Microsoft Edge users without an internet connection have the option to fill the time with a surfing game — and it puts Google's famous dino game to shame. Having an offline browser game is nothing new, although Microsoft appears to have taken the whole idea to the next level. And the end result is mighty impressive.
Google Chrome is pretty well-known for offering a feature like this with its Dino endless runner game. The idea is pretty simple. Users control an endlessly running dinosaur, jump over obstacles, and that's all there is to it. Google added the dinosaur game to Chrome back in 2014, and here in 2022, it remains an iconic part of the offline browser experience. However, it hasn’t received much in the way of modernization since then. Users can now play the game even while online, but that's about the only change it's seen.
Microsoft Edge’s Senior Program Manager, William Devereux, announced a similar offline game for Edge in February 2020. While the game was previously used as a means to promote the Microsoft Edge logo, it's currently a permanent fixture in Microsoft's web browser. It was originally released to just the Canary and Dev channels of Edge, but as of today, it's available for all Edge users to play. To access the game, simply open Edge, type 'edge://surf' into the URL bar, and that's it.
Play The Surf Game Offline
Whether or not an offline game war existed before Edge got the surfing game, it certainly raised the stakes following its release. If the game looks familiar, that's because it's based on SkiFree - a skiing game released in 1991 as part of the Microsoft Entertainment Pack 3 for Windows. Visually, the game is a significant improvement compared to Chrome’s dinosaur game, although that’s just the start. Devereux also pointed out the Edge team improved the features overall. For example, users can interact with a scoreboard and even choose how they want to control the experience (thanks to keyboard, mouse, touch, and gamepad support). The expanded controller support makes it ideal for just about every device that you can download Microsoft Edge on.
Furthermore, Microsoft has multiple game modes to choose from. The first is 'Endless,' which as the name suggests, changes the game to an endless surfer where you just need to stay on your board for as long as possible. The second mode is 'Time Trial,' where you compete with your own times to complete a track as soon as possible. Lastly, there’s 'Zig Zag,' which will change the objective of the game to surfing through as many gates as you can without missing any en route. Additionally, you can also enable a Reduced speed mode to make the game easier to play. While the quality of an offline game doesn't automatically make one browser better than the other, it is a fun addition to look forward to.
Can You Play The Surf Game On Google Chrome?
Given that most people use Google Chrome, not everyone might feel like downloading Microsoft Edge just to try out the Surf game. The good news is that users can access the game on any browser – including Chrome, Safari, and Firefox. To do this, just go to the Microsoft Edge Surf website. This will open up the Lite Edition of the game that lets you experience the basics. Unfortunately, the website only seems to work on desktop, with the mobile site prompting you to download the Microsoft Edge app instead.
It's important to note that the Lite version will require an internet connection, given that it's accessed via a website and not built into the browser. To play the game on the website, use the arrow keys to select a surfer of choice, and then double click to start surfing. The Lite version comes with three lives just like the full version, but after you're out of lives, you'll need to reload the website to start playing again. This version of the Surf game doesn't save a user's scores, and there isn't a way to select any of the game modes either. Luckily, there's a fairly simple solution – just download the Microsoft Edge browser on a PC or smartphone for the full experience.
Source: William Devereux/Twitter, Microsoft