March Madness Facebook Game Faceoff 2012: Round 3

Round 2 of Games.com's March Madness Facebook Game Faceoff 2012 ended with some major upsets: Diamond Dash edges out Tetris Battle by a mere 51 votes. Bubble Island blows past Words with friends with a few hundred votes and Angry Birds smokes the Facebook version of the world's hottest mobile game, OMGPop's Draw Something. And Bejeweled Blitz, PopCap's match 3 game, looks like it might be the favorite in this year's competition.

But, Round 3 might change everything. Get out there and vote for your favorite game before these polls close on Friday at Noon EST. The championship round will kick off on Friday at 5 p.m. and will run all weekend until Monday at noon, where the winner will be officially be crowned as THE Best Facebook game of 2012.

What are you waiting for -- VOTE!

Two of the most recognized names in this competition go head-to-head in this match-up. Both are also well-known mobile games, but there can only be one winner. Will Bejeweled blitz into the championships or will the Bird take flight? You decide.

To say it's a surprise that this duo make it this far is an understatement. How did they manage to make it past all of those Zynga games? Looks like the fans rallied and now it's bubbles take on diamonds in this match-up.

Bookmark this site!

View the original article here

FarmVille Pic of the Day: Go Duke! March Madness hits Siren465's farm

by Jenny Ng, Posted Mar 15th 2012 1:30PM

Click the image to make it larger.
Rumor has it that Linsanity is done for, but March Madness is picking up the slack and riling up NCAA basketball fans everywhere, even in places like FarmVille. The frenzy got an early start last month with Penner Kraemer's farm, but this time, a player actually built a farm in support of a team and not just the sport. Siren465, whose Valentine's Day farm made our pick last month, has completely redone her farm from pinks to blues to cheer on the Duke Blue Devils of Duke University in North Carolina.

Sporting some impressive hay bale art, the farm is captioned with "go Duke!" on the bottom and flanked by a portrait of the team's mascot on the left, and the university's initials -- with a capital D and a stylized basketball -- on the right. And it looks like Siren465 has picked a winner cause all commentators have faith that Duke will win the tournament this year. It also helps that the numbers say they're this year's most exciting team to watch.

Are you mad for March Madness enough to decorate your farm for it? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment

If you have an AWESOME FarmVille farm that you want to see featured on Games.com, please email a picture to editors@games.com, Include a few words about the inspiration for your design and maybe a few tips for people who need an assist!

Bookmark this site!

Tags: basketball, Duke Blue Devils, duke university, farm art, farm of the day, farmville, farmville farm of the day, farmville featured farm, farmville pic of the day, farmville picture of the day, featured farm, march madness, NCAA, pic of the day, picture of the day, zynga

View the original article here

Temple Run scurries onto Android phones for free on March 27

by Joe Osborne, Posted Mar 6th 2012 10:30AM

If you're into things that are fun and in your pocket (or the Republican primaries), then you already know all about Temple Run. However, only a select group of fun-lovers really know about Imangi Studios' acclaimed free-to-play game: iPhone and iPad fans. Luckily for Android advocates, that will change for the better come March 27, when Temple Run hits the Android Market for free.

Temple Run sees players fleeing frantically from a horde of irate monkeys across the most labyrinthine bridge ever built, turning, jumping and sliding in an endless escape attempt. Hot off the heels of topping the App Store's grossing and free app charts in January, we're willing to bet that Imangi Studios' flagship iOS game will see similar success on Android phones.

"We are excited to finally share the Android release date with our fans who have been so enthusiastic and supportive of Temple Run," Imangi Studios co-founder Keith Shepherd said in a release. "By expanding to more mobile devices, we hope to provide the same addictive and fast-paced gameplay to an entirely new group of players."

The iOS version of Temple Run boasts over 40 million downloads since it landed on the App Store in August 2011, despite some dastardly clones. With numbers like that, we predict that the endless runner on Android will sit right up there with Angry Birds for months to come.

Are you excited for Temple Run's debut on Android phones this month? What other iOS games do you wish would get an Android version already? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

Bookmark this site!

Tags: android, android gaming, f2p, free-to-play, free-to-play games, imangi studios, mobile gaming, mobile social games, temple run, temple run android, temple+run+for+android, temple+run+on+android, templerunforandroid, templerunonandroid

View the original article here

Angry Birds Space takes Rovio's babies to the final frontier March 22

Where the Angry Birds are going, they won't need slingshots. What they will need, however, are space suits (and lots of oxygen tanks). Rovio has revealed Angry Birds Space, the next major mobile game in the Finnish game developer's storied franchise. Yahoo Games scored the details on the next Angry Birds adventure, which is set to hit unspecified (e.g. iOS and Android) mobile devices on March 22.

Fine, the Angry Birds will still use slingshots, but considering they're in space, we don't quite get why. At any rate, Angry Birds Space will have players fling the wingless birds with reckless abandon in zero gravity. Playing on these new planets will lead to interesting new play hooks, like slow-motion puzzles and "lightspeed" destruction, according to Yahoo.

Here's the clincher: Rovio has signed on both NASA and National Geographic as launch partners, so you can expect those floaty space physics to be spot on. The majority of Angry Birds staples will return, like the star rating system, but brand new birds will appear alongside the original crew. This time, however, those classic birds will have some new powers to try out.

Rovio looks at Angry Birds Space to be its biggest release since it hit iPhones in 2009, but we'd go so far as to say that this game is the developer's most important release. Angry Birds has experienced staggering growth, but Rovio has also promised to bring new play concepts to the table. Rovio will also go on an all-out media frenzy to accompany Angry Birds Space, so expect to see the game everywhere you go come March 22.

[Via PocketGamer]

Are you psyched for Angry Birds Space? Were you expecting some more different to come from Rovio, or is this right up your alley? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.

Bookmark this site!

View the original article here

MARCH MADNESS & MERRIMENT!

Copyright "The Quipping Queen" 2005.

MARCH MADNESS & MERRIMENT!

-- Or, eccentric events and odd occasions to celebrate in March 2005 --

**Compiled by Lady Beatrice Blitterlees and edited by Lord Earl Craboon

Let's see'it's March. According to the Calendar of Quips, it's definitely the third month of twelve, (which means we're only one quarter of our way through the 'Year of the Rooster').

If you're not the blessed big bird ruling the roost this year, then you'd better be really good at counting your chicks before they hatch.

On second thought, it's probably not a wise idea to rely on anyone laying the proverbial golden egg on your doorstep anytime soon.

And whatever you do, don't resort to any whining, snivelling, or whimpering tactics. There are no 'wet-blanket appreciation days' this month!

So, fling your frowns on a fire, toss your troubles away, and while you're at it, why not try kicking up platform heels or doing a little soft shoe routine for a change!

Now that you've got your glad rags on, join in the festivities of MARCH MADNESS & MERRIMENT!!

NOTE: Those with an allergic reaction to good times should definitely stay home and play mind games with their pets, or watch TV shows featuring 'lifestyles of old coots and curmudgeons', home renovation tips for couch potatoes, or how to impress guests with your favorite KD comfort food.

MARCH MADNESS & MERRIMENT EVENTS & CELEBRATIONS

1. MAD HATTER APPRECIATION DAY (If you're late for a very important date who really cares? Put on your old TV rabbit ears, trap-door sleepers, and of wear a terrific smile!)

2. PISCES AWARENESS DAY (If you see a floundering fish or one swimming in two directions, you've hooked a Pisces; throw it back in the drink and try to jig a puffer!)

3. MOPS 'N' MUSTACHCHIOS DAY (Time to wax poetic with your mop or create a handle-bar mustache to impress a secret admirer or fend off the Hobgoblin from Heck)

4. EVERYONE'S ENTITLED TO MY OPINION DAY (Be a bit lippy or ludicrous, and sally or sashay forth to add your two cents worth about the level of customer service at your local Passion Pit-Stop or your last trip to 'Cloud Nine')

5. FLUFF APPRECIATION DAY (In honor of all those who excel in the art of bureaucratic bafflegab, delightful double-speak, and silver-tongued titillations)

6. BAGPIPE MUSIC APPRECIATION DAY (A fine way to appreciate the mellifluous melodies of gifted wind bags and ancient bladders ...knowing full well why someone invented a convenient dampening device commonly known as 'ear-plugs')

7. NEVER ON A MONDAY (It's time to loosen your collar, let your hair down, and break another house or workplace rule just for fun!)

8. SHOPPING QUEEN FOR A DAY (It's fabulous feline appreciation day ...time to use your credit card to buy all those sparkly little gems for sale on the TV Shopping Channel)

9. QUAGMIRE APPRECIATION DAY (Time to honor all the 'stick-in-the-muds' you know in the great swamp, blessed bog or quick-sand-box of life ...don't forget to say Hello and wave as you walk, jog or race by with a big beautiful smile on your face!)

10. PODUNK APPRECIATION DAY (A skill-testing occasion to see how many small, remote, isolated towns you can name without any help from a friend, family member or a former teacher)

11. FORTUNE COOKIE APPRECIATION DAY (It's time to pay tribute to those tasteless wisecracking tidbits you crack open after a meal of tofu and stir-fried thingamabobs)

12. LOVE HANDLE & WATTLE APPRECIATION DAY (Never too late to flaunt your flab is it? Just make sure that it's legal ...you don't want a night in the slammer do you!)

13. SLINKY TOY DAY (A wonderful way to bring back munchkin memories or amuse your bored, adult, inner nitwit when all hell is breaking lose at home or at work)

14. SILLY-SYSTEMS THINKING DAY (Time to write easy-to-understand instructions so any baby-boomer you know can program his/her brand-new DVD player or assemble a piece of ready-to-assemble furniture without losing one's hair or sanity)

15. IDES OF MARCH (Time to don your toga or toad outfit and spit tacks, peas or sunflower seeds at anyone you please ...if that doesn't work, get on your cell phone and do your rendition of, 'Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ear'')

16. COWABUNGA DAY (Okay, now that you've strapped on your leather chaps and sharp spurs, you can tell our favorite cow pie story!)

17. LITTLE LEPRECHAUN DAY (Time to put on your hunter green tights, color your hair lime green, and spread lots of blarney in honor of a dandy dude named 'St. Patrick' or was it "Dermot the Love Spot"?)

18. FLYING SAUCER APPRECIATION DAY (The only day when everyone can be an expert about strange goings on in the universe, crop circles, or the basement next door)

19. DWEEB APPRECIATION DAY (in recognition of all the wonky wunderkinds you know who haven't got a clue how to install computer software or paint by numbers)

20. RED DWARF & GREEN KNIGHT APPRECIATION DAY (In honor of the first day of spring, and odd things going on in the Forest among the weird keepers of the Holy Grail)

21. GIVE ME A BREAK DAY (A truly exceptional occasion to cash in on your 'Get Out of Jail' free card, or a 'Dog House Day Pass' from your modest outdoor accommodation of late)

22. CALL IN WELL DAY (Take advantage of your frightfully fabulous mental health these days and just goof-off for an afternoon at the beach, on the golf course, or sitting in your throne room reading your favorite comic books and munching on junk food)

23. OF COURSE I'M RIGHT DAY (Finally, it's your turn to be King Canute or Queen Bee of the Castle, as long as you remember, there's a price to pay for everything! Like, tomorrow does not have your name written all over it!!)

24. DINGBAT FELLOWSHIP DAY (A time to honor all the off-the-wall folk you know and love 'just like that long-lost Davy Crockett hat, polka dot hat and pink shoe laces, or that plastic hoola hoop you've got hidden in the closet)

25. SOPPY SONG AWARD DAY (Time to honor maudlin melodies, long-winded lyrics, soppy songs that should never have been written)

26. ARIES AWARENESS DAY (In honor of all those Mars-ruled brash, bossy beasts or barn-burning types you know -- not to be confused with other the 'ram-a-dam-a-ding-dong' folk among your quaint circle of acquaintances)

27. WHITE RABBIT DAY (Okay if you see a floppy-eared, good-natured furry critter hopping down the bunny trail, it must be Easter. So drop your big stick, give it a carrot and whatever you do think good thoughts and make a big wish ' it's your lucky day!)

28. LONG NECK AND NOSE APPRECIATION DAY (This is a rather fine way to honor giraffes, geese, or other Pinocchio-like members of your menagerie afflicted with a curiosity gene disorder)

29. TACKY TROPHY DAY (A terrific time to craft your own tacky trophy or titillating talking stick designed to honor anyone who tells the best jokes or funny anecdotes in town)

30. BEDSIDE & BIFFY BOOKWORM DAY (An excellent occasion to compare with family, friends and colleagues, just what bodacious boudoir or breathtaking biffy books they're reading these days)

31. BOFFOLA RECOGNITION DAY (Time to use those gag lines that have been clogging up your email inbox ' but only if they they're guaranteed to produce a hearty laugh or make a big hit your cube farm or barnyard of life)

About the author: Lady Beatrice Blitterlees and Lord Earl Craboon are frequent-fops-for-hire who, from time to time, provide much needed comic relief in the constipated Court of "The Quipping Queen" at www.quippingqueen.blogspot.com

Author: Beatrice Blitterlees & Earl Craboon

View the original article here

March Madness Facebook Game Showdown: And the winner is...

by Larry C, Posted Apr 12th 2011 3:00PM

... PET SOCIETY!

In a battle that went down to the wire, the venerable 'granddaddy' of Facebook games, Pet Society has prevailed over the arcade mega hit Bejeweled Blitz.

With over one hundred thousand votes cast, Pet Society prevailed over Bejeweled Blitz 55% to 44%. The voting got hot and heavy once we got down to the finals, especially as Playfish pulled out all the stops to urge its players to vote Pet Society. With kick backs, such as coins and cheese, Playfish would have made any ward heeler proud as they delivered the votes needed to push Pet Society over the top. PopCap can still hold its head high as Blitz held its own without trying to sway the outcome.

You can bet that next year, Zynga will be pushing its games to the top after they were embarrassed by a poor showing in this year's event.

Congratulations to March Madness Facebook Game Showdown 2011 winner: Pet Society by Playfish!

Was Bejeweled Blitz robbed? Did Pet Society deserve to win? Sound off in the comments. Add comment.

Bookmark this site!

Tags: Facebook Game March Madness, facebook game showdown, pet society vs. bejeweled blitz, playfish, popcap

View the original article here

Game Developer's March Issue Showcases Civilization V, Dead Nation Postmortems

.rss_ul ul {padding-left: 0px; margin-left: 0px;}.rss_ul ul li {padding-bottom: 5px;} GameSetWatch - Game Developer's March Issue Showcases Civilization V, Dead Nation Postmortems Our sites:GameSetWatchIndieGames GamerBytesFingerGamingWiM Gamasutra « This Week In Video Game Criticism: Dragon Age, GDC Rants And Platformer Design | Main | Polytron Debuts New Fez Trailer For PAX East »

Friday, March 11, 2011 Game Developer's March Issue Showcases Civilization V, Dead Nation Postmortems

The March 2011 issue of Game Developer magazine, the sister print publication to Gamasutra and the leading U.S. trade publication for the video game industry, has shipped to print and digital subscribers, and is available from the Game Developer Digital service in both subscription and single-issue formats.

The exclusive cover story to this issue focuses on Firaxis Games' work on Sid Meier's Civilization V, the latest incarnation of the wildly popular strategy game series, which introduced a number of notable changes to the established formula, such as a hex-based layout that allowed only one unit per tile.

Along with these changes, however, came a number of unforeseen problems. Firaxis' Dennis Shirk details why seemingly minute changes fundamentally changed the way the team approached design:

"One unit per tile was perhaps the biggest, most noticeable change. Whereas a player in previous versions would work with large stacks of units, one unit per tile was more about expanding the tactical game to make it more interesting and engaging.

While I think we succeeded in this concept, the time commitment to this system needed by our design team was fairly costly, and it had a very real impact on the other core components of the game.

An entirely new AI system also had to be created, and while great strides were made, we underestimated the time needed to make such a large system work in a consistent, competitive manner.

The reality is that the more we focused on brand-new systems to create a brand-new experience, the more we had to trim systems that players had come to expect from previous versions."

A second postmortem covers the PSN twin-stick shooter Dead Nation, the latest title from Super Stardust HD developer Housemarque.

As the studio saw the title expand in scope, a number of planned features were left on the cutting room floor, and some elements of the game became a bit too overbearing. The team writes:

"In hindsight, our levels should have been smaller in scale. After all, we had a fairly small team for the game we were making, but we still wanted to make a title that would take
hours to play through, with lots of replayability.

As gameplay changed toward a more tactical direction, and as we increased emphasis on necessitated use of different items and weapons, we realized too late that we should have made the levels shorter and used the saved time to create even more variation and unique gameplay moments within the game. As the amount of content required per level increased exponentially, we decided to outsource some of the level assets."

Also in this issue, designer Simon Strange presents a decision making approach for identifying and defining low-risk design changes, and Arcade Berg takes a look at the use of exploding barrels in Epic Games' and People Can Fly's Bulletstorm.

In addition, the March issue features our regular columnists and special guests including Seth Gibson, Damian Kastbauer, Dave Cowling, Soren Johnson, Kim Pallister, Steve Theodore, Jesse Harlin, and Matthew Wasteland -- who contribute detailed and important pieces on various areas of game development.

Worldwide paper-based subscriptions to Game Developer magazine are currently available at the official magazine website, and the Game Developer Digital version of the issue is also now available, with the site offering six months' and a year's subscriptions, alongside access to back issues and PDF downloads of all issues, all for a reduced price. There is now also an opportunity to buy the digital version of March 2011’s magazine as a single issue.

Posted by Kris Graft on March 11, 2011 6:00 AM | Permalink

Post a comment

Name:

Email Address:

URL:

Remember personal info?

Comments:

If you enjoy reading GameSetWatch.com, you might also want to check out these UBM TechWeb Game Network sites:

Gamasutra (the 'art and business of games'.)

Game Career Guide (for student game developers.)

Indie Games (for independent game players/developers.)

Finger Gaming (news, reviews, and analysis on iPhone and iPod Touch games.)

GamerBytes (for the latest console digital download news.)

Worlds In Motion (discussing the business of online worlds.)


Monthly Archive March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 GameSetWatch [Twitter / RSS feed] is an alt.video game weblog from the people who run:



Recent Comments RSS? GameSetWatch's RSS feed

Who? Editors: Simon Carless & Eric Caoili

About GameSetWatch

Search Search GameSetWatch:

Game Set Watch Jobs Executive Producer - WB Games - #120856 - Warner Bros Games [03.11.11]

UI Artist - WB Games - #120371 - Warner Bros Games [03.11.11]

UX Designer - WB Games - #119817 - Warner Bros Games [03.11.11]

Sr. Software Engineer, Network - Monolith Productions - #114694 - Monolith Productions [03.11.11]

Sr. Animator - WB Games - #122252 - Warner Bros Games [03.11.11]

View All Jobs Gamasutra News

Top iPad Games: Discounted Flight Control, Minigore See Big Sales

PAX East 2011: Discussing Interactive Drama And Dialogue As Gameplay

PAX East 2011: Scott Macmillan On The Life And Death Of His Indie Studio

Limbo, Splosion Man, Trials HD Coming To Retail Bundle April 19

Xperia Play Launching March 31 In UK With Six Games Pre-Installed

Round-Up: Gamasutra Network Jobs, Week Of March 11

Prince Of Persia's Mechner To Keynote Nordic Game 2011

Nintendo 3DS Leads Japanese Hardware Charts, Sells 200,000 During First Full Week

Activision's Call Of Duty Endowment Donates $500K For Veterans' Jobs

Dissidia: 012 Duodecim Final Fantasy Premieres At No. 1 On Japanese Charts

Read All News Columns Column: The Interactive Palette Column: Game Time With Mr. Raroo Column: Homer In Silicon Column: The Magic Resolution Column: Battle Klaxon Column: Sound Current Column: Diamond In The Rough Column: The Game Anthropologist Column: @ Play Column: Alt Space Column: Game Mag Weaseling Irregular Columns Berkley's BUZZ, Bastards Of 32-Bit, Shmup Me Up, Letters From The Metaverse, Game Rag Slapdown, Cherish The Chips, Game Ads A-Go-Go, Compilation Catalog, The Gaijin Restoration, Free Play, Keyboard Bashing, The Gentleman Nerd, Green And Black Attack, Arcade Obscurities, Beyond 3DO, MMOG Nation, Parallax Memories, Game Collector's Melancholy, Cinema Pixeldiso, Column: Might Have Been, Column: HDR Knowledge, Column: Beyond Tetris, Column: Play Evolution, Column: The Aberrant Gamer, Column: Roboto-chan, Column: World Of Warcraft Exposed, Column: Jump Button, Column: The Amateur, Column: Save The Robot, Column: The Z Axis, Column: Why We Play, Column: Welcome To The GameSetWatch Comic, Column: GDRI Wisdom, Column: Vox Populi, Column: Quiz Me Qwik, Column: Bell Game And Candle, Column: Lingua Franca. Copyright © UBM TechWeb

View the original article here

March Madness Facebook Game Showdown: Round 2

by Larry C, Posted Mar 22nd 2011 6:20PM

Games.com The Blog is having it's own March Madness tournament. Instead of college basketball teams going head to head, we're pitting the top sixteen Facebook games against each other. Over the weekend we ran our first round of the tournament. Games were seeded one through sixteen based on the number of daily active users on March 17th (St. Patrick's Day!) The top seeded games had the most daily players with the lowest seeded games having the least.
The March Madness Facebook Game Showdown is on to round two! In the first round the higher seeded games (the games with more players) easily trounced their lesser seeded opponents, except for one! One of our match ups there was an upset!
The fading Facebook game super star game Pet Society by Playfish, was able to narrowly defeat Zynga's Cafe World. Pet Society one by the narrow margin of 54% to 46% .
The second round match ups are set! And this time it will be brother against brother as many second round match ups involve Zynga games verses Zynga games. I wonder if the developers will be able to chose between their babies.

The first match up is a biggie. Number one contender CityVille verses old time favorite Mafia Wars. This one should be very close.

The tough battles continue in the four verse five match up. FrontierVille and Bejeweled Blitz bring two different types of players to the table. Who's style will win out? Will it be the frontier or the arcade explosions who win out?

The battle for Zynga supremacy rolls on. The super heavy weight FarmVille goes up against the scappy Treasure Isle. FarmVille has a huge advantage in experience and players but Treasure Isle is a unique game that has a loyal following. Can Treasure Isle pull off the upset?

The cinderralla story of the tournament so far is Pet Society. The eleven seeded Pet Society goes up against the war horse of Zynga Poker. Can the cute Pets upset the poker faced Zynga Poker? Vote early and vote often to see who comes out on top.

Please vote early and vote often. Share this page with your friends and vote your favorite game to victory!
Bookmark this site! Tags: Facebook, March Madness, march madness facebook showdown, Zynga

View the original article here