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Playdom brings award winning Facebook hidden object game Gardens of Time to iPad

Look hard. It's free-to-play

Playdom brings award winning Facebook hidden object game Gardens of Time to iPad
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| Gardens of Time

Typically when we're writing about hidden objects games on iOS, they're being released by Big Fish, which is the largest publisher of this sort of content.

Gardens of Time is different for plenty of reasons, however.

For one thing, it's from Playdom, part of Disney, and is a conversion of its successful Facebook game, which was also named Best Social Network Game at GDC Online 2011 in October.

For another it's a free-to-play, with a business model including energy and the purchase of in-game currency to unlock levels quicker and buy new items.

I spy

Of course, at its core - as with all hidden object games - you're often staring at complex images, trying to pick out different objects.

Neatly, however, there's a time travelling plot element that sees you travelling into various interesting locations - Egyptian Pyramids, Westminster Abbey, The Great Wall of China etc - unlocking signature items that you use to customise your time garden, hence the game's title.

There's a range of strange characters and a twisting plot to keep you interested too.

With Friends

The game features all of the social elements of the Facebook version in which players can challenge each other, send gifts and hints, and visit friends' personal gardens to help with quests.

On iPad, these features are also supported via OpenFeint, Game Center, and your email contacts.

"When Gardens of Time launched earlier this year, the hidden object genre was considered new to social gaming. Billions of hidden object game sessions later, the game is now one of the most popular titles on Facebook," said John Spinale, senior vice president of social games at Disney Interactive Media Group.

"Gardens of Time gameplay is perfectly suited for a tablet experience, and by giving our audience the opportunity to play on the go, we see an opportunity to engage with millions of players on an entirely new platform."

Jon Jordan
Jon Jordan
A Pocket Gamer co-founder, Jon can turn his hand to anything except hand turning. He is editor-at-large at PG.biz which means he can arrive anywhere in the world, acting like a slightly confused uncle looking for the way out. He likes letters, cameras, imaginary numbers and legumes.