Put a finger down if you’ve played these Y8 Games

by Mikaela Gabrielle de Castro

Artwork by Mikaela Gabrielle de Castro/TomasinoWeb

Before fighting seven-year-olds on Roblox and trapping sheep mobs in Minecraft houses, the OG gamers feasted in the guilty pleasures of the Y8.com multiverse.

Founded in 2006, Y8.com is a game development site and a growing community that caters to thousands of free games formatted in and supported by Adobe Flash Player, Unity 3D, HTML5, Android, and Java. Indie developers and large studios are able to create the most diverse range of weird, exciting, and fun games we know today.

Think you’re a Y8 veteran? See if you can still recognize these nostalgic games.

1. Flirting Games

Screengrab from Y8 Games

Did you ever hide your laptop away from your parents so you won’t get busted for flirting with animated boys? Well, you’re not alone, girlboss.

One of Y8’s infamous highlights was its heart-thumping flirting games. Your goal was to capture the most boyfriends by tapping aggressively on your keyboard or mouse until you outdo your rival who has the same motive as you.

It comes with a catch, of course. If the principal or any authority catches you zapping eyes to collect boys, your score and boyfriends would plummet, sending you back to square one.

Play it here.

2. Hot Dog Bush

Screengrab from Y8 Games

The growing anxiety every time I accidentally burned a hotdog or pissed off an impatient customer in Hot Dog Bush comes unmatched.

In this point of view, you’re former President George Bush who just got kicked out from the White House and is now tasked to cut corners in the Bronx by working in a hotdog kiosk.

This iconic flash game’s challenge heightens every time a new customer comes to pressure you with their orders. It requires your utmost endurance especially if you want to practice your retail and customer service skills.

Play it here.

3. Sniper Assassin Story

Photo courtesy of Silvergames

Playing this felt like a notorious crime despite the vectorized and simple stickman graphics. Sniper Assassins Series is a walkthrough sniping game.

Albeit its suggestive name for non-stop killing and sniping, it makes use of logical decision-making that will affect the course of your story. You also get to realistically practice the aim of your gun and the direction of the wind.

If you’re an amateur who is slightly fond of shooting games with a storyline of crime and mystery, this one’s for you!

Play it here.

4. Dress Up Games

Screengrab from Y8 Games

Of course, let’s hail the genre that single-handedly carried Y8 herself. These dress-up games had tenfold dashing clothes, make-up, and hairstyles waiting to be stylized.

If you’re the competitive type, there are timed dress-up games that rate your sense of style or memorization types through your keenest photographic memory to match the outfit and earn a high score.

But if you want undemanding, free therapy accompanied with chill music, you can also glam up your avatar for a coffee date, Christmas party, royal celebration, or any occasion for as long as you want.

Play it here.

5. Decoration Games

Screengrab from Y8 Games

If you’re a plantita, Home Buddies loyalist, or a fan of ASMR cake videos, then your origin story must have started with decoration games.

Like arranging dolls and furniture in a dollhouse, you can manually drag the items to your liking, perfect to hone your interior designer or architect skills.

Aside from houses, food confectionaries and colorful treats are also eye candy waiting to be decorated with icing, sprinkles, and chocolates.

Play it here.

6. Fireboy and Watergirl

Screengrab from Y8 Games

Another adventurous childhood classic that some still play today is Fireboy and Watergirl.

In order to unlock new temples, collect diamonds, and enter new elements, this challenge is achieved by switching between the character controls. You cannot let Fireboy touch water, whereas Watergirl cannot touch fire.

To successfully reach the exit, the opposites attract trope must enter the scene.

Play it here.

7. Bartender: The Right Mix

Screengrab from Y8 Games

Party people and cocktail connoisseurs are warmly welcomed in Bartender: The Right Mix. The night does change fast, come to think of the ten-year-olds that prepped their first cocktail on this flash game that must’ve already celebrated their first, actual shot in real life.

We follow the sassy bartender Miguel who needs some help tonight in entertaining fellow customers. Pour, shake, and serve to get the perfect mix.

Who knows, maybe you’ll become Miguel’s champagne, wine, tequila, margarita, mojito with lime, sweet mimosa, or piña colada.

Play it here.

8. Office Lovers Kiss

Screengrab from Microsoft

Another dishonest activity we’ve all engaged in is probably Office Lovers Kiss. This first-rate legend walked so other kissing games could run.

To complete the love bar, you have to snog as much as you can in the office, without being caught by your boss who would call it game over once you’re busted.

This wild gimmick is a hilarious ride, but try your best to not play it while working though.

Play it here.

9. Devilish Pet Salon

Screengrab from Y8 Games

Has your conscience spoken through you while getting your hair done? Did you prefer an angelic and clean style, or perhaps a grunge and metal clean-cut?

In Devilish Pet Salon, a paw friend is left in the hands of an angel and devil.

The angel is in charge to do the job of pampering the pup and while her glance slips away, you take control as the devil to wickedly style the pup.

Achieve your ungodly yet cute schemes in this game.

Play it here.

10. Boneless Girl Simulator

Screengrab from GamesLoon

Needed a sanity break to rationalize your lutang moments? This Boneless Girl perfectly represents us during this pandemic. After the tiring action games, this was our go-to to take a quick break.

Boneless Girl Simulator doesn’t have an agenda for all you have to do is vibe along by swaying and tossing the ragdoll avatar around the bubbles. Even The Incredibles’ Elastigirl wouldn’t hold a candle to her flexibility and elasticity.

Play it here.

From easing our boredom in Purble Place every time the internet cuts off, dressing up our pets in Pet Society, and to completing daily tasks in Genshin Impact, games have truly evolved with us as an ice-breaker, escape, and form of solace.

Indeed, Y8 was a slice of life for a 2000s kid’s childhood, and it still is. They allowed us to innocently revel in bliss, even for a brief moment, when the world was saturated with fewer troubles.