The politics of energy play a key role in the narrative of a fair few video games. It’s normally more about the role oil plays in stories of modern war than public debate over energy policy.

A growing cohort of serious games, however, aim to engage players with issues surrounding energy. It’s a diverse genre. Satire, science and spin all play a role. Some are narrative-driven, others apply scientific data. Some are campaigning, some are educational. Some are playful and open-ended, others are more didactic. Some are partisan, others aim to be independent.

Here’s our pick of the current bunch. The ‘won’t stop playing’ in our title a bit of a joke on our part; some of these games are interesting for reasons other than their gameplay. In fact, some are terrible. Let us know if we’ve missed any of your favourites.