The best games for laptops

Gaming on your laptop didn’t used to be a serious option outside of very simple games. Newer laptops have a lot more power inside for gaming, but can’t quite keep up with the latest and greatest of games on PC and consoles. Plus, you typically are restricted to a keyboard and touchpad that makes more intensive games uncomfortable or too difficult to enjoy. Since you won’t always have access to a separate mouse or standard controller, you might need some games that still play great on your laptop without needing any accessories.

These are the best games you can either play with nothing but the keyboard or minimal mouse use to avoid any hand cramps.

Balatro

84% Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S Genre Strategy, Indie, Card & Board Game Developer LocalThunk Publisher Playstack Release February 20, 2024 We’re still helplessly obsessed with Balatro, and that’s in no small part due to how easy it is to play on every platform it’s on. Laptops in particular make taking this hit poker roguelike anywhere for a few hands. The basic idea is to make traditional poker hands — pairs, straights, flushes, etc. — which are then given chip values and multipliers. You need to earn a set number of chips to beat each round in a given number of hands to move on and earn money to buy Jokers. Jokers are what add the roguelike elements by altering the value of different cards or hands to change what type of hands you want to go for. It’s turn-based, round-based, and easy to pick up and play. Just try not to let it consume you too much. Balatro — Official Launch Trailer Related

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Vampire Survivors

80% Platforms PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, Android, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S Genre Role-playing (RPG),