Since the demise of Flash, the tried-and-true browser game has fallen into the depths of obscurity. In the span of a decade, what used to be a fun way to disassociate and waste a few hours procrastinating is now much rarer and more niche than it ever has been. I mean, sure — you can find certain games preserved via archive.org, or, in the case of games like Bloons Tower Defense, via the NinjaKiwi Archive on Steam.
But, these instances are becoming fewer and fewer as time marches on. It’s in this spirit that we here at would like to showcase our favorite browser games. Whether you need to kill an hour or two, or you want to find a genuinely interesting new game, we can help you out with both.
Top 10 Browser Games in 2024
10. Pac-Man
In the bottom spot of our list is a prime example of a timeless classic: Pac-Man! If you’ve played Pac-Man on literally any other console, you know what you’re getting yourself into. It’s Pac-Man. It’s that simple.
PLAY PAC-MAN
9. Geoguessr
If you’ve ever wanted to travel to a faraway place, but your wallet slapped you across the face a couple of times as a result, Geoguessr is the game for you. In this one, you’ll be faced with random Google Street-View locations, and you’ll be expected to use context clues to guess where in the world you are. It’s really interesting, especially if you’re a fan of games that can stimulate you mentally.
PLAY GEOGUESSR
8. Operius
In number 8 is a browser game that can actually only be played within the Opera GX web browser: Operius. But, it is a rather engaging and entertaining offline game. That’s correct — you can even play Operius without a WiFi connection! Isn’t that convenient?!
PLAY OPERIUS
7. Entanglement
In seventh place is a rather simple, yet incredibly soothing game, Entanglement. In this game players are tasked with connecting the lines on a series of tiles in an effort to fill up the entire board. It can be really challenging, but be warned: you may find yourself wanting to keep playing over and over again. This one is seriously addicting, especially when you find yourself topping your record with each and every game.
PLAY ENTANGLEMENT
6. 2048
In the sixth spot is yet another classic, 2048! It is admittedly easier to play this one on mobile, but if you’re stuck in front of a computer screen for a few hours without your phone, this is a valid pick. If you’re unfamiliar, this game tasks players with combining numerical blocks until they’ve reached … 2048.
PLAY 2048
5. HexGL
I was really surprised to find this one. HexGL is a fully-featured racing game set within your browser. It honestly looks like a game you might see on consoles. In this well-detailed racing game, your goal is to beat your lap time whilst avoiding the track’s barriers. If you hit them, you lose a bit of health. It can be a difficult one because the controls are a little floaty, but it’s still fun, nonetheless.
PLAY HEXGL
4. The Original Superhot
It could be that most of you recognize Superhot as THE MOST INNOVATIVE SHOOTER I’VE PLAYED IN YEARS, but little did you know it was originally a browser game. To be clear, it was originally a tech demo that you could play in your browser, but IT COUNTS. If you’ve played the present day version, you’ll find that the mechanics are extremely similar, but the level design is original, and there’s not much of a story.
PLAY SUPERHOT
3. Orange County
In number 3, we’ve got Orange County, developed by Pasta’s Future on itch.io. In this low-poly, PS1 style ambient horror game, you play as a skateboarder in a dark, almost uninhabited town. You can ride your skateboard through the procedurally generated town, or just take in the aesthetic. It’s a very impressive vignette of a horror game that reminds me we’re on the cusp of the spoopy season.
PLAY ORANGE COUNTY
2. You Are Jeff Bezos
In our penultimate spot, we’ve got You Are Jeff Bezos. In this text-based adventure game, you find yourself in the dilapidated shell of Jeff Bezos, and it’s up to you to spend all of his money. It’s that simple.
PLAY YOU ARE JEFF BEZOS
1. Bad Time Simulator
I mentioned this one during my list of best Undertale fan-games, but it deserves a spot on this list as well. If you’ve played Undertale once — or 12 times — and you’d like to challenge your dexterity by fighting the Skele-boi himself (without murdering an entire race of innocent monsters) this is your best bet! It’s also important to mention that this game is a sparring match. YOU ARE NOT KILLING SANS.
PLAY BAD TIME SIMULATOR
