When people talk about gaming they tend to focus on the newest Triple-A titles or the hottest indie game. And these titles are often a good example of just how far gaming has come over the years. But, for me, some of my best gaming memories weren’t from a huge blockbuster title. Most of my youth was spent enjoying browser games.
So many people who grew up gaming in the early 2000’s will have fond memories of browser gaming. The huge varied selection of titles. The endless hours whittled away on some niche adventure game or in a virtual hotel. It truly was a more blissful time. Today I want to pay homage to browser games and recollect some of the best titles from the 2000’s. So strap in as we take a nostalgic look back into a much loved area of gaming history!
Motherload
Released by Xgen studios back in 2004, Motherload was a staple of the browser gaming genre. Nearly every browser gaming website would feature this title on their homepage. A simple game about mining for rare ores on Mars. Players would slowly upgrade their mining craft with a variety of modifications and new tools. Allowing them to dig deeper into the planet.
The game soon took on a horror element as the player was faced with monsters and demons. Culminating in a boss fight against Satan himself. This is the sort of wackiness you got with the early browser games.
Motherload was a prime example of how influential browser games could be. It was engaging, immersive, accessible, and downright fun! Xgen studios released a sequel for the PS4, called Super Motherload, back in 2013.
Plants Vs Zombies
This series has seen a lot of changes over the years. With the subsequent installments shifting away from the tower defense genre into an arena based shooter. But the original Plants Vs Zombies holds a special place in my heart. The core gameplay loop was solid. The visual design was charming. And the soundtrack was iconic.
This wasn’t originally a browser based title. But, due to its popularity, it was quickly added to many of the most popular browser gaming websites. And it survives on the homepage of these sites to this day. So whether you like to play games at Playwards, Miniplay, or Gamepix, you will be able to enjoy this amazing game for years to come!
Club Penguin
Modern MMO’s all fall into a very similar pattern. Thanks primarily to the influence World Of Warcraft had on the gaming landscape. But, before WoW, there were a huge range of diverse MMO games out there. And Club Penguin is perhaps one of the most iconic.
Created by New Horizon Interactive, the game was more akin to a chat room where players were penguins. The title featured a number of minigames and activities for players to engage with. They could purchase cosmetics to make their penguin stand out. And even adopt a small pet known as a Puffle.
Sadly Club Penguin was shut down in 2017. But the community wouldn’t let it remain dead for long and the fans launched New Club Penguin. A faithful recreation of the beloved title. Now hundreds of new gamers can experience the magic of one of gaming’s most iconic titles.
Runescape
For the longest time Runescape was the undisputed king of the browser games. Arguably one of the first successful MMORPGS, Runescape holds a special place in gaming history. It was at its peak back in 2007. The game evolved over the years and many people moved away from the title with the launch of Runescape 3. But, in 2013, Jagex released Old School Runescape. The entire 2007 version of the game was now fully playable once more.
Runescape is famous for its tongue-in-cheek humor, long skill grinds, and soothing soundtrack. With 18 skills for players to master and a huge catalog of quests. Jagex is constantly updating Old School Runescape. Using a community voting system to ensure that the updates are only ever what the community actually wants! Something a lot of larger companies could do with copying in our opinion.
Classroom
Stickpage was one of my favorite browser gaming sites back in the day. Every game on the site utilized a stickman art style. There were so many amazing titles that it is hard not to talk about them all. But one title really stands out to me. Classroom.
On the surface the game was simple. You have to cheat on a test while avoiding the vision cone of your teacher. Each level would get tougher as the teacher’s patterns changed. But what really set this game, and its sequels, apart was the story. What starts as harmless cheating soon spirals into a comedically dark tragedy. I won’t give any spoilers as this is definitely a title you should give a try if possible.
