Not in the mood for stressful sprinting or murderous mayhem? These mobile games are designed to bring inner calm rather than making your temples throb…
Townscaper | Android (R87) | iOS (R60)
A city-building game without the busywork, Townscaper dumps you in an endless expanse of water and has you tap the screen to plonk down little islands. Depending on where blocks are positioned, oddball structures and features automatically appear, such as lighthouses, gardens, washing lines and – bizarrely – UFO-like buildings improbably suspended by way of gigantic fans.
Mini Metro | Android (R21) | iOS (R80)
Subways aren’t generally all that relaxing… and nor is the standard mode in Mini Metro, which ramps up the stress to a terrifying degree as the pressure on the lines builds. ‘Endless’ does away with that, giving you a no-lose setup all about tinkering with lines and maximising their efficiency. That might sound dull, but the minimalist visuals and tinkly audio make it mesmerising.
I Love Hue Too | Android (free/IAPs) | iOS (free/IAPs)
Ostensibly a puzzle game, I Love Hue Too avoids smashing out your brains and instead gives a loving massage to your eyes. Each of its many levels scrambles tiles within a colourful mosaic; your job is to rearrange them into perfect spectrums. If you want more of a challenge, tap ‘replay’ and try doing the same level in fewer moves. Either way, this one’s a tranquil and decidedly artsy way to unwind.
Minecraft | Android (R150) | iOS (R150)
Yes, Minecraft – that game of fending off ravenous blocky mobs intent on killing you in horrible ways. Until, that is, you set it to creative mode. At that point, it’s like the biggest ever box of Lego combined with massive lo-res worlds to explore. It’s great in multiplayer too, but only if everyone’s on the same page – because you won’t stay relaxed if someone smashes up all your best builds.
Empty. | Android (free) | iOS (free)
If you get stressed when surrounded by clutter, this is catharsis in video game form. Each of its 24 levels depicts a minimal space of colourful walls and object silhouettes; merge objects into surfaces of the same colour and they fade into nothingness. Once all the objects are gone, you can emit a sigh and consider how much better life would be if tidying up were this easy in the real world.
Prune | Android (R93) | iOS (R100)
This love letter to pruning sees you urging tiny trees towards the light in a hostile world packed with levitating balls of doom. Which doesn’t sound relaxing. But it’s oddly soothing stuff as you snip branches, watch how your plant reacts, and get a real lift when it erupts in horticultural joy. And at least if you cut off the wrong bit you can try again. Try doing that with your ‘zen’ bonsai.
