Game Design University Of Washington

What Are 10 Fun and Free Online Games?

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Online gaming offers a great way to pass the time (particularly when we're all quarantined), plus it helps build manual dexterity skills and potentially enhances problem-solving abilities, depending on the games chosen. Entertaining online games come in many formats, ranging from colorful casino-style games and arcade-style classics to the most intricate role-playing games set in elaborate worlds.

Of course, the cost of playing some online games can quickly add up, particularly if you opt for the more elaborate RPGs that often require monthly fees and in-game purchases that are necessary to succeed. Ideally, you want to find free online games that are still a lot of fun to play. One of these top free online games may offer the perfect solution.

Dauntless

Dauntless is a free online monster-hunting game. The hunt for good monster-themed games to play free online has increased significantly since the release of the successful Monster Hunter series. The game pushes players to use memory and logic skills to protect a colony of humans from hordes of monsters. PCMag gave it a "Good" rating, praising its easy learning curve and cross-compatibility with game consoles. Negatives include limited weapons and monsters and environments that could use some work.

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Little Big Snake

Little Big Snake is a skills game that enhances manual dexterity and puzzle solving skills. It's similar to the early versions of snake games, but the graphics are vastly improved. Your snake eats nectar and bugs, but if it touches another snake, then it's game over for your slinky friend. This game requires Adobe Flash Player to play, and it's available as a mobile app as well as an online game.

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Drag Racer V3

Like drag racing games? Drag Racer V3 offers some fun, free online game play for all the racing fans out there. Created by Phantom Games, it pits you against other racers to fan the flames of competition. When starting the game, you "buy" a race car, customize it to meet your personal specifications, and then race against other cars to see who gets bragging rights.

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Fortnite Battle Royale

Fortnite Battle Royale drops you into a world with 99 other players, all with the goal of being the last player standing at the end of the battle. The game allows you to play with friends in the same world, or you can make all new ones. You get time to build up some protective structures before the competition battle, so get started gathering resources right away. The game has a 4.5-star rating on TechRadar, partially due to fun combat scenarios and the vibrant gaming environment.

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League of Legends

Video game developer Riot Games created League of Legends to appeal to fans of the popular World of Warcraft online game. This fast-moving, aggressive game teaches both teamwork skills and logic. Manual dexterity is also needed as you progress through the game. Riot Games also organizes various Esports tournaments, including League of Legends tournaments with prizes in excess of $1 million for skilled players to compete to win.

Photo Courtesy: @ArtStationHQ/Twitter

Killer Instinct

With the Killer Instinct game, you can play as one character for free, but if you want to expand your character options, you have to shell out some cash. The concept of the game is similar to Super Smash Bros., and players can pick up mascots from other popular games, such as Halo and Battletoads. Despite its character limitations, it has an 8.4 rating on IGN, partially due to the fluidity of the fighting moves.

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Golf with Your Friends

If you enjoy a round or two of putt putt golf, you may be thrilled to hear you can play without braving the elements. Even better, you can play in quarantine with your friends! Golf with Your Friends supports and enhances hand-eye coordination, with players banking golf balls off obstacles and around corners to reach the holes in the fewest possible shots. Featuring game play for up to 12 simultaneous players and various game modes that even let players change the size and shape of their balls, GWYF offers a fun solution to boredom. Colorful graphics further add to the appeal of the game.

Photo Courtesy: @GolfWYF/Twitter

Runescape

As the world's most popular MMO (massively multiplayer online) role-playing game, Runescape has been around for quite some time. Currently entertaining players with its third incarnation, the game drops players into a world filled with different cultures battling a host of angry gods for supremacy. It features hundreds of quests for players to complete to achieve this goal.

Photo Courtesy: @RuneScape/Twitter

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit

The Awesome Adventures of Captain Spirit is a sequel to the popular game Life Is Strange. Captain Spirit is the alter-ego of a nine-year-old named Chris, which means this is a kid-friendly game that isn't packed with violence like some other adventure games. Adding to the kid appeal, it only takes a couple of hours to play through the full game, on average.

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Starcraft II

The strategy game Starcraft II drops players into different galactic environments, where they take on various challenges to conquer the galaxy. Created by Blizzard Entertainment, the developer of the wildly popular World of Warcraft, the game requires players to set up a Battle.net account to play, but game play is free once you complete that step. Some characters are only available through purchasing, but players can enjoy the game without buying extra characters if desired.

Photo Courtesy: @StarCraft/Twitter