Older adults can get a lot of value out of online gaming, many of the games are free to play and can be played for fun at any time that’s convenient to you.
Some will only run on a decent PC or Apple Mac but many of these games run easily on a phone too!
So whether you want a jigsaw puzzle, a card game, word puzzles, some brain training or Mahjong Solitaire, you’re bound to find an online game that you enjoy in our list below.
AARP Rewards Mahjongg Dimensions
AARP will get a mention a few times here and we should note, that you don’t need to be an AARP member to play their online games for seniors and you can play online for free.
This neat little game is a variant of Mahjong in 3-D space and it ought to give your cognitive skills a basic workout. It’s not the most complex of puzzle games but if you just want some simple fun when playing games you can’t go wrong with this, really.
Chess
There are plenty of places to play chess online but the best place to get an online game is the classic Chess.com site.
You can find every level of opponent here and no matter what level your play at this is one of the brain games that will give your mind a thorough workout.
If you don’t want to start a multiplayer game you can play against the computer to begin with.
Playing Video Games Of Jigsaw Puzzles
We thought this was an odd concept compared to other online games but it actually works really well. Sure, it’s not the most taxing of brain games but if you love to make jigsaw puzzles and just want to play games without any pressure, then you can’t go wrong with these free jigsaw puzzles.
You don’t need to play online games for anything more than a bit of fun. And this is a fun game for pretty much everyone.
Mahjong Games
The best place to enjoy online games of Mahjong is at free play.
We should note that this is not an authentically Chinese game – that’s more akin to card games and tends to be played for money.
This is, instead, the kind of Mahjong brain games that used to be included for free with Windows until everyone went online and free online games became a thing.
Civillization
This was one of the games that got us into playing games online and there’s no doubt that if you want something beyond card games or board games, then Civilization (currently in its 6th incarnation) is the way to go.
It is one of the most famous online games as many players can be heard shouting “just one more turn” before dropping another 8 hours into the game – it’s a strategic thinking title where you command an empire.
And it is very, very addictive. If you want a video game that will keep you entertained for hundreds of hours, this is it. But we should note, that unlike many of the other online games on our list – it’s not free, there’s a one-time charge for the game (and you can expand the functionality by buying extra content for it). There is no subscription fee though.
Candy Crush
There’s no doubt that this may be the most popular of online games that can be played on a smartphone.
We would strongly urge you that when playing online games that require payments to save time – that you don’t pay but opt to wait (and play something else instead while you do).
Online games like Candy Crush are amazing fun – but they can end up costing a fortune if you start handing over money to them.
Candy Crush is easy to learn as it’s really a straightforward tile matching game in disguise. It should certainly aid in cognitive skills development and promote brain health too.
Sudoku The King Of Brain Games
If you want something that definitely will promote brain health, then you can’t go wrong with Sudoku.
It’s one of the most accessible online games and while it involves numbers – it’s not one of the math games for seniors but more a logical puzzle.
The idea is simple get each row and column so that it contains all the numbers 1-9, each box with the same and if you play the super Sudoku, the diagonals too.
Once you get the hang of this, it’s amazing fun!
Solitaire Card Games
Solitaire is a huge favorite with many people and it’s ideal for online games play.
The site we’ve linked below has over 550 solitaire games to be played online, so you ought to never get bored with the classic card game.
We miss the good old days when instead of playing this as an online game it just came free with Windows.
AARP 5 Roll
This dice game is an online game that is thinly based on Yahtzee! but which doesn’t infringe their trademark.
It takes a bit of cognitive ability to work out how to build a strategy for scoring points, well as many points as you can, but once you grasp it – this classic game works really well on an online platform and you can easily find friends to play with on the site.
Word Search
If you prefer word games then you might enjoy carrying out a classic word search online.
This is a completely free to use and access collection of the word games and you can find a word search on nearly any topic that you can imagine.
They add new puzzles every single day too, so you should never run out of word searches to do!
Star Wars The Old Republic
You will need a half-decent PC to run this on but if you want to spend some time in the Star Wars universe during your retirement, you can do much worse than play The Old Republic from Bioware.
This game is completely free to play – though you can get access to extra content and some in-game perks if you choose to subscribe.
We played for a hundred hours or more before we decided that we’d like to pay a little towards things – you really can have a lot of fun without spending any money.
And it really is just like being in Star Wars and the story writing is excellent.
This is a real step on the arcade games of the 1970s and 1980s!
P.S. If you think that playing games like this isn’t for seniors, we recommend watching the awesome Shirley Curry on YouTube. She’ll show you that seniors can have a great time playing games.
Daily American Crossword (AARP)
If you love crossword puzzles then you should know that AARP has a ton of different options for the keen puzzler and we’ve been able to sharpen our critical thinking skills while playing for free.
Our favorite, however, is the Daily American Crossword which offers an American-themed puzzle that works well on their online platform.
So, why not get stuck into a crossword puzzle today?
Minecraft
Minecraft is maybe the world’s most popular online game for all ages and while at first glance it’s a simple game based around a sort of virtual Lego set.
In reality, it can be as complex as you want it to be. We’d recommend checking out some of the Minecraft videos on YouTube if you want to see the power fo this game.
You do need to pay for a copy of this game but its devout player base which includes many seniors – swear that it’s worth it.
Personal Zen
This is the perfect game for anyone who finds that life is getting on top of them.
Personal Zen is not just fun but it’s meant to help you deal with the stress of everyday life too!
They use tried and tested scientific principles to turn this quick game into a form of mental therapy.
There is a free trial version which runs for 30 days and then, if you enjoy playing, then you will find that it costs $4.99 a month. It runs on mobile devices only.
AARP Texas Hold ‘Em Poker
We find that many older adults like to pick games that they have enjoyed in real life.
We like the AARP version of Texas Hold ‘Em because you play for virtual money and not real money.
We think you get the best games when the game is for fun rather than has your whole retirement savings account riding on it.
Final Thoughts On Online Gaming For Seniors
We believe that everyone should enjoy playing games on their mobile device or computer. (P.S. If you’re not used to computers, check out our seniors guide to computers before you buy one).
There’s a strong social aspect to many of these games which involve multiple players and the problem solving aspects of playing will keep an aging brain sharp and on top form.
We would also recommend staying physically active and you should check out the best sports for elderly people too.
It may even help to ward off the over 55 mid-life crisis.