WhatCanYouPlay
Best 15-minute games
Short sessions, zero guilt. These games are built to be picked up and put down.
Fifteen minutes is enough for a genuinely great gaming experience — if you pick the right game. The titles here are built around short, complete loops: a single run, a puzzle set, a quick skirmish. Roguelites and arcade-style titles where 15 minutes is the natural session length, so every sitting feels self-contained and satisfying. We rank by Metacritic score so the best-reviewed options float to the top.

Mini Metro
15 min
Puzzle · 2015
Mini Metro is a strategy simulation game about designing a subway map for a growing city. Draw lines between stations and start your trains running. As new stations open, redraw your lines to keep them efficient. Decide where to use your limited resources. How long can you keep the city moving?
metacritic score: 100
Slay the Spire
15 min
Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Adventure, Indie, Card & Board Game · 2019
We fused card games and roguelikes together to make the best single player deckbuilder we could. Craft a unique deck, encounter bizarre creatures, discover relics of immense power, and Slay the Spire!
metacritic score: 93
Street Fighter 6
15 min
Fighting, Arcade · 2023
The evolution of fighting games starts with our traditional Fighting Ground, and then we're turning the genre on its head with World Tour and Battle Hub for a total of three modes where anyone can play to their liking.
No one starts off as a champion. You get there step by step, punch by punch.
Take up the challenge and bring your game to the next level.
metacritic score: 93
Rez Infinite
15 min
Shooter, Music, Adventure, Arcade · 2016
The ultimate version of Sega's psychodelic rail-shooter adventure Rez, fully remastered and evolved, including VR support and additional new content, all by members of the original development team
metacritic score: 92
Vampire Survivors
15 min
Role-playing (RPG), Adventure, Indie, Arcade · 2022
Mow thousands of night creatures and survive until dawn! Vampire Survivors is a gothic horror casual game with rogue-lite elements, where your choices can allow you to quickly snowball against the hundreds of monsters that get thrown at you.
metacritic score: 91
Nex Machina
15 min
Shooter, Indie, Arcade · 2017
From the collaboration between Housemarque (Resogun, Alienation, Matterfall), and Robotron and Smash TV legendary creator Eugene Jarvis comes Nex Machina, an explosive arcade experience created with competition in mind.
metacritic score: 91
Desert Golfing
15 min
Casual · 2014
A minimalist golf game designed for touch screen mobile platforms.
metacritic score: 90
Mullet Madjack
15 min
Shooter, Adventure, Indie, Arcade · 2024
Mullet Madjack is a single-player fast-paced FPS that brings you directly inside a classic anime. Power up your character and reach the last floor; Beat your best time or try again. Haste makes waste… of your enemies!
metacritic score: 90
Linelight
15 min
Platform, Puzzle, Strategy, Adventure, Indie · 2017
Linelight is an elegant puzzle game set in a world of lines.
metacritic score: 90
Super Mario Maker
15 min
Platform · 2015
Super Mario Maker lets people’s imaginations run wild. For the first time ever, friends can have fun playing through levels they create for one another. The Wii U GamePad controller makes it so easy for anyone to create levels; it may feel like simply sketching out ideas on paper. Players can enjoy a seemingly endless supply of inventive Mario levels from players around the world.
The game includes a book totaling about 100 pages that illustrates the boundless possibilities in Super Mario Maker. Nintendo will also release two special Mario amiibo figures to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original Super Mario Bros. game. Tapping these amiibo in Super Mario Maker adds a Big Mushroom power-up to your course, allowing Mario to grow big and bust blocks from any direction, as well as adding a retro visual filter to the game, reminiscent of older cathode ray tube televisions. In addition, many other amiibo will also be compatible with Super Mario Maker through the use of a new item called the Mystery Mushroom. This item allows Mario to take the appearance of many other characters, such as Link, Kirby or Wii Fit Trainer, complete with character-specific animations and sound effects. These character costumes can be unlocked by completing the 100 Mario Challenge mode and many can also be unlocked if the player taps the amiibo of the character to the Wii U GamePad.
metacritic score: 90
Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
15 min
Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Arcade · 2024
The legendary crossover hits are back! The action-packed lineup consisting of seven unique titles, is full of heavy hitters like X-MEN VS. STREET FIGHTER, and MARVEL vs. CAPCOM 2 New Age of Heroes. The collection also includes the rare beat 'em up game, THE PUNISHER.
metacritic score: 89
Tetris Effect: Connected
15 min
Music, Puzzle, Indie, Arcade · 2020
Tetris Effect: Connected adds an all-new robust multiplayer expansion to the huge variety of addictive and innovative single-player modes that Tetris Effect is known for. Connect and play with or against each other in all-new modes like "Zone Battle," which shakes up traditional 1-on-1 Tetris gameplay via the time-stopping Zone mechanic, or try the innovative co-op of "Connected" mode, where up to three players can literally connect their Tetris playfields together and play as one, as they work together to take down a series of increasingly-challenging CPU-controlled bosses.
metacritic score: 89
Tekken 8
15 min
Fighting · 2024
Tekken 8 is the eighth canon release and tenth overall entry in the Tekken series. The game's story features 32 former and new characters, each with their own narrative that contributes to the overall story. Tekken 8 features upgraded fighting elements and systems from its predecessor, it also introduces brand-new mechanics such as the "Heat" system and "Tornado" hits. Arcade Quest was another addition to their online mode which includes tournaments, arcade features, customizable avatars and specialized currency that is featured throughout the game.
metacritic score: 88
Tetris Effect
15 min
Music, Puzzle · 2018
Named after a real-world phenomenon where players' brains are so engrossed that images of the iconic falling Tetrimino blocks linger in their vision, thoughts, and even dreams, Tetris Effect amplifies this magical feeling of total immersion by surrounding you with fantastic, fully three-dimensional worlds that react and evolve based on how you play. Music, backgrounds, sounds, special effects - everything, down to the Tetris pieces themselves, pulse, dance, shimmer, and explode in perfect sync with how you're playing.
metacritic score: 88
Superbeat: Xonic
15 min
Music, Arcade · 2015
SUPERBEAT: XONiC is an upcoming rhythm game developed by Nurijoy, a company formed by former employees of Pentavision. It is considered a spiritual successor to the DJMax music game series and its gameplay is based on the 2014 arcade game Beatcraft Cyclon, also made by Nurijoy. The gameplay of SUPERBEAT: XONiC consists of tapping notes to the beat of a song, either with the PlayStation Vita's face buttons or touchscreen. Modes, in order of difficulty, include 4 TRAX mode, 6 TRAX, and 6 TRAX FX. When selecting any mode, 3 tracks are played in succession and the player's performance is evaluated at the end. Local scores can be uploaded to a global online leaderboard if connected to the internet. SUPERBEAT will feature over 50 different tracks from a variety of genres, including soulful house, RnB, indie pop, progressive metal, and big beat and many more, and will include a collection of original music from producers such as 3rd Coast, ND Lee, Tsukasa and others.
metacritic score: 88
Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
15 min
Fighting, Arcade · 2018
"Prepare yourselves, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition is coming out on January 16, 2018! If you’ve been spectating from the sidelines or are waiting for a reason to join the fight, now is the time!
In addition to the highly-requested Arcade Mode, Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition contains a bounty of new features, including Extra Battle Mode, Gallery, a redesigned UI, and more! All 28 characters will also be present with a second V-Trigger to change the way each battle is fought.
From the beginning, we promised that you’ll only need to purchase the original Street Fighter V, which we’re sticking to. All the new gameplay-related content – Arcade Mode, Extra Battle Mode, a second V-Trigger, the Gallery, and more – will be available as part of a free in-game update for current players! "
metacritic score: 87
Dragon Ball FighterZ
15 min
Fighting · 2018
Dragon Ball FighterZ is born from what makes the Dragon Ball series so loved and famous: endless spectacular fights with its all-powerful fighters.
metacritic score: 87
Injustice 2
15 min
Fighting · 2017
Power up and build the ultimate version of your favorite DC legends in INJUSTICE 2. With a massive selection of DC Super Heroes and Super-Villains, INJUSTICE 2 allows you to equip every iconic character with unique and powerful gear earned throughout the game. Experience an unprecedented level of control over how your favorite characters look, how they fight, and how they develop across a huge variety of game modes. This is your super Hero. Your Journey. Your Injustice.
metacritic score: 86
Mini Motorways
15 min
Puzzle · 2019
Mini Motorways is a strategy simulation game about designing the road map for a growing city. Build a traffic network, one road at a time, to create a bustling metropolis. Redesign your roads and place your motorways to get everyone where they need to go. How long can you keep the city moving?
metacritic score: 86
BlazBlue: Central Fiction
15 min
Fighting, Arcade · 2015
BlazBlue: Central Fiction is a 2D fighting game developed by Arc System Works. It is the fourth game to the BlazBlue series, and is set after the events of BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma. The game adds Naoto Kurogane and Hibiki Kohaku as playable characters. BlazBlue: Central Fiction marks the conclusion of the story surrounding protagonist Ragna the Bloodedge.
metacritic score: 86
Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator
15 min
Fighting, Arcade · 2015
Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator is a Japanese fighting game and the updated version of Guilty Gear Xrd: Sign. The updated version adds new characters Jack-O, Johnny, and Jam Kuradoberi, as well as updated mechanics, balancing, systems, M.O.M. Mode, and more.
metacritic score: 86
One Finger Death Punch 2
15 min
Fighting, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Indie, Arcade · 2019
The world's fastest brawler is back. Experience cinematic kung-fu in the most epic stickman fighter ever made. Staying true to the original, you play with only two buttons. Every press matters, do not button mash!
metacritic score: 86
Capcom Fighting Collection 2
15 min
Fighting, Arcade · 2025
Capcom's newest fighting collection hits the stage!
Choose from fan-favorite games like Capcom vs. SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 and Project Justice to 3D action games like Power Stone and Power Stone 2 in this collection of eight classic fighting games!
Each game in the collection can be played online or co-op!
Get back in the ring and duke it out in battles that everyone rumored, but no one believed!
Whether it's with a rival new or old, give it your all and strive for victory!
metacritic score: 86
Metal: Hellsinger
15 min
Shooter, Music, Adventure · 2022
Strike terror into the hearts of demons and devils as you fight your way through eight Hells. Metal: Hellsinger is a rhythm FPS, brimming with diabolical enemies, powerful weapons, and metal music. Set out on an infernal journey in order to achieve the purest of goals: Vengeance.
metacritic score: 86Frequently asked questions
What are the best games to play in 15 minutes?
Games like Spelunky 2, Dead Cells, and Luck Be a Landlord are great picks — their run-based structure means each session naturally wraps up in 10–15 minutes, even if you keep coming back for more.
Can you actually finish a proper game in 15 minutes?
Yes — roguelites, puzzle games, and arcade-style titles are specifically designed around short, self-contained sessions. You get a complete arc of challenge and payoff every time you sit down.
Are 15-minute games less deep than longer games?
Not at all. Many of the best 15-minute games have enormous replay depth — each run is short, but the systems underneath reward hundreds of hours of play. The brevity is a design choice, not a compromise.
What types of games work best in 15-minute sessions?
Roguelites, turn-based strategy, puzzle games, and score-attack arcade titles fit perfectly. They're built around loops that feel complete in a single sitting — no save points or stopping mid-level required.