Now that I'm in possession of what people are calling the next big portable gaming platform, I need to load it up with games. I've got a few in mind so far — and I did let Randy Nelson from Joystiq talk me into a Scrabble-type app so we could see who's the better wordsmith — but it'd be great to get your recommendations.

Here's what I'm thinking:

First I need Wurdle and Fieldrunners. Back in March I met the creators of both games at a Game Developers Conference panel and heard a lot of good things about both games. Also, I want to support indie gaming.

Second I should get Puzzle Quest. I know it caused me a lot of grief when an early bug deprived me of my Bard character while playing on my ex's iPhone. But the kinks seem to be out now; and really, portable gaming doesn't get much better than Bejeweled wrapped in a role-playing game.

Or maybe it does? Peggle is definitely third on my list both because of quality and because I feel like PopCap Games manufactures my own personal brand of crack and I owe it to them to support my addiction.

On that note and as my fourth choice, I'm keeping my eye out for Plants vs. Zombies on the App Store in January 2010.

Anybody got any other suggestions? Drop me a line in the comments.

From now until January 4th, you can get Bookworm, Peggle and Chuzzle for $1.99 each. Bejeweled 2, sadly, is excluded from this deal so you still have to pay $2.99 for it. Check PopCap's Facebook page for updates on the deal.

What would be completely awesome is if Plants vs. Zombies hits the App Store as part of the sale before the fourth. That's unlikely, though, considering that release dates are largely controlled by Apple's submissions process and PopCap is leaning toward a late January release.

Ah well. Still a good time to own an iPhone anyway what with The Simpsons Arcade out.

We expect that Peggle and the darker, no-more-dangerous Peggle Nights for PSN will feature match the PC and Xbox Live Arcade versions, with Challenges, Adventure modes and replays intact. What the PS3 version brings to the table is the option to upload replays to YouTube, directly from the game itself. Awesome.

Price for Peggle? $9.99 USD. Peggle Nights will run you an additional $4.99 USD, once the fun of the original has been sufficiently drained.

Coming to PSN this Week: Peggle & Peggle Nights [PlayStation.blog]

It'll hit the 360 in the form of downloadable content, and includes everything you'd find in the PC/Mac version of Peggle Nights. Which means 60 new MP levels, 60 new campaign levels and 60 new challenges, along with more achievements.

It'll be out sometime this Fall. It's Peggle. More Peggle. You know what to do.

Peggle XBLA Getting 'Nights' Expansion [Shacknews]

Which means, yes, there's some horrible titles in there. But there are also many games that aren't horrible. The opposite of horrible. Excellent titles.

Games like Peggle. And Plants vs Zombies. And some other games, many of which have been discounted (some by up to 50%) to celebrate the section's opening.

[Family Games @ Steam]

The game comes with ten new levels and includes the "sights, sounds and storyline" of World of Warcraft... plus unicorns and rainbows. Levels in the freebie include "Too Soon, Executus" and "The Traitor King" and new challenges include "Phat Lewtz" and "Pwnyxia."

"PopCap first brought Peggle to Azeroth in April 2009 and got a great reception from World of Warcraft players," said T. Carl Kwoh, Associate Producer at PopCap Games. "We were jazzed to team up with Blizzard to make a World of Warcraft-themed version of Peggle that's available to everyone for free."

When a player quits the game the ending screen includes links to a free demo of the full version of Peggle and a ten day trial for World of Warcraft. Sounds like a pretty neat way to advertise two successful games.

Peggle WOW

See, dropping the game's price to $1 can be seen as part-experiment, part-protest on the part of developers PopCap. As any iPhone owner will know, the device's App Store charts are skewed heavily towards cheap, disposable apps; you'll often see $1 games clogging them up while better, more expensive games (with lower sales) languish unseen.

Case in point: before the sale, Peggle was sitting at around #60 on the App Store game charts. And after the sale? Peggle was sitting pretty at #1, having sold "nearly as many units in those four days as they had in the 3 weeks afters the game's launch".

While it makes for a poignant statement on the way the App Store is structured, doesn't it also make a good argument for pricing the game at $1 permanently?

‘Peggle' iPhone's Meteoric AppStore Boost [MTV]

Today, it's on iPhone — complete with 55 levels, 40 grand master challenges and a new "Extreme Precision" wheel for accurate shoots. There's also a trophy room to track achievements and a mode to face off against friends.

The 10.2MB game is priced at US$4.99.

Peggle released for iPhone by PopCap [iPhone otaku]

Kotaku has learned that Greg Canessa, the man who ran Xbox Live Arcade at the Xbox 360's launch for Microsoft and has since served as vice president of game platforms at PopCap is joining the team at World of Warcraft and Diablo studio Blizzard.

Blizzard has shown an interest in casual gaming recently, weaving PopCap's popular Peggle game into WoW earlier this year and Bejeweled before it.

Peggle, like PopCap's other popular games, was primarily played as a downloadable PC title, lumping it into the casual gaming category with the company's other hits Zuma and Bejeweled.

But in an interview with me earlier this year, Canessa said that Peggle proved its hit potential with a more hardcore crowd and that PopCap seized upon its success with the Half-Life-oriented version of Peggle offered on Steam. (It was also on Canessa's watch overseeing XBLA that the Geometry Wars became a hit also with hardcore gamers).

What Canessa seemed proud of in that context was merging casual game design with hardcore appetites.

And now WoW's got Peggle. And Blizzard now has Canessa.

Blizzard did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

WoW Insider has first details on the addition of the peg-smashing game, which has already begun raiding its way into World of Warcraft. Peggle for World of Warcraft runs within the Blizzard game itself, letting players go head-to-head to while away boredom, as well as helping to decide who gets dropped loot. (That's /peggleloot if you're wondering.)

But the game within a game also mixes up standard Peggle play.

While the WoW version comes with just two "Peggle Masters," players can earn "talent points" that will affect the way the game is played. Like World of Warcraft, the new version of Peggle features a skill tree, letting players modify their shots with higher points, a chance for "critical hits" and increased fever scores.

It's like a video game equivalent of an eightball, one administered right through the retina.

WoW Insider has more extensive details on the Peggle add-on, but if you'd prefer to play it instead of read about it, it's now available for download.

WoW Insider exclusive: PopCap releases Peggle for WoW [WoW Insider]
Peggle Add-on For WoW [PopCap]

Peggle's concept is simple: fire metal balls from a cannon, destroying colored pegs with the help of talking unicorns and skateboarding beavers, ultimately resulting in a screen clearing orgy of points, rainbows, and a feel-good blast of Beethoven. It's all very rewarding work. The Xbox Live Arcade port of Peggle adds what you'd expect from the transition to the Xbox 360, including online multiplayer, voice chat and Achievements, retaining the core gameplay.

Should you catch the extreme fever of Peggle addiction, even if you've already become a graduate of the Peggle Institute?

Loved
It's Peggle, Faithfully Recreated: Everything that made the original Peggle so enjoyable and addictive is present in the Xbox Live Arcade release: the peg crushing fun, the wacky Peggle masters, the challenges that will test your mettle, the overblown, colorful presentation. The game controls beautifully with the Xbox 360 controller, with two precision aiming options that make lining up shots simple without a mouse. The only downside? Not being able to determine exactly where you're aiming as one could with a mouse pointer.

Multiplayer: The ability to hop online and challenge others, extending the life of the Peggle experience, is a fantastic addition. Two-player versus modes are similar to the Master Challenge in the original Peggle, with players taking alternate shots at the same field. Four-player is akin to a scoring challenge, with players competing for the highest score on an individual field. A shot clock keeps the game moving, ensuring that multiplayer games are quick and easy. Given the amount of chance involved and the potential imbalance of the ten Peggle Masters, it may make more sense to take Peggle multiplayer more casually than other Xbox 360 titles. But it's still a blast.

Hated
Not Much New For Peggle Vets: If you've played either Peggle (or Peggle Nights), don't expect to be swimming in new content, new characters and new challenges. Those totally fresh to the Peggle experience likely won't consider this a fault, but this is very much a port of the two-year-old game of the same name.

The Xbox Live Arcade port of Peggle is fantastic, casual, relaxing fun. It's also one of the better deals on Xbox Live Marketplace, considering blowing through the Adventure mode alone will probably take a good six hours or so. Unlockable challenges and master duels will likely double that, with solid multiplayer support pushing it into the ultra extreme value zone.

For casual fun on the Xbox 360 it's nigh impossible to surpass Peggle.

Peggle was developed and published by Popcap Games, released on Xbox Live Arcade on March 11th. Retails for 800 Microsoft Points ($10 USD). Played Adventure mode to completion, played multiple challenges and tested online and local multiplayer modes.

Confused by our reviews? Read our review FAQ.

While the Xbox Live Arcade release is still listed as "TBD" on both Xbox.com and the official Peggle web site, the boxed version—PopCap Arcade Vol. 2—has a March 31 release date. That ships with the XBLA version of Peggle, along with the already released Heavy Somethingorother and Feeding Blah Blah Blah 2.

At $19.99, it's not a bad value. But the standalone version of Peggle, which adds four-player online action, is planned to retail for a mere 800 Microsoft Points.

PopCap Arcade Vol. 2 [Peggle Fever]

Forbes writes of PopCap's plans for 2009, some aspects of which we're already aware of. It's bringing Peggle to the Nintendo DS and Xbox Live Arcade this year, as well as dropping more guaranteed cash cows like Bejeweled Twist on portables.

But its nefarious plans don't stop there.

It also plans to ship Plants vs. Zombies, described by the publisher's VP as a real-time strategy game with notes of "tower defense games and collectible card games—but in a casual context." Sounds like heroin.

Also en route are more time wasters, like Bejeweled Blitz for Facebook, the ultimate in shirking.

Considering PopCap is one of the few publishers thriving so expertly right now, we'd think they have a pretty healthy year of domination ahead of them.

'Peggle' Publisher Expands [Forbes]

The developers of Peggle and Bejeweled, having picked up some sales data from the NPD Group, announced today that retail revenues were up 85% in 2008 over the 2007 numbers.

Impressive! Even more so when you remember that the NPD Group don't track digital downloads, so sales were in all likelihood even higher.

Goes to show, even in tough times, you make good games, people will buy them.

PopCap Retail Sales Up 85% [Edge]

So it's awesome to hear that developers PopCap will be bringing the game to the iPhone and iPod Touch "in the first half of 2009". That's...well, that's kind of soon! Might even be real soon!

Peggle Coming to iPhone This Year [Wired]

Peggle: Dual Shot Coming in March [Wired]

Otherwise, I might tinker around with Doom III — never did get around to playing it — and punishing myself with some Wario Land: Shake It! challenge missions. Add prepping for a Tokyo vacation and TGS coverage and you got yourself a weekend? How's about you?

Peggle DS will be hitting shelves in North America in Winter 2008 for $29.95, and Q Entertainment will be adding new features that aren't in the PC, Mac or iPod versions of the game. No details yet on what those features will be, but the announcement promises more levels than in any other version of the game, remastered input controls and "surprise additions."

Full announcement follows the jump:

PopCap’s Mega-Hit Peggle™ Coming to Nintendo DS® This Winter

Q Entertainment Tapped to Adapt Top Casual Game of 2007for Nintendo’s Market-Leading Handheld

SEATTLE, Washington – July 25, 2008 — PopCap Games Inc., the leading developer and publisher of casual video games, today announced that later this year the company’s mega-hit game Peggle™ will be available for Nintendo DS®. During his keynote presentation at CGA Seattle yesterday, PopCap CEO David Roberts provided an early glimpse of the DS version of Peggle, which is expected to hit North American retail shelves in Winter 2008 and carry an MSRP of US$29.95. In bringing Peggle to the world’s most popular handheld gaming device, PopCap has partnered with Q Entertainment, the acclaimed Japanese development studio. Q Entertainment is already underway with the adaptation of Peggle, and will be adding features unique to the DS version that are not available in the existing PC, Mac or iPod versions of the game.

“I have a great deal of respect for Q Entertainment as one of the industry’s preeminent game developers, with a proven reputation for creativity and innovation,” stated Greg Canessa, PopCap’s vice president of video game platforms. “Q is a great choice to partner with us – they share many of PopCap’s design and creative philosophies and are equally big believers in quality and attention to detail. These factors, combined with Q’s impressive track record of success on DS and PSP, make this a natural fit. I’m confident that Q will create an experience with Peggle for DS that will both satisfy existing fans of the game and attract a new audience of on-the-go gamers who appreciate the DS for its one-of-a-kind display format and other unique capabilities.”

Q Entertainment’s best-selling franchises include Lumines (for PSP, PS2, XBLA, PC, mobile), Meteos (Nintendo DS), and Rez HD (XBLA). “We at Q Entertainment are honored to be working with PopCap and view this as a fun, exciting challenge – taking a very popular casual game and bringing it to a more hardcore audience on the DS,” stated Shuji Utsumi, Q’s co-founder and chief executive officer. “PopCap’s games are simple but addictive, and Peggle demonstrates that even a simple game can be extremely deep. We’ve always incorporated casual game elements into our console and handheld games, and now we have an opportunity to bring our gaming sensibilities and expertise to the DS version of Peggle, and make a very novel ‘cross-over’ game for all ages.”

Precise details of the forthcoming DS version of Peggle are not yet available, but the game is expected to feature more levels than any existing version of the game – including DS-exclusive levels – and will also offer re-mastered input controls and a wealth of surprise additions sure to please die-hard fans and novice players alike.

About Q Entertainment, Inc.

Formed in 2003, Tokyo-based Q Entertainment, Inc. creates, produces, and consults in

digital entertainment content across multiple game consoles, PC broadband and mobile units. The company is best known for its critically acclaimed music and luminary action puzzle game series Lumines, which was released worldwide for PSP in 2004/2005 and has since become a hit on mobile, Xbox LIVE Arcade and PlayStation 2. Q Entertainment’s impressive line-up also includes the action puzzle title Meteos and the fantasy action title Ninety-Nine Nights. Founded by principal game creator and Chief Creative Officer Tetsuya Mizuguchi and industry veteran and Chief Executive Officer Shuji Utsumi (Sony Computer Entertainment America, Sega, Disney), Q Entertainment is composed of experienced designers, programmers, and producers. Q Entertainment collaborates with other creators, artists and development studios in Japan and overseas. More information can be found on the Internet at www.qentertainment.com.

About PopCap

PopCap Games (www.popcap.com) is the leading multi-platform provider of “casual games” — fun, easy-to-learn, captivating computer games that appeal to everyone from age 6 to 106. Based in Seattle, Washington, PopCap was founded in 2000 and has a worldwide staff of over 200 people in Seattle, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver, B.C., Dublin and Shanghai. Its games have been downloaded more than 1 billion times by consumers worldwide, and its flagship title, Bejeweled®, has sold more than 10 million units across all platforms. Constantly acclaimed by consumers and critics, PopCap’s games are played on the Web, desktop computers, myriad mobile devices (cell phones, smartphones, PDAs, Pocket PCs, iPod and more), popular game consoles (including Xbox 360, PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS), and in-flight entertainment systems. PopCap is the only casual games developer with leading market share across all major sales channels, including Web portals, retail stores, mobile operators and developers, and game device manufacturers.