The best hidden object games on PC and mobile

Available in digital versions Where’s Waldo?Oder I-SpyThese hidden object games (also known as hidden object games) are both simple and complex. Finding items in congested areas can lead to visual puzzles. Most of the work required for a hidden object game is performed with the eyes or brain.

The hidden object genre has seen a lot of development in recent years. The core gameplay — spotting things in cluttered rooms — is branching out in new directions: story-heavy dramas, surrealist worlds, even adventure gameplay. There’s never been a better time to seek out the genre.

We’ve compiled a list of the best hidden object games you can play across all platforms — Windows PC, Mac, console, and mobile. Some may not have been considered. Traditional hidden object games, but all of these selections share the genre’s basic premise.

a stained glass window with a castle

Image by The House of Fables/Artifex Mundi

Slavic Fable: EventideHidden object game giant Artifex Mundi created the genre. Narrative of Slavic FableThe story is based on Slavic mythology and serves as the backdrop to beautiful, intricate worlds. You can also find simple puzzles that will accompany hidden object gameplay.

Slavic Fable: Eventide Available on Android and iOS phones, Macs, Linux and Windows PCs

two people standing in front of food carts

YueqiWu

The site was created by one developer. A Small Life is a short, free game that’s described as “an interactive city discovery game.” Over a set of in-depth illustrations set in Shenzhen, China, players seek out small interactions that string together to create intimate scenes — like a piece of paper that eventually becomes a paper airplane for a cat to swat away.

A Small LifeIt is available for free at itch.io

a darken street with some creepy clouds

Image: Big Fish Studios/Big Fish Games

Drawn: Dark FlightAnother classic hidden object game is this one, published by Big Fish Games. This hidden object game plays like a dark fairytale, with gorgeous illustrations that you can stop and stare at.

Drawn: Dark FlightIt is compatible with Android, iOS, Windows PC and Mac.

a guy looking at a dog, with a cat on the roof, too

Johan Scherft/Second Maze

Milo and The MagpiesJohan Scherft created this beautiful and hand-painted game. Simply put, it’s a world I want to live in — helping a curious grey cat called Milo find his way home. Milo moves through different neighborhood gardens as the game unfolds.

Milo and The MagpiesIt is also available for Windows PC and Mac.

inside a castle with a crowded scene full of strange things

Image: Darjeeling/Pixmain

Pierre the Maze Detective in Labyrinth CityDarjeeling designed the, which looks much like. Where’s Waldo?, but it’s not a classic hidden object game. It’s a mix of puzzle maze and hidden object. Each scene has many strange objects and people. There are lots of things to click and interact with and lots of dead ends. It’s simple — and based on a children’s book — but still plenty interesting to explore.

Pierre the Maze Detective in Labyrinth City Available on Android and iOS phones, Nintendo Switch, Mac and Windows PC.

a dense cityscape

Image: Adriaan de Jongh, Sylvain Tegroeg

Hidden FolksAdriaan De Jongh released ‘2017 by adie love. Pair it with the charming world of Sylvain de Jongh, an illustrator by Sylvain. Hidden Folks’ silly animation and sounds. There’s so much to find in these chaotic black-and-white worlds.

Hidden FolksAvailable on Android and iOS phones, Nintendo Switch, Mac and Windows PC.

some people gathered in front of a pediatric clinic

Image by Mojiken/Toge Productions

It’s a game all about love and letting it go. It Was All About The PastPlays like an adventure game that uses point-and click and hidden object elements. It’s got a whimsical art style that’s easy to get wrapped up in, with charming music to set the mood.

It Was All About The PastAvailable on Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4 as well as Windows PCs and Xbox One.

a black and white cabin scene

Image: We Made It

Toem is also an adventure game, one that’s centered around its in-game photo mode. However, it’s similar to hidden object games. Toem is a game about simply noticing things in the world around you — which, of course, is magical.

ToemIt is also available for Nintendo Switch, Mac and PlayStation 5 as well as Windows PC.

a TV screen knocked over

Photo: Aconite

Aconite is the inspiration behind this design. HoloVista is a weird, surreal world in which you’re an architect named Carmen inspecting a mysterious and dreamy mansion. It’s played in a unique way, adding alternative reality elements on top of the hidden object format on mobile.

HoloVistaIt is available via the App Shop for iOS devices.

a psychadelic looking flower

Image: Dan Walters, Ceri Williams

Surrealists are more psychedelic that surrealists. Morphopolis This book is full of brilliant, bright art and a humorous story. If you haven’t guessed from the name, it’s about bugs — specifically, a grub seeking out metamorphosis.

Play! Morphopolis Windows PC

a dimly lit campsite

Actoon Studio

You might like Hidden Folks Wind PeaksThis game is described by cartoon drawings as a “searching game”. Players seek out objects in the world — stuff like hats and shoes and flashlights — as they move through a cute, campy story.

Wind PeaksAvailable on Nintendo Switch, Windows PC

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