10 summer games for a holiday mood: slides, ice cream, dunes and fishing
Looking for summer games? Here are ten, and each one puts a slice of the holidays on screen: a giant water park slide, ice cream that has to set before it melts, sand dunes, a quiet shoreline with a fishing rod and a bridge built out of watermelon bricks. Nine of the ten work on a phone, all of them are single player and none need installing. There is something for a short break between chores and something for a long evening after the pool.
How we picked them
What these games share is the season, not the genre. In some you race, in some you make desserts, and in one you mostly wait for a bite. We looked at three things: a real summer theme, controls you understand in seconds, and whether the game runs on a phone. Under each title you will find which buttons it uses and who it suits, so you can decide before you even open it.
Water park: slide races
There are two slide racers, and at first glance they look alike. The difference is in the controls: in one you only manage your speed, in the other you steer your line down the tube.
Aquapark Shark
You learn exactly one move. Hold to speed up, let go to slow down. Hold on the straights, release before a sharp bend; come in too fast and you fly right out of the slide. Ramps can launch you forward for extra distance. On a phone you just tap and hold the screen. Because a single button runs the whole race, this is the easiest way into slide racing if you have never tried it.
Aquapark.io
Here the speed comes by itself and you slide left and right with the mouse or a finger. Leaning into the outside of a bend gains speed, but lean too far and you get thrown into the air. The competitive bit is that you can bump rivals sideways and knock them off the slide, and they can do the same to you. The rivals are computer players, so there is no waiting for a lobby. If the one-button Aquapark Shark felt too easy, this is your next step.
Ice cream and cold desserts
On a hot afternoon, this is the corner of the list people open first. None of the three has a timer and none of them punishes a mistake; you follow the steps in order and decorate at the end. For younger children it is the calmest part of the list. If you want more recipes, the ice cream and drinks games page has plenty of others.
Frosty Ice Cream
You pour milk, sugar and ice into the machine, and once the proportions are right you start the mixer. Then you pick a flavour such as strawberry, chocolate or vanilla, stack scoops in a cone or a cup, and finish with sauce and sprinkles. Clicking and holding is all it takes, and on a phone you tap. It suits kids who are curious about how ice cream is actually made, one step at a time.
Rainbow Ice Cream And Popsicles
Instead of one dessert you get three: scoops in a cone, ice lollies in a mould and an ice cream sandwich. For the lollies you pour the colours in layers, push in the stick and wait for it to freeze. Each treat plays like its own little level. It works with drag and drop, the same way on a touchscreen. If your child loves playing with colours, this may beat the workshop above.
Summer Dessert Party
Not ice cream this time but chilled desserts in a glass: you whip cream, chop fruit, melt chocolate and leave the mix to cool. The ingredient shelf is big, with marshmallows, caramel and biscuit crumbs, so the same recipe can look different every time you decorate it. The cooling step needs a bit of patience. For the rest of the kitchen genre, our cooking games guide is a handy map.
Beach and seaside
Sand, sea and watermelon link these three, but the pace could hardly be more different: one is a quick skill game, one is completely unhurried, and one is a race against rivals.
Dune Surfer 3d
You draw a line in front of your rider with the mouse and they surf along it. A downward line adds speed, an upward one lifts you over gaps. Touch a white obstacle and the run ends on the spot. The line runs out after a certain length, so short, frequent strokes work better than one long sweep. On a phone you draw with a finger. It is a good follow-up to the slide races if you want the same rush of speed with a very different kind of control.
Scale the Depths
The slowest game on the list. You walk along the shore with A and D, cast with the space bar at a good spot, and reel in with the same key when a fish bites. There is no timer and no way to lose; every creature you catch joins your collection and opens up new areas. On a phone you use the on-screen buttons. If you want to wind down at the end of the day, have a look at our list of relaxing games too, and the fish games page covers other kinds of fishing and aquarium play.
Watermelon Run
You scoop up watermelon bricks at the roadside and, when you reach the water, they turn into a bridge beneath your feet. Run out of bricks and the bridge stops short and you drop into the water, so check your stack before chasing a shortcut. You steer by dragging, and on a phone you swipe. The rivals are the game's own characters. For the finer points of this race style, read our bridge-building race tips.
A tile game in the shade and action on an island
The last two stretch summer in opposite directions: one is a tile game for under the parasol, the other is an island shootout for older players.
Summer Triple Mahjong
Unlike classic mahjong, you collect tiles in threes rather than pairs. You can only take the tile at either end of a row; it drops into a tray below, and three matching tiles clear themselves. If the tray fills up the level ends, and a timer runs at the top as well. When you get stuck, the hint button shows a triple you can still complete. On a phone you tap the tiles. If the tray idea is new to you, our triple matching tips will save you a few lost levels.
Zombie Vacation 2
You play a soldier stranded on a tropical island, clearing out the groups of enemies that come at you and unlocking new weapons as you push on. WASD moves you, the mouse aims and fires, R reloads and T triggers slow motion. It is the only game here that does not work on a phone; you need a keyboard and mouse. Since it is all about gunfights, it is one for older players who like shooters, not for young children.
Which one to start with
Want to play straight away with one finger? Go for Aquapark Shark. Looking for something calm to do with a child? Try Frosty Ice Cream or the rainbow popsicles. To switch off, pick Scale the Depths; to think a little, Summer Triple Mahjong. If you want some competition, the bumping race in Aquapark.io or Watermelon Run will do it. Grown-ups with a keyboard who want action can take the island mission. You will find more like these in the cooking and racing categories.
Frequently asked questions
Can I play these summer games on a phone?
Nine out of ten, yes. The slide, ice cream, dune, fishing, watermelon and mahjong games all work on a touchscreen. The island mission needs a keyboard and mouse, so play that one on a computer.
Which one is best for a young child?
The three ice cream and dessert games are the easiest: no timer, no losing, and the steps come one after another. The fishing game is calm as well. Leave the shooter to older players.
Can two people play at the same time?
Every game on this list is single player. The rivals in the slide and watermelon races are computer players, so you can start without waiting for a friend. Taking turns and comparing who finishes first still makes for a nice little contest on a summer evening.