Clash Royale
Supercell has created some of the most popular mobile games of the last couple of years. Clash Royale is a strategy game that combines collectible card games with tower defense mechanics and borrows its setting from the incredibly popular management sim, Clash of Clans.
Clash Royale was released globally on March 2, 2016 and became the most downloaded and top-grossing app on the US iOS App Store. Since most card battles in Clash Royale last just a few minutes it is perfect to play at work. You can play just a single match, or keep playing and collecting cards until you decide to do some actual work.
Hitman Go
Hitman Go is a virtual tabletop spin-off of the popular stealth game. By moving in one of four directions you must take out your target, just as you do in the main Hitman games. The missions start out simple but quickly become complex puzzles that require strategy and planning. With additional objectives such as picking up a briefcase or completing the mission in a particular number of moves, the game is frustrating but addictive.
Since the levels are short the game is perfect for playing in short bursts – you can play one level and put your phone down easily. Also, the in-game hint system makes it easy to finish a level if you get stuck. Hitman Go is excellent on mobile devices but it is even better on PlayStation Vita, especially if you want to take advantage of the easy trophy list.
Stardew Valley
Management simulation games are some of the best to play while at work. You can play for a few minutes, complete some tasks, and then close it to let it work by itself for when you return. Stardew Valley, a farming sim developed by one person and inspired by Harvest Moon, is certainly that kind of game.
After creating your character, the player is given a house and a plot of land in the titular valley. The area is initially overrun with weeds and trees with the aim being to reinvigorate the farm, increase revenue, and expand the facilities. It is addictive yet enjoyable in short plays and you can walk away from it at any time so it is perfect for wasting time at work. There is also a four player co-op mode planned for the times when it’s not just you who’s bored in the office.
Pizza Express
There are some very popular management sims based on the running of a restaurant, such as Cook, Serve, Delicious and Restaurant Empire. Pizza Express just happens to be one of the best. The player joins Gastone and his friend Lucky as they try to turn their pizza restaurant into the best eatery in town. You control every aspect of the restaurant but you only have 30 days to win over F.L.A.B.’s (Finger Licking Associated Bistros) hearts and top their table.
You can make the pizzas you’ve always wanted to try, and interact with colorful characters in the beautiful retro-style game.
Deep, fast-paced, addictive, yet easy to pick up and play; Pizza Express is perfect for playing at work, although it might make you hungry.
Lara Croft Go
Lara Croft Go plays the same way as Hitman Go. It’s another turn-based puzzle game but it is based on the Tomb Raider world. The player uses Lara as a puzzle piece, avoiding obstacles and manipulating the environment. The game features series motifs, such as boulder chases and reaction-based gameplay to ensure it feels like an extension of the famous series.
As is the case with Hitman Go, Lara Croft Go is perfect for playing at work due to its short levels and helpful in-game hint system that ensure the player is never stuck on a level for too long. It is easy to pick up and play for a short amount of time, slowly working through the increasingly difficult levels. Lara Croft Go is currently only available on mobile devices but, like Hitman Go, would be perfect for the PlayStation Vita.
2048
2048 is a few years old now but it is still the perfect game to play at work. The premise is simple; the objective is to slide numbered tiles on a grid to combine them and create a tile with the number 2048. Combining tiles of the same value adds them together, starting a 2, up to 2048. The area is made up of 16 squares and once you fill them up and cannot make another move, the game is over. The value of the tile you combine is added together to make up your high score.
2048 ensures players keep coming back again and again. It is challenging and reaching 2048 requires concentration and a plan that is perfectly executed. The moment you allow a low value tile to move between some high value ones the game might as well be over – the frustration can be unbearable. However, 2048 is the ultimate ‘just one more try’ game that will keep you coming back for more. Also, as each game is quite short (depending on your ability) it is perfect for playing in small stints.
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes
Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes is a collectible card game RPG for mobile devices. It was released in November of last year to take advantage of the hype surrounding Episode VII. Galaxy of Heroes sees players collect characters from the Star Wars universe, create teams with them, and use them to fight battles.
Characters are unlocked immediately or awarded through in-game rewards. Galaxy of Heroes is easy to jump in and to of because missions are short and turn-based, meaning is you are distracted by work, your chances of winning aren’t affected. You can play is short stints, upgrading members of your squad, or working towards unlocking new characters. Collectible card games are perfect for work because the player is constantly given targets and cards can be unlocked in short plays.
The Sims 4
The Sims series is not only the most famous management sim, it is one of the biggest game franchises around. As is the case in every Sims game, the player controls every aspect of their character’s life, from what they wear, to the design of their house. When it first released in 2014, The Sims 4 was the first PC game to top the all-platforms charts in two years.
Just like most other management sims, The Sims 4 is perfect for playing at work. Players can jump into the game, ensure their sim is okay, then go back to work. Completing tasks in The Sims 4 can be addictive but it is easy to focus on one thing, complete it, close the game, and come back for something else when you get the chance.
Civilization V
Civilization V is the fifth main game in the Civilization series. It is one of the most popular 4X strategy games to have ever been released. The player leads a civilization from prehistoric times into the future on a procedurally generated map, achieving the conditions for victory through research, exploration, diplomacy, expansion, economic development, government, and military conquest.
Each game can be quite long but since it is a turn-based strategy game, you can leave the match for as long as you like between turns. That also means that you can minimize the game if your boss comes over for a chat, without it ruining your chances of winning. Civ V is great for playing at work because it can pass a lot of time so your Friday afternoons no longer feel like a decade.
Solitaire
The classic choice for playing at work. Solitaire is, and has always been, the perfect choice. Simple, great to play alone, and short – there aren’t many better choices. It also helps that it is available for free on nearly every computer. It’s easy for anyone to pick up and play due to its association with the cards everyone knows well and the game’s simple rules.
What is your favorite game to play instead of doing the work you are paid for? Let us know in the comments below.
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