Whether you hunger to help revitalize downtrodden restaurants in Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, or you want to explore a surreal world in Dream Chronicles, or you’d simply prefer a rousing hand or two of 3D Hearts Deluxe, you’ll uncover plenty of gaming treasure at MacFun. The selections run the gamut from the fast-paced world of arcade action to brain-teasing strategy titles to puzzle, word, and card games.
“All of the big casual gaming sites are Windows-focused,” notes Smith, “but our experience is better, the games just work, and if there’s a problem, our support staff won’t ask: ‘Have you installed Windows Service Pack 3?’ We’ll also have new Mac-original titles.”
Tiki Magic Mini Golf. Putt for gems.
He adds: “Our unique strength is in the huge catalog of games we bring to the table, from our own casual titles to some of the best independent game makers. And some of these games, like Tiki Magic Mini Golf, were made specifically for the Mac, not ports of Windows titles. They can leverage Mac technologies and features in a way that games designed for Windows never will.”
A Mac-Centric Community Center
“MacFun will have a few action games, but blood-and-bullets games are not our concentration,” says Smith. ”The site is and will remain family-friendly.”
Soon, MacFun’s integration of Freeverse’s GameSmith technology will allow you to chat with other players and find opponents for multi-player sessions, such as card games. Currently, MacFun features GameSmith’s rankings ladders for everything from 3D Hearts Deluxe to Airburst.
Super Collapse! 3. You can teach an old puzzle game new tricks.
“GameSmith will provide Mac users with a terrific Mac-centric community center,” promises Smith. “It will be a place to chat, make friends, and play some games. In the coming year, we’ll be making major upgrades to GameSmith that will enhance the experience even further. Existing users of GameSmith will continue to enjoy it, just as they have for years.”
From Hungry Man to Bridezilla
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero, the fourth in PlayFirst’s popular Diner Dash series, sees protagonist Flo visit her hometown to catch up with Grandma Florence, only to learn that the major attractions are failing.
“Mac users need a place where every aspect of it is designed just for them.”
- Freeverse president Ian Lynch Smith
Diner Dash: Hometown Hero. Flo juggles the lunch rush.
Using the restaurateur skills she picked up in the first three games, Flo sets out to revitalize the eateries found at the zoo, ballpark, museum, and amusement park. You guide her as she seats customers, takes their orders, delivers their food, and clears their dishes. The faster you complete those tasks, the greater your tips and the more new patrons you can seat, leading to higher earnings during your shift.
New features include: the ability to move tables together to accommodate large groups; six new customers, such as Hungry Man and Celebrity, who pose unique challenges; a reservations function; and the ability to train new waiters for each restaurant. Story mode offers 50 increasingly-difficult levels of eatery excitement, while Endless Shift asks you to keep customers happy as long as you can. Visit Flo’s Closet to dress her in the clothes you earn by unlocking new restaurants.
And if you enjoy this game, make a vow to try out Wedding Dash, another PlayFirst game that’s cut from similar cloth. In this one, you play Quinn, a wedding planner who must put together the perfect wedding receptions for happy brides and grooms. Help the couples choose their cakes and flowers, among other details, and keep tipsy guests, catty bridesmaids, and other disasters from ruining the big day. There’s plenty to keep you busy, with 50 levels of gameplay, five wedding locales, 10 types of guests, and more.
Dream Chronicles. A fanciful mystery unfolds.
Cross the Highways of Fantasy
In Dream Chronicles, you embark on a Myst-like adventure. You play a character, Faye, who wakes from a deep sleep to learn that her husband is missing and her daughter is under the influence of a sleeping spell, along with the rest of the kingdom. You soon discover that Lilith, the Fairy Queen of Dreams, cast the spell and kidnapped Faye’s husband, leaving behind a series of puzzles that she hopes will stymie your attempt to save him.