Life & Culture

Stuck at Home Guide: Easy Online Games

Online games are a huge help staying entertained during a quarantine, but they can do more than just divert you.  As we age, playing certain games can help us cognitively…and according to research, might even improve our mood and sense of well-being.

To keep things simple, we looked for games that you can play online for free without having to download any software. We found several good ones on sites that don’t (always) bombard you with ads – but before you start clicking on links, read on.

Staying safe playing online games

Most sites will ask you to create an account using your email before they’ll let you play a game for free. Don’t use your existing email address. Instead, create a new one that you’ll only use for online gaming – something with no identifying characteristics, and especially not your name. In other words, keep your gaming email and your personal emails separate.
  • Never click on an ad or download anything from a game site to your computer; if the game produces a pop up window that says you need to download Flash to play, for instance, it could be malware. Don’t download any kind of “Flash” update from any of these sites, download it directly from Adobe.
  • Don’t divulge any personal information about yourself to another gamer, including your last name, age or location.
  • If a gaming site asks you to create an account, make a username that keeps your identity  anonymous and create a secure password of 12 (or more) characters that you only use for gaming. Never use the same password you use to log in to your email or an online bank account.
  • Be aware that some free games will allow you to play for free until you reach a certain level and then will require a payment for you to continue the game.

 

Best Sites

  • Pogo.com offers a variety of online games, including chess, scrabble, card games, word games and puzzles. If you want to keep a record of your scores on the site, you’ll have to register. Having an account will also allow you to use the site’s social features – you can play against other members, participate in forums and “chat” with friends while you play.  You can play for free but be prepared to see ads; you have to pay to get an ad-free experience. Still, it’s a good go-to place for a lot of different free games – the Scrabble is addictive.Click here to visit Pogo
  • Tetris is another site with a variety of arcade-style games, word games and puzzle games. To play you need to log in with your Facebook account to save games and share with your friends.  Click here to visit Tetris.
  • Mahjong  offers free Mahjongg and Mahjong Games like Mahjong Fortuna, Mahjong Solitaire, Connect, Mahjongg 3D, Mahjongg Dimensions and Towers. The games are playable on desktop, tablet and mobile (Android, iOS, Windows Mobile). Click here to visit Mahjonggames.

Curious about training your brain?  Explore more here.

COMMENTS

2 responses to “Stuck at Home Guide: Easy Online Games

  1. I need help to learn good English.
    This page is completely English and I am completely German.
    I wish to make learning holidays to learn a good old Art to keep my wishes to use english not for bad Situations.
    Or I give it a way and wrote a the hole typesetting in German.
    I need a Help, thats what I am looking for.

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