FarmVille: Puppies leaving the store "soon"

And we'll file this one under "Flop." While plenty of FarmVille farmers may have adopted puppies, clearly they were in the minority. Let's face it - the puppy feature was far from perfect. With many puppies going for expensive Farm Cash prices, and then the possibility of them running away hanging over your head if you can't grow them fast enough, the entire feature apparently turned into more than we could take.

Apparently, Zynga feels the same way, as it's decided to end the feature entirely, announcing that it will remove all puppies from the store "soon." Now, if you happen to be a puppy owner, you don't have to worry about losing them, as you'll still be able to grow and train the puppies you've already purchased. On the other hand, if you were just waiting for a better breed, but do actively want a puppy, you can still purchase them. Here's its full announcement:

"Howdy Farmers, we've found plenty of homes for puppies, so you won't be able to find any more in the market soon. Not to worry though, you can still grow and train the ones you already have."

It's unfortunate that we don't know exactly when the pups will be taking their leave from the store, but I suppose this is one case where you'll want to make your last-minute purchases sooner, rather than later, just to be safe. As of this writing, you can still purchase one of six puppies. Here's the rundown of their prices (I wouldn't expect these to change):

Heeler - 65 Farm Cash
Border Collie - 300,000 coins
Border Collie (can't run away) - 65 Farm Cash
Golden Retriever - 65 Farm Cash
Sheepdog - 65 Farm Cash
St. Bernard - 65 Farm Cash
Terrier - 5,000 coins
Terrier (can't run away) - 65 Farm Cash

Again, there's no exact date for the puppies to leave the store, but I wouldn't delay if I were you (and I were interested in purchasing one or more of these pups). After all, it's likely that Pubble Kibble will disappear eventually as well (regardless of what the big Z says above), leaving you without a free way to grow your new purchase. We'll make sure to let you know if Zynga announces the final day of puppy availability, so keep checking back.

Are you disappointed to see puppies leaving the game, or did you ever bother with adopting / growing one? Sound off in the comments.

There may not be another Zynga game in which Energy is more important than in Adventure World. Every switch thrown, every puzzle solved and beastie whacked costs you the Facebook game juice. Players often find themselves without Energy minutes into an Expedition. But this isn't the time for whining--it's time to show you the value of upgrading your Tools and how to do it.

Tools: The Game Changer
If you noticed, each piece of debris and monster has a life bar, and normally take multiple hits with your Whip or Machete to whittle down. This, of course, quickly becomes a waste in later Expeditions purely due to the amount of obstacles in your path. But increasing the amount of damage your various Tools inflict against said baddies could considerably reduce the Energy spend in-game.

For instance, say a Snake has three hit points and is Level 5. Since monsters can hit back in this game, it could take three to five Energy before an enemy goes down. Now, imagine if you had upgraded your Whip to Level 2. Offing that Snake would take just two to four Energy with a beefier Whip. The same situation applies to Tools like the Machete.
Adventure World Tool Shop inside
And Now For Your How-To
Adventure World Tool Shop outsideUpgrading your Tools in Adventure World is simple. All you need to do is head back to Base Camp from an Expedition, and look for a makeshift hut that should already be in place in your headquarters. When you click on the Tool Shop, a window will appear featuring all the Tools you've found thus far on your journeys. Click on the Tool you wish to upgrade.

Once you click on a Tool to upgrade, you'll notice that each Tool costs Coins to upgrade. That's it--no asking friends to help you out with materials or farming certain crops for special items. Just the goods you find during your travels in search of El Dorado. However, Coins are actually quite rare in this game, so you'll need to save and spend wisely.

When you have enough Coins for an upgrade, just click on the appropriate icon to pay up. Tool upgrades are also level-locked, meaning you must reach a certain level for most Tools before being able to upgrade them using Coins. If you're feeling impatient, you could always unlock access to those higher level Tools early using Adventure Cash.

Just One Small Catch...
However, some Tool upgrades do require an extra boost: your Tool Shop. Yes, the building itself can be upgraded, too. And this time, you will need items from your friends. (Just think of how things work in CityVille.) Luckily, you only have to do this about twice to unlock access to all of the game's Tools. Then, it's back onto leveling up to access new upgrades for Coins.
Adventure World Tool Shop Upgrade
Upgraded Tools are hands-down the way to go, if you want to save precious Energy for the good stuff, that is. You know, exploring ... uncovering the secrets of El Dorado? That kind of stuff. Your wallet might thank us later.

Click here to find all of our Adventure World Tips in one spot >

[Source: Zynga]

Have you upgraded your Tools in Adventure World yet? What other Energy-saving tips might you have for your fellow adventurers? Sound off in the comments. 1 Comment