Gamertell

There’s a pretty nice selection of casual games making their debut this week. For probably the first time every in a Casual Friday update, hidden object games don’t completely overwhelm the other genres!

If you’re a Big Fish Game Club member or have a PlayFirst PlayPass, you’ll be a little disappointed this week. Both sites really didn’t have any new games making their debut. A few old favorites were added to those sites though, so there may be some games that are new to you. Some independent game developers are picking up the slack.

There are also quite a few holiday themed games. Notice I said holiday, and not Halloween. There are two Halloween games, Zombie Bowl-O-Rama and The Dracula Files, which is completely natural, given Halloween is only about a week away. However, this week marks the first appearance of a Thanksgiving-themed casual game - Fishdom: Harvest Splash.

This week’s best bets is: Picket Fences (PC)

The Three Musketeers: The Game
Genre: Action RPG
Availability: Dingo Games
Retail Price: $24.98
Platform: Windows and Mac (Requirements aren’t specified at the site, so try the demo before buying.)
Premise: Help d’Artagnan become a Musketeer, then join the Musketeers as they endeavor to protect the king, the queen and the country.
Demo Available: Yes

Grappling Hook
Genre: Action and Puzzle
Availability: Speed Run Games
Retail Price: $19.95
Platform: Windows and Mac. OSes aren’t specified, so download the demo and test before playing.
Premise: You must get through 22 levels using only a grappling hook to progress and solve puzzles.
Demo Available: Yes

The Dracula Files
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: eGames.com
Retail Price: $19.99
Platform: Windows XP, Vista and 7
Premise: Dracula has returned, and Michael and Quinn Harker must find a way to vanquish him forever, saving the world and their friend. You have to look around the world to find clues and items to dispatch him for good.
Demo Available: Yes

Fishdom: Harvest Splash
Genre: Puzzle (Match 3)
Availability: Playrix Entertainment
Retail Price: $19.95
Note: It is on sale at Playrix for $9.98 until November 30, 2009
Platform: Windows NT, 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: Solve match 3 puzzles to put together a Thanksgiving themed aquarium.
Demo Available: Yes

Danger Next Door: Miss Teri Tale’s Adventure
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: Miss Teri Tale has to search to find clues and learn who killed her neighbor, Monty.
Demo Available: Yes

Picket Fences
Genre: Card/Board game
Availability: GameHouse, RealArcade
Retail Price: $19.99
Platform: Windows 2000, Vista and XP
Premise: A card game where you try to acquire cards to make sets to make your home the best, biggest and most beautiful.
Demo Available: Yes

Zombie Bowl-O-Rama
Genre: Sports (Bowling)
Availability: Harmonic Flow, Reflexive Arcade
Retail Price: $7.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: Attack and dispatch zombies by bowling them over. It’s essentially a bowling game where zombies are the pins.
Demo Available: Yes

Editor’s Note: Due to so many casual games sites offering game plans or preferred member prices, which can cause a game to have multiple price-points, the games’ average retail prices is mentioned in Casual Friday.

Site [Big Fish Games] Site [PlayFirst] Site [GameHouse] Site [eGames] Site [Alawar Games] Site [Amazon] Site [Reflexive Arcade] Site [Harmonic Flow]