There’s no better way to waste half an hour than with the best casual games. Whether it’s a pick-up-and-play puzzler, or an idle tycoon tap-a-thon, sometimes an easy time is a good time, and we have no problem with that at all.
If you’re still not sure what to play but love a good theme, why not check out our picks for the best samurai games, assassin games, fashion games, and cowboy games. Or, if you prefer an athletic pursuit in your leisure time, browse through our lists of the best football games, basketball games, bowling games, and tennis games.
With that out of the way let’s kick back, relax, and saunter into our list of the best mobile casual games. The best mobile casual games are:
What the Golf?
We love a wacky sports sim that pushes you to think outside of the box, and What the Golf? delivers on all fronts. With an impressive amount of levels to eat away at your time, you’ll be blown away by the outrageous mini-games that involve crab golf, some stealth elements, and even a Portal tribute section.
While it’s not a live-service game like others on this list, the lack of new content isn’t really an issue for What the Golf? due to the surprising depth of content available. If you’d prefer something a little more serious, and with a little less crab, be sure to check out our list of the best golf games on Switch and mobile.
Play What the Golf? on Apple Arcade.
Idle Miner Tycoon
There’s nothing more casual than an idle game, so we had to include Idle Miner Tycoon on our list. In a similar vein to its tycoon compatriots, this title gives you a peek into the true workings of capitalism, and you’ll have a surprisingly good time while doing so.
Earn millions of in-game dollars by upgrading your mine and eventually hiring a couple of specialists, so you can sit back and put your feet up, watching the money roll in.
Play Idle Miner Tycoon for free.
Word Connect – Words of Nature
There’s nothing like grabbing a cup of coffee (or your preferred beverage), relaxing, and opening up a great word game. Fortunately, Word Connect – Words of Nature is one of those, delivering a satisfying game where you connect letters to form words, all in front of calm, relaxing backgrounds.
Of course, it’s not as simple as three-letter words for the entire game. As you progress through each of the zen stages, levels will get progressively harder. However, it never becomes stressful, giving you a quick brain surge before you complete your next list of chores for the day.
Play Word Connect – Words of Nature for free.
Zookeeper World
Challenging Candy Crush for the best mobile puzzler, ZooKeeper combines match-three mechanics with a zoo tycoon simulator for a unique experience. It makes our list of the best casual games just because of how easy it is the pick up for a quick round of monkey-matching, as well as the adorable animals that occupy your grounds. You’ll find this one included in your Apple Arcade subscription too, which is always a bonus.
Play Zookeeper World on Apple Arcade.
Monument Valley 2
If you like your casual games with a good helping of charm and ingenuity, then Monument Valley 2 might be right up your street. It’s one of the few games on this list with a narrative component, but much like the gameplay, the story stays at a pace that is easy enough to dip in and out of, without losing any of the magic. If you’re still not sure, why not check out our Monument Valley 2 review for the full breakdown?
Play Monument Valley 2+ on Apple Arcade.
Crossy Road
A certified classic, millions around the world have wasted their time, and loved every second of it, while playing Crossy Road. For those that don’t know, it’s essentially Frogger, but with a massive roster of playable characters to use in your quest to reach the other side. For a game with such a simple objective, you might be surprised how many hours you end up sinking into Crossy Road. Just remember to look both ways before you do.
Play Crossy Road on Apple Arcade.
Mini Metro
A transport sim without a million menus or a needlessly confusing design, Mini Metro is a quaintly designed puzzler that goes deeper than it looks. The job of designing subway systems for London, Paris, and other iconic capital cities is made easier than ever before with a zen-like interface and a soothing synth soundtrack. It’s another Apple Arcade title, so you can grab this one as part of your subscription.
Play Mini Metro+ on Apple Arcade.
Idle Bank Tycoon: Money Empire
Ever wonder what it’s like to be a hot shot banking tycoon? Well, now you can get the experience without any of the work in the superb casual business sim, Idle Bank Tycoon: Money Empire. Start off with a small branch then continue to upgrade and expand until you have your very own bank empire. You can even hire managers to keep the cash flowing while you’re offline!
Angry Birds 2
With the threat of making the Angry Birds even angrier, we couldn’t risk not including the mobile classic on our list. For those that don’t know – and where exactly have you been for the last fifteen years – Angry Birds is simple enough concept, with you taking control of a catapult that launches the titular flightless birds into constructions, with the aim of knocking them down.
It sounds simple enough, but the gameplay loop is infamously difficult to put down, and you’ll be surprised how time flies alongside the Angry Birds. Now with countless iterations, spin-offs, tie-ins, and just about everything else a franchise could spit out, there’s still little competition out there for a smashing good time with a catapult and a few angsty avians.
Candy Crush
Ok, so it won’t be all classics, but if you’re looking for a casual game and haven’t tried Candy Crush, it really is the place to start. It’s the very definition of an easy-to-play/hard to put down title, with popping colours, creative candy powerups, and a decent amount of gameplay variety. In fact, the pick-n-mix puzzler is so popular it’s spawned a legion of spin-offs, which you can find out more about in our list of the best Candy Crush games.
Stardew Valley
There’s nothing much more casual than the easy life, fishing, farming, and maybe even falling in love in a rural destination. If that sounds like your idea of a good time, then Stardew Valley is the game for you. Despite coming in such a small package, this game has hours of content, so many secrets to unlock, and a long list of crops and vegetables to turn your patch of land into a lucrative harvest.
If spending a few seasons as a farmer sounds like a good idea to you, get ahead of the curve with our helpful guides, including all the need-to-know info on Stardew Valley fish and Stardew Valley characters. Or, if you’ve already taken the trip to Pelican Town, see our picks for the best games like Stardew Valley.
Project Makeover
Don’t worry fashionistas, we’ve not left you out. If you love watching a glow-up, or need a few tips to get a little more glam yourself, Project Makeover is a good time that won’t give you a dressing down for the odd fashion faux-pas. Having recently enjoyed a Queer Eye crossover, there’s never been a better time to find your style with Project Makeover.
AdVenture Capitalist
Next time someone says to you “more money, more problems” ask them if they’ve ever played AdVenture Capitalist. As you might expect, AdVenture Capitalist puts the dollar above all else, in a quest to monopolise the universe, planet by planet. Fortunately, all you need to do to make it happen is click, click, and click again in this idle tycoon wealth accumulator, and once you unlock an auto-clicker, the moolah really starts to roll in.
There you have it! Our picks for the best mobile casual games, with a little something for everyone. If you’re looking for a challenge after one of these easy rides, be sure to check out our picks for the best mobile roguelikes.
