Idle games - also known as incremental games - create one of gaming's most uniquely addictive experiences by rewarding you with exponential growth that continues even when you are not actively playing. Start by clicking to earn a small trickle of currency, then invest those earnings into automated systems that generate income on their own. Over time, your passive income dwarfs your clicking power, and the numbers on screen grow from hundreds to millions to incomprehensibly large figures. The strategic depth comes from choosing which upgrades to purchase and when to prestige - resetting your progress in exchange for permanent multipliers that make your next run dramatically faster. Cookie Clicker established the genre, but modern idle games feature elaborate themes, skill trees, and progression systems layered on top of the core incremental loop. Fantasy idle games send automated hero parties on quests. Factory idle games optimize production chains. Space idle games have you colonizing the galaxy. The genre is perfect for multitaskers - run an idle game in a background tab while you work, checking in periodically to make strategic decisions and marvel at your astronomical numbers.
