Imagine you’re riding the bus on your way home from a long day of classes. Nothing sounds better than shutting off your brain and pretending homework doesn’t exist. What better way to pass the time than with some video games?
Portable Gaming
Mobile games have become increasingly popular due to the accessibility and portability of mobile phones and handheld gaming consoles, like the Nintendo Switch and Steam Deck.
The Steam Deck was developed and then released by video game developer Valve in February of 2022 as a means to provide users with Windows applications and games. It allows its users to play PC games on the go. The Nintendo Switch similarly lets its users play Nintendo games on a handheld device — Animal Crossing and Mario Kart most likely come to mind when “Nintendo” is mentioned.
It’s not exactly easy to whip out an Xbox on the bus, but fortunately, mobile games provide that gaming fix that fits in the palm of your hand.
Oldies, but Goodies
These older games show that years since the release date do not correlate to the quality of gameplay. In fact, with the years that have passed since their release, they’ve only proved their merit as they’ve remained in the running with newer games. You can play these games for both your enjoyment and for the nostalgia kick that will undoubtedly result from playing them.
Subway Surfers has had a resurgence due to the TikTok trend where its gameplay is shown alongside another unrelated video. Regardless of the trend, the game itself is a great time killer as you endlessly run and tour the world. Jetpack Joyride is another game belonging to the endless runner genre, with the player escaping a secret laboratory. You can test your understanding of physics (plus play with cute characters) via Angry Birds and Cut the Rope. Strategize your way to total domination with the base-building game Clash of Clans.
Heart-Racing Gameplay
If your life isn’t stressful enough, consider games that are an anxiety-inducing package of thrills (as long as that’s your version of fun). Whether it belongs to the horror genre or involves cooking meals for hangry customers, these games will get your heart racing.
Hello Neighbor tasks its players with the harrowing objective of sneaking into their creepy neighbor’s house. Deal with hungry sharks and hungry customers in Hungry Shark and Cooking Fever — both of which are addicting and fast-paced. For all the music lovers out there, check out Arcaea or any game within the rhythm game genre.
Mario Kart is great for racing alone or playing with friends on unique, exhilarating tracks. Temple Run provides a similar adrenaline rush as the player tries to outrun a group of demon monkeys.
Museum-Worthy Games
Sometimes, the best way to wind down after a tiring day is with relaxing games that have stunning visuals. Escape from the real world with dreamy, ethereal games that look like they belong in a museum. Sky: Children of Light allows the player to enjoy the beauty of the world around them while providing a cozy and peaceful gaming experience. Explore aesthetic landscapes in an endless runner or platformer with Alto’s Odyssey or Gris, respectively.
Trek to Yomi provides a unique black-and-white setting while the player voyages “beyond life and death” as a samurai.
And, of course, recent Zelda games with their breathtaking scenery must be mentioned, specifically Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
Nourish Your Brain
Perhaps you feel like exercising your brain, but not by doing schoolwork. These games require thinking while making it fun. Solitaire, chess and sudoku are classics for killing time, and they’re easy to download onto your phone to play between classes. Word Cookies, Wordscapes and Word Connect — basically anything with “word” in the title — are perfect for Wordle lovers or anyone with an affinity for rearranging letters into words.
Kill Time With Games
Games are a great way to pass the time, especially when all it takes is your phone or a handheld device. There’s a game out there for everyone, so if you haven’t already, go ahead and find that one game you can always rely on to kill some time.
