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boredom killer
Bored over the holidays? Here are some free games to play
And more importantly, they’re good.
SO CHRISTMAS HAS come and gone and you’re at a loose end. You have a lot of free time, but not enough stuff to fill it up with.
Well, you shouldn’t despair as there are a vast number of free games out there. Not all of them are worth playing, but the ones below should keep you occupied for a while.
Super Crate Box
For: Windows, Mac
With the focus solely on getting a high score, Super Crate Box is a simple game. On one screen, you avoid a never-ending stream of enemies, collect crates that contain different weapons and try to survive for as long as possible.
Vlambeer / Vimeo
TrackMania Nations Forever
For: Windows
With some crazy tracks, speedy cars and more than 60 tracks to choose from, it’s hard to be bored playing Trackmania. The best part is you don’t even need that good a PC to run it, meaning anyone can get in on the fun.
Team Fortress 2
For: Windows, Mac
Still one of the best first-person multiplayer games out there, the fact that Team Fortress 2 is still popular now despite being over eight years old tells you much about it. Even now, it still manages to an incredibly balanced shooter.
Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun
For: Windows
When the fourth addition to the series was released, EA decided to make Tiberian Sun a free download. If you’re looking for some RTS goodness, it still holds up well and will eat up many hours of your time.
It’s hard to believe Cave Story was created by just one person as it’s such a tight game. Taking inspiration from the likes of Metroid, its weapon levelling-up system is clever, progression is well paced, and it will offer a significant challenge if you decide to complete it properly.
Puzzle Bobble
On: Web
The classic arcade puzzle game, which inspired Bust a Move and thousands of other imitations, is free to play on your browser. Easy to understand, but later levels will ramp up the challenge pretty quickly.
Rick Dangerous
For: Web
Want an incredibly tough Indiana Jones-inspired platformer? Of course you do. It’s an old-school challenge so don’t go complaining to us when you die for the hundred time in a few minutes. (Quick tip: press the home key when you start. You’ll thank us later).
Find the invisible cow
For: Web
Just have headphones on for this and don’t have the volume too loud. That’s all we’re saying.
Prince of Persia
For: Web
An iconic game that influenced many modern games today, Prince of Persia is still a tightly-designed game that holds up well.
The time limit of 60 minutes will weigh on the back of your mind, but the platforming, fighting and level design is still top notch. (As an aside, the Archive site has thousands of other MSDOS games saved for you to play so keep that in mind).
Read: How much do you really know about these classic Christmas toys? >
Read: How well do you remember videogames from the 90s? >
