''Let's sweep some mines together'' : social interaction & competition in casual games

Casual games distinguish themselves from other digital games in their easy access, simple rules, minimal time commitment and simple interface. These games are known for their quick and short rounds, which make them ideal to play in mini-breaks between other activities. Recently, many social networking sites have started offering opportunities to chat and play multiplayer casual games with other users. Studies on digital games have shown that social characteristics of play settings have a strong impact on players’ in-game experience. As little attention has been given to casual games in literature, in this paper we discuss the important role of social factors in understanding and measuring player experience in casual digital games