Six HTML5 Games for a Five-Minute Break

A good break game has three qualities: it starts at once, a round is over in a minute or two, and you can close the tab without losing anything. HTML5 games are well suited to this because there is nothing to install or update. Here are six from our catalog that fit the bill.

When you have one minute

Mole Tapper lasts exactly 45 seconds: tap the moles as they pop up, and go for the golden ones, which are worth three points. Math Sprint gives you 60 seconds of quick sums. Both end by themselves, which makes them hard to overrun.

When you want to switch off

Bubble Pop has no clock at all. Pop groups of matching bubbles; bigger groups score much more, so it pays to let a colour gather before you clear it. Fishing Pond is ninety seconds beside a pond, with a gentle wait for the bite and a short tussle to land each fish.

When you want to wake up

Precision Stop asks one thing: stop a moving marker inside a green zone that keeps shrinking. Keepy Uppy is the playground ball-juggling challenge, and one more go is always tempting.

Making a break actually restful

• Decide the length first. One round, or three, and then back to work. Games with a built-in end make this easier.
• Change the kind of effort. After a morning of reading, a reflex game is a real change. After something stressful, choose one without a timer.
• Look away afterwards. Give your eyes a few seconds on something distant before you return to the screen.

Browse the Casual category for more games in the same spirit, or open New Games to see what was added most recently.