What's New in Gamezebo
Safecracker Review
Duncan W. Adams is an eccentric millionaire petrol tycoon with a collection of combination safes and arcane locking devices. After he disappears and is presumed dead, his relatives hire you, an accomplished safecracker and locksmith, to search through Adams' mansion for his will to see who he has left his fortune to. But it won't be easy - Adams has left an elaborate series of puzzles to make whoever wants his will to work for it. That's the premise behind Safecracker.
Friday Casual Games Weekly News Roundup
Today's the day we bring you casual game news from around the Web. Many of this week's articles revolved around the results of a recent survey by PopCap saying that casual games bring families together. Awww.
First Look - The Tuttles Madcap Misadventures
You'll soon be able to download a casual game and contribute to an important charity at the same time thanks to a fundraising initiative created by Legacy Interactive and the Starlight Starbright Children's Foundation.
The Naked Gamer Wears Clothes
Who is the Naked Gamer? Is he really naked? Is he really a gamer? After more than a year and a dozen editorials, it's high time those questions were answered. Don't you think? You've seen my photograph, you've heard me rant, rave and plea, but why am I here? What's the point of this 'column'? Well, let me tell you. Let's take a little trip, you and I. Allow me to escort you back...to 1969. (cue Iron Butterfly's In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida).
Magic Shop Review
Abracadabra! Magic Shop enters the world of magic with spells and artifacts rather than the sleight of hand of David Copperfield and Harry Houdini. Though not spellbinding or original in the world of color-matching games, Magic Shop entertains like a skillful magician.
Return to Mysterious Island Review
Jules Verne is considered to be one of the pioneers of science fiction thanks to fantastical novels like Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, and The Mysterious Island. It's the last story that The Adventure Company and Kheops Studio have chosen to craft a Myst-style adventure game around with positive results.
Jane's Hotel Review
Anyone who's seen hit British comedy series Fawlty Towers will know that running a hotel is anything but easy. Of course, having an accident-prone manager at the helm, supported by a cast of clueless misfits is hardly the recipe for success. So you'll no doubt be pleased to know that in the management game Jane's Hotel - in which you must transform a bedsit into the plushest hotel in town - the only person responsible for success and failure is your good self. Phew!
Plant Tycoon Preview
Those who enjoyed breeding and raising their own fish in Last Day of Work's Fish Tycoon will soon be able to swap their aquariums for green houses in the upcoming sister title Plant Tycoon, which is scheduled to launch in early September.
Venice Mystery Review
Fans of mah jong solitaire games or those obsessed with secret societies, such as the Illuminati, might enjoy playing through Venice Mystery, the latest puzzler from Gamgo and Big Fish Games. It may sound like an odd mix - but it works - but don't expect the tile-matching game-play to be tied to the story in any way.
15 Minutes of Game: Featured Web Game of the Week
Can you keep customers happy at a hectic pizza restaurant? Find out in Flipline Studios' Papa's Pizzeria, where you'll have to take orders, top and bake pizzas, cut them to order, and package it for the waiting customers. Click here to play the game online.
Neptunia Review
Relaxing, fun and cerebral, Neptunia - an undersea puzzler notable primarily for its extensive storyline, solid production values and leisurely action - is in many ways the quintessential casual game. Based on a simple mechanic, accessible to players of all ages and skill levels, and designed to be enjoyed at your own pace, it'll prove equally attractive to working professionals and feisty whippersnappers alike. However, being a textbook example does have its disadvantages as well. For example, the fact there's little innovative or memorable about the game, its sluggish tempo and the general lack of challenge presented within.
ZoomBook: The Temple of the Sun Review
Throughout the history of the casual game, the storyline has often been an afterthought. At first, no one cared about character and plot. In an effort to attract women, though, developers began adding simple narratives to their jewel-swappers. For a time, the story sat in silence in the corner of the room without disrupting the game; you could click past the cutscenes and still have fun. But no more. In ZoomBook: The Temple of the Sun, the narrative is such an intricate part of the tapestry, there's no separating the two.
Lottso! Deluxe Review
What happens when bingo and lottery scratch tickets collide? The answer is Lottso! Deluxe, a new downloadable version of one of the most popular games on the online gaming portal, Pogo.com.
Just In - Venice Mystery
Venice Mystery has just launched! The game lets you travel through the beautiful Italian city while solving puzzles that revolve around thirteen lost paintings. We're working on a review, but in the meantime click here to download the game.
First Look - Geometry Wars: Galaxies
The sequel to Geometry Wars, one of the most popular games on the Xbox Live Arcade, is launching this fall on the Nintendo DS and Wii consoles, and publisher Vivendi Games has released a video trailer.
Click here to view the trailer for Geometry Wars: Galaxies, or click READ MORE.
Cake Mania 2 Preview
The release date of Sandlot's newest game Cake Mania 2 is so close that we can almost taste the chocolate icing and sprinkles. To whet your appetite until the game's official launch next week, Gamezebo was able to get its hands on a copy of the game early to offer you this exclusive preview.
Sea Life Safari Review
Seven-year-old Seth sits at the controls of a miniature sub, his sights set on a banded octopus. He zeroes in on the giant sea creature and presses a button. Startled, the octopus begins waving its legs in a slow-motion gesture of surprise. Seth, of course, lets out a scream of delight. "I killed it!" he proclaims in victory. "No you didn't," I explain. "You took its picture."
Just In - ZoomBook: The Temple of the Sun
MumboJumbo has just launched the interactive storybook / jigsaw puzzle game ZoomBook: The Temple of the Sun.
Click here to read the preview of the game that we published back in May, and click here to download ZoomBook.
Cindy's Sundaes Review
If you walked past someone playing a game of Cindy's Sundaes, you might write it off as a 3-in-a-row Bejeweled clone that replaces gems with dessert. But if you sat down and took control of the mouse for a few minutes you'll find that - while not completely original - this delicious little game offers a few extras "treats" for puzzle fans.
Behind the Game: Azada
When Big Fish went looking for the next big thing in the seek-and-find genre, they found their answer in the past: An amalgam of an item hunt and a classic adventure game that they would soon dub Azada.
Waterscape Solitaire: American Falls Review
Whether viewing photos of waterfalls or visiting them in person, people are captivated and can't help but marvel at their splendor. Take a tour of American waterfalls in Waterscape Solitaire, where they appear as the backdrop of an intriguing "solitaire" card game that actually closely resembles mah jong with a couple of added twists.
Sneak Peek Video: Bottle Buster
We shared with you a preview of Gamezilla's upcoming Bottle Buster from Casual Connect, but the screen shots did not do the game justice. So, we asked the developer for sneak peek video and lo and behold, here it is.
Click here to check out sneak peek preview video of Bottle Buster. We got to warn you: it is not your a 3-in-a-row puzzle or hidden object game.
Friday Casual Games Weekly News Roundup
"Does anyone really like mobile games?" Ouch. These headlines and more in this edition of Friday's Casual Games Weekly News Roundup.
5 Realms of Cards Review
Buried somewhere deep within 5 Realms of Cards is probably the traditional game of Solitaire that Windows users everywhere know and love. But the game has gone through so many twists, turns and tweaks that finding that original kernel is pretty hard to do. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing.
Gamezebo Podcast: Erik Goosens of RealArcade
With RealArcade releasing popular new titles and announcing partnerships with many different companies at Casual Connect, Gamezebo knew that we should talk to this Seattle based company about what's going on. Luckily we were able to grab Erik Goossens, VP of games content at RealArcade, talk to us about their strategy for this year, recently announced partnerships with Lifetime and King.com, and his recent move from Holland to Seattle.
http://www.gamezebo.com/podcasts/mp3_player.swf " />Click here to download and hear to our podcast with Erik Goosens of RealArcade.
Retro Records Review
If you fell asleep playing Tetris in a music store and had a dream, it might look something like Retro Records. In this fast-paced puzzle game, you find out your uncle left you a record store full of thousands of albums but everything is completely unorganized. So, in order to reopen to the public, you must put all the correct records in its proper album jacket.
15 Minutes of Game: Featured Web Game of the Week
This week in 15 Minutes of Game we're featuring two MMOSGs (massively-multiplayer online sports games). Challenge friends - or strangers - online with Freestyle Street Basketball or Ultimate Baseball Online. Both are free to join.
The 80s Game with Martha Quinn Review
Ah, the '80s. Music videos were still on MTV, Michael Jackson was still black, and Bono cared more about music than politics. You can escape back to this pastel-colored decade of decadence with The '80s Game With Martha Quinn, a new downloadable trivia game that tests your pop culture knowledge about Don Johnson, Ms. Pac-Man, The Cosby Show and Prince.
G.H.O.S.T. Hunters Fame and Fortune Contest
A new contest over at Aisle 5 Games is offering $2,500 and a chance to appear in a future G.H.O.S.T. Hunters game to the first person who correctly names the original owner of Majesty Manor. The clues to help you solve the mystery are embedded within G.H.O.S.T. Hunters: The Haunting of Majesty Manor.
Click here to learn more about the contest, and click here to grab a copy of the game if you haven't done so already.
Ingenious Review
Challenging, fun, head-scratching, infectious, irresistible, addictive... As acclaimed as ultra-prolific German board game designer and PhD in mathematics-possessing wunderkind Reiner Knizia's various works - like Amun-Re and Taj Mahal - are, casual user-friendly isn't a term you'd use to describe most. Happily though, as Ingenious - the latest virtual conversion inspired by said braniac's over 200 title-strong personal catalogue of creations - proves, one should never judge a book, or desktop diversion, by its cover.
First Look: Plant Tycoon Video
The fine folks at Last Day of Work are working hard on their next game, Plant Tycoon. In the words of the developer, Plant Tycoon is similar to Fish Tycoon in that it is a 'genetic tinkering' game with 'tycoon' economic elements.
ZenGems Review
It never ceases to amaze me that developers can keep finding new and interesting ways to re-invent three-in-a-row gameplay. ZenGems, a simple yet addictive Asian-themed puzzle game from FreshGames, happens to be a particularly spectacular example.
The End of Cloning
In 1992, Francis Fukuyama wrote The End of History, in which he boldly proclaimed that with the end of the Cold War, the historical struggle between competing ideologies is over and liberal democracy has emerged as the victor.
The unfortunate events of the past few years have proven otherwise. But, I will proclaim my own bold statement: 2007 may not mark The End of History, but it shall mark the End of Cloning in Casual Games.
Emerald Tale Review
Emerald Tale, a cute and charming 3-in-a-row puzzler from Enkord, can best be described as Bejeweled meets Car Jam, borrowing from both of these game types to create a brand new interactive experience.
Daycare Nightmare Review
When someone tells you about a monster of a child, it usually means the kid is a screamer, hitter or doesn't listen. But not in the case of the children in Daycare Nightmare. They're seriously monsters and this isn't an insult. Vampires, blobs, ghosts, Cyclops, and fire-breathing dragons. Oh, my!
First Look: Cindy's Sundaes
Viqua Games, makers of the award winning game Tommy and the Magic Words, shared with the us screen shots and video of their upcoming game, Cindy's Sundaes. Cindy's Sundaes is a puzzle game which reminds us of Burger Rush and Gem Shop but with ice cream.
Click READ MORE to view screen shots and click here to view a sneak peak video of the game.
Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos Review
With hidden object games now so prolific that they constitute an entire genre, from haunted houses to fabulous vacations and even weddings and honeymoons, you'd think developers would've exhausted every possible theme such titles could feature.
Well, guess again: Going one step beyond the usual mystery/suspense motif, latest outing Interpol: The Trail of Dr. Chaos puts you in the shoes of globetrotting crimestopper Operative X, hot on the trail of once-MIA, now newly-resurfaced Cold War-era criminal mastermind, Dr. Chaos.
Gamezebo Podcast: Derrick Morton of Flowplay
What do you do when you mix social networking, avatars, and casual games? You get Flowplay. Gamezebo gets the chance to meet Derrick Morton, CEO of Flowplay, at his office and talk to him about what they are doing, how Gamezebo readers can get into the beta, and how they work with venture capitalists.
http://www.gamezebo.com/podcasts/mp3_player.swf " />Click here to download and hear to our podcast with Derrick Morton of Flowplay
Friday Casual Games Weekly News Roundup
Friday's the day we bring you casual games stories from around the Web in one tidy package. There was quite a bit of news to report this week, as well as an interesting article in MIT's Technology Review about user-generated content in casual games.
Brainiversity Review
Most of us know that exercise and wholesome foods are endemic to a healthy lifestyle, so staying physically fit is part of our routine. But what about our mental skills? Like junk food for our brains, fun diversions like sitcoms and comic books, and yes even games, might provide delicious entertainment, but they don't always stimulate our intellects. Brainiversity, a new game from Red Sprite Studios, aims to change that.
Gamezebo Podcast: Mike Suarez of MumboJumbo
Mumbo Jumbo is just throwing great game after game at us in the next few months and we thought we grab Mike Suarez, VP of Product Development at Mumbo Jumbo, to tell us about getting "The Office", why they bought Ritual, and how to make a great party. *Note from Luke: I said that Ritual worked on Lair. Ritual actually was working on SiN. My apologies.
http://www.gamezebo.com/podcasts/mp3_player.swf " />Click here to download and hear to our podcast with Mike Suarez of MumboJumbo
Gamezebo Podcast: Kenny Rosenblatt of Arkadium
Arkadium announced recently that they are working with Radica Games on a collectable character casual game and was showing off how it worked. We loved it and think you will too. We talked to Kenny Rosenblatt, CEO of Arkadium, about the U.B. Funkeys collectible characters, where you can get them, and what makes them too cool for school.
http://www.gamezebo.com/podcasts/mp3_player.swf " />Click here to download and hear to our podcast with Kenny Rosenblatt of Arkadium
Ricochet Infinity Review
By all accounts, Ricochet Infinity - despite being the follow-up to a hugely-popular series which also includes Ricochet Lost Worlds, Ricochet Lost Worlds: Recharged and Ricochet Xtreme - shouldn't work. But what truly amazes and astounds about the title the more you play into it isn't just the staggering variety of bonuses, stages and special effects offered. It's also the brilliant execution with which the entire package is delivered, helping tie together any lose ends, and win even the most jaded player over with its singular sense of atmosphere and intensity.
Mysteryville 2 Review
Journalist Laura Winner just can't get enough of the odd little town of Mysteryville. After investigating the riddle of the missing cats in the first Mysteryville adventure, she returns for a visit and in spite of only wanting a relaxing vacation, finds herself sucked into another mystery. Mysteryville 2 is very similar to the first game's hidden object and puzzle-solving gameplay style, but offers a new story and a chance to catch up with familiar characters.
Sleeping in Seattle
Casual Connect. This is what they're calling it now. It used to be Casuality , but I think that sounded too much like casualty, so they changed the name of the conference to Casual Connect. Now it sounds like a lurid sub-category off the CraigsList personals. Let's connect, casually. Wink, wink. But really, that's what we did in Seattle last week. Those of us who make games and sell them. We connected, with each other. But not with you. There were no consumers, none of you who play the games and buy them. And this was kind of sad. I've never worked in an industry so far-removed from the customer.
Gamezebo Podcast: John Vechey of PopCap Games
With two big game developer acquisitions announced by PopCap and John Vechey, Co-Founder of PopCap Games, giving a key note at the event, Gamezebo was able to grab John and ask him a few questions about how PopCap Games makes their games, his feelings on the industry, and the pressures of returning to the company after leaving to make films. We also get to answer a few of your questions too.
http://www.gamezebo.com/podcasts/mp3_player.swf " />Click here to download and hear to our podcast with John Vechey of PopCap Games
Beauty Factory Review
Dreaming of running Cover Girl, L'Oreal, Elizabeth Arden or Bobbi Brown Cosmetics? For those few folks who want to be a cosmetics CEO when they grow up, Beauty Factory requires keeping track of research and development, production and sales and marketing, providing players with a simulation of the life of a retail executive minus the chauffeur, dream office and golf meetings.