Nine of the best games to play while you listen to a podcast

When I’m exhausted, my goal with media is to help me shut my brain off so I can relax a bit. One of my favorite ways to do that, I’ve found, is to play games while listening to a podcast, show, or some music at the same time. Do I need to bombard myself with stimuli to shut my brain up so I can breathe for a minute? Who’s to say, but I do know that I think it’s a lot of fun.

At this point, I feel like something of a gaming-while-also-listening-to-a-podcast connoisseur, and I’ve tried out a whole bunch of different titles so you don’t have to. Without further ado, here is my list of the best games to play while you’re also listening to something else.

Slay the Spire

Recently, this game has had a chokehold on me. Slay the Spire is a combination of my two favorite sub-genres in games: deckbuilding and roguelikes. It’s one of those games where the more time you put in, the more you’ll get out of it, because you get to know the decks really well and start maximizing your builds. Turn-based gameplay makes it perfect for picking up and putting down any time you want to, and this is also just a well-designed game full of fun surprises that more people need to know about.

Hades

So I have around 400 hours in this game, and while that’s because it’s a near-flawless action roguelike, it’s always because it was the perfect activity to keep me engaged while I was listening to my podcast of choice. It’s beyond worth it to play Hades the first time through with the sound on, trust me. Once you get a decent way into the post-game, though, you’ve pretty much heard everything there is to hear, and that’s when a podcast is perfect. 

Stardew Valley

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This is another game I’ve put way too many hours into, and for good reason. The gameplay might feel a bit repetitive to some after a while, but I find the routine relaxing, and the perfect way to keep myself occupied as I listen to, well, whatever I want to listen to. It’s a modern classic of a simulator game, which is a genre that lends itself well to listening to podcasts, music, or shows in the background.

Shadow of the Colossus

I definitely recommend playing this one the first time through with the sound on, because it’s one of the most iconic soundtracks in all of gaming. In any subsequent playthroughs, though, this is a perfect game to use to pass the time. It has a much slower pace than more recent entries in the open-world action-adventure genre, which means it’s a great option while you’re traversing its expansive world. You might need to pause and concentrate during the boss fights, though.

Mario Maker

A classic mistake while trying to beat an especially difficult Mario Maker level is to think too hard, or as my Southern grandma would have said, to work yourself into a lather. I find that listening to something else while I’m trying to beat a game that’s giving me trouble can be really helpful, because it keeps me from overthinking things, and distracts me just enough to get the job done.

The Binding of Isaac

I honestly prefer to play Binding of Isaac this way, because I find the sound design to be pretty grating. I know it’s supposed to be like that, but that doesn’t make it any more enjoyable. It’s another roguelike, which means it can be played in perfect bite-sized bits and isn’t so overwhelming that you’ll miss whatever your podcast hosts of choice are talking about.

Forza

This goes for most racing games, but Forza can be a great way to keep yourself busy while listening to a podcast. Like a Hades or Cuphead, it’s a real-time game so you’re paying closer attention, and it’s easy to get into a flow state. I’ve found that paying attention to someone talking actually helps me play better, because I’m not overthinking what I’m doing.

Civilization

Strategy games are another great option because they require that same type of flow state, engaged-but-not-really kind of thing. You reach a point, too, where a lot of stuff is going on its own anyway, so it falls into just the right level of attention it requires from you. Civilization, and other like games, also don’t really require the average player to need the sound on, so it’s fine to have any other audio you want going on in the background.

Cuphead

The Mario Maker logic also applies here. I’ve been stuck on the same boss in Cuphead for weeks (again), and having something else to concentrate on helps keep me from getting too frustrated when I keep dying. At this point, it feels more like I need a podcast playing to help get me through the game, rather than wanting to just have something on in the background. Either way, it works well for me.

Diablo 4

Kind of in the same vein as Forza and racing games, playing games like Diablo, Path of Exile, Warframe, and any other kind of grindy looter game are all the perfect candidates for allocating your audial and sometimes visual senses elsewhere.

Once you finish the narrative stories of these games, it’s really easy to tune out all the sound and put something on to stimulate you. If I’m doing the same few activities to grind out for better gear in my games, I’d rather have some variety.

However, all of these games mentioned and others in the same field are not recommended to be “podcast games” when engaging in PvP. I did that once, and boy, I got some really bad messages from disgruntled teammates.

Mortal Kombat (and other fighting games)

It’s hard to find specific games to play while listening to music or other forms of media. Since Mortal Kombat is more relevant with its huge Khaos Reigns DLC that just dropped earlier in 2024, let’s start here.

After a while, fighting games start to sound like one big monotonous blob of audio vomit. All the grunts, moans, and sound effects from hit impacts start to get to you. Whether you’re the one winning or losing, after a while, it all becomes the same.

It’s better to have some new episodes of your favorite show under your belt or a song you really like stuck in your head compared to the same sounds from fighting games. The only exception is if the music slaps.

Literally, just replace Mortal Kombat with any other fighting game you like (2XKO, Tekken 8, Guilty Gear Strive, whatever).

Pokemon TCG Pocket

Card games don’t require you to play with audio (yes, that also includes Hearthstone). Just pay attention to your game while having something else playing in the background.

Plus, if you’re playing the mobile versions of card games, like the recently released Pokemon TCGP, you’re doing yourself a favor by having the game on mute. You’re saving battery (that is if you’re listening to music or using an external device to consume your media).

Tetris

If you’re a puzzle game freak and want to break your PRs, why not pop on your favorite podcasts or playlist and get to work? Tetris only has so many themes before you’re caught in the trance of its music.

While you’re catching up with your favorite content creators, finding new tunes, or just having something else playing while in these puzzle games, you’re benefitting yourself cognitively.

Borderlands 3

Okay, so technically, this game can fall under the same umbrella as Diablo 4 because of the grindy nature of the game. Before you hang me for this, just know that this game’s story is very forgettable and annoying, and the dialogue is something you should skip.

“Then what’s the point of having this game up here?”

Because, dissenter, the gameplay for Borderlands 3 rocks. I know it might be counterproductive to play a game from start to finish on mute, but the story did taint the game.

If there is one part of the base game that you should actually play with sound on, it’s the whole part regarding Rhys and Katagawa. The whole feud between the Atlas and Maliwan manufacturers was top-notch and carried the game’s narrative.

Once you’re done with the base game, put your music and podcasts on pause because the DLC aspects of the game were fantastic. Even the Director’s Cut DLC which puts Ava at the forefront of all this was more bearable than most of the base story.

Rocket League

The music in Rocket League is nice for a cool few minutes, but that’s only really in the menus and all sounds the same. Engine sounds and all the boost and hit noises are cool too, but unless you’re being serious in ranked modes, just pop on something else you like in the background.

I can guarantee that you can reduce your blood pressure from spiking if you allocate your hearing to something else, like your favorite podcast or show.