Recently our writer Marcos Codas talked about the advances made in software development that has allowed for an incredibly diverse and impressive range of games to be produced using both HTML5 and Javascript. Most of us can remember the limitations offered by Flash based games the web was famous for. Clunky downloads or slow-paced and limited gameplay were the norm. Certainly nothing to write home about.
Things have changed dramatically though and Flash is long gone, abandoned by Adobe. As well as entire gaming sites being built on one of the two coding engines, companies have taken advantage of the ease of each platform to write promotional games for their franchises. With a plethora of these browser-based games out there, how do you find all of the ones worth playing?
Enter Plays.org
American website plays.org has the answer. Updated several times a week, this relatively new site offers players an incredible selection of curated titles. But rather than just offering generic games that most people would forget after a few minutes, the site offers a mixture of traditional favourites and a generous helping of licensed games based on a range of major franchises.
Every game is targeted at a family audience and they’re all intended for quick, bite-sized gaming sessions. Nothing too taxing and the sort of games you can load up between more heavy duty sessions for the serious PC gamer or to keep your kids amused if you’re a stressed parent. Because they’re developed primarily using HTML5 and Javascript they work just as happily on a mobile device as well as a PC so most can be played on the go as well.
Licenses?
I touched upon this briefly a few moments ago, but this is probably one of the strengths of Plays.org. While it’s easy to waste a few minutes playing an endless runner, it’s more fun when you’re playing one based on one of your favourite Marvel characters. Such is the case with Spider-Man Mysterio Rush. While it’s not the longest of games to play through to completion, it’s a fun web-slinging runner, made all the more fun with the official license attached to it.
And that’s the real surprise with most of the games that you’ll find hidden away on the Plays.org website. Rather than fill it with clones or games inspired by the likes of Marvel, DC and major film and TV franchises, everything that is from a recognisable brand is fully licensed. The games may not be the most in-depth or complex, but it doesn’t stop them being entertaining or ones that you’ll come back to – or at least for a short while as enjoyable timewasters.
Cartoon Favourites
I’ve mentioned Marvel (and there’s a generous selection there), but that just scratches the surface. There are games for fans of the rebooted Danger Mouse series, titles based on characters from the long-running Beano comic, a plenthora of games featuring assorted Nickelodeon franchises and even a section dedicated to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!
Something For The Traditionalists
It’s not all about licensed games though. As well as all of the well known franchises (which are abundant), there are card games (including the Classic Solitaire which I seem to struggle to put down lately), traditional board and card games, puzzle games and something for all ages. Combining that with a search function and an index with games split by categories and into type and franchise it’s easy to find what you’re looking for.
Verdict
It’s easy to lose yourself for a few hours on the Plays.org website. Whether you’re exploring games using the Random Game function and taking pot luck to see what comes up, or looking for specific games, you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained. Even though you’ll complete most of the games in no time at all they’re not designed for longevity, just short-term fun. With that in mind, they do the job admirable.
Adding to the player experience further, if the choice wasn’t enough, the team behind the site have even added a “favourites” feature so you can remember games you like playing to save the need to search for them on each return visit. With hundreds of games on offer, you certainly won’t be disappointed, whether playing at home or on a mobile device and with new games added all the time there’s always a reason to come back.
We’ll be revisiting the site on a regular basis to check out some of our favourites!
Leave a Reply