Playing games on Facebook has become really popular as well, as people play against friends, competing on the highest rank on everything from caring for pets, to having the biggest city. This list contains, from my point of view and from observations I've made, the most popular games on Facebook.
10. Word Challenge
Monthly Active Users: 496,477
Stars: 4.3 out of 5
"In Word Challenge you are given 6 letters, the objective is to create 3-6 letter words from the letters provided as fast as you can. There are 40,000 to find in this fast and rewarding word game!"
In this game, you will have to create words from letters. Earn points, and get rated on your abilities. The design of the game is simple but cute, and the gameplay is pretty simple and entertaining. There's different language options, which is great if you aren't as skilled in english, as you are in your first language.
Word Challenge is great for the more intellectual type of players, in which case it can actually become directly addicting. In other words, great game, although the concept isn't original at all.
9. Restaurant City
Monthly Active Users: 5,637,628
Stars: 4.2 out of 5
"Cook your way to the top of your street and be the best cafe or restaurant out of all of your friends!"
In Restaurant City, you own a restaurant and is competing against your friends and other players to own the biggest, most frequented restaurant in town. Game-play is fun and visually pleasing and actually pretty darn adorable. You can also design your restaurant, deciding a specific theme, such as jungle, beach, Asian or alike. Only downside is that the level progress is very slow, so you probably will only be playing this game in short, but well-enjoyed, sessions.
Fun game! If you enjoy the other games by Playfish (Pet Society, Word Challenge), you will almost certainly also like this one.
8. Happy Aquarium
Monthly Active Users: 7,099,261
Stars: 4.1 out of 5
"Want to get cute baby fish and watch them grow? Join your friends and play Happy Aquarium for free!"
This is easily the most popular aquarium / fish game on facebook. You have a tank (or 5 tanks?) with fish, that you buy and care for. You can also buy some other animals, as snails or even tiny polar bears (?) and you can decorate your tank. Apart from feeding and breeding your fish, there's also some mini-games, which provides the game with some variation. The design of the game itself is pretty simple and cartoony, in opposion of it's rival games, FishVille and Fish World.
This game can be fun the first times you play it – I doubt you'll come back 5-10 times though, as it get's boring pretty easily.
7. It Girl
Monthly Active Users: 8,091,383
Stars: 4.8 out of 5
"Shop and party with all your friends. Play It Girl, the most stylish game around!"
An RPG, filled with complexity and accessibility, and a great design and gamplay. You are a girl (the game features all-female avatars) shopping in the famous streets in the world to improve your hotness, and attending parties to win showdowns. You've got a limit of energy and money, but as always, this can be fixed if you are willing to throw in some dollars.
Named the best RPG on Facebook by Gamezebo, this game it actually very entertaining. If you like fashion and pink, that is.
6. Treasure Isle
Monthly Active Users: 8,277,476
Stars: 4.6 out of 5
"In Treasure Isle, you dig for rare and valuable treasure with your friends. Earn money, explore strange places, and decorate your very own island as you explore the world of Treasure Isle."
Treasure Isle is a game with a very simple concept: you are a treasure hunter and you dig up different treasures all day, until you get tired, and have to go home. There's different isles where you can dig up treasures, and you can decorate your own home isle, where you also have a garden which you can tend.
It's actually worth playing if you are into social gaming, as the concept is simple, the gameplay is fast-paced and surpring as it is, the game is pretty entertaining.
5. Pet Society
Monthly Active Users: 9,425,781
Stars: 4.3 out of 5
"In the world of Pet Society, it's non stop fun for you and your pet!"
Pet Society is popular in many countries over the world, and this is well-understood, as the game provides you with a lot of variation in the gameplay. Just don't get overly excited with the expression "pet" as this game's concept is a little more "Sims" like. You control your pet, provide them with fun and friends, decorate their house, take them shopping, and of course, feed them and play with them. They also interact with certain objects in the house, as the TV or the Microwave.
I've personally had a lot fun with Pet Society, it seems like there's always something new to do, whether is it to re-design your house, visit all your friends, go fishing, start collecting a new series of object, or any other of the many options in this game.
4. Bejeweled Blitz
Monthly Active Users: 10,822,151
Stars: 4.1 out of 5
"Bejeweled has been played by more than 500 million people around the world, and has consumed 7 billion leisure time hours since 2000. Now you can play a special version on Facebook!"
The concept of match-3 lives through in this game of Bejeweled Blitz, although this version is a little altered – the whole game is about getting the highest score possible, not about progressing through levels or solving puzzles. This can be fun for the more competitive kinds, but dull for the ones wanting more meaning in the game.
For users who loves puzzle games, this is a must!
3. Mafia Wars
Monthly Active Users: 11,181,418
Stars: 4.0 out of 5
"Join your friends and more than 25 million other players in Mafia Wars, the world's most popular crime game. Build alliances, amass property, and fight mobs of enemies in games of power and deception."
The text RPG Mafia Wars has a great visual, and features a whole load of new and interesting jobs. Recently, there has been added some tournaments and gambling systems (in-game). Unlock new areas, and try to get better jobs, on you way up the ladder to the ultimate mafia war. The game really isn't all that social, but it still provides a pleasant gameplay.
Although the game presents some loading problems, it's a good game for the male users of facebook, or/and the more hardcore girls around.
2. Texas Hold'Em Poker / Zynga Poker
Monthly Active Users: 36,052,075
Stars: 4.3 out of 5
"Zynga Poker is the #1 poker game in the world. Play with friends and see who's got the best poker face or come and meet some new buddies. "
Zynga poker is actually pretty well made – the visual might not be the most polished of the kind, but the gamplay is fast-paced, and a lot of excitement in challenges and tournaments. This game, which is developed by Zynga (Zynga also developed "Farmville") was actually the first success of the developer. You can play with complete strangers, or you can play with or against your friends. It's a great way to enjoy poker, without the risk of real gambling.
If you like poker, you are bound to like Zynga Poker.
1. FarmVille
Monthly Active Users: 45,087,147
Stars: 4.0 out of 5
"Come on down to the Farm today and play with your friends. We've got plenty of land for everyone. See what everyone is hootin' and hollerin' about! Play now!"
FarmVille is with it's 45+ million monthly players, the most popular game on Facebook. I doubt that you are surprised, because over 50% of your friends probably already play this. Actually, the game even relies on all of it's users, as this is one of the basic elements in the gameplay. If you don't have many friends playing the game, chances are you won't have as much fun. This game was the first about plowing, seeding, harvesting crops. Another similar game is Playfish's "Country Story", which is also great, but doesn't have as many fans.
Basically, the game is about you, as a farmer, and you have to make money by harvesting crops, which grow over time. Remember to water your crops regularly, or they will die! Progress in the levels, and become the best farmer among your friends. You can also send and recieve gifts, which can both be free or purchased.
FarmVille is without a doubt, the most popular game on Facebook – you might want to try it to get the experience, and because all of your friends play it anyway. Also, it's frequently updated with this and that, so there's always something new to look at!
