Games come built into Fire Stick, and you can add hundreds more from the Amazon Appstore

Your Fire Stick has games ready to play without any setup. Alexa Games are included and launch straight from the home screen. Beyond those, you can search the Amazon Appstore, install games for free or paid, and play them using your Fire Stick remote or a wireless controller you connect separately.

The games range from straightforward puzzles and card games to action titles and strategy games. Some are free with ads, some cost money upfront, and some are free but offer in-game purchases. You control what installs and what you spend.

Key Takeaways

  • Alexa Games are pre-installed and appear on your Fire Stick home screen under the Games row without any read needed.
  • You can find thousands of additional games in the Amazon Appstore by searching by name, category, or browsing the Games section.
  • A wireless game controller (sold separately) works better than the remote for most games, though the remote works for turn-based and puzzle games.
  • Games you install stay on your Fire Stick until you remove them, and you can reinstall them later without paying again if they were free.
  • Parental controls let you restrict games by age rating and set spending limits on in-game purchases.

Playing Alexa Games without downloading anything

Alexa Games are games Amazon includes on every Fire Stick. They appear in a row labeled "Games" on your home screen. Scroll to that row and you will see titles like Solitaire, Trivia, and Crosswords. Select any one and it launches when ready.

These games do not require a controller. You use your Fire Stick remote to navigate menus and make selections. They are designed for casual play — word games, card games, trivia — and they do not have ads or in-game purchases. If you want something more involved, you will need to install a game from the Appstore.

Finding and installing games from the Amazon Appstore

Open the Appstore from your Fire Stick home screen. Select the Games category or use the search bar at the top to type a game name. When you find a game you want, select it to see the description, screenshots, reviews, and price.

If the game is free, select "Get" or "Install" (the button text varies). If it costs money, the price appears instead, and you select it to buy. Fire Stick will ask you to confirm the purchase using your Amazon account password or a PIN you set up. Once you confirm, the game downloads and installs automatically.

Installation usually takes a few minutes depending on the game size and your internet speed. You will see a progress bar. When it finishes, the button changes to "Open" or "Launch." Select it to start playing, or close the Appstore and find the game in your Apps library or on the home screen.

Using your remote versus a game controller

The Fire Stick remote works for games that do not require fast reactions — puzzle games, card games, turn-based strategy, and trivia. You navigate with the directional pad and select with the center button. For these games, the remote is all you need.

Action games, racing games, and real-time games play much better with a wireless game controller. The Fire Stick remote is not designed for the speed and precision those games demand. A standard Bluetooth game controller (like those made for Android phones) costs between $20 and $60 and connects to your Fire Stick the same way you would pair any Bluetooth device.

To connect a controller, go to Settings on your Fire Stick, select Controllers & Bluetooth Devices, then Bluetooth Devices, and put your controller in pairing mode. Your Fire Stick will find it and connect. Once paired, the controller works with any compatible game.

Managing storage and removing games you do not play

Every game you install takes up storage space on your Fire Stick. The amount varies — some games are 50 MB, others are 500 MB or larger. Fire Stick models have between 8 GB and 16 GB of total storage, and the operating system uses some of that, so you have roughly 5 to 12 GB available for apps and games.

If you run out of space, you can remove games you no longer play. Go to Settings, select Apps, then Manage Installed Applications. Find the game you want to remove and select it, then choose "Uninstall." The game is deleted from your Fire Stick, but you can reinstall it later for free if it was free originally, or by purchasing again if it was paid.

You do not lose your progress in cloud-based games — games that save your data to the internet. Local games that save only to your Fire Stick will lose their save files when you uninstall them.

Setting up parental controls for games

If children use your Fire Stick, you can restrict which games they see and spend money on. Go to Settings, select Parental Controls, and set a PIN. Then select Restrict Access to Apps and Games and choose an age rating (Kids, Young Kids, Teens, or Adults).

Your Fire Stick will then hide games rated above that level from the Appstore and your home screen. You can also set a monthly spending limit for in-game purchases. When the limit is reached, your Fire Stick will block any purchase until the next month or until you raise the limit.

These controls require your PIN to change, so children cannot bypass them without your permission.

Troubleshooting games that crash or will not start

If a game crashes or will not open, restart your Fire Stick first. Unplug it from power for 30 seconds, plug it back in, and wait for it to boot. Then try the game again.

If the game still will not start, go to Settings, select Apps, then Manage Installed Applications, find the game, and select "Force Stop." Then select "Clear Cache" and try opening the game again. If it still does not work, uninstall the game and reinstall it from the Appstore.

Games also need a stable internet connection. If your Wi-Fi is slow or drops frequently, games may lag, freeze, or crash. Move your Fire Stick closer to your router or restart your router to improve the connection.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I play games I own on other platforms, like Steam or Epic Games?

Not directly. Fire Stick runs Amazon's Fire OS, which is separate from Windows, Mac, or console platforms. Games made for Steam or Epic Games will not run on Fire Stick. However, some games are made for both Fire Stick and other platforms — check the Appstore listing to see if a game you want is available for Fire Stick.

Do I need to pay for games, or are they all free?

Both exist. Many games in the Appstore are free with ads or optional in-game purchases. Some games cost money upfront (usually $0.99 to $9.99). The Appstore listing shows the price before you buy. Free games with ads will show ads during play or between levels. You can often pay within the game to remove ads.

What happens to my games if I reset my Fire Stick?

A factory reset deletes all installed games and their save files. Your Amazon account remembers which games you have purchased, so you can reinstall free games and repurchase paid games without paying again. Cloud-based games will restore your progress if you sign into the same account.

Can I use a keyboard and mouse to play games?

Some games support keyboard and mouse input, but most do not. The Appstore listing will say if a game supports them. For most games, a Bluetooth game controller is the best option after the remote.

Why does a game say "not compatible with your device"?

Some games are made only for certain Fire Stick models or Android phones, not for Fire Stick. The Appstore filters incompatible games from your view, but if you search by name and find one, the listing will explain why it will not work on your device.