Put your feet up with a few relaxing mobile games
Mobile gaming is great for playing on the go, but the Android store offers more than high stakes and intense gameplay loops. Seeing as it's getting colder outside, you might be in the mood for something slow, calm, and contemplative. Well, AP feels the same way and is here to recommend some excellent Android games to get you through the cold months. Hope you like low-intensity gameplay and soothing soundtracks.
A famous example of a chilled-out experience, Stardew Valley is a farming simulator/RPG hybrid centered around building and maintaining a farm in a beautiful, pastoral, pixel art world. You've left your job in the big city to live off the land and grow your own business. Farming mechanics resemble Minecraft's, plowing fertile land, planting crops, and keeping cattle. What sets Stardew valley apart is its focus on farming aspects. Changes in weather must be accounted for to prevent your crops from dying, and supplies/tools must be bought from the local village full of vendors that offer unique designs and personalities. It's all about tending your farm at your own pace and slowly building something out of love and care. A perfect alternative if Terraria and Minecraft are too ominous or combat-heavy for you.
Hidden Object Autumn Garden is a slow, thoughtful puzzle game requiring you to locate a list of items concealed in plain sight within a vibrantly colored fall background. The items can be anything from a trophy, a gear, or a random symbol. The only requirement is that they blend into the background. Get past the overbearing introduction, and you are left with a simple puzzle game with a beautiful aesthetic, an upbeat soundtrack, and an appropriate lack of time limits. Give this one a try if you feel like taking an embarrassingly long time to find a mushroom.
The first of a few animal-centric games, Stray Cat Doors, is a cute escape room puzzle game based on unlocking an exit door by solving random puzzles. In essence, the gameplay resembles a point-and-click adventure, deciphering clues and combinations from the environment to proceed. The level of comfort this game exhibits is mesmerizing, the art style is beautiful, the lighting sets the mood perfectly, and the soundtrack could lull you to sleep if you aren't careful. There is a simple joy in solving small puzzles in a calm environment in the service of a fluffy animal. While not very long, Stray Cat Doors offers a quality experience, delivering exactly what you’d expect. Probably the first time you could describe an escape room game as relaxing.
Nothing like an idle game for relaxing, Penguin Isle is a city-building simulator that requires very little action from the player. The game is appealingly simple in terms of visuals, displaying a boundless blue ocean. Set on an expanding iceberg penguin settlement, you are required to manufacture penguin-based infrastructure. You orchestrate the construction of fishing huts, bakeries, theaters, and penguin Ferris wheels, all the essential trappings of a functioning society. Developing the island yields points for further development; nice and simple. While the game has some minor issues with frequent ads, the over experience is solid. A relaxing little penguin-themed distraction to mess around with while watching tv.
Sticking with the causal god game theme, Townscaper offers a creativity toy devoid of tension, existing simply to entertain and satisfy the player. You are given the tools to construct your ideal coastal village with unlimited resources, simple controls, and all the time in the world. Outside of its charming art design and calming music, Townscaper’s most interesting feature is its attention to terrain detail. Small dips and peaks in a surface affect how your structures manifest, warping around those natural occurrences. This feature saves Townscaper from being a simple drag-and-drop experience, ensuring that every structure is unique. Overall, Townscaper is great for expressing your creativity in a mellow environment. The Lego-style vehicle for unique creations makes it perfect for relaxation.
Probably the most unique game so far, Monument Valley is a stylized puzzler centered around manipulating optical illusions. You are a silent protagonist called Ida, ascending to the summit of several monuments to place something; before progressing to the next optical illusion puzzle. You'll move along flat-shaded narrow paths while twisting certain path alignments to make new areas accessible. Monument valley’s music is splendid, slow, and celestial. The levels start off simple but ramp up in difficulty pretty steeply toward the end. But the difficulty is not based on quick thinking or sharp instincts. There is no time limit, and you are free to take your time to complete these surreal puzzles. Recommended for those who want a little challenge while they’re relaxing.
If you prefer something a little more epic in your downtime, Sky: Children of the Light provides a great experience. You play a small humanoid traveling through a series of beautiful overworlds; in pursuit of purifying corrupted souls. The primary loop is the traversal mechanics, which involve your character using their poncho-like wings. You are free to glide about as you see fit, allowing you to kick back and enjoy the gorgeous scenery. This game also features multiplayer; other small owl children can be found and collaborated with in all seven of the overworlds, with some puzzles only being solvable with multiple owl children. While it can be a little tricky to follow at times, Sky: Children of the Light offers a breathtaking explorative world, beautiful fluid animations, and music that suits the setting perfectly. If you enjoy the gliding mechanics in Breath of the wild, this game will tick that box.
Another great perspective-centric puzzle game, Hidden Lands - Visual Puzzles is a beautifully animated hidden object game. Depicting locations spanning multiple themes and seasons, Hidden Lands - Visual Puzzles allows you to rotate two floating islands rich with detail, requiring you to locate the difference between the two. This is about as Zen as it gets. There's no conflict, plot, or urgency, just a simple season-themed observation test. Perfect for getting cozy this winter.
The coziest thing about all of these great Android games is that they are all available on your Android device. No need to worry about starting up consoles or sitting in PC chairs; you are at liberty to play all these chilled-out titles from the comfort of your own sofa or bed. Whether you like solving some of the best puzzle games or building cities, exploring worlds, or growing turnips, the Google Play Store offers more than a few cozy titles for you to hibernate with.