In today’s world of apps, programs, downloads, and more, it can be easy to forget that there was once a time when the majority of the internet’s entertainment content was obtainable for free right in your browser. While the days of classic entertainment and gaming sites like Homestar Runner and others might be behind us, that doesn’t mean in-browser entertainment has completely gone the way of the dodo. There’s still plenty of browser-based content you can enjoy across the net, and we’re going to highlight some examples below.
Minecraft
One of the biggest games of the past decade has just recently announced that it’s bringing its beloved mining and crafting action to pretty much any screen you like. With the release of Minecraft: Classic Edition, you can start playing immediately without any downloads or installations. It’s just a free, immediately available version of Minecraft, no matter what device you’re on or what screen you’re using. You can even get into multiplayer! Just send the website’s automatically-generated link to your friends, and all of you can play together online for free.
This is not to say there’s no reason to play the full game, however, as there are a few things the paid versions still do better. First of all, Classic is a much older version of the game, meaning that few if any of Minecraft’s more recent content additions are available. Second, there’s a limit to the number of people you can play with; whereas paid Minecraft servers allow for unlimited players to join in for a communal experience, Classic Edition limits the number to only 10. Still, that’s plenty for a game you can play entirely in your internet browser of choice!
Online Casinos
One of the up-and-coming trends in online entertainment is the development of the online casino environment. Online casinos have been around for some time now, but more modern and sophisticated versions of them are springing up all across the web, all packed with classic games in new and exciting formats. Slot machines, card games, dice, and more are all featured on these different websites.
What’s really exciting in this category though is expansion. In some cases it’s geographical, such as New Jersey ushering in online casinos to a United States environment that’s becoming friendlier to real-money gaming. In other cases, it’s technological, as with the relatively recent adoption of high-end graphics and story components to digital slot arcades. Basically, we’ve seen the browser-based casino business blow up, turning something almost inherently old-fashioned into a decidedly modern and easily accessed form of entertainment.
Emulator.Online
If you’re feeling particularly nostalgic, there’s a great way to experience a lot of classic games without ever having to leave your computer. This is thanks to emulator.online, which offers a completely free way to play the great games of the past right in your browser. The site has content from five different systems available right now: the NES, Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis, Gameboy, and Gameboy Advance. And there are no downloads needed – you can simply choose games from these consoles and start playing.
And to be clear, Emulator has a great selection. Classics like Sonic the Hedgehog (1-3), Super Metroid, and all of the Pokémon and Mario games you could ever desire are all there. Games that normally require saves for longer gameplay experiences even allow you to download your position in a game such that you can upload that information later and pick up where you left off. All in all, it’s a great way to play all your old favourites again, without having to track down old consoles and cartridges.
These are just three of many ways to take full advantage of your internet browser and get a little bit more entertainment out of it. As much as we get carried away with the latest modern tech (and usually with good reason) it can be easy to forget that simple options like these can be so much fun.
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