Showing posts with label Casual Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casual Games. Show all posts

Monday, January 26, 2009

Kongregate: Casual Meta-Game ?

Since a few weeks now, I play some casual games and other flash games on Kongregate. Kongregate is a portal promoting new games and helping developers to develop better games by getting more feedback and to earn more money because it remains the main reason for work.

By playing Kongregate's games, it is possible to earn points, badges, and level up. Earned badges and total scores appear on the players' profiles; often motivating them to play earn more badges by playing more games.

This game-around-the-games mechanism - or Meta-game - is quite interesting as players are motivated to play more to games they like; until they earn all badges for example. It also pushes players to discover and play new games.

This mechanism is also enforced thanks to the existence of Kongai, an online battle-oriented card game. Kongai relies on similar (but less complex) concepts than older classical card games like Magic The Gathering or Decipher' Star Wars Customizable Cards Game. Cards can be of course purchased but also and preferably earned through playing any game hosted on Kongregate. This is called challenges). More cards can be earned by playing Kongai itself. As for any collectible cards game, these come with several editions and you can view them through an online card album.


This concept of Meta-games or games around games is quite thrilling. Once you start caring for your score, the race is up and you will quickly try to reach just another level. As Kongregate proposes thousands of games, you will always find some that you like or care enough to earn one more badge. The online card game attached around is also a good idea even if in this particular case the Kongai game itself could probably be a bit more sophisticated.

Now I wonder if a meta-game concept could be used with massively multiplayers online role-playing games (MMORPG) ?

Monday, December 29, 2008

Color Bulles Solitaire - Another Cool Casual Game

Color Bulles Solitaire is another casual games that I particularly enjoy. It is simple, challenging, yet fun and not totally repetitive. Its main disadvantage comes from the difficulty at some upper levels. Indeed, starting with level 7, it becomes extremely difficult to win and most of your success (or failure) will depend solely on chance and on the order in which you receives the balls.



I'm also not too happy with the scoring system. Why having to deal with a score when the real purpose is to pass through levels ?

Monday, December 22, 2008

WoW Connect - Good Casual Game

I consider a good casual game any game where I can play for only a few minutes without any time constraint and that I enjoy playing again a day or two after; and this for a few weeks.

WoW Connect (based on a World of Warcraft theme) is a typical casual game I really enjoy. Besides, it is good for your memory and observation mind.