Browser games require no download and can be enjoyed straight from your PC, laptop, or smartphone’s web browser. As such, they are usually simple and minimalistic, with basic graphics and a retro feel. But that doesn’t make them any less fun – in fact, browser games often emphasize exciting gameplay.
Here we take a look at a handful of awesome games you can play right now on your web browser, and some of them will trigger strong feelings of nostalgia.
Slither.io
Remember Snake for the Nokia phones? If you don’t, then congratulations. You’re still young. Snake was once the most popular mobile title in the world, and held that position for years with only a few pixels moving around a screen.
Slithero takes Snake to the next level. The concept is very much the same; you move around the space collecting colored dots, and the more you eat, the bigger your snake grows.
The big difference here is that Slithero is a multiplayer battle royale. You share the screen with other players who are growing their own snakes. If you crash, you’ll drop all your colored dots and have to start again. You’ll see giant snakes roaming the map, which you’ll want to avoid until your own is big enough to compete.
Snake and its modern counterpart Slithero have many spinoffs also available as browser games, such as Powerline.io. This is a very similar game with a twist – you’ll get speed boosts for traveling alongside other snakes.
Blackjack
It’s possible to play a variety of casino card and table games online straight from your browser. PokerStars offer this option with no need to download. You’ll still need to make an account to play, as these are real money games that demand more security than a game of Slithero.
In Blackjack, you’ll draw cards to try to beat the dealer and score as close as possible to 21. Go over and you’ll bust. Aside from the basics of hitting or standing, there are many other betting options in a game of Blackjack, such as splitting, doubling, insurance, and side bets. It helps to learn basic strategy in order to improve your odds.
On PokerStars Casino, you can play classic Blackjack, Premium Blackjack, or take to the High Roller tables. You’ll also find tables with dealers shuffling and running the game live via video stream, all from your browser.
A Dark Room
A Dark Room is a modern browser game with a 1970s feel, harking back to the days of older DOS titles. You start off in, you guessed it, a dark room. You’ll need to stoke the fire. Then you’ll need to find more wood. Pretty soon, you’ll be building a post apocalyptic village.
Every action in A Dark Room takes time. So, you’ll either need to be patient, or have this one running in the background while you get on with something else. But that doesn’t mean it’s boring. Far from it. I played for around 15 minutes, and in that time I’d caught a few animals, built a small village, and started trading with nomads.
This game is a real blast from the past. It’s well written, with an engrossing soundtrack and gameplay that keeps you coming back.
Wordle
Wordle is a very popular game that can be played from your browser. It’s a simple concept: you’re given six chances to guess the five-letter word of the day. After every attempt you can refine your guess to get closer and closer to the right answer.
Letters that are highlighted green are in the right place. Yellow means the letter is present in the word but you've put it in the wrong place. Grey means the letter is not in the word. Find the word, then share your sequence on social media.
There’s one Wordle puzzle released every 24 hours, so once you’ve solved it you’ll have to wait for the next one – which makes Wordle one of the less time consuming games on this list. You can just pop on for five minutes a day and have a go.
