Top 5 free games for Windows

Let’s face it: times are tough. Houses are foreclosing, banks are going under, and people just don’t have as much spare money lying around. So what do you do when you want some new entertainment, without the hit on your wallet? You play free games, of coarse. There are tons out there, but I’m only going to cover the best 5 here.

5. N [Link] [Also for: Mac, Linux]

Believe it or not, that is the name. Just N. This is actually one of the hardest video games I’ve ever played. You play as a little ninja who jumps around, trying to get little yellow orbs. Like coins in Mario games, these orbs aren’t necessary to the game play. All you really need to do is flip the (sometimes multiple) switches to open the door, then run through it. Sounds easy right? Think again. One of my favorite mechanics in this game is the wall jumping feature. You can jump between two close walls, or just jump up one wall. This control allows you to move all around the map without a hitch. Here’s some of the game in action. (Sorry for no sound):

4. Canabalt Portable [Link] [Also for: Mac and Linux through flash version]

Simplicity is the key in Canabalt. It started out as a little flash game that was made in one weekend. The game was first hosted on the creator’s (Adam Atomic’s) website. The game was “slightly more popular than expected”. So the next obvious step was to make it into an iPhone app, witch I have previously talked about here. But then came the final piece to the puzzle: the desktop version. Just download the game and put it in a folder of your choice to get the great flash game without internet. The premise is simple: press the space bar to jump while the world falls apart around you. The game just runs for you. Also, the number of meters your run is your final score. But this run is no walk in the park. There are buildings that crumble, ships that crash right in front of you, and obstacles in your way. How far can you get?

3. Quake Live [Link] [Also for: Mac and Linux]

Unlike the other games, both this game and Battlefield Heroes are browser based, meaning you only need to download a small plugin and the rest of the game is streamed right to you. Quake live, however, is quite different from Battlefield Heroes. Quake live is your one-stop shop for crazy fast action that you can hardly keep track of. There are 7 crazy guns you can choose from, each opening a new way to demolish your enemy. Now I wasn’t around for the days of people being addicted to playing Quake 1 multiplayer, but I imagine this is what it feels like. There’s deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag modes. And if you ask me, that is enough. Being made by id software, you know it’s going to be fun. What really astounds me is most of the data for the games is streamed right through the internet. That’s cool.

2. Spelunky [Link]

Ahhh Spelunky. How did I live before thee? For some people, the phrase “randomly generated dungeons” sounds bad. This is not the case in Spelunky. What we have here is a platformer that will blow your mind. When you start the game, you notice that you look a lot like Indiana Jones, whip and all. You navigate down the caves with only a whip, 4 ropes, and 4 bombs. Along the way you can buy new items using the loot you’ve collected from a shopkeeper. But that’s not all you can do at the shop. If you run off with one of his items, he pulls out his shotgun and tries to shoot you. One time I pulled out a bomb in his shop. He yelled, “terrorist!” and shot me. And from now on, every time I see that shopkeeper I plot to destroy him. The gameplay combined with the random levels and the 8-bitesque graphics makes this one of the most addicting games I have ever played.

1. Battlefield Heroes [Link] [Also for: Mac and Linux]

Here it is. The best game you can get for free on Windows without going to The Pirate Bay. Don’t let the cheeseball trailer fool you. This game is amazing. Like Quake Live, all you need to play is a small browser plugin, and the servers somewhere else in the world handle the rest. Developed by Electronic Arts and Digital Illusions CE, Battlefield Heroes is based of the immensely popular Battlefield series, most recently with Battlefield 1943 for PlayStation 3. Unlike most other shooters, Battlefield games really do feel like, well, a battlefield. You can go anywhere in huge environments, with fighter planes adding a new dimension for traveling. You start out by picking a team, with the Royals obviously being the British army, and the Nationals being the German army. Then you pick you’re class. You can choose from Soldier, Gunner, and Commando. But don’t worry: you can create up to 4 characters so if you don’t like your class you can always create a new hero. Soldiers have healing powers and light guns, Gunners have heavy guns, lots of HP, and explosives, and Commandos have sniper rifles and knives. The gameplay is fast and never gets old, making it my number one free game for Windows.

Do you have any other suggestions for fun and free games?

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