Arcade Game Central

Virtual Villagers, a simulation game where where you care for and nurture a tribe of little people by teaching them the basics of survival on a tropical island, has turned into a quite popular download, both here at Arcade Game Central and at gaming sites across the web.

And as with any game of any depth that becomes popular, online guides and walkthru’s have appeared to help players make the most of the game. Last Day of Work, publisher of the game, has produced a Virtual Villagers Strategy and Puzzle Guide, and Gamezebo offers Virtual Villagers Tips & Tricks and Virtual Villagers Beginner’s Walkthrough.

Courtney Marchelletta from About.com has written a Virtual Villagers Review, as has Jay Is Games, which includes an excellent discussion of the game in the comments. Reflexive Arcade users also offer their opinions of the game.

Learn more about Virtual Villagers.

Luxor has proven to be one of the most popular games of recent memory, exceeded 40 million downloads since its debut in 2005. Now it’s available online at WorldWinner. Players who think no one can top their score in Luxor will now have an opportunity to prove it by competing at WorldWinner for cash and prizes.

Luxor is an action-puzzle game that takes you on a thrilling adventure across the lands of Ancient Egypt, which is under attack by the evil god Set, and it’s up to you to stop him! Match the colored spheres to destroy them all before they reach your pyramid. Unleash the awesome powers of Isis with various falling power-up talismans, such as explosive Fireballs and thundering Lightning Bolts. Filled with excitement, adventure, and tons of explosive action, there is only one question you must ask yourself: Can you thwart the diabolical plans of a god and save Egypt?

WorldWinner is one of the leading providers of online games for cash and prizes, where the outcome of each competition is determined by the player’s skill. WorldWinner brings together people who love to play games and who thrive on the thrill of competing, allowing them to demonstrate their ability in tournaments for free, or match wits against opponents for cash and prizes.

In addition to the online version, your can also download the original edition of Luxor, as well as recent releases Luxor: Amun Rising and Luxor: Mah Jong. Luxor 2, the highly-anticipated next edition in this classic casual game series, is slated for a fall 2006 release.

Play Luxor Online
Download Luxor

Avast! is a new turn-based, piracy-themed game from casual game developer Primate Games.

As Captain Suzette, a struggling Inn keeper, out to earn her fortune and save her beloved home, players must position their fleet against brigands and scallywags of all types as they sail the treacherous oceans. Harvest items, race to goals, collect treasure and scuttle opponents’ ships in one of the four gameplay scenarios.

Full of rich art and inspiring music, the story mode alone offers 40+ hours of turn based pirate fun for all ages. Along with its compelling gameplay and rich characters, Avast! includes 50 unique levels, a multiplayer “skirmish” mode for turn-swapping play, and 20+ power-up items to enhance gameplay.

Other recent pirate-themed games include:

	Bounty: Special Edition Set sail for adventure with Mirabelle and her motley crew, to find the treasure of a lifetime in this puzzle game that is sure to shiver your timbers!
	Pirates of Treasure Island A relaxing game with a unique combination of brick-matching puzzles and exciting adventures…
	Pirate Poppers Ready for some swashbuckling fun? Aim your cannonballs to clear the chains while collecting pearls, jewels and trinkets that rain down from above!
	Pirate Hunter Grow your riches, steal ships, plunder towns, and earn bounties in the swashbuckling world of Pirate Hunter!
	Cutthroats: Terror on the High Seas Become the Commander of a pirate ship, with a crew of scurvy knaves, a handful of cannon, and the whole of the Caribbean to plunder!

Last Day of Work, creators of the popular Fish Tycoon game, has released Virtual Villagers, a game that simulates a small village and allows the player to manage and guide the villagers as they live, work, mate and grow.

In Virtual Villagers, you outcare for and nurture a tribe of little people by teaching them the basics of survival. The object of the game is to grow a small village in your computer: they have food needs, housing needs, technologies to research and diseases to fight! As the village grows and prospers, the villagers become curious about their mysterious island home and the secrets it holds. Aside from guiding the villagers’ day-to-day lives, they player helps them to explore and restore the island.

Fleeing from a volcano eruption, your little villagers find themselves stranded on a mysterious new island. They need to become farmers, builders, scientists and parents as they make decisions about unpredictable ‘island events’! Help them explore and restore their new home. As your village grows and prospers, your villagers become curious about their mysterious new island home and the secrets it holds. How will you lead your tribe?

Virtual Villagers, like Fish Tycoon, is unique among real-time games, in that the little villagers will continue to live, prosper, or die, even if the game is off. The game can only be suspended if set on pause.

“Virtual Villagers is a fun combination of simulation and virtual pet games, letting gamers raise their own little tribe, as well as exploring a rich and mysterious island.” said Arthur Humphrey, LDW’s chief executive. “Additionally, the real-time persistent world feature of the game makes it very addictive. Players always want to return to see what has changed since they last played”.

Virtual Villagers is set on the fictitious island of Isola, where a lost tribe has landed on its shores. The little villagers have food needs, housing needs, technologies to research and diseases to fight! The player needs to nurture and care for the displaced tribe by teaching them the basics of survival. As the village grows and prospers, the villagers become curious about their mysterious island home and the secrets it holds.

Source: Last Day of Work inhabits your computer with Virtual Villagers.

More information about Virtual Villagers
Download Virtual Villagers (14MB)

Bliss Island, the frantic, fun and fiendishly compulsive action puzzler, is a truly original piece of compulsive casual gaming from PomPom Software, creators of Mutant Storm, and packed with over 90 levels of gotta-have-another-go gameplay.

On your arrival at Bliss Island, you’ll meet and play with Hoshi the Zwooph, a fluffy blue creature with a long trunk that enables him to blow precision puffs of air. Usually Hoshi uses this enviable skill to create the clouds for the tropical island, but every Friday Hoshi uses his puff-powers to compete in a whole series of games and challenges with other Zwoophs.

Take control of Hoshi’s super blowing powers and help him show off his skills by utilising this unique control method to feed fruit to the ‘Jigoka’ monster, save flowers from swarms of aphids or fight off marching blocks! Competing against other Zwoops through five different game modes, if Hoshi could win the events he competes in, it would be bliss.

Feel like the summer will never end as you play with Hoshi and his fellow Zwoophs on the tropical Bliss Island.

Source: Have A Totally Blissful Summer As Codemasters Transports You To Bliss Island.

More information about Bliss Island
Download Bliss Island (14MB)