Two years ago I posted links to ten (relatively) mindless online “games” as a bit of fun, and as something not too taxing to indulge in over the holiday break.  Having reached that point again where anything more intellectually challenging than tic tac toe makes my head hurt, I thought I would revisit and update the 2020 Science Compendium of Mindless Games. The only criteria for inclusion: an ability to retain my attention for more than 10 seconds, minimal thinking required, a high smile-factor, and absolutely nothing of overtly educational value!

Just in case you are looking for something a tad more intellectually stimulating, you can always try the Royal Statistical Society Christmas Quiz instead!

Have fun, and Happy Holidays!

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Science Crossword

Two years ago I started off with a simple crossword to give the illusion of intellectual integrity – here’s another one in the series.

If you enjoyed this, there are fifteen other science crosswords to keep you amused ScienceCrossword.com

Levers

Levers

Retained from two years ago – a deceptively engaging bit of fun from VectorPark.  Like all games from VectorPark, it’s up to you to discover the rules by trial and error.  Or you could just sit and watch your mobile twist and turn on the screen – my recommendation after a heavy Holiday meal!

Monkey Lander

Monkey Lander

I spent some time looking for an alternative to Monkey Lander – but failed to find anything quite so mindlessly enjoyable.  And the neat thing is, the gravity-thruster simulation isn’t half bad 🙂

Acrobats

Another brilliant offering from VectorPark, and something that’s new to this collection.  Just play with the controls, move the acrobats with your cursor, and enjoy!

Simon Says

Confession: I was going to include something with a more artistic bent from Paul Neave’s great online collection but I couldn’t resist this piece of retro-nostalgia!

Gravity Launch

Gravity Launch

Another game I had to keep! Gravity Launch almost didn’t make it into the mindless game compendium last time round – it teeters on the edge of being too educational.  But despite this obvious flaw, it’s still a lot of fun – and simple too.  Just adjust the rocket’s thrust and takeoff angle, and try to dock with an increasingly complex array of space stations.

Snowflake Designer

I must confess that the simplicity of this application had me enchanted.  Design beautiful “snowflakes” to your heart’s content. [Update: this no longer seems to be available – if anyone can find a working link, please let me know!]

Seasons

Yet another VectorPark application that’s new to this compendium.  It has all the hallmarks of other applications from the same shop – deceptive simplicity, beautifully imagined graphics, and delightful serendipity.  Move the cursor around and see what happens. To move to the next season, simply move the cursor to the right of the screen.

A load of Jackson Pollock?

Not a new application, but still worthy of this collection: design your own Jackson Pollock lookalike painting.  The secret is in knowing when to stop!

Feed the Head

Feed the Head

In 2009 I finished the brain candy collection with a really trippy piece from Vector Park.  And here it is again – I couldn’t resist!  Follow the mouse, and see where it leads…