Axie Infinity is still popular among some scholars and content creators, but I never liked the inconvenience (not to mention the cost) involved in playing the game. I owned three teams, and, like most who joined late, I was burned. It hurt a bit, but I treated it like any other risky investment.

As a content marketer, I have been exploring the world of web3 gaming for a few months now and it’s been quite an adventure! I’ve discovered that there are an impressive number of blockchain games out there, over 3,000 to be exact. Have you checked out Tingbits.com? It’s a great resource for finding the latest play-to-earn games.

I believe in web3 gaming’s promise: the capacity to own and sell in-game assets is a game changer. Despite my negative experiences, I am optimistic about the future of this sector and can’t wait to see what happens next.

This is similar to what players do at Time Zone (an arcade center). Although we could forgo the small prizes involved, we still liked the idea of being rewarded after playing the game. This will remain as long as there are gamers who want to profit from their time and skills.

Since I see myself working in this relatively new space, I thought the best way to dive deep into it would be to actually play web3 games. To see what’s out there and what developers have made for us to enjoy and earn from. I thought this would reduce my feeling of impostor syndrome and it would be fun to play while on the job.

So, on January 26th, I started playing NFT games. I told myself that if I played one game daily, I would have played 339 by the end of the year. I wish I was as motivated about exercise (but I do try to move often). Anyway, back to NFT games.

So far, I have played 10 games out of the 339 I had targeted. I documented my progress on Twitter, if you want to see the videos. I was even given the job to do shorts for this YouTube channel (follow for playtest videos daily), as a result of my self-initiated experiment.

Skyweaver

This is a free-to-play, browser-based, cross-platform card game that allows you to own, trade, and gift cards while competing strategically to win NFT cards in a player-owned marketplace. Like most novices, I was drawn to the game’s graphics. I am emotional, so good graphics is the easiest way for a web3 game developer to market to me. You can easily get started with this game by going to play.skyweaver.net and creating an account using Facebook, Google Account, Apple Account, or email.

Alpha League Racing

Alpha League Racing is an entertaining web3 cross-platform racing game with next-generation esports mechanisms, that promote digital asset ownership, and require a phantom wallet and car purchase on Magic Eden to earn rewards. I was writing a news story about a new strategic partnership in web3 gaming when I saw this title. I thought racing would be easy (I was wrong) and simple (not when you rely on your laptop’s trackpad). Anyway, it is a frustratingly fun game that I recommend for beginners in crypto gaming because it requires no logins, and you can just play via your web browser at app.alphaleagueracing.com.

BitFreaks Shootout

BitFreaks Shootout is a unique multiplayer game that connects NFT communities to battle against each other in teams, trade digital artwork, and earn revenue through auctions. When you share your gameplay on Twitter, web3 developers support you by liking, sharing, and commenting on your post. I have never had this kind of direct interaction with developers before. I felt validated for my efforts to learn more about the space because of how kind and supportive the community was. This led me to create more playtest videos of web3 games. If you want to check out the game, you can play it at play.bitfreaks.io.

Boomland Games

Hunters On-Chain is a blockchain game with six game modes and unique NFT hunters that combines play-to-earn and action-adventure mechanics. By hunting and conquering monsters in this NFT-filled cosmos, players can trade, upgrade, and receive rewards such as BGEM and BOOM tokens, equipment, and relics. I recently tried out Boomland Games and, unfortunately, I struggled to make it to a level that I felt proud enough to share. I’ve got to admit, the controls were a bit wonky, but the character design was fantastic. I had actually planned to play this game before a fellow gamer recommended BitFreaks to me. In the end, I just wrote off the experience as a lesson learned.

CryptoFoxes NFT

Crytofoxes’ Runner’s League is a free-to-play, play-to-win competitive 2D pixel platformer browser game open for everyone to compete for prizes such as ETH, NFT, and more. While browsing my Twitter feed, I stumbled upon a post about CryptoFoxes NFT. It reminded me of Super Mario, but instead of a plumber, you play as a fox. I was warned that the game was difficult, and yeah, Neil was right. Despite the encouragement I received from Cyd, I just couldn’t seem to get past the rolling blades. The game offers a free-to-play Runner’s League, but you’ll need a Twitter account that follows them in order to play. Check it out at cryptofoxes.io!

For me, the most important aspect of any game is whether it’s fun or not. At the end of the day, if a game isn’t enjoyable, it won’t be sustainable, no matter what rewards are offered.

Speaking of rewards, let’s talk about Timezone play-to-earn arcade games. Although there are players who come for the prizes, they wouldn’t stick around if the games suck.

Before we get into connecting wallets and getting incentives, we should have fun playing these games. So, if you’re new to web3 games, my advice is to start by looking for fun games that match your preferences. (I hope reading this will help you start exploring web3 games.)