The Best Games For Five Free Minutes

Most of my mobile gaming happens in the cracks of the day: a bus ride, a kettle boiling, a queue that will not move. The games that fit those gaps are a specific breed, and they are underrated.

The key traits are instant starts and clean exits. Coin Strike nails this because a round is seconds long and a restart is immediate. There is no loading ritual and no guilt when you stop.

Arcade racers like Nitro Canyon work too, since a single lap is a complete little experience. You do not need to plan a campaign to enjoy one good run around a track.

What I avoid for short sessions are games with energy timers and long tutorials. If a game punishes me for playing briefly, it has misunderstood when I actually have time to play.