The best games for a five-minute gap

Not everyone has an hour to sink into a game. Most of my own play happens in little gaps, so I've come to really value games that work in five-minute bursts without punishing you for leaving.

Casual games are the obvious fit here. Legends of Slots, for instance, is happy to be played for exactly one spin or fifty, and nothing is lost if you close it. That kind of flexibility is underrated.

Management sims surprise people in this category too. Skyport Tycoon keeps ticking along while you're away, so a quick check-in to collect progress and set a new goal feels rewarding rather than stressful.

The games to avoid in short bursts are ones with long unskippable intros or no quick-save. Nothing kills a five-minute break like a four-minute loading sequence. Look for titles that drop you straight back into the action.