The internet can be a double-edged sword; while there are countless social media and streaming websites, there’s only so much typical internet content anyone can handle. So sometimes, the very thing that’s meant to entertain us ends up boring us even more.
So what else can you do online when you’re bored and looking to kill some time? You can play online games, of course!
Given how video games have proven to help some relax, online gaming can definitely help you unwind. That said, given all the different games available online today, it can be difficult to choose which game to play.
So stick with me to find out what are the best games you can play online today!
Table of Contents
Best Online Games In 2022
The era of flash browser games is over; these days, online games can be casual, more hardcore, or anything in between.
Below, in no particular order, we list our picks for the best games you can play online in 2022. The picks are from across a wide variety of genres and range from casual to more serious games.
1. 8 Ball Pool
Genre: Sports
Category: Multiplayer
Based on the popular pool billiards game of the same name, 8 Ball Pool is an online multiplayer game that takes your pool experience to the next level.
In 8 Ball Pool, you can challenge your friends to a Player versus Player (PvP) style match or compete in local tournaments.
What’s more, if you’re looking to spice up your gaming experience, you can do so with in-game purchasable content. The game comes with fully customizable pool cues and pool boards available through microtransactions.
So it doesn’t matter if you’re a first-time pool player or a seasoned veteran, 8 Ball Pool has a little something for everyone!
2. Strike Tactics
Genre: RTS
Category: Single-player, Multiplayer
Real-Time Strategy (RTS) games are a popular genre, dating back to early titles like Stronghold, Command and Conquer, and even Age of Empires. Unfortunately, most RTS games are resource-hungry monsters and require downloading large game files to play them.
That’s where Strike Tactics comes in: A Sci-Fi RTS game that runs entirely on your browser using HTML 5.
Strike Tactics features both Player versus Environment (PVE) and PVP gameplay, offering a single and multiplayer gameplay mix.
So if you grew up a fan of the old Sci-Fi RTS games like Starcraft, you’d surely enjoy Strike Tactics.
3. Slither.io
Genre: Casual
Category: Multiplayer
A hybrid of the classic Snake video games and agar.io, Slither.io is an online game based on a simple rule: Survival of the fittest.
Players worldwide play Slither as individual snakes, competing in a massive open-world for food and resources. To survive, players can either consume more food or eat smaller snakes. Be warned, though: you lose the game once a giant snake consumes you.
The game is purely a casual browser game, and although there is a leaderboard for the top scores, the game lacks any real progress or achievements.
Still, Slither is a great time-killer, especially when you’re looking for some quick fun.
4. Chess Online
Genre: Board Games
Category: Single-player, Multiplayer
Chess is perhaps one of the most fun yet complex games ever invented. Now, with Chess online, you can play chess from the comfort of your browser.
Chess Online is hosted on Chess.com, the world’s largest internet chess server, forum, and community. Players can compete in online chess matches or play ‘single-player chess’ against a computer bot.
You can either play Chess Online as a guest or sign up with an account for ranked play. The website ranks players using the ELO system, which lets players compete in tournaments against other players of a similar skill level.
5. Old School Runescape
Genre: MMORPG
Category: Single-player, Multiplayer
Based on the classic Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) by Jagex, Old School RuneScape is an official replica of the “golden era” or Runescape 2.
Join the magical world of Gielnor and choose the adventure you want in this massive open world. From leveling up skills, training combat, PVP/PVE, questing, or even just having fun with your pals, there is no shortage of things you can do in Runescape.
Old School RuneScape is Free to Play (F2P) and has a paid subscription that offers a vast range of exclusive in-game content, including more skills, quests, and items.
6. Pokemon Showdown
Genre: RPG Battle Simulator
Category: Multiplayer
Are you serious about your Pokemon battles but can’t be bothered breeding and training pokemon with perfect IVs and EVs? Well then, Pokemon Showdown might be just what you’re looking for!
Pokemon online is a battle simulator of the classic Pokemon games, which skips the RPG part and gets straight to the battles. Choose from all eight pokemon generations and different metas to play with, where you can either build your team or play with a random team every time.
Like Chess Online, Pokemon Showdown also features the option for playing as a guest or registering for ranked ELO matches and a spot on the leaderboard. Additionally, you can also compete in Pokemon tournaments of different generations, metas, and skill levels.
7. Zynga Poker
Genre: Card Game
Category: Multiplayer
You may not be able to put on your best poker face, but you’ll surely be able to sweep in some big winnings in Zynga Poker!
Zynga Poker is based on Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, one of the most popular poker variants. Players can compete in games and bet chips they can purchase through the game’s microtransactions.
Besides purchasing from the game store, Zynga Poker also lets players earn chips with daily challenges and slot machine bonuses.
The game also has tournaments for players who are confident in their poker skills and want to compete with higher stakes.
8. Google Quick Draw
Genre: Guessing game
Category: Single-player
Google Quick Draw kills two birds with one stone: It is both a fun guessing game and a way to train an AI tool to recognize doodles.
Google Quick Draw is a single-player game. The game’s objective is to draw different objects quickly using your cursor, touch screen, or stylus. As you draw the object you’re asked to draw, the AI will guess what you’ve drawn in a series of guesses.
If the AI can recognize the object within the given time, it wins. Overall, the game is a casual concept that’s more fun to play than it sounds at first.
9. Copter
Genre: Arcade game
Category: Single-player
If you remember Flappy Bird, you’ll either appreciate Copter or tear your hair out of frustration as you repeatedly die.
Copter is an online arcade game that perhaps also captures the difficulty of some of the earlier classic arcade games. The objective is to simply fly a helicopter as far as you can without crashing it. Sounds simple, right? If only the game were that easy to play as well.
Regardless, Copter is worth checking out, only to remind you that video games can also be absurd and futile at times.
10. QWOP
Genre: Arcade game
Category: Single-player
Speaking of absurd and futile video games, QWOP is another contender for one of the weirdest, most frustrating games you’ll find on the internet. But hey, anything to prevent that Instagram Death scroll, right?
Like an internet meme as a video game, QWOP lets players control an Olympic athlete running in the 100m race. The only catch is, the player must individually control each muscle and thigh of the athlete, which makes the game notoriously difficult to learn.
You can try this bizarre creation by Bennet Foddy if even regular games are starting to bore you. Just don’t blame us if it leads to more stress rather than relaxation.
11. Krunker
Genre: FPS
Category: Multiplayer
Finally, we have Krunker, a First Person Shooter (FPS) browser game.
If you enjoy simple, Minecraft-style graphics, Krunker will feel right at home. Join players worldwide with over 25 different game modes to choose from across different servers as you wage epic battles and shoot zombies.
The game also comes with different purchasable skins and custom items that can improve your player’s cosmetics. It also has an active community that regularly streams, publishes guides, and creates content.
The best part? You don’t even need a dedicated game client for Krunker; you can start playing today from the comfort of your browser!
12. Bonus: Chrome Dinosaur Game
Genre: Arcade
Category: Single-player
If you’re out of an internet connection altogether and still bored, your last resort is just to open Google Chrome and play the dinosaur game.
Granted, we’re technically cheating since the Dinosaur Game is the very opposite of an online game. Still, this game was too fun not to include on this list, so we’ll add it there for good measure.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re a more serious gamer or just a casual one, online gaming can be a rewarding and relaxing activity that’s also a welcome alternative to social media.
So the next time you’re bored and itching for a quick fix, try one of the games on our list, and you won’t be disappointed. Just don’t forget the most important thing of all while playing games online: Have fun!
