The best arcade games for a five-minute break

Not every game needs to eat an evening. Sometimes you want something that starts instantly, plays in a couple of minutes, and doesn't punish you for closing it mid-run.

The best short-session arcade games load fast and forgive interruptions. No forced tutorials on every launch, no penalties for backing out. You should be able to jump in, get your fix, and get on with your day.

I lean toward games with a clear score or a single satisfying action to repeat. The joy comes from tiny improvements each run, not from a sprawling meta layer that only makes sense after an hour.

Keep two or three of these installed and you'll never dread a queue again. They're the mobile equivalent of a good pocket snack.