Cookie Clicker

Cookie Clicker is a 2013 video game created by French programmer Julien "Orteil" Thiennot. It is an incremental game in which the user initially clicks a big cookie on the screen, earning 1 cookie per click. Players can use earned cookies to purchase "buildings" that automatically produce cookies, alongside upgrades which improve the efficiency of clicks and buildings. There are other mechanics allowing the user to earn cookies in various ways. As cookies are earned at an exponential rate, the game gradually shifts to themes of cosmic horror. Similar to other incremental games, the game lacks a conventional ending, instead allowing players to restart the game through "ascension" and earn a faster rate of growth. The game has a dedicated fanbase. Though the original version was coded in one night, Cookie Clicker has been periodically updated since release. It has been widely described as addictive, and has been credited with playing a role in the emergence of idle gaming.