Microsoft Edge, for those who don’t know, is a web browser designed for Windows 10 and Xbox One. It first debuted in 2015, then was brought over to Android and iOS devices in 2017 and, in 2019, not only received a makeover in the form of a new logo but was likewise updated for macOS. Though it may not have garnered that much prominence, due to the monstrous entity that is Google Chrome, Edge does have its silver linings.
Case in point: SkiFree. Well, a SkiFree-esque surfing game. Never heard of SkiFree? That’s probably because the original title was released nearly three decades ago for Microsoft’s Entertainment Pack 3. The company has now releases a surfing version of SkiFree as an offline time waster and may well be the edge needed in taking down Google’s far superior platform. (Spoiler: it isn’t!)
There is absolutely no denying that Microsoft is silently evolving the gaming industry, witnessed most keenly in their Project xCloud and Game Pass. Though this surfing game may not directly revolutionize the Edge platform as a whole, it does bring back some fond memories for those who remember playing SkiFree back in 1991. As the name suggests, the title was a top-down skiing computer game that allowed players to zip across the white screen, dodging trees and other miscellaneous objects, in order to beat their previous high scores. SkiFree even featured an Abominable Snow Monster, which chased players following a completed lap and itself became the highlight of the game.
Though it may not be the same old SkiFree, Microsoft’s newest addition made free for all Edge users is a callback to the hidden surfing portion, which Microsoft employees had stashed away behind a maze of puzzles and decipherable images. Microsoft has likewise added a slew of features, from new modes to various controller support upgrades. SkiFree now even showcases local high scores, which means playing against buddies is all the more rewarding, especially when challenged by the newly-injected Time Trial mode. Who would have thought a thirty-year-old computer title repurposed into a browser game would be so much fun? Microsoft clearly did.
It may not be Microsoft Flight Simulator, but at least the surfer can alleviate the tension and boredom of having no WiFi or internet connectivity. For those who don’t have Edge and may want to try it out, download it here and surf your way on over to edge://surf to experience video game history like never before. Although there isn’t any online functionality, the newly revamped “SurfFree” is definitely worth checking out. The Snow Monster might be gone, but at least it’s been replaced by a menacing sea creature.
Web surfing never looked so carefree and enjoyable.
NEXT: Forbes Analyst Thinks Xbox Has A Massive Advantage Over PlayStation
