Celebrated Xbox Live Arcade and PC game Bastion can be played today inside your Google Chrome browser.

Try it - the technology is eye-opening.

Bastion spearheads new Google Chrome technology called Native Client, which allows console-level games to run in the browser.

Square Enix has adapted console game Mini Ninjas, made by Hitman dev IO Interactive, for Google Chrome. But this doesn't appear to be available yet.

The ubiquitous 3D browser and mobile engine Unity is also supported.

The benefits of Google Chrome Native Client - besides from being able to trial-play Bastion in under a minute - are a secure and portable platform used by 200 million people around the world. Releasing a game through Chrome would presumably make it piracy-proof, although a constant internet connection would be required.

Support for game pads and varying operating systems is on Google's to-do list.

Native Client's use of a computer's 3D processing capabilities will also benefit video, photo and browsing capabilities of Google Chrome.