How To Download And Play Games On Netflix

Even with a password-sharing crackdown, Netflix continues to dominate the streaming landscape thanks to brand recognition and it being the largest subscriber base for any streaming service. However, not everyone knows all the nifty hidden features available with a Netflix subscription. One of the lesser known or utilized features is the fact that you can also play mobile games right from the Netflix app at no additional cost.

Netflix is not only home to movies and TV, but also some great mobile games as well; including award-winning titles, as well as game tie-ins to your favorite Netflix shows. The games are as varied as the library of movie and TV titles on the streaming service, even if the library is comparatively small.

That said, if you've never tried the gaming side of Netflix, the games themselves may be a surprise hit for you, especially if you like mobile games or want more from your favorite Netflix show.

Anyone with a Netflix subscription, regardless of what tier, has access to Netflix games — as long as your Netflix profile isn't for children. Your subscription tier has no impact on the number or selection of games you get, which as of the time of writing includes over 60 games.

As for how to download and play, it's as straightforward as downloading a game from the app store. While on the Netflix app on your mobile device, tap the "Games" tab on the bottom menu if on Android, or scroll down until you find the "Mobile Games" row on iOS. You'll then see dozens of games, and if you select one you'll see a page similar to movies or TV shows on Netflix, including a trailer and other details.

Once you have selected a game to play, simply tap "Get Game." That will redirect you to your operating system's app store, where you can download the game. After downloading, the games will be available as their own app on your library, and on the Netflix app.

What games are available on Netflix? The streamer has everything from action games, to story-based adventures, card games, puzzles, RPGs and more. Though some are related to Netflix titles and only available through the app, such as "Stranger Things: 1984," the vast majority can be enjoyed with zero familiarity to Netflix titles as well. 

Take "Hextech Mayhem: A League of Legends Story," which is only tangentially related to Netflix's "Arcane," or the excellent but completely standalone "Before Your Eyes." These two are completely independent games — one is an endless runner like "Temple Run" but with rhthym mechanics, while the other is an adventure game about exploring the afterlife — and they are also available outside of the Netflix app, like on the PC gaming platform Steam. 

The games on the Netflix app are available on mobile devices only, meaning phones and tablets. If you still want to replicate the experience of playing on your big TV on a gaming console, you can cast your phone to your TV and play on your TV, or perhaps even connect a mobile gaming controller to your phone.