Farmville on Facebook - an Overview of the New Social Game Sensation

Farmville is gaining more popularity with social gamers on Facebook. Zynga even claims that this is the fastest growing game they have had so far. Several players on my own friends list have commented on how addicting the game is. Let's take a closer look at the game...

What is Farmville?

Farmville is a flash based game available on Facebook and designed by Zynga Social games. The game resembles other "Sims" type games with the object of this one being to, you guessed it, build a farm! Players earn coins by growing and harvesting crops and trees and collecting from various animals (eggs from chickens, milk from cows, etc.). Players also earn "money" every time they level up and money can be used to purchase items that aren't available to purchase with coins. Players can also buy decorations (fences, hay bales, picnic tables, benches etc.), buildings (house, barns, tool sheds etc.), vehicles (tractor, harvester and seeder) and eventually you can purchase an upgrade to expand your farm.

How do you gain money, coins and items with Farmville?

There are only 2 ways to earn money on Farmville and that is by levelling up and buying it outright. Reaching new levels will also unlock new items to either send as gifts or to buy with coins. These can be seeds, decorations or buildings. Gifting is something you can do if you have other friends (known as neighbors) playing Farmville. You're allowed to choose certain items to send as a free gift. Some of these items are available only as free gifts so the more neighbors you have, the better.

Farmville runs in real time so you have no choice but to wait the specified amount of time for the money making items to become available. Harvesting times of items range from a few hours to a few days.

What else is there to do in Farmville?

Other options in Farmville include helping your friends out by visiting their farms and doing chores which, in turn, gives you experience and coins. The best way to earn experience is by planting seeds and helping out friends and the best way to earn coins is by harvesting crops, harvesting trees and collecting from animals. It should be pointed out that harvesting trees and collecting from animals does not give you experience. You can also earn ribbons for performing different tasks. Each time you earn a ribbon you get bonus coins and a free item.

Farmville is still very new so it's all a work in progress and new items and options are added frequently.