There are so many things to love about Macs that it would take far too long to list them all. However, if there’s one big drawback to Apple’s computers, it’s that there are so many games that it isn’t possible to play on them. Whilst it might seem like Windows users get all of the best titles, if you spend a little time really researching, you might be surprised at how many brilliant Mac-compatible games you can find. We’ve curated this list of quick play games for those moments when you’re a little bored on your lunch break, or have a few minutes to fill on the morning commute. We’ve included a mixture of some that can be played in your browser and others that you’ll need to download so that, even if you’re super pressed for time, there’ll be something to keep you amused.
Spelunky
There’s nothing better than a free game unless that free game is also a brilliantly small file, saving you space on your Mac and providing endless entertainment. Spelunky is exactly that. The game asks you to explore underground tunnels (an activity known as spelunking) and look for treasure whilst you’re down there. In order to continue exploring, you’ll need to be careful to avoid traps and bad guys, whilst using bombs to explode through cave walls and ropes to climb down further into the caves. You’ve only got one life in this game, so you need to be cautious in your exploration. However, if you get caught by a trap or an enemy and have to start again, then the good news is that the map is totally randomized, meaning that you’ll never get the same adventure twice. This game is brilliant fun and whilst it’s possible to easily fill a few hours, you can fit a good bit of spelunking into as little as five or ten minutes.
Poker
There are plenty of attributes that make online poker exciting, but one of them that will really appeal to Mac users is that it’s entirely browser-based. So often, the big releases are designed for Windows and either have a hastily thought-out Mac compatibility option or simply aren’t available for Apple customers. Browser-based games remove all of those problems as well as being download free, so you can start playing immediately. Poker is a great one to choose as it encourages you to think logically about the moves that you’re going to make, learn your hand rankings off by heart, and generally make the best decisions that you can under time constraints. All of these skills can be applied in your everyday life, too, making it a brain-training exercise as well as a game.
Tetris
If you’re a tech-savvy gamer then you might have already installed an NES emulator for your iPhone or Mac, but if you’d rather keep things simple then there are some NES games that you can play without any download necessary. Tetris is an absolute classic and, whilst there are plenty of apps that you can download, if you’d like to play online then Tetris now has its own website. If you’ve never played Tetris before then the aim of the game is simple: to make sure there’s always a space for the blocks to fall into. In order to do this, you want to try and fit the falling blocks tightly together so that all of the squares in a row are covered. When this happens, the blocks in that row will disappear, allowing the ones above them to fall down. If you do this successfully then the game progressively speeds up, making the challenge increasingly difficult.
Stardew Valley
If you’re looking for a game with that cute retro feel, an insanely catchy theme tune, and the sort of game play that’s so relaxing it could almost be considered self-care, then Stardew Valley might be the title for you. This game didn’t so much storm onto screens as quietly stroll back in 2016 and has been delighting fans ever since. You begin the game by creating your avatar and personalizing their pet. Once that’s complete, you’ll be moved onto your own little homestead, which is usually out in the woods but can be near caves, ocean, forest or wetlands as you desire. Once there, you’ll need to figure out how to make a living for yourself. Planting seeds and selling the produce to the local store owner is a good place to start, but there are plenty of other business ventures that you can undertake too. Speaking to the other people in the town will help you to learn about them all. For example, the friendly fisherman Willy can lend you a rod and show you where different kinds of fish live, whilst if you travel through the underground mines then you’ll find out about bug slaying and gem collecting. This game is a true delight and with days that last a maximum of just fourteen minutes, it definitely fits the quick-play remit.