Best Netflix games to download and play

Most people don’t know that Netflix subscribers get access to a huge library of mobile games at no extra cost, so we picked out the best ones.

The biggest hidden gem of the Netflix library isn’t a TV show, a movie, or a documentary, but instead a surprisingly large library of mobile games.

Netflix’s games library is filled with a surprising amount of very good games, all included at no extra cost to subscribers at any level. Netflix games have no annoying ads or aggressive microtransactions, so once you’ve downloaded it you’ll never have to pay another cent or watch an ad to play your game — provided you stay subscribed to Netflix.

Some of the games included are even quite recent, and some are pretty high-profile too, including Sam Barlow’s Immortality, which made it onto quite a few Game of the Year lists in 2022.

We’ve sorted through the whole library and picked out the ten best games to download and play today as part of your Netflix subscription.

Immortality

Picture: Netflix

Immortality is a modern ‘FMV’ or full-motion video game, which means it uses captured real-world footage to enhance the gameplay experience. Immortality has players looking through reels of film tape to look for clues and solve mysteries.

It’s up to players to search through three unreleased films to uncover the fate of a missing film star, and it’s an absolute blast to piece it all together. Just make sure you have a pen and paper close by, you’ll want to be taking notes if you want to solve the mystery.

Poinpy

Picture: Netflix

Poinpy is made by the developer of the cult classic game Downwell, which had players platforming down an infinite chasm. Poinpy goes in the opposite direction, having players bouncing upwards through stages while being chased by an adorable hungry monster.

It’s a cute and colourful game where you’ll be swiping skilfully through levels while collecting fruit juice and literally jumping through hoops. It’s easy to learn and difficult to master, but fantastic to play in short bursts, as all good mobile games are.

Kentucky Route Zero

Picture: Netflix

This game’s subdued colour scheme and dark tone might seem alien and off-putting at first, but once you’re settled in you’ll find a world filled with intrigue and mystery. It’s got some strong messages at its core, some quite obvious and others so subtle they might fly over your head the first time you play, which makes replaying it all that much more enjoyable.

Kentucky Route Zero’s memorable art style and stunning storytelling will stick with you for days and weeks after playing, even if it leaves you with more questions than it does answers.

Spiritfarer

Picture: Netflix

Spiritfarer is a wonderful game that expertly combines town management gameplay with a touching story about life, death, and what makes the human experience meaningful. It can get a little bit heavy at times, as you’d expect from a game where the player character essentially plays the role of the grim reaper, but it knows when to pull the brakes and let things breathe for a little while.

It’s also got an absolutely lovely, colourful, hand-drawn art style, an option to hug any of the critters that come aboard your ship at any time, and some of the best music in any game on this list. It’s a must-play, and it frankly defies belief that it’s included at no extra cost.

Stranger Things

Picture: Netflix

There are actually three different Stranger Things games available on Netflix, and each brings something new and different to the table.

There’s puzzle game Stranger Things: Puzzle Tales, top-down action game Stranger Things: 1984, and isometric adventure Stranger Things 3: The Game. Each is unique and interesting in its own different way, and if you’re a big fan of Stranger Things, all of them are worth taking a look at.

Reigns: Three Kingdoms

Picture: Netflix

The Reigns series is a set of incredibly unique city management simulators where you’ll basically never get to actually see your city. Instead, you’ll play the part of the kingdom’s ruler, and advisers will ask you questions about certain topics.

With Tinder-like swipes to the left and right, you’ll make decisions that can sometimes seem simple on the surface, but can often have dire consequences, both immediately and down the line. You’ll have to walk a difficult balancing act in keeping everyone happy in this Romance of the Three Kingdoms-inspired game, but even if you fail, the next time will be different and unique, adding to the longevity of the game.

Into The Breach

Picture: Netflix

Often cited as one of the best strategy games of all time, Into The Breach is a fairly simple-looking game that’s packed with depth and charm. If you’ve played games like X-COM or Advance Wars, you’ll have a pretty good idea of what you’re getting into here, but there’s nothing quite like Into The Breach so you’ll have to try it out for yourself.

The pixel art is very cute, and the strategy gameplay goes much deeper than you might expect for a game like this, so it should keep you entertained for hours on end, especially if you like punching giant monsters into mountains.

Teeter (Up)

Picture: Netflix

Teeter is a very simple game: you navigate a ball through a stage while balancing it on a platform, pressing the left and right side of the screen to raise each side of the platform.

Each stage can theoretically be completed in mere seconds, but it’s never quite as easy as it seems. You’ll likely be attempting stages over and over again until it finally clicks, and it’s that kind of addictive, “just one more try” experience that keeps you coming back to Teeter (Up) whenever you’ve got a spare minute or two.

Exploding Kittens – The Game

Picture: Netflix

This simple card game is a little bit like Uno, with a much stranger and more interesting theme to it. Your main goal is to not explode, but that’s a lot easier said than done. It’s possible you’ll draw an exploding kitten card, which blows you up instantly, but you can avoid that if you have a defuse card.

There’s a lot of strategy here, and the aim of the game is to be the last player not blown up, which is sure to cause a few arguments with friends and family. Thankfully, you can play by yourself in addition to multiplayer games, if you want to get in a little bit of practice before ruining your relationship with your dad by thoroughly trouncing him three games in a row.

Solitaire

Picture: Netflix

This might not sound like the most exciting game; you’ve probably played plenty of solitaire in your life, and this isn’t some twist or change to the core solitaire experience. It’s just solitaire. That might not sound particularly appealing on its face, but consider this: do you know how hard it is to find an ad-free version of solitaire on mobile?

Netflix’s policy of no ads and no extra payments really comes into play here, offering one of the best ways to play the time-honoured classic on your phone. Whether you just want to kill some time on your lunch break, or you want to give your grandparents something to do on their phones, solitaire always gets the job done.

Written by Oliver Brandt on behalf of GLHF.