The 5 Best Mobile Games To De-Stress With
Updated: Dec 22, 2022
I have something to admit:
I am almost always on my cell phone.
It’s a small device that can work as a meditation service, library, a way to find freelance work, a media player, a calendar, a way to write these blog posts, a video game system, and most importantly a way to communicate with loved ones. I view people that say to get off your phone and enjoy life the same way as people that say to get your head out of a book. If I can find a way to improve my life with something I will embrace it to the fullest.
In college, I started getting into mobile games and I loved how they could help me relax while I was sitting on the train or waiting in a long line.
So here are some of my favorite mobile games to add a little fun in those moments that try your patience and would otherwise leave you bored.
1. Homescapes
This is one of my favorite ones to play when my anxiety is high. There’s something about being able to solve a hard level in this game that completely clears my mind. It’s a fairly basic match-3 game that is just challenging enough to keep me hooked. I love that it can be played offline so it’s also perfect for underground train rides and plane rides. This one was always great paired with a downloaded podcast. The game is also pretty cute and you get to renovate an old mansion as you beat levels. Each game only takes a few minutes max as well. I play this one for free and there are no ads - you can pay for bonuses but I don’t do that.
2. Solitaire
There’s a bunch of variations out there, but I found an awesome one at Solitaire.org. It’s exactly like the late 90’s computer classic I used to play as a kid and I love it. This one is great because you don’t have to waste space on your phone with another app - they have a web app option that doesn’t take up any additional space and makes it full screen. They’re also completely ad-free and it’s totally free to play.
3. Cookie Monster
I found this one through Solitaire.org as well and it’s a surprisingly accurate Pac-Man-type arcade game you can play on your phone. The only real difference is that instead of Pac-Man you get a super cute blue Cookie Monster to play with.
It’s just as hard as the arcade game is for me and it’s a great way to challenge yourself when you need to fill a little time. I was surprised by how much moving him with my finger felt like I was using the joystick. They have the precision of the game just right. No need to spend all your quarters on this one. Like all of the Solitaire.org games, it’s free to play with no ads.
I also just love the Nostalgia vibes. Pac-Man was always this cool thing from my parents' generation that I got to play at arcades on occasion and Cookie Monster reminds me of being a kid in the 90s - it’s funny how Sesame Street always seems like it belongs to your generation despite how timeless they’ve realistically become. I highly recommend this fun trip down memory lane.
4. Words with Friends
I’m a big fan of scrabble so when I heard about Word With Friends I was pretty excited. I love the ability that you have with this one to connect with either actual friends (if you connect it to your Facebook) or with randomly selected strangers. You don’t have to play in real-time either, you can make a move and then ignore it for a while. I recommend not turning on notifications for this app though, they’re a bit aggressive with reminding you to play.
5. Crossword
I will not deny that I have always been a big enough nerd to want to be the sort of person that does the Sunday morning crossword over a cup of coffee or tea. I will point out that once I hit adulthood newspapers were the worst way to get news since every story even from those writers had already been printed online.
So when I found a crossword mobile game that was both challenging and fun the nerd in me was ecstatic. This is another one from Solitaire.org - I’ve become a big fan of their games as of late - and it’s just the right amount of challenging without any gimmicks that give me those Sunday morning paper vibes I yearn for.
You aren’t trying to gain points and they don’t give you any tips. Both of these are things that have turned me off from other mobile crossword games in the past. The only real bonus you get over an actual paper crossword is that they show you if you are right with green letters or wrong with red letters - which I honestly kind of like since I don’t really miss the days of having to use white-out on a newspaper crossword.