Featured Image Credit: Miniclip
Topics: Retro Gaming
Today, at the GAMINGbible offices, we will be flying the flag at half mast in memory of Miniclip. The servers that held the browser games we used to play as soon as the teacher left their computer unattended for a five minutes while they went to go get an extra chair are now dead.
Truly, there has not been a tragedy of this magnitude since the burning of the Library of Alexandria. Springing forth from a budget of £40,000 in 2001, it was home to about 400 games of every genre and was valued at over £275 million in 2008. I remember On The Run, the driving game where you were pursued by relentless hostile cars and you had to navigate the city while ensuring you didn't run out of fuel or destroy the car. Pulse-pounding stuff.
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There was also The Pharoah's Tomb, requiring a little more grey matter to complete, pitting you against the creatures and hazards inside the ancient maze as quickly as possible. Of course, the cessation of Adobe Flash has compounded the decline of Miniclip's games, and earlier this year, the website started prioritising its mobile offerings at the evident expense of these historic browser games.
"The evolution of Miniclip.com marks an incredible milestone in the Miniclip journey, and most of our players have already migrated over to mobile to play their favourite games, including the likes of Agar.io and Soccer Stars. It’s important for us to focus on providing the best possible experience for as many fans as possible," explained the website in its announcement. Only the servers for 8 Pool Ball and Agar.io remain, but, the non-profit The Internet Archive does host a number of favourites from Miniclip over there.