Want to know what are the ten-minute app games to play? Well here they are!

In most humdrum situations, sometimes ten minute app games are all we need. A lunch break, waiting room, bus journey, or *ahem* bathroom break are prime everyday examples of situations where app gaming comes into its element.

It’s probably safe to say that the majority of app games are designed to be whipped out and indulged in during a ten-minute breather. But despite all good intentions, the reality is that some app games are more bite-size than others.

Take Pokémon Go for instance. Just a quick look in your vicinity may lead to a rare encounter that you simply have to catch. Before you know it, you’re furiously pelting Ultra Balls in vain as the little cretin rejects every attempt and the boss starts getting suspicious of your extended bathroom break.

So with that in mind, we’ve decided to collect the best app games that can be played in ten minutes or less, where the only obstacle to your time limit is your own ability to put the game down. And as far as these games go, good luck with that.

It’s Literally Just Mowing

iOS & Android

If ever we wanted to be present at an app game pitch meeting, it would be for this one. The conversation over its title was no doubt incredibly short but oh-so sweet.

We would say that this therapeutic mowing simulator from Protostar really needs no further explanation. But despite what its name would have you believe, there is a little more to this ten minute app game than “literally just mowing”.

Whilst the core mechanics are exactly as advertised, there are, of course, customization options for your trusty mower. As well as butterfly collectibles and rewards aplenty for keeping the many in-game lawns in ship-shape. With “no-mow-May” starting tomorrow, we’re all encouraged to let our real lawns grow free, so this mowing app game could be the perfect fix.

Jetpack Joyride

iOS & Android

Assume the role of Barry Steakfries as he jets, blasts, dodges, and high-fives his way through a top secret laboratory from which he stole a jetpack on a whim. This bombastic endless runner embodies the spirit of escapism in every conceivable way. Players must fly as far from their problems as possible before inevitably finding the business end of a missile launcher. Life, am I right?

The mechanics will be familiar to anyone who came across a little-known game called Flappy Bird. Although it’s worth noting that Mr. Steakfries has been dodging cylindrical hazards for a few years longer – and with much more visual flair, to boot.

Alto’s Adventure

iOS & Android

For a more calming endless runner experience, there’s the painfully picturesque Alto’s Adventure. This artistic app game follows the protagonist (presumably, Alto) as they attempt to wrangle their escaping llamas down a snowy slope whilst pulling off some sick jumps and collecting coins before crashing into the powder. Life, am I right again?

Alto’s Adventure was met with universal acclaim upon release for its beautiful portrayal of snowboarding via an addictive gameplay loop. Not many people have the privilege of enjoying a mountain view on their lunch break. But Alto’s Adventure certainly grants a great alternative. That, and this next entry.

GeoGuessr

iOS & Android

Playing GeoGuessr is like taking a ten-minute holiday as you’re plonked in the middle of anywhere in the world via Google Maps’ revolutionary Street View tech. Take a ‘stroll’ through your surroundings and, when you think you’ve ‘Guessrd’ where you are, place a pin on the Google Map. Then proceed to face palm as you realize you’ve mistaken the beaches of Honolulu for Miami.

Granted, you may find yourself getting literally lost in this genius geographical app game, thus spending more time than you intended meandering through the streets of some foreign land. But the real fun comes in the self-imposed time limits as you scramble around for some semblance of a landmark or flag that gives away your precise location before it’s back to the real world.

Two Dots

iOS & Android

Another pretty puzzler with a catchy soundtrack for good measure, Two Dots is another one of those ten minute app games that soothes the soul as you carry out one of the simplest tasks imaginable: connecting some dots together with a single line.

But that description betrays Two Dots’ ability to get the cogs whirring in one’s brain. Sometimes the best mobile timewasters are ones that require careful planning in place of mindless tip-tapping to the dopamine-bearing jingles of a job well done. When playing this particular acclaimed title, remember the cardinal rule: Always Be Squaring.

Bridge Constructor

iOS & Android

If you’ve ever had a problem and received the ever helpful ‘build a bridge and get over it’ response, then Bridge Constructor is here for you. Especially if that problem is ‘I have ten minutes to spare and I’m bored’.

If the mantra for Two Dots is ‘always be squaring’, then ‘always be triangling’ is the Bridge Constructor equivalent. This bridge-building simulator from Headup Games is also a top-notch workout for the brain.

With that being said – it turns out that engineering is quite hard. Luckily, if you don’t mind a bit of hand-holding, Bridge Constructor will walk you through every build with ‘hints’ (read: walk-through) that come with no penalties.

Crossy Road

iOS & Android

Why did the cuboid chicken cross the road? Because Hipster Whale made it one of the most entertaining and addictive activities an app gamer can engage in, apparently. Crossy Road has been dubbed ‘endless Frogger’ by some because, well, that’s really the perfect way to describe it.

Though far from being limited to frogs and chickens, players can unlock a seemingly infinite cast of roadkill wannabes from every facet of the animal kingdom and beyond. The world’s most insane highway network will also change depending on the chosen victi- i mean, character, begging you to keep raking in those coins (which are lavished upon you in spades) to collect the full charismatic cast.

Catchee

iOS & Android

The latest release from British dev duo Laser Dog is a prime pick-me-up – or more accurately, ‘catch-em-up’ – for those stressful days. The earworms that comprise the soundtrack will stick with you for hours (if not weeks). And that’s not a bad thing.

Catchee is a rhythm game where players swipe an overjoyed chibi receptacle (like an apple basket) across the screen in order to catch a series of falling items. Only each item (which changes depending on your chosen receptacle) represents a single note of the soundtrack. Meaning a botched catch is a botched note. And believe us, you don’t want to miss a note. So why not check out our tips on how to play effectively.

Angry Birds 2

iOS & Android

Feeling stressed? Well so are Rovio’s titular birds. So why not indulge in a bit of relief together by taking your anger out on some meddlesome green pig-blobs?

Angry Birds is a ten minute app game classic that really needs no introduction. But for the uninitiated, the aim of the game is to destroy the ever more well-constructed forts of some porcine antagonists with an arsenal of birds so angry they’re willing to use their own bodies as weapons.

Deploy the specific set of skills available to your bird army like an avian general and watch the walls come tumbling down around your adversaries as the tension in your mind does the same.

Candy Crush Saga

iOS & Android

Match-3 games are arguably the most popular of ten-minute app game genres. And the undisputed king of that genre is the omnipresent Candy Crush Saga, developed by the aptly-named King. They certainly know a thing or two about manifesting destiny.

Much like the subject of this simple puzzler, Candy Crush Saga is a decidedly moreish app game that knows exactly how to get your pleasure receptors firing off with one strong move leading to a deluge of successful matches. Whilst imitators are rife in the app gaming sphere – it really pays to stick with the OG.

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There’s no shortage of ten-minute app games, but we certainly believe that we’ve found the best. Just be sure to keep an alarm handy in case you get a little too invested.