The release of Agar.io back in 2015 got the ball rolling for the io games genre, and since then, they have gone from strength to strength within the gaming community.
Their popularity has also been helped by YouTubers, who go out of their way to show the world just how much fun the io brand is to play.
But just what is it that makes io games so popular?
There are certainly plenty of reasons to like them – the majority are free, you can play them on your laptop or your mobile device, multiplayer, and are very uncomplicated.
But when you compare them to high octane games at the top end of the market, you do have to wonder what the appeal is with io games.
There clearly is an appeal, though. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be as popular as they are.
Personally, I believe the appeal of the games is down to a number of factors.
One reason is its simplicity. They are generally simple to play and easy to learn and get into.
They also don’t take all day to play like some games can.
You can fit an io session in between finishing your breakfast and getting ready for work. That’s how easy they are to play.
You can’t do that with games like Fortnite or Call of Duty, can you! You certainly can’t with the likes of Football Manager.
There must be more to it than that, though, surely!
I enjoy playing them. I find them to be a handy short stop-gap, a sort of time filler.
I also enjoy a quick blast of them on my mobile phone.
But don’t just take my word for it.
I believe the best thing to do is take a few games and see for yourself what the big deal is.
With hundreds to choose from, finding the right game can be hard work. To give you a more straightforward introduction, I’ve handpicked a small sample of games for you to try out yourself to get you started.
1. Evowars.io
The first game I’ve picked out for you to try out is the ever-popular Evowars. This isn’t your average io game, it differs from the likes of Slither.io, and Diep.io, etc., in that it is a combat game.
In this game, you play the part of a warrior, killing and harming as many of your opponents as you can.
Your objective is to collect orbs and move up through the levels. As you work your way up the levels, your size increases, and you become an even more fearsome warrior.
The problem is, though, the bigger you become, the slower you move.
This makes you more vulnerable and adds a different concept to the game. Usually, in any combat game, the more you advance through the stages, the more dominant you become.
According to activerain.com, you need to keep evolving if you wish to survive to play this game.
This makes Evowars unique and gives it a different feel. And it also means you need to be good at adapting to the changing skills set you to require.
A multiplayer game, playing Evowars, can take on your friends and players from across the world – another feature that makes io games so accessible.
2. Agor.io
The next game we’re going to take a look at is the io genre original game, Agor.
In Agor, you are a circle, yes I did write that, and I’m attempting to convince you to play this game!!!
Your aim is to gather or eat, as many of the other circles as possible. It’s easier to target the smaller circles, start with, and absorb other circles you grow in size.
Once you’re big enough, you can split yourself in half and consume on two fronts, and you can keep growing and splitting as often as you want.
It’s as simple as that, and that is probably one of the reasons why io games are such a success. Simplicity!
Agar is the original io success story. It got the genre on the map and helped a whole new generation of players discover these simple but addictive games.
3. Slither.io
Another similarly addictive simple but effective game is Slither. In this game, you have to slide around a board eating as many orbs as possible and trapping as many snakes as possible.
You need to try and get your opposing snakes to crush their heads into your body. This is what eliminates them from the game.
The same rules apply to you, if you crash your head into an opposing snake’s body, you too are out of there.
The more orbs you consume, the bigger you get. The bigger you get, the more heads of snakes crash into you, and your chances of winning.
As you grow in size, you can also circle other snakes to ensure you can eliminate them. It really is a simple game, but one that can get you hooked.
4. Wings.io
The final io game I’m going to bring to you is Wings.io – as you may have already guessed from the name, it’s a game about planes.
Wings is a multiplayer game, another popular facet of io games. You get to compete with players from all across the globe to shoot each other down and be the top gun of the skies.
As you carry out your manoeuvers, you pick up guns, bombs, and ammunition. These additions allow you to grow in strength and carry out attacks on your weaker opponents.
While you are doing this, you will also have to use your skills set to avoid the more definite planes. It’s a real game of cat and mouse, this one.
Wings is yet another typically simple but effective io game.
None of these games are going to win awards for graphics or their soundtracks.
You won’t find them competing for advertising space with Call of Duty or FIFA football games either.
They are just basic games that have an appealing nature about them. There is nothing intense about them, they’re generally free, and they are just easy to play.
I hope this article has given you some idea of what io games to look at and play. These are just the tip of the iceberg, as there are hundreds out there. Hopefully, reading this can help set you on your way.
