Top Five Facebook Applications

Love it or hate it, Facebook is more popular than ever. Facebook's membership gain on Myspace may have been helped by the growing popularity of Facebook applications. If you're a member of the Facebook community you know all about the endless stream of applications, you and others have been drenched in a social cascade of endless request that range from collecting Easter eggs 365 days a year to passing a round of drinks. Here is the top five most enjoyable Facebook applications.

5. Yoville (Zygna)- Be social in disguise. In Yoville, you create and name an avatar, dress them up in everything from gala clothes to punk frocks, then send them off to work, socialize and shop in the Yoville community. The perks are you can decorate your apartment and roam around Yoville, the woes are there really isn't any place to go other than checking out how your friends have decorated their cribs. Yoville is a simple application where your avatar is easy to control and you earn coins by visiting other friends homes. There aren't any time clocks or energy levels to worry about, it's a non-dying game. However, because there really aren't any goals other than decorating an apartment, it can be a very monotonous game. A unique feature is that the avatars of all Facebook players can meet up in the streets of Yoville and carry on conversation that you type. A bubble, much like those in a cartoon strips, shows what you're saying and other players met before can communicate back the same way. It's a unique way to communicate and meet other Facebook members. The best part is they have no idea who you are and you have no idea who they are because you're both hidden behind avatars.

4. Vampire Wars (Zygna) - Not for the "Twilight" at heart. No, you won't find a Bella or Edward Cullen in this game. You create a persona and gore is the only option. It's the original vampires, the evil nightcrawlers that suck blood. After you create your bloodsucker you earn strength by recruiting other players, learning techniques like how to suck blood and fighting other vampire clans. The game is fun once you can figure it out but the problem is it takes a while to do that, because it's descriptions are vague. Also, the graphics are hard to read because of the font and dark coloring. Another downside is the vamp avatar you created loses energy too fast when you first start playing the game. The upside is your friends who love creatures of the night will love this game. It's the only place you can treat them with gifts such as false fangs and lessons from ghouls.

3. Sorority Life (Playdom) - Yes, a chick slap fest. The only game by Playdom that made the cut and for good reason - it's pure cat fighting fun. Create an avatar and join a sorority. It's easy to play and figure out. The mere point of the game is to keep your sorority growing, shop and attack other girls for money and points. The downside is it's not man friendly, the upside is it's not man friendly. However, men do on occasional play along. At least the guys brave enough to make an avatar, dress her like a fashion plate and give her a name life Buffy Bulah Billions. This is a game where shopping is never a guilty pleasure because the more you buy the stronger you become. However, one of the most important things to have are brownie points and they are hard to gather if you don't monitor them wisely. They are needed to buy the more unique gifts and to play some of the challenges to earn points, prizes and money. The real downside is when you realize that Buffy Bulah Billions is in fact your inner wench and not you. A tab called "House Mother" is a place where you can buy more brownie points with a real credit card - unfortunately.

2. Mafia Wars (Zygna) - Kill and be loved for it. Easy to follow. Buy property, inventory and do mob hits to gather strength. Then when you think you have it what it takes to be a made-man you try to assassinated the Godfather. The more mobsters you can recruit the stronger your team becomes. The downside is energy tends to run down quickly and takes a while to regain. A perk is that your friends can send you gifts that you need in order to make your next hit. Don't be suprised once you start playing to receive hords or friend requests from all over the world on your Facebook. Don't worry these (mostly) guys don't want to get to know you, they just want you to cover their back so they can perform carjackings, embezzlements and cold blooded murder. Overall this game is fun, fun, fun.

1. Farmville (Zygna) - There's nothing like a shovel. Why is Farm Town the number one choice? Because it's a the easiest to operate out of all on the list and because you don't have to get your hands dirty plowing gardens. It's also the most family friendly out of all the games listed. Your kids can play it unmonitored, grandma will love it and you will even find out that hoeing a field can get addictive. Be the farmer you learn you always wanted to be, grow produce and raise lifestock, in the soybean fields there isn't any blood, assassinations, zombies or greedy spending. The best part is when your away from the computer and other Facebook neighbors can take over the duties and take care your land. It's a real sense of virtual community.