In the age of the Internet, free online games have become the procrastinator’s own personal haven. Perfect for lunch hour entertainment or simply killing time, there’s more than enough on offer to keep people of all persuasions occupied for hours; here are some of the best.

Circus Surprise

An enjoyable game, Circus Surprise can be as simple or as complicated as you choose to make it. The task is easy enough: click on groups of two or more coloured balls in order to clear them from the screen. The more you clear, the more points you gain and, with a variety of special balls and bonuses on offer, tactics, such as trying to create the biggest group possible before getting rid, play a part. A steady hand is also required as a click in the wrong place will lead to a loss of points.

Bubble Witch

A spooky take on an old classic, the format is extremely familiar, shooting coloured balls into the main section, with the aim of creating groups of three or more of the same colour in order to make them disappear. Points come in the form of spiders and are lost for each wasted shot. Different coloured spiders are worth different amounts of points so pay attention!

Candy Crush

Transform into a cyber Willy Wonka as you use different combinations to create a variety of mouth-watering sweets. If you can concentrate with all those tasty treats on your screen, that is! Like a calorie-filled version of Connect4, the aim is to create a line of the same sweets. The longer and more complicated your combination, the more points you gain and fancy candy you create.

For an extra reason, or excuse to play, try the fact that the tactical nature of many free games online help keep your brain sharp.