Parents' Guide to The Wizard of Oz Facebook Game

The Wizard of Oz is a typical Facebook building sim with a few twists. At any time, players can slip into "Munchkin Cam" mode and walk through the town from the munchkin's point of view. Fans will appreciate familiar touches from the film, including the excellent soundtrack, movie and voice clips, and characters that bear the likenesses of their film counterparts. Social interactions are more sophisticated too: players not only have to recruit friends to staff buildings, but receive bonuses based on what level each friend is at in the game. The Wizard of Oz absolutely requires players to have a large number of neighbors who are actively engaged in the game. For example, one quest fairly early on requires a building to have a staff of eight friends -- unless, of course, players are willing to pay real cash to bypass these requirements. You'll also need some suspension of disbelief as you encounter buildings like the Emerald City Pizza Joint, which are more real-world than Oz. These quibbles aside, The Wizard of Oz's innovations and particularly robust social features make it an interesting addition to the crowded market of building sims on Facebook.