Arcade Game Central

FUN Technologies, one of the world’s leading online casual gaming providers, has announced that it is partnering with GSN, “the Network for Games,” the entertainment industry’s leading producer of interactive television, to televise the first annual million dollar Worldwide Web Games™ championship, formerly known as the Skill Games World Championship™.

The GSN/FUN Technologies collaboration brings millions of casual games players worldwide an unprecedented platform for interactive entertainment. Hosted by SkillJam and WorldWinner, both subsidiaries of FUN Technologies, the Worldwide Web Games will bring some of the world’s top casual gamers to the Renaissance Hotel in Hollywood for the finals on Saturday, September 9.

“We are thrilled to be able to bring our TV audience the first-ever Worldwide Web Games,” said Rich Cronin, president and CEO, GSN. “We are always looking for ground-floor programming opportunities and are excited to be able to present this new realm of competition to our viewers who love playing casual games online at GSN.com.”

The qualifying competitions are already underway at GSN, SkillJam, WorldWinner, and other top online games sites. Players from around the world qualify for the championship by competing in any of three of the most popular skill-based games: Bejeweled 2, Solitaire or Zuma. The high-scorer in each online competition will be flown to Los Angeles to compete in the live semifinal and final round tournaments. The best all-around player will be crowned “World’s Best Casual Gamer” and be awarded the $1 million grand prize.

Of the estimated 70 to 100 million people worldwide who play casual games, two-thirds are women, more than half between the ages of 25 and 54. “The million-dollar grand prize brings a new level of awareness to the millions of people playing casual games,” said Lorne Abony, CEO of FUN Technologies. “Through our partnership with GSN and AOL, we’re giving our players the opportunity to transcend their current game play experience and enter a whole new level of entertainment.”

Learn more about the Worldwide Web Games
Compete at SkillJam
Compete at WorldWinner

Flo, the stockbroker turned entrepreneur who became one of the most popular video game heroines of 2005, returns in Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue™. Based on Diner Dash™, which has sold hundreds of thousands of copies worldwide, Diner Dash 2 continues Flo’s story as she returns from restaurant Nirvana to save four friends from the nefarious Mr. Big Corp.

Join Flo as she returns to help four fellow restaurant owners defeat the greedy tycoon, Mr. Big. By working as fast as ever, Flo helps each of her friends upgrade their restaurants, expand their businesses, and pay their rent, all in the hopes of escaping the wrecking ball and a disastrous Mega Multiplex Food Plaza… forever. Seat customers, take orders, serve drinks, deliver food, and collect tips - expert scores earn you more décor upgrades! New quirky characters, challenges, powerups, and a surprise restaurant await you in this sequel to the original smash hit. Waiting at the end of the game is a surprise for all of Flo’s fans, a nice reward for a long day’s work.

Diner Dash 2 comes from PlayFirst, a leading publisher of highly-original games made for casual gamers. In addition to the Diner Dash series, PlayFirst has also created such popular games as Pirate Poppers and Plantasia.

“PlayFirst has received emails from casual game players all over the world who love Diner Dash and can’t wait to see the next chapter in Flo’s story,” said Kenny Dinkin, vice president and executive producer, PlayFirst. “New art, characters, powerups and a surprise fifth restaurant are sure to keep players on their tip-seeking toes.”

According to a preview in Gamezebo, “Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue looks to be just as fun, fresh and addictive as its predecessor — if not more so.” When Flo hears that her old employer, Mr. Big Corp, is planning to demolish four local restaurants to make room for an enormous Mega Multiplex FoodPlaza, Flo rolls up her sleeves to help her friends escape the fate of the wrecking ball.

In the game, players must manage a stream of new customer types like the Family, Bookworm, Fitness Fanatic, and Cell Phone Addict. Diner Dash 2 introduces new obstacles on the restaurant floor such as crying babies and slippery spills. As players help Flo progress in the game, they can now personalize the decor of each restaurant. Powerups add staff to the restaurants in the form of Busser, Drink Server, Hostess or Entertainer.

Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue, Diner Dash, Flo, PlayFirst and the PlayFirst logo are trademarks of PlayFirst, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. See also: She’s Back - Flo Returns In Diner Dash 2: Restaurant Rescue™.

More information about Diner Dash 2
Download Diner Dash 2 (9.45MB)

Welcome to Mystic Inn, a visually stunning and addictive new game. Playing as Daphne, the unfortunate hostess ensnared by the enchanted Mystic Inn, you serve potions to a multitude of impatient patrons. Serve them quickly, and you’ll earn magic tips that will help pay for the inn’s upgrade. Take too long, or serve them in the wrong order and you risk losing customers—and valuable tips! Only once the Inn has been restored to its original grandeur can Daphne break the spell.

The game’s five chapters and 50 total levels take time and patience to complete. Unlock juggling frogs, a charmed harp, and your own take-out owl to help earn more magic tips. A potion-building mini-game will allow you to create time-stopping mixtures, making it easier to succeed when your time is running out.

Detailed graphics and artwork mesh with addictive game-play to make Mystic Inn an immersive and exciting treat for all ages.

Mystic Inn was developed by Big Fish Studios Europe, the French division of Big Fish Games, known for their cinematic production values, soothing music and addictive game play, as demonstrated in their earlier hits, Atlantis and Fairies.

Source: Big Fish Studios Releases Chart-Topping Mystic Inn.

More information about Mystic Inn
Download Mystic Inn (21.99MB)

Atom Entertainment has announced they have launched a redesigned version of their Shockwave.com gaming portal. The new site features over 300 games, including online and multiplayer games which are all free.

“Today we’re entering a new era in online gaming by redesigning the site to appeal to the wide demographic base of casual gamers and offering advertisers a breadth of choices to reach our growing audience of 25 million casual game enthusiasts,” said Dave Williams, CMO of Atom Entertainment. “We’ve made the site more appealing for game players, and more flexible for advertisers who are trying to reach this audience in innovative ways.”

“Our unique, ‘all you can eat’ subscription model provides unlimited, ad-free gaming across hundreds of games with broad appeal to all family members,” he continued. “We have a huge community of game players visiting Shockwave each month and we would like to give those users more options to communicate with one another, play head to head or collaborate on game play.”

Shockwave.com provides the best free online games and downloadable games to more than 25 million people each month.

Give Shockwave a try

What happens when you mix Gold Miner and Jewel Quest, two of the more popular games in recent memory? Jewel Miner, of course.

As you might guess from the title, Jewel Miner mixes the characters from GameRival’s and the gameplay from iWin’s Jewel Quest to create a brand new adventure, a match-three style game set in a jewel mine.

The game begins with Gold Miner, the hero of Gold Miner, Gold Miner Special Edition, and Gold Miner: Vegas, receiving a bill from the IRS. Seems he forgot to file his taxes, and now his hard-won casino is in jeopardy!

Help Julie, Gold Miner’s niece, raise enough money to save her uncle’s casino by matching jewels in the mines. You’ll have to work fast, though, because the dastardly villains Hansel and Joey Joe Joe are hot on her trail looking to steal her riches for their own.

This game is easy to play but challenging from the first time you sit down. As in most match-three games, the object is to line up three or more jewels in a row, either horizontally or vertically, by swapping two adjacent jewels. However, instead of each swap requiring two clicks, Jewel Miner uses an innovative one-click swapping method. Just hover your mouse over the two pieces you want to swap. They’ll automatically be highlighted, and a single click is all that’s required. If you’re accustomed to the standard two-click swapping method, this new approach requires a few minutes to acclimate, but once you’ve re-trained your fingers, this simple and elegant technique will feel entirely natural.

Jewel Miner allows you to play in either Story mode or Cave-In mode. In story mode you help Julie find jewels in various mines, and try to raise enough money to pay her Uncle’s tax bill. In Cave-In mode it’s simply you against the clock as you match jewels and try to survive as long as you can.

I addition to the many jewels in the mines, there are also power-ups you can earn, such as dynamite, TNT, jackhammers, and extra time, each of which can help you clear levels before the villains steal your treasure. The game features 48 challenging levels, 9 different power-ups, and one amazing woman.

This is an enjoyable game, with charming and light-hearted graphics and sound. It’s not a terribly immersive gaming experience, nor is it a hugely inventive game. But it is fun and addictive, and is definitely worth the download.

More information about Jewel Miner
Download Jewel Miner (9.79MB)