For kids born in the early 2000s, screen time was reserved for school computer labs and parent’s offices. It was here we explored the pixelated playgrounds of computer browser games. But when Adobe Flash disappeared in the 2010s, so did browser games — swapping Club Penguin for Candy Crush.

Now many of these games have tried to App Stores and Xboxes, but the heart of them remains in our free website browsers. So, I gear myself up for an evening of ultimate procrastination. With several deadlines looming and zero self-control, I embark on an evening retracing my childhood online stomping grounds to see if it still lives up to the hype.

Papa’s Pizzeria

Looking for Papa’s Pizzeria on the Cool Math Games’ website, it’s all looking a lot more corporate than I remember. Selections for games include Time Management, Applied Maths and even Buisness Skills. I swear these didn't exist when I was sneakily playing in class.

All in all, the site itself is underwhelming. But Papa Pizzeria is what I’ve come for. In this game, first launched in 2007, players are pizza makers taking customer orders, building pizzas by dragging toppings onto the base, cooking them for the perfect time, and serving them to the customers to earn tips and progress through the game's ranks.

It is a beautiful sight seeing the endless array of Papa’s franchises looking back at me after all these years. From the Pizzeria (the OG classic), Freezeria, Cupcakeria, Hot Doggeria, Taco-Mia, Susheria… it may be capitalism disguised as fun, but its remained iconic nonetheless.

The pizza shop music hits, the boss hands over the keys, and suddenly Delivery Boy Roy is running the show. The slightly tedious but oddly satisfying game is just that, quite simple in its set up.

I do, however, find myself a little bored after a couple rounds :(

Trying one of the newer additions, I give the Sushiera version a go. It’s considerably more advanced in its illustrations, with options to create my own character. I’m brewing up more than just pizza, but bubble tea and sushi, and even completing mini games between shifts! However, about ten mins in I am both hungry and oddly attached to my poorly decorated sushi bar.

Run

The OG Subway Surfers before Subway Surfers were a thing. It is good to see Run 3 still took the number one spot on the Cool Math Games servers. Run 1, 2, and 3 launched between 2008 and 2013. Like Temple Run or Subway Surfer, the player guides a character through a series of paths — this time it’s in space.

As I click in, the space rave soundtrack pierces my ears. But I can’t help but boogie for a max of 60 seconds before hitting the mute button.

As I lock in and expertly avoid the holes and gaps into the space continuum, I can practically feel myself morphing back into my 12-year-old self, embarking on endless tunnel-running adventures between classes back in the day.

I must have the game memorised into my finger bones, because I get to level 12 in about ten minutes. However, I’m so good that my boredom kicks in and I give up.

Poptropica

I remember this being one of my favourite games as a kid, with endless adventures to embark on and riveting plotlines. Around since 2007, Poptropica is a free-to-play online multiplayer game where players customise characters to explore themed islands with puzzles and quests. Islands like Reality TV, Skullduggery, Mythology, Counterfeit, and Astro-Knights.

But spoiler alert: This game did not fulfil my expectations as an adult.

I chose to go to Jade Scarab Island, where my first task was to chase down a thief. Turns out, he was the victim all along and had stolen his own statue for reasons I'm still not sure of. The plot was slow moving and boringgggg.

The endless clicking waiting for something to happen, frozen screens, and conversations with characters seemed to go nowhere and were impossible to avoid.

Though the pace and exciting flips may have thrilled me as a young-in, my attention span can't handle the low tech now. Devastatingly, this game should stay in the time capsule.

Fireboy and Watergirl

This game was a bit of an obsession of mine back in the day. Lunchtimes spent with my school friends, teaming up and competing to see who would get the better times. Making sure our map was completed to the highest accolade.

You’ll find the game on the Friv.com homepage, feeling like your stepping into 2010 again. The neon grid of games, daily joke and complete randomness of it all. The page has all our nostalgic games and more. There’s even a game called Burger Truck Trump, in which Donald Trump’s been given the boot out of the White House, is broke, and must now flip burgers to earn his way back into office…

But I’m here for my beloved red and blue friends. This two-player game was designed in 2009 to be played with one keyboard, bringing households together and ripping them apart. Players control two characters – Fireboy, who can withstand fire but cannot touch water, and Watergirl, who can withstand water but cannot touch fire. Together, the pair must navigate through various levels filled with obstacles to reach the exit door.

But today I face this challenge alone as a multi-tasking queen. Hearing the familiar viking-esc sound effects sends chills down my spine. The game requires intense coordination and series multi-tasking abilities. Though it’s designed for two players, I mastered the solo mission years ago — and tonight those ancient pro-level skills kick back in like muscle memory.

As I unlock the levels a decade later, I feel the same sense of rush and excitement. Uncovering the old memories that came with it. A true classic.

Fancy Pants Adventures

While this PAK’nSAVE stickman looking game might look simple to most, the game was a huge success.

Stick figure man with colourful pants and a crazy mohawk go adventuring through doors and levels, avoiding monsters and creatures along the way. The 2006 game was made by indie developer Brad Borne, who had no formal game development training, wanting to create a series to redefine platforming with a focus on speed and precise controls.

You can find it on PlayStation, Xbox, and mobile apps, but I’ve stumbled across on the web. I had completely forgotten it ever existed. With some funky sound effects, groovy movements, and a simple animation, this game has got the basics done well.

Our little stick character man does little flips in his funky yellow pants, and while my attention span by this point in the evening couldn't last too long in the game, I did find plenty enjoyment in the simplicity of it.

GirlGoGames

Overstimulation at its finest. Clicking onto the site, I am immediately met with a glittery explosion of princesses, celebrities, dress-ups, makeovers, and cooking – nothing short of it’s 2007 orgins. This could be catagorised as Cool Math Games’ maximalist, hyper-gendered cousin.

The popular free games has over 1,700 games. You’d think I’d recognise at least a few, but the chaos is crushing my sense of nostalgia. I finally spot a game I vaguely recognise: Funny Angela Haircut. I spend exactly three minutes giving my cat Angela a makeover, giving her the cutest shaggy black and green mullet cut before moving on.

This site may have once been paradise to a version of myself I’m since quite removed from, revisiting it was surprisingly a lot to handle.

Club Penguin

We’ve arrived at the crown jewel of childhood games. After the server was infamously shut down in 2017 after over a decade online, other versions have reappeared to fulfill the nostalgic memory that once was. This game truly had it all, from secret rooms and snowball fights to customisable penguins and pet puffles, disco dance floors and sled racing.

Logging back in feels both familiar and a little strange. The bright colours and mini-games are exactly as I remember. But the chat is quieter and parental controls are everywhere – which doesn’t help me much. Still the dance content has my eyes glued to the screen like my life depends on it, and it’s oddly strange to realise my touch-typing skills were likely trained by a penguin on the internet.

There is endless fun to be had, and truly I could’ve spent the whole evening alone exploring the side quests on this site.

Moshi Monsters

Visiting the site now, I am met with an apocalyptic style video, our iconic characters facing impending doom as a meteor hurtles towards them. A bit jarring and confusing at first, it turns out to be a marketing ploy to seek support for the relaunch of the app. So, you’re telling me I can’t play right now?! I was so ready to adopt my cherry monster again :(

Moshi Monsters is yet another game that died with Adobe Flash in 2019. This was one that consumed my childhood. Competing against classmates in primary and even feeling like I’d won the lottery, cashing in on a one-month membership I’d been gifted for a birthday. The colourful 2000s game let kids choose between monsters, caring for them, and playing games to earn money — AKA Rox.

The video you’ll find on the website now is dramatic, probably, but it caught my attention and apparently of others as the app is set to relaunch late next year. I’ll be back Moshi Monsters...

Slither.io

This game was for the mini geniuses. It was a personal favourite of mine for far longer than I’m willing to admit (basically I’m a genius).

Inspired by the classic Snake game (did anyone else think this was a worm???), the 2016 version lets players slither their way around to collect glowing dots to grow longer, while avoiding collisions with other snakes on the same server.

This game brings back memories of playing against friends at lunchtime or in the back of classrooms, syncing onto the same servers and obsessively customising our snake skins to be fun and colourful. But it's clear returning to the game, I am not quite as skilled as I once was.

The game feels far more claustrophobic than I remember, being trapped by snakes bigger than me while desperately trying to encircle others and get their coins. I once climbed the leaderboard with ruthless competitiveness, and now I can barely get past training size.

___________

Was this an evening well spent? It was probably better than doom-scrolling for hours, but my deadlines haven’t shifted, and assignments remain untouched just the same. But it felt good indulging in the whims of my 12-year-old self. I could’ve spent hours hopping between sites, exploring different serves, flipping burgers and decorating igloos.

Revisiting these games reminds me why they captured our attention in the first place. While my adult attention span couldn’t quite keep up in the way it once did, the creativity, chaos and simple joy of getting lost in pixelated playground remains timeless.

Have I Still Got Game? Revisiting browser games of the 2000s