The flexibility and variety offered by online gaming are the two important factors making it so popular. It started with individuals' need to entertain and de-stress themselves at their own convenience, in the comfort of their homes, in front of their computers. However, now, online gaming is no longer a means to entertain oneself but is gradually becoming a platform that encourages social networking.
Types of games
The Internet offers a variety of games to gamers, ranging from high-level strategic games to simple word games. Here is a non-exhaustive categorization of available games.
Action Games: As the term indicates, this type of games, like its movie counterparts, involve a lot of fighting, anything from duels to air-bombs. These games typically entail a story of survival or with a mission. The popular ones in this category include Counter-Strike, Day of Defeat, Stargate, Battlefield, and Team Fortress Classic.
Adventure Games: Like action games, these games, typically have storylines. Some popular ones include Lone Faction, RuneScape, various stealth games, simulated dating games, and point-and-click games.
Role-playing Games: These games are typically multi-player games. The popular ones include Dungeons & Dragons, World of Warcraft, City of Heroes, Fallen Earth, Xiah, and Urban Dead.
Simulation Games: These games are simulations of flights, spacecrafts, submarines, trains etc. They also involve simulated combats. Some popular simulation games are WarBirds 2004, AirAttack, AstroBattle.
Strategy Games: As the names suggests, these games are real-time games that involve a tremendous amount of planning. Some popular ones are Allegiance, OGame, Earth 2025, King of Chaos, and BattleMaster.
Racing Games: These games are vehicle simulation games. Some of the known games are Speed Devils, Rural Racer, Supercar racing, Tokyo Xtreme Racer, and Midnight Club.
Shooter Games: They are basically action games but because of the variety it offers, it is typically considered a separate category. Some popular shooter games are Raiden X, Metal Slug, and Space Harrier.
Sports Games: These games simulate sports environments, thus offering a pleasing gaming experience. The popular ones include Madden NFL football, Tiger Woods Golf, Kicks Online, and SuperBike X.
Board Games and Puzzles: A section of gamers are more interested in non-simulated, non-action games. Online, computerized versions of popular board games appeal to this segment of gamers. Numerous gaming portals and websites offer several online single-player and multi-player puzzles.
Card Games: Card games have gained popularity over the Internet as well. Card games, such as Solitaire, Rummy, Poker, Blackjack, and Bridge can now be played online.
Casino Games: Online casinos are gaining popularity by the day. However, online gambling is restricted by law in some countries as it involves money transactions.
Apart from the ones listed above, there are other genres like family games, childrens games, arcade games, music games, programming games, adult games, educational games, party games, and Indie games.
