Best games
Best Casual games of 2017
The 25 best Casual games released in 2017, ranked from 5,671 critic and player ratings.
The best Casual game of 2017 is Sonic Mania, with a critic score of 85/100 — updated September 2026.
How this ranking is built
- Games are ranked on the aggregated critic score out of 100 imported from IGDB and Metacritic, never on Tier's own grades.
- A game only enters the ranking with at least 80 external ratings, so a single enthusiastic review never outranks a proven classic.
- Community grades from F to S are shown next to every game, and only stated as a fact above 5 Tier ratings.
- Release window covered: 2017.
- 25 games are listed on this page, carrying 5,671 ratings between them.
- Rankings are recomputed hourly; this one was last rebuilt on 28 September 2026.
Top 25
01
Sonic Mania
Sonic Mania is a side-scrolling platformer that pays homage to the original Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog games. Players choose from Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, each with unique abilities, and speed through 13 zones that include redesigned stages from past games alongside original levels. The game features special stages for collecting Chaos Emeralds, time attack with online leaderboards, and split-screen competitive multiplayer.
85
/100
02
Monument Valley 2
Guide a mother and her child as they embark on a journey through magical architecture, discovering illusionary pathways and delightful puzzles as you learn the secrets of the Sacred Geometry.
85
/100
03
Gorogoa
Gorogoa is a beautiful hand-drawn story suspended inside a completely unique puzzle. Arrange and combine lavishly illustrated panels, each one a separate interactive window into a living game world.
82
/100
Sonic Mania
Sonic Mania is a side-scrolling platformer that pays homage to the original Sega Genesis Sonic the Hedgehog games. Players choose from Sonic, Tails, or Knuckles, each with unique abilities, and speed through 13 zones that include redesigned stages from past games alongside original levels. The game features special stages for collecting Chaos Emeralds, time attack with online leaderboards, and split-screen competitive multiplayer.
85
/100
02
Monument Valley 2
Guide a mother and her child as they embark on a journey through magical architecture, discovering illusionary pathways and delightful puzzles as you learn the secrets of the Sacred Geometry.
85
/100
03
Gorogoa
Gorogoa is a beautiful hand-drawn story suspended inside a completely unique puzzle. Arrange and combine lavishly illustrated panels, each one a separate interactive window into a living game world.
82
/100
04
Tooth and Tail
Lead the revolution with an army of flamethrowing Boars, mustard gas-lobbing Skunks, and paratrooper-puking Owls. Tooth and Tail is a Real-Time-Strategy game featuring Single Player, Online Competitive Play, Split Screen, Replays, and more. Build a base, lead your army, eat your enemies!
82
/100
05
Nidhogg 2
Return of the wurm! The next installment of the epic award-winning dueling tug-of-war is coming! Destroy your opponents with all new moves and weapons across ten different arenas.
80
/100
06
Observеr
77
/100
07
Old Man's Journey
Old Man’s Journey, a soul-searching puzzle adventure, tells a story of life, loss, reconciliation, and hope. Entrenched in a beautifully sunkissed and handcrafted world, embark on a heartfelt journey interwoven with lighthearted and pressure-free puzzle solving. During this compact gameplay experience, you’ll be transported to a vibrant and wishful world, exploring life’s complexities through the old man’s eyes. Meditatively delightful and reflective, Old Man’s Journey invites you to immerse yourself in quiet and inquisitive puzzles, and experience the old man’s heartache, regret, and hope.
77
/100
08
PUBG: Battlegrounds
PUBG: Battlegrounds is a battle royale shooter that pits 100 players against each other in a struggle for survival. Gather supplies and outwit your opponents to become the last person standing.
75
/100
09
Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is a free platform fighting game with over 100 million players that supports up to 8 players online in a single match with full cross-play. Frequent updates. 50 unique characters and counting. Come fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla!
75
/100
10
CAYNE
In this grim return to the STASIS universe, expectant protagonist, Hadley, wakes up in a facility. Where is she? Why is she there? And, why do they want her baby? Help panicked and anxious Hadley find her feet and brave stomach-churning situations to break free, by solving puzzles in this FREE horror adventure game.
75
/100
11
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
73
/100
12
B
Stick Fight: The Game
73
/100
13
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
72
/100
14
Snake Pass
71
/100
15
Superflight
71
/100
16
Polygoneer
70
/100
17
Pinstripe
70
/100
18
That's You!
69
/100
19
911 Operator
68
/100
20
Peace, Death!
65
/100
21
Gang Beasts
65
/100
22
VRChat
64
/100
23
Argo
61
/100
24
Blackwake
51
/100
25
Last Man Standing
44
/100
Tooth and Tail
Lead the revolution with an army of flamethrowing Boars, mustard gas-lobbing Skunks, and paratrooper-puking Owls. Tooth and Tail is a Real-Time-Strategy game featuring Single Player, Online Competitive Play, Split Screen, Replays, and more. Build a base, lead your army, eat your enemies!
82
/100
05
Nidhogg 2
Return of the wurm! The next installment of the epic award-winning dueling tug-of-war is coming! Destroy your opponents with all new moves and weapons across ten different arenas.
80
/100
06
Observеr
77
/100
07
Old Man's Journey
Old Man’s Journey, a soul-searching puzzle adventure, tells a story of life, loss, reconciliation, and hope. Entrenched in a beautifully sunkissed and handcrafted world, embark on a heartfelt journey interwoven with lighthearted and pressure-free puzzle solving. During this compact gameplay experience, you’ll be transported to a vibrant and wishful world, exploring life’s complexities through the old man’s eyes. Meditatively delightful and reflective, Old Man’s Journey invites you to immerse yourself in quiet and inquisitive puzzles, and experience the old man’s heartache, regret, and hope.
77
/100
08
PUBG: Battlegrounds
PUBG: Battlegrounds is a battle royale shooter that pits 100 players against each other in a struggle for survival. Gather supplies and outwit your opponents to become the last person standing.
75
/100
09
Brawlhalla
Brawlhalla is a free platform fighting game with over 100 million players that supports up to 8 players online in a single match with full cross-play. Frequent updates. 50 unique characters and counting. Come fight for glory in the halls of Valhalla!
75
/100
10
CAYNE
In this grim return to the STASIS universe, expectant protagonist, Hadley, wakes up in a facility. Where is she? Why is she there? And, why do they want her baby? Help panicked and anxious Hadley find her feet and brave stomach-churning situations to break free, by solving puzzles in this FREE horror adventure game.
75
/100
11
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
73
/100
12
B
Stick Fight: The Game
73
/100
13
Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp
72
/100
14
Snake Pass
71
/100
15
Superflight
71
/100
16
Polygoneer
70
/100
17
Pinstripe
70
/100
18
That's You!
69
/100
19
911 Operator
68
/100
20
Peace, Death!
65
/100
21
Gang Beasts
65
/100
22
VRChat
64
/100
23
Argo
61
/100
24
Blackwake
51
/100
25
Last Man Standing
44
/100
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Casual game of 2017?
Sonic Mania currently tops the ranking with a score of 85/100 across 858 ratings. Ranking updated September 2026.
How is this ranking built?
Games are ranked on their aggregated critic score out of 100, with a minimum vote threshold so a single glowing review never outranks a proven classic; the Tier community's own F-to-S grades are shown alongside each game.