The phrase ‘online gamer’ probably conjures up images of bespectacled geeks hunched over desks living vicariously through ‘point-and-click’ RPGs and never seeing sunlight. But not anymore. Technological advancements have strengthened the online gaming industry, leading to a multitude of gaming options out there for any age, sex or taste. Here we list a few of the best.

World of Warcraft (WOW): An oldie but goodie, WOW has come a long way from its humble pen and paper beginnings. The game is a MMORPG (that’s a massively multiplayer online role-playing game to you and me) where you simply create a character avatar and set out into the world to explore the landscape, fight various monsters, complete quests, and interact with NPC’S (game created Non Player Characters) or other players. A huge advantage of the WOW game is its sheer size: WOW is the world’s most subscribed MMORPG and is estimated to hold about 62% of the MMORPG market, meaning there’s always something to do and someone to talk too. However, you do have to pay for the service; players subscribe by either buying game cards for a pre-selected amount of playing time, or by using a credit or debit card to pay on a regular basis.

PlaySEGA: A website which avoids the annoyance of having to pay is provided in the form of ‘PlaySega’. It offers free online gaming, and all you have to do to receive it is fill in a simple online form. The site boasts an impressive array of games separated into categories like Sports, Quiz, Arcade, Puzzle and Word, meaning there’s something to suit every taste. ‘Chu Chu Rocket’ is a particularly fun revival of a classic, and some games can be downloaded to your desktop to allow you to play offline. One major bonus of the website is that its content is suitable for everyone, meaning it’s something to keep the kids quiet on rainy days. Try the free online games for yourself at http://www.playsega.com.

Neopets: The appeal of Neopets is fairly obvious: cute, big-eyed, fluffy pets you can look after. The game is set in the world of Neopia, visitors create a (free) account and adopt up to four pets. They can then take care of these pets by buying them food, toys, clothes, and other accessories using a virtual, in-game currency called Neopoints. These Neopoints are earned through playing games, investing in the game's stock market, trading, and winning contests. Users can explore the world of Neopia with their Neopets and interact with each other through the Neoboards, NeoMail, guilds, and through the Key Quest. Though joining Neopets is free gamers can opt to pay £7.99 a month in order to have access to additional features like items to customize a user's Neopet or Neohome.