Blog

Apr 22, 2024

Best idle games in 2023

Why press buttons or tap on screens, when you can idle instead As long as you own a contemporary Android tablet or smartphone, you have access to some of the best Android games. The Play Store houses

Why press buttons or tap on screens, when you can idle instead

As long as you own a contemporary Android tablet or smartphone, you have access to some of the best Android games. The Play Store houses thousands of titles vying for your attention, but finding the time to play these titles is an entirely different matter.

A busy lifestyle might prevent you from dedicating hundreds of hours to lengthy role-playing games. Like most mobile games, be it MMORPGs or simulation games, they require a significant time investment.

On the other hand, idle games let you feel like you’re progressing even when you’re offline and away from your device. In this article, we’ve rounded up the best idle games that Android has to offer.

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. AdVenture Capitalist takes the well-known proverb quite literally. This vibrant idle clicker puts you in charge of an entrepreneurial spirit intent on making it big. But before you turn into something big, you start at a humble lemonade stand.

Make sound business decisions, attract investors, and you'll expand your empire in no time. AdVenture Capitalist features plenty of customization options to ensure your character looks as good as their bank account. The game also boasts tasteful satire on real-world people and events. For example, you can make it your ultimate goal to travel to the Mars.

AFK Arena embraces its idle game nature even in its name. On the one hand, it's a traditional turn-based RPG. There's over a hundred heroes to choose from and send into battle against the evil Hypogeans. On the other, it's a vibrant idle game in which said heroes level up when you're AFK.

Of course, it wouldn't be an RPG if each character didn't come with their own unique abilities and progression paths. Once you feel confident in your lineup, test your skills in AFK Arena's multiple game modes. One of them is a newly-added roguelike survival mode.

As soon as social media became a thing, millions of people flocked toward it to garner a following. After all, who wouldn't want to reach the potential of their creative pursuits? Guitar Girl is an idle game about a girl who aspires to make it big in the competitive music world. Thankfully, she's not alone, as you'll guide her through this difficult yet rewarding journey.

Guitar Girl puts you at the helm, as you'll have control over the heroine's creative projects, outfits, and even decorations. Make the right decisions, and you'll eventually amass a loyal group of followers. Some of these followers could become close friends, turning Guitar Girl into a heartwarming story akin to the best visual novels on Android.

Based on the Mobile Legends universe, Adventure contains many of the same characters. In other words, players of the flagship Bang Bang game will feel right at home. That said, Mobile Legends Adventure is an idle RPG in which you gradually build up a team of heroes.

Form a reliable roster and partake in idle battles to level them up. All in all, Mobile Legends Adventure features over a hundred characters and adds more via regular updates. Each character comes with a unique backstory that supplements the game's main plot line. Once you're done, there's an extensive assortment of options for online play.

Massively Multiplayer Online RPGs are known for being extremely involved in getting the right gameplay results. The LavaFlame 2 developed an MMO titled IdleOn Worlds, which has players completing quests while engaging with various characters to build a guild.

There are 11 unique classes divided into 12 unique skills and sub-systems. When not playing, player characters will still gather resources, craft, gain experience points, and fight enemies. Adding to this game’s charm is a unique 8bit pixel art style that’s visually appealing.

Released months before Fallout 4 hit previous-gen consoles in 2015, Fallout Shelter has players building their life underground following a nuclear attack. Players can find jobs, interact with other characters living below the surface, and craft tools to make their lives a bit better.

There are other things to keep players occupied, including combat with opposition inside and outside the shelter alongside romantic options. Fans of the Fallout series or those new to the post-apocalyptic world featuring a slick retro-futuristic art style are sure to enjoy what this game has to offer.

Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector is a joyful experience to play off and on. Players pretty much lay out toys and foods in their digital front yard for cats’ enjoyment. As players fill up their Catbook log, dozens of cat varieties will stop by. Players can even make an album of cat photos and later use them as wallpaper for their mobile devices.

The cool thing about Neko Atsume is that players can enjoy the game at their leisure without the fear of missing out on anything or losing. It definitely serves as the second most relaxing game in today's roundup.

In another game sporting an 8-bit visual style, zombIDLE will see players defending their field from the undead. To do so, players can use various weapons and tools to destroy the onslaught of zombies in addition to other ghoulish beings.

Successfully pulling this off will see players rewarded with monetary opportunities to upgrade their arsenal. This zombIDLE clicker game is perfect for anyone looking for an occasional short burst of intense action.

One of the most robust RPGs in the idle game genre, Idle Heroes, allows players to build a team of heroes to fight against evil forces. There are over 400 heroes to control with various classes in a take-on through turn-based combat.

If things get a bit too difficult, users can stop playing, as the game will allow heroes to earn experience points, collect resources, and upgrade tools before returning. Players with enough confidence can take the battle online for co-operative play against the tougher guild boss battles.

Crime pays in this mafia simulator. Idle Mafia allows players to grow their criminal empire via various means, including robbery and taking protection fees. Players can expand their illegal organization to other cities to take on potential rivals.

Running casinos or even an adult movie studio are other ways to make money in Idle Mafia - Tycoon Manager as well. When not playing, minions will keep the criminal empire running while you're away from your phone.

Fans of games like Stardew Valley and Harvest Moon may get a kick out of Idle Farming Empire. The goal of the game is to build the biggest farming business in the world through intelligent investments. This can include growing a large number of crops or raising livestock.

There’s even a cool weather control mechanic to make farming more of an efficient experience. Players can even customize the look of their farm and buy more farmland. When not playing, your farm will operate on its own.

The most relaxing game on this list has to go to Cats & Soup. Featuring a lovely art style inspired by Japanese illustrations, the game will see players raising cats in a beautiful animal forest where cats make soup.

Featuring dozens of cat varieties, Cats & Soup allows users to dress and customize their furry creatures however they see fit. There’s a tycoon angle that can have cats cook food and collect resources when away from the phone. As an added layer of relaxation, there’s also a customizable playlist of sounds.

A quirky idea for a game, Egg, Inc allows players to run a chicken farm. This clicker/simulation hybrid has players investing wisely in making their chicken farm the biggest in the world. Players can literally make it big enough to launch space expeditions.

Besides playing solo, there are also cooperative features in addition to daily events. For a game with such a simple premise, the number of daily events ensures players always have a reason to pick up and play.

Inspired by classic management sims like Roller Coaster Tycoon, Idle Theme Park Tycoon has players building a theme park from scratch and growing it to be the biggest and baddest around. Players can open attractions like roller coasters and haunted houses while they work business logistics, from ticket prices to marketing campaigns.

Thankfully, players won’t have to be too hands-on as Idle Theme Park Tycoon can operate even if users aren’t playing. Since progress is saved through the cloud, the game will continue even when players change their devices.

Similar to the cute style of Cat & Soup and Neko Atsume: Kitty Collector, Animal Restuarant's design is full of cuddly feelings. Behind the colorful visuals is a restaurant management sim featuring all sorts of furry creatures.

Players can create the eatery of their dreams and can pick between various culinary styles from Japanese to Mediterranean. Unlike many restaurant management sims, there's a depth to the customers player can interact with illustrated through various feelings about the food served and even stories about their lives.

One of the most visually high-end games on the list, RAID: Shadow Legends will see players saving the world of Teleria in what is a turn-based role-playing game. Players can recruit hundreds of different warriors and prepare them for raids against various enemies like dragons.

Besides single-player PvE, confident players can fight against other challengers through PvP. When not playing, your teams will explore, fight and gain experience while you're away.

Now that you're done reading, it's time to play. These idle games won't play themselves. Oh wait, actually, they will. But underneath the seeming simplicity, idle games are among the more enticing genres on mobile.

Have you played a good idle game lately? Tell us about your favorite title in the comments, and we’ll consider it for inclusion in a future update.

Ural Garrett is an Inglewood, CA-based journalist and content curator. His byline has been featured in outlets including CNN, MTVNews, Complex, TechRadar, LA Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter and more.

Edgar covers evergreen content for Android Police, which includes lists and guides to your favorite Android games and apps. After getting a degree in programming for Android OS, Edgar realized that he prefers talking about games to actually making them.Before joining Android Police, he wrote for gaming outlets such as GameSkinny, and TheXboxHub, and continues to cover tech on CyberPunks.com and ROR Magazine. He also covers his favorite games on his blog: Made in Arcade.On a more personal side of things, Edgar rejects cookies, unless they're white chocolate chip, and has an unhealthy relationship with coffee. He thinks that Digimon are way cooler than Pokémon and is willing to die on that hill.div[data-role="cookie-policy-banner"]{display:none !important;}app-cookies-policy{display:none !important;}header > #notify-bar{display:none !important;}cmm-cookie-banner{display:none !important;}cbn-cookies{display:none !important;}div.cookies-visible{display:none !important;}div.cookie--bar{display:none !important;}form.cookieBanner{display:none !important;}app-rodo{display:none !important;}div.cookienotice{display:none !important;}div.layer_cookies{display:none !important;}div#cmc-cookie-policy-banner{display:none !important;}shb-cookie-consent{display:none !important;}div.cookie-policy-info{display:none !important;}app-cookie-widget{display:none !important;}onl-cookie{display:none !important;}ytg-notification-footer{display:none !important;}section.cookie-bar{display:none !important;}[data-notification="CookiePolicyAgreement"]{display:none !important;}div.alert-cook{display:none !important;}[data-dmscookie]{display:none !important;}div#gdprpatronInfoleiste{display:none !important;}div#cookie-accept-container{display:none !important;}[aria-describedby="cookies-policy-message"]{display:none !important;}[data-name^="CookiesNotification"]{display:none !important;}div.CookieAlert{display:none !important;}cookies-warning{display:none !important;}div.cookies-body{display:none !important;}div[spec="cookie-disclaimer"]{display:none !important;}browser-login-cookie-notification{display:none !important;}app-footer-modal-cookie{display:none !important;}div.cookie-warn{display:none !important;}div.cookies_panel{display:none !important;}div.cookiebackground{display:none !important;}div.c-cookieConsent{display:none !important;}gj-cookie-prompt{display:none !important;}div.show-cookie-policy{display:none !important;}[data-automation="cookies-banner"]{display:none !important;}div.cookie-message{display:none !important;}div.cookie_header{display:none !important;}div.cnil-popup{display:none !important;}[data-cookie="uso-accept-cookies"]{display:none !important;}[aria-describedby="cookieprivacy"]{display:none !important;}[data-behaviour="cookie-popup"]{display:none !important;}div.bottom-cookies{display:none !important;}div.cookie-consent-show{display:none !important;}[data-react-class="EUCookieBanner"]{display:none !important;}ark-cookiebar{display:none !important;}div.ask-cookie{display:none !important;}thread-cookie-notice{display:none !important;}div.layout-cookie{display:none !important;}app-ccpa-banner{display:none !important;}div.askcook{display:none !important;}COOKIE-HEADER{display:none !important;}div.popupcookies{display:none !important;}div.acceptcookies{display:none !important;}[data-cookie-validity-days]{display:none !important;}app-foncia-cookie-banner{display:none !important;}div.CookiesWrap{display:none !important;}cookie-law-banner{display:none !important;}cookie-wrap{display:none !important;}c-ecp-cookies-banner{display:none !important;}div#cookies-pop{display:none !important;}sj-cookie-banner{display:none !important;}div.cookiesplace{display:none !important;}div.Cookie{display:none !important;}div.cookie__layer{display:none !important;}section.c-cookies{display:none !important;}div.-cookies-notice{display:none !important;}div.c-consent{display:none !important;}app-cookie-footer{display:none !important;}div.w-cookie{display:none !important;}div.panelCookies{display:none !important;}div#cookieBotHide1{display:none !important;}div#consentComponentContainer{display:none !important;}proactua-cookie-consent{display:none !important;}of-cookies-notice{display:none !important;}div.cookie-header{display:none !important;}div.cookie-notification-wrapper{display:none !important;}div[data-cookie-notification]{display:none !important;}o-cookie-law{display:none !important;}div.cookies-modal-container{display:none !important;}div.cookiesBanner{display:none !important;}div#accept-cookie{display:none !important;}div.block-cookie{display:none !important;}div.i-cookie{display:none !important;}div[data-wzb="CookieNotification"]{display:none !important;}div.alert__cookies{display:none !important;}div.-cookie-notice{display:none !important;}div.cookie-alert{display:none !important;}div[data-module="cookie_banner"]{display:none !important;}app-cookies-poli

googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('adsninja-ad-unit-belowTheAuthor-5ed9c6ce17890'); }); Close googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1469205451141-6'); }); Poll .hidden-poll {display: none}