Chromebook is not known for gaming and rightly so. However, things are changing quite rapidly as Google is bringing millions of Android apps on Chrome OS with mouse and keyboard compatibility. So, if you want to know the current state of gaming on Chromebooks, you have come to the right place. In this article, I bring you the 28 best Chromebook games that you should definitely play in 2022. Along with that, I have also tried to provide an overview of how gaming is improving on Chromebooks with the launch of Stadia, GeForce Now, and Steam. Now having said all of that, let’s begin the article.
Before we start, let me state that the article is divided into seven sections including Google Stadia, GeForce Now, Steam, Android Games, Web Games, Arcade Games, and finally Linux Games. I would recommend you to start from the beginning, but if you are already aware of certain games then you can skip them. Anyway moving on, let’s start with Android games for Chromebook first.
- Android Games
- Web Games
- Arcade Games
- Linux Games
- Nvidia GeForce Now
- Steam
- Google Stadia
Android Games
Here, we are going to talk about Android games that are available on Chromebooks, especially those which have been optimized for mouse and keyboard navigation. Keep in mind, to play Android games on your Chromebook, you need support for Play Store. You can enable Play Store on your Chromebook by going to Settings -> Apps on the left pane and turn on Google Play Store.
Alto’s Odyssey is a sandboarding game from the makers of Alto’s Adventure. Just like before, the game is about an endless journey to discover the secrets of an unexplored desert. The longer you play the game, the more interesting it becomes. It features breathtaking visuals and phenomenal background music.
If you are looking to play a street racing game on your Chromebook, there is no better game than Asphalt 9: Legends. It’s simply one of the best car games for Chromebook. What makes this game even more compelling is that the touch controls are optimized especially for Chromebooks. So, you will get a much better experience without any input lag.
And besides that, you can play this game in full-screen mode with amazing visuals and graphics rendering. So, just get ready with your gear and take on the street for fearless racing on your Chromebook.
Among Us is one of the best Chromebook games to play with friends and that’s why it became a sensation during the course of the pandemic and continues to grow with new maps and features. And the best part is that you can play this viral deception game on your Chromebook. The game is officially available on the Play Store and you can install it straight away to play the game in full-screen mode.
Install: Among Us (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
If there’s one game that you want to play on your Chromebook then let it be Stardew Valley. It’s one of the best farming simulation games and runs quite well on the Chromebook. It offers a large world where you can enjoy your farm life, grow crops, raise poultry, and all those farm gimmicks that you love performing. You can move to the countryside and lead your life in an open-ended world. The best part is that it also has elements of RPG. So go ahead and install Stardew Valley on your Chromebook.
PUBG Mobile does not need any introduction, but if you don’t know, it’s a multiplayer battle royale game where the last man standing wins the deathmatch. PUBG is considered one of the best FPS games for Chromebooks. The game is quite intense and visually stunning. But how does it perform on a Chromebook? Well, we tested it on our HP Chromebook x360 (8th Gen i5) and it ran fairly well. The game detected “Balanced – Medium” as the default graphics quality, but we stretched it to “HD – High” and still, it performed quite well.
6. Fallout Shelter
Fallout Shelter is one of a kind game that is available on Chromebook through the Play Store. It’s a survival game where you are made the protector of a super-secret underground Vault. You have to protect the Vault from the devils of Wasteland and also keep your dweller happy along the way.
One of the most important aspects of the game is to balance the resources such as food, water, and power among the dwellers. The moment you lose that balance, you are at peril and can be attacked at any moment. The game is quite mysterious and I love the plot. If you like this kind of survival game, Fallout Shelter will not disappoint you for sure.
Baldur’s Gate is ranked among the best RPG (role-playing game) games out there. And with Baldur’s Gate II, they have brought an exceptional storyline that is filled with magic, wizard, and monsters. The story is a tale of dungeons and dragons where you have to re-invent yourself and get what you rightfully deserve.
Install: Baldur’s Gate II ($2.49)
If you are hooked to Minecraft then you are absolutely going to love playing Roblox on your Chromebook. Similar to Minecraft, it lets you create, play, imagine, and be anything that you want to be. Roblox is truly a game that lets you shape your own virtual world. And not only that, but you can also face challenges from your rivals and opponents to make it even more exciting.
9. Last Day on Earth: Survival
Last Day on Earth: Survival is one of those survival games on Chromebook that will keep you hooked to it. The game is all about survival in a post-apocalyptic world where zombies have taken over the human race. Now, your task is to survive and maintain your resilience to thwart the zombies. Along the way, you will have to collect resources, craft weapons, and of course, killing zombies to stay alive. I would say if you like survival games then Last Day on Earth: Survival is a great Chromebook game with keyboard support.
If you love playing Hitman on your desktop then Hitman Sniper, the Android version will take you through a similar experience on your Chromebook. Sure, the graphics is not as good as the desktop version but you have got all the gaming elements to make it an exciting game. You can be Agent 47 and go on a tactical sniper mission where you can use your shooting skills to kill the assassins. Then there is non-stop shooting action in death valley where you have to prove your shooting speed and accuracy. To sum up, Hitman Sniper is a perfect offline Chromebook game and you must give it a shot.
Install: Hitman Sniper (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
Into the Dead 2: Zombie Survival is a featured game on Chromebook’s Play Store and is also part of the Editor’s Choice. It’s one of the most popular zombie action games on Chromebook and if you are into survival games then this game will enthrall you to no end. The game has a very similar theme that you have on survival games — here, you have to protect your family from zombies and you have to do everything possible to keep the threat away. The best part about this game is that there are multiple endings and 7 different chapters with various challenges. Simply put, you should not miss out on Into the Dead 2 for its great storyline and action-packed challenges.
Install: Into the Dead 2: Zombie Survival (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
If you like games that have exceptional fistfights then Shadow Fight 3 is a raging game that you must play on your Chromebook. It’s based on an epic war where you have to protect the dynasty from the mighty force that is protected by the Gates of Shadows.
Mekorama is a wildly popular puzzle game that has been available on Android smartphones, but now the game has made its way to Chromebooks thanks to the Play Store support. It’s a puzzle game that keeps on expanding through the user-created miniature.
All you have to do is help a tiny robot reach its home through the maze of a puzzling mechanical building. There are a total of 50 puzzles and all of them are going to test your creativity and thoughtfulness. As for the playback, it runs great on Chromebook in full-screen mode with mouse control. If you love puzzles, you are going to love this game to no end.
If you are a Pokemon fan then this game is for you. It’s based on many characters of Rick and Morty in which you can train as many as 200 characters and make them fight against each other. You can also create your own universe where you can catch Mortys and Ricks in the jungle to gain more points.
Install: Rick and Morty: Pocket Mortys (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
Riptide GP: Renegade is an amazing game where you have to race in the water-filled street with dexterity and great maneuver. In this game, you ride a hydro jet and race against a ton of vehicles and characters. It’s very much like the MotoGP game from yesteryear days, but more challenging and packed with awesome action.
16. Terraria
Terraria is another sandbox game like Minecraft and Roblox where you have to find water, food, and resources to keep yourself alive. Thankfully, it’s available on the Play Store and you can easily install it on your Chromebook. Coming to the game, here you start with a bunch of armors like pickaxe and sword which help you find resources as well as defend yourself against zombies and flying eyes.
17. Sonic the Hedgehog™ Classic
Who doesn’t remember Sonic the Hedgehog game from SEGA? Well, the great news is that the game has been released on the Play Store and you can install on your Chromebook too. As we all know, the game is about Sonic, a blue hedgehog who fights against the evil Doctor Eggman, a mad scientist.
Xenowerk is a game about an underground science lab where you have to battle against lethal mutants. There are a total of 70 levels and each one is equally challenging. The game is designed in such a way that it replicates real-life challenges in the face of extreme crises.
If you are interested in physics and mechanics then Line Rider is the perfect game to try on your Chromebook. It’s very similar to the Free Rider game, but here you can create your own path and trajectory. You can move through the sledder to ride on the track and based on your speed, torque, and other attributes, Line Rider lands you on the track.
The challenge is to be more accurate in your calculation and land on the track without any injury. It’s like a physics simulation game and a very good one at that. So, as I said, if you want to visualize physics in a fun game then play Line Rider on your Chromebook.
Since FIFA is not available on Chromebook, you can play Dream League Soccer as an alternative. It’s equally good and has a similar style of gameplay where you can create your dream team and fight against the opponents. Other than that, there are lots of customization features ranging from the stadium to the player’s look.
Install: Dream League Soccer (Free, Offers in-app purchases)
21. Agar.io
Agar.io is one of the most popular Chromebook browser games and can be played on any inexpensive machine. If you don’t know, Agar.io has invented a new kind of gaming genre which is also called IO games. It allows you to play with multiple players across the web where you have to save your cell from being eaten by another bigger cell.
22. Arcane Legends
Arcane Legends is a massively multiplayer online game (MMORPG) where you can pick a role and build your character in the fantasy world. The game starts in a deserted land where you have to survive anyhow. In your way, you will have to battle against other online gamers and keep on moving to get more points and badges.
Faster than Light is an award-winning browser game on Chromebook. You can play Faster than Light game using the Humble web player. It runs on Chrome and you get all the advanced action packs and features just like the PC version.
If you are looking for an online Chromebook game for your kid that has an adventure theme then Interland is a solid game you should try on your Chromebook. The game has been created by Google and it packs many multiple-choice questions about internet safety and privacy. Interland is a visual treat for kids as the game has great graphics, transition effects, and animation.
Not to mention, the kid also learns about various things about the internet and computers along the way. So, just go ahead and check out Interland on your Chromebook. Your kids are definitely going to love this interactive game.
25. MAME4droid
No matter what, Arcade games remain a huge rage among old gamers. Many developers have gone to lengths to bring the yesteryear games on iPhone, iPad, and Windows computers in one way or the other. Thankfully, Android has massive developer support and as a result, it’s now available on Chromebooks too.
To give you an overview, the app includes popular games like Donkey Kong, Pacman, Elevator Action, Centipede, and more. So, if you love playing Arcade games, this is the best way you can enjoy them on your Chromebook.
26. Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the most popular games and you can play it on your Chromebook as well, thanks to Linux support. Minecraft offers a Linux version of the game and it works surprisingly well on Chromebooks, albeit running in a virtualized container. We have already installed Minecraft on Chromebook and tested it, and the graphics, keyboard navigation, sound output, everything is on point. I would recommend you to go through our above-linked guide and install Minecraft on your Chromebook. In case, you have an ARM-powered Chromebook then follow our guide on how to install Minecraft Java Edition on ARM Chromebooks.
If you want to play MMORPG games on your Chromebook then there is no better game than Albion Online. It’s a fantasy sandbox MMORPG game where you have to craft every single thing, from weapons to armors. You can go on a world trip, discover new places, fight against the enemies, capture their territories, and develop your own abode.
While there is an Android version of this game on the Play Store, I would suggest installing the Linux version as it’s desktop-grade and more graphics-intensive. So if you want to play an MMORPG game on your Chromebook, just pick Albion Online and you would not look back. Before installing the game, make sure you have set up Linux on your Chromebook.
Open Terminal and run the below commands one by one.
28. T-Rex Run
Don’t we love the dinosaur game when the internet is not available? Well, you don’t need to cut off your internet just to play this game. Chrome OS has a hidden address from where you can access this game even when you are online.
If you want to play desktop-level games on your Chromebook without any restrictions then there is nothing better than Nvidia GeForce Now. Nvidia has launched its cloud gaming service — GeForce Now — for Chromebooks. It has a much bigger library of games and works pretty well on a Chromebook — no matter what your specs are. Also, GeForce Now offers one hour of free gameplay which is amazing. The best part is that you can play graphics-intensive games on your school Chromebook as GeForce Now does not require Play Store or Linux support and you can instantly get started from the browser.
Steam
Steam is the de-facto platform to play games on PC and the good news is that you can run it on Chromebook as well. All you need is Linux support on your Chromebook and you will be off to playing high-end games natively. Having said that, bear in mind, you need powerful specs to run Steam as it runs natively in the Linux container. Also, you will need much higher storage on your Chromebook to download and install games.
Similar to GeForce Now, Google has also launched its cloud gaming service called Google Stadia. Stadia is a new-age game-streaming platform that allows you to play graphics-intensive and AAA title games on your Chromebook without requiring top-notch hardware.
You can play the best computer games for Chromebook like Cyberpunk 2077, PUBG, Hitman, Tomb Raider, Mortal Kombat, Destiny 2, etc on a decently powered machine. It uses Google’s powerful servers on the cloud to run high-end games and in turn, streams the gameplay on your Chromebook with minimum latency. Not to mention, you can run Google Stadia even on your school-issued Chromebook as everything happens on the browser.
