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World-Loom is working on Fix-it-Up 2: World Tour, a sequel to the time management game Fix-it-Up: Kate's Adventure. Kate's Adventure ended with a "To be continued..." cliffhanger ending, and World Tour continues the storyline while introducing new characters both friend and foe.
The game's career mode will span 54 levels across 18 different locations in various countries around the world. New features include the ability to upgrade buildings to make them more environmentally friendly and clients who are more interactive and expressive about letting players know exactly which cars they want to buy.
Players will now be able to build their very own mansion from coins they've earned for completing levels with a Silver time ranking. Speaking of time, there won't be a hard and fast time limit (outside of special levels), so there won't be any stress about running out of time.
Fix-it-Up: World Tour is launching soon. In the meantime, check out some screenshots of the game, or chat about it in our forum.

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Gamezebo's Best of 2009

by Gamezebo Staff (12/28/2009)

Featured Article

From January to December, Gamezebo writers played, reviewed, analyzed and picked apart hundreds of games, so it takes something pretty special to stand out from the crowd. The following list contains our picks for the most memorable games of 2009. Some are simply best-of-breed, while others just stuck out in our minds for being particularly fun or unique.

JIM SQUIRES' PICK

Time Gentlemen, Please!
Fans of old school LucasArts games were all abuzz this year thanks to the re-release of classics like Loom and new stabs at old favourites like theTales of Monkey Island series. What most didn't realize was that the most faithful keeper of the flame didn't come in the form of a LucasArts license, but in an independent game made by two guys who've played LucasArts adventures way too much. The sequel to last year's Ben There, Dan That! offered up all of the ridiculous situations, over-the-top humor, and quality puzzling that you'd have expected from a classic LucasArts adventure. Some of the content might be a little mature, but come on - the game has time travel, coat hangers, and Nazi dinosaurs. What's not to love?

Bejeweled Blitz
The classic Bejeweled formula still holds up in 2009, proving its popularity with a killer Facebook app that eventually made its way onto the iPhone. Taking the traditionally solitary Bejeweled experience and making it social was a stroke of genius. I don't go a day without firing up Blitz half a dozen times or so to squeeze in a few quick rounds and try to trump my friends scores.

Canabalt (iPhone)
Sometimes it's the simplest ideas that seem to gain the most traction. Take Canabalt for example. It's about a little guy who's running (from what we don't know). As he runs faster and faster, all you can do to keep him from doing a faceplant into another building is jump. And yet that one button press to make the man jump balanced with the challenge of keeping him running as long as you can? Somehow this ended up being one of the most addictive experiences of 2009. I loved it as a flash game, but when it moved to the iPhone it officially had a way of sneaking into my daily play habits wherever I went.

DAVID BECKER'S PICKS

Totem Tribe
This strategy game might have been one of the most unique, daring and innovative entries in the casual market of 2009. The combination of building, battles, research, exploration and hidden object-gameplay could entertain patient players for at least 15 hours with the last level being the most exhausting and entertaining challenge I have experienced this year. The game itself surely is a little bit more challenging than the average casual game, but this gem definitely should be given a chance by everyone who loves games.

Wandering Willow
Playfirst surely has released a lot of good games this year, but Wandering Willows really stood out of the crowd. Desperately stranded on a strange island with even stranger inhabitants, you will slowly fall in love with this game where you have to care for different pets and fulfill a variety of quests for your fellow islanders. It becomes quite addictive to dig for recipes, collars, clothing patters, and to improve the skills of your pets. When you are finally able to leave the island you will think about that option twice.

Coconut Queen
To come up with a biting version of Build-a-lot including a vast number of twists and improvements surely is not easy, but Coconut Queen makes it look like that. After a large amount of building simulation games that could not compete at all with the original, Coconut Queen introduces the ability to build anywhere you want to, a very unusual upgrade system and hunks who are obeying only one lady. In which other game are you able to chase away sharks, to catch crabs, to deal with aggressive butterflies, and in passing create prestigious holiday resorts?

Artist Colony
Artist Colony lives up to its name by introducing a beautiful world which plays like The Sims at an art course. The player's basic task is to restore a once glorious colony for artists such as musicians, painters, or singers. It is a pure delight to increase the skills of your artists and look at the finished masterpieces which they create in the course of the game. An increasing number of artists to care for and new tasks will keep the player busy, while a soap-like storyline will build up a personal relation to the citizens of the colony.

VANESSA CARTER'S PICKS

Pure Hidden
The levels in hidden object games tend to look like attics that have been left unattended for a decade or two, crammed to capacity with all manner of random junk, but Pure Hidden does something very different. Its levels are so striking, beautifully crafted, and elegant that they could easily hang in your living room as pop art. You don't so much play as you just sit back, enjoy the view, and occasionally realize that you've been gazing at cleverly concealed teddy bears, peppers, and basketballs.

Valerie Porter And The Scarlet Scandel
The actual game parts of Valerie Porter are really well done and lots of fun, but the story is what kept me playing. A cub reporter accidentally uncovers a massive scandal and is left on her own when her investigations start making the wrong people nervous. Sex, betrayal, murder - this game's got it all, with great voice acting and some genuinely innovative minigames into the bargain. What's not to love?

Emerald City Confidential
It sounds crazy: a noir mystery set in Dorothy's Oz, but somehow this adventure game comes together to tell one heck of a great story. Petra the gumshoe uncovers all sorts of dark secrets during her investigation, but there's always just enough Oz-ian whimsy thrown in to keep her tale from ever growing too dark. The art is gorgeous, the writing is sharp, and the acting is marvellous. If only more point-and-clickers were this brilliant.

DAVID STONE'S PICK

Aztaka
One of the best games I'm sure you've never played. Mixing adventure-platforming with role-playing elements, Aztaka is one of the most underrated games of 2009, if not any year. The graphics and sound are incredible, with a deep and meaningful storyline. Drawing from elements of Aztec lore, the story of one man's revenge for his family's murder turns out to be one of the most gripping and moving experiences of the year.

Crayon Physics Deluxe
The winner of several indie gaming awards, Crayon Physics Deluxe is the ultimate playing-in-the-sandbox game for 2009. Literally limited only by your imagination, each stage can be completed in an almost infinite number of ways. The solid physics engine that powers Crayon Physics Deluxe coupled with frenetic catch-up scrawls as your plans don't always work the way you want is guaranteed to bring a smile to all players.

Nancy Drew Dossier: Resorting To Danger
Once limited to point-and-click adventures, the Nancy Drew Dossier series ventured into the popular hidden-object genre, without forgetting its plot-driven adventure roots. And it succeeded beautifully. The second game, Resorting to Danger, managed to improve on the first game in almost every way. While there's one terribly-difficult puzzle right at the end, that's why Gamezebo posts walkthroughs, isn't it?

Everyday Genius: Square Logic
The only game that has infected my thoughts when I'm not playing it, and the only game that I have played that almost deserved a perfect score. Taking Sudoku and adding mathematical equations, logic and relationship puzzles to the mix may seem confusing at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be hooked. True story: I was reviewing the game and my wife peered over to see what I was raving about. I made the mistake of letting her try to solve one of the later puzzles, and didn't get my laptop back for an hour. To borrow my quote from last year: Why are you still reading this? Go download EveryDay Genius: Square Logic. Now. We can wait.

MERYL K. EVANS' PICK

Plants vs Zoombies
PopCap Games went way out of the box with this game adding loads of humor, creativity and multiple modes that you actually want to play. I usually don't bother with other modes except for reviewing purposes, but I played all the different modes simply because I enjoyed them as much as the main one.

Wandering Willows
Not only does Wandering Willows contain charming and adorable scenes and characters, but also humor and the freedom to do things in no particular order. I predicted this would be one of my top ten games in March (I have it in writing on my blog) and it is.

Emerald City Confidential
This point and click adventure has it all: Characters with unique personalities, strong story line that doesn't lose you, smashing graphics and animation, humor and long play time. While some people didn't like the heavy-duty dialogue, it was an absorbing read and actually played an important part of the game by providing clues.

Mystery Case Files: Dire Groove
Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove manages to keep the MCF series going strong. Just when you think it can't get better, it does. This one is probably my favorite due to its gripping game play, intriguing legend, use of videos with subtitles (thank you!) and challenging puzzles. I hated it when the game ended because I had nothing else great to play.

TAWNY MUELLER'S PICK

Delicious-Emily's Taste Of Fame
While capatilizing on the definition of excellent and challenging time management gameplay and an adjustable difficulty system, Emily's Taste of Fame is the best Delicious game to date. With a wonderfully charming story that's told through the actual characters and not a comic-strip, as well as unique daily in-game occurances, this title was a definite favorite of mine this year. Throw in a wide variety of unique shops and locations to work in, and you've got yourself a winner.

Mystery Case Files: Dire Grove
It's not often you come across titles with solid, believable real-life acting, but Dire Grove seems to have it all. Beautiful and extensive environment exploration that really sends an eerie chill, a captivating story, and hidden objects galore, it really does live up to its name. Perhaps the cherry on top of the cake, it's also worth mentioning this game is loaded with secrets, and maybe the most challenging out-of-game puzzle I've seen in a casual title.

Mevo & The Grooveriders
I never thought I could get addicted to a game that uses only two keyboard keys, and then I played this one. Very easy to pick up and extremely challenging at the same time, this isn't just a title that appeals to casual gamers, but also core gamers with a passion for games like DDR. With an interesting art direction, wide variety of levels, entire customization and boost system, as well as some of the grooviest tunes I've heard in the world of casual gaming, Mevo definitely deserves a mention.

Campfire Legends: The Hookman
Prior to playing this game, I had never been genuinely startled by a casual title. This game is brilliant with timing and making the player feel like they're really there and on-edge. While short, the smoothness of hidden object areas and classic adventure gaming are seamlessly blended together. The puzzles are also very unique. Did I mention you will jump while playing this title? "Scary" in casual gaming has been redefined by this title, without the looming Game Over.

MARTIJN MUELLER'S PICKS

Delicious-Emily's Holiday Season
This year, the Delicious-games made the jump from a good time management series, to the best. Delicious has set a new standard for how time management games tell there story: no more still screens with text balloons popping up, no, we now see the characters act the story out live in the scenes. Offering faster and smoother gameplay, more variety, and the best way of story-telling of the genre, it was especially the story of Emily's Holiday Season, that made my year.

Campfire Legends: The Hookman
Although a bit on the short side, the first Campfire Legends game gave players the most intense hidden object game experience this year, perfectly portraying a classic story, with a bone chilling atmosphere. Combined with smart puzzles, object finding that makes perfect sense, and absolutely gorgeous scenes, the experience long outlasted the credits and made me look very forward to the next Campfire Legend.

Drawn-The Painted Tower
From your first steps in Drawn - The Painted Tower, you know this game is something special. The magical setting and story of the game keeps you interested on what's gonna happen next, the mix of adventure game play with classic hidden object scenes and puzzling keeps the game's pace fresh, and the beautiful graphics makes this one of 2009's pearls.

Three Cards To Midnight
While the paranormal setting of Three Cards to Midnight did not appeal to everyone, the game did introduce a very interesting fresh new way of playing hidden object games. In Three Cards to Midnight, you get one base word, and you have to find items that connect to it. For instance, if the baseword is "light", you may have to look for a streetLIGHT, and a LIGHThouse. While it still had a few quirks, certainly considering this was the developer's first game, we can't leave 2009 without a mention of Three Cards to Midnight.


HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Avenue Flo,Dawn's Light, DinerTown Detective Agency,My Kingdom for the Princess,Totem Tribe,Westward IV: All Aboard,QuantZ, Zuma's Revenge

Ok we've heard from Gamezebo's staff. Now what's your picks for 2009?

Geisha: The Secret Garden,the debut game from France's Casual Box Studio, is relaxing mixture of match-3 and mahjong where players will journey through the four seasons at the side of a beautiful geisha named Natsumi.
Based on the hands-on time we spent with a demo of Geisha, the gameplay is certainly unique. The game board looks like a regular match-3 grid (think Bejeweled), but is populated with mahjong tiles. The goal is to match three or more of these mahjong tiles by dragging tiles horizontally until three or more of the same type are side by side, which causes them to disappear.
This may sound terribly easy, but there is a catch: you can only drag the tiles horizontally, not vertically. Once cleared, no new tiles fall from above, although existing tiles will slide down to fill empty spaces, so there are a limited number of possible moves to make - just like in traditional mahjong. Using strategy, you'll have to clear the tiles in such a way that you don't run out of moves and are able to complete the level goal by clearing a certain number of tiles off the board.
The game offers 80 levels, split into four seasons, plus 16 bonus levels. You can decorate two different zen garden backgrounds by earning 48 different plants and decorations for it throughout the game. There are also two modes, including a relaxed mode where it's impossible to lose.
The full game is currently available in French at CasualGames.fr, and the English version should be launching any day now. (As always, we'll let you know the moment that it does.) A version for Mac is in the works as well, according to the developer. In the meantime, check out some screenshots and a teaser video, or chat about the game in our forum


This sounds like it is going to be a really good game. Challenging and Im liking the decorating aspect. I love to play games whereas you are building and decorating. And 80 levels, seems to me this one may be worth it.

I like your choices for best games of 2009, mohala. Those are really great ones.

I read the Gamezebo article on its site and I'm glad that Avenue Flo and Westward IV both received honorable mentions. They're so much fun and currently, I'm playing them both.

Thanks Scarlet. I sure hope some good games are released early 2010. Im ready for the new. I especially hope that a Chocolatier game is added to the series. I love those games. I have left them on my computer so that I can play them over and over again.

New casual games portal Big White Bunny Games to offer nothing but hidden object titles

Gamezebo is excited to announce the April 1 launch of Big White Bunny Games, a brand new casual games portal that will sell nothing but hidden object games. Under the catchy slogan "A New Game Every Hour!” the portal promises to do just that by releasing 24 hidden object games each day, seven days a week.

A Big White Bunny spokesperson told Gamezebo that the company hopes this ambitious launch schedule of 168 new games per week will be robust enough to keep up with casual gamers' voracious demand for hidden object games, or "HOGs" as they are colloquially known.

In addition to HOGs, the portal will also offer games from the various HOG sub-genres such as "fractured-object games" (FROGs), "darkened object games" (DOGs), "hidden object adventure games" (HOAGIES) and "what's so special about this paper clip that I have to keep finding it over and over again?" games (WSSATPCTIHTKFIOAOAs).

The first games to appear on Big White Bunny at launch will be:

• Hidden Mysteries: Secret of the Crystal Treasure
  
• Curse of the Pyramids: The Lost Mystery of the Egyptian Pharaoh
  
• Haunted Cases of the Titanic: The Secret Orb
  
• The Adventures of Jane Fox and the Mysterious Secrets of the Amazon
  
• Outer Mysteries: The Gates of Time
  
• Madison McGee and the Lost City of Mystery
  
• Hidden Crimes: The Tiger Woods Story
  
• Mysterious City: Flint, Michigan
  
• Treasure Finders: Seeking the Cursed Stone of Doom
  
• Mysterious Wonders: The Tale of the Abominable Snowman Lost in the Bermuda Triangle
  
• Lost at Sea: Curse of the Soggy Secrets
  
• Lost at Sea 2: The Jane Doe Affair
  
• Mystery of the Hidden Treasures, Vol. 2 (also known as Secret Treasures of Amelia Earhart: Explorer Quest)
  

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(Above: A screenshot of the Big White Bunny exclusive hidden object game Hidden Mysteries: Secret of the Crystal Treasure)

Games will sell for $6.98, and premium versions of games will also be offered for $20 that will include 53% more randomly hidden paper clips, more mysteries, desktop wallpapers of the developer's assorted pets, and a free massage by a Swedish man named Sven.

Big White Bunny is also running a limited time launch sale where you can get 50% off your order by entering the discount code APRILFOOL at checkout.