Best Games to Play When Bored Online

Top 15 Games to Play When Bored Online

Some games are designed to experience them alone and uninterrupted by the necessity to find teammates, while others exist to bring players together and work toward the victory. Even if winning is not your goal, you still can find the genre that suits your interests and pace. Many people might think that games to play when bored online are only MOBAs and games focused on the team against the team, but it’s actually all types of versatile objectives and settings you can try and advance your skills.

Games to play when bored online is something that you can appreciate, even if you don’t have gamer friends. It is also a precious getaway from the NPCs and game AI that sometimes presents no fun or real challenge for you.

Multiplayers are as engaging as the single-player counterparts, with the possibility to run into another player who wants to try themselves. If you are not afraid of these encounters and you wish to find the best online games list, then you came for the right place. We tried to make the most comprehensive and eloquent top 15 of the games worth of your attention and time.

15. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

Do you like crossovers? What about the well-known and familiar characters and some good old fighting? Do you like fast pacing, crazy, and colorful levels? Tell us no more. Then you should definitely look closer at this entry. Bandai Namco Studios’ hit Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a crossover fighting game, the Super Smash Bros. series’s fifth installment. Even if you never played a single game from the franchise, you have the ideas of what it is about. More than 70 fighters, 100 levels, versatile arenas, and even mode additional content you can upload – all these aspects equal many joyful matches, this is truly one of the best games to play with friends.

The game is prominent with its game modes:

• World of Light – a story-driven single-player campaign.
• Spirits – a tactics-driven single-player mode.
• Classic mode – a unique series of stages and opponents for fights.
• Plus many other modes for playing alone or with your friends.

The game has 20 million sold copies worldwide, the numbers hard to imagine right away. The first pick among games to play when bored online, in our humble opinion.

Available on: Nintendo Switch.

14. Portal 2

The iconic puzzle-platformer from Valve released back in 2011, and Portal 2 is loved by players for its well-balanced gameplay, pacing, and mechanics. You can play both in a single-player as Chell, the protagonist of the series, or Atlas and P-Body robots in a cooperative campaign. This game is developed specifically for those who value the games that make your brain tickle and encourage you to find creative ways of resolving the Aperture Science laboratory’s tasks. In the cooperative, you play with your partner via split-screen and discover what else the laboratory hides in it. The game includes the “Peer Review” DLC campaign that brings you more insights on the game lore. Overall, you won’t be disappointed, and even if you played it, it’s time to refresh your memories.

The game has sold 4 million copies and received various awards for the best PC game and one of the best games to play when bored online, respectively. It is truly one of the best games to play when bored online you can find for the platform of your choice.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360.

13. Rocket League

Rocket League is not your ordinary soccer video game developed by Psyonix, it introduces you to one of the most exciting concepts: cars and sports. It is an example of working on your dream model regardless of the previous commercial flop, which was Psyonix’s Battle-Cars. The game was inspired by Team Fortress 2, and Dota 2 with their free-to-play modes, and the developer offers only additional elements as downloadable and paid content. Rocket League knows what it wants to be. With improved gameplay, graphics, and user-friendly mechanics, you play as a rocket-powered car to score goals. Well, it also reminds you of a derby and online arcade.

The game has 10.5 million copies sold by 2017 and a number of prestigious awards. You may not be the number one fan of this game, but it is obviously one of the best games to play when bored online to kill your boredom. We advise you to give it a try and have fun!

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.

12. Red Dead Online

Rockstar Games’ multiplayer action-adventure western, loved by millions of players and fans of the aesthetics. Red Dead Online is an important addition to the single-player campaign and your possibility to write your name in the world’s history. You have the opportunity to develop your character uniquely, following the various side quests and meeting some characters from the original campaign. You can be a legendary bounty hunter, a collector, or a moonshiner, and each path has its own perks. Red Dead Online is all about choosing your destiny and morality and kicking as many opponents as possible. Plus, it’s a double-time spent looking at the astonishing Red Dead Redemption scenery.

The game made more than $480.8 million in sales and praise among players. The game has constant updates and additional content to upload, so you will always have something new to consider – one of the finest online gaming examples.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia

11. Destiny 2

Bungie’s Destiny 2 is an online shooter that you can play individually or with your friends. You have three classes to choose from and endless possibilities to upgrade your character. You may invest your time into making your ship and weapon a perfect prototype as well. Honestly, there’s plenty of things you can do here and stay always entertained. Destiny has various free content and seasonal events that unlock many elements you would love. The main aspect of the game is player vs environment, while a multiplayer focuses on player vs player interactions. We really appreciate the aesthetics and game design of this online gaming gem, it gives you a true sense of roaming the universe and challenging others.

The game is a nominee and winner of many prestigious awards, including the award in Best Online game and Best Multiplayer Game categories. It was one of the top-selling games in 2017, and many players could download it instead of purchasing the physical copy.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4,5, Xbox One, Stadia.

10. Diablo 3

Our most nostalgic best pick in the best games to play when bored online category. The classic hack and slash game by Blizzard, Diablo 3 survived many ups and downs. You obviously heard of this game before, and the time has come to try it out if you never played it, either you want to do it alone or with your friends. You pick a character from one of seven classes, which impacts your gameplay style. Then you progress and make the most fun of the game by becoming the most improved version of yourself. You also can choose the hardcore mode if the mechanics sound too simple – killing monsters and looking at the valuable items.

There is no specific combat mode for multiplayer, and sometimes the screen will remind you of a slaughterhouse, but we promise it is actually even more fun. The game has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide and won various Role-Playing/Multiplayer categories games awards.

Available on: PC (no local co-op), PlayStation 3,4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.

9. Overwatch

Another entry by Blizzard, Overwatch was the most discussed and hyped multiplayer first-person shooter for quite some time. It still is, and it is never late to refresh your skills there or learn playing it from scratch. The gameplay is easy as it gets, and you have a team and the base to defend. Go there and be great. It also has seasonal events and regular updates for maps and heroes to pick. Of course, the game has a lot to offer you, from several different game modes to just having fun hunting down the opponent players and winning some points for kills. As you upgrade your character, you also upgrade your skills and become your team’s hope.

Overwatch has more than 35 million players and astonishing sales numbers. The nominee and winner of many awards still attract people who like the unique idea of heroes and team-play, making it one of the definite best online games of all time.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.

8. GTA Online

Another Rockstar Games’ fan-favorite title, GTA is an online multiplayer version of your favorite game. The story behind GTA online goes as far as back to 2013 when it was first released for PlayStation 3. The game has open-world and missions you can pick, similar to a single-player mode. You also can choose between racing, picking up contact missions, and deathmatch options to versatile your time online. Of course, you are not obliged to upgrade your character, and you can try to survive as long as possible staying low-key and trying to drive according to the regulations. But we all know that the best things are achieved through chaos mode, the one that is not comprehensible even to such people like Trevor Phillips. Well, we all have standards!
GTA is the game that has as many awards as positive reviews from players. The undeniable Rockstar Games hit, you can be sure that you won’t be alone in multiplayer.

To learn how to play this game, we recommend you read our GTA Online Tutorial.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox One.

7. League of Legends

Riot Games’ League of Legends or LoL is one of the most played games-multiplayer battle arenas. You can pick from more than 140 champions with unique skills, purchased both with real money and in-game currency. There are four game modes, but you are never bored with the limited number of them. The game is team-driven, and you actually have to invest some time and effort to figure out some aspects of it, but it is always rewarding to advance your skills, and you never feel robbed of your time. We highly encourage you to check our “How to play LoL” guide if you never played it before. No worries, even if it seems that LoL is a demanding game, it is engaging and fun games to play online and share with your friends.

The winner of many awards and critical praise, LoL doesn’t sit in one place and always improves. It has more than 115 million active players, and you can enjoy the professional tournaments online.

Available on: PC.

6. Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Nintendo’s exclusive Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the most recent life simulation game on our list. The game is played in real-time, where you control a customizable character and finish your daily goals and missions. You can craft items and share them with your friends or sell them. As well, you can build your home and decorate it. Without a doubt, Animal Crossing focuses not as much on competitiveness, but instead picking your own pace and enjoying all available ways to upgrade your character and socialize with people all across the globe. It is rather a meditative experience to calm your mind and distract from your anxieties if you’re not into any other online gaming genre listed here. The cute game design and levels contribute to the overall popularity of the game all across the globe.

It sold more than 2 million copies and received a lot of positive reviews both from critics and players. Beware, Animal Crossing can be extremely fun and addictive!

Available on: Nintendo Switch.

5. World of War Tanks

Wargaming’s World of Tanks is quite a phenomenon that combines MOBA elements with interest in real-life combat vehicles. Without a doubt, this game will be loved by people who are interested in tactics and heavy vehicles. It is not news that your strategies will differ when you try to move a heavy tank, so you need to be creative with your approach.

The key aspects of the game are:

• The game has historically accurate combat tanks that resemble their real-life prototypes; you can choose from various tanks from different factions. However, some technical characteristics were changed to fit the game mechanics and ease the user experience.
• Different game modes allow you to change and modify your combat strategies. It includes standard, assault, encounter battles, and the possibility of 15v15 gameplay.
• Although it is free-to-play, it may require some purchases.

The game received various awards and was one of the most anticipated online games out there. Overall, if you are bored and you like tactics games, you can try World of War Tanks.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch.

4. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive

Valve is famous for making iconic titles that stick in the popular culture for decades. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive is a first-person multiplayer shooter and the fourth game in the series with the same mechanics: you are playing in one of the teams, the Terrorists and the Counter-Terrorists, and achieve separate objectives. It includes nine main game modes, where Casual and Deathmatch and offline Weapon Course modes can be used to train your skills. It is free-to-play, and you can avoid any purchases so far. There’s also a special software that excludes any cheating. Arguably, it is one of the best online games on the market, and the series is one of the predecessors of the multiplayer first-person shooters.

It is still one of the most popular online shooters counting hundreds of thousands of players every day. CS:GO was a nominee and of various prestigious awards in the eSports category. Without a doubt, if you never played Counter-Strike, it is time to try it out.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360.

3. PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG)

PUBG Corporation’s PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG) is a third-person Battle Royale-style deathmatch game. You can choose whether to play alone, with your friend, or with a team. The system is semi-randomized, and your major goal is to be the last person standing among 99 other competitors. The shooter element here is more random than CS: GO or other shooters online that you may encounter. The shooting is one of the most praised aspects of the game, where you have to be prepared for everything. At the same time, you try to find the items that you can use for weapon improvement, driving vehicles to move around the big map.

The game has more than 70 million downloads and 50 million sold copies worldwide. It is also a nominee and winner of many prestigious prizes in Multiplayer and Game of the Year categories. If you want to challenge yourself and your friends, then pick PUBG for your best online experience.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia.

2. Dota 2

Have you noticed a pattern? It’s Valve again! We will never be tired of including Valve’s masterpieces because they deserve to be among the best of the best. Dota 2 is a multiplayer online battle arena that followed the standard set by other iconic MOBAs. Here you follow the same idea: choose the hero (119 characters to pick), learn your objectives, and gain experience points. We must say that Dota 2 is as addictive as other titles on this list, but it is because of all the possibilities that you unlock with your progress. Dota 2 is all about communication and cooperation with your team to achieve the common goals, especially considering the hero classes. You may be awesome support, but you should know where you have to be at the moment.

The game has hundreds of thousands of payers who enter the game every day, so you won’t be the only one there. Additionally, you may also enjoy Dota Underlords, which was released just recently.

Available on: PC.

1. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Infinity Ward’s Call of Duty is one of the richest series with dozens of titles adapted for various platforms. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare is a sixteenth installment and a reboot of the Modern Warfare sub-series. The multiplayer mode follows the campaign’s story with the possibility to enable the Realistic mode and the gameplay that requires a lot of strategic and tactical thinking from players. The multiplayer lacks a traditional season pass, but you should not worry; there’s a lot to explore there for free. The multiplayer has several modes for your consideration, Gunfight, Ground War, to name a few.

The game was critically acclaimed for its realism and story, as well as graphics and gameplay. The game was a nominee of BAFTA Games Awards in several categories and some other major Game Awards and received the prizes in Best Original Score and Sound Design categories. Grab your controller or keyboard and get ready to join the mission. You won’t be disappointed.

Available on: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One.

Conclusions: Games to Play When Bored Online for Advancing Your Skills

Games to play when bored online come in all shapes and forms. The main feature that unites them is the fact that you are never alone against the AI. We can only encourage you to discover as many titles as possible, but this list is essential picks that you can consider first. Most titles heavily rely on teamwork and cooperation, which can benefit you in your communication and management skills. Yeah, games are not only the leisure and hobbies but also the possibility to advance something you would like to improve in your character. Don’t feel discouraged if some games are far from nurturing these skills in you. After all, you can switch them and balance your activities.

What titles are the most epic online games of all time, in your opinion? Do you think we have missed some essential titles that would be relevant in 2020? Let us know here or via our YouTube channel. Join our fast-growing WhatsHappening community on YouTube for more engaging lists and news on games, films, and popular culture. We try our best to stay at the top of the hottest news, best suggestions, and the most relevant top lists for you and your friends. Stay tuned for more awesome game videos and articles with us.