It’s time to quit out of iWork, SublimeText, or Photoshop, and take a well-deserved break. Today we are going over some fun and simple quick-fix games that will allow you to reset your brain and get back to work with a fresh mindset. These games are meant to give you a few minutes of distraction while you take a break, wait for a movie to render, wait for an important business call, or if you just happen to want some brief gaming time.
With that said, if you happen to be a gamer who enjoys simple yet addictive games, you may want to take a look at this list. In it, you will find quite a few games that are worth your time. Some of them are free, too, so you won’t even have to spend a dime.
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Crystal Tower
Our first item on the list is Crystal Tower. It was previously free, but now its one buck. Regardless, this game is a really short and sweet puzzle game that’ll help you kill some time. This game was in my hard drive for quite a while, and my only complain is that there is not a lot of replay value; otherwise, this game should be in your library.
Price: $0.99
Super Crossfire
Welcome to Super Crossfire! This crazy little game will have you addicted in no time! With over 150 unique waves of enemies, deep yet simple gameplay, and power-ups, you will have a blast as you take your break. It may take you away from your work for more than five minutes, but hey, give it a try.
Price: $4.99
Call of Atlantis
Get ready to waste some time in Call of Atlantis. Atlantis, that one lost city you may have heard of, is looking for you to save the city and defeat its enemies. There are around 66 addictive levels with supposed “endless” replay value. It also promises “elegant” voice overs, so give it a try. It is free to try anyways.
Prize: Free
A Knight’s Move
A Knight’s Move is the first game on our list that combines current gaming features with board games mechanics. In this game, you basically use the same movement you would as if you were a knight in chess, however your target is to move your knight across the board. It is a well-received game, so give it a try.
Price: Free
Mine Searcher
Who remembers being in an office and playing Mine Sweeper on that old PC? I do. Well, to be completely honest, it was my mom’s office and I was about five, but hey, I remember. Anyways, Mine Searcher is basically the same, exact game on your Mac. Yes, finally! But sarcasm aside, this is one of those great time wasters that doesn’t get old. Give it a try.
Price: Free
Stripe Physics
Physics, physics, physics. Like our first item, this game is somewhat similar, but it is currently free, and your ultimate goal is to bring the red ball to a platform. There are many objects that have different properties, so you will have to be careful with those. If there is a hard level, just remember that if you get back to work, then later get back to the game, you’ll do better.
Price: Free
SpellTower
SpellTower is our first word game in this list, and guess what? It is Game Center compatible, too! I know, crazy! Never mind that, though, because it sadly has no multiplayer! Either way, word games are perfect for wasting your time, so have a look at it, and let us know what you think.
Price: $3.99
Bejeweled 3
What? I mean, you knew I had to add PopCap’s Bejeweled 3 to the mix! After the Mine Sweeper clone, this game is probably the best time waster, quick-fix game out there! If you are not familiar with Bejeweled, you should really give it a try. I’ll admit, the game is a bit high in price, but you do get a PSN/XBLA caliber game. With that said, take a look at it, you will have a great time.
Price: $19.99
Osmos
I wasn’t particularly aware that a genre known as “eat-em-up existed, but hey, if you didn’t either, here is our first “classic eat-em-up” game. Osmos will have you growing and growing by absorbing smaller motes. In order to move though, you will have to eject matter behind you. I know what you are thinking, but don’t worry, it is nothing like that. I don’t think?
Price: $19.99
W.E.L.D.E.R.
Nope, I’m not gonna repeat the name of this game, but I am going to tell you that it is a great word game. It is also compatible with Game Center. However the only downside to this app is that it contains quite a few in-app purchases. The game is already six bucks by itself, so I doubt an in-app purchase of 30 dollars is worth it. Judge for yourself, though.
Price: $5.99
Mancala FS5
Mancala FS5 is another cool board game that can now live on your Mac. Thanks to Game Center, you can play this game with other people in the multiplayer section. If you need a quick time-killing device, this is the one for you. It also has a lot of replay value since you don’t need to play against the computer all the time.
Price: $4.99
Vitrun
Our next game will put you in a race against time in the year 2174. You are in the quest for habitable planets — who isn’t in the year 2174, right? — that are similar to earth. With awesome 3D graphics and over 18 levels to tackle, you will get a nice few minutes out of this game each time you play.
Price: $1.99
Gridrunner
Ready for some shooting? Welcome to the mad world of Gridrunner. This is an iconic game from the Commodore 64 era back in 1982; which means, I wasn’t even born yet. In any case, relive the adventures of Gridrunner with updated physics and gameplay mechanics. This game is excellent as a quick-fix as well.
Price: $2.99
WordsWorth
WordsWorth. Say that 100 times without stoping. Go on, I dare you. Actually, never mind. I just tried. It is sort of easy, but hey, you want to know what this game is all about. WordsWorth is a word game with Game Center support and a huge amount of features. There are three modes, it supports push notifications, chat support, Facebook, etc. Give this game a try.
Price: $4.99
The Last Rocket
The Last Rocket is a cool little 8-bit game that will have you blasting your way through 64 rooms of spikes, fans, mines, flame jets and more! You need to escape before the ship collides with a star, so be quick, be lethal, and be nimble! It is perfect as a quick-fix game, and it even has achievements. No Game Center support, though.
Price: $2.99
Mahjong Elements HDX
Also supporting Game Center, Mahjong Elements HDX is a Mahjong game that will give you over 50 hours of awesomeness. Packed with plenty of cool features, you can’t go wrong with this game if you like Mahjong games. There is also no time limit, so if you feel like going over those five minutes of your break, feel free. Just remember, you need to get back to work at some point!
Price: $4.99
Qbism HD
Yet another quick and simple puzzle game to keep your mind busy for a few minutes. With dynamic backgrounds, over 140 puzzles, 3D graphics and effects, you can’t go wrong with Obism HD. This game will really challenge your perception, so be on your toes.
Price: $2.99
Touch Grind
Ever played with those finger skateboards? Anyways, Touchgrind is an awesome game that basically brings finger boarding to your Mac. Be warned though, this game requires multi-touch technology, so that means that some MacBooks won’t be able to play this (unless you have an external peripheral).
Price: Free
Quinn
Quinn has been a very good game to me since I got my MacBook Pro back in late 07. This is essentially the best Tetris game you will ever play. Sadly, they don’t update it anymore over a name dispute, but you can still get it. You can customize many aspects of the game and really make it your own. Plus, it really is a quick-fix game.
Price: Free
Zen Pinball 2
Zen Pinball 2 is one of the coolest pinball games out there. With a high Metacritic score, you are sure to have some fun with it. Odd that a game of this genre is free-to-play, but if you want to add more to it, you can also get the Marvels’ The Avengers table for a small fee.
Kill Monty
Recommended to us by read Philipp, Kill Monty is a very gory game that allows you to completely lose yourself into it and reset your brain. Awesome for when you are switching from one task to the other. There is a demo version, so try downloading that and trying it before you buy.
Price: $19.95
Major Mayhem
“This is slaughter done right”, says PocketGamer. Alright why not, let’s go with that. This extremely addictive game has plenty of things for you to do, and while yes you can spend many hours on this games, you can also spend just a few minutes with it at the time. I’ll warn you now, though, the game has some in-app purchases. However, according to IGN (yeah, they actually reviewed this game), “Major Mayhem is one of the best rail shooters on the App Store.”
Warblade
This is the land of shoot-’em-ups (not eat-’em-ups). In this land, you will fight aliens and save humanity from their threat. This game resembles Galaga, but with a lot of new-age updates and features. This game comes fully packed with 100 action-packed levels and achievements, so you will be coming back for more every time!
Price: $4.99
Gun Builder
Alright, I’m just gonna say it: Ghost Recon Gunsmith mode. Yes, this game is probably an exact copy of that awesome mode from Ghost Recon: Future Soldier, but hey, it is a pretty cool mode. In this game you will be able to create cool guns and take them out on to the gun range (just like in Ghost Recon!). There are plenty of combinations to go through, so go nuts!
Price: $9.99
Stupid Zombies
Good name for a game about zombies, don’t you think? Yep, zombies can’t seem to get a break, but neither can we. They just invade just about every game we play, so let’s kill them all. In this cool little time-waster, you will be tasked with killing stupid zombies with a shotgun and save humanity. Careful, this game can get a bit difficult.
Price: $2.99
Pictorial
Pictorial is a game that involves quite a lot of reasoning, so it is probably not good for a lot of mindless shooting. The game play here is a bit tougher, so expect to be challenged along the way. However, this game is short enough to help you when you need some time away from work.
Price: $1.99
Hungry Dragon
Hungry Dragon is a cool game that is very reminiscent of the very simple snake games of old. You take control of a very hungry dragon who is trapped by an evil power. The goal is to find food and eat as much as you can in order to break free. Gameplay can be endless, so better be on your toes.
Price: $0.99
Fantastic 4-In-a-Row
This game is a take on a very classic game, so those out there who remember should have an amazing time with it. It, of course, comes with all the bells and whistles that this generation’s games have. This one isn’t Game Center compatible sadly, but hey perhaps in the future.
Price: Free
Terrific Tic-Tac-Toe
And here is another take on the infamous Tic Tac Toe game. This one comes with some cool features that will help you better spend your break. You can also play with another person, so you can play with the family.
Price: Free
Tap Tap Rescue
Tap Tap Rescue is currently free for a limited time, so if it is still free at the time of publication, you should get it while supplies last! This game is a fun small puzzle game where you mess around with physics and go through and interesting story.
Price: Free
Black Tower 2
Black Tower’s name alone doesn’t really tell you what it is all about, but if the ratings are correct, this game is one very addicting gem. Gems: you mess around with gems all the time, so hey, if this is your kind of game, give it a go!
Price: Free
Dots Deluxe
Dots Deluxe is another game by EnsenaSoft (which has no relation to NeverSoft), but this one is all about dots. The name probably gave that away, didn’t it? You basically have to click the start and the end of the dots and then close a box, so the player with the most closed boxes wins.
Price: $0.99
Air Hockey
There had to be an air hockey game in this list, I mean, it is one of the best quick-fix games out there. As you may know, air hockey is fast, fun, simple, so this is a perfect time waster. The only down side with it is the price. There are other free alternatives I’m sure.
Price: $2.99
Rafter
Rafter is a cool physics-based game where players sketch objects in order to, well, play and win. There are over 100 levels, so this one is gonna be sitting on your Launchpad for long. It can get a bit tricky in the later levels, so don’t give up!
Price: $1.99
Buka
Buka, our last item on the list, is where you make “stars go boom”. So basically, it is everyday-business for anyone who’s ever destroyed a star before. Samantha Carter comes to mind, but she destroyed a sun, right? Anyway, this fun and quick game is about destroying everything until you read what they call “the happy place”. Give it a try.
Price: Free
So, how do you reset your brain?
Now that we’ve given you some tasty games for your gaming needs, we encourage you to share the ones you use when you need a few minutes of distraction from your workflow. Remember that your additions may be featured in other roundups, so go ahead and enrich us with new content on the comments below. Don’t forget to also check out the Humble Bundle games from this week’s bundle before it’s gone.
Oh, and feel free to join our Steam Group in order to play with or against Mac.AppStorm readers and writers.