Unbiased opinion: Zynga Slingo is an awesome game. It earned five stars in Gamezebo's review and ate up countless hours of my own personal free time. But great games don't always equal great business, and with the recent $15.6m acquisition of the Slingo brand by RealNetworks, we were left wondering what the future of Zynga Slingo might be.
Few names go as far back in the casual gaming industry as Slingo. The franchise has been around for 17 years, making them a venerable institution by video game standards. And as of today, that venerable institution has a new keeper.
I've never really understood the current fascination with slots on Facebook. Stripped of the chance of winning back the cash that you plunk into a slot machine, slots games on Facebook all too often involve engaging in repetitious drudgery for nothing in return. Imagine my surprise, then, when I played Zynga Slingo and found myself all but addicted to it. Not only does it combine the best aspects of slots and bingo, but even better, Zynga Slingo feels like a proper casual game that's enjoyable in its own right.
Zynga Slingo is the latest game from Zynga, combining the excitement of a slot machine with the fun of playing bingo. The mix may feel a little fresh for some, but with Gamezebo's quick start guide, you'll have all the tips, tricks and strategies you'll need to stay ahead of your friends.
While social games fans have been eagerly awaiting the release of Facebook's Zynga Bingo, Zynga has been quietly cooking up a new title behind the scenes that, though it may rhyme with bingo and draw a little inspiration from bingo, definitely isn't bingo. That's right - Zynga is bringing the Slingo franchise social in Zynga Slingo.
The casual games marketplace can be a harsh mistress. It's all too often that we hear about a developer leaving the PC market behind for greener pastures, or worse yet, shutting their doors all together. The fact is that it's just harder to make profitable games in the current climate. Despite this fretful trend, though, some developers are still seeing great success. Take Funkitron for example - a developer that's still putting out top notch casual titles without fail. We recently had a chat with Funkitron's President Dave Walls about the company's continued success, passion for originality, and their desire to put games in front of gamers regardless of device.