The 7 best casual games to play while watching TV

Let’s be honest: The ultimate way to unwind is with your favorite show on the big screen and a great game on your phone. And casual mobile games are a top pick (we’d rather play than doomscroll any day). Turn-based role-playing games, cozy simulators, and chill puzzles are all great games to play on your phone while watching TV, and they’re available right now on Mistplay¹. 

Mistplay rewards you for playing mobile games in your downtime, even if it’s a quick session during the commercial break. While you tap and swipe your way through an idle distraction, you’ll earn progress toward a gift card for brands like Amazon, PlayStation, and Target.

Check out our list of the best relaxing games to play while watching TV, and get the most out of your “me time.”

Best games to play on Mistplay while watching TV

Here are some oh-so good games to play while watching something — all available on Mistplay. 

1. Coin Master

Coin Master is a great game you can play in the background while you’re watching your favorite show. You guide a sneaky swine through villages, opening gates and conquering enemies. It has simple gameplay — all you have to do is tap a button to spin a wheel and you’ll get a random prize. You might win coins to build your town or shields to up your defenses. There’s always a chance you’ll get a collectable card, too. And with each tap, you’ll rack up points on Mistplay. Before you know it, you’ll earn enough for a gift card — it’s that easy.

2. Royal Match

Royal Match is a popular match-3 game that’s perfect for simple, relaxed entertainment. Play as King Robert, a quirky monarch who always seems to get himself in trouble. Drag colorful icons like crowns and shields to make a match, unlocking new decorations and levels with each successful session. Every once in a while, dive into a funny minigame where you save King Robert from dangers like traps and dragons. Higher levels bring bigger treasures, but the gameplay remains largely the same, so it’s perfect for laid-back multitasking.

3. Bingo Blitz

Bingo Blitz mixes up traditional Bingo with power-ups, collectables, and board game-style puzzles. Join Blitzy, a cute blue cat who tags along for every session, as he travels around the world gathering memento photos and meeting friends. This makes every bingo session set against a unique, colorful background, like a tropical beach or the Eiffel Tower. Bingo Blitz has multiplayer modes, too, so your couch buddies can join in on your second-screen fun.

4. Family Island

Family Island is a vibrant farming simulator, where players engage in interactions like planting and harvesting crops. Help island family Bruce and Eva grow unique crops, fill orders, and cook delicious food. Explore the stone age and collect resources to trade with other players, then decorate your farm to make it yours. It has specific zones with no timers and simple base building gameplay, so you can idly tap while you binge a few seasons.

5. Merge Gardens

Merge Gardens is an intriguing game set in a massive, sprawling estate. Play as Daisy, a young woman who inherited an old family manor, as she explores a mysterious, labyrinthine garden. Solve puzzles, grow impressive plants, and evolve adorable creatures, all while personalizing your garden to be uniquely yours. Merge Gardens has just enough stimulation to challenge your brain, but it’s simple enough to play during TV time.

6. Yahtzee with Buddies Dice

Yahtzee with Buddies Dice is an official Hasbro app, and it’s the best mobile way to play this nostalgic pastime. It’s a relaxing game to play at home or at a friend’s house (whoever happens to host movie night). Invite a few friends, then go head-to-head or band off into teams. There are also plenty of fun game modes to mix up the classic game in new and exciting ways. Try out a Treasure Hunt to explore islands, collect shards, and gain great power-ups.

7. Scrabble GO

Scrabble GO is an engaging word game that’ll have you showing off your vocabulary to friends. Compete in fast-paced duels in multiplayer mode or progress through a rewarding solo experience. Score points, climb the leaderboard, and collect beautiful custom tiles. You can also keep it low key and dabble in Practice Mode for no-stress gameplay that lets you focus on your favorite show.

Why playing while watching TV fits a relaxed Mistplay experience

Mistplay encourages you to try different games and play on your own schedule, with cumulative rewards that build up every time you play. It’s easy to complete daily tasks and meet checkpoints during other activities, like watching TV and listening to music. You just play what you want, when you want, and pick up some tangible rewards along the way.

Here are a few reasons why Mistplay is the ideal background task.

No data limits = better games

If you’re at home watching TV, you’ll likely have an internet connection. This means you can quickly download and try out larger, more immersive games. Mistplay encourages this further by giving you more rewards for trying out new games on the regular.

Use your Wi-Fi to download the best mobile games, and play to your heart’s content. Plus, many of these games have offline modes, so you can continue to play even after show time.

Longer sessions = more points

You gain a lot of points through earning Game Experience Points (GXP), which accumulate through every minute of play and by hitting specific checkpoints. Gaming during TV is a great way to achieve milestones and rack up playtime, as many people dive into long watching sessions. You can sit down for some much-deserved downtime, tapping and swiping your way to gift cards all evening.

Play together = boost your rewards

Relaxing mobile games have a simple learning curve, so you can get your friends in on the fun. If you’re watching TV with friends or family, join a Buddy Quest together to boost your rewards. Take on collaborative missions, and work toward a final treasure chest that holds a random collection of points. Then, trade in your stash for real gift cards to brands like Starbucks and AMC Theaters—great choices for a date night or friendly outing.

Turn idle time into rewards with Mistplay

Games you can play while watching TV are a great way to unwind and get more out of downtime. Rather than watching ad breaks, busy your hands and play something relaxing and rewarding. If you aren’t sure where to start, don’t dig through app stores — just download Mistplay.

Mistplay’s games list delivers relevant titles that suit your tastes, whether you like quick card games or adorable pet simulators. We have the best casual games for Android and iOS so you can find high-quality titles no matter which device you use. Download new titles straight from your feed, and start playing before your popcorn gets cold. 

Download Mistplay on iOS and Android, and level up your leisure time.

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‍¹Games mentioned are for illustrative purposes, and selection may vary per region.