Inside Social Games

This is one of those times, as a reviewer, where I wonder if the developer thought his/her Facebook application would be seriously reviewed as something worthy of critical analysis. While many social games have a long way to transcend their mere utility to become something like “art,” there are definitely some games out there that can be considered sublime. This application has some of those games within it, although the application’s name is anything but sublime.

Old School Retro Games, despite its overly casual title, is a solid little Facebook application. Essentially, it packages many old early 90s and late 80s arcade games like Contro, Mario, and Pac Man, into a single Facebook app. It gives some basic directions on how to play and has links to other applications, but that’s essentially it. I don’t even know if I can give the developers credit for converting most of these games to their current medium, as a number of programmers likely contributed to the sum total.

So this is a tough review - I want to applaud the meal that’s been presented for me but I have to question the means by which it has been prepared. That is to say, most of this is stuff taken out of the freezer and the developer is getting credit for creating it. Kung Fu, Bobble Bobble, Donkey Kong- all of the old classics are here. Any serious gamer would love this application and this is probably my favorite Facebook application, easily. That said, there may be some legal issues.

Without taking into account how the material got here, the gameplay is what you’d expect from such varied and classic titles. Some of the games take a while to load and some of the controls are sluggish, but that’s probably pretty true to the source. On the developer side, the presentation of the games menu could be better and they need to better take advantage of the social platform. Why not add a score feature, or a chat feature, or unlockable elements? Overall, while its content is excellent, Old School Retro Games’ presentation is lacking.

Gameplay: 9

Developers Score: 4

How much fun this really is: 11

There is something to be said for name recognition. If people recognize your brand, you’re more likely to get customers. That said, cashing in on the name of a superior product is the saddest form of imitation.

CrazyTaxi, the Facebook game, is just such an imitation. The game is a cheap knock-off of the popular Crazy Taxi series of video games while possessing none of the charms, humor, or graphics of the original. The gameplay is essentially limited to steering your taxi cab left, right, forward, or up (as in jumping). You must guide your taxi to the checkpoint before time runs out, and must maneuver through a never-ending traffic jam worse than anything you’ve ever witnessed on the 405.

The graphics are hokey, the gameplay gets tedious, and though it’s challenging, there isn’t enough here to keep people coming back. You can invite your friends and see the top scores of the global world and your friends, but the only way to unlock the extra features (limited to the “collection” tab), is to invite people.

The game includes sponsors and ads, so the developers have done a good job on that front. But gameplay itself doesn’t open up new features, leaving the game far behind much of its competition. You can’t achieve the customization of other games and the game isn’t fun enough by itself to warrant continued investment. Leave this one by the curb.

Gameplay: 4

Developers: 6

Boredom Sets in: 5 (minutes)

Poppit! Stress Buster is a puzzle arcade game on Facebook developed by Pogo Games and Electronic Arts. You can play a sample of the game for free or go to the PogoGames website to access the full game (warning: may require purchasing).

The gameplay is similar to Dr. Mario or Snood in that you need to line up like-colored objects to clear them from the board. In this case, they are balloons, and thus the “stress buster” moniker. But the game is hard, really hard, so the “stress busting” name is a bit ironic.

The game also has an interesting twist on the puzzle genre. You don’t need to clear all of the balloons, but rather, only the ones with the prizes in them. So you must think before you pop that row of four balloons. In five moves, that could prove fatal. Luckily, the game provides you with an “undo” button. It’s a fun and well-conceived game, well animated and adorned with cute little prizes, balloons, and an anthropomorphic cactus - what more could you need?

On the social side, there’s not much to be said. The application only allows for invites or playing the one stage repeatedly. Other than that, you are directed to the Pogo games website to try other downloadable games or perhaps buy something high-end at EA. The developers don’t try to integrate the game into the social network other than using Facebook as an interactive advertisement ala those Orbitz mini-putt games. You need another application to even share statistics with your friends.

Still, the game is a challenging strategy game that is worth adding, but don’t look for this to be your gateway to a new addictive franchise.

Gameplay: 7

Developers: 4

Difficulty: 7

Counter Strike: Red Team Go takes its name from the popular Half Life mod, Counter-Strike. This game too features guns, terrorists, and counter-terrorists and battle against anonymous strangers. But while Counter-Strike relies on tactics, skill, and teamwork that allows for a balanced, fun, and exciting first person shooter experience, Counter Strike: Red Team Go is a cheap knock-off and cash in that rips the soul out of game and puts it in an easily accessible web format.

I don’t normally hate on social games for taking a popular console or computer game and “porting” it to Facebook. There are several games out there that are worthy adaptations and utilize the social context of the Facebook Platform to create something better than the original. Counter Strike: Red Team Go is not one of these games.

The game play is similar to Armies, a game I reviewed a few weeks ago. Like Armies, you need to buy equipment, raise your rank, and attack other people in order to get points. Invites help you get credits, as does fighting. But unlike Armies, every time you are killed in combat, you lose all of your weapons. You also aren’t very likely to kill the higher ranking general who has a minigun with your Desert Eagle - so get used to getting killed a lot initially.

The tabs for the game are pretty standard - you can attack and taunt your friends or random people, you can recruit people, you can buy equipment, you can see your medals, the leaders, and go on missions or partake in the arena.

The latter two features are unique to CS: Red Team Go, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. You can jump into a battle between counter-terrorists and terrorists and respawn when you are killed, but there is no Flash animation, no skill, and no fun to these battles. They are very similar to single “attack” missions, but are instead loosely based on the actual CS experience.

The developers get kudos for trying to integrate the system into Facebook, but at the same time the creation is awkward and confusing. You only know you’re in combat because a scroll of text updates you that you’ve killed or been killed. If killed, you can respawn a few times. Yay! The “mission” option is basically a way to earn medals by telling you that you should go kill a lot of people and then you’ll get credits AND a medal icon. You can join a clan, and thus establish some network of people to combat other people/boredom with.

I guess a more pressing issue, other than the bastardization of a classic game, is the fact that the existing game is poorly developed. The economies of health, weapons, credits and combat are not well-explained in the two-page long “how to” guide. The “under the table” system for determining who wins a given battle is mysterious, and if you’re going to create a combat game that relies on text rather than animation, you need to make sure the players understand how they can “win.” Your economy needs to be well-defined and your system needs to be pleasing both to casual gamers and the more experienced crowd. Neither is really satisfied here. As a social gamer I couldn’t understand how the game was going to help me meet people and as an experienced gamer I was frustrated by how boring this was.

The real Counter-Strike can still be downloaded for free in many places, includes live texting and social-networking, and is actually fun. Go play that instead.

Gameplay: 2

Development: 4

How much I hate these people right now: 9

PackRat offers a unique blend of puzzle, memory, and social elements to create a thoroughly enjoyable Facebook game.

Developed by Alamofire, the goal of PackRat is simple: gain as many cards as possible. You can acquire them through purchase at the market, through invitations to your friends, or by stealing from your friends (or Rat bots). Your friends can prevent thefts by putting locks on their cards or by storing them in their vault. In order to place something in a vault, you must have acquired five of the same card or collection.

When you steal something, you must place something in its place, so there is a high degree of strategy to the game. It’s plenty addictive and has many layers of game play. In addition to stealing and buying cards, you can also create new cards by combining existing cards or spending time perfecting your locking and lock-picking techniques.

Locks are cards as well, but can be set and broken by various Flash mini-games. The mini-games themselves are plenty addictive and are well animated. They also provide an element of reflexive skill to a game that already rewards strategy.

The developers get similarly positive marks for not only creating a unique gaming experience, but integrating it fully into the Facebook Platform. The introduction is casual and approachable, and asks you to invite friends but says up front that it wants you to be able to enjoy the game without having to do so. The game is much better with lots of friends, but you’ll figure that out quick enough and want to help the creators spread the word.

The addition of bots in the form of funny rat names (usually puns on famous celebrities like Shakirat) is a clever feature that allows people to still play the game without friends. All of the cards are uniform and adorable. They’re attractive enough to want people to capture them, which is essential for the game’s success.

The only criticism I have is that the rules of the game can be better laid out early in the game. I figured things out for myself pretty quickly, but initially the locking ability was a bit counterintuitive. Still, it’s a solid game that is perhaps one of the top social games out there that combines strategy, socializing, and action into an attractive package.

Gameplay: 8.5

Developers: 8

Adorability: 9

Who Has the Biggest Brain is a quiz show game developed by social game company Playfish. For a Facebook application, the game is remarkably well-polished. I had to upgrade my version of Flash to allow for the game to play, and I’m glad I did.

Essentially, WHBB is an IQ test jazzed up and made to fit in the Facebook world. An adorable game show host tells you the rules before you go through a series of four types of mental tests. They’re tough and they change enough so that you can’t simply memorize the answers.

Despite their difficulty (I started cursing when I screwed up some simple math problems) the tests are rendered in pastels and aren’t very threatening, even as the clock runs down. The visual games involve cartoons of sushi and the numbers games often depict floating meteors.

After you finish the tests, you’re given your “brain size” and your level. Shortly thereafter, the host takes a commercial break to let you look at the various websites that sponsor the game. It’s a very clever and subtle way to get advertisements into the game. Again, it’s challenging and addictive, well-animated and fun, and something that lends itself to competitive playing. Both casual gamers and experienced players will find it worth checking out.

WHBB also spreads through invites. The friendly and well-polished icons depict both your Facebook photo and score and that of your nearest competitors. You can invite more friends to see how they rank. You can also see how you rank in the world on a weekly and monthly level. You can discuss the game in the forums, you can write a review for the game, you can check your brain profile, and you can even change the game to be in a different language (an overlooked feature for applications).

In short, this game delivers a fun IQ test that becomes easier through practice, but is one of the few games you really want to beat your friends in. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go back to increasing my numbers skills.

Gameplay: 8/10

Development: 9/10

Difficulty: 10/10

Super Snake is a good example of a Facebook adapatation that should not have happened. At first glance, the addictive qualities of the original cell phone game seem primed to translate to the Facebook environment. It’s challenging, it requires simple Flash animation, and you can challenge your friends and earn points. All of these qualities have helped other Facebook adaptations of popular games succeed.

Yet, Snake falls short on a number of counts. First, the original format of the game wasn’t a board game or a console video game - it was itself a poorly pixilated distraction on your cell phone. By staying true to the source material, the game comes across as lackluster compared to many other Facebook applications. The same premise of the original game is represented on Facebook- guide your snake to eat the blinking “thingies.” Even a fake low-pixel cell-phone screen serves as the interface.

But why not jazz up the game with better animations, different types of “thingies” for the snake to eat? Heck, why not add color? Though you can earn points by inviting your friends or beating your high score or winning challenges, this is very little incentive for most players. The points only unlock two features: a pause button and a “quickstart” feature on the game. These are not bells and whistles so much as integral features. It’s like selling a book that is only half finished and you have to pay another ten dollars to read the ending.

This is why the game gets surprisingly low gameplay scores in my mind. Though it’s still fun and addictive, I wonder why I’m not just playing this on my cell phone or playing another, better Flash game on Facebook. Sure, you can challenge your friends and see their scores. You can also do that with a hundred other Facebook games. That’s the main problem with “Snake” - it doesn’t differentiate itself from other games or even the original in a meaningful way. For games struggling to find their niche, this game is swallowed by its own tail.

Developer’s score: 5
Gameplay score: 4
Originality & inventiveness: 2

Super Mario! is a Flash game adaptation of the famous Nintendo icon. It’s not a simple translation of any one Mario game, but rather it takes elements of several and creates new levels and challenges. Think of this as an unofficial Super Mario Bros 4 or Super Mario World 1.5.

But any way you slice it, the game incorporates many of the iconic Mario villains, powerups, and music to create a pretty deep game. In addition to a fixed world where players can try to advance through several levels, there is also a level editor for players interested in creating new levels or uploading their fellow Mario fans’ creations.

Developers can learn a great deal about customization from this game. The level editor makes this game much deeper and more appealing to experienced gamers than many competing Mario adaptations. Having said that, the level editor tab doesn’t do a great job explaining how to load the levels or how to create your own. The vibrant forums that are part of the application are an important feature and really allow players to take control of their gaming experience. But again, they could be better integrated into the system to make the level editor more approachable to casual gamers.

While the game will likely perpetuate on the power of the name “Mario,” the “Collection” tab that is locked is a good incentive to invite friends. The “Collection” tab offers even more levels of gameplay and further expands the Super Mario! universe. So the game does demand you help perpetuate it to get the deepest experience, but invitations do not disrupt gameplay.

Aside from the confusing level editor and the long load times, the big complaint that users will have with this game is that there is no save feature. Mario is traditionally a long game that requires players  to come back across multiple sesssions - rarely do casual gamers play for several hours at a time. A save feature is essential to hook casual gamers and experienced gamers alike. It’s about as important to the Mario world as fireballs, jumping, and mushrooms.

Gameplay: 7/10
Developer’s score: 5/10
True to source material: 7/10

Snowraft is a snowball fight action/strategy game by Matt Burton and Amir Amini. Employing adorable flash animation and an annoyingly catchy soundtrack, the game is simple: command your little army of red kids to throw snowballs at the blue kids. When you get hit with a snow ball, you freeze and can’t move. Too many hits and you’re dead. Last team standing wins.

In order to get bigger snowballs and better health, you need to invite your friends. Once it becomes obvious that you’re dead in this adolescent frozen arms race without proper armament, you decide to invite everyone you know.

Developers could learn a lot from this game because it incorporates simple flash animation, an easy-control system (click, drag, click), and an economy that is tied to perpetuating itself through invites.

Yet, this is also one of the more player-friendly games I’ve played. You don’t have to rely on your vast army of friend invites to move beyond stage one. The challenging AI makes it so the initial two stages are enticing enough to get players to want to keep playing. There’s a chance that players could quit before getting upgrades (and inviting friends), but it’s a worthy risk by the developers. If the game is any good (Snowraft is), players will invite their friends not only to keep playing it, but also because they want to share it. Once they’ve added the application, you can challenge your friends to earn more points and bragging rights.

While the gameplay isn’t difficult - you essentially move your characters as close to theirs as possible and then click repeatedly - it’s both fun and addictive enough to keep playing. There’s a certain element of strategy too in terms of how much you want to micromanage your team.

I found it really easy to keep dodging with one and then attacking the enemy while they reloaded. This often left my other two guys as sitting ducks, which meant the game was more strategy-intensive than I had initially thought. Still, even with the upgrades this game isn’t going to become an addiction that is going to get you fired at work and lead you to living a life in a box. So, it’s not the next Snood, but it is worth a chance for a couple hours.

It’s a solid little game that is simplistic in its formula but is unobtrusive in its requests to perpetuate. In other words, the game doesn’t sacrifice self-perpetuation for gameplay.

Developer’s Score: 7/10

Gameplay: 7/10

Odds soundtrack will get stuck in head: 8/10