With the advancement in power and speeds available in mobile phones in recent years, especially with the introduction of smartphones, phones have gone from devices allowing you make and receive phone calls and messages to smaller, more mobile computers. There is almost nothing that you are unable to do on your cell phone that you can do on your laptop these days, and this has led to a massive amount of apps, games and mobile websites for you to work and relax on the go. Our favourite ways of relaxing on your mobile device are listed below in no particular order.

Flappy Bird

Although this game has been pulled by its creator in recent times due to “it destroyed my simple life” as Nguyen Ha Dong said on Twitter, it is a fantastically addictive game that sees players have to tap the screen to flap the wings of their bird to navigate through the gaps in the Mario-esque tubes. The game was downloaded more than 50 million times from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store before being pulled and it has spawned numerous copied versions, so those new to the game can still try a version of it.

The joy of the game is that simple to pick up and play, but frustrating to master and get any sort of rhythm and, as such, high scoring going. Despite this, it is still a game I’m struggling to put down on my commute to work!

Angry Birds

Another bird featured game that has gained massive popularity since its creation and release late in 2009 is Angry Birds. It has spread from the iPhone to all smartphones and can be played in your browser too, with a film being released in 2016. The game, and its myriad of sequels, have been downloaded over two billion times and have been described as “the largest mobile app success the world has seen so far”.

The premise, again, is simple in that you must fling your angry birds from a slingshot to destroy buildings and the evil pigs on the battlefield. The fewer birds used, the higher your score. It is another devilishly simple and massively addictive game that cannot be put down once started.

Gambling Apps

As a massive online gaming junkie, I regularly play poker and bingo as well as casino and slot games in my free time on my laptop in the evenings and at weekends. Thanks to the speeds of both smartphones and mobile connections increasing in recent years it is now possible to play all of these games on your mobile device while on the go as long as you have stable connection.

There are many different versions of mobile apps and specifically designed mobile friendly websites available for all aspects of online gaming. Of all the games that you are able to play, I love the ability to play free online bingo games at Butlers on my mobile devices as the quick games allow several games while commuting, although I do switch it up on longer journeys with either poker or a long session of online slot games played on my iPhone.

Candy Crush

After being released in early 2012 on Facebook, it did not take long for this simple game of connecting three of the same candy together to release them from the board to help complete a set task to migrate to smartphones and become an even bigger worldwide phenomenon. It could even be up to get listed on the New York Stock Exchange!

As of the end of last year, Candy Crush has been downloaded more than half a billion times and it’s Facebook page has more than 61 million likes. Everyone is playing it and it is certainly as addictive and challenging, infuriatingly so, as the other games that fill my commute with a combination of fist pumps and expletives! If none of these tickle your fancy try Weather Doodle!

Poker is fun, and tons of people love to play. Like most games, it was a huge leap forward when we could play them on our computers. Then game better networks and amazing online experiences with these games.

Smart phones have taken all of this to a new level. Now you can play games of every kind everywhere. You can play by yourself or with other people. Add in social networking, and gaming even becomes a new way of communicating with friends – let’s chat while we play a game!

Of course this is going to drive tons of holiday sales, and phones, iPads and other devices fly off the shelves. People of all ages love this stuff, and kids are obsessed with it. Tons of companies are cashing in on mobile gaming as tons of mobile betting apps are downloaded for all sorts of devices.

Stuff like iCoud makes mobile gaming even better. Now you can track your games and scores from multiple Apple devices, from your iPhone to your iPad to your laptop. It’s just amazing.

The growth here is exponential, so expect some huge numbers from the holiday season and the week after Christmas when people downloads apps on the new gadgets they found under the Christmas tree!