I.T. Kid

A Roman legionary, a spear and a row of targets to knock down. Maximus is FreeOnlineGames' 2008 artillery game, published on Kongregate under the studio's name, and it starts where throwing games always start: with a shield on a post and a spear in your hand. You judge the throw, let it go, and the level moves on when the target is hit -- target practice first, then the harder shots the game builds after it.

The whole thing is drawn as a painted Roman arena, the soldier in red and a studded shield taking up most of the screen, and the aim is the entire game: no timer, no crowd, just the throw. There is a high-score board to chase and a sound toggle beside it, and it is the sort of compact browser game that used to be a five-minute break between other things.