|  |  |  | | | | | Games.com News. CityVille, FarmVille, CastleVille games news | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
While we already know that social networking platform Pixwoo is out to woo some major game developers, we'll now finally be able to see what the big fuss is about, as the platform officially launched in the United States today (Pixwoo has already launched in the UK and France).
While Pixwoo can initially be described as another version of "Facebook," with individual profile pages, friends, the ability for users to follow their favorite developers, games and so on, the platform offers lots of exclusive features for video gaming professionals, from publishers and developers to soundtrack composers and even those in public relations (in fact, the point of Pixwoo is to be the "video gamer's social network"). Each individual or company can have its own page, where users can sign up for newsletter reminders, vote in polls or surveys or simply keep up-to-date with the latest happenings of these industry pros.
In addition to these features, Pixwoo will offer recommendations to online gamers for new games to try or site-based groups to join based on their own interests and information posted on their individual Pixwoo profiles.
"Pixwoo was created to provide a platform for all types of gamers and industry members to connect and communicate with one another," said Pascal Vielhescaze, CEO and founder of Pixwoo, via a company press release. "The world of video games is such a rich and content-filled one. The video game world has expanded beyond people who play video games and has infiltrated pop culture and lifestyles in general. We wanted to create a dedicated social networking space for everyone interested in video games to come together and share their passion. We want everyone in the industry asking each other: 'Do you Pixwoo?'"
With partnerships with major gaming companies like Sega, Ubisoft and Namco, Pixwoo definitely wants to be taken seriously, and interested gamers in the US can now sign up for an account by visiting Pixwoo.com.
Have you created an account on Pixwoo? What do you think of video game-centric social networks as opposed to the broad scope of Facebook? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  "John Romero and I are ferocious Ghost Recon players," Loot Drop COO and Ghost Recon Commander designer Brenda Brathwaite admits. "John has over 200 hours and I'm probably not far behind him in certainly the 180's -190's in terms of hours played." Of course, Ubisoft noticed this when it sought to make a Ghost Recon social game, and about six months later, Ghost Recon Commander (GRC) was born on Facebook.
Now, GRC is available for all to play. While we didn't particularly enjoy the experience, about 50,000 players monthly might. But how does Brathwaite feel about the reactions overall? "I've been overall really happy with the press that it has gotten, especially in the hardcore space. Because the hard players tend to just go 'Facebook? No!' and that's about the end of their thoughts on it," Brathwaite tells us. "And I've also been simultaneously excited that it seems people who traditionally review Facebook games are looking at it not as a Facebook game, but as a more hardcore game."
"Facebook games basically ship in beta. Not everything is all baked in yet. You want to see how people react, how people feel about things," Brathwaite says. "So it's a crazy, wild and busy time. Overall, the response to the game has been super-positive, which is great. As is to be expected, when your game gets out there on thousands of machines, you're going to find some bugs that you just didn't catch. And for that we're grateful--all of our engineers are on fire fixing those."
Technical issues aside, the fact that GRC focused more on a slower-paced, perhaps tactical approach to the Ghost Recon series took us aback, especially when stacked up against what the series has grown into on consoles and PCs. Brathwaite has her reasons for taking GRC in the direction that she did, namely out of respect of both the source material and the Facebook platform.
"If someone wanted a Ghost Recon first person experience there is Ghost Recon Online, Future Soldier--it already exists. It already exists, in fact, at a phenomenally high level of fidelity," Brathwaite points out. "So, there is no reason to recreate that in flash on the Facebook ecosystem. I wanted to make it turned-based. I knew really early on what I wanted it to be like, and I guess if Ghost Recon could somehow meet Jagged Alliance and X-Com, it would be something similar to that. Especially technology wise, there is a fair comparison there."
"That's how 100 million people play on Facebook. If I'm playing an asynchronous, turn-based game, I don't want to come back to Facebook and discover that just because you put five hours into the game ,and I only had 20 minutes, that you've now won. That's not fair."
%Gallery-155863% Ultimately, it boils down to that Loot Drop wanted to craft a Facebook that somehow appealed to fans of the series (i.e. "hardcore" gamers) and folks that have been playing social games for some time. The result is a game that's far slower-paced than, say, Ghost Recon Future Soldier, but one that attempts to be a "gamer's game" in ways that are more behind the scenes. Take the ways in which GRC takes gunfire into consideration, for instance:
"Each one of the guns has its own statistics. What things does that bullet go through," Brathwaite says. "Like, is there a possibility? What is the accuracy? What is the possibility that it could hit the tree? So it's really calculating all those things."
If there's one thing we truly admired about GRC, it was how Loot Drop handled social play in the game. GRC respects the fact that, regardless of whether most Facebook games feature asynchronous multiplayer, there are real people behind those Facebook profiles. Attaching values to friends based on their personal performance helps it feel more as if, when you hire those friends asynchronously, that they're on the battlefield with you. Even Brathwaite admits that sometimes these features are an afterthought, but not in GRC.
"In developing these games, for the most part, it's an afterthought," Brathwaite concedes. "Like, 'How are we going to reward them?' 'I don't know, just give them ten coins ... sounds good to me.' 'OK, all right, let's do it.' And, and it sort of becomes what I refer to as a form of bribery. It just to me seemed like, 'What, I'm going to go click and collect five bullets, right?' And it was just like, 'I'm not putting this in this game. This is a horrible idea.'"
Now that GRC is out in the wild, Brathwaite's job has turned into somewhat of a quality assurance guru ... with work on the game's upcoming features--like, say, player versus player--squeezing their way in there somehow. "We are reading all the feedback," Brathwaite assures. "One of the junior designers right now has the task of going through every single forum message, crawling through it, and I read every single review of the game."
As for the future, planning in the Facebook game world isn't that simple, we're told. Regardless, this Loot Drop designer still revels in the fact that she was able to be a part of her favorite game series.
"I still can't believe that I got an opportunity to work on my favorite franchise. I'm not exaggerating if there's at least a dozen things I feel a desperate need to do, whether or not I'll get to do them," Brathwaite gushes. "Especially in the Facebook stage, you don't plan for years, you literally have to plan for the very short term because the platform itself and games on the platform change so much that if you look out too far, you're just fooling yourself."
Do you dig Ghost Recon Commander on Facebook? What about Brathwaite's approach to the game or her reactions to its critics? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Save the Quest family legacy in today's Game of the Day, Sarah Quest: The Pharaoh's Trap, an adventure match-3 puzzler set in the ruins of Egypt. Armed with just dynamite and her brains, Sarah Quest must brave treacherous traps to advance through the tombs of Pharaohs for treasure.
Fifty levels of puzzling action across ten burial sites are needed to beat this game, and while this is a match-3 game, it's unique because it contains multiple play modes. For example, Arcade mode is the most regular one, where you need to clear a certain number of rows. Locked mode has chained up blocks that you must free by making matches. Puzzle mode requires the most trial and error, but lucky for you, there's an undo button. If you love a little bit of variety in your match-3 puzzlers, Sarah Quest: The Pharaoh's Trap is the treasure you're looking for.
Play Sarah Quest: The Pharaoh's Trap!
What's your favorite mode to play in Sarah Quest: The Pharaoh's Trap? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Maybe you're tired of slashing at fruit. Perhaps you want a little more gore in your iPhone games. There are plenty of reasons to give Zynga's newest mobile game, Zombie Swipeout, a shot. The number one reason, of course, is the fact that it's free to play on both iPhone and iPad.
Taking the swiping game hook popularized by Fruit Ninja and swapping out fruits for adorable, blood-filled zombies, Zombie Swipeout looks to add some edge and humor to the sub genre. In true Zynga style, this Zynga Mobile Germany (or GameDoctors) release employs an energy system, but mixes things up with the power of choice.
More specifically, should players accidentally slice up Joey--the game's protagonist and only obstacle--they have the option to redeem their game with a first aid kit. (Of course, more of these game-savers will cost you.) Sure, it's yet another way to get players to pay up, but at the very least it's an interesting one. Well, the bright side is that you don't have to pay anything to take a blade or bludgeon to some zombies.
%Gallery-155665% Click here to download Zombie Swipeout on iPhone or iPad for Free Now >
Are you interested in giving Zombie Swipeout a try? Does this game separate itself enough from hits like Fruit Ninja? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Has your neck recovered from that double-take? Good, because this is no joke. A&E Television Networks and History have released a mobile game tie-in for its (somehow) hit reality TV series Swamp People. Known by the same name as its television-borne predecessor, Swamp People lets players build their very own home base in the swamps of Louisiana for absolutely free.
But wait, there's more: Players also get venture out into the swamplands with various upgradeable boats and weapons to hunt six different types of gators. A variety of gator traps are also at players' disposal as they hunt in a full-blown 3D bayou. These boats aren't just for hunting, however, as players can race against computer-controlled swampers across eight courses.
Of course, Game Center tracks all the gator-gating and stacks you up against your friends. Interested yet? No? Well, nothing else we say can help then, aside from that this is likely the only game on the App Store that lets you hunt down alligators in the swamps of the south. Good or bad, that has to count for something ... right?
Click here to download Swamp People on iOS for Free Now >
Are you a fan of Swamp People on A&E? Does the show warrant its own mobile game? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's spring ... summer practically, so get outside and under the sun already! Don't worry: That doesn't mean you have to do without your precious games for long. That's the very beauty of the smartphone--and it's easy to argue that gaming has become a primary function of the iPhone and Android phones at this point.
What's even better is that you can game for free. Crazy, we know! But not all of the free games are any good, so we present to you the top 10 free iPhone and Android games of May. (Click the links to download .)
Top Free iOS Games 1. Cut The Rope: Experiments
Consider this is the first game for Apple to feature as its first Free App of the Day, this should come as no surprise. Well, that and the fact that it's a brilliant puzzler created by ZeptoLab--err, sorry. We mean opinion ... nah, that's a fact. Download this one already.
2. Subway Surfers
This gem (pictured right) by Kiloo and Sybo Games was enough to impress our very own Brandy Shaul. A take on the style of endless runner that Temple Run popularized last year, Subway Surfers some slick animation and colorful, cartoon-like visuals where its predecessor doesn't.
3. 100 Floors
Tobi Apps Limited has crafted a puzzler that tasks players with getting to the top by way of solving numerous puzzles that play with the many functions of the iPhone's multitouch screen. Consider it a trial and error in prying open the elevator doors via puzzles.
4. Logos Quiz Game
How well do you know your brands? That's what Jver Estarriaga and AticoD's new trivia game wants to know. A quiz game that throws various logos at you, Logos also throws players some bones with hints and the option to seek the help of friends via Facebook.
5. PipeRoll
Navigation-Info Kft. has released its own take on what this writer dubs the "pathing puzzle." PipeRoll sees players connecting various plug-holes as quickly as possible across over 100 levels. Throw in four different types of fluid and you have quite the challenge ahead.
6. Men in Black 3
Who doesn't love a good old branded game--wait--don't answer that question. Well, that's (at least one thing) what Gameloft is known best for. MIB 3 looks as if Jay and Kay took a trip to CityVille, aliens and high-tech weapons in tow. Just what the secret agent ordered?
7. Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? & Friends
Ludia's mobile take on the hit game show looks to be somewhat of a port of its Facebook version to the iPhone. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Compete against six of your friends in daily competitions of fifth grade-level trivia and even score their help on the harder questions.
8. Highway Rider
Talk about a game to teach you the ropes of reckless driving. Derek Arndt's "tilt to live" game rewards players that steer their motorcycle as close to adjacent cars as possible without crashing into them. A police outrun mode and nitrous boosts make for a legal exploration of the lawless.
9. Trade Nations
From the makers of the brilliant Battle Nations, Z2Live, this city builder climbs up the charts once more with a decidedly western theme update. Trade Nations is now known as Trade Nations Frontier, complete with a brand spanking new Fame system.
10. Mega Run
If you've ever played Mega Jump, just go on and download this game (pictured above) already. Get Set Games' newest adventure for its little red mascot--aptly named "Redford"--sends him to the right rather than upward, and it looks just as enjoyable and addicting as before.
Top Free Android Games 1. Temple Run
One of the greatest endless runners ever crafted for mobile phones, Imangi Studios' masterpiece deserves your time ... plain and simple. If you want an endless runner that spins the concept on its head and truly challenges your reaction time, have at it.
2. Angry Birds Space
Since there's nothing left to say, here's a newsy but about Rovio's foul-flinger: It's officially out on Facebook. Oh, and it's quite a smashing good time.
3. Angry Birds
Hey, did you know that a Finnish Formula One racer is set to get his very own Angry Birds game? Yup, he's that cool.
4. Draw Something
OMGPOP and Zynga's seminal, social take on Pictionary deserves every download it gets, if only for the fact that no one seems to have thought of it/done it first. (That's at least worth a pat on the back ... right?)
5. Basketball Shoot
This is one of those sublimely simple games (pictured above) that smartphones are so well suited for. Just touch and drag a line to the net and let the balls fly. No wonder RunnerGames' Basketball Shoot is so high on the charts.
6. Cut The Rope
Again, ZeptoLab's puzzler is worth your time. There's not much more to say than that this is one adorably addictive game. Oh, and that it's free--that always helps.
7. Fruit Ninja
Halfbrick's pride and joy is another of those gems that embodies the beauty of simplicity that layers depth underneath. Also, here are 10 things you probably didn't know about Fruit Ninja.
8. Logo Quiz
Will ya look-it that: J-Roen has its very own logo trivia game. (We smell a trend here.) Lucky you has a way to test his or her knowledge of brands on Android devices.
9. Words With Friends
You know, this is the thing with Android, and I just have to say it: There's probably a reason why the top free games are big hits that are also old news. This is one helluva game, but you probably knew that already.
10. Jewels Star
ITreeGamer's match three game (pictured right) doesn't seem to even try to differentiate itself from the proverbial king of gem-crushers, Bejeweled. But, then again, this is free and the real deal isn't, so there's that.
[Source and Image Credits: Apple, Google]
What's your favorite iPhone or Android game of this month? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  The "endless runner" genre on iPhone and iPad has plenty of options, as games like Temple Run, Jetpack Joyride and countless others have climbed the iTunes app charts by offering variations on the survival concept: make it as far as you can in a single direction without failing. While many of these games offer hectic and even stressful experiences as you run or climb in each environment, Retro Dreamer's new iPhone and iPad game Duckers offers a relaxing, yet still satisfying take on the same premise.
In Duckers, you'll find yourself placed in the role of a series of absolutely adorable critters (mostly ducks) that are searching for treasure. While digging in the ground one day, a lone blue duck finds a jar containing a magical blue light or flame that gives the animals the power to mine through endless layers of dirt and collect dozens of treasures along the way. The basic action in Duckers is rather slow-moving and deliberate, as you're shown your animal at the top of the screen and must then tap and drag in the downward direction you'd like the character to move (like a torpedo through the ground), aiming him/her at treasures while also avoiding obstacles.
These obstacles become more difficult to avoid or at least more frequent as you descend into the earth, and come in the form of spike strips, spike-backed turtles, electric lines, turrets and more. If you run into one of these, it's game over, but there are plenty of upgrades and power-ups that you can purchase in the store (using the coins you've earned by collecting treasures) that will allow you to extend your game time, either by reviving a fallen critter or by simply allowing you to take a few hits before actually failing a level. You can also purchase additional environments for your game, allowing the critters to dig through layers of ice, volcanic rock and even cake and icing!
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While the majority of your time with Duckers will be spent digging through the earth, you'll occasionally come upon caverns as you're mining. These put you into freefall and bring in tilt controls, as you'll tilt your device to dodge obstacles (both moving and stationary) while collecting lots of bonus treasures along the way. Outside of these two major features, the game relies heavily on upgrades in the store to keep the mining fresh, so it would have been nice to see some sort of missions system implemented as well (say, collect 100 purple crystals, or dodge five electricity obstacles, as examples).
Even without missions, Duckers is still an entertaining experience, made all the more so with the inclusion of some incredibly cute art and animations. While Duckers may not be as challenging as other games in the genre, it's available to download for free, so there's really no excuse not to try it out and see if the more relaxed setup is to your liking.
Click here to download Duckers on iTunes --->
Have you tried Duckers on your iPhone or iPad? What do you think of the game's theme and graphics? Share your thoughts on this one with us in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
If you're tired of waiting for your animals, crops and trees to become "ready" to feed or harvest in Pioneer Trail, you can now use the new Fast Forward Boost to speed up the time it takes for these items to get ready. Of course, this Fast Forward Boost isn't simply being given away, and you'll need to build a new Clock Tower to actually access it. This feature is available to users that have reached at least Level 18, and we're here with a guide to help you finish the Clock Tower and its associated goals.
Take Time - Place the Town Square
- Place the Clock Tower
- Craft 2 Sun Dials
The Sun Dials are decorations that can crafted using Marble Pedestals and Brass Clock Hands, both of which can be earned by asking your friends to send them to you. You'll receive 450 XP, four Raccoons and two Brass Forges for completing this goal.
Where's Polo - Tend 15 Raccoons
- Clear 15 Rocks
- Use the Fast Forward Boost
After you've completed the first phase of the Clock Tower, you'll be able to access the Fast Forward Boost in the same way as you'd access a Daily Bonus in another building. This first stage of the Fast Forward Boost is worth a 20% time increase. You'll receive four Brass Forges, two Green Lightning and 950 XP for completing this goal.
Wandered Off - Tend 40 Animals on Neighbors' Homesteads
- Clear 15 Withered Crops on Neighbors' Homesteads
- Complete Phase 2 of the Clock Tower
Once you reach the second level of the Clock Tower, the bonus will move from 20% to 40%. You'll receive four Fully Grown Pine Trees, two Great Madrone Trees and four more Brass Forges for completing this goal. These Great Madrone Trees are incredibly special, in that they take 10 days to become ready, but are worth 640 experience when you harvest them. Your Homestead is limited to owning just 20 Great Madrone Trees, and they can't be stored.
Ring the Chimes - Craft 2 Stone Gargoyles
- Place 15 Great Madrone Trees
- Finish the Clock Tower
When you've finished the final phase of the Clock Tower, the Fast Forward Boost will increase to 60%. You can craft the Stone Gargoyles (which are decorations) by using Crude Stones and Chisel Kits. The Chisel Kits come from friends, while the Crude Stone can be earned when clearing Rocks. For completing this final goal, you'll receive 6,400 XP, an Aged Salmon Boost and two Coastal Pine Trees.
Overall, you'll have two new collections to complete along with this feature: the Clock Tower Collection and the Madrone Collection. There are also Brass Forges, Raccoons and Great Madrone Trees to send to your friends via the game's free gifts page. Good luck finishing off these goals and accessing the Fast Forward Boost!
[Via and image credit: Zynga]
What do you think of this Clock Tower building and the Fast Forward Boost? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
It might not seem like enough time has passed, but Zynga is ready to celebrate FarmVille's third anniversary on Facebook with the launch of the Anniversary Fountain. The Fountain can be found at the side of your farm and then upgraded through four levels in a timed event. Each stage of the construction has its own time limit, similar to the setup with the Garden Tea Party that launched in April. Here's a detailed rundown of the different stages and the prizes you'll receive at the end.
Stage 1: Party Goods Requirements - 6 Anniversary Gifts
- 6 Party Centerpieces
- 10 Cupcakes
You can ask your friends to send you these items, or can purchase them with Farm Cash. You'll receive a 3-Year Hot Air Balloon for finishing this first stage of the event.
Stage 2: Party Favors Requirements
You'll need to ask your friends to send you Party Favors by posting a general news feed item on your wall. You'll receive a Party Goat for completing this stage.
Stage 3: Party Planners Requirements - Invite 8 Friends to Help Plan the Birthday Party
You'll invite these friends via individual requests sent out to each friend. You'll receive a "Settling Stallion" for completing this step.
Stage 4: Party Celebration Requirements
- 10 Animal Balloons
- 15 Party Hats
- 15 Fountain Flowers
You can earn these items via a combination of general news items and individual requests fro friends, or you can purchase them with Farm Cash. Also be on the lookout for free items posted on your friends' news feeds. You'll finally receive the finished Birthday Fountain for completing this fourth stage, and you'll have until June 13 to finish off this final stage. Overall, if you finish one stage before another, you can pay Farm Cash to unlock the next stage early, or just wait for it to unlock on its own. Good luck finishing everything in time!
What do you think of this 3rd Anniversary Birthday Fountain? Sound off in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  In Zynga's second round of cross-promotional activities amongst its many games and Zynga Bingo, CastleVille players have finally been given some incentive to play Zynga's Bingo game on Facebook, as they are now being offered three prizes for reaching Level 6 in that number daubing game.
Once you reach Level 6 in Zynga Bingo, you'll be able to come back to your Kingdom in CastleVille and will receive two Gold Bricks, three Hypercrafts and a potion worth 30 Energy points. Remember, the different rooms in Zynga Bingo offer different amounts of experience points per number daubed, so you'll want to keep track of how many points you'll earn per daub, per room, in order to reach Level 6 as quickly and painlessly as possible.
There's no guarantee that this cross-promotion and its prizes will be active forever, so make sure to play Zynga Bingo sooner, rather than later, in order to earn all of these prizes.
Will you try Zynga Bingo to earn free items in CastleVille? Had you already reached Level 6 before this promotion launched? Sound off in the comments.
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Over the next week, a new theme of boosts will roll out in Arkadium's Mahjongg Dimensions Blast on Facebook, offering players a chance to celebrate the natural elements of Air, Water, Earth and Fire. Of these different Puzzle Boosts, only the Air and Fire options are available now, with the Fire Puzzle being available to purchase in blocks of 10 for 50 Facebook Credits (or $5 US).
As for the Earth and Water Puzzle Boosts, both of these will be available to access on June 4. In the meantime, you can look forward to all four of these puzzles being easier than the standard game, offering fewer symbols to match and granting the ability to earn tons of points as a result. Only the Fire Puzzle Boost is a Super Puzzle, which is larger than the others, but still fairly simple in terms of how many different symbols are available on the tile blocks.
Regardless of the Puzzle Boost you activate, you'll be met with a themed background and tiles to match, which will help keep your time with the game fresh. Just make sure to play these four themed puzzles while you can, as they won't be around forever. Good luck earning massive scores!
Are you excited to try out these four new Puzzle Boosts in Mahjongg Dimensions? What's your high score in the game thus far? Sound off in the comments.
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The launch of the Unicornucopia quests and party in CastleVille is really only part of the game's new Unicorn-themed event, as new limited edition items have also been added to the game's store for your shopping pleasure. There are only nine items available to purchase as of this writing, but it's enough to get you started at truly decorating your Kingdom to welcome these magical new creatures.
Pink Unicorn Tree - 15 Crowns
Rainbow Flower - 5,000 coins
Unicorn Breastplate (Female only) - 12 Crowns
Unicorn Cottage - 29 Crowns
Unicorn Crossing Sign - 30 Reputation Points
Unicorn Helmet (Male only) - 6 Crowns
Unicorn Horse - 25 Crowns
Unicorn Skirt (Female only) - 5,000 coins
Unicorn Tiara (Female only) - 6 Crowns
As a bit of clarification, the Unicorn Horse is a regular horse dressed in a unicorn costume, so both names definitely work in its name. While there's no specific expiration date listed alongside these items, we do know they'll only be available for a limited time, so shop fast while we know they're still available.
What do you think of the new Unicornucopia themed items in the CastleVille marketplace? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's one of the games on iPhone and iPad that embodies pure, beautiful simplicity, so who knew Fruit Ninja had so much to hide? Developer Halfbrick Studios had executive producer Luke Muscat and marketing officer Phil Larson tell GameSpot Australia 10 things that we didn't know about its mega-popular fruit flayer. Well ... until now.
How about the fact that Fruit Ninja's base concept of slicing flying fruit took a mere three days to make? (The rest of development was all about that gorgeous polish.) Did you know that Fruit Ninja is currently being played in hospitals as part of a study with Neuroscience Australia to help treat stroke patients? Oh, the things you never knew about your phone's primary function.
Are you still digging Fruit Ninja after all these years? What's your favorite little factoid? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Pro tip: If you don't want everyone in the office to know that you're playing a Facebook at work, wait to play You Don't Know Jack (YDKJ) until you get home. Jellyvision Games' social take on its hit trivia game series is that laugh-out-loud funny. The developer has pulled no punches in bringing its most beloved franchise to Facebook, making for an irreverent, hilarious trivia romp specially tailored for social gamers (in ways both good and bad).
Rather than the quite lengthy sessions players are used to in previous renditions of YDKJ, its Facebook version features games of just five questions, with a few specials among the standard trivia. Favorites like "Dis or Dat" are back--and the iconic "Jack Attack" is always the final round--but goofy, new round types such as "Elephant, Mustard, Teddy Roosevelt or Dracula" make their debut in YDKJ on Facebook.
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Games go by as quickly as they start, peppered with hilarious voice over work courtesy of none other than Cookie Masterson and phony advertisements for businesses like "Animal Lovers' Boutique." You're almost guaranteed to let out a laugh or two every game, but only if there were more of said games to play.
Players are given five free rounds of trivia to start off with and a free round for every level they reach, with the money the earn from each game contributing to a green meter on their home screen leading up to the next level. Other than that, the only to play more rounds than the one doled out for free daily is to pay up via Facebook Credits. For a game with such a shining presentation to be so stingy in how often it lets its players enjoy that polish for free leaves a harsh sting.
Salt to the wound is the fact that, rounds do not seem to be played in real-time with other players. And if, in fact, it is in real time, finding a way to play with your friends in real time is a challenge, if nigh impossible. When Games.com's Libe Goad and I attempted to join a game together from the "Friends" tab in YDKJ, it appeared that she was playing with me right up until the list of contestants appeared.
While this writer's ugly mug appeared in her game, hers did not appear in mine, and the two of us were presented with completely different questions. Since the lack of any real-time play appears to be the case, the only remotely social feature to YDKJ on Facebook is the option to "give props" to friends' avatars that appear in your rounds. (Of course, players can share achievements and high scores to their Timelines.)
You Don't Know Jack on Facebook is a gorgeous, faithful and hilarious rendition of the greatest trivia franchise known to video games. It's a shame, however, that the game doesn't use players' friends in a more interesting way, like sending challenge questions back and forth perhaps. What hurts the most is that players aren't given enough time with YDKJ--outside of paying up--to enjoy it daily. But I'd be damned if that wasn't a way to squeeze a dime out of me.
Click here to play You Don't Know Jack on Facebook Now >
Are you digging YDKJ on Facebook? What about its money-making model? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
For virtual farmers who have used various screen capturing methods to capture your masterful farmscaping, that's all apparently about to change. Zynga CEO Mark Pincus, speaking at a conference, mentioned that the powers behind FarmVille have "created something like Instagram, where you can take pictures of farms and share them."
"Wait a minute," you may be thinking to yourself. "There's been a picture taking button in FarmVille for ages." And, you're right. But if you head to your farm today and click on the camera icon, you'll get a pop-up that says this feature is 'coming soon.' So maybe with the Instagram reference, the new FarmVille camera will be able to snap screenshots, give the option to apply a funky filter and then enable you to share your handiwork with the world on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or other relevant social media.
To put this FarmVille update into context, this was part of a larger discussion with Pincus and All Things D's Kara Swisher about Zynga innovations. He mentioned this new Instagram-like add-on as one example of the company's innovation, in addition to its analytics system (which the company relies on heavily when making games) and its Zynga's cloud gaming service, called z-Cloud.
Not sure if creating an in-game photo-taking app necessarily fits the bill for innovation (we'll have to reserve further judgement until that feature arrives) though, I can see how the game's 21.7 million players might be interested in such an app. From a consumer standpoint, Zynga has certainly been innovative in changing the entire landscape of gaming, making free-to-play viable in the United States, reaching that much-coveted non-gamer audience like no other company has before and, largely, giving the sequel-driven business of video games a wake-up call that the times they are a-changin'.
> Zynga's Mark Pincus Talks About His Management Style, Acquisitions and Mobile [All Things D] Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Have you Facebook and social gamers may been playing less and staring at taunting jigsaw puzzle pieces more? Then you must be playing your favorite games on the hottest browser around, Google Chrome. Well, it's looking a little chill these days, thanks to some pesky Flash player crashes that many players (including this writer) have experienced over the past week.
That's where CE Gamers comes in. The social games fansite has posted a handy guide on how to potentially solve your Flash--the main tool used to play and make social games--woes in a jiffy. It all boils down to the fact that, unlike most browsers like Firefox or Internet Explorer, Flash is built right into Chrome and updated almost automatically.
The error you're seeing across pages every now and then probably reads, "The following plug-in has crashed: Shockwave Flash." This actually has nothing to do with Shockwave, which CE Gamers gets into in depth in its guide for how to thwart this dastardly error. Just follow the steps, and you should see Chrome back to its speedy senses in no time. Check out the guide in full right here.
Are you having trouble playing games in Google Chrome? Did this guide solve your troubles? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Part mystery, part adventure, all word game -- in today's Game of the Day, The Book of Treasures, you play as Jessica, a librarian hunting for a lost Egyptian manuscript. One day, Jessica finds a secret room in an ancient library with 35 envelopes, each envelope contains 6 letters that you can use to make as many words as possible within two minutes. Landing the right word will reveal a piece of the Egyptian manuscript.
Each envelope represents one level, so there are 35 levels. To beat a level, you just need to find the manuscript piece and you don't even have to guess every word to do it! If you've guessed every word you can, then press "Finish Level" and lucky players may find they've already gotten the word. This works in Quest Mode, but also in Endless Mode and Timeless Mode. But if you want a high score, you'll want to find all the words. If you love word games, The Book of Treasures is a fun and beautiful game worth trying.
Play The Book of Treasures!
What's your favorite mode to play in The Book of Treasures? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Social game maker Kixeye isn't satisfied with conquering your free time on Facebook. No, now the developer is keen on hitting you where it hurts the most: your pocket. Backyard Monsters, Kixeye's most popular social game, is headed for iOS and Android devices this summer through a partnership with ngmoco (and DeNA by extension) and its Mobage network.
In the mobile version of the game, players will have access to 15 varieties of monsters at launch to build their empires and assault their friends' home bases. Backyard Monsters on mobile will feature Facebook Connect for such invasions and alliances. We're sure this version of the strategy hit will include copious amounts of tower building and wild monster attacks.
"Our focus is developing super high quality games for the browser, but this is an opportunity for us to experiment on the mobile platform and broaden the reach of one of our most successful games," Kixeye SVP of Marketing Brandon Barber said in a release. "We're confident mobile users will enjoy spilling blood in Backyard Monsters just as much as they do on Facebook."
It will be interesting to see whether Kixeye manages to make an entertaining free-to-play, social strategy game on mobile devices. Save for gems like Battle Nations, the sub genre has been somewhat barren or devoid of fun, so Backyard Monsters has a tall order to fill ... or destroy.
Are you excited about Backyard Monsters on iOS and Android? Will it bring some fun into RTS games on mobile? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
The great Unicorn Migration has started taking place in CastleVille, bringing with it new themed areas to expand your Kingdom into, and the ability to meet a lovely new Spirit Unicorn via the accompanying 10 Unicornucopia quests. We're here with a guide to help you speed through these quests (well, as quickly as the game will allow, anyway), so let's get started!
Unicorn-U-Copia - Move 1 Item
- Tend 1 Flower
- Collect Taxes from 2 Houses
Rewards: 1,000 coins, 20 XP, 7 Unicorn Hair, 6 Wood Planks and 3 Unicorn Punch
Party Like Unicorns! - Have a Pavilion
- Spend 10,000 coins
- Host 1 Unicornucopia Party
If you hadn't guessed already, the Unicornucopia Party is an item that can be crafted inside your Pavilion using the Unicorn Hair, Wood Planks and Unicorn Punch you received at the end of the last quest. Unfortunately, those prizes aren't all that you'll need, as you need 10 of the Unicorn Hair and Wood Planks (each), along with five Unicorn Punch in total. You can earn extra Unicorn Hair via individual requests sent to friends, while the Unicorn Punch is earned via a general news item on your wall.
You'll receive 1,000 coins and 20 XP for completing this quest.
Exploration Go! - Craft 4 Wood Clubs
- Craft 2 Unicorn Tiles
- Explore the Gloom
The Spirit Unicorn appears and then quickly disappears in your Kingdom into a section of the Gloom to the right of the new section released for the Dragon Cave. The Unicorn Tiles are the first prize available to craft in the Pavilion with this new event, and each individual tile requires 10 Unicorn Hair, 10 Magic Hoof-Prints and three Stone Blocks to create. You'll earn 1,500 coins, 30 XP and a Celebration Topiary Unicorn for completing this quest.
Stand Back! - Banish 3 Gloom Wolves
- Restore the Beacon of Wisdom
- Clear 1 Amythite Rock
Rewards: 1,500 coins and 30 XP
Fixer Upper - Craft 5 Glue
- Craft 4 Fasteners
- Restore the Beacon of Courage
The Beacon of Courage requires eight Stone Blocks, one Rainbow Prism, five Moon Beams and 10 Unicorn Sparkle to construct. The other beacons requires similar sets of items to create. Rewards: 1,750 coins and 35 XP
For the Unicorns! - Have 7 Thick Books
- Restore the Beacon of Happiness
- Restore the Beacon of Creativity
The Thick Books are earned by posting a general news item to your wall. When you complete this quest, you'll receive a Unicorn Rocking Horse decoration, 3,250 coins and 65 XP.
Scouting Ahead - Craft 2 Berry Scones
- Collect 8 Wool
- Explore the Gloom
Rewards: 1,500 coins and 30 XP
The One Tower - Craft 4 Hammers
- Remove 2 Amythite Rocks with Rifting Scepters
- Restore the Beacon of Generosity
Rewards: 3,250 coins, 65 XP, Male Unicorn Crown, Female Unicorn Crown
Six Degrees of Beacon - Craft 2 Unicorn Fences
- Restore the Beacon of Friendship
- Have 1 Celebration Peacock
Both the Unicorn Fences and the Celebration Peacock are crafted inside the Pavilion. You'll earn 4,250 coins and 85 XP for completing this quest.
The Unicorn Tower - Restore the Beacon of Hope
- Host 1 More Unicornucopia Party
- Have 2 Tomato Bisque
Rewards: 1,500 coins and 30 XP
When you complete this quest, you'll have finished the entire Unicornucopia event, and will have plenty of beautiful new decorations and animals to show off in your Kingdom. Good luck finishing them all off!
[Via Zynga]
What do you think of the introduction of this new party and Unicorn-themed items in CastleVille? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  When the Storage Cellar launched in CastleVille in December, it was originally upgradeable to Level 5, which gave you a maximum item storage capacity of 500 individual items, including duplicates. Apparently, that just wasn't enough space to store all of the seasonal or otherwise rare decorations and items that many users have accumulated in their kingdoms, so the Storage Cellar has been given one more upgrade.
This sixth upgrade is now available to build, that is, so long as you have 40 Stone Blocks, 12 Gold Bricks, 4 Angle Finders and 12 Gloom Wolf Pelts available to actually construct it. These items can be earned either by crafting them, or by asking your friends to send them to you.
So, what will all of these items actually earn you? Once you upgrade to Level 6, your Storage Cellar's capacity will jump from 500 items to a whopping 1,000 items! That's double the capacity of the original cap! Surely, this higher storage cap will be enough to keep most players satisfied for quite some time, but if not, we'll make sure to let you know if / when additional Storage Cellar upgades launch, so stay tuned!
[Via CastleVille Quest Links]
Have you already started to upgrade your Storage Cellar to Level 6, or had you never even updated to Level 5 yet? Sound off in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
In the ever-growing casino genre on Facebook, players now have plenty of games to choose from if they just want to gamble virtual money on themed slot machines (such as Mirrorball Slots or Doubledown Casino), and yet another option is now available to gamers: Trophy Slots.
Trophy Slots comes with 10 different slot machines to play on, but you'll need to unlock all but one by leveling up (you'll earn experience points simply by gambling money). The first available slot machine is an Irish themed game that sees you spinning the wheels for Leprechauns and Pots of Gold, while other games may be based on genies and magical wishes, the California gold rush, cops and robbers, fairies, and so on. There's no shortage of variety in these slot machine themes, but all of them function in mostly the same fashion, with the ability to bet on as many or as few lines as you choose, and also choose how much you'd like each line bet to cost (say, $1-2 a line).
Free coins are available every hour or so, so you'll still be able to eventually play more of the game if you do run out of your initial supply of cash, and free spins of the wheel are available in your spin results in a specific combination of symbols or wild cards.
Unfortunately, Trophy Slots isn't without its issues, as you might be able to load the game's lobby but the actual slot machines won't load until you've refreshed the game a few times, and the slot wheels can sometimes spin for an excessively long amount of time as the game loads in the background. There's also no "Auto-Play" option, which has become fairly standard in such games.
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Fleshing out the experience are trophies and badges that can be earned by completing in-game tasks, but these are more about repetition and luck than skill, which might not interest some players.
With so many slot machines games now available to play on Facebook, players might find themselves being a bit pickier in their decision making. That is, a game with slots that simply "work" might not be as popular as a game that adds in a story, mini-games and the like. Trophy Slots falls into the former category. There's nothing particularly wrong with the game, other than the aforementioned loading issues (which were admittedly rare), but there's really nothing here that makes the game stand out from its competitors. If you've yet to try any of the many Facebook slot machine games that have already been released, you might find satisfaction with Trophy Slots, but otherwise, the game will likely fail to win you over as much as others.
Click here to try Trophy Slots on Facebook ---->
Have you tried Trophy Slots on Facebook? Which Facebook slot machine game is your favorite one? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
While a few music-themed Facebook games have come and gone, the genre has struggled to really find a strong foothold on Facebook. Hoping to change that is Rockstar Madness, a game that allows you to live the life of a struggling musician that rises through the proverbial ranks to fame and fortune, earning thousands of adoring fans along the way.
Rockstar Madness is part studio-design simulation and party rhythm game, as you'll be able to split your time between completing missions that require you to decorate your studio and change the appearances of your band members (three in all: the singer, guitarist and drummer) and those missions that ask you complete jam sessions and actually record albums.
The former is an incredibly basic formula, giving you the chance to spend your earnings on new furniture and decorations for your studio, while also raising the "sex appeal" of your band members with new clothing (items are unlocked as you level up), while the rhythm game portion is just as basic, but ultimately flawed in this initial release.
In this first stage of the game, you'll only be able to record three albums, with the first album requiring you to complete six different tracks. Each track is recorded in the same way, as spotlights change colors over your band members' heads and symbols fall down through the light. You'll need to click on the appropriate character when one of those symbols appears, giving you experience points, fans, energy, etc.
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In between tracks, you'll be greeted by fans and studio employees that give you a chance to spend that energy on free (but small) amounts of the same prizes, but this feature is fairly useless as you energy should be spent on actually recording tracks. Unfortunately, the music recording process is quite flawed, with graphical hitching that can cause the game to freeze (therefore causing you to miss clicking on the appropriate singer until it's too late) and music that has very little flow, but rather sounds like a repetitive assortment of 5-10 second musical outtakes with loud singing in one, soft singing in another, and all spanning multiple genres in the process.
It's not that Rockstar Madness is a bad game so much as it is an experience that feels unfinished. There are technical issues that need to be addressed, and the character models could definitely use a redesign (as they are, they're fairly ugly). It's very unlikely that Rockstar Madness will be a game that quickly climbs up the Facebook gaming charts, but if you're into music or rhythm games, it might be worth a spin.
Click here to try Rockstar Madness on Facebook ---->
Have you tried Rockstar Madness on Facebook? Which music game is your favorite on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  After releasing at the first of May with a price tag of $0.99, Pocket Gems' Tap Creepy Manor has gone free-to-play, which is the standard for the developer's many games in its "Tap" franchise (Tap Pet Hotel, Tap Dragon Park, etc.). That interesting time period as a paid app notwithstanding, the game comes with all of the free-to-play gimmicks you'd expect, as you build a massive manor with spooky rooms for the game's many kinds of guests.
Tap Creepy Manor can be compared to the (now closed) Facebook game Hotel City, in that you'll be able to build your manor from the ground up by stacking rooms of different shapes and sizes on top of one another. Each room, regardless of size or function, has three building stages that take time to complete (and coins to start), and each room tends to add one unique character to the manor. Likewise, each room will generate coins in profit or "rent" for you, allowing you to continue the cycle of constructing more rooms and eventually expanding your manor to hold more rooms over time.
There's an in-game quest system that pushes progress along, and ghosts that appear at random that can be tapped on for a few extra coins. You'll earn achievements for most in-game actions, especially those that introduce a new type of character to a room (of the more than 25 that are available as of this writing). You'll also be able to upgrade specific rooms by repairing broken down furniture or adding pets to them, but overall, Tap Creepy Manor is still a very light experience in terms of complexity.
While Tap Creepy Manor can be played by your lonesome, the game's social features do allow you to visit your friends' manors and tap on ghosts while there, along with simply being able to look at the different room arrangements and guests they've welcomed to their game. Still, the social aspect of the game is hidden within a rarely used menu, so it's clearly not the focus.
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All told, Tap Creepy Manor seems to be a bit too basic to draw players in for the long haul, but if you're interested in trying a freemium game with a darker theme, it's now completely free to give this one a shot.
Click here to download Tap Creepy Manor on iTunes --->
Have you tried Tap Creepy Manor on iPhone or iPad? Which is your favorite game in Pocket Gems' "Tap" franchise of mobile games? Let us know in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
Zynga jumped on the Facebook bubble popping game bandwagon with the recent release of Bubble Safari. After an initial reaction that went something like, 'Oh gawd, another bubble popper," we started playing and found that, as far as puzzle games with bubbles go, Zynga has crafted one of the more compelling ones out there. In fact, this game has kicked off a heated interoffice competition that we haven't seen since the debut of PopCap's Zuma Blitz.
In an effort to gain a competitive edge, we asked Zynga San Diego Senior Creative Director Mark Turmell to give us seven pro tips on how to transform into a mean bubble popping machine.
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1. Any time that you disconnect some bubbles, they turn into fruit. Once you see fruit dropping, look at the bubble in your cannon, and the next bubble in your hopper to see if there's another drop that's possible. The On Fire mode is the key to beating this game. You need to drop fruit three consecutive times to catch on fire, and you should be able to do so two or three times per level.
2. Bank Shots, Big Drops, Big Pops, and consecutive successful shots will fill the Boost Bubble meter more quickly.
3. When a swarm of bees fly away from the hive to sting your monkey, quickly use your next shot to drop the hive or blast it with a fire bubble, and the bees will change their mind just before stinging you.
4. On Spawners levels, the Spawners will add a bubble to the rack upon each shot you take. But if you shoot quickly before the first spawned bubble lands, they won't shoot a second bubble up into air!
5. The most important Powerup is the Extended Aim pointer. Try it out because it makes each level sooooo much easier.
6. Use the Anti Poacher Trap Powerups to clamp down all traps for several turns, making the level safe.
7. Always remember to use your bubbles from friends. They can help you at the most important moments. And remember, if you use one friend's bubble enough, they'll send you back a Boost Bubble for even more destruction.
Have any other good tips and cheats for Zynga's Bubble Safari? Leave them in the comments below. Add comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  There's something to be said of a game that respects your time. That goes for both when you have the time and when you don't. Armies of Magic, Playdom's brand new real-time strategy game on Facebook, is exactly that. From its sprawling city-building system borrowed from City of Wonder to its real-time combat that takes cues from games like Swords & Soldiers, Armies of Magic does not dally around with your precious minutes.
In fact, this strategy game makes fine use of them. If you only have a few minutes to steal away, why not find someone to do battle with in real time in the Live Arena? With a few hours to kill after work, it's time to dive into the game's lengthy story mode or spend some time building up your kingdom for the next battle. Armies of Magic isn't limited by an energy system--or any system that artificially limits your play time, for that matter.
%Gallery-156383% Like most enjoyable Facebook games these days, your time spent playing is only limited by your skill at commanding your squads of dwarves, humans or elves in the numerous skirmishes in Armies of Magic. Combat here is somehow both simple and strategic in that you merely manage the amount of resources at your disposal with miners in conjunction with the amount of units you can send charging to their deaths at a time. Of course, it's all in the execution.
For instance, it would be a fool's errand to send in your ranged soldiers ahead of your brutish axe-wielders, and the same goes for your healers. It's also smart to send in large squads of units rather than attack with one soldier at a time, or your army will slowly and surely get stomped. There's plenty to think about in Armies of Magic, and even more so when the need to build a balanced kingdom looms over your head.
Luckily, the proven set-it-and-forget-it style of city building works brilliantly here in Armies of Magic. Frankly, this portion of the game takes somewhat of a backseat to the meat and potatoes: the combat. Getting your town in gear is a simple as clicking a few buttons, and rather than wait around for those buildings to finish, just leap into another battle to pass the time. The beauty of Armies of Magic is in its logistics, how every feature works in tandem to keep players hooked for as long as possible.
But that's not to say that Armies of Magic isn't a looker. From animated cityscapes to units that slash, sling, shoot and slam with meticulous detail, it's clear that Playdom spent plenty of time ensuring that, if Armies of Magic doesn't draw players in with its time-friendly approach to play, that it would with its cutesy looks and adorable sounds.
Armies of Magic isn't without its flaws, like rampant connection errors in its real-time play mode and a painfully steep difficulty spike around Level 6. But throw in guild options, player raids on fellow kingdoms, rivals and three different worlds to play around in, and Playdom's crack at fantasy strategy promises plenty more fun to outweigh its flaws. Armies of Magic is an all-out assault on your free time that succeeds in almost every way.
Click here to play Armies of Magic on Facebook Now >
Are you digging Armies of Magic right now? What's your favorite race or play style, and why? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  It's simple, really: The game will just call you out in the funniest way possible in front of all your Facebook friends. You Don't Know Jack is now live on Facebook--the trailer below says so. (But not according to our experience trying to get into the game, so it might be another couple hours.) And it seems like pretty much what you'd expect out of a YDKJ game on Facebook.
That is, this is a trivia game on Facebook with most of the game modes you've come to love in the YDKJ series and standard fare such as leaderboards, real-time multiplayer and achievements. But remember: It's not about proving how much smarter you are than your friends, but by how much they're stupider than you. And, in theory, you'll get to do just that today.
Click here to play You Don't Know Jack on Facebook Now >
[Via VentureBeat]
Are you excited about YDKJ on Facebook? Were you a fan of the series back in the day? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  This week, Games.com is doing a massive Speed Racer giveaway in celebration of the new iPhone game, Speed Racer: The Beginning. Thanks to our friends at Social Games International, we'll be dishing out a ton of awesome Speed Racer merchandise to four lucky Games.com fans for FREE. Of course, our winners will also receive
Four lucky winners will each win: - 1 Speed Racer Mach Five Limited Edition Collectible
- 1 Speed Racer Comic
- 1 Speed Racer T-shirt
- 1 Speed Racer Game Soundtrack
- Speed Racer: The Beginning for iPhone/iPad
<br>
So whether you're a veteran fan of the old Speed Racer show, or a new fan interested in the new addictive iPhone game, this is one free giveaway you do not want to miss. Find out how to enter below.
How to Win: Step 1. Click this 'Like' button to share the free Speed Racer: The Beginning Giveaway with your friends:
Step 2. Go to our Facebook fanpage and click 'Like'. This enables you to leave us posts.
Step 3. Leave a post on our Facebook fanpage telling us the following:
Speed Racer's car, the Mach Five, has tons of awesome gadgets and abilities. It can jump, has rotary saws, and can drive on walls with its grip tires! If you were to give your own vehicle a crazy feature, what would it be and why? Be creative, the more detail the better!
(Ex. My car would be able to drive on its side to easily move through rush hour traffic.)
Next week, the Games.com council of elders will choose four winners and reach out to them on Facebook for their shipping address. So if you leave a post, definitely check your Facebook inbox and submission next week.
Sound easy enough? Good luck!
Note: To enter you must be a resident of the United States and have a Facebook account. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Who doesn't like chocolate? Video game industry legend Trip Hawkins might have grown tired of it, as he has reportedly left his own social gaming company, Digital Chocolate. TechCrunch reports that Hawkins--founder of both EA and 3DO back in the day--left the company and announced as much on his personal blog.
"I am transitioning now into a consulting and advisory relationship with Digital Chocolate," Hawkins wrote. "For its next stage of growth, Digital Chocolate is narrowing its focus and it made sense to get more streamlined." TechCrunch also says, based on a "report", that the company has laid off up to 180 people across its offices in Russia, San Mateo, India and more.
According to TechCrunch, the layoffs have resulted in the closing of Digital Chocolate's Mexico office as well as spots in Armenia, Bothell, Washington, and St. Petersburg--the latter belong to Sandlot, a company the developer acquired back in August 2011.
Aside from possible layoffs and closures, times are tough for Digital Chocolate. The developer is ranked number 61 in terms of monthly players, and its most popular games are all on a downward slope, according to AppData. Digital Chocolate president Marc Metis is reported to take the helm as CEO. We'll see whether he steers this ship in the right direction. We've contacted Digital Chocolate for comment.
[Via Digital Trends]
Are you bummed to see Digital Chocolate in a potentially sad state? What's your favorite game from the developer? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Folks, baking runs in Jill's family. And in Cake Mania it's up to you to help Jill serve her ever-increasingly difficult customers, while upgrading her kitchen with state-of-the-art baking tools. Help Jill earn enough money to reopen her grandparents' bakery in this fast-paced culinary crisis.
Cake Mania is an oldie but goodie. It may not be as flashy as Papa's Freezeria or Papa's Taco Mia, but this game is still a ton of fun. In this sweet time management game, you'll have to juggle taking orders, baking cakes, frosting, and serving customers all at the same time. Think you're up to the challenge? Check it out below.
Play Cake Mania!
Pro Tips: - Never let Jill stand still! Learn the timings of the various activities so you can constantly be working on a job. Multitasking is the key to efficiency.
Click here to play Cake Mania!
Which Cake Mania frosting and cake combination looks most delicious? (My choice? Star cake with chocolate frosting.)
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  While we've already taken a detailed look at how you can build a brand new Broadway Theater in your town in CityVille, did you know that there are also three goals that you can complete alongside this new "Dogs" theater to receive thousands of coins and Goods in the process? Well, you can, and we're here to help you with a guide on how to do just that!
Who Let the Dogs Out? - Complete Theater Step 1 of 3
- Collect from 25 London Shipping Routes
- Ask for 10 Costumes
The Costumes are earned by asking your friends to send them to you, while the first step of the Theater is arguably the most time consuming, requiring you to collect dozens of building materials with the help of friends. You can check out the details on those specific building materials in our guide to constructing the Broadway Theater. When you complete this first goal, you'll receive 25,000 coins and 1,000 Goods as your rewards.
Let's Dance! - Complete Theater Step 2 of 3
- Collect from Prodigy Studios 5 Times
- Harvest 50 Golden Carrots
The second stage of the Theater's construction requires you to simply ask friends to come work in the building as actors, so this shouldn't take you any longer than a day to complete. You'll earn 50,000 coins and 100 XP for completing this second goal.
Set the Stage! - Complete Theater Step 3 of 3
- Ask friends for 20 Playbills
- Collect from Dogs Theater 5 Times
Once you complete the construction of the Dogs Theater (or the Broadway Theater, if you prefer that name), you'll be able to supply it with Goods and then collect your profits as you would any other Business or Hotel. You'll need to do this five times to finish off that task, while also waiting for your friends to send you those Playbills. When you can finally complete this final goal in the series, you'll receive 100,000 coins and 200 XP. That sounds like a fairly decent prize, considering the relative ease of these goals, wouldn't you say?
There doesn't appear to be a time limit for how long you have to complete (or even start) these goals in your city as of this writing, but we'll make sure to let you know if one appears in the future!
[Via CityVille Wiki]
Have you started working on these Best of Broadway goals in CityVille yet? What do you think of the entire Broadway feature thus far? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  "Dogs" is the hottest new musical in the world of CityVille, and you can now make sure your citizens have a chance to enjoy the grand performance by bringing a Theater District to your city! While this feature is technically just the release of "Broadway" in your town, for now, you'll be focused solely on constructing the theater for the "Dogs" performance, and we'll help you figure out how to do just that!
First things first, you'll need to place the Broadway Theater in your town, and will need to be at least Level 20 to access it. From there, you'll need to complete multiple stages of construction for the "Dogs" performance. The first stage, for instance, asks you to collect the props for the show. This means that you'll need to ask your friends to help you gather these items, as you'll be required to have the following items before moving on:
- 10 Lit Mirrors
- 10 Backstage Passes
- 5 Scripts
- 5 Musicians Stands
For the second stage, you'll need to ask nine friends to come work as cast members in the show, and finally, the third stage asks you to hit 150 Rehearsal Progress points either by asking your friends to help you out with points or by spending energy to rack them up on your own.
Once you've activated your Broadway theater, you'll see that guests leaving businesses in your town will start to flood the business, similarly to how guests leave businesses and enter your surrounding Hotels. You'll be able to supply the theater with 300 Goods and will receive 1,800 coins each time you collect your earnings.
As of this writing, the "Dogs" theater is just the first of three theaters that will eventually be released in the game. We'll make sure to let you know when additional theaters are released, so stay tuned!
Update: Check out our complete look at finishing the Best of Broadway goals right here.
[Via and image credit: Zynga]
Are you excited to see more "culture" come to your town in CityVille? What sorts of plays and theaters do you hope are released in the future? Let us know in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
The last scene in the Australian chapter of Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers is called Sydney Harbor, and it sends the chapter out with a bang, as we'll search for items on the back of a yacht with animated fireworks exploding in the night-sky background. We're here with a guide to help you find this scene's many items, so let's get started!
Note: The items you'll receive will just be a selection of all of those pictured below. If you're looking to find a particular item: Hit Ctrl +F (or Command + F if on a Mac) and type in the name of the object you're looking for. This will take you directly to its image.
Set 1: - Towel
- Grill
- Ship's Speaker
- Grapes
- Rubber Duck
- Stained Grass
Set 2: - Guitar
- Telescope
- Wetsuit
- First-Aid Kit
- Pineapple
Set 3: - Binoculars
- Ship Model
- Knife
- Pizza
- Hamburger
- Cat
Set 4: - Pirate Ship
- Flip Flops
- Bananas
- Snorkel
- Moon
- Diving Gloves
Set 5: - Sulpher-crested Cockatoo
- Kangaroo Crossing Sign
- Soccer Ball
- Inflatable Raft
- Cowboy Hat
- White Flowers
Set 6: - Buoy
- Bell
- Magazines
- Australian Flag
Set 7: - Life Vest
- Rope Coil
- Holiday Lights
- Fire Extinguisher
- Trident
Set 8: - Southern Cross Constellation
- Diving Mask
- Watch
- Kiwi Bird
- Wanted Poster
- Lace Doily
Set 9: - Map
- Diving Helmet
- Jack-in-the-Box
Set 10: - Windsock
- Harmonica
- Fishing Rod
- Ferryboat
There are still a few items left to find in this scene (like the Carpet Runner item that runs down the middle of the screen), so we'll make sure to update this space as we find more of these labeled items to help you out!
Check out the rest of our Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers cheats and tips right here.
Have you made it to the end of this Australian chapter yet? What do you think of this Sydney Harbor scene? Sound off in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  We're in luck this week in FarmVille, as the game's Pig-O "Mystery Game" has been updated with a set of new prizes, and most (if not all) farmers are being given a free Pig-O Token to drop for one of those new prizes! This week's theme is simply Animals (or pets, if you'd like), and you can win up to seven animals by playing.
A single Pig-O Token costs 20 Farm Cash for this week's game, or you can simply stick to the free Tokens you may have earned this week or in the past. If you drop a Token onto the grid, you can expect to win one of the following animals, according to the folks at FVNation.
Beech Marten
Black Shire Horse
Genet
Knobbed Hornbill
Peacock Goat
Welsh Terrier
If you can win at least one of each of these six animals, you'll win a seventh animal at no additional charge: the Papillon. While this animal is technically free, like the Mystery Game, this Pig-O game does come with the possibility for winning plenty of duplicate animals before you can finally score one of each of the six. Spend your Farm Cash wisely before deciding to dedicate that much to the game! Good luck if you're going for all seven items!
Did you drop your free Token on this week's Pig-O board? Which prize did you win? Let us know in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
The third movie in the Madagascar film franchise, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, launches next month, but if you just can't wait to hang out with Alex, Marty, Gloria and Melman once again, you can now download a companion app of sorts on your iPhone for free: Madagascar: Join the Circus.
The game sees you trying to help the film's animal friends make their way from Europe (starting in Rome), back home to the Big Apple, New York City. You'll be asked to build a traveling circus that becomes larger and more fantastic over time, with new shopping outlets, attractions and concession stands that will constantly earn you Tickets, the game's basic currency. You'll be able to set some buildings to produce wares for varying amounts of time, while others will constantly generate a profit so long as you come back to collect it.
Helping move the progress along are missions that ask you to collect profits from specific attractions, construct certain items and so on. You'll also be able to collect pieces of trash from the circus grounds and can even participate in a few mini-games to really pass the time (and earn more Tickets in the process). The first mini-game sees you controlling a trampoline at the bottom of the screen, sending Marty towards the top of the circus tent to collect balloons of different colors (each color represents a different point value). There are six levels of this mini-game, each with a different layout, but the same overall purpose.
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It's unfortunate that these mini-games are so limited at the beginning of the game, as they tend to be more entertaining than the circus-building itself. The game's selection of items is incredibly limited, and level-locked, giving you little freedom in which buildings you construct first. In addition, land space quickly becomes an issue as the first expansion costs thousands of Tickets to purchase, and your early Ticket income is fairly small. This, of course, can all be solved by purchasing Bananas, the game's premium currency.
In the world of branded movie games, Madagascar: Join the Circus works as well as most, with a standard selection of mobile game elements and a lack of ample mini-games to keep the experience fresh. There's no voice acting to help draw players in (although there are plenty of text windows to read), so even the fan service is a bit lacking if that's all you're interested in. Still, the game is free to download, so if you have a little one that simply loves the Madagascar films, they'd probably love this too.
Click here to download Madagascar: Join the Circus on iTunes ---->
Have you tried Madagascar: Join the Circus? What do you think of this movie-branded circus building game? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  While it might be easy to find yourself swept away in thoughts of Jade Falls, the supposed upcoming addition to the FarmVille farming family, let's not forget that the story in Hawaiian Paradise is still going strong, with Chapter 8's goals now rolling out to all farmers. Unlike other goal series, this one only has six different parts to complete, and we're here with a guide to help you do just that!
Hide and Seek Horse - Get 4 Shiny Apples
- Harvest 85 Golden Sugarcane
- Harvest 2 Island Paddocks
For this "Get Shiny Apples" task, and all other tasks that require you to "Get X item," you'll need to ask your friends for help in actually collecting them. For completing this first goal, you'll receive 125 XP, a Dandelion Bunny and 1,275 Coconuts.
Round Up! - Get 6 Horse Callers
- Harvest 90 Kona Coffee
- Harvest Dandelion Bunny 1 Time
Rewards: 150 XP, 1,700 Coconuts, Bamboo Golf Cart
Follow That Horse - Get 8 Hoof Prints
- Harvest 135 Double Pikake
- Make 4 Coffee and Cream
Rewards: 175 XP, Gypsy Rainbow Horse, 2,125 Coconuts
Head 'Em Up! - Get 10 Rocking Horses
- Harvest 2 Island Pastures
- Make 4 Island Punch
Rewards: 200 XP, Saddles Ewe, 2,550 Coconuts
Move 'Em Out! - Get 11 Stick Horses
- Harvest 175 Hilo Pineapples
- Harvest Saddled Ewe 1 Time
Rewards: 225 XP, Skinny Palm Tree, 4,250 Coconuts
Ride 'Em In! - Get 12 Saddle Pillows
- Harvest 280 Lilikoi
- Make 4 Pineapple Sunrise
Rewards: 250 XP, Gypsy Daisy Horse, 8,500 Coconuts
As this goal series is shorter than others we've seen in the game, the time limit within which to complete them is also shorter; you'll have just seven days to complete all of these goals before they expire from the game, taking their rewards with them. If you're a horse collector, or simply like to have all of the goal exclusive items on your farms, make sure to complete all six of these goals within the time limit! Good luck!
What do you think of this goal series in Hawaiian Paradise? Are you happy that this goal series is shorter than others, or would you prefer it to be longer? Sound off in the comments. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 
When you think of Australia, thoughts of the Australian Outback probably aren't far behind, and we'll finally get to explore the Outback in Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers on Facebook in a scene of the same name. This Outback scene offers a chance for you to find items in bulk, rather than 12 individual items: six birds, three kangaroos and three reptiles.
Pink = Birds
Blue = Kangaroos
Yellow = Reptiles
There look to still be some spawn locations for these animals that haven't been pictured above, as the game generates each set of 12 animals randomly each time you play the scene. We'll make sure to update this space as we find more animal locations to help you out!
Check out the rest of our Disney Animal Kingdom Explorers cheats and tips right here.
What do you think of this Outback scene and it's many areas of orange coloring? Sound off in the comments! Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  In addition to the Roaring 20's items that were released in the FarmVille marketplace this evening, we've also seen the launch of additional items in a new "Castle" theme. As the name might suggest, this theme takes us back to the days of medieval fortresses and royalty via themed animals, decorations and more. We're here with a look at the new items in this Castle theme, so let's get started!
Trees
Wolfsbane Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Giant Wolfsbane Tree - 12 Farm Cash
Crown Flower Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Giant Crown Flower Tree - 14 Farm Cash
Animals
Armored Mini Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Mandolin Chicken - 18 Farm Cash
Jester Pig - 16 Farm Cash
Buildings
Castle - 25 Farm Cash
Decorations
Royal Knight Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
Catapult - 8 Farm Cash
Castle Banner - 1,000 coins
Avatar Clothing
Maiden Costume - 7 Farm Cash
These items will only be available in the game's store for a limited amount of time, so you'll want to shop for them quickly before they expire. If additional items launch in this "Castle" theme, we'll make sure to let you know. Stay tuned!
Are you excited to add any of these items to your farms in FarmVille? Which items will you purchase? Sound off in the comments.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |  Tonight's FarmVille update brings with it a new item theme, taking us all the way back to the days of the 1920's. Appropriately enough, this theme is called the "Roaring 20's," and it brings with it items that have been inspired by art deco, stained glass, silent films and even the fashion of the times. We're here with a complete look at the items you can now purchase, so let's get started!
Trees
Stained Glass Tree - 8 Farm Cash
Giant Stained Glass Tree - 14 Farm Cash
Art Deco Tree - 6 Farm Cash
Giant Art Deco Tree - 12 Farm Cash
Animals
Art Deco Horse - 26 Farm Cash
Art Deco Cow - 20 Farm Cash
Flapper Duck - 16 Farm Cash
Komondor Dog - 2.5 million coins or 12 Farm Cash
Moray Eel (water only) - 8 Farm Cash
Buildings
Grand Mansion - 25 Farm Cash
Decorations
Art Deco Fountain - 25 Farm Cash
Silent Film Gnome - 12 Farm Cash
Art Deco Flower Pot - 20,000 coins
Avatar Clothing
Flapper Dress - 7 Farm Cash
These items will only be available in the game's store for the next two weeks, so make sure to shop for them now while they're at the top of your mind in order to not forget about them later and miss out on them entirely!
What do you think of the items in this new Roaring 20's theme? Let us know in the comments!
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