If you are unfortunate enough to be one of my 146 Facebook friends you already know I have an open secret-I like the cutesy games.
Don't judge. First of all they are free entertainment and I'm all about free. Secondly, they help me unwind. And most importantly, I'm not playing alone.
According to Facebook 200 million people play social games on their site each month. So unless you are a game hating curmudgeon like my significant other (hi honey!) you have probably sipped the social gaming koolaid yourself.
So when I was asked to take a new Facebook game from ToonUps for a spin I was all over it. The game, A Better World, was just launched in December. None of my regular gaming friends were playing yet, which means I had time to take a look around before sending out invites.
A Better World isn't just any other game, its a game with a purpose. It is described by ToonUps as being "about motivation, inspiration, sharing, caring, and helping each other out".
No seriously, no one dies on A Better World, not even vegetables.
If you only like to kill things in your gaming you should probably move along. Go on now- get.
Me, I like a little balance, calm stress-free gaming most days and shoot-em/stab-em/kick-em in the head games on other days so this fits well with my calm days.
The game consists of 3 major areas; the village where you can customize your home and visit friend's homes, the town where you can shop for clothes or house items and the countryside where the "Gratitude Grotto" and the "Heart Cart" are located. Here is a screen shot of the adorable Heart Cart where you can send hearts to other players:
Like any new game, there are pros and cons. Here are some of the things I liked best about A Better World:
- The tutorial walks through the major features of the game instead of leaving you wondering what the heck you should be doing. If you are a Facebook gaming rookie this game is a lovely place to start.
- The message- "gold" is earned by posting encouraging messages in the community grotto or sending your friends positive notes. Every aspect of the game is centered around positivity.
- Mini games- Aside from the charming graphics my favorite feature so far is the mini games. There are 2 games you can play each day to earn gold. I particularly like the ThreeCycle game, a match 3 puzzle that looks like this:
All in all I'm thumbs up on the concept. But I would hope to see a little more from the game.
I happen to favor a game that has firm goals. Although I will play the mini games in A Better World I would be more of a regular player if tasks and rewards were added on. More mini games would be fabu. Like lots more mini games.
Let me be straight here- the game isn't for everyone. A 15 r old boy who plays World of Warcraft all day is not going to be down with the gratitude and positivity of A Better World. At least not till that puberty thing passes.
Want to check out A Better World? Click on over to their Facebook page and select "Go to App" under the picture on the left side. The game will tell you everything you need to know from there. The Facebook page also contains announcements on new features so if you enjoy the game be sure to "like" that page.
Have a favorite Facebook game? Have a site you play games for points or prizes? I'd love to hear about them....
-Jess
Note:
I received an Amazon gift card from ToonUps as a thank you for participating in this campaign. Although I certainly can be bought, this review isn't. My opinions are always free and trust me, I have plenty to go around.
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