It’s been something of a slow week in the casual game world. For example, most of the Big Fish Games and PlayFirst updates this week were titles that were either members only previously or already launched earlier on other sites. (Enlightenus, Wedding Dash: Ready, Aim Love, Holly 2: Magic Land, Pahelika: Secret Legends, Spiderz, etc…) Very few new casual games debuted.

Of course this helps us appreciate the weeks where tons of games are released. Besides, it isn’t like this week has been terribly barren. Lost Fortunes, Posh Boutique 2, Jane’s Zoo and Mystic Diary: Lost Brother all made their debut.

This week’s best bet is: Lost Fortunes (PC)

Mystic Diary: Lost Brother
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Games, Harmonic Flow
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: A magician’s brother has disappeared, and it’s up to the player to help find him. A mystic diary has been left behind, and it can be used to travel around the world to find the lost man.
Demo Available: Yes

Jane’s Zoo
Genre: Strategy (Time Management)
Availability: Realore Studios
Retail Price: $19.95
Platform: Windows
Premise: Jane is saving endangered and exotic animals in Jane’s Zoo by building all sorts of refuges in Africa, Asia and Europe. Players help her manage them.
Demo Available: Yes

Lost Fortunes
Genre: Puzzle
Availability: Harmonic Flow, GameHouse, RealArcade
Retail Price: $9.99
Platform: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: An evil fortune teller is trying to steal your soul. But don’t despair! You can save yourself and the others she already captured in her crystal ball by playing and solving all sorts of minigames.
Demo Available: Yes

The Magician’s Handbook II: BlackLore
Genre: Puzzle (Hidden Object)
Availability: Big Fish Game Club (members only)
Retail Price: $6.99
Platform: Windows XP and Vista
Premise: All the magicians and fairies have been captured by the magician pirate BlackLore, because he needs their abilities to power his pirate ship. However, you are still save and have the Magician’s Handbook. With its assistance, you can stop BlackLore and set the captured people free. (It should be available to everyone in a week or so.)
Demo Available: Not to the general public

Posh Boutique 2
Genre: Strategy (Time Management)
Availability: GameHouse, RealArcade
Retail Price: $19.95
Platform: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Premise: Alicia became a successful boutique owner in Posh Boutique, where she took over her grandmother’s stores. Now she’s won the lottery and is able to make all of her stores even more extravagent and lavish.
Demo Available: Yes

Townopolis Gold
Genre: Simulation
Availability: GameHouse
Retail Price: $19.95
Platform: You create and build your own neighborhoods.
Premise: Windows 2000, XP and Vista
Demo Available: Yes

Editor’s Note: Due to so many casual games sites offering game plans or preferred member prices, which can cause a game to have multiple price-points, the games’ average retail prices is mentioned in Casual Friday.

Site [Big Fish Games] Site [PlayFirst] Site [GameHouse] Site [eGames] Site [Alawar Games] Site [Amazon] Site [Reflexive Arcade]