Clicker games, also called idle or incremental games, start with you clicking to earn a resource such as coins or cookies. You spend it on upgrades that earn more, and eventually on helpers that earn automatically, even while you do nothing. The fun is in watching small numbers grow into enormous ones. Cookie Clicker, released in 2013 by the developer Orteil, made the genre famous.

How do clicker games work?

  1. Click to earn your first resource.
  2. Buy an upgrade that makes each click worth more.
  3. Buy a generator, such as a worker, a machine or a shop, that earns on its own every second.
  4. Reinvest the earnings in more and better generators.
  5. When progress slows down, prestige: reset for a permanent bonus and grow faster the next time.

Words you will see

Term Meaning
Idle income Money earned automatically, without clicking
Offline earnings Income the game gives you for the time the page was closed
Multiplier An upgrade that multiplies another source of income, for example ×2
Prestige / rebirth / ascend An optional reset that gives a permanent bonus
Tycoon An idle game about growing a business, like a shop or an airport

Why do the numbers get so big?

Many clicker games make each new copy of a generator cost a fixed percentage more than the last one (in Cookie Clicker it is 15%), while upgrades multiply income. Costs climb fast, but stacked multipliers make income climb fast too, so numbers climb into millions, then billions and far beyond. Games shorten them as 1.5M, 2.3B, or with names like quadrillion.

How saves work

Most clicker games on Gameziko save your progress in your browser on that device, but each game handles saving in its own way. That means:

  • Closing the tab is usually fine; in most games your progress is there when you come back.
  • Clearing site data, using private browsing or switching device starts a new game.
  • Offline earnings, if the game has them, are calculated when you return.

Tips to progress faster

  1. Automate first. An upgrade that earns every second is usually worth more than one that boosts clicks.
  2. Buy the cheapest efficient upgrade. Compare income gained per coin spent, not just the biggest number.
  3. Don't prestige too early. A common rule of thumb is to wait until progress has nearly stopped.
  4. Check in briefly. Idle games are designed for short visits; you don't need to keep the tab open.

Examples to try

  • Cat Clicker: a simple clicker about creating a growing world of cats.
  • My Idle Mart Empire Tycoon: grow a small shop into a retail empire.
  • Idle Space Miner Tycoon: build from one drill to a space mining operation.
  • Gem Clicker Pro: tap for gems and unlock boosters.

More games are in the clicker games category.

Many terms used in idle games, such as prestige, are defined in the browser games glossary.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a clicker game and an idle game?

A clicker game starts with you clicking to earn a resource, while an idle game focuses on income that arrives automatically, even when you do nothing. Most modern games mix both: you click at the start, then buy generators that keep earning on their own. Many players use the two names interchangeably.

What does prestige mean in idle games?

Prestige is an optional reset in idle and clicker games. You give up your current progress, such as buildings and money, in exchange for a permanent bonus that makes the next run grow faster. Some games call it rebirth or ascending, and a common rule of thumb is to wait until progress nearly stops.

Do idle games keep earning when the tab is closed?

Some do. Idle games with offline earnings calculate the income for the time the page was closed and add it when you come back. Games without that feature only earn while they are open. In both cases, the progress is usually saved in your browser on that device.

Why did my clicker game progress disappear?

Most browser clicker games save progress in your browser's storage on one device. Clearing your cookies and site data, playing in a private browsing window, or opening the game in another browser or on another device starts a new game, because the saved progress stays behind in the original browser.