Did you hurt your wrist or hand? Do you suffer from fidget spinner addiction? Do you make risotto? Don’t worry, you can still play video games!
1 Vampire survivors And its many clones
Probably the best one-handed video game, Vampire survivors It allows you to experience the thrill of Bullet Hell without having to get your hands on the controller. All you have to do is move around, collect gems, pick ups and upgrade your character. The iPhone version is free and will not take up much space at all.
If you’re struggling to break through in 2023 (or even if you don’t), there are plenty of alternatives that take the tried-and-tested “auto-shoot” formula and innovate on it in some ways. Protato It greatly combines character building, Boneraiser minions Allows you to gather an army of followers to carry out your orders, and Deep Rock Galactic Survivor Mining adds to the mix.
2 Card games such as Slay the spire
Slay the spire The ultimate card-building roguelite, it’s a turn-based card game that tasks you with collecting cards that you must use to defeat enemies as you try to take down the tower. It is a card game that you will like even if you do not like card games, because it is very fun to play.
talking about, Balatro is another deck-building roguelite with broad appeal. Build your deck, unleash wild new abilities with jokers and boosted cards, then break the game with ridiculous scores. finally, Encryption It is worth mentioning for its moody atmosphere, simple gameplay, and the unforgettable journey it will take you on.
Almost any turn-based card game works here, even if you’re playing on a console. If you can push the left stick and press a few face buttons, you’re good to go.
3 Point and click adventures like Return to Monkey Island
Return to Monkey Island It is the most recent (and likely last) entry in a file Monkey Island Imtiaz, which is as funny as it is poignant. You don’t really need to have played the other games in the franchise to “get” this one, as the modern gameplay and gripping story should appeal to anyone. The best way to play this game is with a mouse or trackpad, but you could probably set up the controller in one-handed mode and play that way as well.
Point-and-click games are all largely one-handed affairs, so we recommend checking out the rest Monkey Island Period appropriate games and classics e.g Journey of the Amazon Queen and Beyond the steel sky (and its new edition), in addition to modern editions of this type Outlaw hypnosis, Thimbloed Parkand Norco.
4 Sedate 4X games like Civilization VI
the Civilization The series dates back to 1991 and has appeared on everything from the Commodore Amiga to the Nokia N-Gage with one common theme: accessible, turn-based gameplay. Sure, the games task you with making complex political decisions like how to structure your economy and whether to form an alliance or go to war, but you can do it without ever taking your hand off the mouse.
Civilization VI It is the latest version at the time of writing, but the seventh version is scheduled for release in early 2025. Stellaris It is another 4X game like Civilian Which can be played with one hand.
5 Slow-paced puzzles e.g Daddy is you
Daddy is you It is a puzzle game with a twist. Instead of solving problems by intelligently interpreting the rules set by the game, Daddy is you It requires you to change the rules to succeed. This forces you to think outside the box and provides a large number of possible solutions.
The slow gameplay lends itself perfectly to one-handed play. If slow gaming isn’t really your thing, Tetris effect (and almost every other version of the falling block game) technically only requires you to hit four directions to have a good time.
6 Tabletop-inspired adventures such as Sleeping citizen
Sleeping citizen It may be one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played, at least from a narrative perspective. The game lets you make dialogue (and story) decisions, with dice rolled to support your actions. It’s a little tabletop adventure set on a space station, with one of the most stunning soundtracks you’ll ever hear.
This simple gameplay means you can easily take things one step at a time. Another similar game based on pen and paper RPGs is Disco Elysiumwhere you play the role of a drunk detective who shows up at the scene of a murder.
I know that sports management games are not for everyone. But if you’ve never dipped your toes into a game like… Football manager And your arm has been in a cast for six weeks, why not try it? Take a team of your choice from the bottom of the standings to the Champions League final (or get kicked out mid-season, who knows).
If it interests you, take a look Motorsport Manager, F1 Managerand Pro cycling manager also.
8 Roguelike like The darkest dungeon
The term roguelike is commonly associated with fast-paced games such as Dead cells and Hadesbut the formula also works in a turn-based capacity. The darkest dungeon One example of this is you recruiting, training, and managing a team as they fight in a variety of locations.
In addition to turn-based combat, the game features the Affliction System, a simulation of how the stresses of battle can dramatically affect your party. This gives the game an extra depth that is often missing in similar titles.
May Caves It is another game worth mentioning. It first entered development in 2007 and was finally released in 2024, 15 years later. It features a complex physics simulation of its world, the creatures you encounter, and the clans you’ll interact with. It’s tough as nails but incredibly open-ended, and the turn-based approach makes it a mouse-only affair.
9 In rags And other tactical games
In rags It sees you doing battle on a network against an invading alien force. Use your mech to defend critical infrastructure by mastering a simple yet addictive turn-based combat system. Push, attack, and dodge, then do it again when you die, because failure means you’re sent back in time to try again.
The game is available on almost everything, and it’s also free for Netflix subscribers on mobile devices. If you like that kind of thing, you’ll like it too Tactical penetration wizards which follows a similar formula but emphasizes experimentation, Advanced Wars 1 + 2 Ro-Boot Camp On Switch, and for something completely different Steam World: Steal And its sequel.
10 Visual novels such as Doki Doki Literature Club
Fair warning: Doki Doki Literature Club It is a heavy game. What sounds like a simple visual novel about a book club…isn’t. It’s free on steambut plus! The edition is worth the purchase (and available on almost everything else).
Other visual novels include Phoenix Wright and Ace lawyer Complaints investigators, bathroom dating sim Her boyfriend is HatofulAnd the simulation of political power Sovereignty. These games are text-heavy, as the name suggests, but if you enjoy them, there’s a whole world waiting for you.
11 Small strategy games like Kingdom: Two crowns
in Kingdom: Two crowns You play as a king on horseback who must collect gold and spend it wisely to defend against enemies that appear in the night. It’s part artistic 2D side-scrolling game, part tower defense, and all in fun. You can basically play the game using only the right side of the controller (default for the Switch version).
In fact, tower defense games are perfect for playing with one hand. We recommend starting with Kingdom Rush Franchise (try Origins or border).
If you’ve been nursing an injury for a while, you might want to know how to use one-handed mode on Android or use the one-handed keyboard option on iPhone as well.
(tags for translation) Video games