DEV Community: Games I Know

I Built a WordPress Plugin to Add Browser Games Without Code

Games I Know — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:50:33 +0000

Most WordPress websites are still mostly static.

You publish a blog post, landing page, classroom page, or community page.

Visitors read it.

Maybe they scroll.

Maybe they click a link.

Then they leave.

I wanted to test a simple idea:

What if website owners could add a small playable browser game inside a WordPress page without writing code?

That is why I built GamesIKnow Embed, a WordPress plugin that lets site owners add browser games from Games I Know directly into posts and pages.

Plugin:

Embed Browser Games by Games I Know

Main website:

Games I Know

The problem I wanted to solve

Adding interactive content to a website is usually harder than it should be.

If you want to add a small game to a WordPress site, common options are:

Build a custom game
Find some third-party iframe
Paste custom HTML
Use a page builder
Hire a developer
Install a heavy plugin that does too much

For many bloggers, teachers, small businesses, and community site owners, that is too much work.

They do not want a full game platform.

They just want something simple like:

A Tic Tac Toe game at the end of a blog post
Bingo on a classroom activity page
A quick strategy game for visitors
A small trivia-style game on a community page

So the goal was simple:

Let WordPress users add a playable browser game with a block or shortcode.

What GamesIKnow Embed does

GamesIKnow Embed lets WordPress users add lightweight browser games from Games I Know to their own site.

The current games include:

Tic Tac Toe
Four in a Row
Bingo
I Know
Sudoku

The visitor does not need to install anything.

The game runs directly in the browser.

The WordPress user can add it inside a post or page using the plugin flow instead of manually handling iframe code every time.

Why a WordPress plugin?

Technically, iframe embeds are already simple.

You can copy an iframe, paste it into a Custom HTML block, and it works.

But for non-technical WordPress users, even that can feel confusing.

They may not know:

Where to paste the iframe
Which URL to use
What height to set
Whether the embed is mobile-friendly
Why a page builder strips HTML
Why the game looks too small
How to reuse the same embed later

A plugin makes the workflow easier.

Instead of thinking in iframe code, the user can think in WordPress terms:

Install plugin
Configure settings
Add block or shortcode
Pick game
Preview
Publish

That is much closer to how WordPress users already work.

Basic user flow

The setup is designed to be beginner-friendly.

A WordPress user can:

Open WordPress admin
Go to Plugins > Add New
Search for Embed Browser Games by Games I Know
Install and activate the plugin
Configure the GamesIKnow settings
Open a post or page
Add a game using the block or shortcode
Preview on desktop and mobile
Publish

After that, visitors can play the game directly inside the WordPress page.

Example use cases

This is not only for gaming websites.

The more interesting use cases are normal websites that want one small interactive section.

Blogs

A blog post can end with a quick game.

Example:

Finished reading? Take a quick break and play Tic Tac Toe.

That makes the page feel less static.

Schools and teachers

A teacher can create a classroom activity page with a simple game.

Bingo or trivia-style games can work well for this.

Community websites

Community pages often have announcements, event details, or static content.

A small game can make the page more fun for members.

Local businesses

Restaurants, waiting rooms, event pages, and local businesses can use a simple game to give visitors something to do.

Agencies

Agencies building WordPress sites for clients can add an interactive section without custom game development.

Plugin vs iframe vs custom development

There are three main ways to add browser games to a site.

Method	Best for	Difficulty	Notes
WordPress plugin	WordPress users	Easy	Best for posts and pages
iframe embed	Users comfortable with HTML	Medium	More manual control
Custom development	Developers	Advanced	Best for custom game experiences

For developers, iframe integration is still useful.

For normal WordPress users, the plugin is easier.

Why I kept the games lightweight

I did not want this to become a heavy gaming system.

The idea is not to overload a website.

The idea is to add one small interactive moment.

So the games are browser-based and quick to start.

That matters because many WordPress sites are content-first. The game should support the page, not take over the whole experience.

A good placement could be:

End of a blog post
Dedicated play page
Classroom page
Community page
Landing page section
Kids activity page
Wide content section

A bad placement would be a tiny sidebar where the game becomes hard to use.

Things I learned while building it

A few things became clear while working on this.

1. Non-technical users need fewer decisions

Developers are okay with configuration.

Most WordPress users are not.

Every extra field makes the plugin harder to understand.

The best flow is the one where the user can add a game quickly and only change settings when needed.

2. Mobile preview is important

A game can look fine on desktop but feel cramped on mobile.

So the embed experience has to be tested at smaller widths.

3. WordPress users like shortcodes

Blocks are nice, but shortcodes are still useful.

Many WordPress users are comfortable copying a shortcode into a post, widget area, or page builder.

So supporting both block and shortcode workflows makes sense.

4. The game should not feel random

If you add a game without context, it feels like an ad.

If you add a heading like:

Take a quick break - play Tic Tac Toe

it feels intentional.

The surrounding content matters.

What I would improve next

The plugin is still early, but I already have a few improvements in mind:

Better game previews inside WordPress
More customization options
More games
Easier onboarding
Better analytics for site owners
More examples for schools, blogs, and community websites

I also want to make the embed flow simpler for platforms outside WordPress.

Try it

The plugin is available on WordPress.org:

Embed Browser Games by Games I Know

You can also try the games directly here:

Games I Know

I wrote the full WordPress guide here:

How to Add Free Browser Games to Your WordPress Website

Final thought

Most websites do not need complex interactivity.

Sometimes one small playable section is enough.

That is what I am trying to build with GamesIKnow Embed:

A simple way for WordPress users to add browser games to their pages without touching code.

How to Make Your Blog More Interactive

Games I Know — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 22:25:43 +0000

Most blogs are built to be read.

But the best blogs also give visitors something to do.

That small difference can change how a reader experiences your content. Instead of only scrolling through paragraphs, they can vote, answer, play, calculate, check off a step, or leave a useful response.

The best way to make your blog more interactive is to add useful elements that invite visitors to participate, such as:

Polls
Quizzes
Embedded games
Calculators
Checklists
Clickable visuals
Comment prompts
Fast, mobile-friendly widgets

You do not need to turn every article into a full web app. Even one small interactive element can make a blog post more useful and memorable.

Why interactive blogs work better

Interactive blogs work because they change the reader’s role.

A normal blog post says:

Here is something to read.

An interactive blog post says:

Here is something to do.

That can improve the experience in a few ways:

The reader stays more engaged
The post feels more useful
The content becomes easier to remember
Visitors have a reason to spend more time on the page
The page can feel more personal and less static

The key is relevance. Interaction should support the topic, not distract from it.

For example:

A recipe blog can add a serving-size calculator
A travel blog can add a destination quiz
A gaming blog can embed a quick game
A tutorial can add a checklist
A finance blog can add a savings calculator

Good interactive content helps the reader make a decision, test knowledge, complete a task, or enjoy the page.

1. Add polls and questions

Polls are one of the easiest ways to make a blog interactive.

They do not require much effort from the reader. A visitor can vote in a few seconds and instantly feel involved.

You can add polls like:

“Which option would you choose?”
“What is your biggest challenge with this?”
“Which tool do you use?”
“What should we cover next?”
“Was this guide useful?”

The best polls are specific.

Instead of asking:

What do you think?

Ask:

Which headline would you click first?

That gives the reader a clear action.

Polls work well inside opinion pieces, tutorials, product comparisons, community posts, and educational content.

2. Use quizzes to make content more personal

Quizzes are powerful because they give the reader a result.

That result can be:

A score
A recommendation
A personality type
A knowledge check
A next step
A fun trivia result

For example, after a tutorial, you could add a quick quiz to check what the reader learned.

After a travel guide, you could add:

Which destination should you visit next?

After a gaming article, you could add trivia questions related to the topic.

At Games I Know, we have a quiz/trivia-style browser game called I Know. It can work well as an embedded experience inside a blog because the reader can play directly without downloading anything or creating an account.

That is the type of interaction that turns passive reading into participation.

3. Embed simple games inside your blog

Games are not only for gaming websites.

A lightweight browser game can give visitors a short break, a challenge, or a reason to share the page with someone else.

Good game formats for blogs include:

Trivia games
Word games
Puzzle games
Strategy games
Casual games
Quick multiplayer games

The important part is keeping the game simple and relevant.

A long, heavy game may distract from the article. But a short browser game that loads quickly can make the post feel more alive.

For example, with Games I Know Embed, website owners can add simple browser games to their site using an iframe-style embed. Visitors can play without installing an app or signing up.

You can explore it here:

https://gamesiknow.com/embed

And if you want to see the main platform:

https://gamesiknow.com

4. Add calculators, tools, or mini utilities

Some of the best interactive content is not flashy. It is useful.

A calculator or mini tool gives people a reason to return because it solves a small problem.

Examples:

Savings calculator for a finance blog
Score calculator for a gaming or sports blog
Recipe quantity calculator for a food blog
Fitness calculator for a health blog
ROI calculator for a business blog
Checklist generator for a productivity blog
Comparison tool for a review site

A useful tool does not need to be complex. It only needs to help the reader do something faster than a static paragraph can.

If you are a developer, this is also a good opportunity to create small tools around your niche.

For example:

A JSON formatter inside a technical article
A CSS unit converter inside a frontend guide
A pricing calculator inside a SaaS article
A regex tester inside a programming tutorial

These small utilities can make a blog post much more valuable.

5. Use clickable checklists and progress elements

Checklists make long posts easier to complete.

They help readers turn advice into action.

For example, if you write a guide called:

How to launch your first blog

You can add a checklist like:

Choose a topic
Pick a domain
Set up analytics
Publish the first post
Add internal links
Submit sitemap
Share the article

This makes the article feel practical.

You can also add:

Reading progress bars
Step completion markers
Copyable checklists
Downloadable checklists
Interactive setup steps

For tutorials, checklists are especially useful because readers can track progress as they follow along.

6. Add interactive images and visual breaks

Long blog posts can feel heavy if they are only text.

Interactive visuals can make the article easier to understand and more enjoyable to scan.

Examples:

Before/after sliders
Annotated screenshots
Clickable diagrams
Image hotspots
Visual explainers
Step-by-step graphics

This works well for:

Design tutorials
Product comparisons
Case studies
Technical explanations
Travel guides
Fitness guides
Educational posts

The goal is not just to add images. The goal is to help the reader understand something faster.

7. Encourage comments, reactions, and discussion

Comments work better when you ask a focused question.

A generic ending like:

Let me know your thoughts.

Usually does not get strong responses.

Try something more specific:

“Which idea would you try first?”
“What would you add to this checklist?”
“What interactive feature works best on your site?”
“Have you tried embedding games or quizzes in a blog?”
“What made you stay longer on a blog recently?”

You can also use:

Emoji reactions
Feedback buttons
Simple yes/no prompts
Community questions
“Was this useful?” widgets

The easier you make it to respond, the more likely people are to participate.

8. Keep interactive content fast and mobile-friendly

This part matters a lot.

Interactive content should not make your blog slow, annoying, or hard to use.

A widget is not worth it if it:

Blocks the article
Causes layout shift
Loads too much JavaScript
Breaks on mobile
Hurts accessibility
Makes the page feel cluttered

Use interactive features carefully.

A few practical rules:

Add one or two interactive elements per article
Keep them relevant to the topic
Use responsive embeds
Test on mobile
Avoid heavy third-party scripts when possible
Keep labels and buttons readable
Make sure keyboard navigation still works
Watch Core Web Vitals

Interaction should improve the reading experience, not fight against it.

Interactive blog ideas by niche

Here are some examples you can use depending on your blog type:

Blog niche	Interactive ideas
Food blog	Recipe calculator, polls, quizzes, ingredient checklists
Travel blog	Destination quiz, maps, packing checklists, itinerary tools
Gaming blog	Embedded games, trivia, polls, leaderboards
Education blog	Quizzes, flashcards, progress checks, mini exercises
Finance blog	Calculators, comparison tools, budget checklists
Fitness blog	Trackers, habit challenges, workout checklists
Tech blog	Code playgrounds, demos, surveys, interactive diagrams

Simple checklist for making a blog interactive

Before adding anything interactive, use this checklist:

Does it fit the topic?
Does it help the reader?
Is it easy to understand?
Does it work on mobile?
Does it load fast?
Is it accessible?
Does it avoid annoying popups?
Can you track whether people use it?
Does it support the article instead of distracting from it?

Start small.

One good interactive element is better than five random widgets.

Final thoughts

Interactive blogs do not need to be complicated.

A small quiz, poll, checklist, calculator, clickable visual, or embedded game can make a post more memorable and useful.

The best approach is simple:

Pick one important article
Add one relevant interactive element
Make sure it loads fast
Test it on mobile
Track whether people use it

If you want to make your blog more playful, you can explore Games I Know Embed and add simple browser games to your website:

https://gamesiknow.com/embed

Original guide:

https://gamesiknow.com/blog/how-to-make-your-blog-more-interactive/

Can a Tiny Browser Game Make a Website More Engaging?

Games I Know — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 23:04:06 +0000

What if adding a small playable game to a website was as simple as embedding a YouTube video?

That is one idea we are exploring at GamesIKnow.

We are building simple browser games that people can play instantly.

No app download.

No player signup.

No complicated setup.

Now we are also working on a way for website owners and developers to embed these lightweight games directly inside their own websites.

The question that started this idea

A lot of websites are useful, but they are also passive.

Visitors land on a page, read for a few seconds, scroll, and leave.

That made us think:

What would happen if a website gave visitors one small thing to do?

Not a full gaming platform.

Not a heavy interactive experience.

Just a tiny playable moment inside the page.

Something simple like Tic Tac Toe, Connect Four, a quiz, or a small puzzle.

Why browser game embeds?

Websites already embed many things:

YouTube videos
Google Maps
Calendars
Forms
Chat widgets
Social feeds

But small browser games are still not commonly used as website embeds.

That feels like an interesting space to explore.

A small game could be useful for:

Blogs that want visitors to stay longer
Community websites that want casual interaction
Educational websites that want simple activities
Restaurants or cafes that want waiting-time engagement
SaaS websites that want a small interactive layer
Landing pages that want to feel less static

The goal is not to distract users.

The goal is to make the page feel a little more alive.

What the embed could look like

From a developer’s side, the setup should be simple.

For example:

<iframe
  src="https://gamesiknow.com/embed/tic-tac-toe/frame/?tenantId=YOUR_TENANT_ID"
  width="100%"
  height="600"
  style="border: 0; border-radius: 12px;"
  loading="lazy"
  allowfullscreen
></iframe>

html

That is the kind of simplicity we want.

A website owner should not need to build the game.
They should not need to manage game logic.
They should not need to create player accounts.

They should be able to copy an embed code, place it on a page, and let visitors play.

What makes this harder than it looks

A game embed sounds simple, but there are a few important things to get right.

Performance

The game should not slow down the website.

It should load fast, lazy-load when possible, and avoid unnecessary weight.

Mobile experience

A lot of users will open the page from a phone.

The game should not break the layout or require awkward scrolling.

Trust

Website owners should know what they are embedding.

The embed should be clean, predictable, and easy to remove.

Context

Not every website needs a game.

But for the right page, a small game could add a simple interaction layer that makes the experience more memorable.

Why we are building GamesIKnow Embed

GamesIKnow started as a place for simple browser games.

But we think these games can also be useful outside our own website.

Instead of only asking users to come to GamesIKnow, we want to make it possible for other websites to bring small games into their own pages.

That opens up an interesting question:

Can simple browser games become a lightweight engagement widget for the web?

We are still early, but this is the direction we are exploring.

I wrote a more detailed guide here:

https://gamesiknow.com/blog/how-to-add-games-to-your-website

Would you add a small browser game to a website if the setup was as simple as copying an iframe?