Hit a roadblock on your homework or just want to take a quick break without starting a complicated new activity? Computer games can be a great way to relax your brain for a minute or two in the midst of hours of homework. Here are some of M-A’s favorites.

Minesweeper

Minesweeper has a simple concept: look at numbers, count the number of mines, and click on the spaces you think are safe. If it’s your first time playing, it can take time to understand the game mechanics, and may be best to start with a smaller board. If you want more of a challenge—or want to further procrastinate your homework—you could choose one of the larger boards with more mines.

2048

If you enjoy math but aren’t in the mood for critical thinking, you could try out 2048. Confined to a four-by-four grid, you combine numbers, adding them to get as high a number as possible before the grid fills up.

There are a couple of different ways to play this game. You can either take your time, thinking about the perfect way to arrange the numbers, or you can just click random arrows mindlessly while hoping the numbers will work themselves out. “I like that it’s an easy, simple game you can play when you don’t have much time,” said sophomore Miguel Garcia.

Tetris

Whether you’ve played the game itself or listened to its catchy soundtrack, you’ve probably heard of Tetris. Each level of the iconic video game is unique and endless, forcing players to constantly evolve their strategies and reflexes.

“Trying to get the blocks to coordinate together is super fun,” senior Mayra Arias said, adding that it’s a great activity for a break while still being mentally engaging.

New York Times Games

Originally consisting of only the crossword puzzle, the New York Times has come out with a variety of other online games in recent years to engage their readers further. 

Crossword

With daily challenges including intricate clues and clever wordplay, the New York Times crosswords offer a fun challenge to everyone. Whether you like the increased challenge of the original 15×15 grid or the brevity of the Mini, you’ll get a good blend of trivia, language, and pop culture references. 

Wordle

Since its debut in 2021, Wordle has supplied people with a fun daily challenge and the opportunity to share answers and results with friends and family. With a simple concept—guessing a 5-letter word in six tries—it doesn’t take long to play, making it the perfect option for short breaks.

“I like testing my knowledge of different words and how well I can piece together a puzzle,” said freshman Emily Chen. If you’re a fan of Wordle, you could also try one of its many spinoffs like Sedecordle, which gives you 21 tries to guess 16 words at the same time. 

Connections

The goal of the game is to group the 16 words into four groups of four words. Each of the groups has a category that the four words fit into, whether that be Dr. Seuss’ title figures or things that can run. 

You never know what to expect with Connections. It could be so easy you question whether any of the categories were worthy of being the purple category, while other Connections boards make you want to pull at your hair and possibly rant on a Reddit thread. 

Big Tower Tiny Square

In this simple platformer, you are a square. Your objective: climb the tower, “GET REVENGE.” While it may seem like other platformers, the minuscule square, more than accurate to the title, provides a challenge to both the players’ reflexes and eyes. 

The game provides enough challenges with its multiple versions, but it’s not so challenging that you would want to quit after a few tries. 

Dadish

A fun mix of a simple platformer; a cute, pixelated set of characters; and the occasional dad joke. “I like the whole theme of a radish, who is a dad, traveling around to find his kids,” said junior James Anderson. He also enjoys how the game slowly introduces you to new mechanics and becomes more difficult as the game progresses.

Along the journey, the player meets new obstacles and enemies, ranging from exploding soda bottles to flying pizzas. Its whimsical dialogues and satisfying gameplay allow players to escape into a colorful world from the view of a radish.