The Top 13 Best Browser Games Right Now

Looking for a fun game you can jump into without the need of high-end PC hardware or a console? In this post, we’ve listed some of the best browser games currently available.

Gaming has come a long way since the early 1980s. Back then, the only people who played video games were teenage boys. Today, everyone’s a gamer—from the Candy Crush-addicted grandmas to the toddlers who won’t let go of their parents’ smartphones. This is why video games are no longer restricted to expensive consoles or high-end gaming PCs. They’re everywhere now. Even in your web browser.

In the past, browser games were limited to endless runners and other simplistic designs. But advances in HTML and related technologies have made it possible to offer full-featured gaming experiences through a browser. Whether you enjoy RPGs, hack-and-slash games, strategy games, or niche visual novels, there’s a browser game out there that’s just waiting to be discovered by you.

Before you object and say, “But my computer’s ancient! There’s no way it’ll run even the most basic of games!” you should know that browser-based games don’t require much of anything. You won’t need loads of RAM or a cutting-edge graphics card. In fact, you don’t even need to pay for or download anything for most of them. Simply log on to the game’s web address and start playing.

It really is that simple.

So, what are you waiting on? Check out this list of the top 13 best browser games of 2023 to discover your next time waster today!

City Guesser

If you love traveling or geography, you can’t go wrong with City Guesser. When you log on to the City Guesser website, you’ll be able to choose from a variety of categories, including ‘Worldwide’, ‘USA’, ‘Europe’, ‘Monuments’, and dozens of others.

Simply click the ‘Play Map’ button below the category name and you’ll be transported via video to a random city street. You can watch as you’re carried along busy city streets and down old cobblestone paths, noting any street signs, license plates, or other clues to your location along the way. Once you think you’ve identified your destination, you can click ‘Start Guessing’ and try to identify the videos’ location via a pop-up map.

It’s like taking a quick vacation from the comfort of your computer chair. And you just might discover your next vacation destination. Plus, it’s absolutely free.

Apple Worm

Do you remember the old mobile phone game, Snake? You had to try and eat as many dots as possible without running into any walls or your lengthening body. If you’re of a certain age, you not only remember it, but you probably wasted hours playing it.

While Apple Worm isn’t an exact copy of Snake, it does have some striking similarities. It’s a browser game that offers challenging puzzle-solving gameplay. You’ll need to eat all of the apples on the screen while avoiding obstacles and navigating toward the exit.

While it sounds simple, the levels get frighteningly complicated at higher levels. Only the most skilled worms will make it to the end.

Will you be one of them?

Town of Salem

Do you love murder? Deception? Utter mayhem?

If so, then you won’t be able to put down Town of Salem, a browser-based party game that’s similar to Mafia. In this RPG, you’ll take on the role of a townsperson, a mafia member, or a neutral party. As a mafia member, your goal is to kill everyone else in town while avoiding detection. Townspeople, on the other hand, will do their best to root out the liars and keep the town safe from their chaos.

The game is broken up into days and nights, with nights serving as the time for players to choose how they’ll approach things and the days revealing the consequences of those decisions.

This is the perfect game for anyone who loves murder mysteries or puzzles. And it won’t cost you a thing to start playing.

Catan Universe

If you’ve never played Settlers of Catan, what have you been doing with your life? This game is an incredibly fun board game that lets 2-6 players fight for control of a small island. Along the way, they’ll collect natural resources and build settlements, roads, and more. But only one will survive to the end.

So, what could be better than Settlers of Catan? How about Catan Universe, a browser game that’s based on the popular board game?

Catan Universe is an online version of Settlers of Catan, offering all the fun of the original game with none of the cleanup. It is a browser game that you can set up and play with your friends within minutes. And like most of the other games on this list, you won’t need a special gaming setup or to make any purchases.

So, grab a few friends and play one of the most addictive games ever made! And don’t forget to stock up on ore and wood!

Isleward

Isleward is a multiplayer, 8-bit roguelike MMO that may not look like much at first glance. In fact, you may be surprised to discover that it’s multiplayer at all. But once you’ve chosen your character and started your game, you’ll find yourself in Strathford, a town filled with adventurers just like you.

It’s like World of Warcraft and the original Legend of Zelda had a baby.

Once you set out, you can connect with others and explore together, killing monsters and leveling up on the way. There’s an entire 8-bit world waiting to be explored, filled to the brim with ferocious monsters, valuable loot, and tons of friends.

If you’ve been looking for a way to go on an epic adventure without shutting down your browser, you can’t go wrong with Isleward.

Treasure Arena

Many people who grew up in the 1990s have fond memories of 16-bit, overhead action games like Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Secret of Mana. If that’s you, then Treasure Arena will be right up your alley.

Treasure Arena is an arena shooter that puts you in the shoes of a warrior, rogue, or mage. When the game starts, you’ll be dropped into a dungeon with three other players and pitted against one another. Whoever’s able to hold on to the most loot by the end of the round wins.

But it wouldn’t be a retro-inspired shooter without plenty of power-ups, dangerous NPCs, and upgradeable weapons. It’s the trip back in time to the mid-90s that you’ve been longing for. And if you want to get an even fuller, more robust experience, you can purchase Super Treasure Arena from Steam.

Or you could just play the free browser version. The choice is yours. And when you win, the treasure will be too.

Fallen London

If a well-written, engaging story is what you’re looking for in a video game, then Fallen London is the ideal browser game for you. In fact, The New Yorker has gone so far as to describe it as “Far and away the best browser game of today. Why? Flavour and story.”

So, what is it?

Fallen London is a long-running narrative-heavy game made by Failbetter Games, the maker of Sunless Seas and Sunless Skies. In fact, Fallen London is set in the same universe as those games.

When you start playing Fallen London, you’ll enter underground London and be tasked with quests that will slowly uncover the mysteries haunting the city. It’s a slow burn that’s perfect for fans of mystery games and TV shows. And what’s more, the developers are still creating and releasing new content and stories on a semi-regular basis.

Will you discover the truth hiding in the streets of London? Log on today to find out!

Sort of Court

Sort the Cort takes advantage of WebGL technology to offer players a fun, engaging experience that’ll run on any modern browser—from Chrome and Opera to Mozilla. When you start it up, you’ll be given the opportunity to take on the role of a king or queen. Then, you’ll be faced with subject after subject, each coming to you for help. Some are looking for a few coins. Others want food. And still others simply want to join your royal court.

Using some of the simplest controls ever seen on a video game (the only buttons you’ll press are the Y, N, and Space keys), you’ll have to try and keep your kingdom happy, your treasury filled, and your citizenry alive. It’s not always easy. But it is always a lot of fun!

QWOP

If you’re an experienced browser gamer, then you’re probably already familiar with QWOP. It’s a hilarious, physics-based rag doll game released in 2008 that has you controlling an Olympic athlete’s legs with the Q, W, O, and P keys.

While completing a 100m sprint might not sound like much of a challenge (or much fun), successfully getting there with only four keys isn’t easy. That’s especially the case when you’re laughing so hard at your avatar, twisting up like a pretzel and moving in every direction except the one you want him to go in.

QWOP is the definition of a classic browser game. Fortunately, the years have been kind to it. It’s just as fun today as it was nearly fifteen years ago when it was released.

Pokemon Showdown

Do you want to be the very best? Like no one ever was? Do you view catching them as your real test? Training them as your cause?

If so, then you won’t be able to get enough of Pokemon Showdown, a browser-based pokemon battling simulator that gives you access to every pokemon, move, and item from the entire franchise. You can enjoy matches against other trainers or the computer—and you don’t have to worry about catching new monsters, training them, or healing them up after a hard-fought battle.

Whether you’re looking for an easy way to test out the ultimate pokemon team or you simply love battling, Pokemon Showdown is an essential browser game for all pokefans.

It really is super effective!

Gartic Phone

Have you ever wondered what would happen if you crossed the childhood ‘Telephone’ game with Pictionary? Me neither. But the team behind Gartic Phone did. And now you can play what they came up with by visiting their browser game’s site.

Once you create a nickname and log in, you’ll be connected to other players and given an opportunity to write a phrase or short sentence. Then, those phrases will be mixed up and passed out to the other players. They’ll need to draw a picture based on the phrase they’ve been given. That picture will then be passed out to everyone, and they’ll have to write a phrase based on the picture. The goal is to end up with the same phrase you started with. But the fun comes in when that doesn’t happen. And it never does.

CELESTE Classic

Did you know that the award-winning game Celeste started out as a browser game? Well, it did. And though you can pick up the console or PC version without breaking the bank, you could also just play the free original version—called Celeste Classic.

If you love unforgiving platformers that will require you to die at least 1000 times before you’re able to move on to the next level, Celeste Classic is a great option. It’ll keep you busy (and frustrated) for hours upon hours.

Prodigy Math Game

Browser games aren’t just about having fun. They can also offer a genuine learning experience. Or they can provide a fusion of the two. That’s the concept behind Prodigy Math Game, a fantasy MMORPG that teaches math while providing kids with a fun adventure.

In the same vein as 90s learning games like Math Blaster, Prodigy Math Game gives players the ability to overcome enemies by answering math questions. As players move through the game, they slowly uncover an exciting story filled with magic and danger.

If you’ve got a kid who needs to brush up on his math skills, Prodigy Math Game is a great option!