Idle games, also called clicker or incremental games, start with a simple action (usually clicking) that generates a resource, then let you spend that resource on upgrades that automate and accelerate production. Eventually the game plays itself while numbers grow exponentially. The genre sounds like it should not work, but it exploits deep psychological triggers: variable rewards, exponential growth that feels like constant achievement, and the satisfaction of optimizing systems. Many idle games are deceptively deep, with prestige mechanics that reset progress for permanent multipliers, creating cycles of growth and reset that somehow remain engaging for months.