PopCap Games

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PopCap Games is an online gaming developer and publisher, based in Seattle, Washington. PopCap Games was founded in 2000 by John Vechey, Brian Fiete, and Jason Kapalka, and currently employs just under 100 people. ^[1] Most of Popcap's games can be played in a limited form for free, either online or as a trial download, with the full version available for a fee.

PopCap’s games have been downloaded more than 150 million times^{[citation needed]}, and its flagship title Bejeweled has sold more than 5 million units across all major platforms. PopCap games are available for Web, PC and Mac, Xbox, Xbox 360, cell-phones, PDAs, and other mobile devices. PopCap also runs a developer program to provide an opportunity for independent game developers to create and spread their games.

On August 22, 2006, it was announced on Valve software's steampowered Web site that PopCap Games had entered into an agreement with Valve software to deliver PopCap's games via Valve's Steam content delivery system. Beginning on August 30, 2006, 17 of PopCap's products became available via Steam. In keeping with PopCap tradition, each PopCap game offered via Steam is available for a free trial period as well as for purchase. ^[2] When purchased in this fashion, the titles are available for US$19.95 per game, or US$89.95 for all 17 games.

1 Games
2 Trivia and Easter eggs
3 References
4 See also
5 External links

[edit] Games

PopCap games are best described as simple, but addictive^{[citation needed]}; game tutorials often take up a single screen with usually just two to three rules displayed. Many games display additional rules as the player progresses in the game, such as information about bonus items. The games each feature unique design and story/concept^{[citation needed]}.

Most games run both with or without hardware acceleration, are usually controllable with the mouse, and often feature various game modes based on the same concept (although in many cases, this is just the introduction of a time limit).

[edit] List of games published and/or developed by PopCap

Alchemy
AstroPop
Atomica
Bejeweled
Bejeweled 2
Big Money
Bonnie's Bookstore
Bookworm
Chuzzle
Feeding Frenzy
Feeding Frenzy 2
Dynomite
Hammer Heads
Heavy Weapon
Iggle Pop
Insaniquarium
Mummy Maze
NingPo Mahjong
Noah's Ark
Pixelus
Pizza Frenzy
Psychobabble
Rocket Mania
Seven Seas
Talismania
TipTop
Typer Shark
Word Harmony
WordStalk (no longer supported)
Zuma

[edit] Awards

According to the official company website, PopCap games have won at least 19 industry awards, including Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame status for Bejeweled.

[edit] Music

Games generally use tracker music as soundtracks, often written by Future Crew members Jonne Valtonen and Peter Hajba.

[edit] Trivia and Easter eggs

In Astropop, do the following:
1. In the options, turn down the music volume and turn up the sound effects volume; this step is not necessary but it helps.
2. In the main menu, hover the mouse over the menu items in the following order: "Hall of Fame", "Hall of Fame", "Classic Game", "Hall of Fame", "Survival Game", "Survival Game", "Hall of Fame", "Options", "More Games", "Quit". Done correctly, the buttons should play the melody of Funkytown.
3. Four rockets will appear flying across the screen with the phrase "LET'S GO!".
The Big Money soundtrack bears some resemblances to Peter Gabriel's Big Time.