Rejoice my fellow Sims fans, because today is a day for jubilation. I can’t say I’m all that surprised about the news, but it’s still pretty exciting to hear nonetheless. That’s right, today Maxis has announced the existence of The Sims 4. I can hear my quirky virtual family murmuring nonsense words in excitement already!

Everyone remembers their first SimCity.  If you’re a young whipper-snapper, you probably have fond memories of SimCity 4.  20-somethings spent countless hours of their youth on SimCity 3000, and most friends my age discovered the original SimCity when it hit the Super Nintendo in 1991.  But my first memory of SimCity?  That dates all the way back to 1989.  

There’s no denying the rise of digital gaming these days. With last month’s reveal of Sony’s PlayStation 4, we saw a huge emphasis on digital downloads and streaming capabilities, with instant downloads of games and other nifty cyber features. But now we have some real numbers from one of gaming’s biggest retail publishers to reinforce the fact that digital gaming is here to stay. SuperData Research is reporting that Electronic Arts’ digital revenue is expected to overtake their physical game sales by the end of 2013, which would be a first for one of the big retail video game publishers.

Developed by Firemonkeys, Real Racing 3 is a game in which you race against many AI opponents in an array of cars that you can unlock by being the best racer around. Becoming the best racer and unlocking the best cars can be challenging, but with Gamezebo's quick start guide you'll have all of the tips, tricks, and walkthroughs you need to get ahead of the game.

Firemint’s Real Racing franchise has long set standards for iOS gaming.  And not just racing games, either.  The team at Firemint (now FireMonkeys) have consistently set the bar ridiculously high for graphics, accessibility, and iOS-first design strategies.  This probably had a lot to do with why EA bought them back in 2011.

EA Mobile's new Word Smack is a competitive, two-player word guessing game that can be played against Facebook friends or random strangers on the internet. The action unfolds over three alternating and increasingly difficult rounds, each of which presents you with 15 opportunities to guess five-letter words. 

I wonder if the people from EA and Firemonkeys hang out and go camping and stuff. They must be close in some capacity, as Need For Speed: Most Wanted marks the fourth entry in the Need For Speed series that Firemonkeys has adapted for iOS. Just close your eyes and try to picture EA CEO John Riccitello walking hand-in-hand with a monkey engrossed in flames, both of them gazing upward at a beautiful sunset. Not so farfetched, right? Right?

Madden NFL Social is a sports simulation game developed by EA. Throughout the game, players get to take to the field with their favorite NFL football team and make plays with their favorite players against their friends. Gamezebo’s quick start strategy guide will provide you with detailed images, tips, information, and hints on how to play your best game.

The thought of NFL football as a turn-based game seems a little strange -- unless you're a Chiefs fan, in which case you're wishing other teams would let you play that way. Yet taking turns with your friends is the focus of Madden NFL Social, which looks to shake up the sameness of EA's last round of social sports games with asynchronous cross-platform play on Facebook and (eventually) iOS devices.

When you really think about, the social city simulation experience can be summed up best in two words: real estate.  Everyone want to be the next Donald Trump.  Buying land expansions, building condos and commercial strips, collecting rent – it’s all about the money.  But these games all tend to overlook the most essential element of the realty market: buying and selling.