Top 10 Laptop Games

Not every gamer can afford the most powerful new processor or the flashiest graphics card. While most of us might foster dreams of gaming away at lightning speeds on a custom-built power tower, some of us only have the means to play on our netbooks or low-spec laptops. They may struggle just to open Steam, but our humble ultraportables are fully capable of running some of the best games around. Here are the top 10 games that every notebook and netbook can comfortably run.

Runescape 
It might bear the stamp of the poor man’s World of Warcraft, but Runescape offers a surprising rich world of its own. This browser-based MMORPG features the same skill-building gameplay as its flashier cousin, just without the subscription fee and processor strain. 

The Binding of Isaac 
Supremely uncomfortable yet blindingly addictive, this Zelda-style dungeon crawler takes you down into some dark psychological players as it explores fanatical Christianity with a biting sense of humor. It might gross you out, but just try to stop playing. 

Fallout 
Long before Bethesda made the hit sequel to a series no one really remembered, the Fallout universe was rendered in two top-down strategy RPGs. Both the first and second Fallout games offer stories as rich and detailed as the third–it’s only the graphics that are less intensive.

Braid 
A 2D sidescroller that messes with both time and your head, Braid made strides in the indie gaming world with its inventive puzzles and touching stories. Get your thinking helmet on for this one–solving these levels is not for the weak of brain. 

Civilization 
The turn-based strategy classic. Gamers who haven’t already turned on to the world of Sid Meier would do well to pick up any title in the Civilization series and start conquering the world from their tiny laptop screens.

Limbo 
That recent slew of deeply silhouetted, vaguely melancholic art games? That all started with Limbo. A dark and atypical side-scroller, its influential aesthetics and gameplay endear it to gamers of all walks. 

Torchlight 
Swords, sorcery–you know the drill. In this striking top-down RPG, you guide your character through a series of randomized dungeons in order to up your skills and build your stash. It’s pretty much just like Diablo if Diablo looked a little nicer and had better music.

World of Goo 
Most physics-based puzzle games involve a lot of throwing, jumping and falling, but World of Goo instead invites players to construct working machines out of Jello. Part building toy, part puzzle game, World of Goo is a warm and charming adventure with a great story that you’ll want to revisit long after you’ve beat it. 

Starcraft 
Long before World of Warcraft became a worldwide phenomenon, Blizzard had Starcraft. The very game that killed people who couldn’t stop playing it for days on end, Starcraft became infamous for its addictive and fiercely competitive gameplay. Though old enough now to be considered "retro", new and seasoned players will find that it hasn’t aged a day. 

Terraria 
Like Minecraft compressed into two dimensions and given a little extra charm, Terraria sets players free in a world without limits. You manipulate the world around you to create your own story. You explore, you build, you fight, you try not to die too much. There’s so much gameplay packed away inside this indie sidescroller that even casual gamers will find themselves devoting hours to building their worlds.