How to Download, Play and Purchase a PopCap Game

Downloading a PopCap game is easy! But for some people who are new to computer games and have never done anything like this before, we thought detailed instructions might be helpful. If you are totally unfamiliar with PopCap Games, read this article.

First, let’s start with navigating the website. When you get to the homepage at www.popcap.com, you will see a list of bestsellers. This is a good indication of the games you are likely to prefer, and you may never need more. But if you are curious, you can click on the ‘FIND A GAME’ button to get a list of other selections. There are also tabs which open new pages with more specific options; you may find them useful once you learn your way around.


There are two options available to try most games: download a trial or play online. Both of these ways are free, but if you want to have the full game experience, you will eventually need to buy.

Online play is a good way to take a quick peek at a game without having to download and install it. It is also nice to use if you are away from home and don’t want to do a download. Once you click the ‘PLAY ONLINE’ button, the game will start to load. This shouldn’t take long. You will need to watch a brief advertisement before you can play. You can play as long as you'd like, but you must stay online. Visually the game is nearly identical to the downloadable version. The basic gameplay is the same too. However, the screen is small, which may send some reaching for glasses. There is also very limited game content, with fewer levels and modes.

If you have a choice, we would recommend going with the download option. As we said, the download trial is free. Most trial versions are limited to an hour of play. Others allow you unlimited time, but have reduced content. The advantage of trying a game like this is that you play full screen, with more modes and saves included. It is important to understand that when you download a game for trial, you have actually downloaded the whole game - you do not need to download anything else. To remove the limitations from the rest of the game, all you need to do is pay! If you decide to buy the game, all progress achieved during the trial play is saved. You can either return to the website and click on ‘BUY NOW’, or simply click on the prompt when you exit the game.

Although internet connection is required for the entire time you use an online version of a game, for a downloadable game it is needed only during the actual download, and again to purchase and register the game, should you decide to do so.

Downloading is slightly more complex than online play, but is well worth the effort. Here are some very basic steps to help you, although you may not even need them because it is pretty straight forward:

1. Pick a downloadable game and click on it - remember, choices from the bestseller list are recommended.


2. Click on the ‘TRY FREE’ button.


3. You will need to enter your email address if a box requesting it appears. We recommend signing up for the newsletter if you have not yet - more on that later.


4. Click ‘DOWNLOAD NOW’. (Sometimes this step is skipped.)


5. Click on ‘RUN’ - the game will download. Follow the installer instructions, and you are set.


6. If ‘RUN’ is not an option, click on ‘SAVE’ instead - this will start the download. After the download is complete, you will need to go to your desktop and click on the PopCap icon. The installer will start; follow the directions.

If you decide to purchase a game, you will be sent to the shopping cart. Simply fill in the billing info. You will receive a confirmation email which includes an order number and/or a registration key. This number is what you need to unlock the full version of the game. Click on the ‘REGISTER NOW’ button, fill your number into the appropriate blank, and click on ‘REGISTER’. You should return to the game to make sure it has been processed properly. Click ‘CONTINUE’ to play.

We should mention that some of the games are available on CD-ROM for a small additional fee. These also require registration to be unlocked.

Signing up for the PopCap newsletter is a good idea because they often have special offers that really are worth looking into.

So take the time to check out PopCap. You may find it’s a habit hard to break.

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