You’re bored, you want to play some games, but you don’t want to spend your hard-earned cash on a game just to see if you like it. That’s where a good free game comes in.
Luckily, there are tons of them, and I’ve listed the best free online games below so you don’t have to go looking for them. There are certainly some old standbys on this list, but also some new and intriguing titles. I’ve also made it a point to pick games that you can enjoy for a long time even if you never spend a penny.
Lastly, I’ve chosen games that you can play on any device you want. Smartphones, handheld gaming consoles, PCs, and traditional consoles are all represented here.
ExpressVPN makes online gaming better on any device. VPN encryption means you can play over restricted networks at work or school, without anyone spying on you. A VPN can even give you a smoother connection to the game server and reduce latency.
11 best free online games
11. Block Heads – Duel Puzzle Games: It’s technically not Tetris
Block Heads – Duel Puzzle Games updates an old video game formula with a touch of the competition that so many people crave. Just hop in and get ready to organize all those falling blocks into rows!
Hey, if you’ve ever played the game this one was based on, you know that’s way more exciting than it sounds. And now there’s the thrill of multiplayer victory to be had as well.
Best feature: Instant multiplayer Tetris-like action
10. Puzzle Brawl – Match 3 RPG: Match shapes to beat your friends
It’s classic “match 3” gameplay: arrange three or more shapes on your screen into a line, and they’ll disappear, giving you points. But now, as with other games on this list, you’ve got to do it better than the person you’re playing against. Think Bejeweled, but now you don’t have to get the highest score in your region to feel the thrill of beating someone at the game.
Mind you, there is still a leaderboard, so you can beat other people at the game that way, too.
Best feature: It’s match 3, but finally multiplayer
9. Bloons TD Battles 2: Head-to-head tower defense
Bloons TD is a franchise all about tower defense. Balloons, or “bloons,” will show up on your screen, and you put down towers with monkeys in them to pop the balloons before they get to the other side of the level. It’s crazy fun, and I remember playing the first iteration back when it was a flash game.
In Bloons TD Battles 2, you finally get to compete with friends or enemies to see who can pop balloons the fastest, and survive the longest.
Best feature: Take on your friends in one of the best tower defense games
8. Words With Friends 2: Online Scrabble for the masses
It’s a simple and familiar concept: you get some random letters, and have to make words with them by connecting them to letters already on the board. Make words, score points.
It’s all the fun of Scrabble, and none of the mess of cleaning up little wooden squares after your brother gets mad about that 13-letter triple-score word. All jokes aside, there are a few changes to the rule set, and you’ll need to adopt different strategies if you want to win.
Best feature: It’s more of what you loved about Words With Friends 1
7. Pokémon GO!: Collect Pokémon the healthy way
If you haven’t heard about Pokémon GO!, I’d like to welcome you to the internet. First time? Or just coming back after a long, long while? No matter, it’s good to have you. Pokémon GO! is the game that took the world by storm in 2016 by allowing players to catch Pocket Monsters (yes, that’s what the name means) out in the real world with augmented reality technology.
Basically, you walk around outside until your phone finds a Pokémon. If you can capture it, you can train it and battle other players’ Pokémon… in real life, more or less.
Best feature: It’s the closest you’ll get to being a real Pokémon trainer
6. Disney Speedstorm: Cross-platform kart racing
If you’ve ever wanted Mario Kart, but Disney, it’s here! And by all accounts, it’s fun to play! If you’re not familiar with the concept, you choose your Racer—in this case, an iconic Disney or Pixar character—customize your vehicle, and battle your way through a racetrack inspired by a Disney or Pixar film.
Despite the presence of some of the more annoying free-to-play monetization strategies, this combat racing game game has a fairly lively community, and it lets you play with all your friends on just about any device.
Best feature: Full crossplay racing across all platforms
Available on: Android, iOS, Switch, Steam Deck, PC, Xbox, PS
5. League of Legends / League of Legends Wild Rift: The classic MOBA experience
League of Legends was just about the first multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game to truly become a household name, and it hasn’t let go of that status ever since. LoL, along with its Wild Rift version for mobile and consoles, have held on to that status with a 5-on-5 team-based battle strategy mechanic that appeals to seasoned gamers and newbies alike.
Oh, and if you’ve never played before, don’t worry—you don’t need to form a team or know any other players before you join a game. You can easily jump in alone.
Best feature: Vast champion variety / the mute feature
Available on: Android, iOS, Switch, PS, Xbox (Wild Rift), PC (LoL)
4. Hearthstone: Mild addiction in card game form
Though I’m personally not an expert in card games of this style, Hearthstone is the game that makes me wish I was. The gameplay loop of playing, unlocking new cards, optimizing your deck—or trying to, in an amateurish sort of way, in my case—and then taking it into the next round to try your luck… it feels way better than it should, frankly.
Best feature: That “just one more game” feeling
Available on: Android, iOS, PC
3. Fortnite: battle royale and so much more
Fortnite is best known for its battle royale modes, of course, having taken the genre by storm some years ago. Enjoyers of battle royale games might leave for a while, but they always seem to come back for more, sooner or later, with updates keeping everything fresh.
But more than that, it has become a game development platform unto itself, not unlike Roblox. Powered by Unreal Engine and thousands of creative fans, Fortnite Creative mode means you always have something new to play.
Best feature: Fortnite Lego Survival mode
Available on: Android (through the Epic Games app), Switch, PC, Xbox, PS, iOS (cloud gaming)
2. Combat Master
Combat Master is the game you want to play if you’re a Call of Duty fan who doesn’t like the way multiplayer has been going. With butter-smooth shooting, great free progression, a slew of familiar game modes, and non-greedy monetization, this shooter has impressed quite a few COD veterans.
I mean, shout out to XDefiant, but Combat Master has a mobile version, so it makes the list.
Best feature: Probably the best pure COD clone
Available on: Android, iOS, Steam Deck, PC
1. Warframe: Be a space ninja
Normally classed as an MMO-lite, Warframe is a game where you awaken as a Tenno, an ancient warrior from a civilization long dead. Your goal? Survive, and maybe bring a little order to a war-ravaged solar system. The game features instanced multiplayer missions, insane parkour movement, infinitely customizable guns and melee weapons, and hordes of enemies to defeat.
Despite a rough launch, and an even rougher new player experience, Warframe has evolved into one of the best games out there, period. And yes, you can get everything that affects actual gameplay by just grinding away as a free player.
Best feature: Smooth space ninja gameplay
Available on: iOS, Switch, Steam Deck, PC, Xbox, PS4
Why ExpressVPN is the best gaming VPN
Here’s what makes ExpressVPN the ideal gaming VPN: First, there are lightning-fast servers in 105 countries, so you can always find a VPN server that’s close to the game server you want to play on. Allowing your signal to bypass issues like congested networks, bad routing, and other connection problems, it can actually lower your ping.
In addition, ExpressVPN hides your IP address and encrypts all traffic between your device and the VPN server. That can help you get around activity-based ISP throttling—when your ISP can’t see what you’re doing, it can’t slow you down when it detects gaming traffic.
VPN encryption also means you can unblock games on restricted work or school networks, so you can get in a few rounds on your lunch break.
Play safely anywhere, on any device. ExpressVPN supports Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, Linux, and even consoles via a VPN-enabled router. Wherever you are, you can game with an extra layer of security, while improving your connection.
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FAQ: About play online games for free
What is the best game to play online for free?
Look, if the phrase “Space Ninja” doesn’t sell you on Warframe, I don’t know what will. It’s just that good, and years later, I’m still playing. But if that’s not your thing, Combat Master, Words With Friends 2, and Fortnite are all a good time.
Which is the no. 1 game online?
Without exact numbers, which many companies are loath to reveal, it’s pretty much impossible to tell. Even so, you can safely bet on Fortnite, League of Legends, Valorant, PUBG, World of Warcraft, Minecraft, Apex Legends, and other big names to hold the top spots for some time yet. The MiHoyo games are huge, too.
Is Among Us free?
No. It’s not expensive—it might cost you only a few US dollars all-told—but it’s not free. Town of Salem 2, which is a lot like Among Us in many ways, is free. There are plenty of games in that genre, and there are likely many more on the way. Keep your eyes out for deals and even limited-time giveaways, and you can probably snag one.
Is it safe to play free online games?
Usually yes, sometimes no. While most of the popular free games are safe in and of themselves (they won’t infect your devices), there are risks to online gaming. Cyberattacks, especially when you play on public Wi-Fi, are a real threat. Fortunately, ExpressVPN can encrypt your connection to protect your personal data, and can mask your IP address to prevent some types of cyberattacks.
Which free game is best for PC?
As always, it will depend on your taste. Warframe runs fantastically on PC, and has a lot to offer. Fortnite, League of Legends,Valorant, CounterStrike 2, and so many others are massively popular on PC as well, so you certainly have options. If you can withstand the pull of the gacha mechanics, Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail, and Zenless Zone Zero have great PC versions too.
Is it illegal to get games for free?
Well, that depends. If the developer/publisher put the game out there for free themselves, then no. It’s not illegal at all. They’re rather hoping you’ll download the game. If, however, you pirate a game that you’d normally have to pay for, then yes, it’s against the law.
What is the most popular online free game?
That’s a difficult question to answer precisely, as many developers don’t share their exact player numbers with the world at large, and those numbers tend to shift in any case. However, Fortnite, PUBG, and League of Legends are always in the the top ten, if not the top five. Valorant and Counter Strike 2 are doing quite well too.
Which free game is the hardest to play?
That’s a matter of opinion. Steam lists Dota 2, Realm of the Mad God Exalt, and Quake Champions as some of the hardest free games to play, and the algorithm probably has a point. Neon Beats–a rhythm-based platformer—is no joke either. But one gamer’s Dark Souls is another gamer’s Hello Kitty Island Adventure, as they say.
Why do you need a VPN for gaming?
In short, you need a reliable gaming VPN for faster, smoother connections while playing online. It can help you bypass congested networks and bad signal routing, and can stabilize your connection for better-feeling online play. It also acts as an extra layer of security, helping to mitigate online threats like DDoS attacks and data thieves.
What’s the best gaming VPN?
ExpressVPN stands out as the top-tier gaming VPN for several reasons. First and foremost, there’s the worldwide network of super fast servers in 105 countries, so you can always get a fast, stable connection. There’s also fantastic security, 24/7 customer support, and support for consoles with a VPN-enabled router. Try it risk-free with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
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Comments
Awesome article! Thanks for sharing these tips 🙂