Cookie Clicker

80%
Game Brain Score Based on 36,328 reviews
  • music
  • gameplay
  • humor
Cookie Clicker Game Cover
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Cookie Clicker is a free-to-play incremental game where you bake cookies to make more cookies, using a variety of upgrades and helpers. With over 600 upgrades, 500 achievements, and additional features like mini-games, a dragon pet, and community-made mods, there's always something new to discover. Your progress is saved to the cloud, ensuring your cookie empire is safe. Enjoy the musical stylings of C418 as you bake to your heart's content.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Web Browser
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

80%
Audience ScoreBased on 36,328 reviews
music329 positive mentions
grinding178 negative mentions
  • music722 mentions

    The music in Cookie Clicker, composed by C418 (known for his work on Minecraft), has received widespread acclaim for its soothing and nostalgic qualities, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the relaxing lo-fi soundtrack, which complements the idle nature of the game, making it a perfect background for multitasking or casual play. Many reviews highlight that the soundtrack alone justifies the purchase of the Steam version, as it adds a delightful auditory layer to the classic cookie-clicking mechanics.

    • “The soundtrack, a delightful assortment of tunes, is the auditory equivalent of a sugar rush.”
    • “C418 has provided a simple, yet hypnotic soundtrack to the game that will accompany your clicking and motivate you to move even further into the depths of this cookie universe.”
    • “The music is so good that I often open the game for the sole purpose of listening to the music.”
    • “The looping, generic background music quickly becomes an irritating backdrop to the relentless cookie-clicking, adding another layer of annoyance to an already tiresome experience.”
    • “However... the game's music on startup is so loud... the music overpowered everything until I turned it down.”
    • “I wished it had more variety of music background soundtracks; in the current state I play, there is only one soundtrack that plays in a loop.”
  • gameplay599 mentions

    The gameplay of "Cookie Clicker" is characterized by its deceptively simple yet highly addictive mechanics, primarily revolving around clicking to generate cookies and utilizing them for upgrades. Players appreciate the engaging progression system, which introduces a variety of features and strategies as they advance, making it a compelling experience for both casual and dedicated gamers. While some find the gameplay repetitive over time, the charm, humor, and continuous updates keep many players returning for more.

    • “Cookie clicker is the epitome of simple yet captivating gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay loop essentially revolves around continuously clicking or waiting for cookies to accumulate.”
    • “Its addictive nature, balanced gameplay, and charming presentation make it a standout title in the vast sea of gaming options.”
    • “From its lackluster gameplay to its uninspired design, this game falls flat in every conceivable way.”
    • “The gameplay is unapologetically shallow and repetitive.”
    • “The game's simplistic mechanics and constant barrage of notifications make it all too easy to lose track of time and neglect more important responsibilities.”
  • humor310 mentions

    The humor in "Cookie Clicker" is widely praised for its quirky, absurdist, and self-aware nature, with players enjoying the whimsical upgrade names, amusing achievements, and clever pop culture references. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to blend humor with addictive gameplay, creating a lighthearted experience that keeps players engaged and entertained. Overall, the game's comedic elements add a delightful layer to its incremental mechanics, making it a standout in the idle game genre.

    • “Quirky humor: Cookie Clicker doesn't take itself too seriously, and the quirky humor adds a delightful touch to the gaming experience.”
    • “The whimsical upgrades, from grandma's homely cookies to portals opening up to cookie dimensions, inject a delightful sense of humor into the gameplay.”
    • “The game's charm lies in its quirky humor, with amusing descriptions for each upgrade and achievement that keep you entertained throughout.”
    • “Hahaha--that's still not funny.”
    • “I've realized I'm not funny and my attempts at humor keep me awake at night, so maybe I'll write something 'normal'.”
    • “☐ minor bugs (haha funny ragdoll big gyatt)”
  • story310 mentions

    The story aspect of "Cookie Clicker" is described as surprisingly rich and engaging, with a blend of absurd humor, dark themes, and intricate lore that captivates players despite its simple premise of cookie production. While some players note the lack of a traditional narrative, many appreciate the quirky flavor text and evolving backstory that add depth to the gameplay experience. Overall, the game is recognized for its unique storytelling approach, which enhances the enjoyment of the incremental mechanics.

    • “If you're really into choice-based story games, this is definitely for you. The lore is very intricate, and every choice you make matters and affects what ending you're more likely to get.”
    • “The story is very compelling and engaging.”
    • “Cookie Clicker is one of the most story-rich games I have ever played.”
    • “Very good game, not much story.”
    • “I need deep storytelling.”
    • “Interesting game but obviously no story whatsoever.”
  • graphics246 mentions

    The graphics of "Cookie Clicker" are characterized by a charming, minimalist pixel art style that evokes nostalgia while enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the whimsical and visually pleasing aesthetics, which, despite their simplicity, contribute significantly to the game's charm and addictive nature. While some reviews mention basic visuals, the overall consensus highlights the graphics as a delightful complement to the engaging mechanics of the game.

    • “The graphics are whimsical and delightful, creating a visually pleasing experience that adds to the overall charm.”
    • “The game's aesthetics are a visual feast for the eyes, with charmingly pixelated cookies that exude a certain nostalgic charm.”
    • “Visually, cookie clicker charms players with its minimalist yet endearing aesthetics.”
    • “The visuals are painfully basic, with rudimentary cookie sprites that lack any form of creativity or artistic flair.”
    • “It's as if the developers put in the absolute minimum effort required to create a functioning game, with no consideration for aesthetics or visual appeal.”
    • “My PC met the game's specs, I set all the graphics on minimum, and it still locked my PC into a forced shutdown three times just because I hovered over a description or tried to close a menu.”
  • grinding202 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as excessive and time-consuming, with many players noting that it can take years to achieve significant progress or complete all achievements. While some enjoy the repetitive nature and find it satisfying, others feel it becomes tedious and frustrating, especially in the late game. Overall, the game is best suited for those who appreciate idle mechanics and are willing to invest substantial time into grinding.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “Fair bit of grinding.”
    • “Too time consuming, slow grinding lots of clicking for hours :(”
    • “Fun for the first few days, after that you quickly realize how pointless everything is, stacking buffs is the way to progress or you can wait 5 years to get 1 upgrade, some achievements are easy but very tedious and time consuming which is very annoying.”
    • “The endgame (around 300 trillion total heavenly chips and the septdecillion mark) is just too grindy.”
  • monetization83 mentions

    The monetization model of Cookie Clicker is highly praised for its absence of microtransactions and ads, offering a straightforward one-time purchase for the Steam version that enhances the experience with additional features like music and cloud saving. Players appreciate that the game remains free of aggressive monetization tactics, allowing for a pure gaming experience without paywalls or in-game purchases. Overall, the game is seen as a commendable example in the idle game genre, focusing on player enjoyment rather than profit-driven mechanics.

    • “While the game offers optional premium upgrades, it's commendable that Cookie Clicker doesn't aggressively push microtransactions.”
    • “No in-game purchases, no bits, no gems to buy... pure, simple, idle fun.”
    • “It's a clicker game not bogged down by microtransactions, and the granddaddy of all clickers.”
    • “In a way, I sort of hate Cookie Clicker for starting the idle game trend, because all of its successors greedily injected in-app purchases into a game that did not need them.”
    • “The only early (and very, very minor) criticism I have is that this port of a beloved free-to-play game (the web version is supported by unobtrusive ads and some Patreons) is $5.”
    • “Basically the game responsible for spawning 8.3 billion iOS clones which serve as advertisement platforms between allowing you to press 1-2 buttons on screen before asking you to watch another advertisement.”
  • replayability50 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting its vast array of achievements, endless content, and engaging mechanics that encourage repeated play. Many reviews emphasize the game's charm, addictive nature, and the presence of a prestige system and user-generated content, which significantly enhance its longevity. However, a few critiques mention a lack of replay value for certain players, indicating that experiences may vary.

    • “The charming graphics and endless replayability make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
    • “The game is also highly replayable, as there are a variety of different items and upgrades that can be purchased, and players can always strive to beat their own high scores.”
    • “Its combination of idle gameplay, strategy, and replayability has made it a hit with players of all ages and skill levels.”
    • “No replay value”
    • “Replayability: 5/10, it's repetitive without replaying anyways.”
    • “An absolutely absurd amount of game time is required to explore this game's progression/replayability.”
  • optimization41 mentions

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant improvements over the browser version, particularly in resource usage and performance. However, some users have reported issues such as memory leaks and high CPU usage, indicating that further optimization is still needed. Overall, while the game performs well for most users, there are lingering concerns about its efficiency, especially in more demanding scenarios.

    • “Seems perfectly optimized, and it's neat that there is an easy way to mod and keep an eye on your mods in-game; very tidy!”
    • “The biggest positive improvement with the Steam version is that it's far better optimized and uses less resources than the browser version.”
    • “In addition, the optimization is amazing, often taking less CPU and memory than its HTML-based counterpart, even sometimes using as little as 0.5% of my CPU.”
    • “This game is poorly optimized and will burn your PC.”
    • “Game suffers from bad optimization featuring insane memory leaking; when it launched almost ten years ago it worked perfectly in a browser, and now as a native application it eats up to 2GB of working memory.”
    • “Not sure why, but the optimization is horrible for the port to Steam, PC from web.”
  • emotional36 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a mix of profound melancholy and heartwarming experiences, with players expressing feelings of attachment and nostalgia. Many reviews mention the game's ability to evoke strong emotions, from tears of sadness to joy derived from simple gameplay mechanics, such as cookie harvesting and interactions with endearing characters. Overall, the game resonates deeply with players, creating a blend of emotional highs and lows that enhance their gaming experience.

    • “I cried myself to sleep four times today.”
    • “It has a wonderful story, very emotional; I almost cried.”
    • “But then I somehow stumbled into Cookie Clicker again, and it reminded me of all those memories, all those moments we had together while she was playing it, or the conversations we had about the game, even, sometimes, her explaining the tricks she discovered that made her a lot of cookies really fast. It made me feel a lot better somehow, trying to see the game through her eyes, trying to remember how I felt when we were together and why I loved her so much...”
  • stability19 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs and glitches, particularly related to the user interface and visual effects. While some users enjoy the gameplay despite these issues, others experience significant problems such as crashes, memory leaks, and interference with other applications. Overall, the game is considered fun but suffers from notable stability concerns that can detract from the experience.

    • “There are no glitches at all.”
    • “The game runs great on Steam Play.”
    • “Only major gripe I have was whenever I got a cookie storm, I'd get tons of visual glitches all over the game screen, and the only thing that fixed it was closing the game and restarting.”
    • “First, it does not even start properly; it crashes instantly. Yes, there is a thread that several people are affected. It needs some complicated workaround. Then it at least starts, but it's still slow and has some graphical glitches... on a clicker game!”
    • “There are three key problems with the game at the moment: it's buggy, it has a memory leak, and it breaks controller support for any other games running at the same time.”
  • atmosphere18 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is characterized by its charming pixelated graphics, whimsical cookie-themed visuals, and a delightful soundtrack by c418, which together create a lighthearted and inviting environment. Players appreciate the minimal yet effective sound design that enhances the overall experience, while the game's quirky humor and engaging gameplay contribute to a captivating and immersive atmosphere. Overall, the combination of retro aesthetics and playful elements makes for a delightful and endearing atmosphere that keeps players engaged.

    • “The background music and sound effects, while minimal, create a pleasant atmosphere.”
    • “Cookie clicker's minimalist style and delightful cookie-themed visuals create an endearing atmosphere that adds to the game's charm.”
    • “Its lighthearted tone and playful aesthetics create an inviting atmosphere that encourages players to immerse themselves in the delightful world of cookie baking.”
    • “Cookie factory's destroying the earth's atmosphere.”
    • “He could sense a subtle shift in the room's atmosphere, a heaviness that made him shiver.”
    • “The soundtrack creates a comfortable cozy atmosphere.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The game is praised for its exceptional story and character development, with players noting a profound emotional impact, particularly highlighted by a tragic ending involving the main character's death.

    • “This game has the best storyline of any game I have ever played, with great character development. The ending was very sad when the main character died.”
    • “The character development in this game is incredibly deep and engaging, making every choice feel impactful.”
    • “I was amazed by how the characters evolved throughout the game, each with their own unique arcs that kept me invested in their journeys.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

90% average critic score

Buy Cookie Clicker

Play time

85hMedian play time
321hAverage play time
25-269hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 128 analyzed playthroughs

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