Casual games are perfectly adapted to mobile. For example, a few levels in Monument Valley are the perfect way to relax on the bus ride when a long day at work has you stressed. Other games prioritize creativity and exploration, encouraging players to think outside the box. Even if you’re not a fan of mobile games, it’s worth trying out some of them; some gorgeous creations are here.
In this list, we have collected casual games from different genres. There’s something for everyone, from the aesthetically pleasing Townscaper city builder to the adorable puzzler Railbound. But when you’re craving a game that will get your pulse racing rather than lowering it, check out our roundup of the best online multiplayer games for Android, and don’t forget to pick up one of the best gaming controllers. Android if you prefer touch controls.
Monument Valley 2
With such a crowded lineup, it’s hard to pick the best casual game for Android, but the original Monument Valley is a longtime resident of our best games roundup. Its sequel, aptly named Monument Valley 2, takes the formula pioneered by the original and improves on it. Beautiful graphics, soothing puzzles, and a captivating story make the sequel a must-play. It is ideal for casual gamers who want to see the best of the genre. Don’t worry if you haven’t played the original either (although we recommend it!), Monument Valley 2 is a completely standalone game.
God
Godus incorporates elements from multiple genres to create an original god game destined to hook you for hours. While there’s a lot to deal with here, soothing graphics and simple building mechanics make Godus an ideal casual game. It’s perfect for people who want an everyday game with a little more substance than most, and if you get bored you can always hit your population and start over.
WorldBox
WorldBox knows that sometimes you don’t want to build something or explore a new world. Sometimes you just want to play God. WorldBox offers a pixelated world where you can choose to nurture life as it grows or raze it in a fiery apocalypse. Unlike Godus, the world requires minimal interaction from you to progress. As you inevitably decide to destroy your fledgling civilization, watching your civilization grow is fascinating.
Although WorldBox is free, it is clearly a trial for the premium version. At $7.99, it might seem pricey, but a massively expansive list of creatures, god powers, and tools like time control make it an easy buy.
Urban landscape
Townscaper has no missions, achievements, objectives, or unlockable content. What it has is the smartest building mechanics in any mobile game. You interact with the game by placing colored blocks on an irregular grid, and Townscaper’s algorithm combines the blocks into houses, bridges, towers, gardens, or stairs as you place them. It sounds simple, but the result is great cities every time.
While there’s nothing more to Townscaper than placing blocks, its flawless execution is well worth the price. Play this if you are looking to relax with a nice building game.
pocket town
Pocket City is a scaled-down city builder perfect for the casual gamer. If you like the idea of a city builder but often find them too difficult, this is ideal. It has no microtransactions or long cooldowns on building features and is playable offline. You won’t find features like advanced traffic checks or spectacular civic events here, but you’ll quickly find that Pocket City provides plenty of content. Trigger disasters, expand your city with recreation areas and manage civic services to build a beautiful city.
golf in the desert
There are plenty of golf games on Android, including the fantastic puzzler Golf Peaks, but sometimes you have to go back to basics. Desert Golfing offers players the chance to hit a ball in a hole over hundreds of levels. There are no upgrades, power-ups, or tricky puzzles, and it’s just you, the ball, the hole, and a basic physics engine. Desert golf might not be the best golf game around, but there’s beauty in its simplicity.
Railway
Created by the aforementioned developers at Golf Peaks, Railbound is a puzzler whose challenges are matched only by its charm. Tasked with transporting two dogs by rail, you will use different pieces of rail infrastructure to achieve your goal. Many puzzle games can frustrate you on a tricky level, but you can’t help but smile when your cars indignantly bounce off each other through a misplaced track. Play this if you like a good puzzle that will challenge you but don’t want something that takes itself too seriously.
Neko Atsume: Kitten Collector
A strangely addictive game, Neko Atsume allows us all to achieve our greatest dream and collect countless kitties. As your property will start to get sparse, buying extra toys and providing a steady food supply will bring all the cats into your yard. There really isn’t much going on here, but you’ll quickly grow into your favorite cats, you’ll be itching to buy a new cat tree, and before you know it you’ll be checking your phone every hour to see who came. In some ways, it’s the perfect, pointless but completely addictive casual game.
Choose the best casual game to relax
Finding the perfect casual game to kick back can be a hassle, but we’re sure this list has you on the right track, whether you like city builders like Pocket City or prefer god games like WorldBox. If you are interested in the puzzle items on this list, be sure to try one of the best puzzle games for Android.