At the best of times, writing a definitive list of the best mobile games is a risky endeavor. More than 12,000 games, spread across iOS and Android, are part of this process, spanning over a decade.
As a result, we’ve chosen a straightforward, if slightly improbable, starting point for this investigation. Which of the best mobile games would you encourage an alien to download first if they landed tomorrow and asked for a gaming crash course? Our goal here isn’t to unearth hidden gems or even find the next big thing. We’re looking at some of the most important, genre-defining games in smartphone gaming history—App Store and Google Play’s greatest hits in one place.
We simply require that the game is still available and fun to play to be eligible. There is only one game in each series, so we’ll generally (but not exclusively) go with the first one.
You are playing the best games on your mobile phone.
Initially, our list will be short, but as time goes on, we’ll add more and remove some as they become obsolete or no longer receive support from their developers. We’ll keep you updated as we make changes to the list. These 15 games, on the other hand, are excellent starting points for any mobile game library.
INVASION OF THE SHADOWS: RAID
Gacha RPGs can be a bit of a turn-off for seasoned gamers. A surprising number of people do play them, however, and Raid: Shadow Legends is the 800-pound gorilla in this field of video games.
Particular sub-genre that is both loved and hated. It’s impossible to ignore.
The stunning 3D graphics and screen-filling pyrotechnics accompanying your every PVE campaign mission or PVP Arena scrap make ignoring a game like this difficult.
GENERAL IMPACT.
Genshin Impact proudly channels The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild’s fantasy world and action-RPG mechanics in its unique way.
Because of this, you’ll be able to forgive the obvious tribute act because it’s a free-to-play mobile game that nails the formula so perfectly. That’s quite an accomplishment.
ELVENAR
A new free-to-play game to pass the time during your commute? Look no further. No? Then you’ll enjoy this game. Elvenar is going to be a big hit with you. It is your job to grow a variety of beautiful cities, all of which have a lovely fantasy aesthetic, in this fantasy game.
With three main goals in mind, one of which is completing an endless supply of quests, you have a lot of work to do. Other tasks are more generic and looping, but all contribute to the game’s overall story. Alternatively, you can devote time to research, which will help you improve your cities and buildings, allowing you to gather resources better. In the meantime, if you focus on exploration, you’ll be able to spread your beautiful cities across the world map.
The Forge of Empires
This no-cost mobile strategy game has a lot to offer in terms of features and gameplay. As a first step, you get the satisfaction of building and developing your settlement, which you can then use to invest in various research projects. To top it off, you get to see it traverse different historical periods before heading into science fiction futures. There are also turn-based battles as other countries wage war against you.
Forge of Empires is one of those games that you’ll return to repeatedly because of the sheer amount of content it contains. Fans of strategy or history will find this game thoroughly engaging and addictive.