No matter the age, type of work we do or the situations we get into with those closest to us, it’s safe to say that everyone needs a bit of a breather from time to time, particularly at the end of a very long and frustrating day. Sometimes we just need to shut off, kick back and immerse ourselves in a meaningless and fun little activity. Since smartphone games are the best escape from reality and given the fact that they are readily accessible to everyone with a smart phone no matter where they might find themselves it’s a good idea to pack your phone full of these little stress relievers. In this article we will look into some very interesting games that will suck you in and help take your mind off everyday problems. These are great games that take different approaches to helping you relax – e.g. by making you focus, think, laugh or just allowing you to vent.
Doodle God
A fun and innovative concept that doesn’t really include any serious action, complex story or complicated game dynamics, Doodle God gives you a perfect chance to have some simple fun just for the sake of having fun. You start off with the traditional four elements – water, wind, earth and fire – which you can combine to get new ones. The new elements can be mixed with other elements, and you are encouraged to create some interesting combinations. There are over 100 different combinations – anything from storm to planes and dinosaurs.
Not all items can be combined so there is some experimentation and guesswork involved, and there are funny “facts” about the new elements you create that will make you chuckle and even laugh out loud. If you can’t find any new combinations for three minutes you’ll get a hint, so you can’t really get lost or frustrated with the game, and it will definitely engage your mind enough to make you forget your troubles for a while.
Get Doodle God for iPhone or get the Android version.
Crayon Physics
I can’t speak for everyone when I say that smartphone games with unique and clever art styles are the ones that draw you in the most, but from what I’ve seen this is true for most people. Crayon Physics is, as the name suggests, a physics game, but what’s unique about it is that it combines clever physics-based puzzles with a cute art style and very unique mechanics. Your objective on each level is seemingly simple – get the little red ball across the level to the yellow star – but you accomplish it by drawing different objects which are then brought to life by the games physics engine and behave in a way an object of a similar mass and shape would here on earth.
It is incredibly fun and the simple crayon drawing look really hammers home the idea that you are using a magical crayon that brings drawings to life. The gentle music, addictive game play and the fact that you can play the levels over and over are more than enough to let your mind cool off while you explore your creative side.
Get Crayon Physics for iPhone or get the Android version.
Bad Piggies
From the creators of arguably the greatest time killer in recent gaming history, Angry Birds, comes a fun spin off featuring the green pigs we all love to hate. The goal is to get your pigs from the starting point to the finish line using custom-made transportation devices. These contraptions are put together using a variety of different items like fans and soda bottles that you attache to your basic boxes in different ways. This new smartphone game is noticeably more difficult than Angry Birds and it takes a high level of precision to go through a given level, but after you get used to the mechanics and the various tools you won’t be able to put the phone down.
Getting stuck on a level may be a little frustrating, but the feeling of accomplishment you get when you complete a level with a three star rating is incredible – it will pump you up with so much euphoria that it can easily put you in a great mood, even after an emotionally draining and exhausting day.
Get Bad Piggies for iPhone or get the Android version.
The Room
A serene setting with light music, stunning graphics and complex puzzles – this is what The Room is all about. The instant you start playing you will lose yourself in the atmosphere and laser focus on the tasks ahead of you. There is whole story behind it, but to avoid spoilers let’s just say that you are in a room with an incredibly intricate safe that requires a fair amount of problem-solving skills and patience to unlock. You are faced by puzzle after puzzle, each more complicated than the previous one, and will be left scratching your head for a good few hours. It is incredibly interesting, beautiful and forces you to think hard, effectively freeing your mind from all else.
Get The Room for iPhone or get the Android version.
Master of Craft
A refreshing break from the standard RPG formula, Master of Craft has the hero running a town with item shops – like one of the hundreds of shops we’ve bought swords and potions from in classical RPG’s without giving a second thought to where those items came from. You use raw materials that are gathered from different locations – a simple sawmill provides you with twigs at the beginning – and can send heroes on adventures to bring you back rare items and materials that they take from a variety of enemy creatures. To make it possible for them to defeat more powerful creatures you have to craft more advance equipment, but you can’t take control of the battles other than using some of the skills you pick up. It is great fun and lets you be creative, although it does take a bit of grinding for materials here and there. You will be able to spend a stress-free afternoon playing the game, just crafting away and sending out expeditions.
Get Master of Craft for iPhone or get the Android version.
Cut the rope: Time Travel
The cartoonish art style, cute characters and fun mechanics are Cut the rope’s main selling points, and they are incredibly persuasive at that. You play an incredibly cute little green monster named Om-Nom who enjoys eating candy, and you will be required you to complete a physics puzzle to get the candy to him. This is accomplished by cutting various ropes and trying to figure out the right sequence of moves, as well as working on your timing. In this version you also get to meat several of Om-Nom’s ancestors from different time periods and you switch from era to era as the levels progress. This does little, except change the general theme, but it is entertaining nonetheless. This awesome smartphone game is intuitive, has nice audio, is not very difficult and the cute little monsters will definitely put a smile on your face.
Get Cut the Rope: Time Travel for iPhone or get the Android version.
Nimble Quest
Similar to the old school game “Snake” you move a long line across a limited field and try to avoid obstacles – only this time it is no ordinary line. You actually lead a group of small heroes which form a snake-like formation, maneuvering them around the levels. You pick up diamonds and battle some creative enemies, the objective being to clear a given level by killing a set number of enemies without losing your heroes. You have one hero at the start, but others keep joining your cause as the game progresses, so your line of heroes grows and you have to be careful about how you move them. They strike and fire off abilities automatically when in range and you can’t stop their forward motion, only guide them. It can be a bit challenging at times, but it keeps you concentrated on what’s in front of you as there is no time for idle thoughts when you have to make quick tactical decisions. You will definitely have a great time playing this game on your smartphone.
Get Nimble Quest for iPhone or get the Android version.
Real Boxing
Last, but certainly not the least, we have an incredibly well-executed boxing game that has you focusing on issues like timing, stamina and tactics. Tapping and swiping will allow your guy to throw straight and hooked punches respectively, you can cover up and there is a practice mode where you can get acquainted with the controls by throwing punches at a heavy bag. The graphics are excellent – based on the Unreal engine – and you really get the feeling that you are right in the middle of the brawl. This is a great way to let off some of that pent up frustration without having to actually flail your arms in the air.
Get Real Boxing for iPhone or get the Android version.
These are some popular smartphone games that are incredibly good time killers and stress relievers that you can spend a few hours playing to relax your mind in your spare time.
