Quick Links
Not one to shy away from expanding the world’s leading streaming platform, Google has brought gaming to YouTube. Specifically, YouTube Playables, a bunch of free games you can play on YouTube, with heaps of different titles to play.
The only question is, should you bother?
What Are YouTube Playables?
So, in what seems to bea direct response to Netflix’s gaming push, Google thought shoving some flash-style games onto YouTube would be a great idea. After all, many folks head to YouTube for pure entertainment, and what better way to bolster that entertainment than with video games.
That’s the crux of YouTube Playables: they’re games you can play on YouTube without downloading anything, accessible on both desktop and mobile devices.
There are more than 70 YouTube Playables at the time of writing, covering all manner of genres, such as puzzles, racing, runners, and more. There are some recognizable names in there, too, such as Angry Birds Showdown, Cut the Rope, Mob Control, and Pocket Champions, among others.
5 YouTube Playables I Tried
Given the familiar names of some titles, I took a few for a spin to see how they play and whether you should do the same.
I did try a few more games, but you get the general gist of what YouTube Playables offers.
YouTube Playables Are Almost Worth Your Time
Here’s the problem: you can’t escape the fact these are either Android game ports, flash-style games (ported to Android), or very generic games. The quality isn’t particularly high, and while YouTube Playables might hold your attention for five or ten minutes, the gameplay isn’t deep enough to engage you for any longer. They remind me of the flash games I played as a youngster in the school computer room, trying to avoid completing my actual work; maybe that’s the real appeal.
It’s particularly stark when you compare YouTube Playables to Netflix Games. The two streaming platforms' approaches are admittedly different, butNetflix Games' catalog includes some absolutely brilliant games, such as Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy, Kentucky Route Zero, Immortality, Into the Breach, and the surprisingly excellent Wonderputt Forever. And this is just scratching the surface.
Furthermore, if you have five or ten minutes spare and a smartphone, you have almost unlimited access to heaps of free mobile games, many of which are multiple steps ahead of YouTube Playables, and you don’t have to load YouTube to play. They’re already installed on your smartphone,don’t require an active internet connection, and are probably much more fun.
So, while YouTube Playables exist and can be fun for a short period, if you enjoy gaming, these titles won’t cut the mustard.
