Top Six Free Flash Games

Flash games have been popular since the dot com era in the mid 90's. I remember playing them constantly on the Nickelodeon web page as a kid when there was not a lot for kids to do online. Back when "Ask your parents before using the internet" was a warning I ignored on a more regular basis than the Q-tip classic "Do not insert into ear canal" It was a good time. Since then I've played more flash games than I care to remember, here are a few that stuck in my memory.

Number Eight: Fancy Pants Adventure

Play Fancy Pants Adventure

The highest number on our countdown but certainly not a bad game, Fancy Pants Adventure from Armor Games is set in a Dr. Seuss-ish landscape backed with some funky music and a cute sketchy art theme. The hero has huge orange parachute pants and the last boss is an angry penguin. But the most awesome part of this game is obviously the ease with which the animations of the main player character flow from one into the next. He rolls, braces himself after jumps, pushes against the wall if he runs into it, does backflips, runs upside down and makes it all look effortless. Not to mention the baddass hair. This game is all around awesome but it's short, and there is not a lot of replay value as there are no upgrades or rewards that you can unlock that really help.

Watch out for those spiders

Number Seven: Rainbowsphere:

Play the game here

Controlling a ball doesn't sound very exciting, but the primary-color-heavy "Rainbowsphere" from Gamecubicle is actually a great platformer. You can only touch gray blocks and blocks the same color as you to get to the portal at the end, and of course you can change colors. It's got clever puzzles and a good challenge to each map. The controls are not hard to master and once you've perfected them you'll be able to see how complicated this unassuming game can get. The reset after death is instant, which is one of my favorite parts of the game. It can be frustrating and difficult but it's still a classic for me. The fact that you have to change colors so frequently means each puzzle is actually many in one.

A complicated early level in Rainbowsphere

Number Six: Fishy

Play some Fishy

The little wet piece of silliness from Xgen studios is a simple adventure game, a very simple adventure game actually. You're a fish. you eat smaller fish to grow bigger, but don't let bigger fish eat you or it's back to the beginning! Fishy looks cute and charming but it's quite a challenge. You only have one life and there's nothing stopping bigger fish from gobbling you up. On top of that a lot of momentum can make it hard to change directions, but the reward for beating the game is quite amusing to see. I always had this game up every time I was in the high school library. Easy to fail but hard to quit.

Another one bites the dust

Number Five: DICEWARS

Can You Handle It?

From a Japanese website called GAMEDESIGN, this game is sleekly simple and wordless. But deceptively challenging. It's a lot like a very boiled down version of Risk. You try to take over all the spaces by beating the AI players and conquering their land. At the end of each round you receive additional dice based on the number of spaces you have touching each other. But don't spread yourself too thin or the enemy will easily retake your squares with too few dice.

The beginning is the most crucial part

Number Four: Vertical Drop Heroes

Try it here

This game is fun. Really Fun. The upgrades, the level design, the head nod to classic RPGs and platformers alike. and the great (and adorable) character art make Ninjakiwi's "Vertical Drop Heroes" easily one of the best on this list. The objective is simple and the game is not hard, but you could still find yourself playing it for a long time. The objective is simple, reach the exit at the bottom of each map without dying to get a key to rescue the princess from a temple level. My favorite is the shadow clone barbarian and the a couple of the archer upgrades.

I love everything about this game

Number Three: QWOP

Do you have the patience?

It's barely a game but it's still impressive and encouraging, reset is fast, the music is inspiring and they don't taunt you for failing, which you'll do, and you'll do a lot of. "You are Qwop, our nation's sole representative at the Olympic Games." The game tells you. Unfortunately, as it says, the training program was underfunded so it's up to you to control Qwop's legs. using the Q, W, O, and P keys you are supposed to make him run 100 meters. Good luck with that by the way, it's nearly impossible but hilarious to try with friends.

You'll fall down a lot.

Number Two: Pixel Purge

Try moving around the board in a slow circle.

It's fun, it's addicting, it's well done, Pixel Purge is one of the best games out there but it's nothing new. The gameplay is based on a precedent game but that doesn't make this any less fun. The enemy design, the short storyboard, and the cool sounds and upgrades make this game very addicting. This is another hit from the people at Armor Games who are always making something good. They continue to impress me with their work.

Don't let them catch you.

Number One: Grow Cube

The end result is worth the effort.

All the games over at Eyezmaze are impressive. But this game is one of the best. Grow Cube is curious and extremely unique. It's also really really hard. It will take you a long time to figure it out but doing so will make you feel really accomplished too. Much like a complex puzzle box, it's really fun to do with other people. Just add all the objects to the cube, the trick is you have to do it in the right order to make everything work. But can you remember all the combinations you tried?

Of course I won't give away the ending!