Have you spotted a Flash video game that you are passionate about, but don't want to connect to the internet every time you want to play it? No problem, you have the possibility to download any Flash game locally, on Windows or Mac, and then use it even without connecting to the network. All you need is an internet browser, your favorite game and some free time.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Use File2HD from Any Internet Browser
Step 1. Go to the website hosting the Flash video game of your interest
Open the browser of your choice on your computer, then use it to open the website related to the game you want to download. However, avoid starting the application in Flash.
Step 2. Copy the site URL
Select the text string in the browser address bar, then make a copy.
Step 3. At this point, go to the website www. File2HD.com
The File2HD site simply provides the complete list of all paths to files linked to a specific web page. In order to take advantage of this service, you do not need to install any programs.
Step 4. Paste the URL you copied earlier into the File2HD site text field, then press the "Get Files" button
Step 5. Search for the "swf" file for the game you want to download
Flash video games are stored in files with the ".swf" extension, which can be viewed in any internet browser that supports this technology. Once the File2HD site has displayed the list of URLs, press the key combination Ctrl + F to open the search field (if you are using a Mac press the ⌘ Command + F keys. Inside the text field that appeared, type the keyword ".swf" (without quotes), then press the Enter key.
Step 6. Save the direct link to the game
The search should locate one or two files with the extension ".swf" that include the name of the Flash game you are looking for. Select one of the links with the right mouse button (if you are using a Mac, hold down the Control key while clicking), then choose "Save link as". Remember the name of the folder where you save this file.
Step 7. Start the game in Flash
Go to the directory where you saved the "swf" file, then double click on it. The game will open within your computer's default internet browser without the need for an active network connection.
Method 2 of 2: Download the Source Code
Step 1. Log in to the website hosting the Flash game you wish to download
Proceed by identifying the page relating to the program of your interest. Click with the mouse on the item you want to download locally, then wait for it to load completely.
Step 2. View the source code of the page (if you are using Firefox, use the "About page" option)
The procedure to follow to achieve this varies depending on the internet browser you use.
- To view the source code of an item with Chrome, use the key combination Ctrl + ⇧ Shift + C. If you are using a Mac you will need to use the key combination ⌘ Command + ⇧ Shift + C.
- To view the source code of an item with Internet Explorer or Safari, right-click (on a Mac hold down the Ctrl key while clicking) a point on the page outside the box that contains the Flash game, then choose the "View Source" or "View Code" option from the drop-down menu appeared.
- View page information with Firefox. Select with the right mouse button (on Mac hold down the Ctrl key while clicking) a point on the page outside the box that contains the game in Flash, then choose the option "About page" from the contextual menu that appeared. Go to the "Media" tab to view the URLs referenced by the objects on the page. To sort the list according to the type of elements, click the "Type" column header.
Step 3. Locate the source code for the "swf" file
Select the appeared window, then press the key combination Ctrl + F to bring up the search bar (if you are using an OS X system, use the key combination ⌘ Command + F). Now type in the keyword "swf" (without quotes). Depending on your browser, the Flash game you are looking for should be the first or second "swf" file that appears in the results list.
In Firefox, to locate the "swf" file that contains the Flash game you will have to scroll through the results list manually
Step 4. Copy the full URL of the "swf" file
To do this, double-click the address of the "swf" file, then copy it by right-clicking (on OS X systems, press the Ctrl key while clicking) and choosing the "Copy" option from the context menu appeared. If you are using Firefox, simply select the file of your interest and choose "Save as".
If the URL of the "swf" file does not refer to a top level domain name (such as "/strategygames/crimson-room.swf"), before copying it simply prefix the domain hosting the game in Flash you want to download (using the example above you would get an absolute URL, such as www.addictinggames.com/strategygames/crimson-room.swf)
Step 5. Save the game in Flash to your computer
To do this, press the key combination Ctrl + S (if you are using a Mac you will need to use the key combination ⌘ Command + S), then choose a folder that is easy to store and locate.
Step 6. Start the game
Navigate to the directory where you saved the "swf" file, then double-click it to execute it. The program will run inside a default internet browser window, and since it has been saved locally, you don't need to have an active network connection to use it.
Advice
- Before downloading a file or program from the web, make sure that the antivirus installed on your computer is up to date.
- Many popular Flash games are also available as mobile applications. Run a search using the store linked to the operating system of the device you usually use.
