Slither.io

Slither.io took the legacy of the classic game Snake and combined it with the multiplayer concept that Agar.io had made famous a year earlier. The 2016 game was created by developer Steve Howse, and the concept is just as straightforward as its predecessors' – you control a snake that slithers around the play area, collects glowing orbs, and grows in length, while having to avoid the bodies of other snakes, since colliding with one means instant death.

Unlike Agar.io, where mass and consuming were the main factors, in Slither.io it's mainly length and agility that decide the outcome – skilled players can literally encircle shorter, faster opponents and force them to crash into their own body. Simple mouse controls, an instant start with no need to register, and an extremely short "die and play again" cycle made Slither.io one of the fastest-growing web hits of 2016, which shortly after release also flooded mobile app stores.

Visually it's simple, colorful graphics with a pixelated look for the snakes – there's no big atmosphere here, the focus is purely on the competitive loop of growth and risk. Thanks to its accessibility and zero barrier to entry, Slither.io remains to this day one of the games people know even without any particular interest in gaming culture as such.

Why play it: Ideal for a moment of free time – Slither.io is free to play directly in the browser, a round takes minutes, and everyone grasps the concept within seconds.