What's New in Gamezebo
Countdown to the Zeebys: Alice Greenfingers
Alice Greenfingers is in the running for Best Strategy Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Daniel Zandelin at Arcade Lab about what makes Alice Greenfingers special and why it deserves to get your vote.
10 Days Under the Sea Review
Carrie opens her father's compass and an old man appears. He turns Carrie into a ghost, explaining that she will get her body back after she finds the treasures with the magical compass. Together with her sister, Diana, Carrie must sail to ten locales in ten days to find the treasures in 10 Days Under the Sea.
Kiss Me Review
In the village of Fairyland, adorable kittens, doggies and piggies live peacefully together. Although their cute little lives are idyllic, they all aspire to something greater – supreme happiness in a land of gingerbread and caramel candy houses, where pets fly around on pink clouds and brightly colored ballons. The gates to this city of supreme happiness are only open to those who are in love. To help all of the inhabitants get there in Kiss Me, match the pets with their soulmates so they will float off into the sky and live happily ever after.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Jojo's Fashion Show
Jojo's Fashion Show is in the running for Best Arcade & Action Game and Best Casual Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Game Design Lead Gregory Trefry and Producer Catherine Herdlick of Gamelab about what makes Jojo's Fashion Show special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Flip Words 2
Flip Words 2 is in the running for Best Word & Trivia Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Brian Goble of HipSoft about what makes Flip Words 2 special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Ranch Rush Review
When it comes to time management games, farming is quickly becoming as popular as food and fashion. But as saturated as the farm theme is becoming, Ranch Rush proves that there's always room for one more - provided the game is as good as this one is.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Cake Mania 2
Cake Mania 2 is in the running for Best Time Management Game and Best Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Daniel Bernstein, Founder & CEO of Sandlot Games, about what makes Cake Mania 2 special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Sunshine Acres Review
Want to work on a farm? Given the number of farming games we've seen lately, this seems to be a popular idea... at least with game developers. If you're up for another one, or just like wearing overalls and a straw hat, Sunshine Acres is a time management farming game that has you raising fresh veggies to keep your litle plot growing.
Social Saturdays: Word Twist
If you're a fan of word games then you're probably familiar with Boggle, where you're given a set of random letters and have to try to form as many words as possible with them before the timer runs out. Word Twist isn't the first word game to riff on that classic formula, but it does create a unique online framework for it that lets you challenge your Facebook friends to a game without actually having to be sitting across from them, or even playing at the same time.
Just In - Treasure Masters, Inc.
Treasure Masters, Inc., a new hidden object game from Alawar, has just launched. Click here to download it, and click here to discuss the game in our forums. Review and strategy guide coming soon.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Brainiversity
Brainiversity is in the running for Best Trivia & Word Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with John Passfield of Red Sprite Studios who, with a little help from his wife Leigh, told us about what makes Brainiversity special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Countdown to the Zeebys: The Scruffs
The Scruffs is in the running for Best Hidden Object & Adventure Game and Best Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with the game's writer and producer, Fazila Khan, about what makes The Scruffs special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Tropico Jong Review
Ahh... Tropico Island... home to the most beautiful butterflies the world has ever seen. In Tropico Jong: Butterfly Expedition, you get to experience first-hand these colorful creatures as you embark on a journey of discovery through this butterfly-scouting mahjong game.
Casual News - June 27, 2008
PopCap opens an Asia Pacific office, Majesco Entertainment ships a Nintendo DS version of Cake Mania 2, and speaking at GDC Paris, PlayFirst CEO John Welch talks about devleoping games for the iPhone and the entry of big publishers like Electronic Arts into the casual game space. These headlines and more behind the cut.
Boarding pass: How Airport Mania made a safe landing
Some game companies use pretty pedestrian means to pick their projects; maybe doing some market research and testing what ideas have been popular in the marketplace, or by licensing an IP and going from there, or just making a sequel.
For Reflexive's Russell Carroll, the producer of Airport Mania, the process is much less regimented.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Diner Dash Hometown Hero
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero is in the running for Best Time Management Game and Best Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Producer Solveig Pederson of PlayFirst about what makes Diner Dash: Hometown Hero special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Dam Beavers Review
Dam Beavers is a study in unfulfilled potential. Great word games don't come along very often - it's tricky to make a game that provides an interesting challenge to word lovers while still being accessible to those with less extensive vocabularies - but Dam Beavers might have been such a game if not for a few fatal flaws.
Fitness Frenzy Review
One day, Vicky finds herself puffing up a set of stairs for the umpteenth time and realizes that something has to change. She starts exercising and gets herself in shape, then decides to share her newfound feel-good lifestyle with others by opening a series of gyms. For time management fans looking for a unique setting, Fitness Frenzy's gym theme provides ample opportunity for entertainment.
Amazing Adventures Around the World Review
If you see people with smiling faces strolling down the street, it might be because they're hidden object game fans. After all, they've been spoiled lately with a string of impressive downloads, including Women's Murder Club and Hidden Expedition: Amazon, to name a few. Now you can add Amazing Adventures Around the World to that list. The latest in hidden object games offers plenty of seek-and-find fun to lat you through the summer.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Yin Yang
Yin Yang is in the running for Best Web Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Mat Annal, Managing Director of Nitrome, about what makes Yin Yang special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Bloons
Bloons is in the running for Best Web Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Chris and Stephen of Ninja Kiwi about what makes Bloons special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Web Wednesdays: Bowja the Ninja
Although its subject matter is not typical for a casual game (there are both ninjas AND robots!), the ingeneous point-and-click gameplay of Bowja the Ninja (on Factory Island) is too good not to feature as our Web game of the week.
Casual News - June 24, 2008
Lycos launches a new version of Gamesville's very first game, Bingo Zone, to commemorate the portal's 12-year anniversary; Nestlé and Namco team up on a game designed to sell bottled water; EA's Matthew Jeffery looks at how to attract long-term employees at game companies; and Cake Mania 2 announced for DS today and mobile soon. Wii next? These headlines and more behind the cut.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Agatha Christie Death on the Nile
Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile is in the running for Best Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Tony Leamer of Oberon Media about what makes Agatha Christie: Death on the Nile special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Ranch Rush Preview
Sarah loves working at the local nursery, but those days could be over when she learns that her boss, Jim, might have to sell the business to developers for much-needed cash. To prevent Jim from selling, and keep her beloved job, Sarah must take it upon herself to reverse the ranch's financial fortunes and help Jim earn enough money in eight weeks to send the developers packing. That's the premise of Ranch Rush, the upcoming time management game from FreshGames.
Just In - Fitness Frenzy
Gogii Games' long-awaited fitness-themed time management game, Fitness Frenzy, has launched. Click here to download the game, and click here to discuss it in our forum. Review and strategy guide coming soon.
Countdown to the Zeebys: The 80s Game with Martha Quinn
The 80s Game with Martha Quinn is in the running for Best Trivia & Word Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Dave Walls of Funkitron, who talked about what makes The 80s Game with Martha Quinn special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Hidden Expedition: Amazon Review
I'm a staunch supporter of unique games. Oh sure, they might not enjoy the commercial success of, say, another match-three game or time management sim, but a casual game reviewer can only take so many of these "me, too" clones bloating the industry. But every once in a while a game surfaces that, while not original in concept, succeeds very well in execution. Such is the case with Big Fish Games' Hidden Expedition: Amazon, a new hidden object download that proves you don't always have to reinvent the wheel - it just needs to roll along smoother than its predecessors.
PictoWords Review
Although we don't see as many word games as we see hidden object or match-three, they're still among some of the most popular games with casual gamers. Yet strangely enough, there's a real gap in new word game concepts, with few daring to venture beyond the framework of Boggle. If you've already played most of the best, you might be feeling a bit... bored. Well, PictoWords takes up the challenges and puts forth something different in the word game genre.
Dress Up Rush Preview
Jane (of Jane's Hotel fame) is branching out from her hotel business and entering the world of fashion design in Realore's upcoming time management game, Dress Up Rush. Using her newfound fashion sense, Jane opens a boutique to give customers advice about which outfits, colors and styles suit them best.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Sally's Salon
Sally's Salon is in the running for Best Time Management Game and Best Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with developer GamesCafe about what makes Sally's Salon special and why it deserves to get your vote.
The Princess Bride Game Review
Has it really been 20 years since Rob Reiner's classic fantasy film The Princess Bride was released? Inconceivable! But it's true - and to commemorate the anniversary, newcomer Worldwide Biggies has created The Princess Bride Game, a title that uses a mash-up of popular casual game styles, including time management and seek-and-find, to retell the story of the maiden Buttercup and her true love Westley.
The Three Stooges: Treasure Hunt Hijinks Review
In Stoogedom, there are never enough "Hey, Moe!" and "Nyuk, nyuk, nyuks!" to go around. Stooge fans are always longing for more of the trio's zany antics. That's why news of The Three Stooges: Treasure Hunt Hijinks brought with it a great sense of anticipation. Was it warranted? Well, knucklehead, read on. "Woo-woo-woo-woo!"
Social Saturdays: Parking Wars
Parking Wars is a Facebook game that's based on the A&E reality television show of the same name, which follows parking enforcement professionals around the city of Philadelphia. Refreshingly, the game is much more than just a giant ad for the show.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Chocolatier
Chocolatier is in the running for Best Strategy Game of
2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Michael Thornton Wyman, CEO of Big Splash Games, about what makes Chocolatier special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Just In - Hidden Expedition: Amazon
Hidden Expedition: Amazon, the anticipated hidden object game sequel to Hidden Expedition: Everest and Hidden Expedition: Titanic, has launched! Click here to download the game, and click here to discuss it in our forum. Review and strategy guide coming soon.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Build-a-lot
Build-a-lot is in the running for Best Strategy Game and Best Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with Brian Goble of HipSoft about what makes Build-a-lot special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake Review
The seventh release in Her Interactive's popular first-person mystery series, Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake sends the independent-minded sleuth on yet another adventure, one in response to a friend's frantic note regarding a mysterious pack of pups. Supernatural events or a Scooby-doo-like ploy? That haunting truth is for Nancy, and you, to unravel.
Beebo Deluxe Review
Bees - they're really not as organized as you might think. While we can surely classify bees as one of the most hardworking insect species, they still have their own problems when it comes to making their hives as efficient as possible - at least in Beebo Deluxe, where ordinary worker bees are reliant on the services of a "Beeficiency Expert" for hire as he organizes each hive for maximum honey-producing profit.
Casual News - June 20, 2008
According to yet another survey, this time commissioned by RealGames, casual games may help players kick bad habits like snacking and smoking. Game destination SimsCarnival.com has launch in open beta, Meez launches a virtual world called Meez Nation, and Majesco and Gogii Games announce Escape the Museum for the Wii. These headlines and more below the cut.
Just In - Amazing Adventures Around the World
Amazing Adventures Around the World from SpinTop Games has just launched. Click here to download the game and click here to discuss in our forum. Stay tuned for our review and strategy guide.
Fashion Dash Review
Needless to say, PlayFirst has been milking its "Dash" games more than a freakin' dairy cow - er, in fact, there's even a Dairy Dash game to go along with the many Diner, Wedding, Doggie and other "Dash" time management puzzlers. The latest is Fashion Dash, where gamers play as Coco, a woman with dreams of becoming a fashion designer who takes on the challenge of outfitting customers with tailor-made clothes while they wait.
Countdown to the Zeebys: Burger Shop
Burger Shop is in the running for Best Time Management Game of 2007 at the upcoming Zeeby Awards. We chatted with developer Gobit Games about what makes Burger Shop special and why it deserves to get your vote.
Ancient Quest of Saqqarah Review
You've got to love acclaimed casual game developer Codeminion's commitment to innovation and quality. Whether exploring new ways to play connect the dots (Magic Match) or turning the marble-blasting genre on its head (StoneLoops of Jurassica!), the studio always makes a point of doing something eye-catching with each release. Be thankful, then, that nothing's changed in the latest offering Ancient Quest of Saqqarah.
Fishdom Review
The best part about a simulated fish tank is that you never need to clean it! Those huge tanks look so beautiful, but in reality they are a lot of hard work to maintain. Fishdom is a new match-three game that has players fixing up exotic aquariums and raising all manner of tropical fish - all without needing a scoop and water filter.
Rock Tour Review
Behind every great band is a great manager. Even though it's not half as glamorous as actually being on stage, without a manager there would be no one to book the shows, advertise, stroke fragile rock egos, and of course ensure a steady cash flow. This is the role you'll step into in the strategy game Rock Tour.
Just In - The Three Stooges: Treasure Hunt Hijinks
The Three Stooges: Treasure Hunt Hijinks, a hidden object game based on the famous slapstick trio, Larry, Curly and Moe, has just launched. Click here to download the game, and click here to talk about it in our forum.
Web Wednesdays: Fluid
So many great Web games are founded on the simplest of design concepts, and Fluid is one of them. Within a gently floating and bubbling environment, the goal is to simply click and hold the mouse to create a circular fluid that gets bigger the longer you hold the mouse down in order to fill the container to at least 50% of its capacity.
Notes from the Underbelly of Social Gaming
Place more than two casual game executives in a room together and the one thing they will agree on is that casual game downloads are dead. They are not, of course. The market is just changing, evolving into a whole new market with new genres, distribution channels, and pricing (unlike the price of gas, download games are cheaper, yea!).
Jewel Quest III Review
Just when we thought that the long-suffering Rupert was finally going to be able to settle down, a disaster strikes that sends him globe-trotting once more in Jewel Quest III, the second sequel to one of the most popular match-three games of all time.
Mr. Smoozles Goes Nutso Review
Mr. Smoozles Goes Nutso is an adventure game based on Steve Ince's popular Mr. Smoozles webcomic, which features a collective of bickering, anthropomorphic kitties and aliens who are mildly obsessed with videogames.
Discovery! A Seek and Find Adventure Review
Wheel! Of! Discovery!! Travel inside a game show complete with a wheel and showcase-like sets that take players around the world hidden object style with Discovery! A Seek and Find Adventure. While Jim Summers explains the rules and keeps the game on track, Jill acts as a human GPS pointing out hidden objects when you need a hint.
Casual News - June 17, 2008
Nickelodeon carves out a Games Group and Virtual Worlds group to continue its emphasis on online gaming and virtual worlds, and Next Generation has an article exploring the growing role of women in gaming featuring Arkadium's Jessica Rovello and Rebel Monkey's Margarat Wallace. These headlines and more behind the cut.
The Flying Trapeezees Review
Anyone who's ever dreamed of running off to join the circus will be right at home in The Flying Trapeezees. A slickly-produced, tongue-in-cheek forway into the world of late 19th century aerial acrobatics, the title proves a relatively engaging way to turn off your brain and unwind.
Just In - Rock Tour
Think you've got what it takes to manage a band? Find out in Rock Tour, a new time management game that has just launched on Big Fish. Click here to download the game, and click here to talk about it in our forum.
Just In - Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
The latest Nancy Drew adventure game to hit the portals is Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake. Click here to download the game, and click here to talk about it in our forum.
Build in Time Review
Have you ever wished you could travel back in time? Einstein believed that space is curved and time is relative, so time travel is theoretically possible... at least if you plan on traveling to the future. Build in Time takes you in the other direction, where you build your way through six decades of styles and trends from 1950 to 2009. The theme developers from juke boxes and flower power, to disco and leg warmers, straight into the Internet Age and modern life.
Steals & Deals - June 14, 2008
Chill - 35% off all games [use coupon code dadsday08]. Offer ends June 16.
PopCap - 25% off all games [use coupon code FLIPOUT].
Just In - Discovery! A Seek and Find Adventure
There's a new hidden object game on Big Fish called Discovery! A Seek and Find Adventure. Click here to download the game, and click here to talk about it in our forum. Review and strategy guide are coming soon!
Social Saturdays: PopJax
PopJax.com comes from the mind of Doug Barry, a former television executive who worked on game shows including The Joker's Wild and Win, Lose or Draw. The website is best described as a collection of online video quiz games that serve as fun diversions for both trivia fans and pop culture junkies.
Interview with Josh Williams, Alamofire
In a previous life, the folks at Texas-based Alamofire created web sites under the banner of Firewheel Design. One such creation was IconBuffet, a website that supplies icons to web designers and geeks. When a community started to form around collecting and trading these icons, the idea for a game was born. The result was PackRat, a card-collecting game that has quickly gained a fanatical following on Facebook.
We caught up with Alamofire's Urban Cowboy Fashion Consultant / CEO Josh Williams to talk about social gaming, Facebook, and of course PackRat.
Tropicabana Review
A spot of good news for fans of pattern-matching puzzlers: while casino-themed outing Tropicabana might not be the most innovative match-three outing we've seen, it's definitely one of the more original. Successfully capitalizing on a tried and true formula, while also placing a greater emphasis on music and atmosphere than rivals, a few minor quirks notwithstanding, the game comes highly recommended.
Casual News - June 13, 2008
The latest PopCap-sponsored survey reveals that "disabled gamers" make up 20% of the casual game audience, Majesco wades into casual territory by announcing its first online downloadable game Orchard, and Oberon Media's Dan Ryan talks about "triple-play" publishing (mobile, Web/PC and TV). These headlines and more after the cut.
Give the People What They Want
I would love to go to one store to buy every product I want. But shuttling from one retailer to another is the reality of the American consumer. That's what specials are all about. That's why Macy's has one-day-only sales and AT&T has the iPhone. People who sell stuff employ all kinds of strategies to get you into their establishments, because capitalism thrives on the better mouse-trap theory, and mouse-traps are not just products, but offerings and services. Such as, only available here.
Just In - Jewel Quest III
If you've been waiting patiently for the next instalment in the Jewel Quest series, the wait is over! iWin launched Jewel Quest III today (a day earlier than expected), and you can click here to download the second follow-up to the most popular match-three games of all time. Review and tips coming soon - in the meantime, click here to discuss the game in our forum.
Just In - The Flying Trapeezees
The Flying Trapeezees, which we previewed a while back, has launched on Shockwave. Click here to download the game, click here to discuss the game in our forum, and stay tuned for our review and strategy guide.
Gold Rush - Treasure Hunt Review
There's never been a better time to get rid of a certain precious metal, with its value higher than ever. Happily, according to pleasing new action-puzzler Gold Rush - Treasure Hunt, there's never been a better time to find it as well. Having ventured deep within the title's computerized caverns, we concur: While not the most frantic or captivating of its breed, the game nonetheless proves fun and challenging, especially when enjoyed in short spurts.
Jenny's Fish Shop Review
When it comes to pet shop games, there's plenty of fish in the "casual game" sea. Jenny's Fish Shop is a time management game about - you guessed it - a fish shop. And it's not the kind that comes with chips...
Web Wednesdays: The Curse of Anan-Thotep
Legacy Games has launched an online version of one of the cases from its recent hidden object game The Lost Cases of Sherlock Holmes. In The Curse of Anan-Thotep, Dr. Laurence Carstairs is found driven insane with fear in the Egyptian wing of the British Museum, repeating the word "Anan-Thotep," the name of the mummy laid out on display. Who - or what - struck down the archaeologist?
How Build-A-Lot 2 got better by staying the same
Much like a real estate tycoon staring at an empty lot, HipSoft had a blank canvas in front of them as they pondered their next project. So why, with all those possibilities, return to Built-a-Lot, especially just a month after the first game was completed?
Mystery Stories: Island of Hope Review
Mystery Stories: Island of Hope is one of those hidden object games that with a little more tweaking could have been a standout title in the genre. While gameplay shows the occasional flash of inspiration, and the package is attractive enough, the game is hampered by a slew of minor issues.
Fashion Dash Preview
Flo (of Diner Dash fame) sure does have a lot of friends. The latest buddy that PlayFirst is introducing us to is Coco, the red-haired clothing maker who's starring in the upcoming time management game Fashion Dash.
Just In - Mystery Stories: Island of Hope
Another hidden object game has just launched on Big Fish Games. Click here to play Mystery Stories: Island of Hope, and click here to discuss the game in our forums. Review and strategy guide coming soon!
The Secret of Margrave Manor Review
Haunted mansions are more common than you'd expect, and all share unsavory pasts. Many claim to be the "most haunted" buildings, including the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis (where pianos play by themselve) and the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans (famous for its vision of ghostly children). The Secret of Margrave Manor is a hidden object mystery that has you exploring the sprawling grounds of a decrepit family mansion with a few "ghosts" of its own.
Just In: The Secret of Margrave Manor
There is a new hidden object game released on Big Fish Games, The Secret of Margrave Manor. Our review is coming soon. In the meantime, click here to download a free trial of The Secret of Margrave Manor and click here to discuss in our forum.
Tower Bloxx Deluxe Review
Good news for aspiring city planners: Tower Bloxx, formerly a popular mobile and Flash-based Web diversion, is now available as a standalone, downloadable PC product, and a darned fine one at that. One of the more innovative desktop concepts we've seen as of late, it's a clever (and insanely attractive) marriage of arcade-style puzzle action and civil engineering sure to please fans of all ages.
Turtix - Rescue Adventure Review
You needn't be familiar with the previous Turtix game or other platform-like puzzlers like Lemmings or Vikings to enjoy playing through Turtix - Rescue Adventures. Don't be fooled by its cutesy graphics: this game will provide hours of head-scratching fun for those who like a challenge. Oddly, though, it's missing some features we liked in the original game - but we'll get to that in due time.
Social Saturdays: Prized Collection
We're thrilled to be able to give you an exclusive sneak peak at Prized Collection, a Facebook application that our friends at rmbr will be launching next week.
Steals & Deals - June 7, 2008
-RealArcade - 50% off Mosaic - Tomb of Mystery
-Sandlot Games - 50% off Ballhalla, Ballistik, Barnyard Invasion, Burger Island, Monster Mash, Pirate Island, Snail Mail and Word Monaco
-SpinTop - 50% off Amazing Adventures: The Lost Tomb [sale exires June 10].
-And finally, a couple of our eagle-eyed readers noticed this chilis promotion. Watch a short commercial and get a free copy of Burger Rush!
The Zeebys are back! This year you're invited!
Many of you have been wondering, when will I get to vote for the best casual games of 2007 and award my favorite game developer with the coveted Zeebys Trophy?
The good news is that now until July 5, you can vote for your favorite casual game of the year. Then, meet us in Seattle. We’re opening the Awards Show to the general public and donating 100% of our ticket proceeds to a charity that is dear to our heart, the Starlight Starbright Children’s Foundation.
Click here to vote and then click here to learn more about the Awards Show and our partnership with Starlight. If you can’t make it to Seattle, you can still donate to this worthy cause and we’ll post a video of the show online, courtesy of our friends at Lifetime TV. Thanks and have fun voting!
Sally's Spa Review
When we last met Sally, she was running her own beauty business in Sally's Salon. Now, with her salon franchise booming and hungry for a new challenge, Sally and childhood pal Nell decide to open up a spa together. With Sally pampering the customers and Nell selling spa products, the two make a pretty good team in Sally's Spa.
Casual News - June 6, 2008
PopCap co-founder John Vechey and First Class Flurry developer Viqua Games' Chanon Sajjamanochai are interviewed, Oberon Media appoints a new COO, and Mochi Media launches a new game-plus-ad network for web publishers. These news items and more behind the cut.
Jewels of Cleopatra 2: Aztec Mysteries Review
"If it ain't broke, don't fix it" must have been the mantra while working on Jewels of Cleopatra 2: Aztec Mysteries, a very good but very similar game to its successful predecessor.
Just In - Sally's Spa
Sally's Spa is here! Click here to download this sequel to Sally's Salon, and click here to discuss the game in our forum. Our review and strategy guide are on the way.
Hell's Kitchen - Uncensored!
If you've already played Hell's Kitchen you might have noticed that it features a strangely well-behaved Gordon Ramsay, whose mild insults don't come close to matching the vulgarity-filled rants that he unleashes on the hapless contestants of his television show. However, for a limited time you can download an uncensored version of the game, which is being offered exclusively by Ludia (the game's developer) and will be available only until the finale of the Hell's Kitchen television show in July.
Click here to download Hell's Kitchen uncensored (make sure you click the UNCENSORED! box). It goes without saying that this version contains language that is unsuitable for all audience and might offend some players.
Interview with Chanon Sajjamanochai, Viqua Games
When Viqua Games launched Tommy and the Magic Words a few years ago, two thoughts popped into my mind. One, how can I meet this Thai developer who came up with such an innovative word game? Two, how can I leverage the fact I own Gamezebo to get a free trip to meet the developer in Thailand, my favorite place in the world. Well, I have never achieved the latter goal, but I did talk to Chanon Sajjamanochai of Viqua Games. And since that time, Viqua launched numerous casual games, including Sandscript, Cindy's Sundaes, Doggie Dash, and their latest hit game, First Class Flurry. We talked to Chanon about First Class Flurry, community-based social games, and how a good Thai boy grows up to become a successful casual games developer.
Gazillionaire Review
Ever wondered what it's like to run your own business - in outer space? Gazillionaire is a business simulation designed to teach people about the basics of economics, but it does so in a way that's cleverly disguised as whacky space-themed fun.
Girls Inc. TeamUp Review
Everybody knows the old saying: There is no "I" in team. Thankfully, there can be a "you," however, courtesy of the brainteaser Girls Inc. TeamUp, which challenges groups of young ladies to navigate colorful, grid-based landscapes. While not the most audio-visually impressive or actively engaging mindbender we've encountered for desktop platforms, it's nonetheless a light, refreshing diversion suitable for play in bite-sized installments.
Web Wednesdays: Tomb of the Unknown Mummy
With the new Indiana Jones movie topping the box office, it seemed like the perfect time to introduce you to National Geographic's Tomb of the Unknown Mummy, a web game that sends you on your own archaeological adventure.
Tradewinds Caravans Review
Tradewinds Caravans is like a breath of fresh air amid the staleness of casual game clones. While it might not appeal to as broad an audience as a match-three or hidden object game, this is one you don't want to miss.
Camelia's Locket Review
Designed for people who simply can't get enough of marble-popping games like Zuma, Camelia's Locket offers up 100 levels of ball-blasting action.
Casual News - June 3, 2008
More senior citizens discover the stress-relieving properties of games, the latest GamingInsider column questions whether in-game advertising is too distracting, and GameSetWatch lays out what is wrong with Xbox Live Arcade, Microsoft's digital game download service for the Xbox 360. These headlines and more behind the cut.
Gold Rush - Treasure Hunt Preview
Long ago, Prospector Jack dug too greedily and became a ghost. Now he's doomed to haunt the gold mines forever - unless you can help him lift the curse. Go digging for gold nuggets and other treasures, perform more than 100 special tasks, and complete time- and depth-based challenges to prove your mining skills. Do you have what it takes to become a top-notch prospector? Find out when Gold Rush - Treasure Hunt launches later this month.
The Pini Society: The Remarkable Truth Review
If you're an ancient history or archaeology buff, The Pini Society: The Remarkable Truth will be right up your alley. Based on the exploits of the real-life Pini Society, a secret organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of valuable historical artifacts, the game lets players follow along on some of the society's most ipmortant missions, learning valuable information along the way.
Tip of the Day: Printing Pages
A top request from our users has been the ability to easily print any article on the Gamezebo Web site. Your wish is now our command. Look for the “Print this Article” icon on at the bottom of every article page of the Gamezebo Web site. Click this button and it’ll pop up a printer friendly page for you to print out.
This is especially a nice feature for anyone who wants to print out our very detailed Strategy Guides.
Mystery Case Files 4: Gone to the dogs?
Take a good look at this adorable face. It belongs to Bubba, the winner of the Find Felix contest that was part of Big Fish Games' Mystery Case Files: Ravenhearst. You'll soon be searching for this pug's mug, along with hundreds of other hidden objects, in the upcoming fourth game in the series, Mystery Case Files: Madame Fate.