These are games that can generally be completed in 30 minutes or less. Some can be completed much faster. Included in this list are games that have multiple endings that can individually be reached quickly. It also includes several Twiny Jam games, where the whole game must be 300 words or less.
As always, please make suggestions to add to the list.
1. 9:05 by Adam Cadre (2000) Average member rating: (541 ratings)
MathBrush says:
The most-played game on IFDB probably needs no introduction. If you haven't played it, it is pretty short. You get a phone call at 9:05 telling you to get to work.
2. Alabaster by John Cater, Rob Dubbin, Eric Eve, Elizabeth Heller, Jayzee, Kazuki Mishima, Sarah Morayati, Mark Musante, Emily Short, Adam Thornton, Ziv Wities (2009) Average member rating: (122 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A short, crowdsourced game with many endings. You are the huntsman, tasked to kill Snow White. Things aren't as they seem...
3. Andromeda Dreaming by Joey Jones (2012) Average member rating: (18 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A charming, short piece set in the Andromeda universe. A sci-fi game toying with the boundary between waking and dreaming.
4. creak, creak by chandler groover (2015) Average member rating: (34 ratings)
MathBrush says:
Twiny Jam horror game. Ultra short, very effective for a 300-word game.
A speed IF game by a great author. A sort of steampunk Indiana Jones romance game.
9. Pick Up the Phone Booth and Aisle, by David Dyte, Steve Bernard, Dan Shiovitz, Iain Merrick, Liza Daly, John Cater, Ola Sverre Bauge, J. Robinson Wheeler, Jon Blask, Dan Schmidt, Stephen Granade, Rob Noyes, and Emily Short (2001) Average member rating: (107 ratings) MathBrush says:
A short, one-move goofball type of game. Written by many people.
A short game to play repeatedly. Escape a sinking ship and grab as much treasure as you can with a rat captain. Grab as much treasure as you can!
18. Thanksgiving by Harris Powell-Smith (2015) Average member rating: (17 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A Twine game with some timed events and nicely colored and organized links. Go to a tense Thanksgiving and hope your boyfriend's family doesn't discover your secrets.
19. Aayela, by Magnus Olsson (1996) Average member rating: (24 ratings) MathBrush says:
A short game about searching for a magical crystal in the darkness, for the queen.
20. Ex Nihilo by Juhana Leinonen (2013) Average member rating: (32 ratings)
MathBrush says:
A visually gorgeous speed-if written with the web-based engine Vorple. Can be played 2 or 3 times in 15 minutes. An omnipotent being deals with solitude.
21. The Northnorth Passage. by Caleb Wilson (as Snowball Ice) (2014) Average member rating: (26 ratings)
MathBrush says:
The family curse means you can only go north. No matter what.
22. Leap Time, by Sarah Morayati (2008) Average member rating: (12 ratings) MathBrush says:
A polished speed if about a star leaping to the earth
One of the Usher Foundation games, a series of short games inspired by the Magnus Archives. This one deals with the loss of coherence in your reality, in a sewer.
