Sports games

Sports games trim a real sport down to its key motion: a swipe for a jump shot, a power meter for a golf swing, an angle and a strike for a pool break. About 240 of them are on this shelf. Around 145 carry the general sports tag, and the biggest single sports are basketball and soccer with about 20 games each. Pool follows with around 15, then fishing and golf, and there are a few bowling, cricket and baseball games for anyone after something less common.

Several play loose with the rules. Ragdoll Mega Dunk launches a limp player down an obstacle course, aimed with the mouse, and lets you steer them in mid-air until the ball falls through the hoop. Billiards on Ice moves pool onto an ice rink, where you shoot a large disk into smaller ones and slide them into your opponent's goal. Football Masters keeps things simple with short 2D matches, cartoon players and supershots, against a friend or the computer.

For a quick go, the basketball shooting and penalty games are the fastest to start, since each attempt is one shot. Pool, golf and bowling reward a steady hand and a little patience, and the fishing games are the calmest corner of the shelf. Because every game here is free and browser-based, trying several sports in a row takes only a few minutes.