The 6 Best Chromebook Games That I Personally Play (Because I Can’t Stop) – 2023

So you’re looking for the best Chromebook games you can play- and play right now.

Well, my gaming-addict friend, you’ve come to the right place.

These titles will have you glued to your screen for the next week (at least).

(If you’re in a hurry to get your gameplay fix, just scroll down to get to the list.)

Maybe you’re waiting at the pit stop, or you’re waiting for your dentist, or you’re just bored.

Whatever the case, I went ahead and scoured the web and Chrome Web Store for the best Chrome OS games in existence.

Let’s get started with the list already.

Last updated: 3/6/23. I’m constantly keeping this list up to date so you can play all the (best) things you can lay your fingers on.

Are these free or paid Chromebook games? And why are they the “best” games?

How are they chosen? Is there bias? What makes these games actually good?

All of these games are available on the Chrome Web Store for free. Yup, that means you don’t need to pay a thing to play them.

They either install directly with the full game or offer a demo so you can try out these games before you buy it.

Some offer in-game purchases, like premium currency. This supports the developers. If you’ve played any typical indie game before, you’d know about this already. It’s nothing new.

It should be no surprise. A lot of modern games use microtransactions so they can continue to put out new game content.

These games are no exception. Some of them are completely free, but others do offer a payment method to help the developers continue to create an awesome gameplay experience for you.

I’ve compiled a list of Chromebook games that you can check out and try out for yourself.

These games are all based on popularity and personal opinion.

Note that this list also includes my own opinions as well, as I’ve played all of these games (and still do).

And this list is heavily biased towards retro and MMORPG-like games.

Why?

Because these genres are my favorites.

Of course, I try to keep it well-rounded with a bunch of genres thrown into the mix.

Well, there’s only 6 games on this list, but you’ll see what I mean. It should be enough to get you started and playing. If you’re just looking for something new to play, this is a good place to start a new game.

Here we go, let’s get to the list of games. I promise this time.

Best Chromebook Game #1: Arcane Legends

Arcane Legends is one of the best MMORPGs for Chrome OS.
Arcane Legends is an awesome MMORPG with everything you could want.

This is actually the first game I’ve ever played on a Chromebook, and it’s still the one I often play the most.

I can’t say enough good things about this game. It’s freakin’ awesome and you need to play it if you like MMORPGs. It’s one of the best of the best games browser-based games on the planet. Seriously.

It’s basically a mixture between hack-and-slash Gauntlet-style gameplay with a mix of RPG elements- like you’d find in World of Warcraft. It’s actually like WoW on Chrome OS.

The gameplay elements are very similar, but it’s not as in-depth as WoW. It’s like a lightweight version of it but it really does bring back nostalgia for WoW’s glory days.

But there’s enough detail and customization especially for a browser-based game. You can choose 1 of 3 classes and customize a simple skill tree. There’s a wide assortment of skills and abilities for each class.

You can choose from passive and active skills and assign them into a hotkey bar for quick access.

Arcane Legends is full of things to do. You can all the typical MMORPG stuff like quests, dungeons, party quests, grinding, levels, pets, friends, guilds, and all the typical stuff you’d expect from an MMORPG.

The game also offers daily quests to keep you coming back and you get a nice reward for doing so.

There are a ton of customization options for weapons and equips as well. You can gather them from defeating bosses in dungeon instances and also upgrade them. They come in different classes of drops just like World of Warcraft.

Arcane Legends also offers a very fun party system for dungeon crawling. If you like raiding with a party, the game makes it super easy to party with someone.

Whenever someone enters your dungeon, you’ll get a notification on-screen telling you someone is here.

You can easily party with them for a better experience between party questers. The loot is also first come first serve. That’s one gripe I have about the game.

The perspective is permanently fixed from an angled top-down view, but you can zoom in and out.

The game looks awesome even when zoomed in. I’m very impressed with the graphics, sound, and music for a browser-based MMORPG. It looks like it’s standalone quality.

The color schemes are nice. The tunes are memorable. It’s action-packed and matches the gameplay well. There are also cutscenes that are pre-rendered and add immersion to the game.

And the game just looks very appealing with its WoW-like graphics.

There are lag spikes here and there- especially in crowded areas with lots of other players. But it’s nothing to complain about.

Even on my 2GB RAM, Intel Celeron Acer Chromebook (CB3-131), the game plays very smoothly. The game doesn’t really have performance issues other than that.

Here’s a gameplay video. As you can see, the game plays like a regular MMORPG but in your browser. This gameplay footage is dated, so the actual game looks a lot different. It’s so detailed and deep that you’d mistake it for a full-on game where you’d normally have to download it:

The playerbase is also huge.

You’ll see other players everywhere you go. Even in the areas that seem deserted, there are always a few people and likely willing to party up. I play this game daily and still can’t get enough. It’s probably where half of my Chromebook battery goes every charge.

There are daily quests which keep players coming back. The playerbase is also pretty friendly, but many people are high level due to lack of updates.

The game does get updated, but it’s usually for low to mid-level players. However, you can simply create one of each class to keep the game fun. There are also plenty of skills to try out.

The community actually encourages partying and for the most part, won’t mind your level or stats. You’ll often find that you’ll walk into a room and get partied just randomly by anyone.

The keyboard and mouse work out perfectly, and even using a trackpad is easy. You have your basic controls and hotkeys for skills and potions.

The pet system is dynamic and offers a new perspective to web-based MMOs. Each character also has a special attack that charges up, and your pet does too.

You can also use a variety of pets, each with their own special attacks and purpose. You can also switch between pets easily without any drawback. Combat is done by clicking on the enemy but you also use hotkeys to perform skills.

Arcane Legends does indeed lag on budget Chromebooks (like mine), but it’s only when it’s crowded and there’s a lot going on.

However, it’s not often and it’s still playable. I mentioned this earlier, but it’s probably the only problem I have with the game. The graphics are a little too much to handle for cheaper Chromebooks with lower specs.

A mid-level Chromebook and up should be able to handle Arcane Legends with no problem at all. The graphics are simply gorgeous even when zoomed-in.

And the level of detail when zoomed is still excellent. It doesn’t pixelate nor blur like a lot of other games in the same genre of MMOs. Highly recommended. It’s an awesome RPG that’ll keep you busy for weeks. (At least it did for me.)

Here’s a pro tip: One thing I didn’t like is the updates. It’s a double-edged sword. They constantly release new updates so you’ll have to sit through them while waiting.

You get new stuff, but you have to wait to play. You can’t even minimize the window while it’s updating or else it stops and you need to relaunch it.

However, you can easily get around this if you just do split screen mode “CTRL + [” or “CTRL + ]” and it’ll load up while you can do something else.

Mine is pretty dated but still runs it pretty smoothly.

If you really like the game, you can easily install it and run it on your Windows computer as well for that extra FPS boost.

The surprising thing is that it’s all browser-based. It’s the best browser-based MMORPG on the Chrome web store, in my opinion. If that’s your thing, I suggest you give it a try. It’s also free to play and requires no download. Check it out.

Play Arcane Legends here.

Update: In 2022, this game is still getting regular updates. You can log in to any town and there will be other players. If you want a free MMORGP that’s compatible with Chrome OS, this is it. Try it out if you like cartoony graphics and role playing. I still play this and love the ability to play between devices. I can start a quest on my Chromebook and then finish it on my PC.

Best Chromebook Game #2: AirMech: Combat Transformed (Currently only available for Windows)

AirMech is a MOBA game with a twist to the traditional MOBA style for Chromebooks.
AirMech offers a MOBA-style game with mechs and armies. It’s like League of Legends with mechs on a very small scale.

AirMech is MOBA game where you control a robot transformer plane and lead armies against the enemy base.

You can go against 4 people, or do 3v3 games. The graphics and sound for AirMech are spot-on, and really fit the theme of it.

It’s not as in-depth as leading MOBAs out there (League of Legends, Dota 2, or Smite), but again, it’s browser-based.

If you’re in the mood for some quick strategic gameplay, AirMech should fit the mood.

It plays very similarly to LoL, with similar UI and HUD. But the issue is that it’s browser-based, so you can’t expect as much as a full game that you download and play.

It’s hard to describe since it has a lot of similarities to the leading MOBAs, but at the same time, it’s on a smaller scale. It’s like a slimmed-down version of LoL.

AirMech was one of those games that I was really into but quickly fell out because I prefer LoL. But if you’re on-the-go, this game will run excellent on your Chromebook and can satisfy your MOBA cravings.

Update: I haven’t played this game for a while, but AirMech has recently been updated and is now only available for Windows. If you install the app, it’s literally just a link that’ll take you to their website with a download link for Windows-based computers. Not sure why they changed it. I’ll have to keep an eye on for when (or if) it reverts back to being compatible with Chrome OS. But if you have a PC, you can still play it.

Check out AirMech here.

Best Chromebook Game #3: Entanglement

Entanglement is a puzzle game for Chromebooks.
Entanglement is a very fun and addictive puzzler for Chromebooks. It’s free to play and will keep you thinking- especially in the harder levels.

Entanglement is a puzzle game.

I know, puzzle games aren’t for everyone, and a lot of people just don’t understand how Tetris can be fun.

But, for those of you like puzzles (like me), you’ll like Entanglement. It’s super relaxing after a stressful day. Put on some of your fav tunes then zone out while you solve those puzzles. You can play for hours without ads if you turn on airplane mode.

It’s always been one of the leading puzzle games due to its addictive gameplay and gorgeous graphics. The point of the game is to lay down tiles to make the most random paths possible. It gets harder and harder as you progress through the game.

You need to make a pattern or design with the tiles you’re given. It’s hard to explain, but if you’re looking for a puzzle game on your Chromebook, give it a go.

It’s very addicting when you get the hang of it. It’s easy to learn, but hard to master. Just like sudoku.

The game’s music and sound effects put you into a different reality as you try to swap tiles to solve the puzzle. It’s immersive and offers a zen-like experience. It’s actually a very relaxing game to just sit back after a day’s work (or school) and just chill out with.

It’s easy enough for a beginner to pick up, but challenging to master. It runs perfectly on any Chromebook (even older ones) since it doesn’t require many resources to run.

The graphics are smooth. The music is relaxing. And the sounds are on-par. It’s also completely web-based. You don’t have to download anything or sign up for an account.

Entanglement is a very good puzzle game Chrome OS and probably one of the best I’ve played to date.

It’s also free to play. Just get the app and it’ll bring you to their website. And that’s it. You’re ready to go.

There’s nothing much to say. It’ll keep you busy and it’s pretty addicting. If you like puzzle games, try Entanglement. This game also runs offline so you can play it anywhere. Perfect for when you get bored.

You can try out Entanglement here.

Best Chromebook Game #4: Polycraft

Polycraft will suck you into a Minecraft-like world- complete with building and crafting. It’s pretty immersive and the graphics are amazing.

First, this isn’t Minecraft, as similar as the name implies.

But you can see just from the graphics that it’s definitely inspired by Minecraft.

(Minecraft fan? I wrote a list of the best Minecraft alternatives for Chrome OS you may want to check out.)

You’re stranded on an island with all these weird, Rayman-like baddies, and your goal is to explore and thrive.

You can do anything you want in Polycraft. Explore, craft, build, gather resources, and even just troll around and build something wicked.

The game has a few different modes. There’s a survival mode where you need to use towers to defend your base from attacking enemies. It’s like a tower defense game and is nothing like Minecraft’s survival mode.

But remember, this is Polycraft.

It’s a very weird game and hard to describe.

The visuals are strange, yet very pleasing to look at. It’s like playing tower defense in Minecraft. You’ll have to play it to understand it. The game’s graphics are very nice and look like a mix between cel-shading and shadowing.

While the graphics aren’t blocky, they’re semi-blocking. It gives Polycraft a nice touch and makes it very immersive.

The graphics add an atmosphere to the game that gets you addicted to it. It’s kind of like that feeling in Minecraft when you’re lost exploring unknown lands. That’s how it feels. And it’s awesome.

Often, I found myself just wanting to play Minecraft instead of Polycraft, because you can clearly see how it’s heavily influenced by Minecraft.

But then you realize…it isn’t Minecraft. It’s like when you buy generic brands. It’s like the real thing, but it’s a little off.

It also runs offline, which is awesome if you don’t always have a WiFi connection.

The game is free, however, you can purchase premium currency to “enhance” your gameplay. Or if you just want to play the real thing, check out my guide on how to install Minecraft on your Chromebook.

Play Polycraft here.

Best Chromebook Game #5: Spelunky

Spelunky is one of the best and most-addicting games for Chromebooks in 2019.
A sidescrolling platformer, Spelunky offers a retro-style treasure hunt. It’s an addictive platformer with retroelements.

This game is like a retro version of Terraria on Chrome OS.

It’s a mix of platforming, exploring, puzzle solving, and rescuing.

You basically play as an explorer who traversed deep caverns in search of treasures or other goals. It’s a platformer with monsters and obstacles. Levels are procedurally generated, which means that each playthrough is different. You never play the same level twice.

You need to do some platforming to get to different areas of each dungeon and you need to use items like your whip or bombs to help you out.

There are basic puzzles to solve like activating mechanism or blowing up blocks to gain access to different parts of the dungeon. You need to solve these puzzles to find your way to the next dungeon.

And you often need to solve these puzzles to rescue people in the dungeon.

It’s optional whether or not you want to save them, but you’ll be inclined to help them out because the game rewards you.

Spelunky is the only game that always has a new adventure every time you play it. It never stops giving.

There are a ton, and I mean a ton, of enemies, items, treasures, and more along with the random levels. This game is my second favorite when I need a break from Arcane Legends. The retro graphics and sound make this game a very relaxing game.

You go through the randomly-generated levels and rescue trapped friends. You also defeat enemies, solve puzzles, blow up rocks, climb ladders, and find treasures. It’s seriously addicting.

There are platforming elements to Spelunky as well. When you clear out a blocked path using your items, you’ll have to leap over gaps and make daring jumps. The game isn’t really a platformer, but it’s nice to have these parkour section.

But remember, the dungeons are all randomly generated, so you may or may not have to do any platforming.

Spelunky is one of the most popular Chromebook games on the Chrome Web Store. It runs straight from your browser and offers a very addicting and entertaining time. The game is a must-have if you like retro dungeon crawlers.

The graphics are what bring the game out. It’s like Terraria meets Mega Man, but with a retro theme and Indiana Jones as the protagonist.

My only gripe with this game is that the dungeons are similar to each other in looks so it’s easy to get lost in them. You’ll get lost and have to backtrack quite often. But it’s not too bad.

The game plays smoothly on any Chromebook. It’s not graphics-intensive so it’s easy to pick up and play.

You’ll need to try out Spelunky. It’s really one-of-a-kind. It’s also free to play, so you have no excuse to try it out. Along with Arcane Legends, I play Spelunky when I’m offline or done grinding for the day.

Yes, Spelunky runs offline and doesn’t require any WiFi or Internet connection to run.

(Want more games that you can play without WiFI? Check out this list of 22 games that run offline.)

It also runs fine on Chromebooks, since the graphics aren’t that demanding so you can play it lag-free without a hitch. You really have no excuse now to miss out on it.

Play Spelunky here. (You have to try this game out.)

Update: Spelunky 2 has ben released, but it’s a paid game. If like you the first one well enough, consider playing the second one available on Steam. You can download Steam on Chromebooks easily. Though, I prefer the original one.

You can also try Steam Link.

Still an awesome game to waste time in the browser. No downloads, accounts, or nonsense needed.

Best Chromebook Game #6: Heroes of Loot

Heroes of Loot is one of the best dungeon crawlers for Chrome OS.
Heroes of Loot is a dungeon crawler with retro gameplay. It’s probably the best one on Chromebook if you like dungeons, monsters, RPGs, and leveling.

This is another retro-style game with more dungeon-crawling.

It has a top-down perspective like most retro dungeon games. Your goal is to navigate through the dungeons with a party and get the loot- just as the title states.

You can take on the role of a magic Elf, a powerful Warrior, or an agile Valkyrie as you hack-and-slash through the dungeons. Do I sound like a game narrator yet?

There are a lot of enemies and mini puzzles and mazes you need to go through. It’s a fast-paced game that’ll have you traversing, running, and strafing enemies that appear in huge mobs. Kill them and then you can grab that prized loot.

The game is built just for dungeon crawling, so it offers a very nice retro experience that’ll remind you of Gauntlet and such. The music, sound effects, and graphics all bring you back. It’s very nostalgic.

You can grab gear, weapons, and quests as well to obtain and complete. The graphics in Heroes of Loot are very appealing, and the game itself is very, very fun to play. It also runs offline so you can play it on the go.

You use skills, level, defeat monsters, collect loot, and has all the traditional RPG elements you’d expect from a dungeon crawler.

It’s fun to just go in a room Rambo style and blast the baddies away with arcane magic spells or hack and slash them with your sword. The Valkyrie is probably my favorite class and makes the game super fun to play.

The retro touch to it is even better. It has retro graphics and sounds just like a classic 8-bit or 16-bit game.

If you want a full gameplay video, check this out. It covers pretty much the entire game and what you’ll be doing. As you can see, it’s very addicting.

I like to listen to music while dungeon-ing, so I usually have music in the background.

The game runs smoothly even with music from YouTube in another tab.

Since my laptop is dated, I’m pretty sure all Chromebook models can run it without a problem. The music isn’t bad either, but it’s nice to play to your own tunes to get in the zone.

After all, the game runs with retro graphics so it’s not too demanding to run in the first place

Heroes of Loot isn’t free but offers a free demo. It’s definitely worth picking up if you get addicted to the demo.

Play Heroes of Loot here.

Did you find something awesome?

And there you have it. The 6 best Chromebook games I’ve played so far and still play today.

Sure, there aren’t enough games for every genre, but I’ll make another best-of list when I’ve played more.

However, if you’re into MMORPGs, MOBAs, and retro games, this list should keep you busy, as these games are probably the best I’ve played.

If you have a Chromebook, go ahead try them out. You may just find your favorite new game.

That’s the point of this list- to help you find the perfect time drains so you can have a good time and just entertain yourself.

And then you have a new game to play while you’re waiting for your hot pancakes to be served. Mmm. Pancakes. What?

If you have any awesome games to suggest, go ahead and leave a comment and I’ll check it out and add it to the list.

Game on.

About Andy Z.

Andy is a casual-hardcore Chrome OS fan and contributes to the site regularly. He likes computers, tech, sports cars, videogames, and of course, Chromebooks. Thinker. Introvert. Geek. You can find him on Twitter (@platytech), or send him an email (check the "Contact Us" page).

8 thoughts on “The 6 Best Chromebook Games That I Personally Play (Because I Can’t Stop) – 2023”

    • Hey Larbagar,

      I’ll have to check that out. Thanks for the suggestion! If you have any other awesome games, keep ’em coming!

      Thanks again. Just the name of it sounds awesome already.

      Reply
    • Hey there,

      Thanks for the suggestions. Doom is awesome =]! I like the newer Doom, but the original is just…amazing. Nothing can beat the originals. The retro graphics. The sound. The run and gunning. It’s awesome.

      Thanks again.

      Reply
  1. I tried air mech, and it’s meant for windows software. I think you’ve got this all wrong – no offense. Chrome OS is COMPLETELY different than chrome itself running on something other than Chrome OS. So try and give proof that this works, because it doesn’t. If you think otherwise, tell me. I would really like to play “Air Mech”.

    Reply

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