Back in 2010, when I first launched Social Games Help, Facebook games were all the rage. I fondly remember the good ol’ days of playing FarmVille and visiting my friends’ farms, as well as all the other hit games of the era: FrontierVille, Cafe World, FishVille, The Sims Social, and so on.
Back then, everybody wanted to know about the latest pink cow released in FarmVille, how complete the new missions that were introduced to the game, how to send various items to their friends…
But then smartphones came and gaming – especially the casual games that we could see on Facebook – moved over to mobile phones.
However, I feel that one thing is lacking. And I really miss that. It seems that games nowadays have moved away from their friendly nature and have become competitive cash grabs instead.
I do miss the old times of visiting my friends’ farms to see their new designs and new items, but also to tend their crops so that they can harvest them faster. And I also miss that lack of pressure: defending your base, the risk of getting raided and seeing everything stolen or simply the lack of interaction between players.
Yes, mobile games are the necessary evolution and we do have some amazing titles there… but are there still any Facebook games, true to their original nature, still available? Or even mobile games that follow the mechanics of the traditional ones like FarmVille and FrontierVille and such?
Related reading: If you enjoy older games, check out my retro review of the original Dune game.
The sad truth
A few of the hit Facebook games of the early 2010s managed to stay alive until the early 2020s, but most of them were shut down when phones became all the rage, around 2013-2014.
I just took a look on Facebook to see what good games are still available, and the truth is that we don’t have many options.
Yes, there are many still left, but most are in the card-game niche, merge games, word games, or match-three types of games. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong about them, they lack that nice social aspect.
Even a Google search for “Facebook games” takes you to Facebook’s game streaming service, and not their actual offer of games. It’s sad. At least some of the classic PC or console games are still kept alive somehow.
But the old school Facebook games many of us have spent countless hours playing… they’re all gone forever.
Yet, there is still some hope. Although with dwindling player numbers, there are still some hidden gems I found on Facebook, true (or similar) to the classics I mentioned above, or at least games that I find enjoyable and relaxing. Here they are:
- FarmVille 2: The (follow-up of the) game that needs no introduction. Zynga’s game that made history is still available on Facebook! It’s a bit trickier to play and feels very clunky, but still playable. You have to install their own player, but it’s not difficult – and once you do, you can once again enjoy tending to your farm. Play here.
- Criminal Case: This is one of the few games still standing from the golden era of Facebook’s Social Games. It’s been live since 2012 (!!!) and I still remember playing it on launch day and being impressed. Same goes today – so if you’re looking for a good hidden object / puzzle game on Facebook, this is one of the OGs. Play here.
- Kong Island: A beautiful game that really brings back nostalgia and makes you think about the original Facebook. Survival on an island, including farming, exploration, and resource management. All with cute, colorful graphics. Highly recommended. Play here.
- FarmLand: Again, some good ol’ farming gameplay, packed nicely in a good looking product. While the game is mainly played on mobile, there is an option to play on Facebook and it fits perfectly on the big screen, allowing for the casual gameplay many of us are longing for. Play here.
- Secret Investigations Heritage: A real treat for hidden object mystery game fans. I absolutely love the retro feel of the game, which makes it feel like those old school HOPAs we played back in the days. Play here.
- Worlds FRVR: While this is not in the vein of the old school Facebook games I mentioned in this article, it has to be recommended because it’s social gaming perfection. With a similar approach to Roblox, Worlds FRVR lets players interact, play games and create them. Tons of ideas, options and games to play. Check it out here.
- SuperCity: If you’re looking for some CityVille vibes, you need to play Supercity. Build your own city, visit friends, unlock new buildings… it has everything in it (including tons of unique decorations). Play here.
Do you still play games on Facebook? Do you know any that are similar to the old-school ones (like FarmVille, FrontierVille, and the like?). Let us all know by sharing your thoughts below!
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