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Internet games are games that are played online via the Internet. They are distinct from video and computer games in that they are normally platform independent, relying solely on client-side technologies (normally called 'plugins'). Normally all that is required to play Internet games are a web browser and the appropriate plugin (normally available for free via the plugin maker's website). A game played in a browser is often called a browser-based game.
There are many different plugins used to play online games. Some of these are the Java virtual machine, Shockwave, Flash and others. Some are implemented via a technology called JavaScript. There are specialised tools used to create games employing these technologies. Games that require plugins are usually based on the client-side; that is, much of the processing is done by the player's computer instead of the server hosting the game.
However, there are also server-side games which do not require plugins and process the data on the game server instead of the player's computer. These games are typically not as visually appealing as client-side based games, but make up for that in advanced functionality, particularly because it is easier to implement multiplayer capabilities. BattleMaster is an example server-side game.
Hybrids of server- and client-side games also exist.