Folks, Halloween is so underrated. Not only does it kick off the holiday season, but Halloween is an excuse for all of us to dress up, eat tons of candy, carve pumpkins, and watch scary movies. In addition, Halloween has infiltrated all our favorite Facebook games. FarmVille, The Sims Social, and CityVille have all received special Halloween promotions, Halloween items, and new Halloween features.
And that's just the beginning. Expect to see more Halloween-themed goodies from the other Facebook games right here. Check out our entire Halloween Guide below.
More recent Halloween updates appear at the top of each game list.
FarmVille Halloween | CityVille Halloween | The Sims Social Halloween
Pioneer Trail Halloween | Empires & Allies Halloween | Angry Birds Halloween
Cafe World Halloween | Other Halloween Updates
farmville halloween
FarmVille Halloween
FarmVille Mystery Game (10/30/11): Halloween items take a final stand
FarmVille Trick or Treat Goals: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Trick or Treat: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Halloween Items: Witch Costume, Halloween Candle Tree and more
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Pirate Bonus Goals: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Halloween Items: Black Cat Fence, Pumpkin Fountain and more
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Halloween Pirate Goals: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Huge Jack-O'Lantern Goals: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Halloween Items: Dark Peach Tree, Black Guinea Pig and more
FarmVille Huge Jack-O'Lantern: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Ghost Bonus Challenges: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Halloween Items: Black Mini Unicorn, Haunted Farm House and more
FarmVille Lighthouse Cove Ghost Goals: Everything you need to know
FarmVille: Plant Black Tulips for Halloween
FarmVille Count Duckula's Castle Goals: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Halloween Items: Cookie Tree, Pumpkin Snowman, Mad Scientist Lab and more
FarmVille Count Duckula's Castle: Everything you need to know
FarmVille Halloween Items: Zombie Gnome, Bat Dog, Mossy Tree and more
FarmVille: Free Skeleton Cow making the rounds
FarmVille Halloween Items: Dark Apple Tree, Batwing Horse, Bat Pumpkin and more
FarmVille Halloween Items: Nightmare Unicorn, Fire Peach Tree and more
FarmVille: Halloween Black Belgian horse available for coins
FarmVille Halloween Model Farm offers free Arborists and more
FarmVille Halloween items: Candy Corn Tree, Halloween Cottage, Jack-O'-Lantern and more
cityville halloween
CityVille Halloween
CityVille Energy Ghosts: Everything you need to know
CityVille Plagued Playground Community Building: Everything you need to know
CityVille Haunted Library Community Building: Everything you need to know
CityVille Halloween Monsters Act 3 Goals: Everything you need to know
CityVille: More Halloween homes, decorations and community buildings hit the store
CityVille Halloween Sweet Tooth Goal: Everything you need to know
CityVille Demented Dentist Community Building: Everything you need to know
CityVille Halloween Act 2 Goals made easier with smaller requirements
CityVille: Crypt Keeper's Crib added to Halloween extravaganza
CityVille Treats 'N Sweets Booth: Everything you need to know
CityVille Zombie ER: Everything you need to know
CityVille Tree of Enchantment: Everything you need to know
CityVille Haunted Hotel: Everything you need to know
CityVille Halloween Monster Mystery Game: Everything you need to know
CityVille Forsaken Fortress helps you finish goals for a price
CityVille's Halloween Decorating Contest offers big rewards for big scares
CityVille Mausoleum Community Building: Everything you need to know
CityVille Halloween Meet the Monsters Goals: Everything you need to know
CityVille Halloween Monsters: Everything you need to know
CityVille Governor's Run Vampire Goals: Everything you need to know
CityVille: Halloween Monster Ship shows up in city waters
CityVille Hometown Halloween update gives your city the spooky touch
the sims social halloween
The Sims Social Halloween
The Sims Social sets a spine-chilling scene with new Halloween images
The Sims Social Haunted House Week items punish friends' pranks
The Sims Social finally gets spooky in The Ultimate Horror Movie Week
The Sims Social celebrates Halloween with Werewolves vs Vampires week
frontierville pioneer trail halloween
FrontierVille Pioneer Trail Halloween
Pioneer Trail Ghost Town: Purchase limited edition items for a free Ghostly Horse
Pioneer Trail Halloween on the Homestead Contest: Walk away with 2,000 Horseshoes!
Pioneer Trail Trick or Treat Goals: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Spook Shack: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Haunted Homestead: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Family Secret Goals: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Halloween Store: Stock up on scary supplies in one place
Pioneer Trail Halloween Hutch: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Ghost Town Haunted Garden: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Ghost Town Giant Cauldron: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Ghost Town Goals: Everything you need to know
Pioneer Trail Ghost Town feature coming soon [Video]
empires allies halloween
Empires & Allies Halloween
Empires & Allies: Halloween items now available in the store
angry birds halloween
Angry Birds Halloween
Angry Birds Halloween horror movie spoof channels Hitchcock [Video]
Angry Birds Seasons Halloween update means a new bird is in town
Something is a brewin' for the Angry Birds this Halloween [Video]
cafe world halloween
Cafe World Halloween
Cafe World Trick or Treat Party Catering Order: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Witch's Cauldron: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Halloween Siggy's Tricks Goals: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Halloween Amelia's Treats Goals: Everything you need to know
Cafe World Halloween Candy Bowl - Everything you need to know
Other Halloween Game Updates
The Top Five Spooky Facebook Games to Play Halloween Night
Adventure World Creepy Crypt Expedition: Everything you need to know
Adventure World Halloween Sneak Peek: Halloween Volcano coming soon
Nexon's next social game, Zombie Misfits, looks for brains on Facebook
Meteor Games makes Island Paradise an island terror for Halloween
PopCap says 'Happy Halloween' with pumpkins, zombies and ... a rave?
The Killer Pumpkin assaults Pocket God on Facebook this Halloween
Make sure to check back for more Halloween Facebook game updates! Which Halloween update was your favorite? Vote here!
Monday, December 12, 2011
Russian Little Helper maker Pixonic sets sights on Facebook, iPhones
Sure, Zynga has created some of the most popular social games around, but it has also created its own competition. (See: EA, Disney, Wooga.) Elena Masolova, the 27-year-old founder and CEO of Russian social (and mobile) game developer and publisher Pixonic, was inspired by the company's success in founding her own game company. Since its creation in 2009, the company has created 40 games for local and European networks, but has big plans for its global expansion.
Ahead of opening its third (and first international) office in San Francisco, Pixonic published Little Helper (pictured below) for iPhone and iPad. First released on Russian and European social networks, Little Helper is the mobile version of a simulator game similar to Pet Society, but with heavy Russian themes. Despite the visible cultural influences, Little Helper hit the U.S. top 10 free games chart in September, hopefully setting a precedent for future releases.
Pixonic is also slowly making headway on Facebook with The Island: Castaway, a farming-type social game that proved largely successful on local Russian networks. While it's unfortunately not doing so well on Facebook at the moment, according to AppData, Masolova looks to make a splash in the U.S. and around the globe the old-fashioned way.
Little Helper
"I don't think there's some secret sauce--you just need to make high-quality games that promote themselves," Masolova tells us. "Second, you need to be very numbers-oriented in marketing. I think it's a numbers game, and you need to look at the numbers constantly. The goal by the end of the year is to launch several high-quality games on Facebook."
The Russian game creator and publisher also looks to bring six of its most popular social games to iOS and Android devices, likely in the same vein as Little Helper, which was developed for Pixonic by MobyTail. However, Masolova says that the company has its 46 plus employees working on three mobile games from scratch. Despite coming into the Facebook and mobile games space just as the big players begin to exert their dominance, Masolova is confident that Pixonic will succeed.
"For the first three months of the company's existence, we were focused on Russian markets in social networks," Masolova says. "I think for the time it was the right decision, but now we can move to Facebook and other networks and feel very comfortable there."
Have you played any of Pixonic's games before? Do you think the Russian developer/publisher has a shot at making it big on Facebook and mobile?
Ahead of opening its third (and first international) office in San Francisco, Pixonic published Little Helper (pictured below) for iPhone and iPad. First released on Russian and European social networks, Little Helper is the mobile version of a simulator game similar to Pet Society, but with heavy Russian themes. Despite the visible cultural influences, Little Helper hit the U.S. top 10 free games chart in September, hopefully setting a precedent for future releases.
Pixonic is also slowly making headway on Facebook with The Island: Castaway, a farming-type social game that proved largely successful on local Russian networks. While it's unfortunately not doing so well on Facebook at the moment, according to AppData, Masolova looks to make a splash in the U.S. and around the globe the old-fashioned way.
Little Helper
"I don't think there's some secret sauce--you just need to make high-quality games that promote themselves," Masolova tells us. "Second, you need to be very numbers-oriented in marketing. I think it's a numbers game, and you need to look at the numbers constantly. The goal by the end of the year is to launch several high-quality games on Facebook."
The Russian game creator and publisher also looks to bring six of its most popular social games to iOS and Android devices, likely in the same vein as Little Helper, which was developed for Pixonic by MobyTail. However, Masolova says that the company has its 46 plus employees working on three mobile games from scratch. Despite coming into the Facebook and mobile games space just as the big players begin to exert their dominance, Masolova is confident that Pixonic will succeed.
"For the first three months of the company's existence, we were focused on Russian markets in social networks," Masolova says. "I think for the time it was the right decision, but now we can move to Facebook and other networks and feel very comfortable there."
Have you played any of Pixonic's games before? Do you think the Russian developer/publisher has a shot at making it big on Facebook and mobile?
Island Paradise makes Turkey a bit more tropical through Peak Games
And in directly related news, productivity levels of Turkish businesses plummet by as much as 90 percent. Social game developer Meteor Games announced that its hit Island Paradise is now available in Turkish on Facebook, thanks to a deal with Peak Games. The Istanbul-based company will make the game available through Ciftlik Adasi, which appears to be a full Turkish localization.
According to its Facebook page, Ciftlik Adasi--the Turkish Island Paradise that translates roughly to Farm Island--has already garnered over 123,000 thousand players since its launch on Sept. 30. And it makes sense: Turkey is the fourth-largest region for Facebook with over 30 million users.
And with just over 634,000 monthly Island Paradise players on Facebook, Meteor Games is playing it smart by expanding into new territories to boost its player base. The Beverly Hills, Calif.-based social game creator likens itself to the Nintendo of the Facebook game world, and scale is one approach to take in order to make good on that comparison.
Peak Games however, has reportedly amassed over 16 million monthly players across its games by making the international rounds with big time western developers like RockYou and now Meteor Games. Facebook games are growing beyond the scope of the U.S. and Western Europe, but we can only hope that will make for more culturally diverse social games.
Do you think Meteor Games made a smart move in expanding into Turkey through Peak Games? Do you think the social games space needs more culturally diverse games?
According to its Facebook page, Ciftlik Adasi--the Turkish Island Paradise that translates roughly to Farm Island--has already garnered over 123,000 thousand players since its launch on Sept. 30. And it makes sense: Turkey is the fourth-largest region for Facebook with over 30 million users.
And with just over 634,000 monthly Island Paradise players on Facebook, Meteor Games is playing it smart by expanding into new territories to boost its player base. The Beverly Hills, Calif.-based social game creator likens itself to the Nintendo of the Facebook game world, and scale is one approach to take in order to make good on that comparison.
Peak Games however, has reportedly amassed over 16 million monthly players across its games by making the international rounds with big time western developers like RockYou and now Meteor Games. Facebook games are growing beyond the scope of the U.S. and Western Europe, but we can only hope that will make for more culturally diverse social games.
Do you think Meteor Games made a smart move in expanding into Turkey through Peak Games? Do you think the social games space needs more culturally diverse games?
Game of the Day: Shutter Island
shutter island game of the dayUncover the dark secrets of Shutter Island, the eerie Hidden Object thriller based on the suspense-filled movie. U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels and his new partner have come to Shutter Island, home of Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane, to investigate the disappearance of a patient, despite having been kept in a locked cell under constant surveillance. But nothing at Ashecliffe Hospital is as it seems, and disappearing patients isn't the only secret the island hides.
Spooky stuff folks, ripe for the Halloween season. Unfortunately, you're only going to get to play a couple of levels in the trial version. But if you manage to progress through without using any hints, I think you're ready for the full game. Think you're a hidden-object master? Then see if you can solve the mysteries of Shutter Island.
Click here to play Shutter Island!
shutter island game of the day shutter island game of the day
Were you able to make it through the first few levels without using any hints?
Spooky stuff folks, ripe for the Halloween season. Unfortunately, you're only going to get to play a couple of levels in the trial version. But if you manage to progress through without using any hints, I think you're ready for the full game. Think you're a hidden-object master? Then see if you can solve the mysteries of Shutter Island.
Click here to play Shutter Island!
shutter island game of the day shutter island game of the day
Were you able to make it through the first few levels without using any hints?
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Game of the Day: Factory Balls 2
factory balls 2 game of the dayToday's Game of the Day is an incredibly unique puzzle game. In Factory Balls 2 you'll have to match your creation to the image on the shipping box. In order to match the picture you have to drag and drop your ball over the icons and tools lining the work space. Each time you drop your ball on an icon, it will change it in some way. Try combining various icons, such as a belt and paint, to create different results.
Folks, in Factory Balls 2, you can randomly mix and match all you want, but it just won't work forever. You'll have to use some careful planning and thinking to replicate the product on the box. It might take a couple of tries, but eventually with the right strategy, I'm sure you'll solve the puzzles. Clearing each level is incredibly satisfying. However, if you figure out how to clear level 25, please let me know. Good luck!
Click here to play Factory Balls 2!
factory balls 2 game of the day factory balls 2 game of the day
What level were you able to get to in Factory Balls 2?
Folks, in Factory Balls 2, you can randomly mix and match all you want, but it just won't work forever. You'll have to use some careful planning and thinking to replicate the product on the box. It might take a couple of tries, but eventually with the right strategy, I'm sure you'll solve the puzzles. Clearing each level is incredibly satisfying. However, if you figure out how to clear level 25, please let me know. Good luck!
Click here to play Factory Balls 2!
factory balls 2 game of the day factory balls 2 game of the day
What level were you able to get to in Factory Balls 2?
CastleVille Cheats and Tips: Five easy ways to get ahead
The next major 'Ville in Zynga's flagship franchise is finally here: CastleVille. The game launched just a day ago (as of this writing) and already players are knee-deep into building their kingdoms granted by the Duke. Sure, there are quests to follow that will guide players along in their quest for the ultimate kingdom, but there are more ... subtle ways to ensure your rise to greatness is a smooth one. Here are five easy ways to get ahead in CastleVille:
Location, Location, Location
The first time you expand the boundaries of your kingdom in CastleVille is a scripted experience designed to show you how the process works, and what it takes to expand even further. What the game doesn't tell you, however, is that there's a smart way to expand your kingdom. Each plot of land surrounding you has a different amount of Castle Level needed to expand into.
At first, you might be enticed to expand into that piece of property that requires a mere 20 Castle Level to expand into, but stop right there. The key to expanding your kingdom quickly is to save those Coins and Exploration Crystals for when you have enough Castle Points to expand where it counts. The quick rule of thumb is to expand in the general direction of grayed-out characters waiting to be saved.
CastleVille Expansion
This is because the sooner you come in contact with new characters, the sooner you'll have new quests to complete. Take the image above, for instance. Expanding into that Wishing Well requires a hefty 80 Castle Points, but if you focus on expanding there first, you'll both unlock a new item for use in your kingdom and be one step closer to Alistair, a major character with quests for you.
CastleVille crops
Water Makes the Flowers Grow
Of course farming is a feature in CastleVille--it wouldn't be a 'Ville game without it. However, farming in this game serves multiple purposes, and it benefits from, again, smart positioning. When a crop is near a body of water such as a lake, river or even a well, the time it takes for that crop to ripen is reduced. As you can see the image above, I've planted crops all around my first lake, which as a result will score me more coins and other resources even faster.
CastleVille Lumber Mill
Can't Chop Wood Without Trees
You'll soon come to find that smart positioning will be your greatest asset in CastleVille, and the same applies for gathering the game's three primary resources: Wood, Stones and Ore. Once you're able to place the Lumber Mill and Mining Camp, it's best to place them near trees and stones on your property, respectively. Just like crops placed near water, these buildings will produce their respective resources more quickly when near the source.
Everything Can Be Made Better Through Design
That adage doesn't ring more true in any Zynga game than CastleVille. This is because you can quite literally move everything in your kingdom. Don't like there those rocks are? Move 'em. Want to move that lake closer to your crops? Done. How about moving all of the trees in your kingdom to surround your Lumber Mills for a massive bonus? Now we're talking. Use the handy "Move" tool to your advantage--it could turn your kingdom into a resource power house.
CastleVille items
Save-A-Lot
No, it's just not a discount supermarket. As goes with most Zynga games, saving the items you find can go a long way. When you receive items like Carrots from harvests and Water Pales from fishing, don't immediately turn them into new items through crafting. It's best to wait until you have a relevant quest, as spending those items early on combined items you don't necessarily need at the moment will simply end up wasting your time.
Do you have any tips for your fellow Dukes and Duchesses to advance in CastleVille even faster?
Location, Location, Location
The first time you expand the boundaries of your kingdom in CastleVille is a scripted experience designed to show you how the process works, and what it takes to expand even further. What the game doesn't tell you, however, is that there's a smart way to expand your kingdom. Each plot of land surrounding you has a different amount of Castle Level needed to expand into.
At first, you might be enticed to expand into that piece of property that requires a mere 20 Castle Level to expand into, but stop right there. The key to expanding your kingdom quickly is to save those Coins and Exploration Crystals for when you have enough Castle Points to expand where it counts. The quick rule of thumb is to expand in the general direction of grayed-out characters waiting to be saved.
CastleVille Expansion
This is because the sooner you come in contact with new characters, the sooner you'll have new quests to complete. Take the image above, for instance. Expanding into that Wishing Well requires a hefty 80 Castle Points, but if you focus on expanding there first, you'll both unlock a new item for use in your kingdom and be one step closer to Alistair, a major character with quests for you.
CastleVille crops
Water Makes the Flowers Grow
Of course farming is a feature in CastleVille--it wouldn't be a 'Ville game without it. However, farming in this game serves multiple purposes, and it benefits from, again, smart positioning. When a crop is near a body of water such as a lake, river or even a well, the time it takes for that crop to ripen is reduced. As you can see the image above, I've planted crops all around my first lake, which as a result will score me more coins and other resources even faster.
CastleVille Lumber Mill
Can't Chop Wood Without Trees
You'll soon come to find that smart positioning will be your greatest asset in CastleVille, and the same applies for gathering the game's three primary resources: Wood, Stones and Ore. Once you're able to place the Lumber Mill and Mining Camp, it's best to place them near trees and stones on your property, respectively. Just like crops placed near water, these buildings will produce their respective resources more quickly when near the source.
Everything Can Be Made Better Through Design
That adage doesn't ring more true in any Zynga game than CastleVille. This is because you can quite literally move everything in your kingdom. Don't like there those rocks are? Move 'em. Want to move that lake closer to your crops? Done. How about moving all of the trees in your kingdom to surround your Lumber Mills for a massive bonus? Now we're talking. Use the handy "Move" tool to your advantage--it could turn your kingdom into a resource power house.
CastleVille items
Save-A-Lot
No, it's just not a discount supermarket. As goes with most Zynga games, saving the items you find can go a long way. When you receive items like Carrots from harvests and Water Pales from fishing, don't immediately turn them into new items through crafting. It's best to wait until you have a relevant quest, as spending those items early on combined items you don't necessarily need at the moment will simply end up wasting your time.
Do you have any tips for your fellow Dukes and Duchesses to advance in CastleVille even faster?
FarmVille Pic of the Day: Head for the hills on Ploughman's valley farm
While it may not be as awesome as a replica of Hill Valley, Ploughman's ability to turn his flat, FarmVille farm into a valley of hills is still quite a sight. He calls it "FairyVale", but what stands out when you look at his farm aren't the pockets of Lady Gaga decor (see the Bedazzled Cottage in the southeast), but the large buildings topping each rounded apex like candles on a cake.
On the highest elevation of this farm sits the King Castle, completed with Gatehouses, Tower Bridges, and Castle Tower (from the English Countryside event). The Dutch Windmill rules the vantage of the east, while the English Castle, a reward from one of the Duke's many castle quests, sits to the west. Sandwiched between those two, is a central valley where you'll find a fully built Haunted Mansion from last year's Halloween with the Leprechaun's Cottage south of that.
Do you like Ploughman's design enough to copy it for your own farm? 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!
On the highest elevation of this farm sits the King Castle, completed with Gatehouses, Tower Bridges, and Castle Tower (from the English Countryside event). The Dutch Windmill rules the vantage of the east, while the English Castle, a reward from one of the Duke's many castle quests, sits to the west. Sandwiched between those two, is a central valley where you'll find a fully built Haunted Mansion from last year's Halloween with the Leprechaun's Cottage south of that.
Do you like Ploughman's design enough to copy it for your own farm? 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!
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