--- title: Idle Games kind: note description: Idle games, a.k.a. incremental or "clicker" games, turn progression itself into the main attraction. A typical game begins with a simple action that produces a resource; that resource buys upgrades,… words: 416 readingMinutes: 2 created: '2026-08-16T00:00:00.000Z' updated: '2026-08-16T13:26:58+02:00' --- Idle [games](/notes/gaming), a.k.a. incremental or "clicker" games, turn progression itself into the main attraction. A typical game begins with a simple action that produces a resource; that resource buys upgrades, the upgrades automate or accelerate production, and increasingly large numbers unlock new systems. The pleasure is often summarized as *number goes up* ("NGU"): frequent rewards provide small dopamine hits, while longer-term goals create the satisfaction of planning and watching a system become dramatically more efficient. They particularly appeal to people who enjoy optimization, completionism, spreadsheets, steady progress, and making a few meaningful decisions rather than maintaining constant mechanical focus. Because much of the work continues automatically while the player is AFK or offline, idle games suit busy gamers who like a low-pressure, second-screen game. “Idle” does not necessarily mean that there is nothing to do; in the better examples, attention shifts from repetitive input to choosing upgrades, constructing builds, timing resets, and deciding which goal to pursue next. The genre ranges from pure clickers, in which manual input gradually gives way to automation, to resource-management and factory games built around compounding production. *Prestige* games periodically reset progress in exchange for permanent bonuses, while idle RPGs add skills, equipment, combat, quests, and long-term character development. Some are entirely solitary; others add guilds, trading, cooperative combat, leaderboards, and player-driven economies. Idle games have roots in early browser experiments and parodies such as *Progress Quest* (2002), which reduced the MMORPG experience to an automatically advancing character sheet. The genre became far more visible with games such as *Cookie Clicker* (2013), followed by successes including *AdVenture Capitalist*, *Clicker Heroes*, *Realm Grinder*, *NGU Idle*, *Universal Paperclips*, and *A Dark Room*. Mobile games helped popularize offline progress and free-to-play monetization, while later cross-platform games demonstrated that the same structure could support deeper, less disposable experiences. A prominent modern branch combines idle progression with ideas from [RuneScape](/notes/runescape). Melvor Idle is one of its best-known single-player examples, turning skills, mastery, equipment, and combat into a long-running incremental game. Milky Way Idle adds a player marketplace, parties, guilds, and extensive automation, while Idle Clans puts even greater emphasis on clans and social play. Together, they show how far the genre has moved beyond simply clicking a large button and waiting for a bigger number. # Resources ## Listings - [IncrementalDB](https://www.incrementaldb.com/) - a community where gamers curate, review and discuss idle games - [IdleDB](https://idledb.com/) - top lists for Steam, iOS, [Android](/notes/android) and browser games - [TopIncrementalGames.com](https://www.topincrementalgames.com/) - [IsThereAnyDeal](https://isthereanydeal.com/browse/#filter:N4IgLghg5gziBcBtEBJAJgGwKYCcQF0BfIA;sort:rank) - "Idler" tag sorted by popularity