Offline Games for iPhone and Android: A Family Plan for the Next Power Outage
1. The short answer
When a storm knocks the power out, Wi-Fi goes with it, and Ready.gov warns an outage can "disrupt communications." The games that still work are the ones that live entirely on your phone. For a family, a good offline set is: classic card and board games on paper, and a few quick arcade games you can pass around — like Captain Star, Zero G and Down the Drone, built to run with no internet. Install them on every phone and tablet before storm season, then test each one in Airplane Mode. At bedtime, 70 BPM offers calm heart-rate check-ins (not a medical device; in an emergency, call 911).
70 BPM · Free heart rate app for iPhone
70 BPM: see what caused every heart rate spike
70 BPM lays your Apple Health heart rate over your calendar, so every spike has a name: the standup, the client call, the commute home.
Free to download · Optional Pro in-app purchases · Reads from Apple Health · Stays on your iPhone · Not a medical device; in an emergency, call 911
Lookout · Free dual camera recorder
Lookout: film the moment and the reaction
Lookout runs your iPhone's front and rear cameras in one capture session, so both angles are of the same moment and line up without manual syncing.
Free to download · Lookout Pro in-app purchase · iPhone, Mac & Apple Watch · Records, does not edit. What Lookout is
Down The Drone · Free AR shooter for iPhone
Down The Drone: an AR drone shooter that plays offline
Hostile drone swarms fly in over your sofa, down your hallway, across your backyard. Aim, fire and hold the line, right where you’re standing.
Free to download · No ads · Plays offline · Full game: US$5.99 in-app purchase
Captain Star · Endless space shooter
Captain Star: an easy first shmup
Easy to pick up, impossible to put down. Your ship goes where the pointer goes, each wave has one goal, and restarts are instant.
US$0.99 on the Mac App Store · Steam for Windows · Apple TV and iPad
Zero G Space Game · Arcade asteroid shooter for Mac
Zero G Space Game: the asteroid field that fights back
Spin, thrust, fire and wrap the screen. Real inertia, a shield you can time into a parry, hyperspace, and waves that keep escalating.
Mac App Store · Free to download · macOS 13+ · Two full waves free, then a one-time Unlock Full Game
2. What Ready.gov says
Ready.gov's Build A Kit (updated July 1, 2026) puts two relevant items in a household kit: a "cell phone with chargers and a backup battery," and "books, games, puzzles or other activities for children." Its Power Outages page (June 4, 2026) says to plan for "batteries and other alternative power sources... such as a portable charger or power bank" and to have "flashlights for every household member." So the official plan is: games for kids, yes — but power for the phone comes first.
3. Family offline game plan
| Who | Pick | Platform | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little kids | Captain Star, Down the Drone | Mac, iPad, Apple TV, Windows (Steam) / iPhone | Short rounds, easy to hand back |
| Older kids | Zero G | Mac | Play solo with no server |
| Everyone | Paper cards and board games | — | No battery, easy to share |
4. Set up iPhone and Android before the outage
- Download everything on Wi-Fi. Big games need large downloads you can't do on a weak signal.
- Open each game once so any extra content finishes installing.
- Test in Airplane Mode (iPhone Control Center; Android quick settings). If a game asks to sign in, it won't help in an outage.
- Use parental controls on iPhone and Android to block purchases and chat for kids.
- Charge the tablets too. An old tablet loaded with games saves the phones for calls.
5. Keep the phone alive: power rules for game time
- Charge the power bank now, and top it up when you check your kit.
- Turn on Low Power Mode (iPhone) or Battery Saver (Android) as soon as the lights go out.
- Dim the screen, mute sound, close other apps.
- Set a family rule: games stop when a phone hits about 30%. The rest is for calls, alerts and the flashlight.
- Ready.gov says to disconnect appliances and electronics to avoid damage from surges when power returns — unplug chargers from the wall until then.
6. Offline apps for outage nights
These apps and games work fully offline — made for nights like this.
- Captain Star — App Store
- Zero G (formerly Astro Belt) — App Store
- Down the Drone — App Store
- Lookout — App Store: an offline camera + GPS app with near-360° capture, private on your device. Great for a family video project (below).
- 70 BPM — App Store: calm breathing and heart-rate check-ins when the dark makes someone anxious. Not a medical device; it does not diagnose or treat anything. In an emergency, call 911.
7. Beyond games: a calm family evening
- Make a "blackout movie" with Lookout: flashlight interviews ("what's the scariest sound?"), a shadow-puppet show, a newsroom report on the storm from the living room. Watch it together when the power's back.
- Game tournament with paper: cards, tic-tac-toe, hangman — Ready.gov lists paper and pencil in its kit, too.
- Bedtime wind-down: turn off the games, do a few slow breaths together, read a book by flashlight.
8. Seniors and special needs
- If a grandparent is staying over, load simple card or puzzle games on their phone in advance and show them how.
- Ready.gov says to have alternate plans for power-dependent medical devices and refrigerated medicines. Those batteries come first, before any game.
- For kids who struggle with routine changes, a familiar game can help them settle — keep the same one on every device.
9. FAQ
What are good offline games for iPhone? Captain Star, Zero G and Down the Drone all play with no internet. Test them in Airplane Mode.
What should kids do during a power outage? Ready.gov recommends books, games, puzzles or other activities for children. Mix offline games with paper games and a family video project.
How do I save battery during a power outage? Low Power Mode / Battery Saver, dim screen, short game sessions, and a charged power bank.
Is Zero G the same as Astro Belt? Yes — Astro Belt was renamed Zero G.
10. Sources
- Ready.gov, Build A Kit (07/01/2026): https://www.ready.gov/kit
- Ready.gov, Power Outages (06/04/2026): https://www.ready.gov/power-outages
11. Updated
Last updated: 30 October 2026.
12. Load up before storm season
Download offline games on Wi-Fi tonight: more offline games. Then build the rest of your kit with our 72-hour emergency kit checklist.