If you ask anyone if they like sitting at a desk for 8 hours straight each day staring at a screen, they would probably answer “no”. If you’re working hard at your job (or hardly working), and want to spend some time gaming, there’s a plethora of accessible games on your internet browser. Thanks to some innovations, browser gaming doesn’t have to be as bland as it was in the past.
Solitaire
Well-known Classic Solitaire is a single-player card game whose primary objective is to arrange a standard deck in a specific order within a tableau, ultimately organizing them into four foundation piles, each one sorted by suit and ascending rank. Taking short breaks to play Solitaire can serve as a quick mental “reset” during long or monotonous tasks, allowing you to return to your work with increased productivity and focus.
Slither.io
Probably one of the most popular up-and-coming browser games is Slither.io. In this game, the objective is to obtain as many points as possible as a snake-like creature. Movements are controlled by the mouse, and you’re able to destroy other players by “cutting” them off by running into you. Throughout the game, you’ll grow larger, making this a much easier task to accomplish. Don’t get ahead of yourself, however, as it takes awhile to build up to a decent size. You’re also able to activate a “speed boost” option, but this isn’t always recommended because you might end up running into another snake. If you are at work and trying to avoid downloading any games, you can play this one straight from your browser.
Scrabble
Scrabble has been timeless, around as long as board games have been around. Ever since the launch of the internet and phone apps, it has blown up even more. There’s far too many variations of anagram-based games to count and Scrabble tends to be the most popular on app stores and online. They’re also a great way to improve your vocabulary and stretch out your mind. That being said, sometimes it’s hard to come up with the words that might be included in your set of letters. The unscrambling tool UnscrambleX shows how you can unscramble letters that you are having particular difficulty with when playing Scrabble. The use of this tool is not cheating as long as you’re deriving an educational value from it and not competing with real-life people. These kinds of games don’t require a heavy amount of attention or focus and are easy to play intermittently at work.
Doom
Definitely for the retrogamer, Doom is available in many browsers online. This one might not be super work-appropriate, so use discretion prior to playing this game. While Wolfenstein 3D sort of initiated the development of future first-person shooters, Doom certainly polished how they should play out. If you enjoy the difficulty of games from the 90’s, and you’re okay with fast-paced action, this is the game for you. Just another advisory that there’s quite a lot of carnage in this game, so depending on what you consider NSFW take heed.
Homescapes
If you find time (or you’re allowed) to take out your phone while you’re at work, a popular app to play is Homescapes. The user’s objective is to renovate a house piece by piece, gaining points while playing a Bejeweled-esque minigame. The landscape alters with the seasons, and you may be designing your home for Christmastime, Halloween, or Chinese New Year. You are serviced by a butler who interacts with other characters within the game, and you also have the option to adopt a pet such as a cat. There’s no cost to using the game (although you can pay to play), so it’s a great way to use your time without spending any money.
Chrome’s T-Rex Game
If your work’s internet connection is down (or you’re just bored) there’s a T-Rex Game developed on Chrome that’s entertaining, albeit a little monotonous. When there’s an internet outage at work it can be fun to compete with your friends on who’s gotten the highest score. Alternatively, you can always turn the internet off on your device in order to access the game at any time. It’s pretty work friendly, and considering it’s coded right into the Chrome browser, your boss might not even be aware that you’re playing it.
All of these options are contingent upon how awesome your work is and if you are allowed to play games when you’re on the job. Many office workspaces have become a lot more lenient in recent years because they have released how detrimental enclosed spaces are for a productive mind. Consider talking to your boss about being able to use a work computer for these purposes during your downtime. It might mean keeping workers around during lunchtime, and that means it’s a lot easier for employers to have effective communication with employees. Whatever you choose to play, take a break; you deserve it.
