Games that respect your five free minutes

The best thing about mobile gaming is that it fits into the gaps in your day. The worst mobile games forget this and punish you for not playing for an hour straight.

We've started valuing instant saves above almost everything. A game that saves the moment you background it is a game you can actually fit into real life. Arcade titles are naturally good at this, since a run is a run and nothing's lost.

Sim and building games can do it too when they're designed well, letting you make one small change and step away. The ones that force you through a long tutorial or a loading screen every time lose us fast.

If you've got a short attention budget, look for games with quick restarts, instant resume, and no forced online check. Your five minutes are worth more than the publisher's engagement metrics.