The Top Games You Can Actually Play on a School Chromebook in 2023
I get asked often about playing games on locked-down school Chromebooks. While they do have restrictions in place, there are still some great options hidden out there!
The best game genres for school Chromebooks are browser-based games, Android puzzle/arcade games, and streamed cloud gaming.
Let‘s dive deeper into the exciting world of gaming on school Chromebooks!
Browser-Based Games – The Safe Bet
Browser-based games are your safest and most accessible option on a restricted school Chromebook. Here are some of the top selections:
ABCya
ABCya has over 400 educational games for kids of all ages. With categories like math, learning, puzzle and word, there‘s plenty to learn while having fun. It‘s easy to while away hours on ABCya!
Over 37 million monthly active users and more than 650 thousand Facebook followers speak to ABCya‘s popularity.
Cool Math Games
Cool Math Games sneakily teaches kids math and problem-solving skills through incredibly fun and engaging games. With over a million daily users and averaging two hours on the site per visitor, the games here are clearly magnetic!
Some top picks are Bloons Tower Defense, Run 3 and Raft Wars. This is another browser-based gaming site that should 100% be accessible on any school Chromebook.
Poki
Poki bills itself as a "platform for legally playable browser games" and features popular titles across genres like puzzles, RPGs, action, racing and more.
It‘s one of the web‘s biggest game platforms with over 30 million monthly active users. Games are free-to-play and should be playable from any Chromebook browser without issues. Some featured games include Minecraft Classic, Subway Clash and Krunker.io.
Other Notable Browser-Based Game Websites:
Android Games – Hidden Gems
While the Chrome Web Store selection is limited, you still have access to over a million Android games on school Chromebooks.
Popular picks like Minecraft, Bloons TD 6 and Alto should install and play fine via the Google Play Store app. You can also often find premium or paid games available free with ads.
Here are some top Android game recommendations usable on school Chromebooks:
| Game | Genre | Rating | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minecraft | Sandbox/Building | 4.4 ⭐ | Creative mode, survival mode, redstone electronics |
| Bloons TD 6 | Tower Defense Strategy | 4.4 ⭐ | 19 towers, 3 upgrade paths each |
| Alto‘s Adventure | Relaxing Runner | 4.5 ⭐ | Soothing visuals, physics-based gameplay |
| Codycross | Crossword Puzzles | 4.6 ⭐ | Variety of themed puzzles, educational |
| Slay the Spire | Rogue-like Deck Builder | 4.8 ⭐ | Strategic card combat, run variety |
| Stardew Valley | Farming/Life Sim | 4.6 ⭐ | Sandbox play, fishing/farming, relationships |
With over 60% of Chromebooks now able to run Android apps, you have a deep well of games to access on school devices without raising any red flags.
Bypassing School Restrictions
Okay, I don‘t officially recommend breaking school policies…but between you and me, there are workarounds that can open access to blocked games:
VPNs
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) funnel your web traffic through an encrypted tunnel. This hides your browsing activity and lets you bypass geographic restrictions or firewall filters. Premium services like NordVPN and ExpressVPN work seamlessly for unblocking games, streaming sites or social media pages at school.
Smart DNS Proxies
A Smart DNS service like Getflix changes your device‘s DNS settings instead of routing traffic through a VPN tunnel. This approach can also trick school firewall filters but is a bit more transparent on your network traffic.
I don‘t recommend breaking school acceptable use policies, but understand the appeal after 9th period math class 😉 Just be smart and careful!
Optimizing Your Chromebook for Gaming
While no Chromebook can compete with a high-end gaming rig, there are still some tweaks you can utilize:
- Close unnecessary apps and browser tabs to free up RAM and CPU for games. Every little bit counts!
- Plug into wall power whenever possible instead of battery for best performance.
- Use a mouse for pointer precision in games requiring aim or accuracy.
- Adjust in-game video settings to maximize frame rates on lower Chromebook specs.
- Set games to run full-screen to remove distracting desktop elements.
In terms of hardware, having at least a 720p display, 4 GB RAM and an Intel or AMD processor gives you the best shot at smooth gameplay. Popular Chromebook lines like the Lenovo Flex 5, Acer Spin 713 or ASUS Flip C214 offer good bang-for-buck specs to handle Android and browser-based games.
While not designed as gaming machines, school Chromebooks can still provide plenty of gaming fun if you know where to look! Stick to browser-based games, grab some awesome Android gems from the Play Store, and use the tips above to optimize for the best experience possible.
Got any other great Chromebook game recommendations or tips? Let me know in the comments! This is just the beginning of unlocking their gaming potential…
