NEWS: Morgan's Casual Game Recommendations

GEEK: Morgan's Casual Game Recommendations

Casual games are often looked down upon in the video gaming community. Hell, if you look at my top ten here (which probably needs an update) there aren't a lot of games that could be classified as casual games. For a definition of casual games, check wiki. But I also reject the idea that casual gaming somehow makes a person a less serious gamer or that it is inherently silly. I think one would be hard pressed to refuse to admit that occasionally it's fun to play something that is entertaining and engrossing but that doesn't require big time/strategy investments. To that end, I check Big Fish Games and Jay is Games daily to see if there is anything new I want to check out. Here are the top three casual games that I've been playing recently, and that I highly recommend.

1. MovieCat! for iPhone, iPod Touch, and soon to be for the iPad. The MovieCat! website can also be found here. This is a movie trivia game with a twist: the trivia questions are asked to you by cats, and cats take the place of major players in some scenes. On top of that, this isn't the average movie trivia game that one can download: it has many interesting categories spread through each five-round game, and while it focuses on more modern movies, it has a pretty vast array of movie trivia questions. OtherWise games has done a great job making this app and I look forward to anything else they put forward. On top of that, their customer service is terrific. I had a minor problem with the app, and a member of the team was extremely helpful in offering potential solutions and was extremely professional. Because of this, it's at the top of my list of highly recommended Games I've Been Playing Obsessively. Oh, and it's well worth the very low price both for the game and for the expansion packs.

2. PocketFrogs, brought to us by the company NimbleBit. This game is absolutely addictive and completely adorable. The premise is that the player can collect and breed many species of frogs. You can also earn awards for creating specific breeds. You can exchange frogs with friends, see what friends on the Plus + Network are up to (including over Facebook), challenge yourself to create weekly "sets" of frogs, and many other options. It might all sound rather silly, but once you start playing the game you will find yourself hooked. I got this game months back and have had no access to the extra features that come with having a wifi/Internet connection on my iPod Touch, and I still play it for a total of an hour or two daily because it's just that fun. Also, it's FREE! Those who may become particularly addicted to breeding frogs rapidly may have to put out an extra .99 here and there, but otherwise this is a cheap game that brings lots of fun and never seems to get boring.

3. Haunted Hills: Green Hills Sanitarium from Big Fish Games. A lot of people do not enjoy Hidden Object/Adventure games, and I understand why. Often they are put out at an astounding rate and most of them are not well created. However, this game breaks the mold. With it's Lovecraftian/generally spooky undertones, it creates a unique atmosphere you don't see in most games of this genre. On top of that, instead of using the formula many hidden object games employ where you are sent to random rooms to find objects that seem completely unrelated to the plot, the areas you are searching and the items you are searching for are useful in the end and important to the game. On top of that it adds a Myst-like element wherein you have to remember areas of the game you were in ages ago when you get a new item that might be useful there. It adds a great level of complexity that I don't usually see in Hidden Object/Adventure games. Plus it has more hours of gameplay than most of these games have. Along those same lines, I'd also recommend: Drawn: The Painted Tower and Robin's Quest: A Legend Born, which nicely turns the gender roles on Robin Hood around and adds interesting gameplay.

4. Kitten Sanctuary. I don't think there's anything more that needs to be said here. I don't even need to write a review. The title of the game should be enough. The only thing I'll say is that it is a Match 3 game with a particularly adorable focus.

This may come across as a big sell, but it isn't. I just want to share the joy of some of the less serious games out there. Because while a good five hour Fallout marathon is fantastic, there is also something to be appreciated about spending a half hour on your casual game of choice.

First point: I agree that this probably goes better in the Lifestyle board.

Second point: A lot of people look down on casual gaming. They label it as "girl gaming". Which is ridiculous because who wouldn't want to play games like Kitten Sanctuary?

Yeeppppp.

I have never thought of myself as a video game person, and in fact actively eschew almost all forms of video games, but gotdamn do I love some Angry Birds.

this is a really neat column, i'd never heard of any of these before and now i am addicted to kittens

Yay! I'm always glad to get someone playing that game, it's so adorable.