Fill Up Your Time With These Online Video Games That’ll Make You Feel SO Nostalgic
So we’re all staying home now (you BETTER be!) to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Sure, you’re bored, but you’re also protecting your health and everyone else’s too (go you!). But back to the whole boredom thing: There’s definitely a solution that will keep you busy (maybe too busy…) and serve as a much-needed distraction from the general chaos of the entire world right now. And that solution is video games.
I’ve noticed so many throwbacks—Club Penguin, anyone?!—popping up on my Twitter feed, and it’s like reliving my middle school days.
If you’re looking for some good ol’ nostalgia and escapism, here are 13 of the best online video games to play, available on all kinds of platforms. Browse them below so you can find a new one to be addicted to—or rediscover your 2006 obsessions.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
A post shared by Nintendo NY (@nintendonyc) on Mar 25, 2020 at 2:32pm PDT
Okay, literally everyone is talking about this!!! It’s the newest launch for the Nintendo Switch, and it’s downright delightful. You can create your very own island, fly to other mystery ones, and even visit your friends through the online play feature. If you already have the Switch, you can buy the download code. If you don’t…well, the game consoles are basically sold out everywhere. BUT you can get the Nintendo Switch Lite—just know it doesn’t feature detachable controllers for multiplayer use.
You’ll spend an unspeakable amount of hours catching all the local flora and fauna (I haven’t been able to stop fishing—I think I need an intervention), decorating your house, talking to your cute animal neighbors, and finding ways to pay your mortgage back to that capitalist raccoon Tom Nook.
The Sims
Simmers, what’s your favorite thing in the Tiny Living pack? 🏡💚 #TS4TinyLiving
A post shared by The Sims (@thesims) on Jan 29, 2020 at 10:02am PST
Another game that allows you to build your own world is The Sims. There are So. Many. Versions. You have Island Living, Strangerville, Cats & Dogs, Parenthood, Jungle Adventure, you name it. And those are just the expansions within The Sims 4. You can play it on a PC or Mac computer, but it’s also available on the Xbox, Playstation, and Wii.
Nintendogs
A post shared by 🌹 Mair 🌹 (@porcelainpumpkin) on Mar 31, 2020 at 11:29am PDT
PSA: You can use all this extra time on your hands to check in on your abandoned Nintendogs and see if they’re still alive! What better way to pass these days than to train, feed, and take care of a cute virtual pup? If you still have your Nintendo DS, dig it out, put this game on, and you’ll forget why you stopped playing in the first place. There’s a similar game called Little Friends that’s available on the Switch console, but IMO, it’s no substitute for the original—although it does have cats.
Club Penguin
Just embrace the fact that you’ve stepped into a time warp because Club Penguin is back and better than ever. It was discontinued in 2017, but now there are more than 6 million registered users. If you need a refresher: You can build a penguin avatar, chat with other players, play games, buy an adorable pet Puffle, and deck out your very own igloo. Yeah, people are STILL trying to tip that damn iceberg.
If you don’t know what to do right now go on club penguin join zipline server and come help tip the iceberg pic.twitter.com/yyS3LAZI2E
— Ria (@BarstoolRia) March 18, 2020
Neopets
hi everyone I am here to inform you that because I do not have a Nintendo switch and I am also a millennial of the early internet days I have decided to rejoin @Neopets. happy to confirm the site looks the same as it did in 2001. their gender choices are bang up to date, tho. pic.twitter.com/AtiiHG6Bou
— Zoe London (@zoelondondj) March 29, 2020
Possibly even more of a throwback than Club Penguin is NEOPETS. Yes, it’s still up and running. If you remember your old login, there’s never been a better time to check in on your bbs from 2002 (impressive, wow). You could also just create a fresh account and start over. You’ll have the time of your quarantined life playing all the games on the site (my personal fave is Cloud Racers in Faerieland), collecting Neopoints, getting some adorable Petpets, and building your own shop.
The Oregon Trail
It's the official start of #Spring! A great time to hit The #OregonTrail 😉 pic.twitter.com/9kTgFfxq8N
— The Oregon Trail (@oregontrail) March 19, 2020
If you ever played this in your elementary school class on giant computers, you’re in luck. You can access it for free with the link above. See how far you can make it without catching scurvy. Wishing everyone a safe wagon crossing.
Jackbox
When my sister destroyed everyone on Jackbox 😂 pic.twitter.com/fj0xWslbD1
— #blacklivesmatter (@seawolf_14) March 27, 2020
Jackbox’s Party Pack is perfect for larger groups and it’s easy to play remotely. If one person has the program, the rest can enter a room code and name with this link. There are tons of games to choose from, like Quiplash (although the game isn’t featured in the most recent Party Pack), Push the Button (you have to guess who’s the alien hidden among humans), and Joke Boat (where you can live out your dream of being a stand-up comic…on a boat). The more absurd your answers, the better.
Bomb Chicken
Big News! Bomb Chicken will soon be launching on mobile! You can preorder it now on iOS:https://t.co/8FOSY9vUMn pic.twitter.com/XnjWcPvjgA
— Nitrome Ltd (@Nitrome) March 21, 2020
One of Nitrome’s most popular games is pretty self-explanatory: You’re a chicken that lays bombs instead of eggs. Cool, right? It’s available on PCs and Macs, but you can also play it on the Nintendo Switch. It’s a platform game where you (aka as the aforementioned Bomb Chicken) have to escape a food-processing plant by solving puzzles and, of course, blowing up any enemies along the way.
Words With Friends
Chances are, you had this app on your phone at some point, so why not download it again? Challenge your friends to a game (or, like, 10) to see who’s the ultimate wordsmith of your group.
Untitled Goose Game
It's a lovely morning in the village and you are a horrible goose.
Untitled Goose Game is out today.https://t.co/mLLf8rWG4b pic.twitter.com/vLwktgY72S— House House (@house_house_) September 19, 2019
So this one isn’t really a throwback (it launched in 2019), but it’s just too perfect not to include. I saw screenshots of this goose game floating around my Twitter feed a while back and had no idea what it was from, but upon thorough investigation, I finally found the website. The short description: “It’s a lovely morning in the neighborhood, and you are a horrible goose.” Basically, your whole job is to completely terrorize any human in your path. Sign! Me! Up!
Cards Against Humanity
So I found out u can play cards against humanity online so we did a group ft and played for over an hour. Honestly this is what will get me through quarantine pic.twitter.com/f9dfiKHDcB
— Marissa✨ (@marissa_grigora) March 31, 2020
Your fave party card game is now avail online via the link above! Apparently, the site is receiving tons of new users (hmm, wonder why?), so it can be delayed. Once you’re in, though, you can be inappropriate and nonsensical with your friends to your heart’s content.
Myst
My dad showed me Myst when I was a kid, and I got seriously hooked on it. It’s basically an “escape the room” situation on a deserted island. You just start clicking around to see what pops up. There are puzzles to solve and spooky areas to explore that will keep you entertained (and creep you out a lil). And don’t worry—if you’ve solved the whole game, there’s a sequel named Riven you can play right after.
Linerider
When I tell u I’m working on something & I can’t chill this is why pic.twitter.com/Qc8rMRRw8h
— Dead House Live (@Deadhouse_) November 14, 2019
For the insanely patient gamers out there, create an entire roller-coaster-like setup for this poor tiny person just trying to ride a sled. Use the tools to draw ramps, loops, and hills and you’ll send that lil dude flying. Designing an epic ride can be time intensive and requires more than a few test runs to get it just right if you’re up for the job.
You Might Also Like