Top 30 best free games you should play today

WELCOME

Whether you play games all the time or just want something to fill a few quiet moments here and there during the day, passing the time doesn't need to be expensive.
Yes, you need to break out your wallet if you want the latest big AAA shooter, but the free route is becoming increasingly interesting. Many older games are now opening out in search of a wider audience, and more and more companies are finding ways to profit from free releases.
For indie developers, it's the perfect way to make a name for themselves, either just for the glory or to build an audience for future games.
US company 2D Boy, for example, launched onto the scene with Tower of Goo, a game that involves building a tall tower out of bouncy balls of stretchy slime. This free download morphed into the amazing full title World of Goo, which took the net by storm.
We've gathered together 30 of the best free games around, covering releases new and old from every genre. With so much choice, you're guaranteed to find at least one you like. Give them a go - there's nothing to lose.

1. Spelunky

Spelunky is about anger, hate and, most of all, death. It looks like a simple enough platform game - an Indiana Jones pastiche set in a cavern full of tricks and traps - and it is. There's nothing complicated about it. Every enemy is avoidable. Every trap can be dealt with.
The catch is that every time you play, the entire game is randomised. In one game you'll stumble through screen after screen of spiked horrors and swarming monsters; in the next, the software will bend over backwards to give you gold and help you on your way.

The trick is learning the ropes, figuring out how to get past every obstacle, and then doing so perfectly as and when the game throws things at you. You will die. You will die a lot. But the important thing is that in death, you learn.
You discover ways of stealing from the shopkeepers who inhabit the levels, or find out that the damsels you can rescue for a health-boost can just as easily be taken to the nearest sacrificial altar, or thrown around to trigger traps before you go down yourself.
You learn how each randomised world ticks and which equipment will give you a fighting chance. And then you'll die some more. And scream. And restart. Again.

http://www.spelunkyworld.com/

2. NetHack

Much like Spelunky, this open-source classic makes heavy use of randomisation to give you a new adventure every time you fire it up. However, instead of being a platform game, it's an epic RPG with the unofficial motto, 'The dev team thinks of everything'.
Do you want to blind a basilisk with a custard pie? Abuse shape-changing spells to lay deadly eggs that can be used as weapons? Get blasted by your patron deity if you try praying to them when they're in a bad mood? It's all in here, and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

First released in 1987, NetHack isn't the prettiest game around. There are graphical mods out there, but it's still best played using ASCII characters, and until you can tell your Ps from your #s, it's somewhat confusing.
Unlike Spelunky, chances are that you'll have been adventuring for a while before you die. With only one savegame on your side, which is deleted if you snuff it, it only takes a single careless mistake to lose days of progress to a tough monster or a swig of a health potion that turns out to be poisoned.
With that risk comes great reward, though: retrieve the legendary Amulet of Yendor, sacrifice it to your deity and become king of the nerds.

www.nethack.org

3. Quake Live

This is how far the web has come: one of the best deathmatch games ever created is now available to play from within the confines of your browser.
Well, technically, no, it's not actually in it - Quake Live uses a plug-in and then goes full-screen when you play - but the spirit is still there.

Any modern computer is now able to handle Quake's modest demands, and the game's blisteringly fast action makes it quite unlike any modern shooter. Forget realism. Forget objectives. Sometimes, all you need is a rocket launcher, a perfectly timed shot and the lamentation of the noobs as time permits.
Beware, though: if you haven't played id Software's classic shooter for a while, the frenetic pace of the online action might be terrifying.

www.quakelive.com

4. Beneath a Steel Sky

A classic adventure from British developer Revolution, and one that serves two purposes. First, it's fun - a comic-style sci-fi adventure with a wry sense of humour.

Second, it's a great way to experiment with ScummVM - a tool that enables you to play classic LucasArts games on modern systems. BASS isn't the only free game that runs in it, either.
If you're still thirsty, check out Lure of the Temptress, Drascula (sic) and Flight of the Amazon Queen.

www.scummvm.org

5. Desktop Tower Defence

It's not just a game, it's a whole genre. The idea is simple. In most RTS games, you build units such as soldiers or tanks and pit them against your enemy's army.
In Desktop Tower Defence games, you put down fixed turrets, each with different abilities, with the aim of stopping the enemy making it from one side of the screen to the other. It sounds easy and, like most casual games, for the first few levels it is.

The tactics come in finding ways to force your enemy down specific paths, and using your limited resources to build and upgrade a death-course that can take them all down. It's addictive and simple to play.
No wonder there are a million clones out there, from free Flash games to commercial offerings such as Plants Vs Zombies and Defense Grid: The Awakening.

www.handdrawngames.com/DesktopTD/Game.asp

6. Digital: A Love Story

Remember the excitement of logging into your first BBS? What if you'd found something more than just files and chatter and naked pictures of assorted Star Trek actresses?
To explain Digital: A Love Story would be giving away too much, so let's just say that it's a great nostalgia trip with a bit of future-gazing thrown in for free. Played out entirely on 1988-style bulletin boards, it starts when you respond to an email from a lonely-sounding girl called Emilia.

The relationship plays out as a hacker's romance as you jump between BBS systems to uncover a conspiracy, mostly interacting by firing off emails to the characters. You never get to see what you've said, only the responses, which adds an unusual but effective disconnect to the conversations.
It's not a long game - only an hour or so of action at most - but it's a testament to the writing that you quickly get sucked into what is basically just typing out a lot of phone numbers. The authentic-sounding music and sound effects help: the sweet siren song of a modem connecting still sends a chill down the spine.

www.scoutshonour.com/digital

7. Neopets

Neopets doesn't feature just one game to complete; instead, it's stuffed with hundreds of minigames. Each of these is located in a different area of Neopia, a virtual world that you must explore with your trusty Neopet (which you design and name yourself) by your side.

From the nerve-shredding heights of Terror Mountain to the sweet delights of Faerieland and the pirate-themed festivities of Krawk Island, there's enough content here to keep you entertained for months.
Our favourite games include Dubloon Disaster (recover gold Dubloons from the sea without getting blown up by sea mines), Faerie Bubbles (pop the bubbles by matching colours - but beware of the tricksy combos) and Hannah and the Ice Caves (guide Hannah safely through each cave to collect the treasure).

If you tire of the games, there are plenty of other distractions scattered throughout Neopia. Attempt to steal treasure from ice worm The Snowager; have a snack at Tyrannia's Giant Omelette; adopt a Pet Pet so your Neopet doesn't get lonely; or get lost in one of many secret side-quests.
Just don't feed your Neopet that iced fishcake you found - it won't like it. Trust us.

www.neopets.com

8. Neptune's Pride

Do you have good friends? Want to lose them all over the course of a month? Then this is the strategy game for you.
The idea is that you only need to log in every now and again to direct your intergalactic fleet around the universe. Your friends, hereafter referred to as 'former friends', do the same.

It's very low maintenance - in theory. Really, though, get hooked on it and you'll spend every waking minute deciding who to stab in the back, worrying who's preparing to return the favour and thinking about all the other tactical options you only get when all your opponents are fleshy humans with access to out-of-game instant messaging clients and private email boxes.
Read the diaries to see a typical game played out from start to finish.

np.ironhelmet.com

9. Online poker

Who said you needed a massive bankroll to play poker online? If you know where to go, it's possible to earn fairly large amounts of money without investing a penny through multi-table tournaments known as freerolls.
All of the major online cardrooms run tournaments like this to lure in new users in the hope that they'll become addicted and pump fistfuls of their hard-earned cash into the site for many years to come.

But it's not all doom, gloom and conspiracy theories. Many of today's top poker icons built their bankrolls from cents to millions by playing freerolls. As long as you don't have too much of an addictive personality they're a great way to learn the game, kill some time and, if you're lucky, earn a pound or two.
Sites to keep an eye on are Full Tilt, Pokerstars and PartyPoker - they're always running promotions. For a day-to-day breakdown of freerolls and their UK times, visit:

www.bit.ly/dv2giR.

10. Dwarf Fortress

If you find games like SimCity or Civilisation a little too simple, Dwarf Fortress is the game for you. Technically, its full name is Slaves to Armok: God of Blood: Chapter II: Dwarf Fortress, but absolutely nobody calls it that.

It's a mixture of NetHack and SimCity, played out (by default) using ASCII characters, with the focus on building a functional dwarf mine. If that sounds simple, it's only because you haven't played it.
From the dark horrors if you dig too deep to the need to manage the psychological condition of your dwarves and create an economy out of nothing but a hole in the ground, the only thing more impressive than the number of ways you can fail is seeing how much people have done with the simulation engine.
Here for instance is one forum's game, served up in episodic Lets Play format: www.bit.ly/bDkn81. Excellent, yet bewildering.

www.bay12games.com/dwarves

11. Alien Swarm

Why play this one? One word: Valve. It used to be an Unreal mod, but now it's been picked up, polished, and released for free by the PC world's best games company. That at least deserves a download, right? Team up with three friends to survive a deep-space alien infestation. When you're done, expect mods to be ready.

www.alienswarm.com/index.html

12. Canabalt / Canabalt Typing Tutor

Get ready to stare at the screen until your eyes dry up and fall out. Canabalt is a one-button game where you have to precisely time your jumps to get past the collapsing buildings, obstacles and other instant-killers awaiting you. If that's not enough, Canabalt Typing Tutor Edition is the same game, but now you never know which button you're going to have to hit to make the jump. Ouch.

www.adamatomic.com/canabalt

adamatomic.com/canabalt/edu

13. The Wikipedia Game

How many steps does it take to get from Sarah Palin to Winnie The Pooh? This excellent web game challenges you to find out. The winner of each round is the one who Wikis their way from A to B in the fewest steps. Terrifyingly addictive, and possibly even a little educational…

wikipediagame.org

14. Desktop Dungeons

Ah, the quest you can complete without running your appetite for monster-slaying. Desktop Dungeons is as simple as heroics get - really, the entire game is about fighting your way up the local monsters' organisation chart without picking a fight with something capable of crushing you back. It's Rogue without the complexity, but very moreish. The perfect way of killing a boring lunchtime.

www.qcfdesign.com/?cat=20

15. Coma

Platform games have been getting very arty of late. If you're an Xbox 360 gamer, we hope you've already checked out the beautiful Limbo - but if not, Coma offers a similarly beautiful (and much less spidery) world of dreams and make-believe to work your way through. Absolutely stunning attention to detail makes it one of the prettiest Flash platformers around.

http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/541124

16. Loved

Loved is also an arty game, but one with an intriguing premise we don't want to spoil. If we say that it revolves around the nature of relationships, played out in platform game style, hopefully you'll be intrigued enough to check it out. It's only a few minutes long, but deserves at least a couple of replays to understand the metaphors at work. Don't worry. TechRadar will always love you...

www.kongregate.com/games/AlexanderOcias/loved

17. Super Mario Crossover

Of course, art's not everything. This fanboy dream seems to have avoided the Nintendo legal Nazgûl for the moment, letting us find out which classic character really is the best suited to take on Super Mario Bros. (Hint: It's Bill from Contra). Switch between Mario, Link, Simon Belmont and more, using their special weapons and skills to take out Goombas and Koopas without resorting to a butt-stomp.

supermariobroscrossover.com

18. Moonbase Alpha

Not just a free game - a free game from NASA. After an accident strikes the titular moonbase, it's your job to pick up the pieces and save the day. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to play it, but don't expect it to give you an easy time.

www.nasa.gov/offices/education/programs/national/ltp/games/moonbasealpha/index.html

19. Go To Hell

Much like office-favourite Spelunky, Go To Hell may as well be a game about digging your own grave. It starts off easy enough, but you'll be hard pressed to get down to your target depth of 666 feet on your first go. Your main enemy for most of the trip is good old water, which you can use to drown enemies and put out torches, but you'll generally be racing to channel out of your way before you drown.

www.killsometime.com/games/4954

20. Runes of Magic

As one of the better free MMORPGs out there, Runes of Magic isn't going to give World of Warcraft any sleepless nights, but it's not a bad alternative if you want to play without paying. Lots of character classes, a decent world and more variety than many free-to-play games makes it at least worth a look. As with the rest of the genre though, it may be free, but the developers will happily sell you items for cash.

www.runesofmagic.com/en/index.html

21. League of Legends

Pick your champion and head into battle in this amazing free-to-play game from the creators of DOTA. Its automated matchmaking, range of characters and excellent maps have made it a multiplayer star over the last year, and one well worth a play. It's a very aggressive game to play, but one that rewards good team work and careful tactics. Don't expect to master it overnight, but it won't be long before you're having fun.

www.leagueoflegends.com

22. Lord of the Rings Online

Many MMOs are being launched or relaunched as free-to-play at the moment, but Lord of the Rings Online is one of the ones that most warrants a second look. Not only is it an excellent game in its own right, it's one of the more mature MMOs out there. You will likely have to pay eventually, if only to unlock adventure packs, but there's no subscription fee and nothing to buy up-front. If you missed it at launch, it's time to give it a try.

www.lotro.com

23. Sarien.net

Remember the Sierra adventures of old? Sarien.net makes them multiplayer. At least, partly. Technically, you still play on your own, but can see other players wandering around the world as you do. It has access to King's Quest, Space Quest, Police Quest, and two lesser known games, The Black Cauldron and Gold Rush.
We've hesitated to mention this one before due to legal questions over it, but now it's been officially approved by Activision, there's nothing stopping you from jumping right in.

www.sarien.net

24. Quest for Glory II VGA

Technically, we should probably be mentioning King's Quest III Redux, just released by the same group of developers... but Quest for Glory II is a much better game than King's Quest III ever was, so if you only play one, play this.
It's an adventure/RPG hybrid that can be played as a Warrior, Magic User or Thief, with each path unlocking new challenges and opportunities. It's funny, exciting, and incredibly open, and one of the most beloved adventure games ever made - both in its original form, and in this more recent remake.

www.agdinteractive.com

25. Battlestar Galactica

The official Battlestar Galactica MMO is interesting for two reasons - it plays in the browser (and looks pretty good), and it's completely free to play. That's unusual for any licensed game, although as ever, the words 'free to play' have the words 'with optional purchases' slapped right onto the end.
The story is that both Galactica and the Cylons have been blasted into a new area of space by a mysterious bit of technology, and now both sides are fighting over outposts and control points. You can choose either, with a bit of wandering around the ships, and lots of mouse-based space combat and mining.

www.battlestar-galactica.bigpoint.com

26. Minecraft Classic

Minecraft. It's the game everyone's talking about/won't shut up about. But there's a reason for that, and you can get a taster of it for free. Minecraft Classic simply lets you build things, without monsters or item crafting getting in the way.
The latest version isn't expensive though, if you do find yourself bored with having an unlimited canvas to play with. There's not much more to it than that, but that's all Minecraft needed to become one of the most successful games on the internet. Find out why, if you haven't already.

www.minecraft.net

27. Zuma Blitz

Most Facebook games aren't much fun. Zuma Blitz might just go too far the other way. It's all the fun of regular Zuma - shooting balls before they get all the way round a track - but now bolstered with high-score tables devoted to your friends, new toys to unlock, and a weekly reset to keep you playing.
You might need to squint a bit on high-resolution screens, but the satisfying click of a shot landing into place never starts feeling old. There are paid-for-items if you want to boost your performance, but you can easily play without.

www.facebook.com/zumablitz

28. Mr. Smoozles Goes Nutso

A simple but fun little maze game, mixed with a little adventuring, and a whole bucket worth of personality. (Okay, we're mostly including it because of the title.) Aliens are invading and have turned Mr. Smoozles the cat into their psychotic stooge. You have to avoid him, rescue your friends and foil the invasion.
It's based on a webcomic series, but you don't need to know anything about it to follow the action. This used to be a commercial game, but was made freeware to celebrate the author's 18th anniversary in the industry.

www.juniper-games.com/smoozles/downloads.htm

29. Tyrian 2000

Technically, it's been freeware for a while now, but Good Old Games' re-release of it in December 2010 breathed new life into one of the PC's most beloved shooters. Tyrian offers loads of levels, a ridiculous amount of ship customisation, and some of the best easter eggs around.
If you get bored of the top-down shooting, try typing 'destruct' at the title screen to see its weapons-grade version of the classic Scorched Earth. Alternatively, unlock the ship that looks like a carrot, and banana bomb your way to victory.

www.gog.com/en/gamecard/tyrian_2000

30. Marathon Trilogy

Before Halo, there was Marathon - Bungie's FPS series on the Mac. Now that Halo Reach has brought an end to the series (at least for the moment), why not celebrate with a trip back to see where it all started?
Bungie has made Marathon completely free, and with an open-source app, called Aleph One, it's playable on the PC as well. You'll need to download quite a few files, but your reward will be an admittedly very old-school FPS that puts more of a focus on narrative than you might expect, where much of Bungie's philosophy was born.