FIFA Superstars: Everything you need to know

Fifa superstars
EA Sports' FIFA Superstars has finally arrived, and just a week after going live, the soccer game already has 30,000 users. FIFA Superstars is accessible to all soccer fans whether they've played video games before or not. Like Gangster City, Playfish's other recent title, FIFA Superstars focuses on simple gameplay and fleshes it out with unique components and high production value. The result is a game that is deep, enjoyable and compelling.

Continue reading as we run through everything you need to know in order to successfully play FIFA Superstars.
fifa superstars
Start up FIFA Superstars and you'll hear music gnarly enough to get anyone ready to take on the gargantuan role of soccer team manager. After the brief load time, you'll be prompted to create your team and run through a tutorial. Finally, you'll come face to face with the home screen, the heart of FIFA Superstars. There is a ton of information on this screen, so we're going to break it down so you can begin training your team. Although the game may seem confusing at first, you'll see it is quite simple and you'll be winning matches and scoring goals with the professionals in no time.
fifa superstars crest
Home Screen
The first thing to do when you reach the screen pictured above is edit your team's crest. Click the crest at the top left of the screen and you'll be able to choose from a number of emblems, colors and nations.

Centered on the screen are the players currently selected to start in upcoming matches. Along the left hand side you have the options:

    Play - Allows you to choose a league and play matches.
    Manage - Where you can swap out players and change formations.
    Trade - Mysterious feature that is coming soon.
    Stadium - View the current training regiment, stadium facilities and coach. Make sure to buy stadium upgrades to earn more money, experience, and training from everything you do.
    Training - Choose a training regiment to keep your team in top form.
    Store - Purchase new players, coaches, stadium upgrades and match credits.


The bar along the top of the home screen also gives you important information such as your team's rating, your experience, your match credits and your current amount of coins.
fifa superstars buying players
Team Management
Your team's overall skill rating, shown in yellow at the top right of the home screen, is a combination of training and talent. Talent, shown at the top left of each player card and when rolled over, is predetermined and cannot be changed. To better your team's talent you must buy all new players. Click the store or manage button, then click players. Three tiers of player packs are available:

Bronze Transfers - 10,000 Coins or 8 Playfish Cash
Silver Transfers - 25,000 Coins or 20 Playfish Cash
Gold Transfers - Unlocks at level 10 or 60 Playfish Cash

The better the transfer pack the better players you'll receive. Each pack contains five random players from the tier you selected. After receiving new players, you can head to manage from the home screen and swap out players into their appropriate positions. Depending on the make up of your squad, you may want to change formations to reflect that. For example if you have a lot of great defenders, change your formation to 5 - 3 - 2 so more of your better players can play at once.
fifa superstars manage
Note that you can also sell players from this screen. Be careful, while you'll never need substitutes during a game, remember that if you switch formations in the future, you may end up needing a player you sold for a mere 200 Coins.

Training
Unlike talent, your training stat is not set in stone. Your training stat is left up to you and because training makes up your overall rating, it's important to keep your team in top form. If your team is well trained, you may have a higher overall rating than a team with more talent and as a result, be able to defeat them.
fifa superstars training
To begin training your team, click the training button on the home screen. Training is a combination of your Current Base Training (which increases every time a training regiment is completed), your Facilities (training equipment purchased at the store), and your Coach who can increase your training by 20 points.

To increase your base training, select one of the regiments. When the specified amount of time finishes counting down, you will gain that amount of training. Unlike FarmVille and its withering crops, FIFA Superstars will not penalize you for failing to see the training through. It will give you your training points whether you are playing or not.

It is possible to have up to 100 base training. However, don't think because you've maxed out you're training it's going to be smooth sailing all the way through the Barclays Premier League. Whenever your players are idle your training will begin to decrease, so it's important to sign in every day and have your team train to stay competitive.
fifa superstars match
Matches & Leagues
To earn money, gain experience and rank up in FIFA Superstars, you're going to have to play matches. To play matches, you're going to need match credits. Every time you play a game, a match credit is subtracted from you. There are several ways to refill your match credits. First, you are given a match credit every six hours, so you can just wait for them to refill. You also receive match credits when you level up. It is also possible to ask for and to send credits or mystery gifts to your friends (which may include match credits in addition to players and coins). Finally, you may purchase more match credits in the store for Playfish Cash.
fifa superstars leagues
To set up a game, click the play button from the home screen. You'll be prompted to select on of the following leagues:
fifa superstars barclays bremier league
2010 FIFA World Cup - Coming soon.

Premier League - Raise your overall rating enough and you'll be able to take on the teams of the Barclays Premier League such as Manchester United and Arsenal. (As you can see at the right, my mighty team defeated Blackpool.)

League Matches - This is what you'll select most often as you complete and advance through the various leagues until you reach the elite Superstar League.

Friendly Matches - This league lets you play with your friends. Select it then select a friend to challenge and play. You can only play each friend once every day. These matches don't cost match credits.

Once a league has been chosen, choose a team you wish to play. It's always a good idea to make sure your overall rating is higher than the opponents if you want to win. Instead of wasting your precious match credits when the odds are against you, either take on an easier team, train, or buy players and come back later. Once you've chosen a team, click play, a match credit is deducted, and the game is underway.

After a match has begun, the player has two options: watch a long series of cutscenes as the game plays out or skip straight to the final score. The way the game works is all based on stats and positioning. Throughout the game players will try to dribble other players, pass the ball, and shoot. FIFA Superstars compares the talent and training of the two interacting players and decides which one will be victorious.
fifa superstars
For example, my striker Hughes is on offense with the ball and encounters defender Maire. Because Hughes has higher stats and training, he was able to successfully leave "Amaud Maire standing!"
fifa superstars goalkeeping
Another example is shooting on goal. Enemy midfielder Toner, was able to break through my defense and get a shot on goal. Goalkeeping also works in a similar fashion to offense play. The match up this time is between my keeper Fejzic and Toner. Depending on the players' talent and training, the shot can either be saved or reach the back of the "potato sack."
fifa superstars goal
This continues until time is up and the final score is announced. Proportionate to the difficulty of the challenge and the outcome of the match, you will receive experience and money.
fifa superstars final score
Calling all Footie Fans
Whether you call it soccer or football, it makes no difference. FIFA Superstars revolves entirely around the sport we love. With the current scarcity of sports games on Facebook, we hoped the soccer simulator would begin to fill the hole in the social network's game lineup.

Despite our excitement, we would love to see more Facebook friend integration (perhaps in the trading feature coming soon). In addition we'd like some interactivity, especially in the matches themselves, allowing players to further influence the outcome. Finally, our last complaint is that we just can't get enough of it! The match credit system makes us wait for days just to get my team out on the pitch for just a few minutes!

However, in the end, beggars can't be choosers, and we're certainly relieved to finally see quality in a genre that has been struggling to produce a hit. Despite the game's relatively slow start, the FIFA World Cup is around the corner, and we're hoping to see FIFA Superstars catch on.

Click here to play FIFA Superstars>

Cafe World Super Stove "disappear?" Here's how to find it

So you've finally finished your Cafe World Super Stove -- now what? Many complain that their stoves disappear when they're completed, but they're actually semi-hidden in the in-game store. To locate your stove, click on the 'Functional' icon at the bottom of the screen (the icon with orange and blue gears).
cafe world functional menu icon
Once you click the gears icon, you will open the list of functional items,and you'll see several rows of stoves. The Cafe World Super Stove is located on the top row, next to last stove. It has the word 'HOT!' next to it and if you have a stove ready to go, it will also have a x1 next to it as well.

cafe world menu

The next step is to place the Super Stove in your cafe. Click on the Super Stove image, hold and drag the stove into your restaurant, and place where desired. Then -- let the cooking commence.

If you want to start building another stove, click on the Super Stove icon (the one with the blue wrench), buy a new frame and start the process all over again. For more information on how you build your own stove, read this guide: Cafe World: How to build your own Super Stove. Better hurry though, the Super Stoves might not be around much longer, and you'll miss your chance for one-click cooking.

How many Super Stoves do you have in your cafe so far?

What is your greatest Facebook game accomplishment?

At first glance, Facebook games seem like they're rather simplistic and easy to complete. But those of us who are dedicated players who spend a ton of time in these games understand that there are many accomplishments in these social games that are more difficult to achieve. Just like any typical game there are achievements, levels to earn, rewards and loot to either find or purchase, and quite an amount of dedication that can be put in to your game of choice to "beat the game". Similar to many traditional MMO-style games, social games don't really have a finish line. Even when you are the highest possible level in your favorite game, there is still content to consume such as visiting neighbors, new collections, or decorating your space with bigger and better items.

Occasionally, a game will release a feature that takes an extraordinary amount of either time, money, cooperation from friends, or a combination of all of the above. There are items that take an immense amount of perseverance, such as the Pandora Jackalope in Happy Pets that requires you to log in for 14 days straight to achieve, or the FarmVille puppy maturing into a full grown dog after many days of continuing to feed it. There are also exclusive items that take a ton of real life money to buy, such as the $40+ Unwither Ring in FarmVille. And lately, there seems to be a ton of items that require many pieces in order to build, like the Happy Pets Horse Stable, the Super Stove or Spice Rack in Cafe World, the PetVille Attic behind the Tahiki Magic Door, or the Nursery Barn in FarmVille.

Treasure Isle Level 40
If you've completed one of these, you know how exciting it is to finally unlock that item or functionality that you've been waiting for. Personally, the accomplishment that I am most proud of is my dog in FarmVille. Logging in every day to feed her was a ton of fun, and once she finally grew into an adult dog I felt an amount of pride that has been unrivaled so far in any other game for me. Unlocking all of the Mastery Fish in FishVille has also been a major preoccupation of our time here at Games.com - The Blog.

What is your greatest Facebook game accomplishment? Perhaps it's completing a YoVille puzzle collection, or reaching level 100 in Mafia Wars? Maybe it's getting all the items from a mystery box or finishing your backyard in PetVille?

Zynga & 7-Eleven promo update from San Diego, CA

Zynga 7-Eleven Promotion

The Zynga & 7-Eleven promotion is well underway, and has now been rolled out to just about all 7-Elevens across the United States. Being a huge Zynga fan myself, I stopped at a store near my work to check out what items they had available. They were in the middle of hanging up all of the signage for this exclusive promotion, but I did manage to snag some pictures of a few of the items. If you live in San Diego, you have a ton of stores available to scour for items. There are a massive amount of FarmVille, YoVille, and Mafia Wars themed food and drinks. Check out the pictures and commentary after the break!
The Slurpee drinks were available in FarmVille, Mafia Wars, and YoVille cups. The most notable thing about this promotion is that the exclusive promo codes are printed right on the outside of the cup, meaning that anyone can walk in and take a picture of the code. Note: I did end up buying this cup, and I already redeemed the code. Don't try to be sneaky!


Every kind of sandwich has a code on it, hidden behind a peel-away sticker. There is an entire case full of these codes, so there is definitely no shortage.
Unfortunately, the location I stopped at was still in the process of hanging up all of their promo art, so I only got to snap a picture of it on the counter instead of hanging up.
If you're not sure where to find a 7-Eleven in San Diego, you must live inside of a cave because they're everywhere! The 7-Eleven website has a handy store locator that will help you find the store nearest you. Have any pictures from your local store? Email them to editors@games.com to be featured here on the blog!

7-Eleven codes in YoVille: Everything you need to know

If you're anything like us, you've already rushed out to your nearest 7-Eleven store to pick up some YoVille promotional goodies. There are many foods and beverages at 7-Eleven that will qualify to be redeemed for exclusive YoVille items. Read on for the complete guide to redeeming your 7-Eleven codes to obtain sweet YoVille loot.

First off, when you first enter 7-Eleven you will have to go to the area where the deli case and soft drink machines are located. Here you'll find items labeled with YoVille specific branding, and also Zynga-themed packaging that represents YoVille, FarmVille, and Mafia Wars. The most important thing to remember is that you cannot redeem FarmVille or Mafia Wars codes in YoVille. Only packaging that is YoVille-specific or contains all three games will be accepted. Some YoVille themed items include certain Slurpee cups, and most of the sweets such as brownies and other cookies in the bakery case.

YoVille 7-Eleven Brownie

Bring home your cup or packaging, and peel off of the sticker if there is one. The Slurpee cups do not have any covering over the codes, so proceed with caution as there is a possibility someone already copied the code down or took a picture of it. Once you have the code, visit the Buy Earn Play website, and log in using your Facebook login credentials. Be very careful to sign in using the correct Facebook account, otherwise the points will be attributed to someone else's account.
7-Eleven YoVille
Once you submit your code, it will be verified and you will see a screen that looks like the following:
7-Eleven YoVille
Log in to YoVille using the "play now" link and you will enter the game like normal. A "Congratulations" screen will pop up and show you the prize that you have earned. The exclusive 7-Eleven gift will show up in your inventory, and can be found under the "Special" category.
7-Eleven YoVille
There is a handy gift tracker that will show you exactly how many codes you have redeemed for each game on the Buy Earn Play website. Buy 7 different YoVille product types and you automatically unlock the uber gift plus a special limited bonus gift. There is no required Zynga Task for YoVille like there is for FarmVille and Mafia Wars.

How close are you to collecting all of the 7-Eleven YoVille items? Have any pictures to share with us? Email them to editors@games.com and we'll share them here on the blog.

Mafia Wars going Hollywood? Rumors say a movie is in the works

The Internet rumormill says that Mafia Wars, Zynga's popular Facebook game, is going to be made into a movie. Zynga has not confirmed that this is true, and there are no additional details on the film, except that it's a "crime thriller based on the popular video game" and that Radar Pictures and producer Ted Field are developing the project.

At first, Mafia Wars: The Movie sounds like a crazy notion, but considering the fact that the game doesn't really have a set storyline other than the fact that it involves running a mob in different cities, creating a film that would tie into the game doesn't seem impossible.

Of course, the real challenge will be creating a film that people actually want to see. Given the track record with game-to-big-screen-translations (the majority of which are box office poison), it's hard to imagine that this movie would be anything other than a morbid curiosity for the Mafia Wars superfan.

Mafia Wars: Get 2 free Reward Points with 'The Expendables'

Oh, you action film fans are going to love this! And if you're a player who just wants your free Mafia Wars Reward Points, then this will be a walk in the park for you too. Just head to the Marketplace (note: you need to be at Level 7 to access that page) and scroll down until you see "The Expendables" offer, click on that, and you'll be shuffled through three questions while the rockin' trailer plays.
Mafia Wars The Expendables
The first question is there to see if you know how to read. But if you must know, the answer is Van Damme. And there's no wrong answers for the second and third questions, cause it's all about what you like. The best part is that you get a brief glimpse as to who and what everyone else voted for. The voting results are below this post. Don't look if you don't want to be spoiled! (There's no movie spoilers, though.)
Mafia Wars The Expendables Question 2
Above is Question 2. I voted for Statham. Why? He was outrageously awesome in Crank 1 and 2, and isn't as well-known as the others.
Mafia Wars The Expendables Question 3
Space Marines all the way, baby. ;)
Mafia Wars The Expendables Question 2 Voting Results
Everyone wants Stallone and Willis. Why are we not surprised?
Mafia Wars The Expendables Question 3 Voting Results
And it looks like I voted for the underdog here. But Die Hard appears to be winning! You guys deserve this awesome Yippee Ki-Ay fan-made music video to celebrate. Don't crank it up too loud though, as you know what the last word of John McClane's classic catchphrase is.

PetVille: Watch Kia's hip-hop Soul Hamsters and get 4 free Pet Cash

When you see a motor vehicle... do you see a car, or do you see a car-sized toaster with two hamsters riding on top of it?
Kia Hamster Riding Toaster
PetVille Kia Pet CashIt's an absurd question, but that's what the famous "Kia Hamsters" are asking viewers in their newest music video, featuring the song "The Choice is Yours", by the NY hip-hop group, Black Sheep.

Why should you care? Well, if you're a PetVille player, Kia Motors America (KMA) is offering you 4 free Pet Cash to mix clips of their vid to share on your Facebook profile. KMA is the US division of South Korea's second largest auto maker. And SocialVibe, whom most Facebook gamers know as the company which brings us freebies for surveys, is the one distributing this offer in PetVille.

You'll find the offer as an ad on the bottom of the game window. All you've gotta do is move 6 clips around in the 6 film editing slots on the timeline. You could use the same clip over and over again. You don't have to share the vid when you're done. And you don't have to join the Kia Facebook fanpage.

To launch PetVille, log into Facebook and click here.

FarmVille: Mozilla Developers Thank Zynga for Firefox Fix

Firefox and Zynga: Connecting the World Through Games
Mozilla's Firefox 3.6.4 came out last week on June 25th, with the team excited about a new crash protection feature meant to "reduce the number of Firefox crashes experienced by users who are watching online videos or playing games." Ironically, this crash protection ended up crashing most of Zynga's games (including FrontierVille), leaving a gray error screen, and the message, "The Adobe Flash plugin has crashed."

FarmVille Freak published a help guide for its community yesterday, shortly after the problem was officially recognized by Zynga. Players who hadn't updated their Firefox browsers, or who use Internet Explorer were unaffected and unaware of the issue. But the multitudes who had to deal with the downtime made their voices heard, and Mozilla itself has recognized Zynga's help in getting the Firefox browser speedily updated.

    We would like to thank vendors, such as Zynga, for working with us to ensure that Firefox continues to provide the best user experience for our shared users. [Source: The Mozilla Blog]

Mozilla developers reported that the crash protection feature was tested on "a beta audience of close to one million users." But it seems the browser's true testing ground was FarmVille's nearly 64 million monthly active users.

    Although complaints about Firefox's quick killing of hung plug-ins were not limited to Farmville, that game was the squeaky wheel that got the update grease.

    "A lot of people play Farmville. To ignore those people for any length of time could have a significant effect on Firefox's share of browser users," said Firefox user Jeff Rivett on Bugzilla Sunday. "The problem already existed, but the perceived impact suddenly changed, giving it a much higher priority." [Source: Computer World]

FrontierVille Fox
Speaking of which, one of those 64 million MAUs is gonna go chase some 'real' foxes off her FrontierVille homestead now. :)

Start rallying to get the free YoVille Turtle Balloon

yoville free turtle balloon
You can now start rallying your YoVille friends to win the cool green balloon we told you about. You will need 10 friend clicks to get the cute turtle balloon for free.

Furthermore, the third charity pet is now on sale. Get the cute turtle for 30 YoCash and help save the gulf as 50% of all proceeds will go to Audubon.
yoville free turtle balloon
Platinum Ninja also announced that an alligator which will be replacing this turtle in a week.

This is your chance to make a change!

This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.

YoVille Mystery Deals are here!

yoville mystery deals
Open your free gifts page now and start sending Mystery Deals coupons to your friends now! This new feature is live. Mystery deals coupons will give you the chance of getting discounts on certain YoVille items.

Angie and Spiralda gathered pictures of some of the deals they got. Check them after the jump.

A complete guide to this new feature can be found here.
yoville mystery deal
yoville mystery deal
yoville mystery deal
yoville mystery deals
yoville mystery deals
yoville mystery deals
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.


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FarmVille Mini-Foal breeds: Mini Foal, Mini Stallion Foal, Mini Cream Foal

In the most recent update, FarmVille released new Miniature Horses and Mini-foals and once you breed them you'll get a variety of new ponies to add to your farm. Below, see official FarmVille pics of the Mini Foal, Mini Stallion Foal, Mini Cream Horse, and Mini Cream Foal.

   
   

Please note the Mini Cream Horse and Foal can only be obtained from stables and nursery barns. You can get a side-by-side comparison of mini-horses and foals in the image below

mini horses and mini foals -- see all fo t heme below

How many Miniature Horses and Foal do you have so far?

Kingdoms of Camelot maker Watercooler changes name, focus

What a difference four million players makes. It wasn't long ago that Watercooler, Inc. was, in its own words, "about serving the sports and media communities" with team-focused apps like Pittsburgh Steeler Fans. But that was before their Facebook game Kingdoms of Camelot became an unlikely hit on Facebook, attracting over four million monthly users since its launch last November.

So it's not that shocking that Watercooler has announced a new focus on "serving social gamers looking for deeper gameplay." The shift is reflected by a new name, Kabam, which COO Chris Carvalho tells Inside Social Games he thinks is more "impactful."

Carvalho told ISG he thinks the renamed company will look to succeed by filling a niche for more complicated games, like Kingdoms of Camelot, that the biggest developers don't seem interested in providing "I feel that we can be competitive with the top five industry players," he said. "We won't ever have the reach that they have - we're not focusing on the mass market titles ... But right now we feel there's a big opportunity with deeper games, and we don't feel anyone else is filling that." Yes, please!

Is Bebo planning a social gaming comeback?

Do you know that bittersweet feeling you get when you realize an ex-romantic partner looks like they could finally be getting their life together without you? That's how we here at AOL's Games.com -- The Blog! are feeling now that we've heard that Bebo -- the formerly AOL-owned social network that was left for dead and then sold off for a pittance earlier this year -- might be relaunching as a social gaming hub.

That bit of news comes from Inside Social Games, which cites "an industry source" as the nebulous originator of the rumor. ISG compares Bebo's rumored plans to those of hi5, which has loudly and pompously positioned itself as a more responsible and streamlined social gaming alternative to the Facebook behemoth. Indeed, Bebo recently hired hi5 co-founder Akash Garg, who probably knows a thing or two about launching a social-game-focused network.

We certainly hope the rumors of Bebo's return to social gaming prove true, especially given their ambitious past experiments in the arena . After all, we just want them to be happy... even if we don't get to be part of that happiness ourselves.

YoVille: Ten new permanent hairstyles in salon

Ten new Permanent Hairstyles have been released in the YoVille Salon. Four female and four male shiny hair for 18 YoCash each available in black, blonde, brown and red. For 20 YoCash ladies can get pink and guys blue.

Photos of all new hair after the link.
yoville permanent hairstylesyoville permanent hairstyles
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.

YoVille Romantic Collectibles added in the furniture store

Romantic Hot Tub and Romantic Waterfall are now available in the YoVille Furniture Store! Both Collectibles are animated with running water and will add an elegant touch to any garden. These will be in the store for 2 weeks only.

You can purchase the Hot Tub for 32 YoCash and the Waterfall for 20000 coins. Check the pictures after the link.
yoville romantic collectibles
This article originally appeared on YoVille Lounge.

Zynga holds two Top 10 Facebook pages, but something is missing

Social Media Today released a list of the Top 10 Facebook Pages today, and the results are surprising (Lady Gaga is the most popular living music artist on Facebook). The list measures the top pages in "Likes," but try to find what's missing. Here's the full list of Social Media Today's Top 10 Facebook Pages as of this morning:



    Zynga Poker: 23.5 million "Likes"
    Michael Jackson: 19.4 million "Likes"
    Facebook (huh?): 17.8 million "Likes"
    Lady Gaga: 17.1 million "Likes"
    Family Guy: 16.5 million "Likes"
    Vin Diesel: 14.9 million "Likes"
    Mafia Wars: 13.7 million "Likes"
    Starbucks: 13,206,824 "Likes"
    House: 13,202,945 "Likes"
    Barack Obama: 13 million "Likes"



Still haven't figured it out? Find the answer and a few more questions after the break. FarmVille LogoWhile Zynga Poker and Mafia Wars are two of Zynga's most popular games on Facebook, its most popular title of all time, FarmVille, is nowhere to be found. With a steady 60 million players, you'd think it'd have more fans than Zynga Poker.

Well, it turns out that it does with 24.3 million fans, which is nearly one million more than Zynga Poker's 23.5 million. So, what gives? Is FarmVille so ubiquitous at this point that it is not even recognized in such competitions, or this just an oversight?

Considering FarmVille's undeniable clout on Facebook, is it fair to include the game in these lists? Let us know what you think in the comments section.

Mozilla sees a future in HTML5-powered browser gaming

Firefox creator Mozilla thinks the future of browser games will be backed by HTML5 and other improved web tech, if today's launch of Mozilla Labs' Gaming Division is any indication. Companies launch new divisions all the time, but since Mozilla is technically behind the curve with Google and Zynga joining forces to create Google Games the company can't afford to sit idly on this project.

This must be why Mozilla also launched a game development competition, Game On 2010, today to go along with its new Gaming Division. The competition asks contenders to develop their best browser-based games and is open to just about anyone with development skills. While official details have yet to be released, it's probably a good idea to put on those thinking caps right about now if you want to make a winning product.

So, what could this mean for social games? If HTML5 is truly where browser-based gaming is headed, isn't only a matter of time before we see games sporting full 3D graphics and live multiplayer on Facebook and other social platforms? With Google, Zynga and Mozilla all taking the initiative, consider it a done deal in our book. What do you think? Would you like to more robust Facebook games take advantage of HTML5? Do you think it's possible?

Quote of the Moment: Zynga Envy

"I think that Zynga is a fundamentally different type of company than we are. And I don't mean that in a bad way. But they are about marketing and selling and distributing. We are about making games. There are few notable great companies that got created in the last few years -- these kind of overnight sensations.

"There's always professional jealousy of 'Wow, how did they do that?' But we were never trying to burn bright, burn big. That's a Silicon Valley way of life. And its a venture capital-based way of life that creates a certain kind of company. They want their companies to fail fast or to succeed fast. That's the business model.

When you are in the Valley, you sort of get in the middle of all of that talk. Having lived down there for a while, you remember what that sort of frenzy is like. Everyone is chasing whatever the hottest, latest thing is. And people just fry themselves on it overnight, and if they don't succeed they move on to the next hottest thing. So, the bright, shiny object problem is not something that we've been in the midst of -- partly because of our geography -- but also just because of the way we are. We are more about, let's build a good business....
"I think you create a different kind of value, and it is a little slower to get there. But we are pretty happy. We have never had to compromise anything about what we believe in for great products. And Zynga actually is blazing some great trails for us. With hundreds of millions of people -- who now because of FarmVille -- say 'Hey, I can play games again.' ...

"So, yeah, there's always a little bit of jealousy that a company can be worth billions of dollars in two years. But, it ain't over til it's over. And I think we are going to continue to build some awesome value here, and people love the games. And we are going to keep making great games."

-Popcap CEO Dave Roberts talks to TechFlash about why he's not exactly jealous of Zynga's success in social gaming

Cafe World's Airport Theme and In Flight Meal take dining to the skies

With the recent addition of the Airport Cafe decor and In Flight Meal recipe to Cafe World almost immediately after Zynga threw a birthday party for the game, it's clear now that life in Cafe World truly never, ever stops.

Pressing onward into the next year, there is a slew of new decorations and some functional items in Cafe World to turn your cafe into an airline eatery. But more importantly is the new In Flight Meal, a limited-time recipe that requires Level 30 and 900 coins to unlock. This surprisingly delicious-looking meal serves 500 in 10 hours, earns 2,500 coins and rewards 155 Cafe Points total.

Check behind the break for a list of the items that will make this new dish a fit for your cafe.
Cafe World Airport Theme
While there are only a few items coming with the new Airport Theme, they're sure to turn your cafe into the next JFK International Airport (well, you might actually not want that). Here's what you can find in the game today:

    Baggage Carousel: 20 Cafe Cash
    Airplane Globe: 18 Cafe Cash
    Airplane Passengers: 16 Cafe Cash
    Airplane Lounge Drinks: 15 Cafe Cash
    Evacuation Slide: 15 Cafe Cash
    In Flight Beverage: 14 Cafe Cash
    Plane Statue: 5 Cafe Cash
    Runway Lights: 2 Cafe Cash
    Airline Walkway: 2 Cafe Cash
    Airline Gate Agent: 80,000 coins
    Flight Taxi: 60,000 coins
    Flight Attendant: 60,000 coins
    Airport Sign: 6,000 coins
    Glass Divider: 2,000 coins


For a total of 107 Cafe Cash and 208,000 coins, this entire set will run you about $20 USD (with some Cafe Cash left over) and quite a lot of time. You can easily make your cafe look like an airport without the Runway Lights or Airline Walkway, which cost 2 Cafe Cash per tile. While the other animated items somewhat justify the cost of Cafe Cash, it is a little unfair to charge paid currency for every square of area. So, why not just go with the all-white Bavarian Tile at 400 coins per square? That sounds much cheaper better.

Playdom CEO to head Disney games division, make better games

Disney CEO Robert Iger announced that Playdom chief John Pleasants will soon be in charge of Disney Interactive Media Group's (DIMG) games division, while ex-Yahoo head of media James Pitaro will run the group's web content. Ever since Iger welcomed Playdom into the Mouse House earlier this summer for $763 million, the entertainment giant has been scrambling to cover its losses in interactive games and media, which totaled $65 million through January to March 2010.

In an excited official statement, Iger said to Variety, "John has shown incredible agility and skill in helping companies achieve success in the ever-shifting digital games business, while Jimmy has vast knowledge of the online world and has been hugely successful at creating and building audiences around branded online content."

Pleasants will still lead Playdom from outside of its San Francisco office on top of his responsibilities as chief of Disney's games division starting Oct. 18. It's safe to say that the man will have quite a lot on his shoulders, but what could this mean for social games from the big mouse in charge?

While Iger brought Pleasants on to oversee all of Disney's games, DIMG's focus will be on social and mobile games that can generate serious dough like Zynga's FarmVille and Angry Birds. We've already witnessed Disney's effect on Playdom games like Social City, but that was just the beginning. Pleasants' appointment to the elders of Disney will almost certainly mean social and mobile games backed by 100 percent Disney branding. While it's still not too late to steal my idea for a full-blown Magic Kingdom social game, this is Disney's chance to finally bring some original ideas to Facebook.

FrontierVille Cheats & Tips: Instant gifts & energy cheat

frontierville cheats
Update! Sorry folks, this cheat has been totally killed by Zynga. To those who were able to use the cheat, it was sure good while it lasted. Sorry to those who missed out on all the free items. Again, this cheat no longer works.

Hello Frontierfolks, it's Mr. Cheats here with the down-low on the things you shouldn't know. Today, I'm here to teach you a sneaky new FrontierVille gifting cheat that will instantly earn you tons of energy and items in FrontierVille.

Are you always low on energy? Do your neighbors not send you enough free gifts? Or are you sick of them sending you the wrong ones? This FrontierVille cheat aims to remedy all this by letting you choose the gift you receive. Not only that, the gift you choose will be delivered instantly, no additional clicking!

And, although it looks complicated, our step by step instructions make it remarkably simple. You'll be FrontierVille cheating in no time.

Continue reading to find out how to instantly receive the free items of your choice with our FrontierVille cheat.

frontierville cheatTo use this FrontierVille cheat, follow the following instructions:

1. Accept a FrontierVille gift from a friend.

2. The next screen should ask, "Do you have more gifts to accept?" Here, look at the long URL in the top of your browser.

3. In the jumble of numbers and letters you should see the following:

&gift=(gift code here)

Replace the gifted item code with the code for the item you want. Codes listed below.

4. Once the url has been changed, press Enter and instantly get a second gift!

5. Continue to change the url and receive more gifts until you have everything you need. Then receive the process with the next neighbor's gift.

Note: With this FrontierVille cheat you cannot receive two of the same gift from one neighbor's gift.

The Item Codes are as follows:

Item Codes

Code - Item
meal1 - Light Snack
meal2 - Breakfast
meal3 - Lunch
meal4 - Dinner
slate - Slate
ink - Ink
pen - Pen
spitball - Spitball
chalk - Chalk
ribbon - Ribbon
pig - Pig
cow - Cow
ox - Ox
goose - Goose
chicken - Chicken
sheep - Sheep
gift_mystery1 - Mystery Gift
gift_mystery2 - Mystery Gift
gift_mystery3 - Mystery Gift
gift_mystery4 - Mystery Gift        
Item Codes courtesy of our commenters

Code - Item
hammer - Hammer
paint_bucket - Paint Bucket
hand_drill - Hand Drill
bricks - Bricks
nails - Nails
smallflowers_blue - Small Blue Flowers
flowerbed_small - Small Flowerbed
smallflowers_yellow - Small Yellow Flowers
flowerpot_round - Round Flowerpot
pearfront - Pear Tree
applefront - Apple Tree
peachfront - Peach Tree
cherryfront - Cherry Tree
apricotfront - Apricot Tree
pinefront - Pine Tree
feast_roastturkey - Thanksgiving Feast Roast Turkey
feast_cranberrysauce - Thanksgiving Feast Cranberry Sauce
feast_pie - Thanksgiving Feast Pie
feast_sweetpotatoes - Thanksgiving Feast Sweet Potatoes
carepackages - Care Package
garland_fence - Fence with Garland
winterdecor3_largewreath - Large Wreath


FrontierVille cheat example:

I accepted a Breakfast a neighbor sent to me. The url on the "Accept more gifts" screen read:
frontierville cheats
I changed &gift=meal2 to &gift=meal4 and instantly received a Dinner:
frontierville cheatsfrontierville cheats
May the always ethical Mr. Cheats remind you, this is a FrontierVille cheat, so choose to use or abuse it with that in mind. Hope you enjoy this FrontierVille cheat should you choose to use it.

Thanks to Martin for the tip.

Pinsrj's Troubleshooting Guide:
Sometimes it's necessary to change another section of the URL as well. In addition to the change discussed above, towards the end of the URL you'll see something to the effect of

=gift&crt=meal2&

Sometimes you may need to change this to:

=&gift=meal2& or whatever gift you want.

Check out the rest of our FrontierVille Cheats & Tips right here.

New Zynga Facebook game announced in Zynga Lotto

Zynga Lotto Grand Prize
No one expected Zynga to create a daily, free, scratch-off online lottery that caters specifically to players of their games, but Zynga Lotto has been a hit since it came out in August. Fans really took to the opportunity of winning exclusive virtual items for their games, and it helps that using the lotto is a quick and hassle-free process.

Currently, Zynga Lotto offers a set of four prizes for each of five Zynga games: FarmVille, Mafia Wars, PetVille, YoVille, and FrontierVille. While those are certainly exciting for fans, I saw the most unexpected and amazing thing today -- a grand prize sneak peak to Zynga's newest fall game!
Zynga Lotto Grand Prize Find 3 Keys
This announcement has yet to appear anywhere else. Zynga making a sneak peak the grand prize is pretty cool, but it's downright bizarre to see a new game announced in the lotto system. All you've gotta do is find three Zynga keys when you play the lotto, and I got my first key today. To get a key, just play the lotto as you normally do. Also, the keys don't appear by scratching the Zynga Lotto cards. It's completely random. I scratched off my card, didn't win a game prize, but still got the pop-up window saying I had found "key 1 of 3".

Update: For those who want to know how easy it is to get all three keys and what happens when you do get them all, check out the image below:
Zynga Lotto All 3 Keys
Conclusion? It's ridiculously easy to get them. And once you do, they're going to remain vague about the big sneak peak, and you're going to have to wait for them to get back to you.

Zynga Lotto: Players have one week left for prize collections

PetVille One Week Left Maureen the Rainbow Unicorn
Fans of Zynga Lotto now have two new reasons to play this week. The big news of the day is an amazing, yet unusual announcement of a grand prize sneak peak to a new, upcoming Zynga game. And secondly, there's just one week left for players to complete their prize collections. The rest of this post contains pictures of all the prizes.

FarmVille: Red Goat, Red Sheep, Red Cow, and Red Horse
FarmVille Zynga Lotto Prizes
Mafia Wars: Bolo Knife, Protective Shirt, Yeti Snow Cruiser, and Jackal
PetVille: Turquoise Unicorn, Purple Unicorn, Pink Unicorn, and Maureen the Unicorn
PetVille zLotto prizes: Turquoise Unicorn, Purple Unicorn, Pink Unicorn, and Maureen Unicorn
YoVille: YoHunting Trophy, Animated Moose, Animated Bonfire, and Mini Camper
Zynga Lotto YoVille Prizes
FrontierVille: Pet Rocks, Crooked Target Fence, Buggy, and Jack Statue
FrontierVille Zynga Lotto prizes
Also, be sure to check out this guide on how to get more lotto tickets. Cause if you want to win any of these, you're going to need lots of 'em.

Mafia Wars Slot Machine now offers bigger payouts

Zynga has announced that they have updated the Mafia Wars Lucky Stash slot machine to offer higher payouts. The jackpot now grows at a much faster rate, with the jackpot now easily reaching over 1 million Reward Points, whereas before, it seemed to be a rare occurrence for the jackpot to cross 25,000 (at least from our experience).

For those that are unfamiliar, the Lucky Stash slot machine allows you one free play everyday, with additional spins being available for Reward Points. You can bet 1-3 points at a time, with the higher bets obviously paying out better rewards, should your spin result in a winning combination of three symbols.

The only way to win the Jackpot is to bet 3 Reward Points at a time, but with these much higher jackpots now being at stake, it seems to make the prospect of spending the game's premium currency on spins much more worthwhile.

Happy Pets Halloween Sale: Save 25-30% on select items

Just like in the real world, where every store seems to celebrate Halloween by offering a sale on candy, costumes, and decorative items, so too do Facebook games offer sales to help entice players to spend a few minute in their games. This is true with Happy Pets, which is now offering a Halloween sale on select items - 22 items to be exact, ranging from pets to decorative items, and even Idols.

Follow us behind the break to see the full selection of sale items.

Unfortunately, the sale in Happy Pets is only on premium items, meaning that you'll have to shell out some Facebook Credits no matter which item you wish to purchase.

The items on sale include pets like the Hellcat and Angel Cat, the Hell Hound and Guardian Dog, and even the Sparkling Edward Cat, among others. You can spend 10 Facebook Credits (just a dollar) on a Witch Hat for your pets to wear, or purchase a Beehive Wig that costs just 6 Facebook Credits (60¢).

Some more interesting sale items come in the form of a Mystery Box combo that gives you five different Mystery Boxes with one purchase, and a few idols, like the 7 Day XP & Coin Idol Bundle, or the Love & 7 Day Twin Idol Set. Depending on the bundle, you could walk away with two idols for as little as 42 Facebook Credits, or as much as 420, and that's taking into account the sale prices.

All told, this sale won't last for long, so be sure to snap up any of these items while their prices are still slashed.

Happy Aquarium Pumpkin Doggie: Get one while they last!

If you're a fan of limited edition Happy Aquarium items (and we know you are), then why not take a look at this downright adorable Pumpkin Doggie, a particularly limited Tank Mate that will have you saying "Awww" in less than a blink of an eye.

The Pumpkin Doggie is only available until Halloween, or until the 2100 or so units have been purchased, whichever limit comes first. Surprisingly, this is actually a fairly affordable item, even for being so limited. It costs just 19 Facebook Credits, or $1.90 US. Conversely, you can also purchase one with Pearls - 23 Pearls to be exact.

In addition, the item isn't limited to one per person, so feel free to fill your tank with Pumpkin Doggies if you so choose.

Happy Aquarium Halloween Fish: Mummy & Bride of Frankenstein

Just minutes ago, CrowdStar announced the released of two more Halloween themed fish into Happy Aquarium. If you've yet to fill your tank with the spooky or simply clever themed fish released over the past few weeks, perhaps these will be the finishing touches your tank needs.

The two fish are the Mummy Fish and the Bride of Frankenstein. Both are available to purchase with coins, rather than premium currency, but in terms of affordability, the Bride of Frankenstein is much more suited to those players on a budget, as she costs just 1500 coins to the Mummy Fish's 8500 coin price tag.

Also, while the Mummy FIsh can be customized to your gender preferences, the Bride of Frankenstein has to remain a female fish. However, both can be renamed and both grow to adulthood in 32 hours flat.

For those who take time to think about their purchases, know that the Mummy Fish is specifically listed as only be available until Halloween, and we're assuming the same goes for the Bride of Frankenstein, although she isn't actually marked as such. Either way, you'll want to add these fish to your tank quickly to have time to celebrate with them, so shop fast!

City of Wonder Halloween: Add a Costume Shop and Guillotine to your town before it's too late

Just as with real world circumstances, there are always those shoppers that wait until the last minute for Christmas presents, Halloween candy, and other time-sensitive pick-ups. Playdom seems to have accounted for this, as they have released some last-minute Halloween decorations to the Bulletin in City of Wonder.

These items are (clearly) limited edition, and come in the form of a Guillotine and a Costume Shop. The Guillotine is a military item, with 125 Attack and 20 Defense points, while the Costume Shop adds 750 Trade Points to your town, but also earns 950 coins every eight hours (the type of coins that you have to remember to cash out in order to earn).

There are less than 10,000 units of the Guillotine to go around but it seems as though the Costume Shop will just be available to all those that go shopping this weekend for it. Either way, both items will set you back 25 Gold pieces.

Happy Pets adds Arcade Games - Play to win prizes!

CrowdStar has added an entirely new feature to Happy Pets in the form of the Arcade. The Arcade currently only has one game to play within it, but we've been told that there will be more in the future. Playing these games will earn users tickets that they can then redeem for in-game prizes.

As of right now, the only game available is called Make a Match. You'll need to pay Facebook Credits to try the game, with "tries" being available to purchase in groups of 5, 8, or 11 Tries. 5 Tries costs 6 Facebook Credits, or $0.60 US, while 11 Tries jumps the price all the way to 16 Facebook Credits, or $1.60.

The prizes available range from pets (Psychedelic pets, Pandas, and the like) to accessory items like fur dyes for your pets. As of right now, there are pages for both Goods and Furnishings in the prize shop, but they are currently empty. As for the prices, you'll be able to purchase a fur dye for 65 tickets, while the pets themselves cost anywhere from 125 to 240 tickets.

It's nice to see CrowdStar adding another way for users to get their hands on premium pets, even if it does seem to equate to simply purchasing them outright either way (since playing the games themselves takes Facebook Credits). It will be interesting to see if they add a free version to the Arcade Games feature, and we'll be sure to let you know if that is the case.

It Girl celebrates Thanksgiving with new Fall Leaves Couture line

If you're in the mood for some Thanksgiving themed couture in It Girl, you've come to the right place, as CrowdStar has released a series of four new items into the game's Catalog. These "Fall Leaves" inspired items come with a range of Point Boosts, making them perfect for either lower level players, looking for a major boost, or higher level players that just want a cool accessory.

The four items are as follows:

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Costume - Outdoor appropriate - 79 Points - 61 Facebook Credits ($6.10 US)
Deep V Autumn Dress - Outdoor, Casual, Classy, Night Life - 33 Points - 57 Facebook Credits ($5.70)
Fall Leaves Buckle Platforms - Outdoor, Casual, Classy, Night Life - 21 Points - 51 Facebook Credits ($5.10)
Thigh High Autumn Socks - Outdoor, Casual, Classy, Night Life - 8 Points - 26 Facebook Credits ($2.60)

These items are limited edition, meaning that they will only be available in the store until they sell out. Currently, all four items are available in quantities of at least 1600, so experience tells us you have plenty of time left to shop. Still, to make the most out of these clothing items, it'd be smart to purchase them before the Thanksgiving holiday arrives in order to really stand out.

FarmVille ousted as top Facebook application, Zynga under 200 million players

Honestly folks, I never thought this day would come, but thanks to a massive push by the Phrases application on Facebook (it has apparently gained 1.8 million players in just the last week), FarmVille has been ousted as the number one application on Facebook.

To be clear, FarmVille is still the number one game, and by a long margin too, beating its closest competitor, Texas HoldEm Poker, by 18 million players. However, according to AppData's latest figures, Phrases now beats FarmVille 54 million to 53 million players. A margin of only 1 million players may be nothing to become too alarmed about, but when FarmVille held down 80 million players earlier this year, it is at least something to take note of.

Additionally, Zynga, while still the number one app developer, has dropped below the 200 million player mark, in terms of monthly active users over all games. Zynga still holds a very comfortable lead over the new number two developer, Phrases, as they can claim 198 million monthly active players, but it is interesting to see how things have changed for Zynga over time.

Most of this seems to be due to FarmVille itself, which has lost 5 million players over the past month. FrontierVille too is on the decline, having lost more than 2 million players in the same time period.

Could this be why Zynga has decided to finally push full steam ahead with CityVille - an effort to bring back those players that they've lost, or even gain new players entirely? It's not a bad tactic either way, and we'll be sure to let you know if it works.

Restaurant City Crazy Shopping Week starts tomorrow, save some coin

Monster RobotYou better start scrounging underneath those booths, tables and chairs as Playfish is about to unleash a serious sale in Restaurant City. Starting tomorrow, Nov. 23, in honor of the looming Black Friday, players will get a second chance at some of the items they might have missed from past events in Crazy Shopping Week.

Items like the Potwasher from Tuscany Week will be available for one day only in Maggie's Boutique during the sale for Playfish Cash. Check in daily to see what each day's limited edition, classic item awaits. Better yet, every day a new set of other previously released items (though, standard edition) like the Monster Robot and Teppenyaki Grill will be on sale for up to 75 percent off at Maggie's Warehouse for both coins and Playfish Cash.

Our precious ingredients won't be left out either. This week, the list of available ingredients to choose from will be boosted to six, which players can buy for both coins and Playfish Cash. However, once the sale ends on Nov. 30 the list of ingredients for sale will bump back down to three and these limited edition items will be gone forever. Well, probably until next Thanksgiving Week, but who knows what will have been released by then? Check out what's available all week and start making some cash now if you want to take advantage of all the upcoming deals.

FarmVille Market update pretties things up, gets organized

Brand new Market
Navigating the Market in FarmVille could take next to forever for high-level players searching for those crops tucked into the farthest reaches of the shop, but Zynga aims to change all that with a brand spanking new Market. While it may not be live for all players, this new Market looks much better and overall will hopefully simplify the shopping process for players.

The first thing you'll notice is the Specials tab, which highlights three of the current deals or themes occurring at the time. Beneath that is a new "Best Sellers," which expectantly displays the current most bought items. Then, items are separated like normal, but can easily be organized using the new "Sort By" feature. This is essentially a drop down list of several ways you can organize the items in front of you like Recently Planted, Shortest and Longest Harvest Time, Price, Most XP Gained and more. While this all sounds geared towards crops, the list of options adapts to the type of item your browsing.

For those who visit the Market frequently, it will always resurface displaying the item you last viewed or purchased. But possibly the best feature is the Preview option for many items like buildings and decorations to give players an idea of how the item would fit in their farm. Check out the forums for more details on the updated Market. As for us, we've gone shopping.

Farmer's Hero for iPhone: Nifty FarmVille tool or malicious cheat?

At Games.com - The Blog!, we don't support cheating in Facebook games. However, we do want to cover everything there is to know about FarmVille and other top Facebook games. We don't want you to feel out of the loop on the latest tools and tricks for FarmVille. Farmer's Hero is an iPhone (and therefore iPod Touch and iPad) application that makes it easier to collect feed bonuses for FarmVille. What exactly does this mean?

The application requires you to sign in with your Facebook account. It then monitors all of the feed posts that your friends post on their wall and pulls out the ones that include bonuses. This means free bushels, fuel, pollinated seeds, and lost adoptable animals, among more. Farmer's Hero can automatically retrieve this for you as if you clicked them yourself, without requiring the tedium of clicking on each individual post.

Some people consider this cheating, because the application basically automates the process of interacting with feed posts. Every time Farmer's Hero claims something from a wall post, it means one less person can use it. This is more than frustrating if you're a legitimate player and every time you click on a wall post one second after it's posted you're greeted by a "this item has already been claimed" message.

Still, clicking manually on feed items doesn't require skill. It's a boring game of hunting and pecking, and Farmer's Hero makes it so that you no longer have to do this. Another application that does something similar is the controversial Gamer's Unite application.

If you're interested in finding out more about Farmer's Hero, you can watch this explanation video or check out the application in the Apple Store. Right now, the price is $1.99.

FrontierVille Timed Mission Storage Space II now available

Last week, we brought you the news surrounding the new FrontierVille Storage Shed expansion. At the time, this was just a single timed mission, that would allow you to expand your Storage Shed to have five extra storage slots. We knew that two other missions would be coming behind this original launch, but we didn't know exactly when those missions would launch in full.

Luckily, partners, you can now expand five additional spaces via this afternoon's launch of the Storage Space II mission, a timed mission that must be started on your account before December 21, and completed within three days thereafter.

The mission has three steps, which are to:

Have or Craft 6 Sawhorses
Have or Obtain 15 Nails
Get 15 Cardboard Boxes

Interestingly, the leaked information concerning this mission before its release has now been proven incorrect, as you need to have 15 nails, rather than six, as was first believed. Either way, you'll earn these by asking friends via individual gift requests. The Cardboard boxes are gathered by posting general wall posts asking for your friends to help you, and you'll have to create the Sawhorses within your barn.

A single Sawhorse can be created using 5 Planks and 2 Tools. Remember, Tools can be earned by having your friends hire you on their homesteads, and then posting the Tools as a wall bonus afterwards. Planks are created in the Wagon, using 7 pieces of wood and 250 coins for each Plank.

Unless you already had a few Sawhorses or lots of Tools on hand, you may find this quest to be a bit difficult, especially considering the three day time limit. However, with a little effort, and perhaps some persuading of friends to hire you, you too can add five more storage spaces to your Storage Shed. In addition, you'll earn 300 XP and 500 coins for finishing the quest.

CityVille: Tower Eats franchise is enormous and expensive

CityVille franchises are a neat aspect of the game, because it's great to have a physical representation in your city of how many businesses you are running in your friend's cities. One of the more daunting franchises in the game is the Tower Eats franchise. Why? Because it costs 800,000 coins to open up a Tower Eats franchise. Yikes.

I spend my money way too quickly in CityVille, so there is no way I'm affording one of these anytime soon. However, after seeing how gigantic the building is, it's making me want to save up! Click on the image to the right to see the Tower Eats franchise when compared with other buildings. It is by far the largest building you can get right now for your city.

Of course, this feat won't come easy. You have to earn a lot of coins to unlock this sucker.

Facebook Friend Guide: How to find neighbors to play games with

Playing Facebook games is a lot more fun when you have friends who are playing alongside you. Couple this with the fact that many games incentivize you for having more neighbors, and it can make for a pretty terrible gaming experience if none of your friends want to play. Facebook isn't really designed to allow you to meet new people; Facebook's core intentions were to connect you with the people and acquaintances that you already know. This can make it challenging to find new friends to game with on Facebook, so we have a few tips that will help you get more friends on Facebook to play games with you.

Official game message boards

One of the best places to find other people to game with is on the game's official message boards which are maintained by the developer. On these forums, you can register and post in "add me" threads where other players will find them. If you go this route, remember to include a link to your Facebook profile otherwise they will not be able to add you as a friend. You also should ask them to put in the friend request what game(s) they play, so that you know who they are when they add you as a friend. You should be able to look through the threads and find friends to add as well.

On the wall of the game's fan page

If you go to the fan page for the game that you wish to find friends for, you can comment on the status messages, wall, and review page with "add me". You will see many other people doing this as well, so you can feel free to add them as friends. This is probably the fastest way to find friends. Sometimes, simply clicking "like" on a game's wall post is enough to cause a barrage of friend requests to fly in from all angles.

In "Add Me" groups

Most games (at least the popular ones) on Facebook have various "Add Me" groups that you can join to find other people to play that game with. You will have to join the group, but once you have joined you have unlocked a ton of people who play the game game as you. It's a nice way to exchange tips and tricks on the games too. See FarmVilleAddMe for an example of this.

On Games.com!

Another perfect way to find friends to game with is by commenting on this post! Leave a comment with your Facebook profile link and tell others what games you play. There's a good chance you'll find plenty of friends this way!

General Tips and Warnings:

    Remember that if you post on forums and external sites, you will have to delete your posts in the future if you want people to stop adding you as a friend.
    When you're adding strangers, it's best to make a special Facebook list/group for them and do not share any personal information or non-gaming status messages with them.
    It is possible that spammers will add you, so use careful consideration when accepting friend requests.

Do you have any other tips for finding friends on Facebook? Share them in the comments with our readers!

FarmVille Animals: Ornament Reindeer & a Partridge in a pear tree (sort of)

Ok, so maybe not IN a Pear Tree exactly, but a Partridge nonetheless... Wait, where was I? That's right - It's a Wednesday, and in the Holiday season in FarmVille, that means we've seen a new update hit the game, which has brought with it a couple of new animals!

The new animals are the Ornament Reindeer and the aforementioned Partridge. Unfortunately, both cost Farm Cash, so I hope you've been saving up for some new items, or that you aren't opposed to simply purchasing Cash outright so that you can enjoy their holiday festiveness on your own farm.

The Ornament Reindeer costs 16 Farm Cash, while the Partridge costs 12 Farm Cash. Both animals can be harvested from once every two days, and you'll receive 80 and 92 coins, respectively, every time you collect. If you're looking for a quick and easy boost to your experience point total in the game, you should also look into these two new animals, as the Reindeer rewards 1600 bonus XP while the Partridge offers 1200.

Both of these animals will be available in the game for the next nine days, at which point they will expire, and likely won't be seen again until the Winter Holiday celebration in 2011, if at all. Shop fast if you want to collect these new animals before it's too late!

CityVille beats FarmVille's best numbers, shatters and sets records

It looks like Zynga and the CityVille team have received a New Year's gift now, too. (In fact, CityVille doesn't seem to need an occasion anymore.) TechCrunch reports that CityVille has become the biggest social game to ever grace Facebook, breaking FarmVille's record-setting peak of nearly 83.8 million monthly players in March 2010 with 84.2 million monthly players. Zynga's most recent social-gaming juggernaut has been shattering records since it launched early in Dec. 2010, but this is a first for both CityVille and the Facebook game genre altogether.

We've all said that the growth has to plateau at some point, but continues surging upward, blowing away our expectations and doubts without much more than a few stutters, according to a chart provided by Inside Social Games (ISG). It's ISG that also predicts CityVille to reach 125 million players at some point in 2011. Well, if the game keeps soaring at this rate of almost two million new monthly players daily, it's only a matter of time before CityVille at least reaches 100 million. Either way, CityVille is already the most popular social game to date in the genre's infantile lifespan. That is until Zynga launches something else, of course.

Top 25 Facebook Games - January 2011

Inside Social Games has released the top 25 Facebook games for January and -- to no surprise -- Zynga's new darling CityVille has gone straight to the top of the charts, overtaking FarmVille, which until recently, seemed darn near impossible. The real question is how long CityVille will stay at the top or if this number is inflated due to extra promotion and the 'new'ness of it all.

Other newcomers to January's Top 25 list include PopCap's Zuma Blitz, which is a timed version of the classic PC game,and CrowdStar's uber girly game, It Girl, which grew 1.2 million last month.

top 25 facebook games 2011

A few other things to point out in this list:

- CityVille gained 80 million users in one month. Wow. It's surprising to see how a city-building game, which isn't drastically different from the many other city-building games out there, gained that much traction. It's a true testament to the power of Zynga's cross-promotion (and it also might be a sign that Zynga's learning how to make more compelling games).;

- FarmVille has been losing players for monthy (roughly 30 million so far), but in December, managed to gain 4 million players One would assume that's due to a combination of all of the special events in the game for the holiday season, the return of game notifications on Facebook and a cross-promotional synergy among all of Zynga's games, many of which were also up last month (with exception of Mafia Wars).

Little War on Facebook: Stone Age game at a Stone Age pace

Little War on Facebook
If there is one niche that Facebook games have yet to hit, it might very well be the Stone Age. Thanks to Chinese social game developer Five Minutes, that's no longer an issue with Little War. Set in prehistoric times, Little War puts you in the role of chieftain, overseeing a fledgling tribe as they kill, expand and cultivate their way to caveman supremacy. Drawing obvious similarities from established warfare and city-building games like My Empire, Little War brings a lot to the table in presentation as one the most visually appealing Facebook games out there. Unfortunately, the game moves at a fossilized snail's pace, forcing players to wait for sometimes days before seeing the fleeting moments of combat.

Find more detailed impressions of Little War after the break.

Little War Tirbe
Your nascent tribe begins already facing the stony tips of an opposing tribe's spears, which serves as the training ground for you, the only person this small community has to look up to. While that sure sounds pretty intense, it quickly boils down to "harvest this" and "train this." Worse off, these processes will take hours outside of the tutorial, which grants you with Hourglasses to instantly finish training cycles and push the invaders back with your own pointy weapons.

Unlike most games that operate in coins, Little War is all about Food, which is at least historically accurate to a point. Everything from building dwellings and warrior training grounds to decorations costs Food. Harvesting crops, completing quests, killing roaming monsters and leveling are all sources of Food. Of course, harvesting is the most readily available and reliable source of food, but also the least entertaining. There is also your population cap to worry about, which fills up with the more soldiers you train and increases with the more dwellings you create. Admittedly, it has the potential to become an interesting balance considering it all draws from a single resource.

Little War Monster Hunt
To mix things up, your tribe can also tap ancient magics to summon more monsters to hunt, increase your tribe's statistics, damage other tribes and more. These are accessed by creating new Wonders, or buildings whose only purpose is to fuel new magic powers. Once built, Wonders can be upgraded using parts collected from defeating monsters, purchasing from the shop, completing quests or even--dare I say--asking friends. Yes, asking and helping friends with requests is a major component to Little War like most social games.

On to what should the most exciting part of Little War: combat. Unfortunately, I've yet to enter a combat experience with another tribe on any scale since the tutorial. And while it hasn't been a terribly long time since then, why should it be? When there are plenty of other games out there that are much more rewarding of building and maintaining a community, combat should be more frequent and far more exciting than it is. When fighting monsters, all that decides the outcome is a small cartoon-style scuffle cloud accompanied by a loading bar. When fighting opposing tribes, scale that same goofy animation to fill the entire screen, add some more oomph to it with more warriors and that's how large scale combat is decided. The only statistic that contributes to your success in combat is Combat Power, which is merely a measure of the amount of warriors you possess in your army. In short, the combat won't exactly have you running back to your computer screen for more like in games such as Mighty Pirates or Monster Galaxy.

Little War Level Up
As mentioned before, getting into combat takes long enough--but so does everything else. Training even the smallest regiment of warrior takes two hours, most of the more meaningful magic powers take almost a day to recharge and harvesting a worthwhile amount of Food takes a full day. You're going to spend a lot of time either staring at timers or setting alarms around events that aren't exactly enthralling. Little War has an incredibly charming art style and smooth presentation, but sadly is sitting on a gold mine of potentially exciting content while emulating elements of other popular social games so well. Just because your game is about the Stone Age doesn't mean it has to move like it.

Trial Madness 2 on Facebook is addictive, antisocial motocross

Trial Madness 2
Alright, so it's not exactly a social game in the traditional sense. But Trial Madness 2 by Spanish developer Social Point is just plain fun. Sure, you can add your friends and compare times with them--not to mention to global leader boards. And of course you can create a custom player profile and avatar that will display your highest score and currency. But none of this is the main draw of Trial Madness 2.

It's the gameplay.

And while gameplay alone doesn't seem to get social games very far these days, Trial Madness 2 certainly brings it in spades. Not to mention plenty of competition. Check behind the break for our detailed impressions of Trial Madness 2.

Trial Madness 2 gameplay
This balance-heavy biking game doesn't exactly advance the sub-genre of casual gaming, but Trial Madness 2 certainly does add some much need polish to it. The gameplay remains the same: simple to understand, nearly impossible to master. Players navigate a motocross bike across both somewhat normal and at times ridiculous terrain using the arrow keys. The "up" and "down" arrow key accelerate and apply the brakes, respectively. The "left" key leans the bike backward and "right" leans it forward. Throw in some horribly uneven courses and you got yourself what should be a headache.

Let's put it this way: you're going to crash. A lot. But reload times are so quick that I find myself almost pressing the "Retry" button via muscle memory. Trial Madness 2 evokes this almost insatiable need to beat the next level while maximizing points. Completing the level in the least amount of time will surely increase your score, throwing in a few skillful back flips or front flips here and there will rack up the points. To do a flip, just hold in either the "left" or "right" key while in midair, but the key to a successful flip is knowing when to stop. This trial-and-error gameplay (hence the name) is admittedly addictive.

Level Complete!
After every successful level, you'll be given the option to brag through a News Feed post, taunting your friends into trying to beat your time. Turning up the scale on the competition is World mode, which displays the top players globally with their highest score and Gold won from tournaments.

An otherwise meaningless statistic, Gold is used to buy into Tournaments, which offer large Gold prizes and bragging rights. As you might have already noticed, most of the game's social elements are pretty nebulous, deceptively simple features. Tournaments and Gold are both those types of features, offering no more incentive to partake than a chance at the glory of having your face attached to one of the highest scores. Throw in a long list of Achievements to obtain for nothing more than, again, glory, and Trial Madness might be one of the most competitive games on Facebook. But with such shallow social features, only you and the other otherwise anonymous bikers will know anything of it.

Santa Claw: Use Facebook Connect to play a claw machine from home

Well, at this point it's more like, "Wait in line to play a real claw machine from home," but it's awesome nonetheless. Mashable reports that Real Art Design, a Chicago-based design firm, have created a gigantic claw machine using one ton of steel, 700 feet and wire and 1.5 wheelchairs to be played with solely online. That's right, just log in using your Facebook account, Twitter handle or e-mail address and... wait for a really long time to play. As you can imagine, word of this intriguing creation has spread like wildfire--so much so that we can't even fit in the line at the moment.

The idea behind the creation is to give away the gifts that Santa had leftover from this past Christmas. That is, of course, if you manage to get in line before all the presents are gone. If you do somehow squeeze in and, through some mystical alignment of whatever celestial bodies symbolize luck, win a prize, then Real Art Design will send that exact present directly to your house. Who knows what could be inside, but we sure hope Santa dropped a MacBook somewhere along the way.

CrowdStar hopes to strike mobile gold again with $10M StarFund

Since hitting the on the iOS App Store with Top Girl, CrowdStar looks like its hungry for another hit in the mobile games space. Well, another 40 hits, to be exact. The social game developer recently launched StarFund, a $10 million fund that the company will use to back independent mobile game developers, $250 thousand at a time, Mobile Entertainment reports.

StarFund has been made possible in part by YouWeb, the developer's original incubator, or a company that oversees a start up's first stages of life to ensure its survival with funding and other resources. Apparently, YouWeb has deep pockets, and is ready to lighten them on the burgeoning mobile games scene. And that's quite alright by CrowdStar.

"What we know is that great teams and products can still get to the top in mobile social gaming," CrowdStar head of mobile Blair Hamilton said. "With StarFund, we are looking to fund the next stars in mobile social games."

CrowdStar StarFund
Who knows, with 40 more mobile games slated to release with the help of CrowdStar and YouWeb, perhaps one of them will finally knock Angry Birds off of its feathery throne. Better yet, maybe this will help the It Girl creator to become a worthy opponent for Zynga and EA on the iPhone.

Amazon will duel Zynga in the social games arena, recent hire suggests

Who else wants in on this? Linkedin? Twitter? It appears that gargantuan Internet retailer Amazon looks to enter the social games melee as well, as the company has hired veteran pen-and-paper (think Dungeons and Dragons) game designer Jonathan Tweet as Game Designer/Producer, according to his Linkedin page, IndustryGamers reports. There are no details regarding Amazon's first social game, but Tweet did confirm his new position to the website.

Tweet is best known for his involvement with Dungeons and Dragons 3rd Edition and RPGs (role-playing games) like Ars Magica and Everway. However, he has also worked most recently in Facebook games with Gamehouse, and considering Tweet will be leading the project, IndustryGamers guesses that the Amazon social game will have RPG elements. Will we have to swing a sword and fling spells for even better deals on Amazon? Probably not, but that'd be pretty darn cool.

This is far from the first time the Internet retailer has dived into gaming. Even before launching its own Android Appstore, through which PopCap has launched an Android game, the company bought Reflexive Entertainment in 2008 to sell its games online. It appears that, slowly but surely, Amazon is getting serious about gaming--just like everybody else.

Facebook How-To: Play your games in peace by deactivating Facebook Chat

If you're an active Facebook gamer, or just an active Facebook user, you've likely been greeted by the new Facebook Chat setup, that sees an incredibly large window popping up at will (spanning the vertical height of the entire browser window in some cases), almost each and every time you navigate to a new page (or, say, a new Facebook game). Needless to say, this can get quite annoying very quickly, especially if you're not a fan of the Facebook chat service in the first place, or you'd just like to have some peace and quiet away from the chat requests and "online" status.

Luckily, there is a way to shut Facebook Chat up, and while it's not a permanent solution (allowing you to switch back and forth at your leisure), it will make your life a heck of a lot easier in the future. Please note that the Facebook Chat window has changed in design over the original chat, so the steps for turning it off have also changed. First, the next time the new chat window appears in your way, click on the small gear in the top right corner of the Chat menu, as seen below.

Here, you'll see two options: "Available to Chat," and "Chat Sounds." Unfortunately, both of these are active by default, but while they may not appear to be actual buttons, you can toggle each by simply clicking on them. Say you'd rather be invisible to your currently online friends. Just remove the check next to "Available to Chat," and you'll be sent offline. That's right - no more automatically refreshing friends list, no more chat sounds, and no more annoying window popping up in your face every five seconds (that one's the kicker).

If you would like to hide your online presence to only a specific portion of your Facebook friends list, you can also click on the "Limit Availability" option to see a menu where you can "hide" yourself from particular groups of friends (based on the groups that you've manually created).

After going offline, your games should play as normal, without the possibility for accidentally clicking on a friend to start a chat because it has popped up in your way. The entire chat menu will minimize, giving you peace and quiet at last. Any time you'd like to go back online, just click on the "Chat (Offline)" text in the bottom right corner (where your chat menu is minimized) and you'll automatically go "online" to chat with any of your available friends.

For now, there doesn't seem to be a way to entirely remove the Facebook Chat menu from your account, but at least with these steps, you'll be able to play your games privately, without the sometimes unwanted interference of friends.

Surprise--Zynga slapped with yet another infringement lawsuit

Another day, another lawsuit on Zynga CEO Mark Pincus' desk. This time, myFarm creator SocialApps has filed suit against the FarmVille creator for copyright infringement, violation of trade secrets and a number of other allegations, Patent Arcade reports. Filed in Calif. District Court on June 17, just days after SocialApps registered myFarm with the Copyright Office, the company claims that since myFarm released in November 2008, Zynga approached the company to acquire intellectual rights and source code for its own use.

According to SocialApps, the two entered a Leter of Agreement regarding the source under SocialApps' impression that it would be compensated and credited for Zynga's use of the myFarm source code. Then, the company claims that it failed to get in contact with Zynga as the developer released FarmVille in June 2009 without compensating or crediting SocialApps. As you know, FarmVille went on to peak at 80 million users. And though it has since fallen to 36.8 million players, myFarm enjoys a paltry 17 thousand players in comparison.

Basically, the claim is that Zynga used the myFarm source code to create FarmVille, the iconic Facebook game, without owning up to its end of its agreement with SocialApps. (And the similarity between the two games is striking.)

SocialApps claims to have suffered damages in excess of $100 thousand, and is seeking Zynga's profits and gains, as they're in excess of $500 thousand. (Considering Zynga is said to be worth $20 billion, SocialApps might be low-balling this one a bit.) According to Patent Arcade, SocialApps also believes Zynga went and used the myFarm source code to create games like FrontierVille, CityVille and FishVille.

Keep in mind, this is far from the first time Zynga has been the target of a copyright infringement suit. Most recently, the company agreed to change the name of its upcoming expansion to FrontierVille from The Oregon Trail, the same name of the classic adventure game-turned-Facebook game, to Pioneer Trail after approached by The Learning Company with a lawsuit.

Investment bankers like Michael Grimes play CityVille, too

For an IPO as lucrative as Zynga's $1 to $2 billion, Morgan Stanley Managing Director Michael Grimes (pictured) was seemingly willing to do anything, even play CityVille for hours on end, to gain the company's trust, Bloomberg reports. It's a strategy Grimes has used to get the investment firm in on the IPO (initial public offering) of many a company, but Grimes took his dedication to new heights in connecting with Zynga CEO Mark Pincus over his company's hit games CityVille and Empires & Allies.

And Grimes didn't just hop in to see what the fuss was all about, he all but mastered CityVille. "It's not just that Michael is building out a level or two, he's pretty advanced in his game playing," said Michael Kim of Cendana Capital, who worked with Grimes from 1997 to 2000, and is connected with both Pincus and Grimes over CityVille.

But keep in mind, Grimes' efforts in CityVille were likely to grab Pincus' attention as his company tried to tempt Zynga into choosing it to lead an IPO. However, we bet Grimes liked the game ... at least a little bit. Then again, who knows whether Grimes didn't just get a secretary to play for him--we're gonna go with the "Michael Grimes is a CityVille fanatic" scenario, anyway.

Could Disney's Playdom be in worse shape than previously thought?

That's what a report by Business Insider looks to get to the bottom of, citing several anonymous sources. The report lists several bulleted claims by unnamed folks close to Playdom that range from a handful of high level execs have left the company recently to Playdom was forced to relinquish control over what games it made to Disney. And the House of Mouse is unsurprisingly reportedly not very happy about it.

"Six top executives at the VP level or above have moved on in the last three months including Playdom's Co-COO," one nameless source told Business Insider. Another source told the website that soon after Disney's $400 million plus acquisition of Playdom, the new parent company quickly "started to come in and ask Playdom to work on certain games and drop others," according to Business Insider.

Another notable takeaway from the report states that "voices within Playdom" said that they didn't see a value in pursuing Disney's lucrative brands within social games, because kids--Disney's target audience--doesn't pay up on Facebook. Other anonymous sources came to Playdom's defense, claiming that the company "is making three or four times as much money off its users as other social gaming companies," Business Insider reports.

Disney issued a response to Business Insider, reminding readers that Gardens of Time has been the company's most successful Facebook game, reaching top five status at one point. More importantly, the company was keen on letting players know that the first social game based on a Disney brand is coming. (We guess this one doesn't count then?)

This is certainly not the first time doomsayers have outed Disney and Playdom as headed for failure. There's no doubt the two companies have dragged their feet ever since joining hands.

TribePlay's Cube Galaxy is a chip off the Diamond Dash block

It's only been two months since TribePlay released their first Facebook game. But the brainiacs that brought us BrainJewel, an Egyptian-themed math and logic game, have now debuted their second game ever, a sci-fi themed falling blocks puzzler for Facebook called "Cube Galaxy". While brain games are a rarity on Facebook, puzzlers are a popular genre dominated by two greats -- PopCap's Bejeweled Blitz and Wooga's Diamond Dash.

Available in English, German, French, Portuguese, and Chinese, Cube Galaxy was made in Chengdu, the capitol of Sichuan province in China. This game's got all the bells and whistles of your typical Facebook puzzler, including 60-second rounds, the option to purchase boosts with coins or Facebook Credits, the ability to send friends virtual gifts, compare scores with your friends, and a weekly leaderboard. In fact, Cube Galaxy bears a striking resemblance to Diamond Dash. Those basics aside, it does manage to offer a few new twists in terms of gameplay.
Cube Galaxy Thunder Boost
Your goal is to eliminate cubes on the screen by arranging them in groups of 3 or more. But these cubes can be moved one at a time, at your discretion, and they also don't disappear unless you decide they're good enough to zap away. The pace of the game feels faster than either Diamond Dash or Bejeweled Blitz, even though these rounds only last a minute. This is because you're handling a smaller playing field, one that starts off empty, then quickly fills up randomly, just like Tetris.

Gallery: Cube Galaxy

Before a round, you can add boosts to your game, but not all of them are unlocked until you level up. During a round, if you earn points fast enough, your screen will go into Overdrive, which nets you special items for higher scores. Finally, each round concludes with something called "Last Blow", which zaps all the blocks off your board that's in groups of 3 or more. Needless to say, it's in your best interests to keep shuffling blocks until the final second, even if you can't click on those blocks to zap them. Points earned during Last Blow get an added percentage bonus based on what level you're at. For example, if you're at Level 3, you get a +3% added to your Last Blow points.

While Cube Galaxy offers very little that's new, it's still a solid title with a nice aesthetic and a mascot. It'd be nice if TribePlay took further advantage of their sci-fi theme and adorable alien, "QT" (which is Chinese keyboard slang for "cutie"), such as turning him into a virtual buddy, to offer user customizations for the game. Some good examples would be enabling players to purchase backgrounds, interactive animations (hey, "durable virtual goods that enable new gameplay experiences" have definitely worked for The Sims Social), and costumes for QT to wear. Since the game is currently still in beta, one can hope. Right now, there's just not much helping this title stand above the rest.

Zynga CEO's memo to employees: 'We have nothing to hide in our past'

The big red dog bites back. FarmVille maker Zynga came under fire recently from a Wall Street Journal report that claims CEO Mark Pincus and other executives asked early employees for their unvested stock or face termination. Now, Pincus has responded. Well, not directly, but to his employees. Fortune acquired the Zynga chief's memo to his staff of 2,000 plus.

"The wall street journal posted a story last night (copied below) which paints our meritocracy in a false and skewed light," the memo reads. "The story is based on hearsay and innuendo which is disappointing but is to be expected as we move towards becoming a public company."

The guy has a point: The media has employed a laser focus on Zynga since it revealed its intent to file for its initial public offering (IPO), but this report is by far the most ... unfortunate. Before receiving the memo, Fortune issued its own response to the WSJ report, looking to downplay the severity of the issue.

As the memo reads on, Pincus reminds his employees of Zynga's core values. More importantly, the Zynga chief says that Zynga has "nothing to hide." (But we're reminded of a certain TechCrunch story and video.) Read the memo in full below:

    Team,

    The wall street journal posted a story last night (copied below) which paints our meritocracy in a false and skewed light. The story is based on hearsay and innuendo which is disappointing but is to be expected as we move towards becoming a public company.

    We have nothing to hide in our past and present policies and I am proud of the ethical and fair way that we've built this company. As many of you have heard me say -- we're building a house that we want to live in.

    Being a meritocracy is one of our core values and it's on our walls. We believe that every employee deserves the same opportunity to lead. Its not about where or when you enter zynga its how far you can grow. This is what our culture of leveling up is all about and its one of our coolest features.

    we want everyone to put zynga first and contribute to the overall success of our company and all of you have.

Does the Call of Duty maker hope to rock the world of social games?

Activision Blizzard, the publisher of hit shooter series Call of Duty, appears to have a love-hate relationship with Facebook gaming. But that scale appears to slowly be tipping in the lovey-dovey direction. During a recent interview with Bloomberg, Activision Blizzard CEO Bobby Kotick hinted that the company's next move could be a social one, and in a big, big way.

"The exciting thing about Zynga or Facebook as a platform, is they're bringing new audiences to gaming that have never been gamers before," Kotick told Bloomberg. "When you think about that target of a 50 or 55-year-old woman that has never really experienced a game, or someone who's coming in for the first time to play a game with their friends on Facebook, that is a fantastic new platform."

These comments are far more enthusiastic about social gaming than Activision has ever been. While strides have been made to capitalize on the benefits of social gaming with the Call of Duty Elite service, other execs within the company appear even threatened by the prospects of Facebook games. But recently, CFO Thomas Tippl revealed that the shooter king is "methodically investing in mobile and social gaming projects."

"Now, we're never gonna be first guys into those markets, but we usually are the best," Kotick said, closing the interview with Bloomberg on a high note. We'll just have to see how Zynga and EA respond to that. In the video interview below, skip to about 4:30 to hear Kotick's thoughts on Facebook games.

The Godfather: Five Families on Facebook puts friendly ties to the test

The word "family" implies a lot to the average American: love, togetherness, mutual respect and support ... in-laws. But for folks, you know, in the mob, that same word holds an entirely different meaning. Soon enough, we Facebook gamers will know what "family" means all too well, and that lovey-dovey stuff isn't part of the equation. Kabam, creator most recently of sci-fi-themed strategy Facebook (and Google+) game Edgeworld, has announced The Godfather: Five Families for Facebook.

Thanks to a partnership with Paramount Digital Entertainment, the developer will pay homage to the Academy Award-winning film trilogy in the only way it knows: intense, constant competition. (And, in this case, tested friendships.) The Godfather: Five Families throws players into the Prohibition Era of our fine nation's history with the initial choice to join one of five families--just like in the movies--and vie to become the dominant family in New York.

Five Families concept art
Based on an early look at Five Families, thanks to Kabam GM Lawrence Koh and VP of Brand Marketing and Communications Ted Simon, these families look to act much like factions in previous strategy games by the developer. However, the ties that bind your family together haven't been done with the best knots, but more on that later.

When it comes to combat, the developer's old fondness for sprawling battle scenes filled with clashing swords and searing spells will give way to smaller, more meaningful conflicts and focused rivalries between families. Of course, resources like cash, food and building materials and will be at the heart of your combat operations. But even more important is your muscle, which at launch will span 10 far more down-to-earth units like Hitmen, Arsonists and Tommy Gunners.

Gallery: The Godfather: Five Families on Facebook

While--like in most Kabam games--players will have to defend their own territory known as Estates, combat will be provoked in more inventive ways in Five Families. As friends come to each others' defense in the wee hours of the morning, neutral areas known as Landmarks with rich, attractive resource bonuses will lure players into cross-family skirmishes over control. These battles over familiar locales like the Empire State Building and Times Square will quickly become ongoing struggles.

While these bloody games of King of Hill rage on, players will have that Estate to worry about. Estates will serve as the home base for all of your operations from recruiting new units to gathering resources and interacting with your family. We imagine that, like other Kabam games, you will be given a grace period to build their defense before you become a fair target. So, unless you want to be open to attack from the 70,000 players per server (a figure Kabam revealed to us), we suggest you pimp out your Estate.


And fast. As your Estate progresses, thanks to upgrades, its appearance will change and improve. Not only will this slowly increase your cred within your own family, but give you a sense of your power increasing. (Check out the nifty, interactive slider above to see how a Level 10 Estate looks compared to a Level 1 Estate.) But that's far from the only thing that will change as you progress through Five Families.

Remember this well: There can only be one "Don" ... per family. This position of power--much like the King in CivWorld--holds far more weight than you might think. While it's specific benefits weren't revealed just yet, what was is the fact that this will be a highly coveted goal for members of the same family, which will inevitably lead to tension and eventually conflict within families. Five Families will cause players to question their social connections, which speaks volumes to how ambitious this project looks thus far.

Five Families concept art victory
But you will see evidence of that almost immediately through the engrossing, scene-setting concept art littered throughout the game. When you win a battle, you'll be greeted by a dramatic scene of a mobster plodding through the streets of New York on a damp night, bodies laying motionless on the curb behind him as he totes a tommy gun. And this is just one of many vivid pieces you will come across in Five Families.

The Godfather: Five Families, with its focus on faction-based combat and intense inter-familial conflicts, looks to be Kabam's most socially inventive strategy game yet. While we were told that a heavier focus would be on combat in this game, we weren't shown enough of it to give impressions just yet. But if you want to see the combat firsthand, Kabam is now accepting registrations for a closed beta test of the game set to launch within the next several weeks.

FrontierVille Pony Express Goals: Everything you need to know

Along with the new Pony Express building that was released in FrontierVille just this afternoon comes the launch of five equally new goals in the Pony Express Goal Series. This set of goals will have you not only building the Pony Express on your Homestead, but will also have you collecting quite a few items before all is said and done. As usual, coins, experience points, and even a free tree are up for grabs by completing this mission set, so let's take a look at what they contain, shall we?

First things first, you must be at a point in FrontierVille where you are already married to your in-game spouse in order to have access to these new missions. That technicality out of the way, the first goal asks you to simply place the Pony Express building on your land. This can be done by purchasing the building from the market for 665 coins and 8 Wood.

Place Pony Express on your Homestead
Hire 3 Neighbors

It should be noted that you don't have to actually finish the Pony Express's construction in order to pass this goal, but you will need to for future goals, so it doesn't hurt to get a head start on asking for the necessary building materials. For a full look at how to complete the Pony Express, check out our guide. Your rewards for completing this first goal are 75 experience points and 250 coins.

Meet us behind the break for a full look at the other four goals in this series.
Part II of V will have expected you to finish the construction on the Pony Express, as one of your tasks is to customize your newly formed building.

Customize the Pony Express
Visit 10 Neighbors
Harvest 15 Apple Trees

By this point, you should have 15 Apple Trees on your own Homestead, but if not, they can be purchased from the market for 800 coins each. Luckily, they can be watered every 30 minutes, so even if you don't own 15 of them, this still won't take you that long to complete. Those tasks finished, your two rewards are 150 XP and 1 free Apple Tree.

Part III of V will introduce you to the new feature accompanied by the Pony Express - that being the introduction of Special Delivery satchels in the game. You'll also have to collect a few items before calling this Goal finished.

Collect 10 Stamp Rolls
Collect 2 Daily Deliveries from the Pony Express!
Have 1,500 Food (used at the end of this mission)

Daily Deliveries can be received by collecting your Daily Bonus from the Pony Express once per day. A rider will come by your homestead and drop one off to you, which can be opened for prizes. Once you finish Part III, you'll receive 100 XP and 100 coins. You'll be able to share 50 Food with your friends as a gift.

While Part III introduced you to the easiest method of receiving Special Delivery packages, Part IV of V alludes to the other - that being reaching the "Insane" level in the game's Bonus Bar (as you pick up items like coins, experience points, wood, and food). You won't have to reach that high of a level though.

Reach "Excellent" on the Bonus Bar
Click on 40 Bonus Objects
Tend 20 Animals

The tending of animals must be completed on your own Homestead, but that's all well and good, because you'll be able to click on all of those coins, experience points, and collection items to count for your 40 Bonus Objects, and to reach the Excellent level (presumably even higher) on the Bonus Bar. Once you complete these three steps (which shouldn't take you anymore than a matter of minutes), you'll receive 50 XP and 150 coins as a reward.

Finally, Part V of V brings in the other method of collecting Special Deliveries, as you'll need to chain together quite a few tasks to release a large sum of Bonus Object at once.

Reach "Insane" on the Bonus Bar
Collect 10 Envelopes

Envelopes can be earned by asking your friends for them, while the Insane level on the Bonus Bar can be reached by completing any number of tasks in immediate succession - harvest a series of crops or trees, feed all of your animals, collect all of your Daily Bonuses - you get the idea. Your final reward in this quest set is 400 XP. You'll be able to share 150 XP with your friends.

We'll make sure to bring you more images of this quest set as they become available. As usual, this feature is being released on what looks to be a very slow rollout, so don't be discouraged if you don't have access to these missions on your Homestead right away.