Games So Good You May Even Play at Home
If you ask the average gamer what they think about mobile gaming, chances are they won’t have many positive things to say for two reasons. The primary reason is the massive amount of monetization in mobile games. Mobile gaming has surpassed both PC and console gaming in terms of profit thanks to gacha game design and loot boxes that are part of most mobile games.
Due to how lucrative these systems are, top tier video game developers have started bringing excessive monetization into popular games, and gamers aren’t happy about that. Couple this with the fact that a lot of mobile games are poorly designed on numerous levels (due to their developers caring about money first, second and 10th, and good game design last), and you can understand why a lot of gamers dismiss mobile gaming entirely.
Make no mistake, mobile gaming has its issues. But don’t let them keep you from gaming on the go. Most people can’t fit a Nintendo Switch or Sony PSP in their pocket, but most everyone can fit a smartphone. There are plenty of mobile games that are well worth your time, and today we will be going over some of them.
Keep in mind that this list will not contain any popular games like Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 7, Max Payne or Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. These are household names in gaming, and we’d like to highlight games that are primarily, or entirely, catered to mobile gamers. Let’s get started on some of the best mobile games!
Pokémon Go
No mobile gaming list would be complete without mentioning Pokémon Go. When Pokémon Go was released in the summer of 2016, it became one of the biggest gaming phenomena in history. Kids were playing it, grandparents were playing it, everyone was playing it. Pokémon Go got people outside and making new friends while they worked on "catching them all" on their phones. Dare I say, the first few months of Pokémon Go was one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences I’ve ever had.
Pokémon Go is an augmented reality game that has you catching Pokémon to expand your team and collect resources to level-up your Pokémon. The game has regular community day events that make catching rare, location-specific, and even shiny Pokémon a lot easier. There are also gym battles and raids, the latter which gives players the chance to catch legendary Pokémon.
Pokémon Go is best when played with friends, and in fact, can be downright unplayable if you live in an isolated area with little to no fellow trainers. Pokestops can be found at shops, libraries, monuments, etc. and contain essential resources like Poké Balls, Berries and Revives. If you live in an area with few Pokestops, then your only option is to purchase them with real money. This isn’t a viable option since you will use these items a lot.
Raids are a blast to play, but if there’s no one else around who plays, things like EX Raids won’t be possible for you to do since you won’t be able to solo them. People in California have it good but if you live in rural Montana, you might be out of luck.
The gameplay loop of Pokémon Go can also get stale after a while, as you catch your 497th Geodude for Geodude candies to level-up your Golem. The catching rates are also very inconsistent and sure to frustrate you. You could catch a 2200 CP Snorlax with a single Ultra Ball and then take 15 Ultra Balls to catch a 132 CP Weedle. Nevertheless, I think Pokémon Go is something every gamer should at least try.
Pokémon Showdown
Have you ever wanted to know what competitive battling is like but don’t have the time to breed perfect IV Pokémon with the right nature, abilities and egg moves? Then Pokémon Showdown is the game for you.
With more than two dozen battling formats, and every held item and Pokémon, Pokémon Showdown lets trainers test out infinite team combinations. This saves you a lot of time when deciding which Pokémon, you’d like to use on your competitive teams in the main games.
Android users can use the Pokémon Showdown app, but iOS users will need to use the Pokémon Showdown website in the Safari browser.
Marvel: Future Fight
Netmarble’s Marvel: Future Fight is one of the biggest mobile games in the world. The ARPG-style game has hundreds of heroes and villains to use in the numerous game modes and you’ll spend plenty of time perfecting the usage of them. You can also purchase uniforms for many of the characters, which will make them even stronger.
One of the biggest highlights of Marvel: Future Fight is the generosity of the developers. Marvel: Future Fight has one of, if not the best monthly log-in calendar of any mobile game, which contains numerous valuable resources.
There are also regular special events that reward players with more premium resources. As a result, the game is quite F2P-friendly, which is always a huge plus when it comes to mobile games. The YouTubers Cynicalex and BeastModeGaming are great resources for new players to learn how to play the game properly.
One thing to keep in mind is that the game has gotten considerably more cash-grabby over the last year. Uniforms are more expensive, and paywall characters and content are being introduced more and more with each passing update. The game is also flooded with RNG when it comes to optimizing your characters and this will get annoying very quickly. But overall the game is great, and for comic book fans a must-play.
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Marvel: Contest of Champions
Unlike the ARPG Marvel: Future Fight, Kabam’s Marvel: Contest of Champions is a one-on-one fighting game. Like Marvel: Future Fight, there are a lot of heroes and villains you can obtain and use. Contest of Champions is very skill-based and not a casual-friendly game.
Players will progress their accounts by playing through story, event and special quests, as well as Alliance Quest and Alliance War. Players will also need to grind out the arenas for new champions, and battle chips which can give players gold and units (which is the game’s premium currency). Like MFF, MCOC has a bunch of YouTubers that will help players get better at the game. We suggest Seatin: Man of Legends, Dorky Dave and KT1.
MCOC does have some notable issues. There are some fun and interactive fights across the game, and by fun and interactive, I mean incredibly cheap and designed to drain your items and money. Kabam is also notorious for not being very good at fixing in-game technical issues promptly. This is something that every MCOC players must come to accept, but don’t let these issues stop you from trying MCOC out.
Fortnite Mobile
Love or hate Battle Royale games, why not at least give Fortnite a shot?
Apex Legends gave Fortnite a bit of a scare earlier this year, but Fortnite remains the undisputed king of the Battle Royale genre, and one the biggest gaming phenomena ever. Massively popular and incredibly profitable, Fortnite has plenty of weapons and game modes to enjoy.
For those of you who invest in the Battle Pass for exclusive skins, emotes and other rewards, being able to play Fortnite when you’re away from home is great for grinding out the Battle Pass challenges and makes the grind to tier 100 a lot more bearable.
If you’ve played Fortnite on PC and think the console controls are inferior, then you are in for a treat with Fortnite Mobile. The touch screen controls do not fit Fortnite perfectly, and it will take some time getting used to building and engaging. However, this is a double-edged sword. While mastering the controls will take some time, I can say from experience that getting good at Fortnite on mobile will significantly improve your skills on console and/or PC.
Minecraft
Does Minecraft really need much explanation? It’s the best-selling game of all-time for a reason. It appeals to both adults and children alike and has infinite playability. Minecraft is a game where your creativity can run wild and can be enjoyed solo or with friends.
From Pokémon to Star Wars, to Elder Scrolls, there’s no genre or niche that can’t be made possible in the world of Minecraft. Having the ability to play the game while on the go lets you get a head start on a new project or finish up an old one.
Numerous spin-offs have been made since Minecraft’s original release, and the upcoming augmented reality Minecraft Earth is currently in beta testing. If you have never tried out Minecraft before, why not try it out on your coffee break or when you’re on the subway? You’ve got nothing to lose
Oldschool RuneScape Mobile
10 years ago, it was lame to play RuneScape. Now, everyone is playing and RuneScape is better than ever.
After RuneScape 3 began to decline, Jagex listened to the player base and introduced Oldschool Runescape — a version of Runescape from the game’s best time period. Only now the game gets regular content updates with new bosses, raids, items and maybe even skills. It’s an absolute blast to play solo or with friends, and you’ll be a new believer or no xp waste in no time.
The mobile version of Oldschool Runescape has its pros and cons. Having access to OSRS on your phone makes doing farming runs or birdhouse runs a lot less of a hassle. There are also some skills that are faster to train on mobile than they are on PC. You can also easily AFK some training while you are busy doing something else. Touch controls obviously aren’t as sharp as mouse and keyboard though and pinging issues may occur, so stay away from things like PVP, bossing or raids.
Every nonmember can get a seven-day free membership when they sign up for an account and play OSRS via the mobile app. Membership can be obtained/sustained through bonds, which are purchased with in-game gold. There are a ton of moneymaking guides on YouTube and seven days is more than enough time to get the gold needed for a bond, so you can be a member for free for the entirety of your RuneScape career.
What are you waiting for? Get on over to Tutorial Island and start your adventure!
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Game Dev Story/Kairosoft Simulation Games
Originally released 22 years ago and released for mobile back in 2010, Game Dev Story is the game that started it all.
The first of dozens of simulation games, Game Dev Story puts you in charge of a budding video game development studio with the goal of becoming the number one game studio in the world. Hire numerous writers, artists, and designers and choose what type of game you want to make and hope it’s a hit. You’ve got a set number of years to reach the top if you want to make the worldwide high-scores, so choose wisely!
Kairosoft brings a lot of quality for a low price. In the early 2010s, Kairosoft was the sole bastion of hope in the mobile gaming industry and to date is the only mobile gaming company that I can fully recommend. There are niches for everyone, and they all cost no more than $5 (if playing on mobile. They cost more on Nintendo Switch). If you like Game Dev Story, you can try out Anime Studio Story, The Manga Works or Magazine Mogul.
Do you really like food? Try out Caféteria Nipponica, Sushi Spinnery, Bonbon Cakery or The Ramen Sensei. And if you’re a sports person, there’s Home Run High, Grand Prix Story, Pocket Stables and more.
Kairosoft’s simulation games are addicting to play and have a lot of replay value. You will be hard-pressed to find other games for $5 that give you as much bang for your buck as Kairosoft does.