BrowserQuest, playable in a browser near you, is a proof of concept so ingenious that you’ll wonder why they didn’t just build a Zelda clone and be done with it. In short, the site is a multi-player RPG based entirely on HTML5 with no Flash to be found.
The source code is free and open source and it uses WebSockets to communicate with a central server in order to render the movement of the other players. Quest states are saved automatically (although the quests are pretty limited in this demo.)
Here’s the coolest thing:
Since BrowserQuest is written in HTML5/JavaScript, it is available across a lot of different browsers and platforms. The game can be played in Firefox, Chrome and Safari. With WebSockets enabled, it’s also playable in Opera. Moreover, it’s compatible with iOS devices, as well as tablets and phones running Firefox for Android.
The folks at LittleWorkshop built the game as a proof of concept and as a time waster. Once they get the NES version of Metal Gear ported to HTML5, though, I’m totally quitting my job.