When PlayFirst Lead Designer Dan Chao envisioned a role-playing game without the combat (but with all the other fun stuff, like collecting items, crafting and chatting with characters to complete tasks), the result was Wandering Willows, a unique title that's at least twice as long as most casual games. Dan sat down with Gamezebo to chat about how the game was made in our latest Behind the Game feature.
With 2009 coming to a close, Neroli takes a look back at the best selling casual PC games of the year, and the upcoming trends in casual gaming predicted for 2010.
Neroli writes, "First, a word on my criteria. For this list, I narrowed it down to games released in 2009, which made it to the top of the best-selling casual game charts, and which spent several weeks in the top 10 on at least one major game portal. Each game includes either an innovative concept or original theme, and all have furthered their respective genres. Most importantly, they are just plain fun to play!
The list is presented in no particular order. These top 10 are hand-picked from games that met the tough criteria listed above, additionally judged on factors like broad audience appeal, quick learning-curve, flexible challenge, and replay value. It was tough picking the best, so I listed all the other great games I considered below, all of which are definitely worth a look for casual gamers."
Plants vs. Zombies is very original, funny, and fun game. Thumbs up to PopCap for such a great game.
http://www.youtube.com/watc...
According to a new partnership, you'll now be able to buy all ten games on Steam for 10% off for this week.
Writer and designer Emily Short takes a look at storytelling and narrative PlayFirst's non-combat casual RPG Wandering Willows, to see how its game mechanics support its survival-in-the-wild fantasy.
Emily Short: "My childhood fantasies always began with being orphaned. Nothing against my parents, you understand -- the details of their untimely demise were always airbrushed out of the story as too upsetting to contemplate. But no really good adventures could happen to me while they were around.
I imagined that once free of parental protection I would spend my time foraging, picking nuts and berries, building a primitive shelter, digging firepits and catching fish.
It was a scenario that drew heavily from Island of the Blue Dolphins, Little House in the Big Woods, and Julie of the Wolves, but minus the gritty realism."
