To Shoot or Be Shot: Shooting Games Online

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Do you remember those times that you played with toy guns with your neighborhood friends? Getting down and dirty as you run, hide, crawl, and shoot your way to victory was the order of the day, and you love every minutes of it, scratches, bruises, and all. Have you ever wanted to do those stuff again but cannot since you’re already too old for it? No problem. That is where you start playing shooting games online.
The online shooting game genre started to gain immense popularity during the 1990s, as online games were shifting from LAN-based gaming to Internet-based gaming. The computer game Doom set the first-person shooter ball rolling as players were given the chance to compete in head-to-head combat. Other notable computer shooting games was Quake, Wolfenstein 3D, and Counterstrike, all of which contributed greatly to the rise of shooting games online.

Shooting games online may come in three forms: first-person shooter or FPS, third-person shooter or TPS, and 2D shooter games. Some recent games actually allow the player to switch between the two modes. Like the majority of shooting games, an FPS involves the use of an avatar, a set of ranged weapons, and lots of incoming enemies. Most FPS games are played in a 3D environment, allowing the player to navigate and interact with the environment and accomplishing game objectives at the same time. In addition, player avatars are normally controlled using the keyboard and mouse.

Third-person shooting games online feature gameplay based on the third-person or over the shoulder point of view. Like FPS games, TPS games are usually played on a 3D environment. Moreover, TPS games also allow gameplay abilities such as taking cover or hiding behind objects or structures to evade the enemy.

2D shooter games are popularly known as “shoot ‘em ups”, with gameplay focusing on shooting large number of enemies using an assortment of ranged weapons. In addition, most games require that players avoid attacks coming from the enemy, aside from shooting back. Popular shooting games online subtypes include gallery shooters, rail shooters, tube shooters, scrolling shooters, bullet hell, and run and gun games.
Browser-based shooting games online are rising in popularity nowadays since most browser-based games are free, do not require lots of system resources (RAM, hard drive space, graphics accelerators), and require very minimal bandwidth. Web-based graphics technologies such as Java and Flash have enabled the development of more complex games. In addition, utilization of web servers has made it possible to offer multiplayer elements in a game.
Here are some shooting games online worth checking out:
•    Electrikill. Use a Tesla-tank to battle drones in this shooting game. Choose from 20 different levels which unlock as you progress through the game. Gameplay is simplified through its point and shoot system. Weapon upgrades are also available.
•    Bow Battle. Become the greatest bowman online with this bow and arrow game. Just move the cursor to set the angle. Use the left mouse button to set the power of the draw. Players can select single player and 2 player modes.

Racing to the Top: Car Racing and Truck driving games

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Automobile racing started out after the first gasoline-fueled cars were produced. In 1887 the first car race was organized in France and featured a 2-kilometer course. However, only one entrant showed up. About seven years later, the first automobile race kicked off, with a 79-mile race from Paris to Rouen in France. A total of 69 “horseless carriages” registered for the event, with 25 selected for the race.

Since then, automobile racing has evolved into what it is now. Today we have an assortment of automobile racing types such as Formula One racing, touring car racing, sports-car racing, production car racing, stock car racing, rallying, drag racing, off-road racing, and kart racing. In addition, car racing games found its way into the computer age through online car racing games which can be played as a standalone program or with a web browser.

Interestingly, the first “racing” computer game did not involve automobiles. Atari introduced Space Race in 1973 as an arcade game wherein players control spaceships and race with each other. It was only a year later that Taito released Sped Race, an automobile-themed car racing game. From these humble beginnings, car racing games have evolved into games such as Need for Speed, Virtua Racing, Ridge Racer, and the more recent X Motor Racing.

Browser-based car racing games are usually provided free from countless websites, ranging from pure online gaming sites to social networking sites such as Facebook. Racing video games can be classified into two general genres: racing simulators and arcade racing games. Racing simulators attempt to simulate auto racing to a certain degree of accuracy. This involves taking into consideration real-world factors such as fuel consumption, tire wear and tear, braking, and g-forces. Most racing simulation games follow real-world physics to ensure more believable car handling.

On the other hand, arcade car racing games put more emphasis on the fun side of racing, giving way to more liberal laws of physics, as well as real and fictional car designs. Races can take place just about anywhere: city streets, dirt roads, highways, race tracks, etc. Racing physics are more simplified and racing environments can vary from the conventional to the imaginary.

Here is some free online car racing games:
•    Race Duel. Play against a computer-controlled opponent. Choose over 5 different tracks. Navigation is simple since the car follows the mouse pointer.
•    Highway Mission. Drive your car along the highway and complete missions. Use arrow keys to navigate and the CTRL key to fire at red cars. Vehicle upgrades can also be picked up by passing through it.
•    Street Rally Tokyo Edition. Race through the streets of Tokyo in this faced-paced racing game. Choose from three customized speedracing vehicles. Race against various challengers on eight (8) different tracks. Select from three difficulty levels: easy, normal, and hard mode.
•    Underground Racer. Compete within the underground racing circuit and dominate the competition. Choose from four different underground street racing cars and four levels. Use the arrow keys to navigate.