The year in which we're all expected to die a fiery death, 2012, has been a wonderful one for social games. We've seen the release of direct sequels to two of the most successful Facebook games to date, the arrival of the almighty Angry Birds and a surge in role-playing games that might impress even the most hardcore of gamer.The twelfth year of this century also saw the next logical step in a timeless franchise, and a diversion that somehow made solitaire, of all games, exciting. And now, it's time for you to decide which social game from 2012 is better than all the rest.
After serious consideration (and multiple meetings), we've agreed upon eight of the most impressive games of 2012 for you to vote upon, Facebook Game Face-off-style. Without further ado, let Round One of Games.com's Best Social Game of 2012: Readers' Choice Awards begin:
FarmVille 2 vs. Solitaire Blitz
The direct sequel to the most iconic social game of all time entered the third dimension this year. Along with it came a whole new approach to farming games on Facebook, one that's no doubt easier on the eyes. This year also saw an impressive, refreshing take on a timeless, classic card game that not only made it social, but made it infinitely more appealing and interesting.CityVille 2 vs. Angry Birds Friends
Going 3D was"in" this year on Facebook, with yet another mega popular franchise getting the treatment. With that came a city-builder more robust in play style by a large margin and one that felt more alive than ever. This was also the year of the bird, with the world's most recognized avian characters getting more exposure than ever. The Facebook rendition of the franchise introduced intriguing power-ups and some seriously interesting social components.SimCity Social vs. Marvel: Avengers Alliance
One of the games that put the phrase "god game" on the map dove into Facebook in a big way. The city-builder the sparked a genre kept some of the more intensive components of its predecessors in such a way to make itself more appealing to the casual sect--no small feat. And who thought an RPG based around a bunch of men and women in tights beating the pulp out of each other would be a huge hit? Well, a punchy and cerebral battle system, a sprawling story and one of the most popular comic book brands of all time certainly helped.The Grinns Tale vs. Dungeon Rampage
These two winning games are proof that Facebook can be home to both artistic and bombastic RPGs. The former of which presented an adorable adventure coupled with an interesting battle system and charm shining throughout. The latter, however, surprised players with an intense, real-time dungeon romp filled with nasty monsters, flamboyant characters and explosive attacks to make for some white-knuckle play sessions. (Perhaps a first for Facebook.)NOTE: Voting for Round One ends on Dec. 24 at 12 p.m. EST sharp, so vote now!
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