The Sims is easily one of the most well-established franchises in gaming, and The Sims Social does a great job in reimagining the series for social platforms. The game streamlines many of the features found in other Sims titles, giving players control of just one Sim and presenting more simplified options for home construction and management. By trimming some of these features back, the game has an increased focus on the interaction between individual Sims.

Player-to-player interaction in The Sims Social goes well beyond sending gifts and the like. Rather, players form in-game relationships with their friends’ avatars, allowing them to become arch-enemies, friends, or even lovers. The game strongly encourages players to interact with others, and does a great job in capturing the social element of social gaming.

Empires and Allies

Developed by Zynga, this game takes the framework from previous titles like Cityville and Farmville, and expands them in several meaningful ways to create an experience that, while still familiar, adds some exciting changes to the city-management formula.

Empires and Allies has players managing and developing their own plot of land, outfitting it with army barracks, naval ports, and airfields to do battle with AI and player-controlled enemies.

The game allows players to progress through an ongoing ­single-player campaign, providing even more incentive to strengthen your virtual army.

The game’s rock-paper-scissors approach to combat works well within the game’s light strategic framework, and bolsters the traditional base building systems with some fast-paced, strategic diversions.

Triple Town

Having made its debut on the Amazon Kindle, Triple Town has now made its way onto social network as one of the most addictive titles on the platform.

While technically a city-building title on the surface, Triple Town has much more in common with a match-three puzzle game.

Players match up bushes, trees, houses, and a number of other items to create increasingly valuable structures in their small and developing village. When the 6 x 6 grid fills up, it’s game over – but you’ll more than likely just want to try again to beat your high score.

Adventure World

Adventure World takes a different route from the traditional city-management games, and presents a progression-based framework with accessible single-player appeal and a unique blend of social mechanics.

The main focus in Adventure World is exploration and puzzle solving. In the game, players work their way through a series of ruins by manipulating ancient mechanisms and fighting off the aggressive local fauna.

The game ties in social elements by having players call in their friends for help in certain areas, granting them the tools they need to progress. The game’s slightly more cerebral take on social gaming is a breath of fresh air.

Woodland Hereos

Woodland Heroes stands out thanks to its accessible yet deceptively engaging strategy formula. At its core, Woodland Heroes is very much like the classic board game Battleship. Players arrange their war machines on pre-defined grids and battle it out with a series of AI-controlled opponents. Along the way, they will gather new weapons, conquer territories, and progress through a far-reaching single-player campaign.

Woodland Heroes succeeds particularly well at creating an experience that players of any skill level can jump into, while simultaneously presenting just enough depth to hold the interest of a seasoned, traditional fan of the medium.

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