miniclip.com (miniclip.com)

Member Name: thole09

Product:	miniclip.com
Date:	15/10/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Wide variety of online games

Disadvantages: May require additional browser plug-ins, May require registration

MiniClip.com is a browsed based games website. First launched in 2000, it has since grown to become globally recognized with Alexa traffic research ranking it as the 283rd most accessed website. The website also has a strong following in the western Asia region. Here, it is ranked as the 69th most accessed website in the United Arab Emirates and 71st most accessed site in Qatar.

MiniClip.com is a host to a wide variety of single and multiplayer games. These games run from the user's web browser and do not require saving to the hard disk. Some games, however, may require additional browser plug-ins such as Adobe Flash. This download is freely available and the user will be instructed as to the installation procedures should it be necessary. Registration on this website is generally optional but may be a requirement on some multiplayer games such as "Club Penguin". Registration grants the user further benefits such as high score saving and creation of a "YoMe"; a virtual identity which remains on the player's profile.

I am most familiar with the multiplayer section of the website. Miniclip offers a total of 17 different multiplayer games. Some are native products of Miniclip whereas others redirect to another website entirely. One game which I've found to be quite fun is "Anagrammatic". It is a game similar to television's "Countdown" in that players select from vowels and consonants and must form the longest word possible. The game has proven to be mildly popular as at most times I am able to find at least 50 available players in the various game lobbies. Registration is not required for this title and users may simply input a name of their choice and begin playing against others immediately.

The load times for games are very quick. Independent testing suggests that the "Anagrammatic" website requires a total of 7.2 second load time using a broadband connection. This test does not include the flash object which runs the game itself, however I have not found this time to be noticeable. I am always able to log on to the game and play quite quickly. Server response times are fast and I've never been left waiting for any significant duration. Speeds are generally comparable across the website and I'm always able to find myself playing a video game within a short period.

MiniClip.com is a website which I would happily recommend to those seeking quick, accessible video games to pass time. It is not something which I've found to be highly engrossing but the website does infrequently yet surely lure me back in.

Summary: Thumbs up