Netflix may still be the first name that comes to mind when you think of streaming a movie or TV showBut over the past few years, the streaming service has also made its way into gaming. In fact, your Netflix subscription actually gives you access to quite a few great games, with one small caveat: you'll have to play them on your phone or tablet.
While these may not be many people’s favorite gaming platforms, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great options for how to pass the time on Netflix before you find your next favorite show. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best games on the platform and divided them into categories to help you find out which ones are right for you:
What we are looking for
Netflix games are only available on phones or tablets, which is not always the platform the games were designed for. When choosing the best games on Netflix, it’s important to consider how they translate to a smaller screen or touchscreen.
Not everyone is drawn to the same games. We could fill this list with only puzzle games or story-driven games, but the goal is to make sure everyone can find something they enjoy. That’s why our list includes games of different genres and moods.
Yes, everything else is important, but if the game isn't fun, what's the point? Each of these games comes highly recommended by a Polygon staffer.
Best Netflix Mobile Games
This category is for more traditional mobile games, typically ones that have already been released in app stores. In other words, if you're looking to supplement your other phone games with a Netflix subscription, this is the perfect category for you.
Image: Kooapps LLC. via Amazon App Store
A small remix of a classic Snake formula, Snake.io throws you into a random lobby with dozens of other players, each competing to become the biggest snake and eat everyone else. It's a great pastime that can be surprisingly addictive, especially if you're good enough to control all the smaller snakes in your lobby.
Image: Ninja Kiwi via Steam
Classic Tower Defense game, Bloons Tower Defense 6 offers an incredible amount of upgrades to earn and levels to complete, all in the name of stopping the evil balls from reaching their target.
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
Image: Yacht Club Games
Spin-off of a great roguelike game Knight of the Shovel, Pocket Dungeon is a roguelike puzzle game where you have to help the Shovel Knight dig his way through multiple levels filled with enemies and dirt, each equally dangerous.
Great games that fit perfectly
These are solid games that don’t quite feel like mobile games, but work quite well on the platform. Mostly (but not all) of these are narrative games that create a great experience that could rival some of Netflix’s best shows.
Image: Thunder Lotus Games
Spiritfarer A beautiful game where you transport people to the afterlife. It's a gentle, gorgeous game where most of the gameplay involves stacking things on a boat as neatly as possible, but the heartwarming characters are the real star of the show.
Image: Cardboard Computer/Annapurna Interactive
Kentucky Route Zero A wonderful adventure game that is more or less about the strangest road trip you will ever take. The game mainly follows a truck driver trying to make a delivery, but the real draw is the occasional stops on the side of the road to talk to some of the most unique and fascinating characters ever created for a game.
Image: Subset of games
Created by the developers of the amazing roguelike FTL, Into the breach A fantastic turn-based strategy game about managing an army of mechs and sending them on missions. The only caveat here is that this game is probably the most difficult of all on this list.
Make no mistake, this is a category full of good, sometimes great games… but these are also games that we can’t give a full recommendation for (mostly) because if you’re playing them through Netflix, that means you’re playing them on a mobile device, and these were games designed for other platforms. Luckily, you can also download games whenever you want with your subscription, so you can also give the titles on this list a try and see if the somewhat compromised controls annoy you. Or, if you have a Bluetooth controller, connect it to your phone and enjoy them.
Grand Theft Auto series
Image: Rockstar North/Rockstar Games
Netflix gives you access to Grand Theft Auto III, Grand Theft Auto: Vice CityAnd Grand Theft Auto: San Andreasall the games are good on consoles and are good on their own, but touch controls are a big drawback of these games. already buggy remakes. Nose GTA 6 It's just around the corner, at least, so it's a great time to return to the series.
Image: Number No
A great puzzle platformer with fantastic gameplay and plot twists. Scythe works well enough on the phone that it's still worth a try.
Image: Motion Twin
A challenging game at the best of times, the touch controls are a bit much to ask of this 2D roguelike Metroidvania gem. Still, if the controls are up to you, this is one of the best games Netflix has to offer.
Image: Supergiant Games
One of the best roguelikes of the decade, Hades' Excellent characters and art design, combined with inventive weapons and a precise combat system, made the game an instant classic upon its release in 2021, and it hasn't lost any of its relevance over time.
Football Manager 2024 Mobile
Image: Netflix Games
This one is just great to control, but the hardest thing to get your head around is that it's still Football Manager. You can probably already tell if you'll like this one just from the name. If you're not sure, try managing your own football team and leading them to Champions League glory or World Cup glory.