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Every week, Gamezebo scours the web searching for the latest and greatest games across the world's leading casual sites so you don't have to.
Age of Japan Review
Rather than stay safely locked in your cozy, heated home this winter, consider getting out and exploring an ancient land of mystery and wonder instead.
Bookworm Adventures Deluxe Review
With such celebrated puzzlers as Bejeweled, Zuma, Inasaniquarium, Chuzzle and Feeding Frenzy 2, PopCap has more than earned its reputation as a trusted casual games publisher.
Guess what? The company has done it again with its latest game: Bookworm Adventures Deluxe.
Pharaoh's Mystery Review
Ancient Egypt is steeped in mystery. Who built the Pyramids? What was the purpose of the Sphinx? Why did the Egyptians use hieroglyphs? Where's the body of Akhenaten?
Akhenaten? Who's this Akhenaten and why should I care? Well, sit back and I'll tell you.
Bookworm Adventures costs $700,000?
That is, according to an article on CNN. But is it worth it? Read this very interesting article on the escalating costs of casual game development on CNN. Then, come back to Gamezebo to see what we think about Bookworm Adventures. Review coming soon. . .
Haiku Journey Review
The letters form words,
and give all their points to you.
It is wonderful!
Haiku, a major form of Japanese poetry, is comprised of 17 syllables, in its English-language adaptation, divided across three metrical units of five, seven and five. The perfect vehicle for portraying a singular moment in time, it also serves well as the basis for word-crafting fun.
Gift Shop Review
Tis the season to be jolly - so why not ring in the holidays with Gift Shop, a clever retooling of HipSoft's exciting pattern-matching puzzler Gem Shop themed around Christmas cheer? Gem Shop puts you behind the counter of your own thriving retail store and, amusingly, asks that you please an ever-more demanding lineup of consumers. Essentially just a remake of a fun, simple game to begin with, it's nonetheless a desktop companion you'll be all too happy to cozy up alongside this winter.
Gabe Says Thank You: Top Ten Reasons to be Grateful This Thanksgiving
I recently joined the cast of casual crazies in Kiev for the Casuality Europe (waaaay) East Conference. Kiev, in case you're wondering, is one of the most interesting event locations I've been invited to. And while I'm sure that 50% of the reason for inviting me was for my charm and good looks, the other half must have had something to do with the interesting panel I moderated on the subject of the Casual Games Value Chain. So nice. I like. High Five!
Which got me thinking: what am I thankful for this year that I could write about on Gamezebo?
Diamond Detective Review
Everyone loves a good mystery.
For example: Diamond Detective, a film noir-style interactive outing that sees you playing a puzzle-solving sleuth hot on the trail of a nefarious jewel thief.
What's New & Hot!
Here in the US, it's Thanksgiving, an excuse to not work and be with family. But here at Gamezebo, we never stop working to find you great casual games to play. Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Gamezebo.
Luxor rising: How one man's passion for history turned into gaming gold
The team at Mumbo Jumbo had just discovered that those who work with bugs walk a very fine line.
They had decided to make a game that would fuse Galaga, Zuma and Centipede, and had even kept the latter's aesthetic, going so far as to use the working title "Bug Blast." Unfortunately, bugs had become problematic.
Cash Cow Review
A business or product that produces significantly greater revenue than it consumes is referred to as a cash cow. It's a moneymaker that requires minimal expenditures while continuing to generate profits year after year.
Cash Cow is also the name of a new coin-counting game and a rather unique puzzle experience. Is the moniker appropriate? In some ways it is, but not in "udders."
Reaxxion Preview
Alchemy probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind when you think of possible themes to base a wrist-cramping arcade game on.
Nonetheless, in frantic brick-bashing outing Reaxxion, coming soon from MumboJumbo, it appears to be not only a natural fit, but a concept deserving of even deeper exploration.
Hoyle Miami Solitaire
Small wonder South Florida's such a hotspot for hipsters, vacationers and retirees alike. According to the world of Hoyle Miami Solitaire - set during the heyday of the city's Art Deco Jazz Age - it's a swinging place to be.
Friday Casual Games Weekly News Wrap-Up
It's the Friday Casual Games Weekly News Wrap-Up. What's new, you ask? Aside from Gamezebo's scoop on Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst, Pogo launches virtual currency, Sandlot releases Westward, and Miniclip is expanding into China.
What's New & Hot!
Every week, Gamezebo scours the web searching for the latest and greatest games across the world's leading casual sites so you don't have to.
Paparazzi Review
Paparazzi lets you experience the adrenaline-filled life of a tabloid photographer. Chasing celebs and ferreting out the best photo ops is not only exciting, but can be lucrative too if you've got a good eye and quick shutter finger.
The Poppit! Show Review
As one of the Web's leading casual game destinations, Pogo.com knows a thing or two about ultra-addictive online outings.
But don't take our word for it. Play The Poppit! Show, a TV-themed, balloon-busting puzzler based on the top-ranked brainteaser, which more than a million fans have clocked over 7 billion (!) minutes of time into this past year alone.
DS Casual: A House Full of Games
"Wanna play a game?" As a kid, that question was usually followed by a mad dash to the hall closet where our hoard of games was stashed. Among its treasures were Monopoly, Clue, Life, Scrabble, and several other favorites.
One item in particular stands out, though. It was a cheesy plastic attaché filled with a gamut of gaming goodness. Think of a classic table game and chances are good it was in there.
15 Minutes of Game: Featured Web Game of the Week
Scribble
Click and drag to draw lines with the mouse. Get the Blots to the end of each level safely. Thanks to our friends at FreeGameNews for providing the scoop about this game and congrats to Nitrade for releasing their 6th web game this year!
Know a good Web game that deserves 15 minutes of fame? Tip us at editor@gamezebo.com.
Slingo Quest Review
Small wonder Slingo - that ultra-addictive fusion of slots and bingo we all know so well - has prompted over 3.3 billion tries since debuting in 1995. (And, while we're at it, inspired some fans to literally goof off behind the keyboard for as much as 36 hours straight...)
Word Spiral Review
Want to improve your vocabulary while sneaking in a little rest and relaxation by sunny seaside shores? Drop that best-selling novel, reclaim those frequent flier miles and save yourself the trouble of conning the boss into awarding you some long-overdue vacation time. Communications skills-building brainteaser Word Spiral actually lets you accomplish these goals without breaking a sweat, or having to scrounge at the last minute for a hotel in the Florida Keys.
What's New & Hot!
Every week, Gamezebo scours the web searching for the latest and greatest games across the world's leading casual sites so you don't have to.
Abundante! Review
Make some room on your calendar because a little 'ol game you haven't heard of--Abundante!-- is waiting to be downloaded, and believe me, you won't be able to stop once you begin.
Pantheon Review
Webster's dictionary defines the term "pantheon" as any given civilization's gods. It also happens to be the name of an exciting gem-smashing diversion from NevoSoft, developer of well-received received outings such as 10 Talismans, Treasure Island, and Dynasty. Set in ancient India, and sending you on a quest to discover an entire mythical canon's worth of exotic deities, it's an eye-opening adventure desktop explorers would do well to embark on.
Gamezebo News: IDGA Casual Games Quarterly
Every few months, the IDGA (International Game Developers Association) comes out with The Casual Games Quarterly. Though geared more to the makers of casual gamers, many of the articles should be fascinating to players as well, including the Case Study on Shopmania and Post-Mortem on Cake Mania.
New Gamezebo Podcasts! iPod Game Reviews
Now you can listen as well as read Gamezebo! Hosted by Gamezebo rock-star reviewer Marc Saltzman, Gamezebo Podcasts will feature the latest reviews, previews, and insights for casual games. With Gamezebo Podcasts, you literally hear it first!
Carrie the Caregiver Review
As wonderful as babies are, they're also hungry, fussy, noisy and often stinky. And if you thought taking care of one was a handful, imagine trying to juggle up to eight of them at the same time!
That's the challenge behind Carrie the Caregiver, a new download from Shockwave and The Article 19 Group.
Mystery Solitaire Review
If you thought the castaways on ABC's hit show, Lost, had a hard time on a deserted island, wait 'til you try your hand at Mystery Solitaire.
This challenging game drops players on a secret island with no means of escape. Your goal is to solve puzzles, locate hard-to-find items and collect pieces of a map that may lead to a way home.
Gamezebo News: Good Gamasutra Interview with Arthur Humphrey, LDW
When he's not giving Gamezebo users the inside scoop on the next chapter of Virtual Villagers through his Developer Diary, Arthur Humphrey is giving interviews to the elite game press, in this case, Gamasutra.
Check out Gamasutra's excellent interview with Last Day of Work here.
Week in Review
The Gamezebo Week in Review is the one place for you to go on the weekend to find out what you missed on Gamezebo this week and to get a sneak peak at what's coming up next week.
Realms of Gold Review
We all know the age-old tale of Odysseus, whose adventures were immortalized in all-time great poet Homer's legendary Greek tragedy the Odyssey. Now you can you live the story as well, thanks to pattern-making puzzler Realms of Gold, which - despite the rather grandiose title - shines more for its ingenuity than any gilded lining. Albeit occasionally too clever and/or unpredictable for its own good, the outing manages to surprise and entertain in equal measures, offering expert-level gamers an amusing opportunity to give their brain a workout.
From Russia with Love
When I traveled to St. Petersburg to give a lecture at the Game Developer's Conference last week I thought I might be able to leave a little wisdom behind. There has been a string of finely crafted clones coming out of Russia of late, but I wanted to know if an original, hit, casual game could come out of this fractured union. So I went to Russia thinking I'd help enlighten them, and to perhaps discover the next gameLab. Instead, I discovered something remarkable about myself.
Virtual Villagers - A Developer's Diary: Chapter 2
One of the nicest things about running a tiny independent game studio these days is that, more and more, people work remotely. My wife, Carla, and I, who make up the core of the team, are no exception. While we are based in San Francisco, Carla is originally from Italy, and so we migrate over to the 'old country' every year for a couple of months in the fall. Working from here is not much different in terms of communication, since almost everyone we work with is part of our 'virtual office' anyway, and we all keep in touch using instant messenger, email and phone. One thing, however, changes a lot--our environment.
Brain Booster Preview
Given the chart-topping success of cerebral challenge Brain Age for Nintendo's handheld DS system on both sides of the Pacific, it's surprising that we haven't seen more titles which follow its intellect-raising example.
What's New & Hot!
Every week, Gamezebo scours the web searching for the latest and greatest games across the world's leading casual sites so you don't have to.
Fizzball Review
Take a 25-year-old arcade game formula and weave in a cute story and attractive graphics and you'll end up with something like Fizzball, a fresh new take on the Breakout or Arkanoid games from the early '80s.