Farmville 2 (Credit: Zynga)Not too long ago, many people believed Facebook was the Next Big Thing in gaming. Developers debated it -- sometimes ferociously -- at conventions, while venture capitalists couldn't fund the companies making those games fast enough.

But over the past few months, the air seems to have been let out of Facebook's tires. Major publishers are withdrawing their support. Pop culture breakouts like Farmville are far and few between. Most damningly, players seem to have moved on to other diversions.

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It isn't faster than a speeding bullet, nor is it more powerful than a locomotive. But it can leap tall buildings in a single bound...if you throw it at the ground hard enough.

No, not Superman, but the Super Ball. Sold by the fantastically named Wham-O corporation (who also brought you Hula Hoops, Hacky Sacks, and Silly String), millions of the surprisingly springy spheres have thrilled countless children and adults with their high-flying antics.

But what on earth makes them so incredibly bouncy? Turns out the answer is all in the rubber.

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New Zelda for 3DS (Credit: Nintendo)It might be the year of Luigi, but another green-garbed Nintendo mascot stole the spotlight Wednesday as Nintendo announced a slew of upcoming titles.

An all-new The Legend of Zelda game set in the world of 1991’s The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is scheduled to launch for the 3DS this holiday season. Also on the way are new entries in the Yoshi's Island and Mario Party series, as well as the U.S. arrival of the cult-classic Earthbound, the company announced in a direct broadcast to fans.

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(Credit: EA)Did you buy an EA football game between 2003 and 2012? You might have some money coming to you -- even more than you thought.

Recent modifications to the class-action settlement EA made regarding the games could triple the amount paid out to claimants, reports Polygon. Under the new terms, people will receive $20.37 per game, as opposed to $6.79, if they bought a copy for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube or Windows PC. Those who bought a version for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii will see $5.85 per game, instead of $1.95.

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Though 3D gaming has yet to catch on the way Sony and Nintendo had envisioned, that hasn’t dissuaded other companies from pushing the dimensional envelope. Oculus, makers of the soon-to-be-released Rift headset, have been blowing minds with their incredibly cool virtual reality tech, but none more tenderly than the mind of Paul Rivot’s awesome 90-year-old grandmother.

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There’s no getting around it: gaming is changing.

People routinely play games on Facebook (and it’s not all just ‘Villes on there anymore, either). People routinely play games on their phones. People routinely play games without spending a dime – or spending precisely as many dimes as they’re comfortable with.

One of the themes of 2013 is the way developers are retooling classic designs and genres to fit the new platforms. Whether you yearn for classic role-playing adventure, are jonesing for a slick first-person shooter, or want to puzzle like it’s 1989, there’s a new slate of free and mobile titles gunning for your dwindling free time. Here are 5 worth watching.

Read More »from Freemium and webgames and mobile, oh my! 5 upcoming freebies to watch

The Sims Social (Credit: EA)Electronic Arts is unfriending Facebook.

In a surprise announcement Monday, the publisher revealed plans to sunset several of its games on the social network, including The Sims Social, SimCity Social and Pet Society.

The shutdown of The Sims Social is particularly shocking since the game was one of the most popular titles on Facebook just over a year ago, with the number of daily active users topping 10 million.

That number has dropped, though, in a big way. Today, the game boasts just 500,000 daily players, according to App Data, and is about to fall out of the Top 100 Facebook titles.

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(Credit: Daniel Sherrouse)Add Daniel Sherrouse to the short list for geeky father of the year.

While most dads would probably be happy to help their kids build a spaceship out of a cardboard box and some aluminum foil, he took things a bit further, building a much, MUCH more detailed simulator.

How detailed? Imagined a 5x8 trailer filled with dashboards, controls, and other equipment. And to top it all off, the simulator lets anyone sitting in the captain's seat play the huge, open-ended Pioneer Space Simulator game.

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