Currently I’m embarking on a fortitude-testing quest: I’m exposing myself to social casual games.

Why?

Social gaming is now (arguably, of course) the world’s most popular form of gaming.

My first exposure to these games was a brief one a little over a year-and-a-half ago.

At that time, I dismissed them as “those time wasters that people play between Facebook updates.”

Since that time, social gaming’s ability to successfully grab (and maintain) people’s hearts, minds, and wallets has been indisputable.

As a fan of games, amateur game designer, and perhaps more importantly, a user experience creator, I feel it is critical that I understand the mechanics of these games and what type of experiences these games provide.

As such, I’m now diving into these games head first and giving them a chance to woo me in the same way that they have seemed to woo 65+ (80+?) million others.

Currently, I’m exploring CityVille, Zombie Farm, and Trade Nations.

My plan is to dissect this adventure (and my learnings) in future blog posts. Stay tuned!