What are the best browser games? Modern computers are so powerful that you don’t need a beefy rig to play great games. As long as you have access to a stable internet connection, there’s a massive library of games that can be played from the comfort of your web browser.
It can be difficult to coordinate with several friends to find a game that everyone owns. Gone are the days of worrying about your friend’s empty Steam library or your low-spec PC – instead you can simply fire up these top browser games and start playing right away. Whether you’re looking for a game to play for a few minutes before your lunch break ends or something to sink your teeth into after work, these free PC games have got you covered. Our list of the best browser games contains a mix of genres to ensure there’s something for everyone.
The best browser games are:
Hero Wars
Hero Wars is a simple clicker game that’ll be just what you’re after if you’re looking for a game that’s good at filling those brief windows of time. It’s all about building up a team of heroes and then having them battle against a selection of monsters and other players.
Hero Wars is filled with daily challenges that start easy and slowly become more and more difficult as you play. There are so many heroes to unlock, and doing so will be a big part of the appeal for many players because they all fight in unique ways and some of them have interesting and unusual designs. Naturally, it tries to squeeze microtransactions out of you as you get further and further into it, but it’s definitely less predatory than some of the others out there.
Play Hero Wars for free.
Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming
The Game of Thrones HBO series may be finished, but the officially licensed browser game is still running. In Game of Thrones Winter is Coming, you play as a Westeros Lord who desperately wants to end the bloodshed between the Seven Kingdoms. Expand your kingdom to attract the attention of the characters from the show and recruit them to join your team.
Just like the source material, in this Game of Thr0nes game you’ll have to command a large army and fight your way through hordes of enemies to compete against the other Lords. The characters you recruit from the series, like Jon Snow, Lord Varys, and Arya Stark can be used to aid your army in battle, allowing you to turn the tide of any difficult fight.
Play Game of Thrones: Winter is Coming for free.
Forge of Empires
Forge of Empires takes players to the beginning of the Stone Age to create a long-lasting city that evolves throughout the ages. InnoGames released this strategy game back in 2012 on browsers and has continued with regular updates. Not only can you play this city building game on your browser, you can take your progress with you with the iOS and Android apps.
As players discover new technologies to expand and develop their cities, they’ll make their way through 20 different Ages. Forge of Empires doesn’t stop at the Contemporary Era; with enough time you can progress all the way to the colonization of Venus.
Play Forge of Empires for free.
Seafight
Fancy sailing the seven seas in one of the best pirate games to date? In this browser simulation game, there are both PvP and PvE maps, so you have the choice between battling terrifying sea monsters, where you can grind and gather resources, or you can go against other human players to assert yourself as master of the ocean.
The game has been around for years now, and developer, Bigpoint, has been refining and enhancing it the whole time. There’s a solid community of players and if you’re nervous about getting involved in a game like this so far into its lifespan, rest assured that you can join a guild so that you’re backed up by some of the more advanced players while you play.
Play Seafight for free.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War
If you’re a fan of Pirates of the Caribbean and strategy gaming, Tides of War is going to be a match made in heaven for you. In this game, you build your own base which you develop and enhance over time. This allows you to develop better resources, and then allows you to strengthen your army, and attack the bases of other players. It’s an endless cycle, but one that can become highly addictive. Along the way, you’ll not only meet familiar faces from the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise but also many historic pirates.
Play Pirates of the Caribbean: Tides of War for free.
Tentlan
There are a lot of browser strategy games like this one, but Tentlan gives a slightly different vibe in that you’re taking control of a Maya emperor. It’s an area of ancient history that you don’t often see explored in these types of games, and especially not in idle games, so props to the developers for that.
The setting means that you’re building a civilization in the heat of the rainforest, which is cool enough, but there are also tons of ancient rituals for your people to learn, and units like eagle and jaguar warriors for you to take out and raid barbarians with – or even do battle against other players. It’s a wonderfully unique strategy experience with something for PvP and PvE fans alike.
Play Tentlan for free.
Anocris
Have you ever wanted to build your own ancient Egyptian city? Anocris tasks players with creating an Egyptian settlement that can stand the test of time. Over a 3,000 year period, you must build a powerful empire in an attempt to take over the Nile. While there are elements of actual history in Anocris, you also get to wield the power of the high priests of Amun as you tap into the power of the Ancient Egyptian Gods.
Play Anocris for free.
Eternal Fury: Resurrected
If you’re looking for a new browser game to play, chances are you want something that’s simple, stress-free fun and that’s exactly what you get with Eternal Fury. This is an RPG game that’s about grinding your way through various dungeons, which are all made up of a number of turn-based battles.
It’s one of those games where you feel like everything you do in it is productive in some way because it all factors towards you getting stronger. If you like that satisfying feeling of completing lots of micro-tasks to get more and more powerful, then this is a game that you might find yourself getting very addicted to.
Play Eternal Fury: Resurrected for free.
Friday Night Funkin’
Though many browser games may not receive that much mainstream attention, Friday Night Funkin’ has achieved huge levels of popularity. For the few who haven’t heard of it, this rhythm game sees you playing as Boyfriend, a character who engages in singing contests and rap battles with a variety of colorful characters in order to impress Girlfriend.
Part of its broad appeal comes down to its gameplay. It’s similar to something like Dance Dance Revolution, but instead of moving your feet to match up with the arrows, you let your fingers do the walking and use the arrow keys on your computer. It’s simple, but the presentation is so charming that you’ll soon find yourself coming back again and again.
Play for free in Opera GX.
Elvenar
Historical city building is all well and good, but sometimes, it would be fun to create something a little more… magical. In Elvenar, you can choose to develop a mysterious Elven kingdom full of living buildings and fantastical creatures, or a more pragmatic and warlike empire in the name of humankind. It sets itself apart from other fantasy games with all these strategic, city-building elements.
But you’re not confined to the streets of your new home as the explore mode allows you to uncover many additional areas with new abilities, mysteries, and monsters. Or, if you’re feeling particularly belligerent, you can whip your magical troops into shape at the barracks before heading out to take on the neighboring provinces.
Travian: Legends
Travian has been knocking around for well over a decade, building up a loyal fanbase of MMO and strategy games enthusiasts and laying the foundations for many other entries on this list. Legends is its latest form, boasting gorgeous graphical upgrades while still being one of the few online games that doesn’t require a download.
The gameplay is refreshingly simple with very few hidden mechanics: you choose one of a handful of factions, find your tribe, and grow from a ramshackle village into a fortified, technologically advanced empire. You can keep yourself to yourself if you want, but if you do want to branch out there are also trades, alliances, and plenty of warfare to throw your clan into at a moment’s notice. There is some waiting around for buildings and actions to complete, but if you treat this as a relaxing game then you won’t find it too egregious.
Survivor Legacy
Evil businessmen have brought humanity to the brink of extinction by unleashing a zombie apocalypse on Earth. As one of the planet’s last remaining survivors, it’s your duty to put an end to the devastation.
In this post-apocalyptic world, players must assemble a squad filled with strong soldiers to rid the world of zombies. Clearing out zombie-infested areas reveals powerful survivors who can be recruited to your team. However, players must proceed with caution, as the enemies in this strategy war zombie game are lethal – you’ll need a powerful army to fight off the deadly horde.
Townscaper
Townscaper is a relaxing, totally directionless city-building game in which you don’t have to worry about any of the boring details like pollution, traffic, or tourist boards. You start with a simple stone island in the middle of the sea and then click either side or the top of it to create your first building. Every click generates a new piece of your city, and as you continue expanding the foundations you’ll learn some of the rules that dictate how your clicks are turned into a postcard-perfect coastal metropolis. Give it just ten minutes and you’ll have something stunning. There’s a full version of Townscaper that you can buy on Steam, which has a few more building types and lets you build out further, but the browser-based version is an excellent way to whet your appetite.
Minecraft Classic
Minecraft Classic whisks you all the way back to those heady days of 2009 when Minecraft was in its infancy, so prepare for a barebones version of the sandbox game you know and love. You can run around, destroy blocks, and place them down, but that’s pretty much it. There’s no survival mode, no enemies, and a lot of the controls are significantly different from the current version of the game. However, you can invite some friends along to help you with your rustic Minecraft builds. If you prefer the full game, then go grab a great Minecraft seed, and check our lists of the best Minecraft mods and Minecraft house ideas.
Catan Universe
One of the best board games of all time has made it to PC in a few different forms, but with this browser-based version, you don’t have to download anything to play it. At its core, Catan is all about expansion and settlement-building on a board with extremely limited resources. You want to develop your settlement with roads, resources, and buildings, but you’ll never have access to everything you need, which means you’ll need to hone your silver tongue to convince other players to trade with you.
There’s diplomacy, backstabbing, and some very, very pretty tiles -what’s not to love? Catan Universe also boasts an exceptionally thorough tutorial, so if you’ve always wanted to play the board game but can’t bear to sit through your friend’s terrible explanation then this is the way.
Kingdom of Loathing
Kingdom of Loathing is first and foremost a comedy game. You pick classes like pastamancer, seal clubber, or accordion thief, and then set out on a journey across a fantasy open world that playfully rips into RPG conventions every step of the way. Every encounter is a bit, but the constant joking never gets old not just because of its originality, but also because it’s underpinned by robust build options. If you find yourself falling in love then you can also check out West of Loathing from the same developers – it’s a very similar kind of deal, except it swaps out the fantasy tropes for Western ones.
Tetr.io
You know that puzzle game, the one usually labeled as the greatest of all time? It’s available in your browser as a solo and multiplayer game. Tetr.io is a fantastic Tetris clone that features a wide variety of players across all skill levels. Whether you’re looking to sharpen your skills in Sprint mode, or you want a short session of Marathon to pass the time, Tetr.io has you covered.
What makes Tetr.io so special is the level of customization each player has. Minute details like Soft Drop Factor and Delayed Auto Shift can be carefully adjusted – if that means nothing to you, the default options are perfect for any casual players. For many people, Tetr.io is the ultimate Tetris game due to its rich abundance of features and low barrier to entry for all players. It’s worth mentioning that there’s a whole io games genre in which almost every game is playable with a browser, so head to that list for more like this.
Powder Game
Powder Game is the quintessential school browser game that you play because every other website is blocked. In a small black square, players are given a blank canvas to experiment with over 30 different powders. Create an ice sculpture and see how it reacts when you pour acid, magma, and salt onto it. Fire lasers at C4-coated vines, then douse the flames with water and ice to see what happens. If you love elemental reactions, Powder Game lets you live out your wildest dreams.
Chrome Offline Dinosaur
The internet has unexpectedly gone down, so now work is out of the question. While you wait for someone to fix the internet, why not try Google’s endless runner? When you see the dinosaur on the ‘unable to connect to the internet page’, hit space bar to start the game. Jump over the stacks of cactus to keep the dinosaur running for hours on end.
OpenArena Live
Remember Quake Live? id Software’s classic PC game has since moved to Steam, but OpenArena Live has swooped in to take its place. OpenArena Live is a clone of Quake III Arena, giving players the full Quake experience right from their browser. You don’t even need to sign up to start playing; join public games using the server browser, or create a private server to play against your mates; simply send them a link and the game will handle the rest. If someone at the office hits you with “1v1 me” as a joke, send them a private match link to settle the score.
Spelunky
Derek Yu’s Spelunky has been ported to web browsers to ensure you never get any work done at the office. In this roguelike platformer, you play Guy Spelunky as he attempts to explore the dangerous mines, dense jungles, icy caves, and Egyptian temples searching for lost treasure.
Each playthrough is different as the levels are randomized, and you won’t be able to take your previous items with you. For such a simple game, there’s a lot of depth to Spelunky that you can discover if you put the time in. Spelunky is brutal at first, but the game is so addictive that you’ll spend hours trying to become a master treasure hunter. If you want the Steam version, then check our Spelunky 2 review.
Gartic Phone
Flex your drawing and comprehension skills in Gartic Phone, the free web browser game that crosses Pictionary with incredibly creative prompts from each player. The game arguably works better when your drawing skills aren’t top-notch, leading to some chaotic moments where each player is dumbfounded by what they’re looking at.
What makes this game so universal is that you can play it on practically any device, including your mobile phone. If you ever find yourself at an event with nothing to do, send a link to your mates to start up a game of Gartic Phone to get the party rocking.
Infinite Craft
Starting with some basic elements (fire, water, earth, and wind), your goal in Infinite Craft is to craft indefinitely. All you need to do is tap on your elements to fuse them, creating something entirely new. This is the perfect type of game when you’re sitting at a computer with nothing to do, simply work out which combinations of elements you haven’t tried yet.
Before you know it, you’ll be putting together waves of Megalodons to see how they react to different pools of water. What about when they come into contact with volcanoes? If we mix our giant shark with glass, we get an Aquarium, perfect for our city-base which appears to be surrounded by lighthouses and sand. What we will do from here? The possibilities for Infinite Craft recipes and combos are endless.
Stronghold Kingdoms
The MMORTS genre might not be as widely recognized as the best MMOs and MMORPGs, but it’s on the rise, and Stronghold Kingdoms is one of the best examples around. This massively multiplayer real-time strategy game casts you as a feudal lord or lady and sets you to work building and growing a medieval empire by besieging your rivals, researching invaluable new tech, and forming alliances with others. It does require a tiny download to play, but the download itself is tiny and the game should run on any rig.
Like many free MMO RTS games, Stronghold Kingdoms is packed with depth if you’ve got the time to sink into it, with political struggles between players and large-scale wars to navigate on your rise to success. And sure, the graphics certainly look like they come straight from the late nineties, but they’re nothing if not charming.
Codenames
One of our best online board games picks is also one of the top online games to play with friends for free, no download required. Codenames is all about word association. You and an opponent assume the roles of rival spymasters and you aim to work out where your fellow agents are in the field, which you do by taking turns to give one-word clues.
Of course, it’s also crucial that you don’t give any clues to the enemy, or accidentally prompt someone to guess the game-ending word. Setting a game up is mercifully simple, making this a great online game for Zoom calls, just be wary of forming vernacular vendettas with your besties.
Fallen London
Sunless Skies developer Failbetter Games has established itself as a fine crafter of narrative games since it came together in 2010. It’s there to see in one of the studio’s earliest efforts, too. Fallen London is a browser-based interactive narrative game that takes you to a Victorian and gothic take on the Old Smoke.
The city itself has been stolen, and it now rests underneath the rest of the world on the shore of the Unterzee. You’ve just arrived, and you’re down on your luck. That doesn’t mean you can’t rise to the top through the legal and illegal activities made available to you, though. Don’t sleep on one of the best story games just because you can play it in your browser.
Ditto
Like all great platformer games, Ditto has its own spin on traversal to keep you guessing through its many, many levels. Every level is divided in two, with a reflected version of your character copying all of your actions, albeit in a sort of shadow realm where the obstacles are slightly different. If your shadow version falls off a ledge or is killed by a monster then you both perish.
Cookie Clicker
Idle games are the ideal free online games if you’re too busy to play a game, and Cookie Clicker is one of the best examples of the genre around. You start with a giant cookie that you click on to produce more cookies, and then you spend those cookies on upgrades like automatic cookie-clicking fingers to click the giant cookie for you, grandmas to bake more cookies, or temples to pray for cookie-creating buffs. Before you know you’re producing hundreds of thousands of cookies per second.
Making numbers go up and up and up forever and ever is pretty addictive, so it goes. Cookie Clicker is one of the most famous computer games online, and the fact that it’s still being updated and played by thousands speaks to its endless appeal. It’s well worth trying, even if we did once famously say that you must never ever play Cookie Clicker.
Slither.io
Io games are some of the most relaxing games on PC and offer a great break from work or more focused gaming. Slither.io is pretty simple: you’re a worm who slithers around a circular petri dish-like space gobbling up food and growing in length. There are other player-controlled worms to avoid or consume depending on whether you’re smaller or larger than them. At its core, Slither.io is a survival game at heart as players fight to see who can outlast each other.
Hole.io
If you’ve played the endlessly charming Donut County then you’ll be familiar with the core gameplay of Hole.io. You play as a hole in the bottom of the world that expands as objects fall into it. You’ll start small by hoovering up pedestrians and fire hydrants before graduating to trucks, buildings, and eventually skyscrapers. If you’re after chill online games to play now, Hole.io will hoover up your attention almost immediately.
Card Hunter
This D&D-inspired card game mixes tabletop RPG elements with the deck-building gameplay of a CCG in a way that’s fresh and nostalgic all at once. You build a deck of cards for each of your party’s heroes by assigning them the weapons, armor, and trinkets you collect as loot on each of your adventures.
My Friend Pedro
My Friend Pedro may have since received a polished release on Steam, but the free online browser version that launched back in 2014 is still heaps of fun. This side-scrolling shooter is heavily inspired by Max Payne, so expect lots of slow-mo diving sequences and gratuitous gore.
Wonderputt
This gorgeous isometric putting game reveals the entire course to you right from the beginning. Though Wonderputt is closer to mini-golf than actual golf, we still consider this to be a worthy sports game. As you complete each section of the course, a brand new area reveals itself via interesting animations. There are some light puzzles to navigate – as you’d expect from a mini golf course – and a seductive level of depth as you try to beat your score (or just make par) with increasingly ambitious shots.
Tibia
Who says old games are bad? Tibia is a relic from an internet era where practically every online game was played through your browser. Originally released in 1997, this was one of the world’s first MMORPG games, and it helped pave the way for Runescape, World of Warcraft, and all the other fantastic games in that genre that came afterward. That it has survived all this time is a testament to the game’s qualities.
So what do you do in it? Well, essentially, you choose a job for your character (with all of them, of course, having unique strengths and abilities), and then you make your own way about the world – exploring dark, lava-filled dungeons, enchanting forests, bustling cities, tropical beaches, and many other locales as you fight a menagerie of strange creatures, and gather a horde of tantalizing treasures.
Zombs Royale
It really is quite incredible that one of the best battle royale games on PC is a free online browser game. Zombs Royale takes the simple assets and controls of Zombs.io and adds all the trappings of a PUBG-like, with a shrinking playable zone, random loot to scavenge, and 99 other players to outlive. It’s ridiculously fast-paced, so if you need to kill a couple of minutes and grab a poultry dinner then this one’s for you. It’s refreshing to see that the limits of free games with no downloads are still being pushed.
Zombs.io
Zombs.io is one of the best ‘survive the night’ style zombie games where you build a base, farm resources, build up your defenses, and prepare to hunker down after the sun goes down and the undead begin attacking your base. Like other io games there are plenty of other players to fend off, too, so don’t leave your base undefended during the day either.
The Password Game
The Password Game is the latest online-only game, with infuriating circumstances. You’re tasked with thinking of a secure password but it must meet certain criteria which get more and more intricate as the game progresses. If you’re looking for some tips or even just want to cheat your way to victory, we’ve got The Password Game answers in our dedicated guide.
Typeracer
Compete against the world in one of the truest tests of skill, typing! As the name suggests, you’ve got to race against several opponents as you type out a passage from a novel. If you’re particularly speedy, you may have to complete a test to prove you aren’t a robot. Once you do, you’ll battle the best of the best typers who can reach blistering words per minute speeds.
And those are some of the best games you can play from your web browser. Alternatively, we’ve got all the upcoming PC games to watch out for in the coming months, whereas our list of the best PC games can get you caught up with the current cream of the crop. Finally, check out the top offline games to tide you over when your internet connection drops.
