The most popular video games today are played on either PC, console, or mobile. In the past, the list of the world’s most popular titles were played on either PC or console, including titles like Subway Surfer (for mobile) and PUBG: Battlegrounds for PC. The first has over 2.73 billion downloads worldwide, while the latter has 1.2 billion downloads.
Clearly, there’s a huge emphasis on titles that can be played from an Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, iOS or Android device, or a PC. However, video games are incredibly varied. In the last ten years, more independent publishers have also entered the scene, switching up how gamers access their favorite titles.
One of the lesser-known gaming formats is the internet browser. Browser games let players find titles straight from an app like Safari, Brave, or Chrome, for example. Depending on a device’s internet connection, these titles can even be accessed via smartphone from a browser app. However, the most common way to play these titles is from a desktop or laptop.
Want to try your hand at a browser game? Start with one of the five titles below, which are available right now.
Chumba Casino
Casino gaming is one of the most popular types of browser gaming. Almost every online casino today offers a dynamic browser platform and a mobile app pairing. Some of the best, like Chumba Casino, offer slots, jackpots, table games, and more straight from a browser—no downloading needed.
In fact, the platform now has over one million players that access Chumba’s titles straight from their computer or laptop. Unlike other online casinos, the platform offers a series of proprietary games. That means that they can’t be found on other websites, giving you exclusive access.
Slither.io
Back in the 1990s, the first mobile game to trend had nothing to do with Apple’s App Store. Instead, it was all about Nokia. At the time, most phones came with a simple and profoundly amusing game: Snake. Slither.io draws on this original release. Players must eat small dots, which make them grow bigger while out-maneuvering a growing series of obstacles… including their own growing tail.
Akinator
If you’re more interested in puzzle games than Snake or slots, try out Akinator. The title comes from French developer Elokence and draws from the popular game 21 Questions. Using an AI program, players can think of any character or item in existence. From there, Akinator (a genie) will ask a series of simple questions to identify what they’re thinking of.
If it sounds simple, then head to the website now and let Akinator blow your mind. Whether you’re imagining a pile of dirt, F1 driver Max Verstappen, or Kevin McAllister from Home Alone, Akinator knows it all.
Isleward
Compared to other contemporary releases, Isleward sticks to a pixelated retro theme. The game also draws on roguelike dungeon crawlers, which require players to work within a rigid series of actions. Along the way, they can develop the city of Strathford, explore beyond its borders, fight a few pesky monsters, and find plenty of loot along the way.
Best of all, Isleward is designed to include a multiplayer mode. In fact, much of the gameplay is made easier by adding fellow adventurers to the group. This makes it perfect for gamers who want to try out a new title with a friend remotely.
Town of Salem
This puzzle game closely resembles other who-done-its, like the video game Among Us and the party game Mafia. In Town of Salem, players must piece together a mystery while playing in one of three roles: townsperson, neutral, or mafia member. Townspeople must track down mafia members… or escape suspicion as a member themselves.