Three Facebook games to look out for this week

Ninja Saga mission
The AppData weekly numbers on the fastest growing Facebook games is out again and this week you're in for a treat. That is, if you like ninjas, knights and monsters. If you're into any of those three topics (who wouldn't like at least one of those?), then join us behind the cut for a look at three Facebook games that could very well be the net big thing. And even if you don't, be open-minded for once, will ya?
Ninja Saga Combat
Ninja Saga
Here we have a game with over 5.3 million monthly players yet chooses not to reveal the name of its developer. However, just a glance at even the game's logo will reveal how unabashedly Ninja Saga has ripped from Naruto, the super-popular anime series. It's safe to say this is most likely the reason for the secrecy.

Everything from this game's visual aesthetic to its characters' outfits to its brief plot just scream Naruto. Obvious copycatting aside, Ninja Saga is a pretty robust Facebook RPG with impressive cut scenes and a good variety of missions.

Mission include everything from using a new ability on training dummies in the Kage Room, or training area, to delivering messages to other villages in little mini games with randomized battles. While every mission pretty much amounts to combat (sometimes pretty complex combat, at that), throw in a couple of friends and a real-time battle arena and you got yourself an addicting little brawler.

Character progression works through buying ninja abilities in the Academy and equipping your character with them. It's recommended that you stick with one element of skills since each time you level up, you'll gain points to increase the effectiveness of your elemental powers. Spreading your points across all five elements would result in your character suffering jack-of-all-trades syndrome.

The paid portion of this game comes in the form of Ninja Tokens, which are currently used to speed up your progress in the game rather than bar you from most items. Better yet, the game features a gold-to-token converter that allows you to avoid paying cash for those items that do cost Tokens. Also, be sure to make a clan (think mafias in Mafia Wars) if you want to stay competitive in the player versus player portions of the game.

Play Ninja Saga Now >

Kingdoms of Camelot gameplay
Kingdoms of Camelot
This strategy game developed by Kabam! is definitely not for the casual folk. With walls of text explaining statistics and the numbers attached to them, this is a Civilization fan's dream come to Facebook--and with over 6.2 million monthly players, Facebook must be filled with folks itching for a strategy fix.

The game leads you through its complexities via quests (and an elaborate guide book) that will get you started on mustering your defenses. Oh, did we mention that you're on a deadline? Because it takes a while to amass a kingdom fit to defend itself, players are barred from attacking new players for four days after they begin the game. After that buffer, it's a Facebook-wide free-for-all.

Spend the four days of tranquility gathering resources by building mines, farms and sawmills outside of your keep's wall while inside building cottages and barracks to increase your population and military reserves. To speed up production, preparation, and proliferation, Kingdoms of Camelot offers speed increases and stat boosts through paid transactions known as Gems.

The game seems like it will require an epic amount of patience for what might turn out to be a flop. But keep an eye on it for at least four days to see if the combat system is at least interesting or if your interested in a real-time, persistent world on Facebook. Until then, keep on building!

Play Kingdoms of Camelot Now >

Monster World tutorial
Monster World
This cute little farming simulator from Wooga takes the tried and true formula and gives it a new makeover: adorably weird monsters and goofy crops like 'lemonade bushes." The goal of Monster World, which we would have never guessed going off the title (really), is to make the best and brightest Monster Garden. This is done in the same way most farming games operate, which is to harvest crops to buy decorations and expand your garden.

At least the game does something to explain who exactly you're selling your ripe crops to. Meet Robert the Robot, a composting machine that takes your crops and sells the byproduct elsewhere (we told you it was weird). Selling the crops when Robert wants to buy them will net you more money than the average market price, so be on time.

So, what's to make you buy decorations and not amass crops and money? You're little three-legged monster farmer will become unhappy and go on strike. Literally. He will not plant one more crop until you raise his happiness through buying decorations, which can get pretty expensive. All in all, it's a balance between decor and good farming. If you're looking for a pallet swap from your traditional FarmVille, look no further. Plus, with over 3.4 million players monthly, you certainly won't be alone for long.

Play Monster World Now >