Games to Play When Bored

Best Games to Play When Bored

It's a matter of personal preference as to what games are actually the best to play when bored, but these time-killers typically satisfy the same basic criteria.

First, they must be easy to learn, because you don't want to get frustrated with an overly complicated control scheme. As such, the most intense first-person shooting games may not be the best idea. Titles that require a high level of strategy -- like Splinter Cell -- might not be good either.

Second, they should be the type of game that you can play for a short period of time or a long period of time, with no penalty to the gamer on either end of the spectrum. Many role playing games involve too much of a time commitment to really fall into the "games to play when bored" categorization.

Third, the best boredom-busting video games are those that are immediately satisfying. There should be no need to fumble through a complex storyline or adjust to individual character's nuances.

Keeping these three criteria in mind, point-and-click games, puzzle games, and hidden objects games are perhaps the best to play when you're looking to overcome a mind-numbing episode of boredom.

Point and Click Games

As the name of the genre implies, online point and click games typically only involve your computer mouse. The goal is to solve a mystery or navigate through a strange location by clicking on specific items in the scene. For example, you may need to find the match behind the vanity mirror in order to light a piece of paper on fire. The flaming paper will set off the fire alarm, dousing the room with the sprinkler, revealing your next clue.

The very nature of point and click games is designed to overcome boredom. They are sequential and challenging, yet easy to understand and enjoy. Three of the best point and click games are:

• The Bar
• Kawa
• Il Destino

Puzzle Games Online

Puzzle video games come in many shapes and forms. Some may challenge you to swap adjacent jewels to create matching sets of three or more. Others may charge you with the task of controlling multiple characters at the same time in order to achieve some sort of end goal. There are also maze-style titles, like Pac-Man, that offer frantic action in an enclosed space.

Puzzle games are universally enjoyed by everyone regardless of age, gender, or relative skill level. They are typically easy to learn and offer all sorts of fun extras that add to the experience. Here are a few of the most popular puzzle titles to get you started:

• Bejeweled
• Zuma
• Virtual Villagers
• Tetris DS (Nintendo DS)
• Lumines 2 (Sony PSP)

Hidden Objects Games

Hidden Objects games have quickly come to the forefront in recent years. They are easy to play, but increasingly more difficult to solve. They're like Where's Waldo for the 21st century. Check out titles like:

• Death on the Nile
• Magic Academy
• Little Shop of Treasures

Never Be Bored Again!

With so many free games to enjoy online, you will never have an excuse to be bored again! Countless new titles are developed every day, so feel free to surf through popular websites like Spintop Games to find the latest and greatest. And, don't neglect your home and portable systems either! There's a wealth to enjoy on the Game Boy Advance, PlayStation 2, and Nintendo Wii!