Giveaway of the Day Forums

1. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   For a couple of years now, I've been watching a set of 4 sites that consistently offer free games that are safe and relatively easy to install. The four are Jenkat Games, FreeGamePick, GameTop and MyPlayCity. Yes, I know, except for Jenkat, you have to watch for homepage and search engine hijacks along with toolbars and opening the site when you close the game but otherwise the sites and games are fine.

   I noticed a few months ago FreeGamePick updated their site and the number of free download games rose from about 141 to 160 in a short period of time. However, since then, there have been NO new free downloadable games. I see a count of 276 for the online games (up at least 3 over the past couple of weeks since I last checked) but nothing in the download area.

   I did see a note a month ago about a game from them that was reverse engineered and ported to Android and SOLD and they had found one from GameTop and let those people know.

   Any idea what is going on? They used to have the 2nd largest number of free download games but now have dropped completely to 4th place!

   I'm just curious if I'm wasting my time even checking them routinely.

   Posted 12 years ago #
2. 

   Whiterabbit-uk
   Games Guru

   They pay developers for each of the games they host on their site. I don't know the details, but I think it's a yearly payment. It could be that FreeGamePick aren't doing that well, with respect to cashing in on the aderts and money gleaned from toolbar installations etc, so can't afford to pay all of the developers. Gametop reduced their game numbers a while back as well, for example they used to have twice the number of breakout games.

   Whether the above is true or not, I don't know, but it sounds plausible.

   I've never used Jenkat games partly because I'd been warned off using them by someone initially, then when I did check out a game to see if it was worth recommending downloads from the site I wasn't impressed. Of course times do change (as evidenced by Gametop and MyPlaycity, both of which have changed their methods frequently). Jenkat also use a download manager called InstallQ that collects information about you habits then recommends other software (they describe InstallQ by saying "additional software may include toolbars, browser add-ons, game applications, anti-virus applications, and other types of applications" (though you are able to decline these if you remember).

   Of the other three I stopped using FreeGamePick when they became aggressive with the toolbars and home page hijacks a few years ago (i.e. they changed from an opt out to you having to install at least a tool bar and/or change your browser home page and search engine. I believe that's changed now, but for some reason it put me off visiting the site again.

   Personally I don't actually download any games from these sites unless its to start a review for an upcoming game giveaway as I prefer to purchase a licence for my arcade games. Usually I only visit them to see if the game giveaways are available from them.

   Posted 12 years ago #
3. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   Of the 4 sites, Jenkat has the best customer service - by far. I've been working with them directly for some time. They hope to do a major upgrade of their site soon.

   Jenkat actually has 2 different download managers, IntelliQ and Optimum Installer. With IntellIQ, you usually have to decline about 5 "offers" to actually download and install the game. With Optimum, it says page 1 of 5 (for the initial acceptance of the game) and when you decline at page 2, it skips everything else and starts the install.

   The ONLY problem with the actual install is you are given no choice as to where it is placed. It's a double! It puts a stub in Program Files (or Program Files (x86) for 64 bit Windows) and the rest in the Common Files subfolder. The good news is there are no registry entries, other than the uninstall, so you can usually just merge the 2 folders (use the Common Files version of the executable) and then MOVE the folder to where you want it OUTSIDE of Program Files. Just delete their shortcuts and make your own.

   I do use CCleaner to get to the uninstall registry and re-direct the pointer to the new folder so even that is fixed. Total time to clean up this garbage - under 5 minutes total.

   Jenkat does NOT open a browser at game exit so it's install is actually the cleanest and has the least amount of "garbage" to clear out (about 4 files, including the extra executable) where MyPlayCity has up to 14 files and 1 folder garbage to clean out!

   I'll have to check my list of GameTop games. I show them at about 200 with MYPlayCity over 800 and JenKat about 254.

   Thanks for the info!

   Posted 12 years ago #
4. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   I think that FreeGamePick must read this forum!

   I did a check today and out of the blue, they added 3 games to the download section. Two of the games are available elsewhere but not the third one -- which I did download and install.

   Posted 12 years ago #
5. 

   Littlemaggit
   Member

   I'm a fan of Hidden Object, Adventure and similar style games and so these sites have suited me very well. (I'm no good at anything that needs quick reactions for various reasons.) I like the choices in JenKat particularly but found that GameTop and FreeGamePick only had the same few for a long time. I've just looked at these two as a result of this thread and realised that there are a couple of new ones that I haven't seen before - so thanks to Dragonlair for pointing it out. I know that some of the games are quite old, but if I haven't come across them before then they're new to me!

   I've also used Gamehouse for a long time, but am saddened that they've changed their policy recently - you used to be able to save up your daily sign-on coins towards a free game coupon for 10,000 coins (took a long time, but no matter). Now, unless you've got an account with them (i.e. your credit card details) you only get a coupon for 90% of the game cost. It's sad, as I only give my financial details to a very few places, so won't be doing this with them, but they are continuing their daily (albeit ad-supported) free games.

   Posted 12 years ago #
6. 

   RosnSC
   Member

   Dragonlair, I checked out FreeGamePick last night. I downloaded one supposedly-free game, only to find it was a 60 minute trial. Did I misread/misunderstand something?

   Posted 12 years ago #
7. 

   Dragonlair
   Member

   RosenSC,

   I'm surprised at that. I've only gotten one recently - one of the three HOGs that were just added to their list.

   My complaint lately is Alawar! I just got a new machine and some of my games I have to re-download (I'm not sure why) and at the moment, a direct download from their site puts a request for a toolbar and junk at the start of the install. What's making me mad is they install it even if you UNCHECK the boxes. It makes no difference if you tell them not to or allow it, they do it!

   Some of the old install programs I have still work and some of them have that request AFTER the game is installed. I just close the installer window at that point - game in - garbage out!

   Posted 12 years ago #

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