Best Minimalist Games on Steam
Unlike generic lists, our strategy game recommendations use a rigorous analysis of Steam user reviews to identify and feature only the best, community-validated minimalist games. For those who prefer not to search, lists of the most played, top deals and best free minimalist games are available at the bottom of the page.
Filters & Lists
Backfirewall_
Hello and welcome to Backfirewall_, a first-person tragicomic adventure set inside a smartphone. You are the update assistant. Solve wacky puzzles to counter the update and save the previous operating system from deletion. The fate of the System is in your hands!
Gorilla Tag
Run, jump, and climb using only your hands. Play tag or infection with people online. Run away from the infected players, or outmaneuver the survivors to catch them. Embrace your inner ape.
Tiny Civilization
This is a historical simulation game that promotes the development of civilization based on the match-3 Game. You'll need to gather resources, use skills, discover new technology, and lead humanbeing through a 10,000-year journey to the cosmos.
The Forest Quartet
The Forest Quartet is a puzzle adventure about a gone, but not forgotten, lead singer. Play her spirit and travel through 3 acts unique to the members of her band for a final farewell concert. Face their emotions, solve puzzles and fight the corruption plaguing their souls.
Impaler Gold
Impaler Gold is a fast-paced minimalistic arena shooter - now expanded and improved. Summon spikes to slay monsters, build barriers, and propel yourself into the air. Challenge yourself in this highly replayable rogue-lite shooter inspired by the classics.
14 Minesweeper Variants
Minesweeper but the rules are changing.
Different Strokes
A collaborative online painting game where players can create, edit, and rate each other's art!
A Castle Full of Cats
A Castle Full of Cats is a catvania hidden object game where you need to find all the cursed cats in the castle. Save each and every cat and unleash the power of love! ♡
Endoparasitic
Three limbs ripped off, infected with a deadly parasite, you must save your research. Drag yourself through the corridors of a secret research lab on a remote asteroid, fight off horribly mutated monsters, inject countless syringes of vaccines, and survive at all costs.
Coin Flipper
Heads or tails? Coin Flipper is an idle clicker game that is all about flipping lots of coins. Upgrade your coin flips and get even more coins to flip!
Isle of Arrows
Isle of Arrows is a Puzzle Tower Defense game in which you build a fortress in the sky. Place towers, expand the isle, and build your own paths. Can you find the perfect spot for each tile to beat the RNG and defend against waves of invaders?
MicroWorks
MicroWorks is a competitively lighthearted party game where you and up to 16 other players compete through a series of microgames and boss stages to reach the top of the scoreboard and unleash chaos!
REFLEXIA Prototype ver.
REFLEXIA's story starts out as a parody of its genre and ends as a psychological drama.
South of the Circle
South of the Circle is a deep narrative experience of the emerging relationship between Peter and Clara, Cambridge academics involved in a political conflict. The story focuses on promises made in between career and true love, where our choices burdened by our past seem to be illusory.
Idle Research
Idle Research is an addictive, resource management, incremental game with both idle and active playstyles. Research and craft colorful Flasks and Tubes to earn as much Energy as possible! Big numbers guaranteed.
SCP: Daybreak
An open-ended, SCP-based, atmospheric, exploration-focused, survival-horror game with puzzle elements and replayability.
Impact Point
IMPACT POINT! – An ultra satisfying, fast paced, 2-4 player, arena based, multiplayer, top down 2D shooter. Grab what you can and battle it out with 2-4 players to be the last man standing in a game heavily inspired by retro and vaporwave shooters.
Urbek City Builder
Urbek is a city building game where you can build your own neighbourhoods: from nightlife district to industrial district. Don't exhaust your natural resources before you have an educated population to build more efficient structures.
A Building Full of Cats
A Building Full of Cats is a hidden object game where you need to pet all the cats in the building. Don't leave any cats behind!
Most played minimalist games on Steam
Take a look at the top minimalist games that are currently attracting the largest player bases on the Steam platform, as of June 16th 2025.
1. Kingdom Two Crowns
Gather coins, build defenses and reclaim your fallen Kingdom. Explore and uncover secrets, unlock new technologies and protect your crown versus waves of Greed monsters that come at night. Kingdom is a solo or co-op micro-strategy and tower defense game set in an atmospheric pixel world. Kingdom Two Crowns is a tower defense, minimalist and city builder game developed by Stumpy🐙Squid, Fury Studios and Coatsink and published by Raw Fury. Released on December 11th 2018 has received 7,063 reviews of which 6,244 were positive and 819 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. The game has hit the top spot as the #1 most played minimalist game, thanks to its 897 peak concurrent players over the last day.
8.6
6,244
819
897
players
2. Thronefall
A minimalist game about building and defending your little kingdom. Thronefall is a tower defense, strategy and city builder game developed and published by GrizzlyGames. Released on October 11th 2024 has received 20,544 reviews of which 19,846 were positive and 698 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.4 out of 10. While seeing 289 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #2 among minimalist games based on player count.
9.4
19,846
698
289
players
3. Hexcells Infinite
Hexcells Infinite is an ambient logic puzzle game for PC, Mac and Linux. Hexcells Infinite is a puzzle, casual and indie game developed and published by Matthew Brown. Released on September 01st 2014 has received 4,440 reviews of which 4,311 were positive and 129 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.3 out of 10. While seeing 182 players online at once in the last 24 hours, this game is currently ranked #3 among minimalist games based on player count.
9.3
4,311
129
182
players
4. Mini Metro
Mini Metro is a strategy simulation game about designing a subway map for a growing city. Draw lines between stations and start your trains running. As new stations open, redraw your lines to keep them efficient. Decide where to use your limited resources. How long can you keep the city moving? Mini Metro is a strategy, puzzle and minimalist game developed and published by Dinosaur Polo Club. Released on November 06th 2015 has received 15,672 reviews of which 15,064 were positive and 608 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.4 out of 10. With 140 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played minimalist games.
9.4
15,064
608
140
players
5. Rift Wizard 2
Rift Wizard 2 is a tough as nails traditional roguelike wizard simulator. You play as an immortal amnesiac wizard who must journey through the cosmos to defeat his nemesis. Each run, you'll build a unique repertoire of spells, passive skills, and magical artifacts. Rift Wizard 2 is a traditional roguelike, magic and procedural generation game developed and published by Dylan White. Released on January 31st 2025 has received 532 reviews of which 486 were positive and 46 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. With 115 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played minimalist games.
8.5
486
46
115
players
6. Incremental Adventures
Lead your heroes in their neverending adventures! A minimalistic Idle game where combat is fully automated. It's up to you to make the most of that automation to reach extremely high numbers! Incremental Adventures is a idler, automation and text-based game developed and published by Gniller. Released on August 11th 2020 has received 774 reviews of which 605 were positive and 169 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.4 out of 10. With 113 concurrent players in the last 24 hours, the game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played minimalist games.
7.4
605
169
113
players
7. 14 Minesweeper Variants
Minesweeper but the rules are changing. 14 Minesweeper Variants is a puzzle, logic and minimalist game developed by Alith Games and Artless Games and published by Artless Games. Released on November 14th 2022 has received 1,266 reviews of which 1,229 were positive and 37 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played minimalist games.
9.2
1,229
37
67
players
8. Kingdom: New Lands
Kingdom: New Lands builds upon the award-winning gameplay and mystery of Kingdom by introducing an abundance of new content to the IGF-nominated title while maintaining the simplicity and depth that legions of monarchs have come to experience and enjoy. Kingdom: New Lands is a tower defense, survival and base-building game developed by Noio and published by Raw Fury. Released on August 09th 2016 has received 11,741 reviews of which 10,095 were positive and 1,646 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played minimalist games.
8.4
10,095
1,646
65
players
9. SKALD: Against the Black Priory
SKALD:Against the Black Priory is a retro-style party-based RPG set in a grim-dark fantasy world of tragic heroes, violent deaths and Lovecraftian horror. Take a chance and roll the dice as you embark on a compelling story filled with deadly creatures, branching story and tactical, turn-based combat SKALD: Against the Black Priory is a strategy, singleplayer and minimalist game developed by High North Studios AS and published by Raw Fury. Released on May 30th 2024 has received 2,958 reviews of which 2,785 were positive and 173 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.0 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played minimalist games.
9.0
2,785
173
60
players
10. 14 Minesweeper Variants 2
Minesweeper but the rules are changing, again. 14 Minesweeper Variants 2 is a casual, puzzle and abstract game developed by Alith Games and Artless Games and published by Artless Games. Released on June 14th 2024 has received 303 reviews of which 293 were positive and 10 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played minimalist games.
8.8
293
10
51
players
Best deals on minimalist games on Steam
Discover fantastic savings with the best discounts on a variety of minimalist games available on Steam right now, updated on June 16th 2025. Looking for even more deals? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of discounted minimalist games.
1. ABRISS - build to destroy
ABRISS is an atmospheric physics-destruction building game.Build structures from parts to let them crash into your targets. Unlock new parts, destroy more, witness entropy at its worst in digital-brutalist cityscapes. Build to destroy. ABRISS - build to destroy is a minimalist, logic and puzzle game developed by Randwerk and published by astragon Entertainment. Released on September 05th 2023 has received 501 reviews of which 423 were positive and 78 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.9 out of 10. Featuring a massive 98% discount, this game currently holds the #1 spot in the best deals for minimalist category.
7.9
423
78
-98%
14.99€
0.44€
2. Kingdom: New Lands
Kingdom: New Lands builds upon the award-winning gameplay and mystery of Kingdom by introducing an abundance of new content to the IGF-nominated title while maintaining the simplicity and depth that legions of monarchs have come to experience and enjoy. Kingdom: New Lands is a tower defense, survival and base-building game developed by Noio and published by Raw Fury. Released on August 09th 2016 has received 11,741 reviews of which 10,095 were positive and 1,646 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 96% discount, this game is now the #2 best deal in minimalist games.
8.4
10,095
1,646
-96%
14.99€
0.61€
3. Minit
Minit is a peculiar little adventure played sixty seconds at a time. Minit is a minimalist, adventure and indie game developed by JW, Kitty, Jukio and Dom and published by Devolver Digital. Released on April 03rd 2018 has received 2,617 reviews of which 2,339 were positive and 278 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. Thanks to its incredible 94% discount, this game is now the #3 best deal in minimalist games.
8.6
2,339
278
-94%
9.75€
0.65€
4. Flow:The Sliding
Enjoy the rhythmic music and beat the SCORE!!! Flow:The Sliding is a indie, casual and difficult game developed by Cubamano and published by EasyGames. Released on July 16th 2017 has received 303 reviews of which 231 were positive and 72 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.2 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 91% discount, this title has earned the #4 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
7.2
231
72
-91%
3.99€
0.38€
5. Hook
HOOK is a short minimal, puzzle game. Hook is a casual, puzzle and relaxing game developed and published by Maciej Targoni. Released on July 06th 2015 has received 8,887 reviews of which 8,617 were positive and 270 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.4 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #5 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
9.4
8,617
270
-90%
1.99€
0.21€
6. The Ramp
A digital toy for skateboard loving people. Pure flow, no extra fluff. The Ramp is a skateboarding, sports and skating game developed by Paul Schnepf and published by hyperparadise. Released on August 03rd 2021 has received 1,490 reviews of which 1,377 were positive and 113 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 90% discount, this title has earned the #6 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
8.8
1,377
113
-90%
4.99€
0.53€
7. Circuits
Simple in concept, but very challenging and rewarding,Circuits is a puzzle game that requires careful listening to complete each level. The goal of Circuits : piece together the different parts of a song. Sounds easy, but maybe not. Circuits is a music, puzzle and indie game developed and published by Digital Tentacle. Released on April 17th 2014 has received 2,095 reviews of which 1,862 were positive and 233 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 89% discount, this title has earned the #7 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
8.5
1,862
233
-89%
4.99€
0.55€
8. Duet
Elegant and minimal, Duet asks players simply to navigate two orbiting spheres past an increasingly complex maze of falling obstacles. As the difficulty increases, the tension mounts, and a peculiar narrative unfolds. Duet is a indie, action and minimalist game developed and published by Kumobius. Released on August 03rd 2015 has received 814 reviews of which 771 were positive and 43 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 87% discount, this title has earned the #8 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
8.9
771
43
-87%
3.99€
0.54€
9. Kingdom Two Crowns
Gather coins, build defenses and reclaim your fallen Kingdom. Explore and uncover secrets, unlock new technologies and protect your crown versus waves of Greed monsters that come at night. Kingdom is a solo or co-op micro-strategy and tower defense game set in an atmospheric pixel world. Kingdom Two Crowns is a tower defense, minimalist and city builder game developed by Stumpy🐙Squid, Fury Studios and Coatsink and published by Raw Fury. Released on December 11th 2018 has received 7,063 reviews of which 6,244 were positive and 819 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 85% discount, this title has earned the #9 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
8.6
6,244
819
-85%
19.99€
3.05€
10. Three Digits
Three Digits is the sequel to our first game Two Digits. You are given 14 numbers less than 1000, and all you have to do is to choose two subsets with the same sum. Three Digits is a indie, casual and puzzle game developed and published by Cleverweek. Released on August 14th 2015 has received 308 reviews of which 226 were positive and 82 were negative resulting in a rating of 6.9 out of 10. Currently offered at a significant 83% discount, this title has earned the #10 position in the best deals for minimalist games.
6.9
226
82
-83%
1.99€
0.35€
Free minimalist games on Steam
Check out this fantastic list of free-to-play minimalist games you can enjoy on Steam right now, updated on June 16th 2025. Looking for even more free titles? Use the search filters to explore a wider range of free to play minimalist games.
1. Incremental Adventures
Lead your heroes in their neverending adventures! A minimalistic Idle game where combat is fully automated. It's up to you to make the most of that automation to reach extremely high numbers! Incremental Adventures is a idler, automation and text-based game developed and published by Gniller. Released on August 11th 2020 has received 774 reviews of which 605 were positive and 169 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.4 out of 10. With 113 active players enjoying it for free, this strategy game has reached the #1 spot among the top free minimalist games on Steam.
7.4
605
169
113
players
2. Slider
Slide chunks of the world to solve puzzles and help others. Control an ever-growing set of tiles and mechanics. Explore nine unique areas, unravel the mysteries of the universe, and reconnect the world -- one slider at a time. Slider is a puzzle, adventure and logic game developed and published by boomo. Released on July 24th 2024 has received 339 reviews of which 329 were positive and 10 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.9 out of 10. The game currently holds the #2 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
8.9
329
10
4
players
3. Hamster
Hamster is an idle clicker Game in which you click a Hamster to make him shiver. Each click has a random chance to make him shake a little more, or a little less. Can you make him go crazy? Hamster is a casual, clicker and idler game developed and published by Hamster Games. Released on June 28th 2024 has received 404 reviews of which 305 were positive and 99 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.1 out of 10. The game currently holds the #3 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
7.1
305
99
2
players
4. RYB
RYB is a logic puzzle game that plays like a combination of sudoku and minesweeper. RYB is a indie, puzzle and free to play game developed and published by FLEB. Released on November 17th 2016 has received 433 reviews of which 390 were positive and 43 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. The game currently holds the #4 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
8.4
390
43
1
players
5. Word Game: Episode 0
Word game is literally a game of words. Player controls "I" to find clues between lines, delete words to change the meaning of sentences, or shift words to rewrite facts. “I” must be wise and brave enough complete the mission of words. May the best "I” win! Word Game: Episode 0 is a minimalist, indie and pixel graphics game developed and published by Team9. Released on January 14th 2021 has received 4,538 reviews of which 4,482 were positive and 56 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #5 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
9.5
4,482
56
6. Micro Platformer
A minimalistic platformer with a 1x1 tileset. No enemies, no bullets, no lasers. Just sheer platforming. Micro Platformer is a precision platformer, difficult and minimalist game developed and published by Daveyyy. Released on April 21st 2020 has received 1,714 reviews of which 1,660 were positive and 54 were negative resulting in an impressive rating of 9.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #6 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
9.2
1,660
54
7. Press Any Key
Just press any key. Press Any Key is a free to play, casual and clicker game developed and published by LostVolBytes. Released on April 17th 2024 has received 351 reviews of which 338 were positive and 13 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #7 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
8.8
338
13
8. Space Between Worlds
Did you ever pay attention to the importance of space? Space Between Worlds is a short puzzle game that expresses the concept of proximity and lets the player interpret the context and arc of the story. Space Between Worlds is a free to play, casual and indie game developed by 4H StudioLab and published by 4H StudioLab and GrabTheGames. Released on July 30th 2018 has received 472 reviews of which 450 were positive and 22 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.8 out of 10. The game currently holds the #8 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
8.8
450
22
9. Home Wind
Home Wind is a minimalist, relaxing and cozy city builder about creating large settlements based on proximity tactics. All for free! Home Wind is a city builder, minimalist and strategy game developed and published by Adi Zhavo. Released on March 10th 2022 has received 808 reviews of which 730 were positive and 78 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.5 out of 10. The game currently holds the #9 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
8.5
730
78
10. 5050
Each time you press the button, it will either double or lose all the points you’ve put in. How much will you risk? 5050 is a arcade, gambling and casual game developed by and published by Follow The Fun. Released on August 20th 2023 has received 330 reviews of which 292 were positive and 38 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.2 out of 10. The game currently holds the #10 spot among the most played free minimalist games on Steam.
8.2
292
38