Best games for seniors and the elderly that you can play right now

Games on the Play Store have a great range in terms of genres, themes, and gameplay loops, providing users from all walks of life with a vast and colorful library of great games to choose from. While many games these days pride themselves on complexity and high production value, some of Android’s older users benefit from more subdued experiences, games that can be picked up and calmly enjoyed without much preamble. We’ve gathered our top picks in this roundup of the best games designed for older folks, aging adults, seniors, or anyone looking for some laid-back, replayable, and accessible apps that anyone can jump right into.

1 Wordscapes

Find the word and put it together

Wordscapes is one of the better spelling-themed puzzlers on the Play Store, putting an interesting spin on crossword gameplay. Players are presented with several blank squares and a circle containing specific vowels and consonants that spell out different words when strung together. You’ll have your anagram skills put to the test as you experimentally link different letters together, with each successful word either filling a line with squares or being dropped in an honorable mention box. Wordscapes has a ton of levels and no time limits, so you’re more than welcome to take your time.

2 Stack

Test your timing skills

Stack is a notable uncomplicated experience, requiring only single-timed inputs from the player to progress. Visually, the game puts very little strain on the eyes, which goes well with a simple loop of stacking boxes. Each box that the player stacks has to be timed perfectly, as any segments of a box that go over the edge will fall off. This steadily increases the chances of overshooting, and when the player finally runs out of space, the camera zooms out and gives a nice view of the tower that you’ve just built. There are leaderboards and challenges for a little extra content, but the game is an ideal distraction on its own.

3 CardGames.io

A world of card games on your phone

An unmissable gem for lovers of the classics, CardGames.io is a huge free compilation of classic card games and board games, from cribbage to checkers. While fairly plain, the interface is easy to navigate and locate what you are looking for. Each game has access to its own menu that provides details for each specific entry, including rules, statistics, piece colors, game, speeds, and more. If you’re a fan of traditional tabletop games and don’t want to spend a fortune, CardGames.io is an app you absolutely need to check out.

4 English Crossword puzzle

The only crossword app you’ll ever need

English Crossword puzzle plays like a quality crossword simulator, with four difficulty settings for that extra bit of challenge. Use the clues and number of letter spaces to figure out what the hidden words are, and pay attention to which letters are shared for some extra hints. Each of the four difficulty settings contains at least 100 crossword puzzles, meaning you won’t need to look for a replacement app any time soon. The app also provides two special modes: Letter and Themed. Letter provides crosswords with all answers beginning with the same letter, one for each letter of the alphabet.

Themed provides crossword puzzles based on specific subjects, adding a quiz element. English Crossword puzzle presents a substantial experience without being overzealous, with a huge number of varied puzzles with flat plain formats.

5 Chess

A chess simulator that gets to the point

The Play Store has a dizzying number of quality chess apps, but Chess by Chess Prince stands out as an authentic chess experience with nothing unnecessary. The app provides a 3D chess simulator, with multiple difficulty settings that upgrade your AI opponent’s strategies. Carefully position your pieces and thin your opponent’s ranks; you win when their king can’t move. You also get a standard two-player mode in addition to 100 chessboard puzzles that test your knowledge of chess piece functions.

Some chess apps favor fancy presentations that can risk hurting the gameplay itself, but Chess by Chess Prince sticks to a plain color pallet and simple textures, allowing you to focus on strategizing free of distraction.

6 Pipe Classic

Consider all possibilities

As the name implies, Pipe Classic is a puzzle game reviving Pipedream’s classic gameplay, presenting an array of pipes that need to be redirected so that water can flow through them. This game has five difficulty settings, from easy to expert, and they each contain plenty of levels with a smooth curve in challenge. The game gives you a rank and tracks your progress through the levels, promoting you as you play. Pipedream’s gameplay worked just fine back in 1989, and Pipe Classic brings it back in good condition.

7 Antistress – relaxation toys

A shrine dedicated to stress relief

Antistress – relaxation toys does exactly what it says on the tin, providing a huge library of mini-games designed for stimming and messing around with, plus a few classic games thrown in for good measure. Many of the mini-games evoke real-world tasks that can be satisfying to perform, like mowing the lawn, perfectly cutting carrots, stacking blocks, or playing with a synthesizer. Each game can be controlled easily and with brief instructions; satisfaction is the main objective. This game genuinely stills the mind and keeps your hands occupied if you’re prone to fiddling with things when you’re nervous.

The developers are constantly updating this game and adding new mini-games to it, so the sooner you download Anti-stress, the better.

8 Melon Maker

Your new fruit-themed addiction

A perfect little game for killing time, Melon Maker evokes the best aspects of Tetris but shakes things up with circular objects. The player is given a jar and must prevent the falling fruits from overflowing by combining each fruit of the same type to keep things low. This game tests your spatial awareness as you judge which fruits are going to move and which fruits are going to fall next; last as long as possible to increase your score. Melon Maker games are awesome to whip out when you’re waiting for something, plus the app saves your progress when you close it, so you can jump back in when you have a minute.

If you’ve got a soft spot for top-notch match-3 gameplay, Melon Maker is your new best friend.

Take a load off with these chilled-out games

Sometimes, the best apps are the simplest, with refined gameplay loops that focus on elegant designs that excel using less, and these types of games are a hit with the older user base. Your favorite budget Android phone is always ready when you need a break from action-packed apps that test your skills. Whether you like faithful emulations like Pipe Classic, unique spins like Melon Maker, or simple tools to unwind like De-stress, the Play Store can easily accommodate players who like to take their time and enjoy some well-earned quality time with their new Android tablet.