Modern games are more detailed and keep us engaged for longer periods than ever before. While this can be great for those of us who get their breaks in large portions, there are those of us who either don't have access to the time required to really dig our teeth in or who wish to play in chunks during smaller moments of downtime. So what games and systems are the best suited to those stuck in a rush, for a little fun in a busy world, or just to relieve some stress?

Going Traditional

Funnily enough, many of the best opportunities for mobile gaming come with dedicated handheld gaming devices. The biggest and most relevant example of this today might be the mobile mode of the Nintendo Switch, but we also shouldn’t underestimate the library of the DS based systems. When it comes to the Switch, our prime recommendations would be turn-based or less action heavy games. In this, we feel the fantastic port of the similarly fantastic Stardew Valley is one of the best ways to relax. With only a few minutes you can play out a day on your farm, collecting crops, catching fish, romancing the obviously superior choice of Maru, or just ensuring everything keeps running smoothly.

When it comes to the DS line, you have a ridiculously large library of turn-based games which are a perfect fit for quick play periods. Among these would be any main entry into the Pokémon series, obviously, Fire Emblem, or even the more recent Dragon Ball Fusions (great for those getting into the series again with Super).

Moving to Mobile

Any talk about modern mobile gaming would be incomplete without mentioning what mobile phones bring to the table, even though many traditional gamers can still tend to write these off as ‘casual’. If nothing else, modern mobile games offer a huge range of older classic games ported to the system, on top of the original creations which run deeper than many uninitiated might expect. We don’t want to recommend Fire Emblem twice in one article, but then we just did.

Another aspect of these which should not be underestimated is the world of online casinos and their mobile-based adaptations. Online casino games tend to be perfectly suited to quick play sessions, with single-player games like slots being an especially popular choice. Almost all of these websites run on mobile, in fact one of the leaders in the industry, LeoVegas, offers dedicated mobile versions, so fans of more traditional forms of gaming should definitely take a look.

Making Your Choice

Taste in gaming is just like taste in any other form of art – subjective. While what's listed is a great way to start, especially for those new to the world of gaming, you shouldn't give up if these or the most popular examples don't work for you. Mobile and handheld games today cover almost every possible topic and genre available, meaning finding something right for you is more a matter of when rather than a matter of if. Just be sure keep an eye on the clock, lest you get caught in the old gaming trap of ‘just one more turn’.