When we first started creating spots for Fanpop, Michael suggested a spot dedicated to browser-based games. The only criterion for this spot is that the game should be completely playable within the browser window (no downloads, no special client, etc.).
Being an avid gamer, I immediately joined Michael in scouring the web for the best web-based games out there. We found a lot of games via blogs (jayisgames.com is probably the best), word-of-mouth and casual gaming portals. And now that Fanpop has launched publicly, we’ve been able to enjoy the many submissions from fans of web games.
I’ve been amazed by the quality of some of these games and by how addicting they are. A word of caution: These games are addictive. You will find yourself playing them during breaks on the job.
So here’s my list of favorites from the past few months. These are games that I have *ahem* found myself playing late into the night or have surreptitiously fired up while seemingly hard at work on my laptop (Dave, don’t fire me for that admission).
#6 Zwok: Multiplayer Snowball Battles
I never did suceed in getting the rest of the team into this game. But I did get one friend outside of work totally hooked to the point that he spent a good portion of his days, over the course of a week, playing this game. The premise is simple, but oh so fun. 3-on-3 teams take turns clobbering each other with snowballs. The teammates and opponents are actually other online players, so this is a genuine multiplayer online browser game. You can talk smack and climb the rankings if you’ve got the right stuff.
#5 Parking Test
Games don’t get much simpler than this. You are a car. You need to park the car. Don’t hit the obstacles as you park. That’s it. Of course, what makes this game enjoyable is that (a) everyone can enjoy this game because everyone thinks they know how to park and (b) the game is timed so you can get a little competitive with your peers by comparing your score. There were subsequent sequels to this game, but this is the original and the best.
#4 Roboclaw
Again, a simple premise (that’s the beauty of web-based games): you are a robotic arm/claw thing. Pick up a little blue orb and move it to the goal without hitting the obstacles. Of course, the many varied levels of this game are what make this one challenging. The claw can be tricky to navigate, obstacles can sometimes move and, on the higher levels, even the claw starts to move. Of course, the levels are timed, so faster completion yields higher scores and more bragging rights amongst your buddies. This game also sports a nice feature that allows you to skip to the last level completed if you ever decide to come back and play some more.
#3 Falling Sand
The first time I saw this game I thought it was lame and closed the browser window (I think this is the same reason why this game hasn’t really caught on in our office). However, if you just give this game a chance, and a few minutes beyond that first snap impression, you’ll be treated to a really engrossing, open-ended game. It’s actually more of a sim than anything and the idea sounds boring unless you actually try the game. Sand falls from the top of the screen to the bottom. You have a variety of tools you can use to catch the sand and manipulate the sand and other elements (water, fire, plants, etc.). The fun is in erecting fantastic systems to catch the sand and see how it can be manipulated. Perhaps a bit more abstract in its gameplay, but it’s a nice break nevertheless.
#2 Mother Load
Michael and I got *very* addicted to this game. The story is that you are a mining rig on Mars. Your job is to dig shafts deep into the planet’s core and harvest all the precious metals and other goodies you find. The fun here is in the discovery and excitement of digging a really, really deep shaft and in earning enough dough to buy the cool powerups for your mining rig. As an added bonus there’s a story-arc that ties the whole game together. And rather being open-ended like many web-based games, this game actually has a conclusion (if you can get to it, it’s a worthwhile payoff). Finally, Mother Load has an excellent game-save system that allows you to return to the game and pick up where you left off.
#1 Dolphin Olympics: Dolphin Jumping Sim
Like most web-based games, the premise here doesn’t sound all that enticing. But if the idea alone turns you off, you’ll be missing out on a really fun, really addicting game. In Dolphin Olympics you control a dolphin that perform a wide variety of aerial acrobatics when it leaps into the air. Each game consists of 2 minutes during which you attempt to rack up points by performing an amazing sucession of aerial leaps, flips and corkscrews. The addictive element to this game is two-fold. First, the game mechanics of swiming, leaping and diving are amazingly natural and fun. You get immense enjoyment just from pretending you’re Flipper at Sea World. Add to that a scoring system that surprises you with scoring bonuses for various combinations and you’ll spend hours just trying to figure out all the different acrobatic combinations your dolphin is capable of. The game also sports a high-score list for all players, so you can compare your score against others from around the world.
Well, that’s it for now. Hopefully those games will keep you busy. Of course, that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are dozens of other great games that have been added to the Web-Based Games Spot. Be sure to check them out.
And of course, if you have any favorites that aren’t listed. Be sure to add it to the Web-Based Games Spot. Michael and I are always on the lookout for the next big time-waster. Oh and here’s a llink to the full list of games on the spot in case you wanted to check out some of the other games that didn’t make the cut 
[...] Note: Due to the feedback we’ve received on the first two lists (Time Wasting Web Games and Wacky Japanese Videos), we’re continuing this series on a weekly basis. This week’s subject is a perennial favorite: animals. [...]