Gaming has been one of the biggest entertainment sectors – and with technological advances in gameplay, it has never been easier to play your favorite games online in new and interesting ways.

Online gaming isn’t just about the consoles or the PC gamers these days either – one of the biggest areas of growth in online gaming is the mobile gaming sector, with billions of games downloaded to smartphones in the last few years encompassing big open-world games through to the hyper-casual arcade-style games like Crossy Road and Flappy Bird.

We can do pretty much everything online these days. Social media, shopping, even streaming the latest movies instead of going to the cinema – and it is no surprise that even the types of games that we might have played a couple of decades ago in person or physically offline have moved into the online space. 

All sorts of offline games are available these days, with something for everyone – and here are a few of the best available.

Casino Games

Casino games have been popular for generations, and this includes slot machines, poker, blackjack, roulette, and bingo.

Before the advent of the internet, you’d have to go to a casino to be able to get that specific rush or take part in backroom poker tournaments – but now, you can get online and get involved with your favourite games, even winning money.

While they might not have the same aura of exhilaration that you might expect, and you certainly are less likely to be surrounded by glitz and glamour if you are playing online, you can still get the excitement and fun of playing games of chance and games of skill from the comfort of your own home.

There are casino games available at online casino websites, as mobile app downloads, and even as games for consoles too.

Soccer

Some of the earliest soccer history can be found in Aztec culture with a ball-shaped rock and two teams – but the modern soccer game we know and love was invented in England in the mid-19^th Century.

Get some children together with a ball and chances are they’ll start playing soccer, especially in Europe – and this is something that has always been a fun game to play offline.

The Top-selling soccer titles like FIFA and Pro Evolution Soccer provide players with ultra-realistic graphics and imagery, the opportunity to play as their favourite team in the league and in international competitions, and story modes that become almost like a sandbox game.

Scrabble

Scrabble boards are sold in 121 countries, and the game is available in more than 30 languages. Everyone understands the premise and idea of Scrabble – use the letter tiles that you have been given to create words and (hopefully) get the highest scores.

Millions of homes around the world have a Scrabble board, and it is surprising to think that this game was only invented in 1938.

The online versions of this traditional word game include the licensed ones that are distributed by Mattel, but also games that are based on the same mechanics and principles, like Words With Friends which was a social version played through social media in most cases more than a decade ago.

Dungeons & Dragons

Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game and are by far the most famous example of this type of game. The offline version of the game is played around a table, with a Dungeon Master calling the shots and narrating the action as player-chosen characters travel through fantasy lands, having adventures, finding treasure, and killing monsters.

While this game was only published for the first time in 178, it has been a huge part of modern culture, mentioned in popular TV shows like Stranger Things as well as in movies, books, and even in the news in the 1980s when it was erroneously linked with Satanism.

The online version of Dungeons & Dragons is essentially a Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG) much like World of Warcraft. The Dungeon Master is the narrator (sometimes voiced by a celebrity gest), and much like the tabletop version players can control their character based on the roll of a dice, developing traits and abilities through earning experience points.

Honourable Mentions

Other offline games that have grown in popularity online include things like:

Monopoly – the well-known property magnate board game that has been credited in memes with ruining many a family games night is available as an online game that can be played with friends.

Crosswords and similar – this is an interesting one, as some of these are not necessarily games but more like puzzles. Crosswords, word searches, sudoku, and similar games are all widely available and especially popular on mobile.

Online games have even encompassed traditionally physical online activities like working out or even dancing – and while these still need you to physically interact with the world (completing a dance routine or following a workout), they are interesting answers to the question “What else can we do with online games?”.