9 crazy addictive, casual games for Android and iOS

PC master race. There, we said it.

Okay, but seriously, when it comes to gaming, we like it when we're parked in front of a 24"+ monitor being powered by a tower that can handle even the latest AAA titles on Ultra graphics quality. But since lugging around a 30 lb monster isn't always advisable, we too have to resort to our smartphones when we need to kill some time. Unlike most, however, we're fans of them addictive titles that are easy to get into and don't require hourly babysitting lest you miss out on an "important" resource by not logging in.

So casual, repetitive, and highly addictive games is where it's at. And we love our must-have selection. So we thought we'd share.

Here goes:

Download: Android / iOS

Like most titles on our list today, Stack is incredibly easy to pick up. After the first time you 'die', you'll know pretty much all there is to know.

In Stack, as the name suggests, your task is to stack a tower as high as possible. Identical pieces that will grow your tower take turns coming from the left and right side, and you have to tap the screen when you think they're perfectly aligned with your growing stack. Any parts that are not perfectly aligned with the foundation will be cut off, leaving you with smaller incoming pieces. The more these shrink, the harder it is to perfectly time them.

Download: Android / iOS

Sometimes, it's easy to forget that scoring has as much to do with a game's success as gameplay and graphics. Sky (or Endless Sky for iOS users) is a perfect example of this, with its tranquil, soul-hugging music and beautiful art style.

In Sky, you take control over a simple square on a mission to... well, there's no mission, really. You just try not to do 'die'. To do so, you have to dodge multiple obstacles by jumping over them, which becomes harder and harder the longer you survive. And when you enter those shack/tent things? Your square multiplies, and while you can't die until all of your squares crash, occasionally trying to take care of four instead of one square makes it more likely that you will die.

Download: Android ($4.99) / iOS ($4.99)

While there are plenty of sky shoot-em-up games on the app store with fancier graphics, none of them comes close to the exalted status of Raiden. 

First introduced in 1990, Raiden was a smash hit at the local arcades, ensuring subsequent expansions were released. If you'd like to relive as sweet a part of your childhood, then Raiden Legacy will be $4.99 well spent. 

Unlike other games on this list, Raiden Legacy is kind of complex with its scoring system, but we're including it because it's real easy to pick up and, more importantly, enjoyable from the get-go. Go unleash some destruction!

Download: Android / iOS

At some point two years ago, the numbers game 2048 became so popular that dozens upon dozens of clones were released near simultaneously. Even today, it's hard to pinpoint the original.

That's not our problem, however, and we've got to say that 2048 is possibly the most addictive game on this list if you dig numbers puzzles. The task is simple enough: combine identical numbers until you get to a 2048 tile. And quite frankly, there's something incredibly satisfying in doubling your biggest tile—it's like a dopamine hit.

Download: Android / iOS

It's hard explaining why Timberman is so addictive. We know it brings us pleasure to get higher and higher up a tree as we control a furry, square-ish lumberjack, but it honestly seems like the very feeling of moving past obstacles at such breakneck speeds (once you get good) directly massages the reward centers in our brain. We're getting off by watching ourselves do good, in essence.

That's weird. But hey, do try Timberman.

Download: Android / iOS

From the same guys that made Stack and (Endless) Sky, ZigZag is yet another beautifully drawn time-waster that will have you assume the role of a lonely ball trying to zig-zag its way to... well, nowhere. It's an endless runner type deal, so there isn't actually a final level or anything.

This may come across as rather off-putting, but we experience the kind of rush we do with Timberman when we successfully make it past a particularly complicated part of a given level. ZigZag is simple, addictive, and you'll be making it farther and farther with each try—further fueling your addiction.

Download: Android / iOS

In One More Line, you take the role of an illustrative space ship that moves about by lassoing and attaching to stationary dots that serve to propel you forward in this never-ending side scroller.

One More Line isn't the easiest game to master, but you can quickly get into it and kill off time when needed. Just be careful, casual plays of this game have a way of suddenly turning into a mania. It's addictive, so be warned.

Download: Android / iOS

With popular social media stars and viral sites advertising Color Switch as if there's no tomorrow, it's likely that you've heard of Color Switch.

As the name suggests, it's a game of colors, but it's more complicated than that. It's an endless side scroller in which you assume the role of a colored dot that changes its hue constantly. To pass through obstacles, you have to aim for the same color your dot is, otherwise you'll crash and burn. It's as simple as that, and it's exactly why Color Switch is freaking addictive. 

Download: Android / iOS ($0.99)

The work of Adult Swim, Robot Unicorn Attack is undoubtedly one of our favorite casual games. Instead of trying to explain the weirdness that its concept is, we'll let the developers behind it explain: