Social Casual Games Are Different From Traditional Games In Many Ways

Welcome to The Social Playbook, which will review social casual games found on Facebook. Social casual games have become very popular lately, and since there are so many available with many more released every month, it's difficult to know which ones are fun to play and which ones you should avoid. This column will save you from having to try each and every game until you find the one you like.

Social casual games are different from traditional games in many ways, and can appeal to those who might never have played a computer game before. They're also a lot of fun even if you play other kinds of computer games. How are they different?

Time:

Casual games are designed to be played in about 30 minutes or less, once or twice a day, which is why they're casual. Casual games are great when you want to relax with a game but don't have hours to spend playing.

Friends:

Social games usually have some way of interacting with other people who also play the game. Some just have the ability to send and receive gifts, while others have chats and guilds where you can work together to accomplish goals. You can also post to your Facebook wall about accomplishments you've achieved in the game, such as attaining a new piece of gear or gaining a level.

Free or Cheap:

Social casual games are usually free to play, but there are optional items you can get with in-game currency. Most games have a way to earn the currency while playing the game, and you can do things such as signing up for a credit report or buying a product or filling out a survey to get more. Or, you can take out your credit card and spend as little as $5 or up to $20 or more. Buying in-game currency is completely optional, and it's been my experience that most people have never spent any money on the casual games they play.

Simple and Fun:

Casual games are usually, but not always, simpler than many other computer games, and I don't mean that as an insult. There are many computer games which are so intricate and have so many things to do that playing it is the last thing you want to do after a busy day at work or school. Casual games are meant to be fun, not mentally taxing.