Staying home to stay safe from Covid-19 usually means endless Netflix binge sessions, and clocking hours on chill games like Animal Crossing which make us a little sluggish. So if you want to get some mental exercise to help yourself bounce back or are just looking for things to fill your time, here’s a list of quirky website games that are bound to challenge your brain in one way or another.
They’re great to not only test your own IQ but to stir up some competitive spirit with you and your friends, family or partner. The best part? They’re all completely free to play.
Check out other things you can do at home:
Image credit: MapCrunch
This pandemic is the biggest killjoy when it comes to our travel plans but it’s a small and necessary trade-off to keep everyone safe. But if you have raging wanderlust that can be contained no longer, here’s a way to get some relief – MapCrunch.
This website drops you in a random place in the world and you have to navigate your way to the nearest airport – Google Street view style. You could end up in the vast deserts of Australia, the bustling streets of Rio, or the rural areas of China. Finding the airport could take hours or mere minutes depending on your luck but is bound to be immensely satisfying if you accomplish it.
Play MapCrunch here.
Image credit: GeoGuessr
If you don’t want to put too much effort into looking for an airport, GeoGuessr is a website that also drops you randomly around the world but all you have to do is guess where you are. You can make your way around using Google Street view.
Using your quick wit and intelligence, deduce where you are from observing your surroundings. Find clues in the people around you, the seasons, street and road signs, language of shop names, and whatever else you find.
If you’re feeling confident about your guess, drop a pin on the given map and you’ll be given points based on speed and proximity to the actual location.
Play GeoGuessr here.
Image credit: Wikigame
Wikipedia is notoriously known for not being a reliable source for school reports and essays. But credibility issues aside, there’s an article for almost everything there. Some of us are even guilty of going down a Wikipedia rabbit hole after searching for just one celebrity or television show.
If you love testing your general knowledge or deduction skills or you just love competing with friends, try out the Wikipedia Game a.k.a. Wikirace. The goal is to get to a preselected article from a random article in the least number of clicks – like getting from “Barack Obama” to “The Big Bang”.
This game is believed to have originated from a belief that it will only take up to 5 clicks to land on Adolf Hitler’s page from any Wiki article. Whether this is true or not, it is one of those website games for you to go solo or against your friends to test who can make better connections and deductions.
Play the Wikipedia Game here.
Image credit: Moral Machine
Genres like zombie apocalypse movies have undisputed popularity with the masses. Besides the intrigue of zombies and the theme of survival, it’s also fascinating to watch characters make morally challenging decisions. Unconsciously, we put ourselves in their shoes and decide what’s right and wrong.
If you’re curious how your priorities when it comes to your morals compare to other people, give Moral Machine by MIT a try. You’ll be given various scenarios involving a self-driving car with faulty brakes and asked to choose which group you’d rather save. People vary in gender, age, socioeconomic status and even fitness level.
Image credit: Moral Machine
Afterwards, you’ll see a chart on how much each component matters to you when deciding who to save and how it compares to others. Once you’re done, you can even take a test inspired by the shortage of ventilators due to the pandemic.
Play Moral Machine here.
Image credit: Human Benchmark
Most males who’ve finished or are about to do their National Service have done tests to check things like their hearing and memory. Even if they were mandatory, it’s always fun to take tests like that and see how your abilities measure up.
This website, Human Benchmark, lets you do tests like this and then shows how well you measure up to other people who have taken the test. There are 6 tests in total: reaction time, number memory, verbal memory, visual memory, a hearing test, and a typing speed test.
When you’re done, you can tag a friend and compare your results to see who’s average and who has almost superhuman abilities.
Play Human Benchmark here.
Nation States website game
Image credit: NationStates
Running a country is no easy feat and good political leaders are hard to come by. For those who’ve imagined how you’d fare as the president of your country, this NationStates website lets you create your own nation and govern it.
You can customise how progressive and advanced you are too depending on the randomised natural resources you’re given in the beginning. Every day, you’ll be given different scenarios and asked to take a stance on social issues like censorship and scientific research.
And just like in the real world, your decision will affect all aspects of the country such as economy, crime, happiness and political freedom. It’s also a semi-social website because every single country that exists is run by real people so you can interact with others, and even join with friends to make your own alliance.
Play NationStates here.
Image credit: Famous Objects From Classic Movies
Movie buffs, here’s your chance to find out how well you know classic movies. This website shows you iconic items from famous movies and you have to guess which movie it’s from, hangman-style. As you progress, the items get more obscure.
You’ll start with easy items like the one ring from The Lord of the Rings and then move on to items like a tiger from The Hangover. The items may seem like no-brainers but play it for yourself to see how challenging it can get.
Even if you’re not a big movie buff, you might still be familiar with some of these items or guess it logically from the letters that you have.
Play Famous Objects From Classic Movies here.
If you’re looking for something new to do to either occupy your time or get some mental exercise to exit the CB with less inertia, try out these website games. You’re bound to learn something new, either about the world or yourself and even have something new to talk about with your friends.
Check out more things to do online here:
Cover image credit (L-R): Famous objects from classic movies & Wikigame
Originally published on 29th May 2020. Last updated by Renae Cheng on 15th July 2021.
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