Gaming: Whata-sphere?

Big Fish Games has a new cash cow... Faunasphere. A web-based, basic free-to-play RPG where you run around a futuristic biodome, saving it from pollution as a cuddly furry creature. Upgrading to a pay account will net you extra character slots (aka "fauna") and currency tokens only available to premium accounts. They have three pay tiers, and "bux" (the premium currency) can be purchased seperately.

Guess what my daughter's new passion is? :/ And finding it was my own darn fault.

It's a fun little game, with some basic quest lines and thin story. What's captured my imagination is the breeding and genetics of the fauna. As time progresses, your fauna (whether horse, turtle, or whatever) gets closer and closer to laying an egg. The egg takes on characteristics of both the one who lays the egg, and the one who nests with it.

Genetics was always my favorite part of The Sims, too.

Whatever gives you the urge to keep playing, Faunasphere is worth a look or two. It might even be worth the lowest "pay to play" tier at $2.99. But $9.99 a month? I'm thinking that's a little steep, and only for the hard-core, must have 30 fauna in my stable types. Or people with more money than bills.