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Draw Something hopes you're ready to doodle DreamWorks characters

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-23T15:50:00+00:00

If there's one other reason why Zynga might have been excited to gobble up OMGPOP aside from its (dwindling) oodles of Draw Something players, it was the advertising opportunities. Hot off the heels of Zynga's deal with the National Hockey League, Dow Jones reports that the company will soon bring DreamWorks' upcoming Madagascar threequel to the Pictionary for phones.

The ad deal, which is set to launch in conjunction with the debut of Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted in theaters, will include banner ads, video trailers and relevant words to draw in the game. According to Dow Jones, the deal cost between $250,000 and $500,000, which sounds huge to us, but is reportedly normal for the two companies.

"This is the largest place where we can have this type of interaction," DreamWorks marketing head Anne Globe told Dow Jones. "It seems as though everywhere you go, everyone is drawing something." Globe was drawn to Draw Something--pun intended, and no, we're not ashamed--by her 10-year-old daughter's fascination with the game.

Now, Draw Something just made a pretty penny for Zynga, hemorrhaging players or not. What's better (for Zynga) is that the company reportedly has other major advertising deals in the works for the mobile hit, according to Dow Jones' nameless sources. So, if you happen to see the word "penguin" in Draw Something, now you know what's up.

Are you still digging on Draw Something? Can this game stick around for the long haul? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Game of the Day: Solitaire: FreeCell Penguin

Jenny Ng — 2012-05-23T13:00:00+00:00

Three computer games that most people are familiar with are Mindsweeper, Solitaire, and FreeCell. We have Microsoft Windows to thank for that since it always came bundled with those games. That said, today's Game of Day won't be a complete stranger -- Solitaire: FreeCell Penguin. This version plays like Microsoft's FreeCell, but comes with a new look and some spiffy options.

So what's new, you say? The playing field is divided into three parts: Foundation, Cell, then Tableau. Cards need to get stacked in Foundation, at the top. Cell are placeholders for cards and only hold one at a time. Tableau are all your movable cards.

At the bottom of the game is a tab for "My Solitaire Albums", which contains two free themes of backgrounds and card decks. (The second theme is shown in our screenshots.) Six more backgrounds and two more card decks are available under the categories of "Great Outdoors" and "Italian Holiday", but you'll have to earn those with wins.

Game Options also include hints, and if you have it turned on, the game will indicate which cards you should click next. Mostly, you'll see red sashes, but a beige sash means the card can go into the Foundation stacks. If Auto Complete is on, the game will automatically send the cards to the corrects stacks for you. Intrigued? Then come check out Solitaire: FreeCell Penguin today!

Play Solitaire: FreeCell Penguin!

Have you unlocked any new game layouts yet?

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This is what Pocket Planes looks like in flight [Video]

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-23T12:45:00+00:00

Figuratively speaking, of course. The creator of Tiny Tower has released the first official trailer for its next would-be mobile hit, Pocket Planes. Looking to do the same for flight simulators that it did for property sims, NimbleBit is poised to make running an airline somehow an enjoyable experience. You know what? We think the guys might have a chance.

Can you deny those adorable pixel people as they sit patiently mid-flight in their aircraft of choice? We didn't think so. But for the statistic lovers out there, Pocket Planes promises to have plenty for you. How does over 60 different types of planes--each one customizable with new paint jobs and upgrades--sound? What about the ability to fly both passengers and cargo on your ever-expanding airline?

Oh, and we almost forgot about the pilot uniforms, the 250 cities to expand into, the leaderboards to you stack up against your friends, the worldwide group events and a way to trade plane parts with friends. Better get ready to say buh-bye to free time.

[Via TouchArcade]

Are you excited about Pocket Planes? Could you see yourself playing this more than Tiny Tower? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Moshi Monsters: Coming to a smartphone (or tablet) near you

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-23T11:30:00+00:00

Your love of Dustbin Beaver knows no bounds, we know. It's followed you from the browser on your PC to your Nintendo DS, and soon enough it will find its way into the supercomputer in your pocket. UK-based Moshi Monsters creator Mind Candy has announced a partnership with Japanese mobile social game network GREE to bring its hit franchise to smartphones and tablets.

Gamasutra reports that Mind Candy has agreed to create two different Moshi Monsters games for the GREE platform, which is expected to go global before the summer. These two new mobile games are slated for release in the fourth quarter of 2012--in other words, winter.

Like any good globally-released game should, these Moshi Monsters game will be available in English, French, Japanese and Mandarin among other languages. GREE has signed a number of different launch partners for its upcoming global expansion, and has even opened its own U.S.-based game studio. But GREE has the power of the Beaver now, and what's to stop that?

Are you excited to see two new Moshi Monster games by year's end? What do you hope the games will be like? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Rage of Bahamut Tips & Tricks: Everything you need to get ahead [Exclusive]

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-23T11:00:00+00:00

First released on Android devices, ngmoco and Cygames' Rage of Bahamut is sitting pretty at the top of the Google Play charts, but if you're not an Android gamer, you can now also get your card game on via iTunes on iPhone. Choosing an alliance to the lines of Men, Gods or Demons, players in Rage of Bahamut collect cards to make them stronger, and can even synthesize multiple cards into something unique before taking them into battle.

Since most card battle games can be a bit daunting to a new player, we're here with some exclusive tips and tricks straight from the developer that will help you get ahead (and hopefully dominate those other players on the Mobage social network).

How to Pick Your Allegiance

MAN
Warriors, magicians and thieves from history and fairytales.
They tend to be good at defense.

GODS
Myth monsters, angels and fairies like Odin and Pixies.
They tend to be a good balance with attack and defense ability. Enables players to be flexible.

DEMONS
Monsters and witch like dragons, Vampires and golems.
They tend to have high offensive power and attack power up skills.

ALL
There are many varieties of cards in Rage of Bahamut.
With combining them, players can handle any situation. Get many cards and adaptively compose your deck for battle.

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Tips for Novices

1) Acquire cards to expand and level up your deck, and acquire Treasures through Questing

Complete Quests to follow the storyline and delve into the realm of Rage of Bahamut.
By Questing early on, players can acquire Rupies, experience points, new character cards and Treasures.
Collect an entire series of Treasures, and get rewarded a high-value card.

2) Breed your deck by Evolving and Enhancing the cards

As you collect cards through Quests and Card Packs, try Evolving and Enhancing the cards to improve abilities.
Evolving: Evolving cards allows you to combine cards with the same name, which makes the card stronger by increasing its Attack and Defense stats, Maturity, and Rarity.
Enhancing: You can choose to enhance a card with any other card to further evolve and strengthen the card.

3) Battle with rivals for Treasures

If players attack other players, winners can claim Rupies or Treasures.
Always check against another players' Level, Defense and cards when challenging someone to a battle.
Similar to gaining and receiving Gifts, a series of Treasures cannot be completed on your own. Some Treasures need to be won through battle.

4) Get reward cards in special limited time events

In Rage of Bahamut, events are held frequently. Players can get rare cards in events and even limited cards which cannot be acquired in normal quests.
Actively participate in events to get rewarded more rare cards.

And there you have it! A series of tips and tricks that are perfect for beginners to Rage of Bahamut, or even seasoned veterans looking to up their game. If you'd like to try Rage of Bahamut for yourself, you can now download the game for free on iTunes.

Click here to download Rage of Bahamut on iTunes -->

Have you tried Rage of Bahamut on either Android or iOS? What do you think of ngmoco and Cygames' card battle game? Sound off in the comments!

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Angry Birds Friends hits you with new levels every week on Facebook

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-23T10:15:00+00:00

How's that for more levels, huh? Rovio has announced that its Facebook version of Angry Birds has officially left its open beta phase and is now known as Angry Birds Friends. This final version of Angry Birds on the social network isn't terribly different from what's already there save for a few much-welcome enhancements.

Firstly, Rovio has taken a page from the "Blitz Bible," so to speak, and introduced weekly tournaments in Angry Birds Friends. A new tournament will start every Monday, pegging four levels as the battlefields. The first, second and third place players will earn a trophy that's forever theirs, unlike the crowns awarded for high scores.

Oh, and about those four new levels every week--they're exclusive to the game's new tournament mode. Looks like the ~~wimps~~ uncompetitive players will just have to suck it up and become contenders if they want to take a stab at new levels every week. In addition to trophies, placing players will earn bonus power-ups for their achievements in pig impalement. Just like that, Rovio found a way to stay on the charts.

Click here to play Angry Birds Friends on Facebook Now >

Are you excited about weekly levels in Angry Birds Friends? What else does this Facebook game need? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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FarmVille: Play Zynga Bingo for 10 free InstaGrows

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-22T22:00:00+00:00

Now that's what I can incentive. A new cross-promotion has launched between FarmVille and Zynga Bingo offering farmers a chance to receive 10 free InstaGrow potions for just reaching level 6 in Zynga Bingo. Interestingly, we've known that a promotion was coming to FarmVille since February, but for an unknown reason, we've been delayed until now.

Luckily, if you've already played Zynga Bingo to level 6, all you have to do is login to your farm to see a pop-up notifying you that your 10 free InstaGrow potions have been added to your gift box. If not, you'll need to play enough Zynga Bingo to level up to level 6 (a task that shouldn't take you anymore than a couple of days to complete) to finally reach that point.

If you're having trouble claiming your free InstaGrows, and you know you've already reached Level 6, you might want to refresh your farm and try again later (we had to refresh a few times before it finally clicked). Just make sure to earn these InstaGrows quickly, as this promotion likely won't last forever!

Have you already earned your 10 free InstaGrows in FarmVille for playing Zynga Bingo? Sound off in the comments.

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The Sims Social: Free pink reindeer heads for all!

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-22T21:20:00+00:00

Back in December, EA and Playfish launched a promotion encouraging players of the Sims Social to Like the game's official fan page, with the incentive being a large, fake pink reindeer head that they could mount on one of their Sims' walls. It may have taken a long time to hit the 8 million Like mark necessary for this promotion, but reach it the page did. EA and Playfish are now following through on the promise, as you can now claim your very own mountain fake pink reindeer head for your game.

Let's just think about this for a second: it's a pink reindeer head (that's bizarre enough), but it's also mounted on your wall as though you had hunted this imaginary creature yourself (don't worry, it was apparently made from a rocking horse). Talk about weird! Even if you've stopped playing the game as frequently as you may have in the past, there's still great incentive to claim this one-of-a-kind item, as there's no guarantee we'll ever see it again, whether free or otherwise in the game.

Click here to claim your free fake pink reindeer head!

What do you think of this reindeer head decoration in the Sims Social? Did you think the fan page would ever actually reach the 8 million "Like" mark? Sound off in the comments.

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Hidden Chronicles: Play Zynga Slingo for free Target Hints and energy

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-22T21:00:00+00:00

If you've yet to try out Zynga Slingo on Facebook, Zynga is hoping that a new cross-promotion in Hidden Chronicles will be enough to convince you to give the game a shot. For all players that play Zynga Slingo and earn at least 10 full boards in the game, they'll receive two free Target Hints and three energy for their troubles.

Remember, Zynga Slingo is based more on luck than skill, so earning 10 full boards can be an incredibly challenging and time consuming endeavor. Furthermore, the three energy that you win as a prize will be spent incredibly quickly, leaving the only real "positive" here to be the two free Target Hints.

Whether or not these hints, which allow you to pinpoint the exact location of a particular item within a hidden object scene, are actually worth the time and effort you'll need to expend to achieve them will be up to you. Good luck if you decide to go after them!

Will you try Zynga Slingo for these somewhat lackluster prizes in Hidden Chronicles? Sound off in the comments.

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Pioneer Trail Jailhouse: Everything you need to know

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-22T20:30:00+00:00

When we were first introduced to Sheriff Mae in Pioneer Trail, we were told that we'd eventually be able to capture the Gratchett Gang, a group of evil-doers out in the wild that are (obviously) up to no good. You'll need to lasso these varmints and throw them into jail, but of course, you'll need to build the Jailhouse first.

The Jailhouse feature and its goal series are available to users that have reached at least Level 16 in the game. As you build new cells in the Jailhouse, you'll be able to complete new bounty goals, and will eventually be able to lasso bandits for a chance to win new animal rewards (like a Jail Bird or Bandito Bear). To finish the Jailhouse, you'll need to collect the following building materials.

4 Prisoner Calendars
4 Iron Bars
8 Striped Shirts
4 Potato Peelers
4 Governor's Pardon
8 Thumb Screws

This finished just the first cell of the Jailhouse, which you'll be able to use to unlock new bounty goals. As you go along, you'll need to finish each goal and then upgrade the Jailhouse a single level to unlock the next goal, with the final goal coming when you've completed all previous goals and have fully upgraded the Jailhouse. Here are the goals you can expect to complete along the way.

Tighten the Snare

Place the Jailhouse
Investigate One Horse Track
Collect 10 Twelve O'Clock Shadows

Rewards: 200 XP, 200 coins and Jail Bird

Tipping Point

Use Sheriff Mae to Capture Bo Gratchett
Investigate Two Encrypted Messages
Collect 15 Chewed Cud

Rewards: 400 XP, 400 coins, Bandit Raccoon

One Saucy Bandit

Use Sheriff Mae to Capture Sissy Gratchett
Investigate Three Footprints
Collect 25 Police Fines

Rewards: 600 XP, 600 coins, Quick Draw Quaff

Mighty Fine Gratchett

Use Sheriff Mae to Capture Runt Gratchett
Investigate Three Town Fabric
Turn in the Fancy Gratchett Collection

Rewards: 800 XP, 800 coins, Bandito Bear

Showdown

Use Sheriff Mae to Capture Birdie the Fox
Investigate Eight Encoded Messages
Turn in Three Nefarious Plans Collections

Rewards: 1,000 XP, 1,000 coins, Jailhouse Bloodhound

As you upgrade the Jailhouse and capture criminals, you'll see the Jailhouse change in appearance (with the images of the criminals sticking out of the Jailhouse windows), and you'll also be able to complete one overall goal.

Finish the Gratchett Trap

Complete One Cell
Complete Two Cells
Complete Four Cells

Rewards: 1,000 XP, 1,000 coins, Building Boost

It should also be noted that you can complete the upgrades to the Jailhouse without finishing the goals first, so feel free to knock out all of the building stages before actually going after the criminals - the choice is yours!

[Via and image credit: Zynga]

What do you think of this Jailhouse feature and the ability to capture criminals on your Homestead? Sound off in the comments.

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You Don't Know Jack is crude, hilarious fun on Facebook

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-22T20:00:00+00:00

First released back in 1995, You Don't Know Jack received a rebirth of sorts last year, being revamped for a modern audience on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and DS. Regardless of the platform, You Don't Know Jack is a trivia test best served as a party game, limiting the amount of fun you can have staring at your own TV screen by yourself. In comes a Facebook version to ensure that that never happens, as you will be able to play the game (asynchronously) with anyone on the platform.

Available to play online only in closed beta (as of this writing), You Don't Know Jack looks to be one of the best ports we've seen of a modern console game to Facebook. Gameplay is setup into "television episodes," with short segments containing different themes combined into a single game. One segment, the Jack Attack, might ask you to click on the screen when two words or phrases appear that match a particular theme, while other segments might have you answering multiple choice questions based on pop culture and history.

You'll compete against other Facebook gamers for cash, and will receive bonus cash if you answer questions correctly before your opponents. On the other hand, answering a question wrong drains your virtual bank account. At the end of a game, the money you've earned will help you increase your in-game level, which also helps you earn free episodes (free episodes are also earned every day).

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Above all else, You Don't Know Jack is definitely an adult game, with crude humor, foul language, and content otherwise inappropriate for children. If you have the maturity to handle the content, the voice acting (by the television shows' "host"), in-game achievements and both audio and visual "commercials" are hilarious, making this one Facebook game you'll want to check out when it goes live.

If you'd like to check out You Don't Know Jack, you can try to secure a spot in the closed beta by clicking on this link. Here, you should be prompted to sign up for the beta, if spaces are still available.

Are you excited to hear that You Don't Know Jack is in development for Facebook? Sound off in the comments.

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Mirrorball Slots: An enchanted spin of the wheels on Facebook

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-22T19:20:00+00:00

With the growing popularity of the slot machine (and even casino) genre on Facebook, it's no surprise that we've seen ex EA and Playfish staffers jump into the virtual gambling pool with Mirrorball Slots, Plumbee's first Facebook game with a fairty tale twist.

Mirrorball Slots only comes with three different slot machines to play thus far (with the promise of more coming in the future), but those that are available are based on established fairy tales like Goldilocks, Rapunzel and the ever popular Magic Mirror. The latter is a fairly bland slot machine, with little in the ways of frills or animations (other than the obviously spinning slot machine wheels), but the other two games are incredibly animated, with unique personalities (if an inanimate object can have a personality, that is).

Regardless of the machine, you can choose from a variety of wagers, based on the 25 lines available across the particular game board. Your potential winnings obviously increase as you increase your bet, and you'll frequently come across free spin gems and power-ups that will give you around 10 (sometimes more) free spins that take place automatically in a sort of game-within-a-game. These free spin scenarios are where the Goldilocks and Rapunzel boards really shine, as each has a different meter to climb. In the case of Goldilocks, you may be trying to fill each of the three bears' bars with pictures of Goldilocks in order to create additional wild cards on the wheels, while Rapunzel sees a prince trying to climb up the tower to rescue Rapunzel by using "wild" pieces of her hair.

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Mirrorball Slots is a technically sound experience, offering the in-depth user interface you'd expect from a virtual slot machine. For example, you can set the game to auto spin the wheels in bundles of up to 1,000 spins, and you can speed up the rate at which the wheels actually move and stop if you'd rather not watch some of the animations. You can choose to bet on 1-25 lines at a time, and (as we said before) can choose to bet just a few coins per line (say, 2.5 or 5 coins per line) or can be a true high roller, betting up to 125 coins per line or more. When you first begin the game, you'll have 1,000 coins at your disposal, and luckily, each table seems to pay out more than enough coins for you to keep going long into the future without the threat of running out.

As it stands, this initial launch of Mirrorball Slots is rather limited, with just two of the three slot machines really being worth playing. With the promise of additional slot machines, and even a jackpot feature in the future, however, along with the ability to gain levels (unlocking more wager options) and compare your levels and bankrolls with your friends, this looks like one experience that will become even more entertaining with time.

Click here to play Mirrorball Slots on Facebook --->

Have you tried Mirrorball Slots on Facebook? Which slot machine game is your favorite on the platform? Sound off in the comments.

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Zoo Invasion on Facebook: Mimics fellow puzzlers in the best ways

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-22T17:20:00+00:00

Zoo Invasion is kind of like Bejeweled, with its match-three roots. Nexon's new puzzler is also kind of like Tetris in its verticality and insatiable need to get to the bottom. But it's kind of like Puzzle League, too, in how you rearrange various critters to make bigger matches. Throw all that into a vat filled with the most saccharine sounds and shapes that Eastern culture has to offer, and you have one helluva puzzler.

Like the best puzzle games on Facebook, Zoo Invasion inspires the kind of compulsion that drives you to either bug your friends for more hearts to play with or simply whip out the credit card and buy more. That kind of ... inspiration is thanks to a number of things that Nexon seems to have done right with Zoo Invasion.

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For one, it's the snappy play hook that equally rewarding as it is punishing. In Zoo Invasion, players control an adorable alien that pulls up, or abducts, several kinds of cubed critters in order to rearrange them so as to connect at least three. Of course, doing so destroys them, which they're always visibly scared about. Players can pick up as many as two of the same animal at a time, which eventually teaches players to go for matches much larger than three at a time.

But be quick about it! Each round in Zoo Invasion lasts a mere 60 seconds, inspiring lightning reflexes and pinpoint accuracy out of players that truly want the high score. Sure, this framework--combined with weekly leaderboards--has been done by countless puzzle games before, but it simply works. Without a similar system, much of what compels us to play more simply wouldn't be there.

It's tough to ignore the desire to best either your own time or your friends' in Zoo Invasion. That's especially so when your friend's avatar literally crushes yours on the leaderboard whenever that friend beats your score. It doesn't help that Zoo Invasion has seemingly mastered that easy-to-learn-hard-to-master play hook that's essential to any iconic puzzle game. We mean it--achieving a high score in Zoo Invasion is downright difficult.

If you can't manage triggering Fever--a flashy score multiplier effect that occurs after a few matches in quick succession--in a round, you're probably not going to beat your friends' best. This is especially problematic considering power-ups have yet to make it into the game, but we expect that when they do they'll only serve to spice things up. (They're currently teased as "Coming Soon!")

Aside from that missing feature, Zoo Invasion is one finely crafted puzzle game on Facebook. It draws from some of the best in the genre to cobble together what makes for the action-packed, skill-based and glitzy game experience that social gamers seem to expect these days. Just make sure you're with lots of friends to avoid falling into the red. Remember what happened when you got hooked on Bejeweled Blitz? Yeah.

Click here to play Zoo Invasion on Facebook Now >

Are you interested in a new puzzle game on Facebook? What do you think of this game compared to the others? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Puzzle Chasers runs after love, adventure on Facebook this summer

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-22T15:00:00+00:00

Puzzle games are all the rage on Facebook these days from bubble shooters to match-three games, but Konami looks to tap one largely untouched end of the puzzle spectrum: jigsaw puzzles. The storied game publisher announced that its next Facebook game, Puzzle Chasers, is headed for the social network this summer.

Focusing heavily on story, this puzzler will challenge players with timed bouts of solving various jigsaw puzzles. As for the tale that Puzzle Chasers looks to tell, someone is swiping the world's greatest landmarks, and its' up to Roxy, Blake (the two love birds pictured above) and their faithful monkey, Austin to put an end to the madness.

Like most puzzle games on Facebook, Puzzle Chasers will offer a Blitz mode that will introduce new puzzles to tackle weekly in addition to the 100 plus puzzles featured in the game's story mode. Throw a randomized method of solving the game's puzzles and various power-ups on top of that, and you might have yourself quite layered puzzle game come this summer. Check out the Puzzle Chasers Facebook page to learn more.

Are you excited to learn more about Puzzle Chasers? What do you hope the game will be like when it lands? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Offensive Combat, or what some ex-Call of Duty fellows cooked up

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-22T13:30:00+00:00

When a few veterans of the seminal Call of Duty franchise branched off to craft a social game of their own, we had no idea what to expect. (Well, aside from the fact that it would probably be a shooter.) Finally, U4iA founders Dusty Welch and Chris Archer have revealed the first images and details of their first release, Offensive Combat, a browser-based shooter.

According to the Offensive Combat description page, the social shoot 'em up will offer "the most competitive multiplayer action ever seen within a browser." The game is also coined as "ultimate mash-up of first-person shooters," and U4iA's goal becomes clear in these first two screen shots that almost look like two entirely different games.

Keeping with the current trends of the gaming scene, Offensive Combat will also have a mobile version that will connect with its browser edition to work together like never before, according to U4iA. More information will come in the next few weeks, wer'e told, and players will get the chance to sign up for a closed beta test soon enough.

So-called "hardcore" social games haven't done well historically, so we just can't wait to see what these ex-Call of Duty creators have in store to buck that trend. Well, giving the shooter genre a much-needed dose of color is certainly a start.

[Via Pocket Gamer]

Are you excited about this shooter headed for browsers and mobile? Will such a game ever strike gold? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Is this Angry Birds maker Rovio's next big project on Facebook?

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-22T12:30:00+00:00

For all we know, it could just be another set of levels. The esteemed Finnish mobile game creator recently teased what's next for its Angry Birds on Facebook. In a Facebook News Feed post, Rovio wrote, "Who wants new levels on Facebook? Stay tuned this week to see what's new!" With the message came the image seen above, which seems insignificant save for one detail.

Notice the logo for something known as "Angry Birds Friends?" While all Rovio has said is that new Angry Birds levels are on the way for Facebook, to brand a mere set of levels with its own branding seems like a bit much. While Angry Birds on Facebook has seen a dip in players since its launch, it's still doing quite well for itself among the top games on Facebook, according to AppData.

That said, it's understandable for Rovio to keep chipping away at the Facebook scene. And with super interesting features like embedding levels into friends' Timelines, we're sure the developer more up its sleeve than just more levels to play. Of course, either would be just fine at this point--is anyone starting to get the cold sweats?

Are you psyched to see what Rovio comes up with next for Angry Birds on Facebook? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Game of the Day: SnackJack

Jenny Ng — 2012-05-22T12:15:00+00:00

Blackjack gets infused with carnival fun in today's Game of the Day, SnackJack. Pigs need food and this classic card game of beating the number 21 is your ticket to winning your piggies some grub. To start, you get four slots on a field to arrange your cards to score. Cards are dealt one at a time and can be moved across different slots.

Each level takes 70 seconds and carries a minimum of how many hands you need to satisfy the pig's hunger. If you fail to earn the minimum amount of winning hands, then your pig will run away from lack of food! If you succeed, then you'll eventually find your pig retired to The Farm, a place where you can show off the pigs you've accumulated. In the end of each level, you get an extra chance against the dealer. Any of your four hands that are higher than his one hand will earn you bonus food. If you want a quick, yet challenging take on BlackJack, then give SnackJack a try!

Play SnackJack!

How many levels of SnackJack can you beat?

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Rocketfrog, a Facebook casino in which you'll actually win stuff

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-22T11:30:00+00:00

The thing that always hangs us up about casino games on Facebook is that the players will never actually win anything. Games like Zynga Poker likely rake in millions, none of which goes to the players in any capacity other than bragging rights. Los Angeles-based RocketFrog, a recent web casino startup, wants to change that with a Facebook game suite of the same name.

RocketFrog claims to offer one of the most complete Facebook-based casinos yet, with Texas Hold 'Em, blackjack, and slots in multiplayer tournaments as well as single-player versions of no-limit poker, blackjack, slots, roulette, deuces and joker, deuces wild and jack and more. But what's most interesting isn't the games, but what's at stake for the players.

"We've created social tournaments where players can interact and compete to win real prizes against their friends; not just leaderboard points or status increases," RocketFrog co-founder and CEO Brett Calapp said in a release. "There's no better place to do that than Facebook because that's where your friends are at online. Who doesn't like beating their friends and winning a prize?"

Of the three tournament games that RocketFrog offers, real-life prizes are up for grabs daily. Thanks to partnerships will several brands, including Amazon, players can win goodies like movie tickets, music and more. Of course, like most social games, players can keep track of their friends' progress and send them in-game gifts.

RocketFrog is the next in line to prepare for the supposedly oncoming onslaught of real-money casino games on Facebook. It certainly sets itself apart from the competition in offering daily prizes for winning, but will that be enough to combat the likes of Zynga, PopCap, DoubleDown and the rest? Decide that one for yourself.

Click here to play RocketFrog on Facebook Now >

Are you intrigued by the real prizes offered daily by RocketFrog? What do you think of the games offered in RocketFrog? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Want extra Farm Cash? Time to go with American Express

Joe Osborne — 2012-05-22T10:30:00+00:00

Don't worry, you won't even need to open a new line of credit. American Express and Zynga have teamed up to bring the former's Serve rewards to FarmVille. Dubbed Zynga Serve Rewards, the program will reward players with Farm Cash for buying stuff using a special Zynga Serve Rewards card attached to a debit or credit account anywhere American Express is accepted.

All interested players need to do is register for the Zynga Serve Rewards card online, which they'll receive in the mail. Before signing up through American Express, though, they'll need to plant a special Serve Money Tree on their digital farm land. Then, players will have to add a bank account, credit card, debit card, or cash with a GreenDot MoneyPak to the card.

After finally activating the card, the first five purchases that players make either in stores or online that are $25 or more will net them a bonus 50 Farm Cash. Eventually, Zynga and American plan to open the account to more of Zynga's games and offer more than just virtual currency, like in-game items and boosts.

The service will also offer a more one-to-one reward system for purchases made using the card in the future. This is an interesting way for Zynga to get its players to pay up, but we wonder exactly how much Zynga looks to make with this initiative, considering both American Express and Facebook are likely taking cuts from the top. Regardless, a move like this could potentially make a social gaming sea filled with plenty more whales.

Are you interested in signing up for a Zynga Serve Rewards card? Will this create more paying players? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

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Crash Mayhem is your free version of Burnout Crash on iOS

Brandy Shaul — 2012-05-21T22:30:00+00:00

Last fall, we brought you a detailed preview of Burnout Crash on iOS, a game that was supposed to launch before year's end, but didn't actually release until the middle of April 2012. Whether or not the game is anything like we expected doesn't cover up the fact that it costs $5 to download. But what if you want to cause massive vehicle explosions on your iPhone or iPad for free? That's simple - you download Crash Mayhem instead.

Crash Mayhem is more or less a clone of Burnout Crash, giving you a level based gameplay format, with each level having a few goals to complete in terms of destruction. You might be asked to cause a certain number of points of damage in one level, while destroying a certain number of street lights in another, as examples. You'll control your car's movement by simply tapping and dragging on your device's screen, with the ultimate goal being to drive your car into a crowded intersection and cause a multi-car pileup. There's more strategy here than you might initially anticipate, as it's possible to crash your car before you hit a crowded section of the roadway, and you'll therefore have trouble reaching the required number of points required to move on.

Regardless of when you begin to actually crash your car, you'll then be able to control its movement (that is, the movement of the damaged remains) by tilting your device appropriately, and hopefully sending it into more cars!

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For all of the fun that can be had from causing countless explosions, Crash Mayhem does come with a few problems. For one, the gameplay often lags when ads appear or transition at the top or bottom of the screen (of course, the ads keep the game free), and the graphics could definitely be improved. If we're comparing Crash Mayhem to Burnout Crash, the latter would easily win in graphical polish, but the simple fact that Crash Mayhem is free (while Burnout Crash isn't) makes most of its issues excusable, even if for only a short while. That being said, you can pay to remove the ads in Crash Mayhem, which would in theory eliminate much of the lag, and that purchase still makes the game cheaper than Burnout Crash overall.

If you have a few minutes to spare, and patience when it comes to game loading times, why not take out your real world aggressions and road rage on the fake cars of Crash Mayhem?

Click here to download Crash Mayhem on iTunes -->

Have you tried Crash Mayhem or Burnout Crash on iPad or iPhone? Sound off in the comments.

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