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Why play free online games?
From childhood to adulthood, what we all have in common is that everybody loves a good game. Online games are fun and can be a relaxing diversion from the stresses of everyday life. The wide variety and ready availability of the games have made them a popular form of entertainment and they are enjoyed by people of all ages.
In addition to being fun, online games can be a great way to stay mentally active. Keeping your mind active and alert will keep memories sharp and possibly help prevent memory loss. In a game like Scrabble, you might learn new vocabulary words, and Tetris can exercise your spatial reasoning skills. At the same time, online games can help you relax and distract you from worries and concerns. Instead of focusing on the tension and anxiety in your life, you can momentarily shift your attention to a fun and engaging game.
How to find free games online
There are free games online to fit any interest you have, whether you want to play alone or with other people. There are many sites with a wide variety of games including card games, puzzle and word games, sports games, arcade games and more. See references and resources for some good places to start.
Game sites to choose
There's something on the Internet for every interest. Whether you have an interest in sports, cards, mental games, board games, single or multi-player games, you'll find it online. You just need to experiment and see if you like the way the games are laid out, if they offer help, if the instructions are clear, if the advertising doesn't bother you and if the privacy statement seems benign. Do some investigative work to find the games that are right for you.
Games and Puzzles for all ages
AARP Games features free online puzzles, jigsaws and other interactive games. Includes clear instructions with few advertising interruptions.
Does free really mean free?
Well, yes and no! They might not cost money, but there's no free lunch. Free online games are a business. At the very least some sites want your presence on the site or want to sell your information, if you provide it. So, generally it is a trade off. Some sites will give you free trial versions of the games to play, which means you can play FREE for 30 days, but after that they will want you to pay for the game or give you a reduced version of the game to play. On other sites all you need to do is sign up, give them your email address and then just click and play. Others require you to download the game, which then may expire after the free trial period ends, but there are plenty of games that you can play for free. Before downloading anything, it is always wise to read the privacy statement or user agreement to determine whether there is a catch regarding the cost.
Playing free online games alone or with others
You can choose solitaire play or multi-player games. Some multi-player games are free, but the idea is that if you like it you'll probably soon pay for the game. If you sign off, you'll loose contact with the people with whom you were playing. Note that some are teasers that let you play for a short while and some are free. There are many listings specifically for free online multi-player games.
Sites with free educational games for my child
The net offers a huge selection of websites aimed at the K-8 crowd, whose purpose is to promote education and learning. The types of games that are on these sites include puzzles, word jumbles, matching games, educational board games, and much more. Check the reference section below to visit some of these educational sites.
References and resources for free online games
General Games
AARP Games – Features free online puzzles, jigsaws and other interactive games. Includes clear instructions with few advertising interruptions.
Pogo.com – Offers free games such as whomp, solitaire, dominoes, chess, and more. Registration is required to play games on this site. It is quick, easy, and worthwhile to register because of the wide variety of games.
All Games Free – Offers a wide variety of free games including arcade games, card games, puzzle and word games, sports games, and interactive trivia games. Registration is fast and free and once you're registered you will be able to create a custom "my games page," with all of your favorite games.
Free Arcade – Features more than 150 arcade games such as puzzle games, board games, and card games without required logins or sign ups.
PopCap Games – A commercial site featuring both single player and networked games. The single player games include fun, speed- based games like Big Money and Diamond Mine as well as puzzle solvers like Atomica and Mummy Maze. To play, click on a game and it will take a few minutes to load.
iwin – Offers networked gaming; you can play games with people from all over the world. Choices include board games (Monopoly, Chess, Backgammon, and more), card games (Bridge, Hearts, Spades, Euchre, and more), word games, (Scrabble, Tangleword), classic arcade games (Asteroids, Centipede), and more. Registration is required.
Play Free Online Games – Offers a great selection of free games, including adventure games, arcade games, board games, cards, sports, puzzles, word games, etc. Some you will need to sign up for, others just click and play.
MSN Games – Provides a good selection of board and card games that are especially easy to access and play. Provides helpful hints for the games, if needed, and features good game descriptions and the ability to browse by genre.
Zeeks! Games – Offers all sorts of games, with few advertisers. Some games may be appropriate to play with your grandchildren.
Educational games
Fun School – Offers simple, entertaining, and educational games for K-6 students. The Games hone students’ skills in a range of areas such as Spanish, typing technique, and geography. Also has very few advertisements.
Fun Brain – Provides good games and puzzle for youth, as well as other entertainment options such as movie clips. There is also a teacher’s section that is offered that outlines the curriculum.
Primary Games – Another free site, offering a number of games in a variety of subjects. The games are organized by educational topics, such as science, math, and puzzles.
Specialized Games
Merriam-Webster Online – A commercial site, offers a new word game every day. Features four types of games based on words, definitions, and etymology. Includes an archive of two months of games. To play, click on "play today's word game" and wait a few moments for the game to load.
JWorm – A speed- based game that is simple and easy to learn but surprisingly involving. All you have to do is help the Jworm eat apples so he can grow. Watch out that he doesn't hit a wall or himself.
Cartoon Network (commerical site) - Network site that includes free games.
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