Photo: PopCap

Warning: Know that this article relays information on highly addictive games. If you have an addictive personality, steer clear. If you have any serious responsibilities at all, consider steering clear, too.

Now that that warning is out of the way, we thought we’d share the news that you can purchase any PopCap title directly from the company’s site for half price this week.

Go, go, go! Or maybe don’t.

From right now until 29 November, you can pick up any single PopCap title for half of its original price on PopCap’s website. This means, depending on how you like your digital crack, you can get Plants vs. Zombies, Peggle, Zuma’s Revenge, Bejeweled 2, and a number of critically acclaimed titles from the company.

This deal, however, excludes bundle deals and game packs, so you’d do well to compare how much of a saving you would make if you bought each title a la carte, as opposed to purchasing a bundle.

Momentum

This sale is perfectly timed and will prove to be a big momentum builder for the incoming Bejeweled 3. The title is scheduled for release on 7 December, and, going on previous experience, picking it up is ill advised if you value your life.

Trust us! Do not do it!

Photo: mahmut / Flickr

We had an episode on this side with a Plants vs. Zombies addiction breakout. We called for an intervention, which managed to curb the problem, but then the iPhone version of the game was released and promptly destroyed sales records on the platform, and we were back at square one. What’s worse, one of our writers purchased an iPad just for Plants vs Zombies HD. Seriously, when PopCap games have you hooked, it’s scary bad.

We’re certainly looking forward to Bejeweled 3, and will be dropping in to see what deals there are on titles we haven’t played yet. But that’s because we’re suckers for punishment and red eyes at work the next day. You know better, right? Just say no.

Photo: lamazone / Flickr

PopCap, the folks who make addictive drugs disguised as video games, have just announced that their flagship franchise, Bejeweled, will soon see a sequel released. That’s right, folks, Bejeweled 3 is coming to PC on 7 December 2010. Suffice it to say, you may want to take leave and spend extra time with your family now in anticipation of its arrival.

Building on charted territory

Bejeweled 3 takes the work done on Bejeweled 2 and adds to it. The third title in the franchise adds four new modes to those available in its predecessor. Furthermore the Quest mode has been updated with 11 more mini-games, bringing the total to 40 quests.

For those who like their rush laid back, Bejeweled 3 adds a new Zen mode, which adds ambient sounds to make the gameplay zen-like and relaxing. And for those who love their gaming in glorious high definition, PopCap sends it’s love by making the title in HD.

Drug rehabilitation

In the office, we have a PopCap support group for recovering abusers of the company’s insanely addictive titles. Recent PopCap drug binges have included the insanely addictive Plants vs. Zombies on several different gaming platforms. Prior to that, and for some, in concurrency with that, is Peggle, which itself was released to new platforms recently, most notably Xbox Live and the iPhone.

And, for long-time sufferers, who just cannot shake the PopCap addiction, there is Bejeweled 2. It is these people in particular we’re most fearful for, with respect to the release of Bejeweled 3. All the progress they’ve made in recent months will be all but washed away come 7 December on PC, with the Mac and likely every other platform in the world following close behind.

The 500 million servings of Bejeweled across 17 different platforms is clearly not enough, and like any good dealer, PopCap keeps re-upping their supply.

Photo: Popcap

We’re big fans of Popcap, the ‘casual’ game studios whose games are the equivalent of digital crack, they’re so addictive. Nothing so casual about that. The company built its reputation, and fortunes, off of the success of Bejeweled, but has gone on to release a host of other titles since. It’s latest game, however, may be it’s very best. Tower defense title Plants vs. Zombies was released for PC and Mac a while ago now and then later the iPhone, and now comes the iPad version. How does the Apple tablet version fair?

Been here, done that, still sooo much fun

Having played Plants vs. Zombies to, umm, death on Mac and iPhone, this isn’t exactly new. Which is why it still having its hooks after hundreds of hours of play is very surprising.

How it works

The basic premise is your character – whom you never see but get to hear die a gruesome death when his brains get eaten – is experiencing a full scale zombie attack on his house. And, luckily, his plants, when planted, act as defense weapon against your many varied zombie attackers. The sun – and your accompanying sunflower plant act as the economy with which you can purchase new plants as you progress, with plants ranging from defensive walnuts which take a while to chew through or watermelon cannon launchers which, well, launch cannonmelons, of course. Your job is to organize your garden efficiently, given the limited space, and stop Zombies from reaching your house.

Photo: Apple

As the challenge ramps up, so too do the zombies, starting out as pure cannon fodder Zombies in warn down suits, to football (American) gear protected running backs to one of the greatest characters of any video game ever in the Michael Jackson thriller Zombie with accompanying backup dancers. Seriously, we couldn’t make this stuff up.

What does the iPad bring

The iPad feels like the most natural home for Plants vs. Zombies HD. The large touchscreen interface wherein everything, like the computer versions and the iPhone, is drag-and-drop based feels absolutely natural on the gorgeous display on the Apple tablet.

Seriously, and this may sound like hyperbole, but not only is Plants vs. Zombies HD a worthwile iPad purchases, the Apple tablet itself may be worth buying just for this game. And no, we weren’t paid to say that.

Photo: Apple

While it’s taken the Mac a very long time to be considered a true gaming platform, with Steam finally sending the platform over the edge, casual games have always had a home on the Mac. Here are three casual games all Mac gamers should have.

Bejeweled/Peggle/Plants. Vs Zombies

Photo: PopCap

Yes, this is a bit of a cheat, but PopCap’s casual games are all so good that one cannot help but consider that company’s titles one giant heap of casual gaming fun. Bejeweled, the ball matchmaking game, was the company’s first breakout hit, with Peggle and desktop defense classic Plants vs. Zombies following close behind. Though we advise these titles with trepidation due to them being the closest thing to digital crack on your Mac, for those really addicted, you can get them on your iPhone, too, from the App store.

World of Goo

World of Goo was a surprise hit in late 2008, combining intelligent physics mechanics with great characters to make the greatest bridge building game ever.

The character design is among the very best we’ve ever seen in any video game (or illustration, in general) and the act of using your limited knowledge of physics to figure out how to get from point A to point B by combining your various Goo Balls together is way more fun than it should be. World of Goo is available for the PC and Nintendo Wii, too.

Machinarium

Photo: Amanita Design

Machinarium is a throwback to times past. A game that is a pure point-and-click adventure where banished boy (well, discarded cute robot) breaks into the town his girlfriend (well, imprisoned cute female robot) is being held to save her and the day. The story is not unlike anything you’ve seen before, but the visuals, gameplay and puzzles make the experience very unique. And it’s even more fun to play with other people, to boot, making this an ideal title for Mac gamers who have younger siblings who like watching and giving suggestions.

Until Steam arrives, Mac gamers have no excuse for not picking up these casual gaming gems. In fact, Mac gamers have no excuse for not having these casual gaming gems already.

Photo: Apple

Casual games maker, Popcap, has continued to prove it’s capable of printing money at will by smashing the iPhone record for the fastest selling paid app in app store history, with over 300 000 titles moving in a mere nine days.

Inevitable success

Photo: Apple

Plants vs. Zombies, which was released for PC and Mac in 2009, is a desktop tower defense game where you protect your house by lining your lawn with anti-zombie vegetation, which either shoots your enemies or protects your base. A pea transforms into a peashooter and an acorn is used as a path blocker zombies must first chew through to proceed. The title went on to become the fastest selling title in the history of Popcap, of Bejeweled fame.

At $1 (£0.64) per download on the app store, the company has reportedly earned over $1 million (£ 650 000) for releasing Plants vs. Zombies iPhone, which is essentially a port of a year-old game.

Not a single wrong step

Photo: Popcap

Popcap simply cannot put a foot wrong, on PC or the app store. The company has achieved what many other video game developers strive for: traction within a female audience without unnecessarily dumbing down the experience too much for more core gamers. It’s also managed to achieve ubiquity and unbridled success across PC, Mac and the iPhone with a small retail presence, since it derives the bulk of its revenue from online sales. This, in turn, means Popcap get to keep more money than other developers who have to share a large chunk of their revenue with distribution and retail partners.

Even then, Popcap has just taken in a massive round of venture capital – which it did not need – so as to finance accelerated growth. Whatever that means, gamers can rest assured the company is due to churn out titles of Plants vs. Zombies ilk that are more addictive and fun than a video game should legally be allowed to be.