The 10 Best Casual Games of the Decade (2000-2009)
They’re called casual games because they have relatively straightforward rules and don’t typically require the brow-furrowed commitment of so-called hardcore game titles. But don’t be fooled. Just because a game might only last three minutes doesn’t mean that you won’t find yourself glued to that 3 1/2-inch iPhone screen for hours at a time. We asked our games editor Jason Killingsworth to come up with the 10 Best Casual Games of the Decade. All 10 are pretty easy to learn, but there’s a mind-boggling amount of creativity behind their ostensible simplicity.—Josh Jackson
10. Farmville
We know, we know…you still haven’t told anyone that you spend at least an hour every day tending a little plot of cartoon farmland that exists in your Facebook account. Or how sometimes you’ll just space out, admiring the gorgeous symmetry of those rows of cyber veggies and corn you planted. It’s okay, when you’re ready to come clean, our wall is waiting.
9. World of Goo
We’re tempted to limit our summary of 2D Boy’s whimsical physics puzzle game to two words—Goo Balls—but there’s so much more to love here. The gameplay is so enjoyable that World of Goo’s cheeky art style and endearing story seem like brightly colored icing on an already delicious cupcake.
