What's New in Gamezebo
Peggle Review
Its been said by many game designers the first 15 minutes of a game is the most important in order to win over the player. We couldn't agree more -- especially with "casual" game players as time isn't always on their side -- but there are always exceptions to the rule. Case in point: PopCap's Peggle, easily the finest casual game of the year thus far, may not grab you by the lapels the first few minutes you spend with it.
But give it time, baby, give it time, because it'll grow on you like crazy.
Westward: How a Casual Game Proved the Pioneer Spirit is Alive and Well
There is an Independent Games Developers Association white paper on how to make casual games. Repeatedly in the white paper it emphasizes that a real-time strategy game is a poor fit for the casual space.
Unbeknownst to the IGDA, they had laid down a gauntlet that Andy Megowan, Creative Director of Sandlot Games, found irresistible.
Sparkle Review
Fantasy sells these days, whether it's the cinematic successes of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe or the eager anticipation that greets every new book and movie starring everyone's favorite teen wizard Harry Potter.
Super Collapse! Puzzle Gallery Review
One of the most popular casual game franchises - GameHouse's Super Collapse! series - is back after a year-long absence with Super Collapse! Puzzle Gallery, an addictive puzzler with more than 300 levels to click through.
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.
Jewel Match Review
Producing a match-three game has become something of a right of passage for developers of casual offerings. And the releases are so similar, it's easy to picture developers exchanging a tattered manual listing the necessary components for a successful product. Buried within its pages would be a chapter that reads, "Insert twist here." Alas, that section must have fallen out before the guide reached the creators of Jewel Match.
15 Minutes of Game: Featured Web Game of the Week
Play a game of bowling while grooving to disco beats in this new Web game at Arkadium's Great Day Games.
Know a good web game? Email us at editor@gamezebo.com.
Platypus II Review
Now here's something you don't see every day, let alone within the casual games arena: A side-scrolling spaceship shooter with a candy-colored visual style that's seemingly been ripped from a Claymation short.
Jewel Quest 2 Review
It's not easy to create a follow-up to one of the most popular match-three games of all time. Thankfully, it looks like iWin could easily have another blockbuster on its hands with Jewel Quest 2.
Gamezebo Interview: Brian Goble of HipSoft
The folks at HipSoft, makers of Flip Words 1 and 2 and a variety of other best-selling and fun casual games, were one of the first video game developers to jump ship to the casual games space back in 2002 and they have not looked back since. We spoke with Brian Goble at HipSoft to learn about what makes HipSoft tick as well as what new tricks they have up their sleeve.
Virtual Villagers: The Lost Children Review
Temperatures are in the teens, snow blankets the ground and icicles hang from the eves. Brrrrr! It's hard not to think about heading for a warmer climate -- something tropical, balmy and bright!
Well, it may not be possible to jet to Hawaii or the Bahamas, but you can at least pack your bags, figuratively, and head for a sultry retreat in Isola. That's right. The long-awaited sequel to Virtual Villagers is here!
15 Minutes of Game: Featured Web Game of the Week
Take aim with Cupids arrow and shoot down the lonely hearts club in this cute Web game from Mini Clip.
Happy Valentine's Day from your friends at Gamezebo.
Chicken Chase Review
What came first: the chicken or the egg? Well, they're equally as important in Big Fish Games' latest casual game, Chicken Chase.
Consider it a "whack a mole"-like arcade with a little more story, depth and variety.
Flip Words 2 Review
While not as prolific as match-three puzzlers, word games have a steadfast following. One of the most popular is Flip Words, an amalgamation of Wheel of Fortune, Boggle and Hangman, uniting word creation and phrase cracking in one.
Good news, folks! Those who flipped out over Flip Words, and word-wranglers in general, can now wrap their brains around Flip Words 2!
Dream Day Wedding Review
The bride is undeniably the center of attention on her wedding day: the hair, the dress, the bouquet, the wedding cake... everything has to be perfect. However, another person who is almost as important as the bride - at least when it comes to making everything happen behind the scenes - is the best friend. The best friend is the person who works tirelessly to make sure things go as planned, and is also the one who does damage-control when things go wrong. In Dream Day Wedding, that best friend is you.
Wobbly Bobbly Review
Everyone loves dessert - unless, of course, you live in the sleepy little town where action-packed puzzler Wobbly Bobbly is set. For the residents of this quiet hamlet, about to be overrun with delicious, gelatin-based goop, it's a potential nightmare, in fact. Thankfully, that's where you come in, taking on the role of a cute little metallic robot tasked with keeping the burg from being overrun. It's a dirty job, certainly. However, trust us when we say that, at least for the first hew hours, you'll have a good time doing it.
Magic Match: The Genie's Journey Review
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" is a pretty good mantra to follow when making sequels to well-received games. Tamper too much with a proven formula and a game will lose the distinctive qualities and charm that made it a hit in the first place.
Dream Day Wedding Preview
Take it from yours truly, a happily married man: There's nothing more stressful (although happily so) than planning your impending nuptials.
Thankfully for all you swinging singles out there, it'll soon be possible to get in a little practice courtesy of Dream Day Wedding, arriving just in time for Valentine's Day from Oberon Games.
Virtual Villagers: The Lost Children Preview
Right now, even as you read this, thousands of gamers from around the world are at their job or school -- yet they're daydreaming of little island castaways.
And so we here at Gamezebo are proud to unveil the next installment in this life simulation series: Virtual Villagers: The Lost Children.
Steals & Deals
Peggy from Pogo wrote us about the great new offer over at Pogo --- 7 days FREE of the Club Pogo service with no credit card required, no obligation, until Feb 12, 2007. In other deals, everything is still 50% off over at iWin.
Jackpot Match-Up: Penny's Vegas Adventure Review
Poor Penny. Her nasty boss at the paper factory fires her just for throwing her co-worker a piñata party, so our hapless heroine decides to pack her bags, beloved dog and last $200, and head to Las Vegas to try her luck.