The 10 best clicker games to play if you need to kill some time (2024)

Idle hands are the devil’s tools. Idle games are a gift from heaven.

Sometimes, there’s nothing better than challenging yourself against that end-game boss or taking on an energy-sapping dungeon. Other times, you might want to call up the gang for a few hours of frantic FPS action.But if you’ve had a long day or just want to give your brain a rest, that’s when you’ll want to search out idle games, where the most effort you’ll need to put in is a few finger taps.

If you’re not familiar, the idle genre has been around for a while, gaining widespread popularity in the early 2010s, with lots of breakout hits along the way, most recently with games like Banana. The premise of these games is pretty simple: repeatedly click or tap in order to farm resources or currency, which can then be used to unlock upgrades and other items.It’s the simplicity of the genre that makes it so compelling. So, of course, we felt compelled to put together our list of the best clicker games. Read on to find out what games we think you should reach for the next time you feel like doing (next to) nothing.

What are the best clicker and idle games?

Before we get to the list, perhaps we should ask what makes for a great clicker game. In other genres, there are certain characteristics that the most popular in that category share, and the best idle games are no exception.Of course, you won’t find all these traits in every game, but a great clicker game should have at least some of the following: engaging visuals, addictively replayable gameplay loops, a rewarding progression system, strategic depth with meaningful choices, and idle mechanics to help you earn resources passively.

Fallout Shelter

Fallout Shelter really doesn’t get the credit it deserves. It’s one of thebest free singleplayer games on PC, and is a great choice for you if you’re looking for the perfect blend of simplicity and depth from idle games.The core gameplay of gradually expanding your vault and accumulating resources is easy to pick up yet features enough progression systems and unlocks to keep players hooked for the long haul. Its charming retro visuals and iconic Fallout theming, from Vault-Tec to Nuka-Cola, will appeal strongly to fans of the franchise, too.

Even more encouraging, its free-to-play model is generous, allowing you to experience the full game without having to spend a penny. There is a very light element of management to the game, with tasks to be assigned to dwellers, but Fallout Shelter hits the sweet spot of providing an engaging, thematic idle experience with just enough interaction to feel rewarding.

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms

Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms stands out as a compelling idle clicker game due to its strategic depth, rewarding progression, and rich Dungeons & Dragons theming.While idle at its core, it demands careful party formation, abilities management, and upgrade planning to maximize damage output.

The loop of unlocking new characters, earning permanent bonuses, and acquiring upgraded gear is highly satisfying. As is the iconic Forgotten Realms setting.By blending repetitive mechanics with strategic gameplay, a sense of meaningful progression, and beloved D&D lore, Idle Champions offers a captivating experience for both casual and hardcore players.

Firestone: Online Idle RPG

Firestone: Online Idle RPG had to be included in our compilation of the best clicker games thanks to the combination of its compelling progression mechanics, rich fantasy setting, and deep character customization.

The premise is beautifully simple: Collect and level up various heroes, equip them with gear, and watch them battle enemies even when AFK. Perfect.The game features an engaging storyline, multiplayer elements like guilds and raids, and systems like researching upgrades and crafting runes. With its idle combat, PVP arenas, mini-games, and achievements, Firestone offers a well-rounded experience for idle RPG fans.

IdleOn – The Idle RPG

IdleOn – The Idle RPG is deceptively deep, offering up 17 classes to try out, 250 skill perks, and numerous gameplay systems like Tower Defense and Pet Battles.Praised for a robust system that allows you to make considerable progression even when offline, the engaging gameplay loop, entertaining writing, and memorable NPCs are more than enough to keep fans of incremental games invested for the long haul.

Those who do find themselves spending hours in the game will be delighted to hear the solo developer still regularly updates their game with fresh content, adding to its already substantial longevity.

AdVenture Capitalist

AdVenture Capitalist’s simple yet rewarding gameplay loop will have you eagerly clicking away to earn money for upgrades and increased revenue for your advertising empire!

With new business types to unlock and additional managerial hires available that promise to automate earnings, it’s really easy to get hooked on this game.The idle mechanics generate revenue even when offline, incentivizing frequent check-ins and that oh-so-sweet dopamine hit.

Shakes and Fidget

Our next pick comes in the form of a satirical fantasy RPG featuring a thoroughly appealing hand-drawn comic style that perfectly complements its humorous tone. Shakes and Fidget is an excellent mix of idle progression and engaging active gameplay elements like quests, dungeons, and PvE or PvP battles.

You’ll start by creating and customizing your own hero before joining a guild and heading out on epic quests, battling against monsters and other heroes to earn epic weapons and equipment, grow stronger, and become a legend!The blend of idle mechanics, character customization, social features, and consistent updates make this title an entertaining and well-rounded idle clicker RPG.

Banana

Before writing this, if you’d have told us a game where you do nothing, and we mean nothing, other than repeatedly tapping on a picture of a banana would make our list of clicker games, we’d have been surprised — to say the least. But here we are.Banana is a supremely simple game. You get a new, random banana every 3 hours to click on, which adds to your collection of, well, ‘nanas.

And that’s really all there is to it, though it achieved viral popularity on Steam thanks to its virtual economy that opened up the opportunity for players to earn real money from the digital fruits of their labor by selling them on Valve’s marketplace.The (banana) skins you can sell range from common ones that are worth a few cents to extremely rare versions that have gone from hundreds of dollars. And it’s probably this potential that’s seen many games like Banana sprout up on the back of its popularity.

Clicker Heroes

Clicker Heroes is one of the most compelling incremental games ever made. It’s so easy to get into! You start by clicking on a monster to kill them, claiming the gold they drop. Spend that currency to hire new heroes and cause more damage to the next foe. The greater your damage, the bigger the cache of gold you’ll earn. You get the idea.

Recruit a total of 35 unique legendary heroes to join you on your quest to defeat more than 100 creepy creatures featuring mythical figures like Athena, Amenhotep, and King Midas. The damage that lot dish out will earn you some serious loot, which you can then use to upgrade them — unlocking special powers that level up your damage count even further!Best of all, your crew will continue to farm monsters while you’re AFK, so you can pick up after a long day with a boat load of gold to spend!

AFK Journey

We don’t normally include games that aren’t available on Steam or Epic, but we’re making an exception with AFK Journey.This idle RPG is set in a vast world, where the fantastical story has you taking the role of leader, guiding the six factions to their ultimate destinies.

All hero characters can be unlocked for free via login rewards and events — something that isn’t always the case with idle games. There’s little effort required, as you might expect, but you can use strategy and precision to take on battlefield challenges, should you wish. While the wide range of collectible, customizable heroes to add to your party, paired with effortless resource gathering and upgrades, will have fans of such games coming back for more, time and time again.

Cookie Clicker

We couldn’t end this collection of the best clicker games without including one of the OGs.Cookie Clicker is so enticing because of its constant progression system that automates cookie production, keeping players eagerly driving towards achieving the next milestone.

Built for players who strive towards maximum efficiency and love resource management, it’ll appeal to the minmaxers out there.With an endless gameplay loop and ever-shifting goalposts, Cookie Clicker will keep you engaged for hours — so it’s best to pick up and play when you’ve got nothing else to do!

And that brings our list of the best clicker titles to a close. What idle titles do you prefer to play when you're in the mood for a bit of mindless gaming? Let us know in the comments.