Explore the best virtual world games, where limits are only challenges

Does your imagination feel trapped by pesky physical limits and the absence of awesome technology? Who says you can only live once? Embark into adventure, and explore the borders of carefully designed maps and worlds that exist to awe and amaze, where you can be anything you want and limits are just challenges to your inventive. Let’s explore the best virtual world, for adventure is waiting.

Remember, though, that many of these aren’t actually “games”, as they don’t have an objective and some of them are actually virtual social spaces. However, we’ll just slap the “game” tag to everything because that’s how we roll, ok? So let’s start.

15) Second Life

Second Life - The Largest-Ever 3D Virtual World Created By Users

Maybe silliness is fine for you, but you’re a little more hardcore when it comes to choosing a virtual life. Self-defined as “not a game, but a virtual world”, Second Life offers exactly that, as it allows users to create and develop in an entirely virtual society, with 3D graphics and no other mission or objective than to live and enjoy.

And by enjoy, we’re obviously talking about hooking up.

Most of the world is user-created, as the environments, buildings and items are the contribution of users who design and create new objects to use within the world, so it’s truly a customizable platform. The interesting thing is that you can almost do anything you would in the real world, from studying, screwing around, traveling, creating art, doing business, hooking up after a fun evening dancing in a club, and even working in virtual offices, if that’s your thing. All this while chatting, meeting and sharing with real people around the world, with a dash of fantasy that lets you fly, go to space, learn magic and thousands of other features that just keep coming.

Please be responsible with your rune magic. Only you can prevent pixelated forest fires.

Even real world universities and enterprises have started to have a virtual presence in Second Life, and real life romantic relationships have been started with one avatar staring deeply into the eyes of another. Not only has it been thought as an extension of the user’s life, but it has actually succeeded in it. There’s even an embassy for the Maldives where you can ask for a passport and be answered by the real, legal representatives of the country. The possibilities are endless, and the true potential of this virtual world lies on its user-base, so it’s not likely to run out of ideas. Give it a try, and I might even buy you a virtual drink or two.

A Year in the Life - Second Life

14) IMVU

Your IMVU Mobile Experience Now in 3D

An instant message service with a twist, IMVU is a free service that offers the opportunity to spice up the concept of the chatroom, replacing the boring text on white background conversations with something more enjoyable. Create your avatar, fluff her/him up, and let the party start.

Everyone can dance! I mean, literally, it’s just a click and wham, you’re the best dancer ever.

Creating your avatar is only the beginning, as you can start customizing it with the millions of items and clothing that are available at IMVU’s store. After making it look just right, you can then proceed into one of the several chatrooms (or even create one yourself) to talk and connect with people. And what makes it better than your average instant messaging, is that you actually have a 3D representation of yourself, and you aren’t just staring blankly at some weird username. You can see people and what they chose to share with the in-game items and animations, making the whole affair a lot more immersive.

For those who are afraid of commitment it can get TOO immersive.

With fun little activities like casual games that have you feed fish and look at photos together, the main strength of this virtual platform is the endless customization opportunities that let you express yourself exactly as you would like. As of now, the virtual shop boasts it is the largest of its kind, hosting more than 30 million items. Not bad for a company that chose “IMVU”, a name that has been confirmed by the developer to be utterly meaningless, by complete chance. It has also support for mobile devices, so you don’t have an excuse to not try it out.

IMVU Overview

13) Moviestar Planet

MovieStarPlanet Rich & Famous

Have you felt that these virtual worlds need a little more… “bling”? As in “I need to accumulate and flaunt my fame and fortune, but in a family friendly environment”? Then Moviestar Planet is everything you’ve ever wanted, as it lets you become a moviestar, starring in your own productions, meeting friends and becoming famous.

You know she’s famous because even the money bag dude is lining up to meet her.

This game is more simple than other entries, but that doesn’t mean it cannot bring fun and enjoyment to players, with its unique and fancy appeal. The objective is to level up and make movies so you can share them with friends, but this is only an excuse for the users to actually just start talking and making friends in the various chatrooms and minigames that Moviestar Planet offers. The catalog for items, activities and backdrops for your movies is quite big, so you can find a standard house interior or quiz game, but you can also unlock haunted houses and a minigame that has you launch a pig into the air and collect coins.

You know, Wikipedia is not only for homework, but for browser games too.

Developed for children between 8 and 15 years, its colorful nature and policy of keeping a friendly and family friendly environment might be just the thing for any age. The developers are constantly updating and monitoring the content, and even with its Adobe-Flash graphics, the game manages to have a charm of its own for those who are looking for a simple yet entertaining virtual world.

MovieStarPlanet - Official Gameplay Trailer