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. The list is freshly shuffled on every visit, so there's always something new to discover.

Flinthook
15 min
Shooter, Platform, Adventure, Indie, Arcade · 2017
Flinthook is a fast action-platformer with “roguelike” elements. Become space’s greatest pirate with your hookshot, pistol and slowmo powers!
metacritic81
Hexagon
15 min
Puzzle · 2012
A browser-based flash game from developer Terry Cavanagh. It is the predecessor to 2012's Super Hexagon.

Splatoon 2
15 min
Shooter, Platform · 2017
Splatoon 2 is a multiplayer third-person shooter in which players control characters known as Inklings and use colored ink to attack opponents and clear goals. Inklings can alternate between humanoid form, during which they can fire ink with their weapons, and squid form, which allows them to swim through ink of their own color in order to move quickly and replenish ink supplies.
metacritic82
Once Upon a Katamari
15 min
Puzzle, Adventure · 2025
Keep the good times rolling with a new entry in the Katamari Damacy series! In this puzzle action-adventure game, you'll roll your Katamari through time itself. Journey through the Jurassic Period, Ice Age, historic Japan, and more eras to rebuild the starry sky.
metacritic84
Hand of Fate
15 min
Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Hack and slash/Beat 'em up, Adventure, Indie, Card & Board Game · 2015
Inspired by tarot and fantasy, all bets are off as you create your own journey by building a collection of cards used to deal out a boardgame-like dungeon teeming with enemies, treasure, and adventure. Upon entering combat, the cards come to life as the player is propelled into a beautiful 3D environment to brawl it out with foes. Draw your cards, play your hand, and discover your fate.
metacritic83
Katana Zero
15 min
Platform, Strategy, Adventure, Indie, Arcade · 2019
Katana Zero is a fast paced neo-noir action platformer, focusing on tight, instant-death acrobatic combat, and a dark 80's neon aesthetic. Aided with your trusty katana, the time manipulation drug Chronos and the rest of your assassin's arsenal, fight your way through a fractured city, and take back what's rightfully yours.
metacritic85
WarioWare: Get It Together!
15 min
Arcade · 2021
Take on over 200 quick and quirky microgames - lightning-fast minigames filled with frantic fun - solo or with a friend! When his latest harebrained business scheme goes awry, Wario must use his signature style (and smell) to fix it. How? By playing a twisted collection microgames of course! From assembling a robot to pulling out a statue's armpit hair, the WarioWare: Get It Together! game is a comedic, cooperative microgame mashup.
metacritic81
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone
15 min
Music · 2016
Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Future Tone is a home console port of Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Arcade Future Tone for the PlayStation 4, containing over 200 songs and 300 modules to collect.
metacritic83
Assault Android Cactus
15 min
Shooter, Indie, Arcade · 2015
"Assault Android Cactus is a manic twin stick arena shooter for the PC with screens full of enemies, buckets of bullets and high scoring combo chains! Take on the role of Cactus, an enthusiastic police android, who responds to a stranded space freighter only to discover it under siege by its malfunctioning robot workers. Cut off from the outside and in over her head, Cactus and the androids she recruits along the way battle through the crippled Genki Star to reach the brain of the ship and put things right before it's too late."
metacritic82
Splatoon 3
15 min
Shooter, Platform · 2022
Enter the Splatlands, a sun-scorched desert inhabited by battle-hardened Inklings and Octolings. Splatsville, the city of chaos, is the adrenaline-fueled heart of this dusty wasteland. Even in this desolate environment, Turf War reigns supreme and battles rage in new stages located in the surrounding wilds. Dynamic new moves help these fighters dodge attacks and cover more ground, along with a new bow-shaped weapon to sling ink.
metacritic82
Bloodroots
15 min
Platform, Adventure, Indie, Arcade · 2020
Betrayed by his partners and left for dead, Mr. Wolf is hell-bent on enacting his revenge - alone, and vastly outnumbered. Thankfully for Mr. Wolf, in Bloodroots the world is your weapon. In this relentless action game, you'll choreograph spectacular, ultra-violent combos by making use of everything around you, from hatchets, to ladders, to...carrots? It's improvise or die, as Mr. Wolf fights his way to the center of the mystery: why was he betrayed?
metacritic83
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.
metacritic89
Downwell
15 min
Action · 2015
Downwell is a curious game about a young man with guns for boots venturing down a well in search of untold treasures. Make your way further and further down into a darkness filled with nasty creatures and mysterious secrets and collect the spectacular red gems scattered about the rocks. Step into an oddly placed shop to buy some helpful items or level up between caverns to battle well dwelling monsters and uncover hidden caves filled with riches and relics. No two trips down the well are ever the same!
metacritic78
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.
metacritic88
Splatoon
15 min
Shooter, Platform · 2015
Splatoon is primarily a team-based third-person shooter which is playable by up to eight players in 4-vs-4 matches, although the game also features a single-player campaign. Players control characters called Inklings, wich can change between human form and squid form. Transforming into a squid allows players to swim through ink of their own color, even up walls and through grates, hiding from the enemy and replenishing their ink supply in the process.
metacritic81
SoulCalibur VI
15 min
Fighting · 2018
SoulCalibur VI represents the latest entry in the premier weapons-based, head-to-head fighting series and continues the epic struggle of warriors searching for the legendary Soul Swords. Taking place in the 16th century, revisit the events of the original SoulCalibur to uncover hidden truths.
metacritic84
Huntdown
15 min
Shooter, Platform, Indie, Arcade · 2020
Challenge yourself in this hard-boiled arcade shooter. Choose from 3 different bounty hunters in this classic arcade setup. Run, jump and take cover in a futuristic city environment. Haul bullets at your enemies with a great variety of guns.
Keep your cool while planning your advancement as objects around you shatter into pieces from explosions and bullets that whistle over your head. Kill the minions, then go after their leaders. Collect your bounty. Make a healthy living — by making living unhealthy.
metacritic82
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.
metacritic90
Thronefall
15 min
Strategy · 2024
A minimalist game about building and defending a little kingdom. Thronefall is a classic strategy game without unnecessary complexity, just some healthy hack-and-slay. Build up your base during the day, and defend it ‘til your last breath at night.

Desert Golfing
15 min
Casual · 2014
A minimalist golf game designed for touch screen mobile platforms.
metacritic90
Guilty Gear: Strive
15 min
Fighting · 2021
Discover the Smell of the Game with Guilty Gear: Strive! Immerse yourself in new gameplay mechanics designed to be simple and welcoming for fighting game newcomers, yet deep and creative for veterans. Ride the Fire into a heavy metal inspired alternate future full of over-the-top action, style and fun!
metacritic83
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!
metacritic86
Mortal Kombat X
15 min
Fighting · 2015
Mortal Kombat X is the tenth main game in the one-on-one fighting series and a sequel to the 2011 title Mortal Kombat. The game stays close to the visual style and the mechanics of the 2011 reboot. The main controls are still based on two types of punches and kicks, and blocking, to form combos with uppercuts, teleports, special moves that incorporate weapons and fatalities. The three-tiered energy from the previous title returns, making available X-Ray moves, powered up EX moves and combo breakers. As introduced in Injustice: Gods Among Us, characters can use the environment to re-position themselves or optionally use parts as weapons. Each character now has three variations with different moves and weapons. There is once again a sprinting gauge, returning from Mortal Kombat 4.
metacritic84
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
metacritic92Frequently 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.