream), a Snowy Bridge, a Snowy Tree, and a Totem Pole 2 (not to be confused with the first Totem Pole which was released just a few days ago).
Two unreleased animals are the Bald Eagle and the Eagle Owl, but we're not sure as to whether or not these will be true animals (that is, capable of being harvested for a profit), or whether they'll be "decorative" animals. Regardless, having a Bald Eagle on your farm would simply be awesome, so I'll take the item either way.
Finally, this week's Mystery Game will apparently contain the Siberian Tiger Cub that we brought you a sneak peek of earlier today, as it is the animal pictured in the Mystery Game icon that will apparently be released this week.
As usual, there aren't any other details concerning these items, like their prices (please, Zynga, make some of them for coins) or when they'll officially be released, so keep checking back with us, as we'll make sure you're the first to know when any of these items launch in the game.
What do you think of this wide variety of unreleased items? Will you participate in this week's Mystery Game if it does indeed contain the Siberian Tiger Cub?
FarmVille Winter Wonderland Theme Showcase 2 [Video]
If you've enjoyed Zynga's past releases of YouTube videos showcasing items that have yet to be released in FarmVille, you're in luck, as the developer has revealed another showcase video this evening. Appropriately, the video is called "Winter Wonderland Theme Showcase 2" (phew, what a mouthful!), and it shows off a handful of new items that are guaranteed to be coming to the game. The kicker is in when they will actually become available (soon, of course, but the exact date is anyone's guess).
In this video, we can see several items that we gave you a sneak peek of earlier today, like the Bear Fishing item, and the new Totem Pole that will be released in the game. Other items look to really play off of the Winter-theme, with glacier-esque mountain, and even a deep icy ravine. There is also a lovely purple and pink flower planter to take a look at, and if you have yet to complete your Duck Pond (which released in the game yesterday evening), you can see one in action, to get a feel for what your finished Duck Pond will look like on your own farm.
We'll be sure to let you know when these items are released in full to the game, so keep checking back with us.
In this video, we can see several items that we gave you a sneak peek of earlier today, like the Bear Fishing item, and the new Totem Pole that will be released in the game. Other items look to really play off of the Winter-theme, with glacier-esque mountain, and even a deep icy ravine. There is also a lovely purple and pink flower planter to take a look at, and if you have yet to complete your Duck Pond (which released in the game yesterday evening), you can see one in action, to get a feel for what your finished Duck Pond will look like on your own farm.
We'll be sure to let you know when these items are released in full to the game, so keep checking back with us.
FarmVille Winter Wonderland Items: Mink, Alaska Home, Bald Eagle, & Much More!
For the biggest part of Wednesday, we brought you a look at quite a few then unreleased items that we believed would be launching in FarmVille in the near future. Who would have thought at the time, that the evening would bring a FarmVille update to the game (the second in as many days), that would see the release of a big portion of these items to the game).
This newest FarmVille update is practically overflowing with new items that you'll be able to purchase either to decorate your farm (animals, buildings, and pure decorations), or decorate your avatar (a series of new clothing and accessory items). We have the complete look at these items behind the break, so meet us there for complete pricing details, and for news on how long these items will be available in the game.
The easiest way to give a run-down of these items is by their type, starting with Animals. We have one new limited edition animal to choose from in the form of the American Mink. This cute little fella will set you back only 12 Farm Cash (we say only as this actually is a fairly cheap animal in the grand scheme of things, where animals can easily cost 25 Farm Cash or more).
Moving on, we have one new building available to purchase, called the Alaska Home. It costs 20 Farm Cash, which, again, isn't that high of a Farm Cash cost, if you compare it to other Farm Cash buildings in the game. The Ski Resort, for instance, has a normal price of 30 Farm Cash, while buildings like the Tea House or Pagoda cost upwards of 30-40 Farm Cash each, as examples.
We start to see the real bulk of tonight's update when looking at new decorations, of which there are five. Three of these are Farm Cash items, and they are the Snowy Bridge, Bald Eagle, and Snowy Tree. The Snowy Bridge costs 25 Farm Cash, the Bald Eagle (purely a decorative animal - not available to be harvested from) costs 18 Farm Cash, and the Snowy Tree is available for the bargain price of 3 Farm Cash (Note: it appears that the Snowy Tree has been improperly labeled as a Winter Holiday item, even though it likely should be a part of the Winter Wonderland set. Whatever the reality may be, this doesn't affect its time limit in the store, so don't panic about it selling out extremely fast).
The other two items are the Snowmobile and the Iced Cat, another in the now long line of ice-themed items in the game, this time in the shape of a cat. The Snowmobile is a fairly pricey item, even if it is available for coins, as it will set you back 200,000 coins. The Iced Cat is 50,000 coins.
Finally, the game's Clothing section has tons of items that are now available to help accessorize your avatar. You can purchase a series of scarves and ski goggles, with these items being accessories on top of the other clothing items that your avatar is already wearing. They cost 1 Farm Cash each, and come in the following colors: Black, Pink, Blue, Red, and Purple. If you want a complete outfit for your avatar, instead of just an accessory item, you can also buy the Eskimo costume that goes with your avatar's gender. Of course, girl avatars will only be able to purchase the "Female Eskimo" outfit and vice versa. These outfits cost 10 Farm Cash each, but are pretty darn cute for the cost.
All of these items, regardless of item type or cost, will only be available in the game for the next 13 days. This is presumably the date when all of the Winter Wonderland items will expire, as even those items released before tonight's update will be gone either in 13 days even, or before then. Shop fast if you want to have time to enjoy these items on your farm before they expire from the store (likely for good).
This newest FarmVille update is practically overflowing with new items that you'll be able to purchase either to decorate your farm (animals, buildings, and pure decorations), or decorate your avatar (a series of new clothing and accessory items). We have the complete look at these items behind the break, so meet us there for complete pricing details, and for news on how long these items will be available in the game.
The easiest way to give a run-down of these items is by their type, starting with Animals. We have one new limited edition animal to choose from in the form of the American Mink. This cute little fella will set you back only 12 Farm Cash (we say only as this actually is a fairly cheap animal in the grand scheme of things, where animals can easily cost 25 Farm Cash or more).
Moving on, we have one new building available to purchase, called the Alaska Home. It costs 20 Farm Cash, which, again, isn't that high of a Farm Cash cost, if you compare it to other Farm Cash buildings in the game. The Ski Resort, for instance, has a normal price of 30 Farm Cash, while buildings like the Tea House or Pagoda cost upwards of 30-40 Farm Cash each, as examples.
We start to see the real bulk of tonight's update when looking at new decorations, of which there are five. Three of these are Farm Cash items, and they are the Snowy Bridge, Bald Eagle, and Snowy Tree. The Snowy Bridge costs 25 Farm Cash, the Bald Eagle (purely a decorative animal - not available to be harvested from) costs 18 Farm Cash, and the Snowy Tree is available for the bargain price of 3 Farm Cash (Note: it appears that the Snowy Tree has been improperly labeled as a Winter Holiday item, even though it likely should be a part of the Winter Wonderland set. Whatever the reality may be, this doesn't affect its time limit in the store, so don't panic about it selling out extremely fast).
The other two items are the Snowmobile and the Iced Cat, another in the now long line of ice-themed items in the game, this time in the shape of a cat. The Snowmobile is a fairly pricey item, even if it is available for coins, as it will set you back 200,000 coins. The Iced Cat is 50,000 coins.
Finally, the game's Clothing section has tons of items that are now available to help accessorize your avatar. You can purchase a series of scarves and ski goggles, with these items being accessories on top of the other clothing items that your avatar is already wearing. They cost 1 Farm Cash each, and come in the following colors: Black, Pink, Blue, Red, and Purple. If you want a complete outfit for your avatar, instead of just an accessory item, you can also buy the Eskimo costume that goes with your avatar's gender. Of course, girl avatars will only be able to purchase the "Female Eskimo" outfit and vice versa. These outfits cost 10 Farm Cash each, but are pretty darn cute for the cost.
All of these items, regardless of item type or cost, will only be available in the game for the next 13 days. This is presumably the date when all of the Winter Wonderland items will expire, as even those items released before tonight's update will be gone either in 13 days even, or before then. Shop fast if you want to have time to enjoy these items on your farm before they expire from the store (likely for good).
FarmVille: Belted Duck available as a free gift / adoptable animal
If you've finished building your Duck Pond in FarmVille, you might be looking for some new ducks to fill it with. Luckily, you now have two ways to come across a new duck that has been released in the game in the form of a Belted Duck.
This Belted Duck is a cute black and white duck that is now available to send to your friends from the Free Gifts page. Likewise, you'll be able to receive the Belted Duck as a free gift from your friends. If that doesn't work for you, however, know that the Belted Duck is also now available to find at random times when playing the game, as a "wandering" animal that appears on your farm.
Of course, this will allow you to share the lost and found Duck with your friends on your wall, and likewise, if any of your friends find a duck on their own farms, they'll be able to share it on their wall for you to claim (that is, if you're fast enough to claim it before the lost duck is gone).
It's possible that this Belted Duck will only be available for a limited time, although Zynga didn't announce an expiration date for how long the Duck will last on the page. Either way, to be safe, it might be smart to ask your friends for ducks now, rather than later, while you know they're still available.
This Belted Duck is a cute black and white duck that is now available to send to your friends from the Free Gifts page. Likewise, you'll be able to receive the Belted Duck as a free gift from your friends. If that doesn't work for you, however, know that the Belted Duck is also now available to find at random times when playing the game, as a "wandering" animal that appears on your farm.
Of course, this will allow you to share the lost and found Duck with your friends on your wall, and likewise, if any of your friends find a duck on their own farms, they'll be able to share it on their wall for you to claim (that is, if you're fast enough to claim it before the lost duck is gone).
It's possible that this Belted Duck will only be available for a limited time, although Zynga didn't announce an expiration date for how long the Duck will last on the page. Either way, to be safe, it might be smart to ask your friends for ducks now, rather than later, while you know they're still available.
CityVille reaches 100 million players, nearly half of all Facebook gamers
Honestly, we all kind of expected this to happen. CityVille has reached 100 million monthly active players, Mashable reports. Though, it is still staggering to see one Facebook game reach nearly half of all social gamers in just about 40 days when it took the previous champion, FarmVille, months to reach a mere 84 million players. (It's crazy to call 84 million players of a single game "mere," but c'est la vie.)
Actually, CityVille hasn't quite reached the 100 million mark yet, but with 99,903,740 players and up to 400 thousand added daily it truly is only a matter of time, according to Mashable. Regardless of whether CityVille has eclipse the rest of the Zynga game lineup, they're not going anywhere. Zynga games hold four of the top five spots in AppData's list of largest Facebook apps. In fact, a game by another developer doesn't appear on the list until 17th place with Digital Chocolate's Millionaire City. However, it's unlikely that CityVille can retain 100 million monthly players for long much less stay on top. Then again, it's more than likely that it'll be yet another Zynga game that eventually topples the gargantuan city builder.
How long do you think CityVille will remain on top? What game or developer do you think can give CityVille and Zynga a challenge?
Actually, CityVille hasn't quite reached the 100 million mark yet, but with 99,903,740 players and up to 400 thousand added daily it truly is only a matter of time, according to Mashable. Regardless of whether CityVille has eclipse the rest of the Zynga game lineup, they're not going anywhere. Zynga games hold four of the top five spots in AppData's list of largest Facebook apps. In fact, a game by another developer doesn't appear on the list until 17th place with Digital Chocolate's Millionaire City. However, it's unlikely that CityVille can retain 100 million monthly players for long much less stay on top. Then again, it's more than likely that it'll be yet another Zynga game that eventually topples the gargantuan city builder.
How long do you think CityVille will remain on top? What game or developer do you think can give CityVille and Zynga a challenge?
Thứ Bảy, 7 tháng 1, 2012
FarmVille Valentine's Countdown Day 6: Caramel Bear
Caramel Bear
While most of the Valentine's Day items are leaving FarmVille, the Valentine's Countdown presses on. FarmVille Freak reports that this time around, the item of the day is a Caramel Bear. This adorable little plush bear can be yours if you just request it from your friends through a News Feed post. Just click on the heart icon under your status bar and the Valentine's Countdown will appear. Then, click on the "Ask/Share" button to spread the news (and bears).
Have you received the Caramel Bear yet? What do you hope will be the next item in the series?
While most of the Valentine's Day items are leaving FarmVille, the Valentine's Countdown presses on. FarmVille Freak reports that this time around, the item of the day is a Caramel Bear. This adorable little plush bear can be yours if you just request it from your friends through a News Feed post. Just click on the heart icon under your status bar and the Valentine's Countdown will appear. Then, click on the "Ask/Share" button to spread the news (and bears).
Have you received the Caramel Bear yet? What do you hope will be the next item in the series?
AT&T social gaming platform coming to Android phones
Ever since Apple opened up its iPhone to Verizon customers, AT&T has been pouting over its loss of exclusivity through scathing ad campaigns. The carrier hopes to restore some of that with a new project in conjunction with mobile social games network OpenFeint. According to Social Times, this new mobile social games network will be exclusive to Android phones and appears to be a direct competitor with Apple's Game Center for iOS.
OpenFeint is available on both Android and iOS with over 65 million registered players across 4,500 games. An AT&T spokeswoman told Social Times, "The net-net here is that we want developers to build more connected games for our customers." In other words, AT&T wants to scrounge up some level of exclusivity with a platform ... any platform. Will it do any better than Game Center has for iPhones? Isn't "How will AT&T will cope with iPhone 'Big Love'?" a more pressing question?
OpenFeint is available on both Android and iOS with over 65 million registered players across 4,500 games. An AT&T spokeswoman told Social Times, "The net-net here is that we want developers to build more connected games for our customers." In other words, AT&T wants to scrounge up some level of exclusivity with a platform ... any platform. Will it do any better than Game Center has for iPhones? Isn't "How will AT&T will cope with iPhone 'Big Love'?" a more pressing question?
Angry Birds Vs. CityVille: The birds are soaring to social networks
Angry Birds All Good
And here we were, calling out to the heavens, "Who will stand up to the mighty CityVille?" Unsurprisingly, Angry Birds creator Rovio mentioned at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that it will be taking our irate, plump avian friends online and onto social networks (i.e. Facebook). Though, it is surprising that we didn't think of this when drafting our predictions for 2011. Who else could defeat Zynga and the most popular social game ever than the most popular mobile game ever?
While Rovio wouldn't provide any details concerning its imminent move to our web browsers, according to The Next Web, it did say that it plans to bring another 100 million players in the move to Facebook. (Alright, so Facebook isn't confirmed, but the game's Valentine's Day edition suggest otherwise.) Considering the game has already reached 75 million downloads--and social games are free to play--that's not too far a stretch. Not to mention Rovio has the strength of the Angry Birds name, which is just about everywhere from board games to stuffed animals and Super Bowl commercials.
With that kind of following, Zynga should be shakin' in its boots right about now. Especially with CityVille in slow decline from its peak of over 100 million players last month. When your game has been featured in a Super Bowl commercial you probably don't need to worry about that cross promotion nonsense. Since Rovio is currently working on Angry Birds Rio, the birds likely won't be hitting Facebook until Spring at the earliest. Will Rovio prove the naysayers wrong?
And here we were, calling out to the heavens, "Who will stand up to the mighty CityVille?" Unsurprisingly, Angry Birds creator Rovio mentioned at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain that it will be taking our irate, plump avian friends online and onto social networks (i.e. Facebook). Though, it is surprising that we didn't think of this when drafting our predictions for 2011. Who else could defeat Zynga and the most popular social game ever than the most popular mobile game ever?
While Rovio wouldn't provide any details concerning its imminent move to our web browsers, according to The Next Web, it did say that it plans to bring another 100 million players in the move to Facebook. (Alright, so Facebook isn't confirmed, but the game's Valentine's Day edition suggest otherwise.) Considering the game has already reached 75 million downloads--and social games are free to play--that's not too far a stretch. Not to mention Rovio has the strength of the Angry Birds name, which is just about everywhere from board games to stuffed animals and Super Bowl commercials.
With that kind of following, Zynga should be shakin' in its boots right about now. Especially with CityVille in slow decline from its peak of over 100 million players last month. When your game has been featured in a Super Bowl commercial you probably don't need to worry about that cross promotion nonsense. Since Rovio is currently working on Angry Birds Rio, the birds likely won't be hitting Facebook until Spring at the earliest. Will Rovio prove the naysayers wrong?
FarmVille Tree Orchards shrink and shrivel in new size glitch
Mini Orchard
First they were too big, and now they're too small. When are they going to be just right? Orchards in FarmVille have suffered yet another sizing glitch, according to FarmVille Freak. Reports and images have been cropping up from several players claiming that their Orchards have shrunk. And although you might have trouble clicking on your miniature trees, these Orchards are 100 percent functional. Zynga will eventually fix this error like it does for most size glitches. Take your screen shots while this little gem lasts.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you witnessed this glitch on the farm? What has been the most entertaining glitch for you thus far?
First they were too big, and now they're too small. When are they going to be just right? Orchards in FarmVille have suffered yet another sizing glitch, according to FarmVille Freak. Reports and images have been cropping up from several players claiming that their Orchards have shrunk. And although you might have trouble clicking on your miniature trees, these Orchards are 100 percent functional. Zynga will eventually fix this error like it does for most size glitches. Take your screen shots while this little gem lasts.
[Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you witnessed this glitch on the farm? What has been the most entertaining glitch for you thus far?
Earn 250 free FrontierVille Horseshoes through Netflix free trial
Sure, FarmVille has its sponsored links down, but Zynga knows how to make it rain Horseshoes in FrontierVille too. In the most recent promotion on the homestead, pioneers can earn 250 Horseshoes after signing up for a free Netflix trial. If you're one of the millions who already use the service, that's too bad. But for those living under the proverbial rock this is a golden opportunity.
Just click on the banner ad beneath the game screen and you'll be taken to a pop-up. This is a good one, trust us. Follow the link that reads "Place Order Now" to the Netflix homepage. From there, sign up for a free one month trial. After signing up, we suggest allowing at least 30 minutes for the 250 Horseshoes to post to your account.
FrontierVille Netflix
Just be sure to cancel your subscription before the trial transitions into tapping your account monthly. That is, if you end up not digging Netflix (fat chance). Now kick back, boot up the homestead and catch on your backlog of "The Office" episodes. At least that's what I did.
Just click on the banner ad beneath the game screen and you'll be taken to a pop-up. This is a good one, trust us. Follow the link that reads "Place Order Now" to the Netflix homepage. From there, sign up for a free one month trial. After signing up, we suggest allowing at least 30 minutes for the 250 Horseshoes to post to your account.
FrontierVille Netflix
Just be sure to cancel your subscription before the trial transitions into tapping your account monthly. That is, if you end up not digging Netflix (fat chance). Now kick back, boot up the homestead and catch on your backlog of "The Office" episodes. At least that's what I did.
Thứ Năm, 5 tháng 1, 2012
bejeweled blitz, cafe world, Car Town, Cie Games, cityville, CrowdStar, Digital Chocolate, Facebook Game March Madness,
Be excited!
That's right, be excited. All of your Special Delivery stockpiling has come to this. Zynga has just announced that the English Countryside expansion to FarmVille will launch next week. While no specific date and time was mentioned, the company made the announcement on the game's official Facebook page. So, if you're not Level 20 yet, get to it as its required to travel to the EC. Zynga dropped this hint as to how to level up quickly: Strawberries and Aloe Vera are especially great for gaining XP. Not to mention that if you throw down a few Fertilize Alls this weekend, your experience gains will increase as well. If you want to be even more prepared for the release, check out these guides on Traveling to England, Sheep Breeding, Farming the English Countryside and Working with Two Farms. We'll see you on the other side of the pond next week.
[Via FarmVille Feed]
[Image Credit: My Disguises]
Check out the rest of our FarmVille English Countryside coverage right here.
Are you prepared to enter the English Countryside? What's the first thing that you'll do once there?
That's right, be excited. All of your Special Delivery stockpiling has come to this. Zynga has just announced that the English Countryside expansion to FarmVille will launch next week. While no specific date and time was mentioned, the company made the announcement on the game's official Facebook page. So, if you're not Level 20 yet, get to it as its required to travel to the EC. Zynga dropped this hint as to how to level up quickly: Strawberries and Aloe Vera are especially great for gaining XP. Not to mention that if you throw down a few Fertilize Alls this weekend, your experience gains will increase as well. If you want to be even more prepared for the release, check out these guides on Traveling to England, Sheep Breeding, Farming the English Countryside and Working with Two Farms. We'll see you on the other side of the pond next week.
[Via FarmVille Feed]
[Image Credit: My Disguises]
Check out the rest of our FarmVille English Countryside coverage right here.
Are you prepared to enter the English Countryside? What's the first thing that you'll do once there?
March Madness Facebook Game Showdown: Round 1
Every March, the college basketball season ends with its NCAA Basketball tournament. Sixty-eight college basketball teams qualify for a frenzied rush to be named the best team in the nation. The tournament is a single elimination tournament, one loss and your team goes home. Due to the crazed nature of the games and frenetic pace the tournament has been given the name "March Madness."
At the Games.com - The Blog!, we are just as passionate about Facebook games as some people are about basketball. So -- we thought -- what the heck! Let's make a tournament of Facebook games.
Here's how its going to work:
We chose the top 16 games by daily active users and seeded them by their total number of players as of March 17 (St. Patrick's Day felt like a good day to get the numbers.)
All the first round match-ups have been listed in this post.
Vote which game you think should advance. It's that easy!
Vote early and vote often.
We'll tally all the votes over the weekend and set up out second round match ups based on which games got the most votes. It's win or go home time for you favorite Facebook games! Let the madness begin!
In our first match up we have a real David vs. Goliath. Can the upstart Car Town of Cie Games hang in there verses the hulking behemoth of a game in Zynga's CityVille? Car Town has been on the decline for the last month but has retained its most loyal players. Can it hang with the monster of CityVille?
(1) CityVille vs. (16) Car Town
CityVilleCar Town
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The number two seed is Zynga's (You're going to see Zynga a lot) FarmVille. If this had been last year, FarmVille would have been a clear number one. FarmVille has drawn the Games.com Blog's favorite game, Popcap's Zuma Blitz. This is really a match up of two contrasting styles and has different types of players. There is no way FarmVille can lose is there?
(2) FarmVille vs. (15) Zuma Blitz
FarmVilleZuma Blitz
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Our third match-up brings to wildly different styles to the floor. Zynga's Poker, the granddaddy of all Facebook games is taking on the cute bastion of feminine fashion, CrowdStar's It Girl. The audiences for these two games could not be more different. Could this be our first upset match-up?
(3) Zynga Poker vs. (14) It Girl
Zynga PokerIt Girl
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Zynga's FrontierVille locks horns with LOLApps's RavenWood Fair. Two games so similar could really battle to the very end. FrontierVille has the advantage in age but Ravenwood Fair has the leg up on beauty. Could this be an age before beauty situation? It could be a toss up.
(4) FrontierVille vs. (13) RavenWood Fair
FrontierVilleRavenWood Fair
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Popcap's second entry Bejeweled Blitz is the favorite in the dreaded 5 vs. 12 match-up. Wooga's Monster World has history on it's side. In the NCAA basketball tournament the 5 seed is upset more by the 12 seed than an other seeding in tournament history. Could this be Monster World's chance to shock the world?
(5) Bejeweled Blitz vs. (12) Monster World
Bejeweled BlitzMonster World
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Two older games go head to head next Zynga's Cafe World battles Playfish's Pet Society. Both games harken way back to 2009 when Playfish and Zynga were still vying to supremacy for which company would be the biggest on Facebook. (Wow,things have changed)
(6) Cafe World vs. (11) Pet Society
Cafe WorldPet Society
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Zynga's Treasure Isle attempts to vanquish Playfish's Restaurant City in the next match up. Playfish and Zynga have a long history of going head to head and each had a game in nearly every genre in the early days of the Facebook game market. They both be itching to eliminate the other!
(7) Treasure Isle vs. (10) Restaurant City
Treasure IsleRestaurant City
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The dude match-up of the tournament is Zynga's Mafia Wars verses Digital Chocolate's Millionaire City. Both these games have a bit more of an edge and man-centric feel to them. We'll see if they come out fighting.
(8) Mafia Wars vs. (9) Millionaire City
Mafia WarsMillionaire City
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
At the Games.com - The Blog!, we are just as passionate about Facebook games as some people are about basketball. So -- we thought -- what the heck! Let's make a tournament of Facebook games.
Here's how its going to work:
We chose the top 16 games by daily active users and seeded them by their total number of players as of March 17 (St. Patrick's Day felt like a good day to get the numbers.)
All the first round match-ups have been listed in this post.
Vote which game you think should advance. It's that easy!
Vote early and vote often.
We'll tally all the votes over the weekend and set up out second round match ups based on which games got the most votes. It's win or go home time for you favorite Facebook games! Let the madness begin!
In our first match up we have a real David vs. Goliath. Can the upstart Car Town of Cie Games hang in there verses the hulking behemoth of a game in Zynga's CityVille? Car Town has been on the decline for the last month but has retained its most loyal players. Can it hang with the monster of CityVille?
(1) CityVille vs. (16) Car Town
CityVilleCar Town
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
The number two seed is Zynga's (You're going to see Zynga a lot) FarmVille. If this had been last year, FarmVille would have been a clear number one. FarmVille has drawn the Games.com Blog's favorite game, Popcap's Zuma Blitz. This is really a match up of two contrasting styles and has different types of players. There is no way FarmVille can lose is there?
(2) FarmVille vs. (15) Zuma Blitz
FarmVilleZuma Blitz
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Our third match-up brings to wildly different styles to the floor. Zynga's Poker, the granddaddy of all Facebook games is taking on the cute bastion of feminine fashion, CrowdStar's It Girl. The audiences for these two games could not be more different. Could this be our first upset match-up?
(3) Zynga Poker vs. (14) It Girl
Zynga PokerIt Girl
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Zynga's FrontierVille locks horns with LOLApps's RavenWood Fair. Two games so similar could really battle to the very end. FrontierVille has the advantage in age but Ravenwood Fair has the leg up on beauty. Could this be an age before beauty situation? It could be a toss up.
(4) FrontierVille vs. (13) RavenWood Fair
FrontierVilleRavenWood Fair
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com
Popcap's second entry Bejeweled Blitz is the favorite in the dreaded 5 vs. 12 match-up. Wooga's Monster World has history on it's side. In the NCAA basketball tournament the 5 seed is upset more by the 12 seed than an other seeding in tournament history. Could this be Monster World's chance to shock the world?
(5) Bejeweled Blitz vs. (12) Monster World
Bejeweled BlitzMonster World
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Two older games go head to head next Zynga's Cafe World battles Playfish's Pet Society. Both games harken way back to 2009 when Playfish and Zynga were still vying to supremacy for which company would be the biggest on Facebook. (Wow,things have changed)
(6) Cafe World vs. (11) Pet Society
Cafe WorldPet Society
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Zynga's Treasure Isle attempts to vanquish Playfish's Restaurant City in the next match up. Playfish and Zynga have a long history of going head to head and each had a game in nearly every genre in the early days of the Facebook game market. They both be itching to eliminate the other!
(7) Treasure Isle vs. (10) Restaurant City
Treasure IsleRestaurant City
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The dude match-up of the tournament is Zynga's Mafia Wars verses Digital Chocolate's Millionaire City. Both these games have a bit more of an edge and man-centric feel to them. We'll see if they come out fighting.
(8) Mafia Wars vs. (9) Millionaire City
Mafia WarsMillionaire City
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Cafe World 4x Mega Stove: Everything you need to know
While Cafe World's Super Stoves are great and all, offering you one-click cooking that skips all of the ingredient preparation of past gameplay, they still take up the same amount of room as a normal stove, only saving you time, rather than space. In comes Siggy, Cafe World's inventor, to help alleviate that space issue with the introduction of the 4x Mega Stove to the game.
The 4x Mega Stove is as its name suggests - a single stove that allows you to cook four dishes at once. You'll receive one of these stoves for free the next time you login to the game. It will take up the space of one of your allowed stoves in your stove-count, so if you are already at your maximum, you'll have to drag another stove out of your cafe and replace it with this Mega Stove.
Of course, something this fantastic doesn't really come for free, as there's a bit of a (big) catch. While the 4x Mega Stove does have four burners (one each for four different dishes), you'll need to unlock each burner by completing a series of missions. Meet us behind the break to see what those missions are and how to complete them.
To unlock the first burner, you'll need to finish just a single quest, called "Grate Scott!" You'll be able to access this quest (and all over Mega Stove quests) by clicking on the stove to receive the menu at the top of this post. From there, simply click on the "Unlock" button for the burner you're working on, and you'll be able to see your current missions. Grate Scott! asks you to complete three tasks:
Serve BBQ Chicken 10 times
Serve Macaroni and Cheese 15 Times
Get 6 Grates
You'll be able to earn the Grates by clicking on the "Ask" button and then sending out individual gift requests to your friends to help you. While you're waiting, you can work on serving these 25 dishes - BBQ Chicken cooks in 5 hours, while Macaroni and Cheese takes just 2 hours.
From there, you'll be able to work on unlocking the second burner, which requires two quests to be completed.
Siggy's Chips:
Serve Tony's Classic Pizza (five-hour dish)
Serve Chashu Ramen 15 Times (six-hour dish)
Get 8 Computer Chips
Not Enough Metal:
Spice Neighbors' Stoves 4 Times
Serve Rackasaurus Ribs 15 Times (10 hour dish)
Get 10 Metal Plates
This unlocks the second burner on your 4X Mega Stove. To unlock the final two burners, you'll need to complete the following missions:
More Controls!:
Restock Salad Bar 5 Times
Spice Neighbors' Stoves 7 Times
Get 12 Control Knobs
Instant Ignition:
Earn 500,000 coins
Serve Cappuccino 20 Times
Get 14 Igniters
Science Never Sleeps:
Serve Orange Juice 30 Times
Serve Depth Charge 20 Times
Get 16 Drip Bowls
Powering Up!
Serve Chicken Pot Pie 20 Times (two-day dish)
Serve Lox Bagel 30 Times (three-hour dish)
Get 18 LED Displays
As you can see, while it may seem like you've been given a great blessing in having a single stove that cooks four dishes at once, you will definitely have to put forth a lot of effort on your own to actually make the most of this new item. Luckily, there doesn't seem to be any expiration date for when you can still complete your 4x Mega Stove without penalty, so you should be able to tackle these missions casually, as you also work on other things.
Is the 4x Mega Stove worth it? Will you complete it right away, or wait until you finish other (more pressing) missions first?
The 4x Mega Stove is as its name suggests - a single stove that allows you to cook four dishes at once. You'll receive one of these stoves for free the next time you login to the game. It will take up the space of one of your allowed stoves in your stove-count, so if you are already at your maximum, you'll have to drag another stove out of your cafe and replace it with this Mega Stove.
Of course, something this fantastic doesn't really come for free, as there's a bit of a (big) catch. While the 4x Mega Stove does have four burners (one each for four different dishes), you'll need to unlock each burner by completing a series of missions. Meet us behind the break to see what those missions are and how to complete them.
To unlock the first burner, you'll need to finish just a single quest, called "Grate Scott!" You'll be able to access this quest (and all over Mega Stove quests) by clicking on the stove to receive the menu at the top of this post. From there, simply click on the "Unlock" button for the burner you're working on, and you'll be able to see your current missions. Grate Scott! asks you to complete three tasks:
Serve BBQ Chicken 10 times
Serve Macaroni and Cheese 15 Times
Get 6 Grates
You'll be able to earn the Grates by clicking on the "Ask" button and then sending out individual gift requests to your friends to help you. While you're waiting, you can work on serving these 25 dishes - BBQ Chicken cooks in 5 hours, while Macaroni and Cheese takes just 2 hours.
From there, you'll be able to work on unlocking the second burner, which requires two quests to be completed.
Siggy's Chips:
Serve Tony's Classic Pizza (five-hour dish)
Serve Chashu Ramen 15 Times (six-hour dish)
Get 8 Computer Chips
Not Enough Metal:
Spice Neighbors' Stoves 4 Times
Serve Rackasaurus Ribs 15 Times (10 hour dish)
Get 10 Metal Plates
This unlocks the second burner on your 4X Mega Stove. To unlock the final two burners, you'll need to complete the following missions:
More Controls!:
Restock Salad Bar 5 Times
Spice Neighbors' Stoves 7 Times
Get 12 Control Knobs
Instant Ignition:
Earn 500,000 coins
Serve Cappuccino 20 Times
Get 14 Igniters
Science Never Sleeps:
Serve Orange Juice 30 Times
Serve Depth Charge 20 Times
Get 16 Drip Bowls
Powering Up!
Serve Chicken Pot Pie 20 Times (two-day dish)
Serve Lox Bagel 30 Times (three-hour dish)
Get 18 LED Displays
As you can see, while it may seem like you've been given a great blessing in having a single stove that cooks four dishes at once, you will definitely have to put forth a lot of effort on your own to actually make the most of this new item. Luckily, there doesn't seem to be any expiration date for when you can still complete your 4x Mega Stove without penalty, so you should be able to tackle these missions casually, as you also work on other things.
Is the 4x Mega Stove worth it? Will you complete it right away, or wait until you finish other (more pressing) missions first?
CityVille: Premium Goods double in production, maximum capacity raised
If you were unsatisfied with the amount of Premium Goods you could both produce and store in CityVille's relatively new Factory feature, you'll be happy to know that Zynga has changed both of these elements for the better, allowing you to earn more Premium Goods when you gather your friends' help on each job.
Now, Factories now pay out double the amount of Premium Goods per worker (that is, friend) that you have helping on your job. That is, if a job used to pay out a bonus of 55 Premium Goods for each worker you had helping, you'd now receive 110 Premium Goods on that same job, by collecting just a single friend.
To account for the excess Premium Goods you'll now have on hand, Zynga has also doubled the amount of storage you'll have by default for Premium Goods to a total of 2,000 Premium Goods. This is on top of your normal Goods storage, and is not affected by how large that storage bar happens to be - it is an entirely separate meter.
It seems as though Zynga is started to move in the right direction, adding things that help the game rather than hurt it (at least in the eyes of the majority of players). We'll make sure to let you know if this trend continues in the future.
What do you think of these alterations to the Factory system? Have you even built the Factory in your town, or did you think it was too large to care about?
Now, Factories now pay out double the amount of Premium Goods per worker (that is, friend) that you have helping on your job. That is, if a job used to pay out a bonus of 55 Premium Goods for each worker you had helping, you'd now receive 110 Premium Goods on that same job, by collecting just a single friend.
To account for the excess Premium Goods you'll now have on hand, Zynga has also doubled the amount of storage you'll have by default for Premium Goods to a total of 2,000 Premium Goods. This is on top of your normal Goods storage, and is not affected by how large that storage bar happens to be - it is an entirely separate meter.
It seems as though Zynga is started to move in the right direction, adding things that help the game rather than hurt it (at least in the eyes of the majority of players). We'll make sure to let you know if this trend continues in the future.
What do you think of these alterations to the Factory system? Have you even built the Factory in your town, or did you think it was too large to care about?
CityVille: New decorations accompany Dance Studio Goals
Yesterday, we brought you a complete guide to CityVille's new quest line surrounding the introduction of a Russian Dance Studio to your city. If you are interested in adding more items to your town in the same Russian theme, you'll be happy to know that a duo of new decorative items are now available in the game's store.
These items are inspired by Russian Stacking Dolls, and in fact, one of these items is one such doll. The Stacking Doll is a decorative item that can be placed near a business to add a 1% boost to its payout. You can purchase a single Stacking Doll from the store for 300 coins.
The other item is the Pigeon Popper, which looks incredibly similar to the Stacking Doll (in terms of the item's shape), but is of course themed after a Pigeon, rather than a Russian woman. It is also much more expensive, being a premium item costing 8 City Cash. The Pigeon Popper adds a 2% bonus to all surrounding buildings.
For a complete look at the other items released in this theme, which include the Dance Studio itself and the Fine Arts Theatre, make sure to check out our guide.
What do you think of these new decorations? Do you like cultural decorations in your game, or would you be happy with a never-ending supply of new flowers, trees, and the like?
These items are inspired by Russian Stacking Dolls, and in fact, one of these items is one such doll. The Stacking Doll is a decorative item that can be placed near a business to add a 1% boost to its payout. You can purchase a single Stacking Doll from the store for 300 coins.
The other item is the Pigeon Popper, which looks incredibly similar to the Stacking Doll (in terms of the item's shape), but is of course themed after a Pigeon, rather than a Russian woman. It is also much more expensive, being a premium item costing 8 City Cash. The Pigeon Popper adds a 2% bonus to all surrounding buildings.
For a complete look at the other items released in this theme, which include the Dance Studio itself and the Fine Arts Theatre, make sure to check out our guide.
What do you think of these new decorations? Do you like cultural decorations in your game, or would you be happy with a never-ending supply of new flowers, trees, and the like?
Thứ Ba, 3 tháng 1, 2012
Zynga, well, drops Drop7 Free on iOS, ad-free $2.99 version available
Since Zynga acquired NewToy in late 2010, the developer behind Words with Friends, it has been serious about mobile gaming. This is the company's next major release, and its not FrontierVille Mobile--it's Drop7. Both a color and number-matching puzzler, Drop7 lives in a strange world where Tetris and Bejeweled are just best friends. The game features three difficulty levels, public leader boards and automatically saves your state when closed through the Home button. The free version, of course, contains ads, though the company offers an ad-free version for $2.99. Does this mean a future in original, (possibly non-social) mobile games from Zynga? If that depends on this critically-acclaimed title, then yes, most likely.
[Image Credit: iTunes; Zynga]
Have you played Drop7 on your iOS device yet? What do you think about Zynga's mobile efforts thus far?
[Image Credit: iTunes; Zynga]
Have you played Drop7 on your iOS device yet? What do you think about Zynga's mobile efforts thus far?
Zynga lures retired FarmVille farmers with 20 free Farm Cash, English Hen
First, Zynga is asking us those awkward questions as if it was your insecure girlfriend. ("Would you recommend me?") Now, the company is trying to buy you back after you left her high and dry. Players who have returned to FarmVille after extended hiatuses are now greeted with a message offering them 20 free Farm Cash and an English Hen. No, she hasn't found someone else, and you're her one and only. Well you and another few million players. Did Zynga ever think that's why you left her, huh? Not enough time for you when she was catering to 80 million more players. What's that, you say? You're giving up 20 Free Farm Cash? Alright, we'll come back ... for now.
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you been greeted with this offer or heard of someone who has? What do you think of Zynga almost rewarding disloyal players?
[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]
Have you been greeted with this offer or heard of someone who has? What do you think of Zynga almost rewarding disloyal players?
April Fools! CityVille Energy Bandits Goal: Everything you need to know
Even CityVille is taking part in the tomfoolery of April 1 with a new mini-goal of sorts, "Energy Bandits." In addition to your everyday Bandits, Energy thieves have appeared in CityVille, and it's your job to capture them personally. Upon logging into the game and collecting from a few properties, Sam will appear exclaiming, "The energy bandits have been seen in your town!" Clicking OK will present you a treat.
Save Energy!
Catch as many Bandits as you can in 30 seconds
As soon as you press that "OK" button, Sam will ready you to click on as many Energy Bandits as possible. When you accept, you'll have 30 seconds to catch as many Bandits as possible. The Bandits will then literally appear in the street and you must click as many as possible to get that much Energy in return as a reward.
ENergy Bandits on the loose
When you complete the shortest Goal in the game ever, a message appears reading, "April Fools!" A happy April Fools it has been, as you'll find that Energy posted to your total for being a quick clicker. Let's hope Zynga gets into more skill-based Goals and, better yet, games down the line.
Have you seen this Goal in your city yet? How many Bandit did you capture at once?
Save Energy!
Catch as many Bandits as you can in 30 seconds
As soon as you press that "OK" button, Sam will ready you to click on as many Energy Bandits as possible. When you accept, you'll have 30 seconds to catch as many Bandits as possible. The Bandits will then literally appear in the street and you must click as many as possible to get that much Energy in return as a reward.
ENergy Bandits on the loose
When you complete the shortest Goal in the game ever, a message appears reading, "April Fools!" A happy April Fools it has been, as you'll find that Energy posted to your total for being a quick clicker. Let's hope Zynga gets into more skill-based Goals and, better yet, games down the line.
Have you seen this Goal in your city yet? How many Bandit did you capture at once?
FrontierVille: See building progress and ask for items before loading the game
While FrontierVille may be adored by many, there is one widespread complaint amongst even the most diehard fans - that the game takes quite a bit of time to load, which is especially true the higher the level that you reach. Zynga is attempting to help ease the burden on some players, who may only login to check on their building project status, as they have added a new progress window that now appears seemingly every time you play the game.
Instead of forcing the game to load in its entirety, you're shown a list of three building materials that you currently need, and are given the option of asking friends for that particular item via its own button. You never have to enter the game, as you're told how many you still need for your current task, so you know just how many friends to send requests to. Of course, this isn't mandatory, as you can always click the "Maybe Later. Play FrontierVille!" button to access the game as normal, but it is a nice new option all the same.
Have you seen this new item progress screen show up when you try to load FrontierVille?
Instead of forcing the game to load in its entirety, you're shown a list of three building materials that you currently need, and are given the option of asking friends for that particular item via its own button. You never have to enter the game, as you're told how many you still need for your current task, so you know just how many friends to send requests to. Of course, this isn't mandatory, as you can always click the "Maybe Later. Play FrontierVille!" button to access the game as normal, but it is a nice new option all the same.
Have you seen this new item progress screen show up when you try to load FrontierVille?
FarmVille Sneak Peek: European Pear & Cherry Plum Trees
It looks as though two new trees will be coming to FarmVille as early as this weekend, as we've come across unreleased images of both trees in their harvest-ready state, along with mastery signs proving that Zynga is in fact working on them for future release.
The trees are the European Pear Tree and the Cherry Plum Tree. It should be noted that as these trees are so different from each other visually, we doubt that one will be the Mystery Seedling of the other, so could there be two other trees waiting to be discovered out there? Perhaps a giant version of both?
While it's presumable that at least the European Pear Tree will be in the current English Countryside limited edition theme, anything is possible at this point, so make sure to keep checking back with us, as we let you know whether you'll be able to place these trees on your Home Farm, your English Countryside farm, or both.
In the meantime, let us know how much you'd be willing to pay for these trees in the comments. 5 Farm Cash? 10 Farm Cash? Or, would you rather they be available for coins? We'd love to know what you think.
The trees are the European Pear Tree and the Cherry Plum Tree. It should be noted that as these trees are so different from each other visually, we doubt that one will be the Mystery Seedling of the other, so could there be two other trees waiting to be discovered out there? Perhaps a giant version of both?
While it's presumable that at least the European Pear Tree will be in the current English Countryside limited edition theme, anything is possible at this point, so make sure to keep checking back with us, as we let you know whether you'll be able to place these trees on your Home Farm, your English Countryside farm, or both.
In the meantime, let us know how much you'd be willing to pay for these trees in the comments. 5 Farm Cash? 10 Farm Cash? Or, would you rather they be available for coins? We'd love to know what you think.
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