What Are Clicker Games and Where Can You Find New Ones?

Clicker games are games built around a repeated action—usually clicking—that produces a resource you then spend on upgrades or automation. The defining trait isn't the clicking itself but the loop: click to earn, spend to earn faster, and eventually let the game run with less input. You can find new ones on curated databases like Incremental games database (incrementaldb.com), which lists clicker, idle, and incremental titles together with update and popularity signals.

The core loop

A clicker game starts with a manual action. Each click gives currency, score, or progress. You spend that currency on upgrades that either increase how much each click produces or add a source of income that works without you.

That second part matters. Once automation kicks in, the game shifts from active clicking toward idle play. Many titles are labeled both "clicker" and "incremental" or "idle" because they sit on the same spectrum: clicking is the entry point, automation is the destination.

Common elements you'll see across the genre:

• Upgrade trees — branching choices for click power, passive income, or multipliers
• Offline progress — earnings that accumulate while the game is closed
• Prestige or reset mechanics — restarting with a permanent bonus to push further
• Number growth — values that scale from small amounts to very large totals

Clicker vs. incremental vs. idle

The three terms overlap heavily, and most databases treat them as related categories rather than strict genres. The practical difference is where the game puts its emphasis.

A game can be all three. If clicking stays central and automation is slow, it reads as a clicker. If automation arrives early and the game mostly runs itself, players call it idle. Incremental is the broader umbrella for games about accumulating and scaling.

How to tell if a clicker game fits you

Before committing time, check a few things:

• How much active clicking is required? Some games expect constant clicking; others automate within minutes.
• How fast does automation unlock? Early automation suits players who want a relaxed pace; late automation suits those who enjoy the manual phase.
• How long is a session or run? Some are short arcade loops, others are long progression games.
• Is there a demo or browser version? Demos and full releases can differ in content and pacing.

Where to find new clicker games

Curated databases are the most efficient starting point because they group related genres and show what's new or updated.

On Incremental games database, the catalog mixes clicker, idle, and incremental titles and includes filters, list and grid views, and sections for new, hot, updated, and best-new games. Examples from the listing show the range of the genre:

• Click Mage — a 2D resource gatherer and building game where you mine, process resources, and upgrade clicking power
• GRIND — a mining incremental where pickaxes ricochet through a hex cave, with everything you mine kept for the upgrade tree
• Human-powered spacecraft — described as a nostalgia-infused pixel clicker
• Clickhold — defend a castle by clicking down invading enemies and building defenses as waves get harder
• Break the Piñatas — smash 1,000 piñatas, earn candy, and buy upgrades

Browsing a database like this lets you compare active-clicking demands, automation speed, and update activity side by side instead of guessing from a single store page.

Practical tips when trying one

• Check whether a listing is a demo or a full release; demos often cut off before later automation systems appear.
• Note whether the game runs in a browser or as a client—this affects how easily you can leave it running.
• Look at the updated and new sections to find games still being developed rather than abandoned ones.
• Read community discussion where available; players usually flag how much clicking a game actually requires.