The Best Short Games To Play When You Only Have 20 Minutes

by
Minit

Gaming when you only have 20 minutes or so to play is great.

Maybe you’re waiting for the oven to preheat, or waiting for your bath to run.

These are the times where you can get a little gaming session in with something that respects your time.

These are the short games you can start and finish (or at least make meaningful progress in) in the time it takes to burn your dinner. 

Plug & Play

Time to beat: 15 minutes
Platforms: PC / Mobile / Switch

What is this game? Honestly, I am not even sure. It’s part absurdist art piece, part fever dream, part interactive meme. You plug things, and you play things. It makes you laugh, then makes you go “wait, what?.”

It’s weird, delightful, and over before your brain fully processes it.

Assemble With Care (Chapter-by-Chapter)

Time per chapter: 10–15 minutes
Platforms: PC / Mobile / Switch

Fix broken objects. Fix people’s lives. Get emotionally attached to a toaster.

This one’s technically longer than 20 minutes overall, but each repair “chapter” is self-contained and deliciously bite-sized.

It has chill music, soft narration, and satisfying screw-turning sounds. ASMR for your soul.

Minit

Time per session: 60 seconds (yes, seriously)
Platforms: PC / Switch / PS / Xbox / Mobile

You die every 60 seconds. On purpose. Minit is a fast-paced, black-and-white, top-down adventure where every minute counts. But here’s the trick, you keep your progress. So even in a 20-minute session, you’ll absolutely get somewhere.

A Short Hike (Micro Goals Edition)

Time to beat: 1.5 hours total, but playable in tiny chunks
Platforms: PC / Switch / PS / Xbox

Even if you’ve only got 10–20 minutes, this game gets it. Glide around, find coins, chat with weird birds, do a side quest or two. 

No timers, and no stress. Just pure, low-stakes exploration that still feels rewarding.

If Found… (One Chapter at a Time)

Time per chapter: 10–20 minutes
Platforms: PC / Mobile / Switch

Erase diary pages, and uncover a deeply personal, emotional story. Then close it and return later.
Even though it’s technically a visual novel, the pacing is loose enough that you can experience it in short bursts and still feel the weight of it.

Say No! More

Time to beat: ~30 minutes, but great in 10-minute sessions
Platforms: PC / Mobile / Switch

This game teaches you to say “NO!” to everything - your boss, your coworkers, your capitalist overlords.

It’s loud, stupid, hilarious, and probably better than therapy. You can chip away at it in chunks or blitz through it in one sitting.

Honorable Mentions (For the Real Micro-Session Gamers)

  • Baba Is You – Solve one or two logic puzzles. Feel smart. Exit.

  • Doodle Jump – Classic mobile chaos. No story, just vibes.

  • Hidden Folks – Like Where’s Waldo, but interactive. Tap around and smile.

  • Desert Golfing – One of the best minimalist games ever made. Just golf forever.

You Don't Need 3 Hours to Game

Sometimes, gaming is a full escape. Other times, it’s just 20 minutes between meetings. Or while your ramen cools. Or right before you pass out.

These short games understand that. They respect your time, and they ask nothing extra.

And they’ll leave you feeling like, “Yeah. I gamed.”

Even if it was only for 20 minutes.

Please check out the some more content while you're here too, and if you want to support the site please feel free to share it with other busy gamers!

Here are a few pages to get you started!


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