Gamezebo Archives - June 2010

Free games are all around us, but they may not be as easy to find as you’d think. We help you sort through the App Store to find the latest price drops and limited time offers so that you won’t have to spend a penny. Today’s free games include ping pong solitaire, some high speed highway driving, a neon-infused twin stick shooter and more!

If you didn't get your fill of "picross"-style puzzles in the first two World Mosaics games, there's plenty more where that came from in World Mosaics 3: Fairy Tales.

Google’s announcement that they will launch a Chrome Web Store may present an opportunity for social game companies looking to expand and become less dependent on Facebook, according to an article in the Social Times. Google could be a leading casual games destination by the end of the year?

With casual games on Facebook being released every day around the world, we can’t report on them all, but we sure do try.

Today, we’ve spotted Party Resort, a vacation cabana themed game from iWin (Jewel Quest, Family Feud); The Settlers – My City, the latest empire builder from video game publisher Ubisoft; and Vinyl City, a very clever music game for old-school DJs by Backstage.

Were you a big fan of last year's fun and eccentric hidden object game Pure Hidden? Want to put it in your pocket? We're giving away 10 copies of Pure Hidden for the iPhone this weekend. Want to win? Just become a member of our Facebook Fan Page, tell us your favorite iPhone game, and we'll select 10 winners at random on Monday morning. Good luck!

Ubisoft, a company whose focus has traditionally been hardcore console franchises like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell and Prince of Persia, has created a digital game publishing business. At the helm will be Chris Early, former general manager for Windows Gaming Technology at Microsoft.

Packs your bags... for murder! And check out the new teaser video for I-play's upcoming whodnut HOG Agatha Christie: 4:50 from Paddington. The game is launching June 17. (Video behind the cut.)

Each week hundreds of new games hit the App Store, vying for your dollars. Join us every Friday as we sort through the pile and let you know which games should be on your radar. This week’s releases include a hard-rockin’ rhythm game, some Tron-style cycling, a Pac-Man match-3 game and more!

The Adventure Shop is having a huge sale: get 50% off 50 point-and-click adventure games including Art of Murder , Return to Mysterious Island, and the Sherlock Holmes series. Sandlot Games' free game of the week is Super Granny Winter Wonderland. Selected RPGs (including Arx Fatalis, Divine Divinity and Realms of Arkania are 30% off on GOG.com until June 14. The new indie platformer Eversion is 10% off on Steam.

We're always excited to check out the latest game from GameHouse Eindhoven (the Netherlands-based game studio formerly known as Zylom). The creators of the Delicious series always seem to put out quality games with plenty of thoughtful extra touches. The company is currently working on a hospital-themed time management game called Private Care (working title), and true to form, the game isn't just about clicking quickly but also explores some of the drama and emotion behind working at a medical clinic.

Realistic physics are a big selling point in games, especially with iPhone titles these days. We're starting to see this feature touted as a selling point with more and more games, including genres where we might not have expected to. iFlexis is a perfect example: a match-three title that utilizes "wacky physics" to make things fun, this is a game that seems like it should be a complete hit… unfortunately, it's never quite as enjoyable as it tries to be.

Free games are all around us, but they may not be as easy to find as you’d think. We help you sort through the App Store to find the latest price drops and limited time offers so that you won’t have to spend a penny. Today’s free games include the return of Tron-style racing, a wacky wagon ride, a new Nimp experience and more!

You gotta fight... for your right... to pooooooker! Youda Games' poker sim Governor of Poker is finally getting a sequel, and this time the very game of poker itself is at stake in Governor of Poker 2. After the Texas gambling committee outlaws poker, you'll have to fight to convince them that the game is worth bringing back.

When we last left Jessie, the time-travelling heroine of the Flux Family Secrets series, she was stuck in the 1980's, unable to return to the present day. And The Rabbit Hole picks up right where the first game in the series left off, further fleshing out the mystery of the Flux family while offering up a enjoyable blend of hidden object and adventure game.

As the first video game mascot to appear on the scene, Pac-Man holds a special place in our hearts. That’s not to say he can do no wrong – but we’re always inclined to give him the benefit of the doubt. In celebration of his 30th birthday, Namco is sending everyone’s favourite yellow munchkin somewhere he’s never been before – to the world of match-3 gameplay! Much to our surprise and delight, Pac-Match Party brings a number of new twists to the genre that help it hold its own against the competition.

Digital Chocolate announced a multi-million dollar line of credit from Bridge Capital Holding. Though not specific what they will do with the money, bloggers everywhere suggest they will focus on development and marketing on social and mobile games.

Mark you calendars Dream Chronicles fans, because PlayFirst has confirmed of its official blog that Dream Chronicles: The Book of Air will launch on June 24. The Book of Air is the fourth game in the casual adventure series, and the first game in a new Dream Chronicles trilogy where you'll play as Faye's daughter Lyra. Read our preview for more info about the game and a video teaser.

No, that is not an insult. In you are a social games company like Zynga, Playdom, or Playfish, or the hundreds of other companies coming around, it’s quite the compliment.

Inside Social Games has a great article about “super whales,” a term that derives from Vegas casinos to denote the small minority of gamers who spend the most money in casinos.

Big Fish Games announced today the release of its first true high-definition hidden object game, Flux Family Secrets: The Rabbit Hole, on its web site. Will HOG’s soon be called High-Def Hidden Object games? The answer to this perplexing question below the jump.

Every four years the best of the best in the world of soccer take to the field and compete in a month long tournament to show once and for all which nation truly reigns supreme. It’s the world’s most popular sport, and along with it comes the world’s most popular sports video games. With the World Cup kicking off later today, we take a look at 32 games of footie that have been scrunched down to fit on your favourite mobile device.