The Broke Freshman's Guide to Free (and Awesome) Games

Image via Complex Original

Platforms: iOS, Android

Flappy Bird comes with one caveat: its creator, Vietnamese indie developer Dong Nguyen, recently took it down. But if you're one of the millions of people who downloaded it on iOS or Android before he did, that only makes it all the more exclusive. Now no one in school will beat your high score of 11.

It’s incredibly simple. So why is it so addictive? Just tap, tap, tap, and flap, flap, flap, until your bird hits the ground or your face hits your desk. Just remember—don’t delete Flappy Bird from your phone, or you might have a hard time getting it back.

Platforms: PC, Mac

League of Legends is perfect for broke freshmen with way too much time on their hands, which—let’s be honest—is all of you. After all, you wouldn’t be broke if you had a job.

Luckily, those who choose to invest their time in LoL will find an incredibly deep and viciously competitive game. Choose from one of many, many heroes to master, or try to master them all—it’s up to you. Within minutes you’ll be pushing up and down the lanes, slinging spells and stomping on minions like it actually is your job. Just don’t let on that you’re a noob—your teammates might eat you alive.

Platforms: Browser

Aren’t you glad that browser games are back in style? It means you can play something as beautiful, weird and horrifying as Lakeview Cabin, no matter where you are or what kind of computer you’re running.

But you definitely don’t want to get caught playing Lakeview Cabin in class. It won’t be easy to explain why you’re controlling a pixelated, butt-naked ginger dude who appears to be on a leisurely vacation, or why he’s being chased by a terrifying—hang on! Almost spoiled it. Just play it for yourself—it’s free!

Platforms: Xbox 360, PC

Who doesn’t love tanks? World of Tanks is a Russian-developed player vs. player tank combat game featuring hundreds of real, visually accurate tanks from countries all over the world. The designs range from just after World War I into the 1960s. Hell, even your history teacher might appreciate this one.

That is until they realize that that visual accuracy doesn’t necessarily translate to the gameplay—the hulking death machines in World of Tanks are a whole lot easier to drive and shoot than their real world counterparts. But the developers have plans to continue expanding the game on PC and Xbox 360, so you’ll never run out of things to do.

Platforms: iOS, Android

Dead Trigger 2 is about as good as it gets for mobile shooters, particularly if you like killing zombies. And who doesn’t? There’s a never-ending stream of content and challenges, and obviously the best part is that it’s portable. So what if you can’t actually play Left 4 Dead? Who needs a full-priced game when you can play a decent imitation on your phone?

The wait times for new weapons may get to you after a while, but the fact is Dead Trigger 2 features some solid gunplay for the low, low price of nothing. Be sure to turn off auto-fire—either pull the trigger yourself or don’t play it at all, right?

Platforms: PC

You may never have of Daggerfall, but it’s a sure bet you know all about Skyrim. You may have even spent some time hacking through Skyrim’s tunnels and caves, slaying dragons, sweet-talking wenches, and looting the fallen for trinkets and keys. But haven’t you ever wondered how it all came to be?

Daggerfall is the answer. As only the second game in the Elder Scrolls series (Skyrim is number five), it’s primitive as all hell. The graphics won’t win any awards, and they might actually give you motion sickness. But there are some upsides: it’s free from developer Bethesda’s own website, any computer with Windows can run it, and in many ways it’s just as good as its more modern successors.

Platforms: Browser

As dumb as Candy Box seems when you first start it, that's how surprisingly deep it actually is. This is the original “idle game” or “passive play” experience: for most of the time you’re playing it, you won’t actually be doing anything. All you need to do to accumulate candy is to have the game open in a tab in your browser.

Of course, that also makes it literally the perfect game to play in class. Just leave it open and you’ll be rolling in candies—and that’s when the game actually starts. You’ll upgrade your sword, plant a lollipop farm, craft potions, go on quests, answer riddles, and conquer Hell itself—if you have the patience.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows 8, Windows Phone, BlackBerry 10

Isn’t it funny how the smartphone and tablet franchises that were conceived originally as inferior alternatives to actual console video games have, in many ways, actually surpassed those games? You could argue that’s the case with Asphalt, a series that, with its eighth entry, has basically perfected the mobile racing game.

It’s not a simulator, like Gran Turismo or Forza. It’s actually more like Need for Speed—an arcadey driving game with fast action and great multiplayer. Just resist the temptation for in-app purchases and you’ll remain a broke freshman instead of an indebted freshman.

Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows 8, Windows Phone, PS3, PS Vita, BlackBerry 10

Jetpack Joyride is probably the ultimate smartphone game, and never mind that it’s now been released on platforms ranging from Windows 8 tablets to the PlayStation 3. Halfbrick’s mobile masterpiece should always have a place reserved on your phone.

Its gameplay is almost as simple as Flappy Bird’s, but it's so much more rewarding. You’ll dodge obstacles and collect coins while piloting the craziest vehicles imaginable, upgrading your gadgets and tricking out your outfits and rides. You even get a robot dog companion. And now that it’s free—it wasn't always this way!—there’s no excuse not to play Jetpack Joyride.

Platforms: PC, Mac (plus iOS and Android—eventually)

So you don’t play World of Warcraft anymore—big deal. Nobody does. That doesn't mean WoW developer Blizzard is on its way out as well. Far from it, in fact—and it looks like the next big thing is going to be Blizzard’s Hearthstone.

It’s just a card battling game, and it’s only just now exited from its private beta stage into a slightly more polished public beta. That means anyone can download it, and although it’s not yet available on smartphones and tablets, you can play it on either a Windows or Mac PC. Just resist the temptation to blow what little money you do have on packs of new cards and you’ll be fine.