Want to learn how to get, install and play social games and free online games for Facebook and other social networks? As revealed in part one of our beginner’s guide to social games, it’s a simple and fun process. Below, in the final part of the series, we reveal how to download, try and pay for social games, including how these titles work, and some of the best free online games sites where you can find social games to play on-demand over the Internet.
What Do I Need to Play Social Games? — The two main go-to pieces of tech for social games are PCs and Apple iOS devices (including the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad). Though most social games are engineered to play on low-end computers, some do require higher specs, and all of them need an internet connection (broadband far preferred).
Social games that are web-based might require a browser upgrade, and the most recent version of Flash.
With iOS devices, a software upgrade might be required, and older phones/iPods might not be able to play social games that require higher-end hardware. A Wi-Fi connection is a good idea, as it’ll cut down on the bandwidth you use (and therefore get charged for) on your 3G network.
How Do I Install Social Games? — Not every social game requires an instal. Again, many are browser-based. Check the game’s website to determine what browsers support the games, and what version of Flash you need. Flash updates are simple to perform.
If a game does require a file download, the game’s website should outline which file(s) to download, and should supply download links. Instal instructions are usually coupled with download links.
How Do Payments Work? — The majority of social games are free to download, access, and play, but almost every “free-to-play” game offers extra content, items, and incentives that can be purchased at a low price via “microtransactions.”
Microtransactions: Microtransactions, also called micropayments, are small-sum transactions that are done online, and usually instantly. Microtransactions are conducted via credit cards or PayPal, though game-specific point cards are also available at game stores, drug stores, and grocery stores. Typically grant a specific power or item to the player–say, a special accessory, or a boost of power, or a pile of in-game money that lets the player purchase whatever he or she wants in the virtual world.
Once you set up your PayPal or credit card information, requested microtransactions are usually conducted instantaneously, and with minimal verification. For this reason, it’s important to talk to kids about which purchases are permissible, if any.
Subscriptions: Some social games are subscription based, meaning you pay a flat monthly or yearly fee to access the game and its content. Unlike free-to-play games, all the content in subscription-based social games can be accessed from the start–though in many of these games, it’s still possible to buy special items via microtansactions.
The Ten Best Sites to Find Social Games:
Facebook — If you want access to the most popular social games available on the Internet, you’d best get yourself a Facebook account. Zynga, the top producer of social games, parks its biggest successes here, including games like FarmVille, CityVille, FrontierVille, and Mafia Wars.
Playdom.com — Playdom also feeds many of its games through Facebook, but you can access titles through its website, too. Some popular picks include the social shooter game Wild Ones, and the city-development game Social City.
Sarien.net — A social gaming site with a retro twist. Sarien.net adds an online multiplayer experience to Sierra’s classic PC adventure games, including King’s Quest: Quest for the Crown and The Black Cauldron.
PlayFish.com — Owned by EA, Playfish.com is behind some of Facebook’s most popular offerings outside of Zynga’s. Familiar games may include Pet Society and Restaurant City.
NeoPets.com — NeoPets is one of the oldest and most popular social gaming sites of all time. The world of NeoPets centers around the user and his or her mythical “pet,” and there are countless social games within the world to play with.
iGoogle — Google has been making serious moves at social gaming, and iGoogle is just one fruit of the company’s labours. You can install simple games that carry singificant substance, including Chess, Trivia, and Scrabble.
Apple’s App Store — Apple’s iOS devices are teeming with fantastic social games, and your first stop to accessing them is the App Store.
Come2Play.com — This site features a wide variety of social games, including Pool, Snooker, Connect 4, and–a version of Russian Roulette featuring cuddly forest animals (we had to double-check, but yes, that’s exactly what it is).
OMGPOP — OMGPOP has the usual colourful assortment of fun, free games, but it also features an online version of Win, Lose, or Draw that should be experienced by every human being who has a knot of friends.
Kongregate — Not all of Kongregate’s offerings pit players against one another, but this collection of user-submitted flash games is more than worth mentioning for its close-knit community, wherein players can compete to earn achievements and win attractive badges.
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Scott Steinberg is the CEO of video game consulting firm TechSavvy Global, and founder of GameExec magazine and Game Industry TV. Hailed as a top technology and video game expert by dozens of publications from USA Today to Forbes and NPR, he’s covered the field for 400+ outlets from Playboy to Rolling Stone. A frequent on-air analyst for networks like ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN, he’s also the author of Video Game Marketing and PR.