Editorials

Top 5 Internet Browser Games

September 14, 2009, Author: Joe Staley

It’s time again for another one of my Top 5’s! This week it’s my top 5 games you can play directly from your internet browser! These are games that you could play at work, University, or even at home without installing the games and tying up all your hard drive space; just log in and play. The greatest thing about them all is that they are usually free to play, so gather all your friends, log onto a great game and have a blast. My top 5 this week is decided by fun factor, ease of use and loading speeds. They are as follows:

5. Linerider
This game is so terribly fun that I can guarantee you will be playing it for hours on end. The gameplay is very simple: you draw a line, click play and see if Boosh, the tiny little man on the sled,will survive. It’s extremely addictive, and there are people out there who have made artwork using this game with hidden lines that seem to go on forever. The game became so popular that InXile released it on the Nintendo Wii and DS platforms, creating a campaign mode where you have to fill in the gaps in the lines, and a freestyle mode with loads of new line styles (such as breakable lines for window smashing moments, and goo lines to create the illusion of sledding on water)!

To play this game, either click here for the flash version or here if you have silverlight installed.

4. Time Donkey
Time Donkey likes tacos, and he wants to eat them all. But he only has a set amount of time to eat a large amount of tacos which are scattered in a large level. What can he do to eat them all? Well, he can change time with a Braid-esque feel to it.

This game is fully 3D, and only needs a small browser add-on to run. The aim of the game is to collect tacos in a set amount of time and, when you near the end of your time, press a button to start the level again with the exception being that your previous donkey run will start again and eat the tacos you already collected. Confused? I was on the first play through, but now I’m hooked. You can kick switches to open gates, deactivate electric fencing and jump high altitudes to reach different level areas. This game belongs on a disc rather than a free game on the net. If you fancy your chance at a taco-loving, time-manipulating donkey, just click here.

3. Ninja Glove
With mini games becoming very popular nowadays, there have been a fair share of browser-based versions that have sprung up recently. Since the Nintendo DS brought us Warioware Touched, many developers have taken the quick fire mini game idea and given it their own twist. Ninja Glove is the one that stood out for me.

You are given 4 seconds to figure out and complete each mini game, 21 in total. The more you complete in the fastest time, the better ninja glove you get. The worst one for me is trying to swat the fly with nothing but your mouse pointer. The animation, sound effects and overall design is in the very top level for flash gaming, and feels really smooth when playing. You will be playing these games for so long that you will learn exactly how to complete them and get a really high score. However, no matter how hard I try to learn, I always seem to fail at game 19, 20 or 21. If you want to beat the glove and become a grand master ninja, click here and post your scores in the comment box below!

2. CANABALT
In at number two is CANABALT. To play this game you need 1 button, either “x” or “c”. The aim of the game is to keep momentum by jumping obstacles and buildings whilst escaping. I have no idea why the guy is escaping or if there is an end to this game, but all I know is I have not reached an end point, only a high score of 4750m with proof.

The game is a pixel-style retro game, but the animations and music represent modern day gaming, crossing the two points in time together. Again, the aim is simple, just jump and try not to slow down too much, as there may be a big gap to jump and you need to be going fast. This game has been going around the Xbox office and also the twitter feed so make sure you go ahead and play this game, posting your scores below as a target for other people. Let’s get this community thriving!

1. Quake Live
There was no competition when it came to choosing my number one in browser gaming; Quake Live won hands down. When you play this game you forget you’re actually just playing in a browser window, especially on fullscreen mode. The graphics are like your very early PS2 game or oldschool PC shooting games or, for the Quake fans, the same graphics as Quake 2. The game, for those who haven’t played Quake, is exactly like your normal first person shooter; mouse to aim and shoot, W, A, S and D to move.

The competition is tough, as gamers from all over the world play this game because it is free and highly addictive, and some even compete for cash in big tournaments. The game is only in beta at the moment and may still be slightly buggy, but I have been playing on my Mac using Safari and noticed no errors. Firefox is not yet supported on Mac, but all browsers on Windows are. All you need to do is click the big “Play Free” button on the homepage, create and register a profile, and you’re set to play. Complete a few training missions and there you go. You are playing a PC game but in your browser.

It’s a very strange feeling indeed. The matchmaking is spot on as it looks at your previous games (or training session) and judges your skill level On the homepage, where you see all the games, it tells you which games are reccomended for you and all you do is click play and you’re into a game straight away. There are hardly any loading times if your connection is fast, so what are you waiting for? Get onto Quake Live now, add Stales89 to your list, and lets game! Click here to play!

Please leave your highscores and comments below and set your scores for people to beat. More Top 5 next week!

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,