Top 10 games of 2010
Plants vs. Zombies
Zombies are mostly a horrifying bunch, but not so in this game. Nevertheless, you have to protect your home from an invasion, with killer plants. Chalk up sunlight points to use all sorts of plants as your line of defense – A little strategic planning should do the trick and keep the zombies at bay! Unlike many frightening zombie games, you will be tickled by these undead monsters who warn you “I’m coming!” and stumble towards you with cones on their heads.
Plants vs. Zombies is known to be one of the most addictive games around, and won the award for one of the Best Games of 2009 by Gamezebo. If you have not tried out this game, where have you been?! Give it a shot – and prepared to be hooked.
Youda Fairy
In this game, you are a wizard’s apprentice, creating fairies that act as guardians of a town. The task is fairly simple, except that with each level, you’re presented with more challenges. If you have not tried this game yet, you’ll find that it really trains your time management and multi-tasking skills!
It is also a great game for fans of the fantasy genre, thanks to the beautiful graphics that make one feel as though he or she is really in the midst of a mystical forest.
Zuma
Here’s a test of your quick-wittedness and strategy: Zuma requires you to eliminate a long chain of balls before a menacing skull swallows them. All you need to do is fire a ball (from the mouth of a frog) towards a string of balls with the same colour to eliminate them.
This extremely addictive game will keep you going and going, trying your best to prevent the chain of balls from staying far away from the skull as possible (because time bonuses are awarded – depending on how far away your chain is from its ‘doom’). It won’t be long till you find yourself bouncing at the edge of your seat!
Zuma is so popular that it was even awarded “Game of the Year” by RealArcade in 2004. That goes to show how a simple set of colourful balls can easily “string” one along.
Governor of Poker
Love poker but refuse to gamble? Or perhaps you are not so good at the game, and would like to improve your skills in a fun setting. Governor of Poker is for you. Set in Texas, you get to participate in various poker tournaments in the town. Governor of Poker is a fun and light-hearted game that is suitable for the not-so-serious poker enthusiasts. Helpful instructions are at hand to teach you terms of the game as well, so if you are a beginner, it is a great place to start learning.
Smash Frenzy 4
We like to think of Smash Frenzy 4 as the ultimate stress-reliever. In any moment of tension, it’s the perfect game to turn to. You are required to eliminate all structures, by paddling a ball (using left and right arrow keys) and striking the objects. By collecting bonuses that help escalate your task, you will be pleased to see these structures tumbling down into nothingness within seconds!
The realistic 3D graphics also make you feel as though you are really smashing objects. How’s that for being Godzilla for a while?
Gardenscapes
If you are a proud owner of organized mess, you might just ace at this game. Get rich by helping to sieve out lost items in your grandfather’s mansion, so you can build his garden. Gardenscapes features a good range of challenges that you can participate in, from testing your eye for detail while searching for lost items in the mess, to honing your architectural design skills as you beautify the garden – all with the simple click of a mouse.
Gardenscapes was a nominee in the Second GameHouse Great Games Awards 2010 under the category, “Most Addictive Game”.
Farm Frenzy 3
As the ‘boss’, you are given the opportunity to manage your farm, from earning profits and making the best of your produce, to warding off predators such as lions. However, in Farm Frenzy 3, you not only get to try your hand at running your own farm. In fact, you get to do so at 5 different locations, including the arctic!
Not many real life farmers get this opportunity to do so, so why not be the one with the privilege of having a virtual experience?
Youda Sushi Chef
You are tasked to run your own sushi restaurant by serving your guests as quickly as possible, according to their demands - these guests can be quite demanding, by the way. Out of ingredients for your sushi dishes? Entertain them with sake or some knife-wielding tricks – they’ll be kept occupied for a while. You’ll require some good memory to be really effective at this game, because by the end of the first level, you will find yourself multi-tasking and there is not much time to keep referring to your recipe book.
This game is endlessly amusing, though, with entertaining facial expressions and wacky sound effects. WARNING: This game will make you crave sushi. (Note: this writer made a beeline for the nearest sushi restaurant after finishing this article.)
Bejeweled 2
Bejeweled 2 took home the Game of the Year award by Computer Gaming World in 2001. The gameplay is simple: keep shifting the jewels until you get three or more of the same gems in a row. Gain points while each set of matched jewels explode and give way for more. This all time favourite has evolved from a simple time-passer at work, into a competitive sport.
In 2010, the very first Bejeweled 2 Tournament saw its first champion, an undergraduate from the National University of Singapore. We are pretty sure that, like the many enthusiastic fans of Bejeweled 2, our champion had been spending the entire year in a clicking frenzy! Will it be capturing even more hearts in 2011?
Fishdom H2O
As with the Fishdom series, you are given an aquarium to beautify. However, you have to work towards building an aquarium that you and your pet fish will love. This can be done by ‘diving’ into the ocean to search for hidden ‘treasures’ within a limited time. The more diving tasks you complete successfully, the more you earn to afford a better environment for your fish!
This game is perfect if you love hidden object gameplay, and is pretty similar in its gameplay as Gardenscapes. Even better, of course, if underwater life is what fascinates you!
These games have been so entertaining; they were enough to keep everyone busy and occupied for the entire year. However, stay tuned for more exciting games this 2011, we promise you a range of improved and even more fun-filled range of recreation!
