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Computer games have become a familiar part of student life at McLean, offering quick entertainment between assignments—or during class. Their effect on learning remains debatable, but their popularity is unmistakable.

Students gravitate toward a wide mix of runners, puzzles, strategy games and customizable adventures. Six titles in particular stand out for their accessibility, competition and ability to fill a short break.

Fast Games With Simple Controls

Run remains a favorite because it combines straightforward gameplay with a steady rise in difficulty. Players guide an alien through tunnels filled with holes and obstacles, choosing between individual levels and an endless-running mode. The game also includes playable characters with distinct appearances and abilities.

“I like [Run] because there’s different levels, and you can advance, and it gets harder, so you can progress your skill level,” sophomore Farah Alhasan said. “There’s different characters, so you can also pick out specific powers and kind of choose an appearance that you like.”

Snake offers another easily understood challenge. Available as a stand-alone Google game rather than through an unblocked gaming site, it is convenient for students to access. Players move a snake across a checkerboard, eating fruit to make it grow while avoiding collisions.

“I like how easy it [Snake] is,” junior Michelle Maribia said. “It’s so convenient to play and access.”

The game has expanded well beyond its original 15-by-15 green grid and single red apple. Google now offers 22 game modes, three map sizes, three speeds and dozens of visual options.

That variety also gives students a way to compete.

“I try and like beat my friends and try and get better high scores than them,” junior Katrina Kanthraj said. “It’s just competitive and fun.”

Slope strips the runner format down even further. Players use a keyboard to steer a ball along a green-and-black course as curved platforms, moving walls and increasing speed make survival progressively harder.

“It’s a pretty simple game,” junior Melissa Freson said. “It’s not complex, and it’s good for passing time.”

Its endless format and availability are also part of the appeal.

“Slope entertains me during class, and it’s one of the only games that aren’t blocked,” sophomore Olivia Bauer said. “I also like how it’s infinite. You can keep playing for a long time.”

Customization and Long-Term Progress

Duck Life mixes racing with strategy and personalization. Players train a duck to run, swim, fly and climb before entering races against other ducks. Successful races produce coins that can be spent on upgrades and accessories.

“I love customizing my baby duck,” junior Sarah Wafa said. “Maxing out her strengths and her abilities to fight against other baby ducks is so fun.”

Later entries in the series introduced larger worlds, quests and more challenges. That progression gives players a reason to return as they develop a beginner duck into a champion.

Classic Strategy Still Holds Its Ground

Chess, despite being more than 1,500 years old, continues to attract students looking for a different kind of mental break. Each match requires players to anticipate an opponent’s decisions and adjust their own plans, ensuring that no two games unfold exactly alike.

“[Chess is] just kind of strategic,” junior Wyatt Donelson said. “You can play it quickly, and there’s a ranking system, so you can play against your friends.”

Online matches and competitive rankings allow students to challenge friends, face stronger opponents and track their improvement over time.

Minesweeper, a computer favorite since the 1990s, provides another logic-based option. Players clear a grid while avoiding hidden mines, using numbers on revealed tiles to determine which surrounding spaces are safe.

“I like it because there’s strategy involved. It’s very problem-solving, and you have to think. It’s not like other games where nothing really goes on,” junior Finn Murphy said.

Because every board presents a different arrangement, players must repeatedly analyze patterns and decide where to click. Individual rounds can also be completed quickly, making Minesweeper easy to play during brief openings in the school day.

Games may be blocked and access may change, but students continue finding alternatives. From school-issued computers to personal MacBooks, titles such as Run, Snake, Slope, Duck Life, Chess and Minesweeper remain woven into McLean’s student culture—and another game is always waiting when a favorite disappears.