Browser games are a wild breed, it’s where newbie independent developers have a chance to release games with a minimal budget to a wide audience. Because of the low bar of entry, the browser game arena is often where the weirdest ideas that would never make it to more regulated and costly platforms are realized, and the result is some of the strangest interactive media you can ask for. Here are some of the most trippy browser games we could dig up, now when you procrastinate you can do it while making your monitor look like an adult swim inspired fever dream.
Speaking of adult swim, this first game on the list was developed by none other than adult swim games, who has a long track record of releasing really trippy titles that are as fun as they are weird. The aptly-named Zombie Hooker Nightmare has you in control of Lola, a ‘lady of the night’ trying to withstand hordes of the undead. There are tons of zombie killing games on the web, but this is the only one I know of where the main goal is to protect and screw a certain amount of men to advance to the next level.
4. Time Fcuk
You are guided through a long series of puzzling levels by a narrator who claims to be you from the future, and his musings are often manic and psychotic (but also insightful). Sure, you could settle for a standard platforming game like Super Mario Flash, but you’d be missing out on a haunting experience. You are given the ability to switch between two dimensions at will, which changes the layout of the level and makes for some very clever puzzles. The music is hypnotic and mysterious, and the story will make you want to keep playing through to the end.This one seems like a basic platformer at first glance, but Time Fcuk is actually a very eerie and atmospheric game that challenges your reflexes as well as your perception of time and space.
3. Ski Runner
The title of this game is quite misleading. You may think this is just another one of those downhill skiing games where you dodge oncoming trees and rocks, and you would be exactly right, except this game has one major difference: In order to keep going, you need to keep collecting pills, and when you’ve had a certain amount of pills in succession, you start tripping serious balls. It becomes much more difficult to dodge trees and rocks when they are dancing and turning into Easter Island heads, but it makes for a lot of fun. Epileptics beware, there is a lot of flashing lights and colors.
2. Ad Nauseam 2
Cactus is an indie game developer from Sweden that specializes in bite-size games with a unique art style. Out of their vast library of titles, Ad Nauseam 2 was the trippiest experience for me. It’s a top-down space shooter in the vein of Galaga, but the abstract visuals and groovy soundtrack set it apart from other games in the genre.
This game is quite challenging even on easy mode, so be prepared to repeat the first level ad nauseam (see what I did there?)
1. Auditorium
The aptly-named Auditorium is based on music- it’s a unique game that combines puzzle gameplay with dynamic music, and the effect is hypnotic and beautiful. A stream of energy flows through each level, and the current song reacts to how you arrange it. As you progress through the acts you will be controlling kaleidoscopic and colorful sparks through a circuit while the haunting orchestra and piano pieces react to your actions, it’s a very relaxing and tranquil experience that captures the weird zen of a trippy masterpiece.
Do you know of any weird and trippy flash games that weren’t mentioned? Sound off in the comments!
