Play CityVille for instant access to Mafia Wars Brazil - Our first look

If you've been disappointed by the closure of both Mafia Wars Cuba and Moscow, perhaps the new release of Mafia Wars Brazil will cheer you up. If you've fallen out of playing Mafia Wars, or if you've never even begun, you'll be invited to do so the next time you play CityVille via a pop-up like the one above. Apparently, this is one offer we won't want to refuse - yikes!

If you accept, you'll be given instant access to Mafia Wars Brazil, which is apparently only available to certain players as of this writing (like those that take advantage of the CityVille invitation). Once you make your way into Brazil, you'll see that the new expansion comes with all new jobs, properties, items and more, just as you'd expect from any proper Mafia Wars expansion.

We've got a full look at what this expansion contains, so meet us behind the break.

Mafia Wars Brazil is perhaps the most technically impressive of the game's expansions, with a streamlined user-interface. Each of the location's five districts are unlocked to you one at a time, by completing missions in the district before, and as you do jobs, you'll see a lot less clutter crowding the screen. You'll start in Rio de Janeiro: Centro, which contains 11 separate jobs, each of which comes with their own detailed image, rather than there just being an image for every few jobs.

You'll still see how may energy points you'll need to complete each job, and how many experience points and Real (this expansion's currency) you'll receive for completing each job, but that's it in terms of information. If you need to purchase items (weapons, animals, vehicles, etc.) in order to be eligible to complete the job, this will be shown to you once you click on the "Do Job" button, and you'll be able to instantly purchase the needed items and move on, without moving to the store and back again.

In Brazil, your Mafia plays a new and special role in your activities. You'll see a Crew line at the top of your Jobs page, and you'll be able to activate Crew members in one of four categories: Jobs, Fighting, Robbing, and Properties. Depending on which positions you activate (which can only be done once every 18 hours), you'll be able to earn special bonuses while completing the accompanying tasks.

Their are eight different Crew "jobs" that can be activated (that is, roles that your crew can play - not jobs that require energy). Here are their bonuses:

Strategist - Twice the Job Mastery for the next 20 Jobs you do
Lockpick - Twice the loot for the next 20 Jobs you do
Mercenary - No stamina used for your next 50 fights
Marksman - Double attack power for your next 50 fights
Scout - Finds properties that have special collection items for your first three Robbing screens
Arsonist - Guaranteed success of robbing your first three properties on your first three Robbing screens
Taskmaster - Twice the Real earned from your properties
Guardian - Protects your properties from being robbed while in Brazil for a span of 18 hours

Properties have also been changed in Brazil (when compared to some other locations), requiring you to collect building parts to upgrade your businesses/properties to the next star-level, rather than just spending a large sum of money to do so.

Each time you complete the first wave of jobs in a new District in Brazil, you'll receive a special item, and will unlock the next District, but you can of course always stay in your current location and work on maximizing your Mastery on those jobs to the four-star level.

Brazil comes with new properties, new weapons, animals, vehicles, achievements, and one-time use loot items. There's a ton of content here to look at and play through, so make sure to login to CityVille and activate your pass to Brazil, if it isn't available in your game by default.

Have you tried Mafia Wars Brazil? What did you think of this new expansion? Is the streamlined interface working for you, or do you prefer to see more details about your jobs as you complete them?

FarmVille English Countryside Sneak Peek: Decorations galore revealed

While heavy, fairly supported rumors have been circling for the past 48 hours concerning the imminent launch of the English Countryside in FarmVille, we've been told by FarmVille Community Manager Grimwell that the update will not be happening tonight. However, that doesn't mean that we can get even more excited for the upcoming expansion by looking at a slew of new content that will be available in the game.

We have an absolute treasure trove of decorative items to share with you, all of which will apparently be available (and only available) in the English Countryside expansion. Via the large picture at the top of this post, you can see there are all sorts of vehicles, statues, and various other goodies to purchase/receive through other means. From left to right in the image above, we have: Double Decker Bus, an unnamed classic vehicle, the Motorbike, Sportscar, English Balloon, English Airplane, Police Box, Wooden Bench, Venus Duck, Caesar Goat, Discus Cow, Gold Sheep Statue, Wooden Fence, Pub Sign, Potted Flowers and a Butler Gnome.

With so many vehicles / modes of transportation being in this set, it seems likely that this will be one of the collections in the upcoming English Countryside Wishing Well. Additionally, keep in mind that the names of some of these items may chance as they are officially released.

We'll make sure to give you all of the details about these decorative / English Countryside items as they become available in the game.

Check out the rest of our English Countryside coverage right here.

FarmVille feedback survey asks, 'Would you recommend me?'

We know you hate the Pause feature, but put the pitchforks down for a second--this news could help your farm down the line. According to FarmVille Freak, several FarmVille farmers have reported a link to a feedback survey located beneath the game screen. This is no sponsored link, folks. Clicking on the link will bring players to a separate web page containing a survey of seven questions. Among feedback on the English Countryside expansion, the most notable query is simple: "How likely are you to recommend FarmVille?"

The next, large question features several considerations that many players complain are what drove them away like "efficiency" and "technical issues." It looks like Zynga is trying to restore their former glory through--wait for it--changing the game itself. Check out the survey in full right here; this could change the game for the better later down the line.

Have you seen or taken the survey already? What change or upgrade to FarmVille would make you most likely recommend the game to someone?

CityVille Police Station Upgrades 5 and 6: Everything you need to know

While higher education doesn't normally lead to higher crime rates, that's exactly what it did in CityVille, oddly enough. Levels 5 and 6 of the Police Station released recently, which resulted in four new Bandits breaking out into the streets. Thankfully, you have a new Police Cruiser and Helicopter to combat them. Here's how to do it.
New Bandits
First of all, you will have to capture 30 Bandits to unlock Level 4 before these new levels are available. To reach Level 5 and the Police Cruiser, you must catch 60 Bandits. Getting the Police Helicopter will require Level 6 and 120 Bandit captures. Here are the four brand new Bandits to capture, their level requirements and rewards:

    Night Owl Nick (700 coins)
    Page the Bookworm (800 coins)
    Meredith the Magician (rewards Magic Store)
    Gary the Gadget (rewards Camera Store)


The first three Bandits require a Level 5 Police Station to capture, while the final crook is a Level 6 Bandit. Capturing the latter two will reward you with new Businesses, so it's worth it to try and catch some burglars. For more information on how to capture Bandits, check out our original guide.

[Source and Image Credit: CityVille Info]

Have you seen these upgrades in the game yet? How do you recommend to catch Bandits the fastest?

Earn 2 free FarmVille Farm Cash in Dr. Drew promotion

With everything you left behind on your way to the English Countryside, it might be a good idea to take advantage of every free Farm Cash opportunity you can. Zynga has released yet another FarmVille Sponsored Link, and this time Dr. Drew is here to dole out the dough. Once the link becomes available, find it beneath the game screen--it has a Dr. Drew logo on it. The star of Celebrity Rehab and Sober House has some questions about your own potential addiction.

Clicking on the link will take players to a pop-up survey, surrounded by the wooden-looking border (to remind you that it's official). Just answer Dr. Drew's nagging questions and one you're through the familiar "You've earned your Farm Cash" message should appear in the upper right. Click on the blue X to close the window correctly and your Farm Cash should post to your account within an hour. Now, you're 2 Farm Cash richer and one step closer to getting over your FarmVille addiction. One tiny step.

[Source and Image Credit: FarmVille Freak]

How much Farm Cash have you amassed through free offers? What would spend your cash on in the game?

Poll: Would you ever remove a FarmVille, Facebook game friend?

FrontierVille forum contributor Purselamplady (how do folks come up with these names?) suffers a dilemma. One of her high-level friends, for all intents and purposes, is a load. For all of her request she responds to and Lunches she sends, this gal sends nothing, nor does she help at any point. She just reaps the benefits, as if she needs them more than anyone else. In other words, she's not the type of friend that ... works in FrontierVille. So, to leave or not to leave, that is the question:

Would you ever remove a neighbor?
If they can't contribute like I do, away with 'em!No, because some features require numbers of friends.Yes, but I would try to communicate first.I barely contribute myself--who am I to judge?
VoteView ResultsShare ThisPolldaddy.com

Have a unique answer?

FarmVille: Spin the Wheel of Fuel and win free fuel... just like every other day

Taking a page from the Wheel of Fortune, Zynga has started sending out emails to FarmVille players containing the "Wheel of Fuel." Like the Daily Bonus email, this Wheel of Fuel email offers you free fuel - anything from a single Small can, to three Large cans of fuel.

Unfortunately, this Wheel of Fuel isn't interactive, and overall seems like a rather pointless change. Clicking on the button in your email opens Facebook in a new window where you're simply shown the amount of fuel that you won. There's no flash animation of the Wheel of Fuel actually spinning, you don't get to press a big red button to make it stop. It's all quite a let down, really. Either way, I'm never going to complain about receiving free fuel, so if this is the direction future fuel emails are going to look then bring it on, I say. I just hope no one around me minds when I make up my own spinning sound effects to replace the stationary wheel I see before me.

Have your daily bonus emails started containing the Wheel of Fuel? What do you think of this change?