Five Best iPhone Games for Passing the Time

Smartphones are incredible tools. They're also a fantastic source of entertainment. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the more than one million gaming apps available on Apple's App Store.

Games now represent the most popular category on the App Store. In fact, almost a quarter of all apps now available for iPhones and other iOS devices are games. With that, there's plenty to choose from. But which iPhone games are best for simply passing the time?

In this sense, a game should be easy to pick up and put down. Depending on how much time someone is looking to pass, it should also lend itself equally well to just a few minutes or an hour or more of gameplay. Accordingly, here's a closer look at a handful of today's top-rated iPhone games for passing the time.

No list of iPhone games intended to pass the time would be complete without a mention of Minecraft. It's the most expensive game on this list but arguably among the best for whiling away the hours. Minecraft's style of play further allows you to dip in and out for a few minutes here and there. However, it's similarly easy to spend much longer periods in the game's blocky, procedurally generated 3D world.

With virtually infinite terrain to explore, there's little chance of exhausting its enjoyment, either. Minecraft is now the world's best-selling video game. Among the countless reasons fans love the game, there's no doubt that its ability to help pass the time is high up on the list.

Few games better fit the criteria of this list than GeoGuessr. The premise could barely be more straightforward. As a player, GeoGuessr shows you an image of a destination from somewhere around the world, courtesy of Google Maps. You're then asked to guess where it is. Points are scored based on how close you are to the correct location.

It's about as simple as iPhone games get. As such, it's a perfect way to pass even a minute or two at a time. From the lonely roads of Australia to the bustling city streets of Los Angeles, New York, and Chicago, it's all about searching for clues as to where you are.

Sky: Children of the Light isn't just a great way to pass as much or as little time as you like. It's also stunning to look at. As a follow-up to the iconic Journey, few iOS games even come close in terms of visual enjoyment. Thankfully, it's a blast to play, too. Touted as a ground-breaking social adventure, there's much to explore while interacting with other players as you see fit.

Inherently dreamlike, the game sets out from the very beginning to warm your heart. Customizable characters can team up with players from around the world, gifting items, growing friendships, and enjoying Sky: Children of the Light's unique experience together. Best of all, it does all of this and more while effortlessly and beautifully helping to pass the time.

Stardew Valley is another prime example of a game that can be played for five minutes or five hours. Inspired by Harvest Moon, which just celebrated its 25th birthday, it builds on the farming simulator and role-playing game's success. Available on various platforms, Stardew Valley feels especially suited to mobile devices like the iPhone.

The game deals with everything from simple crop rotation to complex relationship dynamics. Just like real life, there are ways to pass a moment or two at a time. Alternatively, players can get lost in hours of gameplay spent farming, exploring, participating in fishing tournaments, and more.

With Apple's App Store boasting a million games to choose from, it's easy to potentially overlook the classics. Tetris is an ideal case in point. The game needs almost no introduction. As a puzzle, it's both remarkably simple and incredibly engaging. Nearly four decades in the making, relatively little has changed – including how well Tetris passes the time.

Now looking more polished than ever, the free iOS version relies on ads and in-app purchases. Yet, this does little to detract from the nostalgia it offers.

However, wherever and whenever you use your iPhone, it's essential to take good care of it. All smartphones are susceptible to day-to-day mishaps and the general rigors of modern life. In the event that anything goes wrong, a smartphone subscription warranty is a great way to protect against manufacturer defects and mechanical failures.

Upsie protects your smartphone accidents, including damage from drops and spills. Customers can secure complete peace of mind for just $9.99 per month.

Avoid unnecessary downtime with a comprehensive iPhone warranty from Upsie. Smartphone warranties are also available for handsets from Samsung, Google, OnePlus, and over a dozen additional manufacturers.