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The 6 mobile games that will help get you through Thanksgiving

The 6 mobile games that will help get you through Thanksgiving

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Ignore your family with these helpful games

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Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year, a chance to spend a few days with family and friends and enjoy an amazing meal. But there's also a lot of downtime, whether it's due to travelling across the country or hiding to avoid your uncle droning on about how the Bears are terrible this year. Luckily, there's an easy way to enjoy yourself, even when you're not stuffing your face with turkey — and it's right there in your pocket. Mobile games are a great way to kill time, and no matter if you only have a few minutes or a few hours, there's something out there to keep you occupied. Here are six ways to make your Thanksgiving a little more awesome.

Threes

Threes

If you only have a few quick moments to sneak in a game, say while you're waiting for dessert to come out, there are few better options than Threes. The number-crunching puzzler is incredibly simple, with gameplay that revolves around adding numbers together to create even bigger ones. Its clever design and intuitive touch controls make it easy to get into, but that just makes it harder to put down: it always feel like you could do just a little bit better the next time. You only need a few minutes to play, but you'll want to stick around a whole lot longer.

Threes is available on iTunes and Google Play

TwoDots

TwoDots

The original Dots was popular, but its basic endless gameplay left a lot to be desired. The sequel makes things a whole lot better. Now, instead of a never-ending high score chase, you have bite-sized levels, each with their own unique challenges. It makes for a much more varied and interesting experience, and the quick-but-satisfying gameplay means you won't have to ignore your family to play — or at least not for very long.

TwoDots is available on iTunes and Google Play

Monument Valley

Monument Valley

After you and your loved ones consume a massive feast, it's likely your brain won't quite be at its snappiest, so a slower, contemplative game like Monument Valley might be best. Though its levels can be quite challenging, with their impossible, mind-bending architecture, there's no time limit, and you can't really fail either. The beautiful music and visuals will help ease you into that impending tryptophan-induced coma — and the excellent new expansion means there's even more to love.

Monument Valley is available on iTunes and Google Play

80 Days

80 days

For many of us, Thanksgiving dinner means travelling long distances to see family and friends. And whether you're in the back of a car or stuck in the aisle seat of an airplane, there are few better ways to pass the time than 80 Days. It has all of the great writing and adventure of a pulp novel, but with interactive elements that make you feel like a part of the journey. As an added bonus, 80 Days has excellent replay value, as each time you play, things will turn out differently.

80 Days is available on iTunes

The Sailor's Dream

The Sailor's Dream

When family gets together, bad things can happen; screaming kids running amok, empty bottles of wine reigniting long-dormant arguments. Sometimes you just need to get away and relax. And with an iPhone, some headphones, and The Sailor's Dream, you can do just that. It's part short story collection, part concept album, and one of the most laid-back experiences you can have on a mobile device — even the title screen is peaceful, with its serene music and gently crashing waves, which are great for drowning out noisy relatives.

The Sailor's Dream is available on iTunes

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft

Hearthstone iPad

It may be a bit trickier to sneak a tablet to a family get together, but then again, who could go that long without playing Hearthstone? Blizzard's incredibly addictive digital card game is ideally suited for playing in both quick bursts and over extended periods; really, the only hitch is that you'll need an internet connection to play. But with the game's first big expansion on the way, now is the perfect time to earn some extra gold.

Hearthstone is available on iTunes (iPad only)

Read next: The 7 games you can play with the whole family this Thanksgiving

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