Bethany Hargrove
The Broadside
The Internet has endless resources, both for school and in between classes, and what better way to chill out during a study break than games? For your entertainment, here are some sites with games that are quick, challenging without being too hard and easy to learn.
nitrome.com
Nitrome is the cutest, most creative game developer I’ve ever found. Their games all have a wonderfully retro, almost 8-bit feel, which is a boon to those of us who grew up gaming in the ‘90s.
This site is easy to navigate and friendly and the games are original and easy to learn.
My current favorite at Nitrome is “Enemy 585,” in which you help a henchman from a Super Mario-like game escape from his world.
physicsgames.net
How can you beat games where you get to break stuff? Well, okay, not all of them involve breaking stuff, but every game on Physics games is based, somehow, on physics.
From crushing castles to building bridges, physics games are certainly not mindless, but strategy-based and mesmerising. “Crush The Castle” is my favorite game in this site, in which you destroy structures and kill bad guys “Angry Birds”-style, but with a catapult instead of a slingshot. Also, it’s free.
miniclip.com
Miniclip is the ultimate database of online games. The range of games they feature is impossible to describe, but my favourite section of their site is the “5 Minute (In a Hurry)” games, which you can find by scrolling to the very bottom of the homepage and looking at the different sections.
These games are great for if you’re waiting around for something imminent, but don’t let that limit you. Miniclip has hundreds upon hundreds of games, some of which are terrible, but many of which are super fun.
Sometimes the Internet can be a little too entertaining between study sessions and sometimes choosing a game and setting a level limit can be just the thing to keep you from browsing for hours without realizing it. Got a favorite site for time-killing games? Got a favorite game on one of the sites I love? Let me know via email!
Bethany Hargrove can be reached at [email protected]