Gaming on mobile has been improving at a far greater rate than any technology that came before it. In 2005, if you had told anyone that you could play Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas on a telephone with the same graphics as it had on a PS2, you probably would’ve been laughed out of the building. Here are the best Android games currently available. Feel free to leave comments to tell us about any that we missed!
Asphalt 8: Airborne
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
To date, there have been few racing games with the longevity of Asphalt 8: Airborne. The game contains a metric ton of content, including a single player campaign, multi-player races, time trials, unlockable content, and consistent updates that add new tracks and other new content. The graphics are pretty decent and the game should work on most devices. There are plenty of racers, but Asphalt 8 hits more of those sweet spots than any of its competitors. At least for right now.
Check out more games from Gameloft!
Get it now on Google Play!
BADLAND
[Price: Free / $3.99]
BADLAND doesn’t seem like much at first. It’s a side-scrolling runner where you must avoid obstacles and keep the ever-scrolling screen from swallowing you whole. However, once you dig into this game, it’s difficult to deny it’s depth. There is a real-time multiplayer (including local co-op mode), a sizable adventure mode, and updates toward the end of 2015 even let players create their own levels. In a land where time wasters get boring very quickly, this one seems to just keep going.
Get it now on Google Play!
Clash of Clans
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
A lot of people don’t like Clash of Clans, but a lot more people do and for good reason. Clash of Clans may be the most popular and well established multiplayer game in the entire mobile gaming industry. There is a single player story and it’s kind of short, but the multiplayer aspect includes clans, clan wars, plenty of stuff to upgrade, and more. The online community is vibrant with a ton of YouTube videos and guides on how to play and it strikes that balance between a time wasting mobile game and a title you can really sink your teeth into.
Check out all of the games by Supercell!
Get it now on Google Play!
Fallout Shelter
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Fallout Shelter was released in 2015 to fantastic fanfare and generally positive reviews. In this game, you must build a fallout shelter (roll credits), populate it with people, and then manage everything so that it runs well. You’ll have to send dwellers out into the wastelands for supplies and fend off bad guys trying to kill everybody. You can make babies, create entire communities, and all kinds of stuff. It has substantial depth and it’s a game you can easily play for months before you even realize it has in-app purchases.
Here are all the apps and games from Bethesda!
Get it now on Google Play!
Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions
[Price: $9.99]
The Geometry Wars series has quite a sizable fanbase and has been consistently described as one of the most enjoyable indie games ever made. Geometry Wars 3 continues that proud tradition by introducing 3D maps constructed out of various shapes to make the game more challenging. It features 100 levels, 12 battle modes, and it’s all played over 15 3D grids. As per the norm, you’ll have super abilities and all of the HD, colorful explosions that your brain can handle. $9.99 may seem pricey for a mobile game, but there are also no in-app purchases.
Check out all the titles available from Activision!
Get it now on Google Play!
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
[Price: $6.99]
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is pretty much what every gamer could ask for on mobile. As with most Grand Theft Auto games, it comes with an open world to explore, dozens of hours of game play, decent graphics, a story line, and plenty of stuff to do. Rockstar Games also included controller support, graphics settings, and cloud save support to put a bow on a pretty awesome little package. It’s a gigantic game and best of all, there are no in-app purchases.
Here are the rest of the awesome games from Rockstar!
Get it now on Google Play!
Hearthstone Heroes of Warcraft
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Hearthstone Heroes of Warcraft flew on to the scene in late 2014 and has been a staple of mobile gaming ever since. It’s a concept that is similar to games like Pokemon or Magic: The Gathering where you collect cards, build decks, and the duel other players using those decks. There are some offline components but the game is pretty much always online. You can also engage with cloud saving via battle.net which will allow you to play the game on your PC or mobile device interchangeably.
Click here to check out all the apps and games from Blizzard!
Get it now on Google Play!
Kingdom Rush Origins
[Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases]
All of the Kingdom Rush games are pretty decent but the most recent title is Kingdom Rush Origins. This is a tower defense game with a fantasy theme where you must build towers and deploy heroes to defend against hoards of bad guys. Towers and heroes all have their individual perks and can be updated as you progress. Kingdom Rush isn’t an overly complex game, but it’s an all around solid and enjoyable experience. The game is $2.99 with in-app purchases which is an admittedly bold move, but you can make it to the end without using the in-app purchases.
Check out the rest of the Kingdom Rush series by Ironhide Game Studio!
Get it now on Google Play!
See also: The best Android apps of 2016
Minecraft: Pocket Edition
[Price: $6.99]
Minecraft is a popular game all around the world for people of all ages. For those who have never played, Minecraft puts you in a giant world where you mine stuff, build stuff, beat up bad guys, and do pretty much whatever you want. There is a survival mode where you must mine your own resources and food along with a creative mode that gives you unlimited everything. Updates at the end of 2015 added in Redstone which allows you to create even more fun stuff. There are also no in-app purchases.
Here are the other titles from Mojang!
Get it now on Google Play!
SOULCALIBUR
[Price: $13.99]
SOULCALIBUR is one of the more recognizable and popular fighting franchises on consoles. The original title has been ported to Android with great success. It contains improved graphics from the original, Google Play Games services (achievements and leaderboards), and various game modes such as time attack, survival, arcade, and the excessively difficult extra survival. The on-screen controls work surprisingly well and it all adds up to arguably the best fighting game experience on mobile. The price is a little steep but there are no in-app purchases.
Check out the rest of the BANDAI NAMCO collection!
Get it now on Google Play!
Square Enix games
[Price: Varies]
Square Enix is one of the few “big name” developers that took mobile gaming seriously from the start and they have a variety of games depending on what you’re into. Fans of jRPG games have remakes of Final Fantasy 1-6, seven Dragon Quest games, Chrono Trigger, and the Chaos Rings series to play and they’re all really good. Hitman: Sniper, the original Tomb Raider, and Lara Croft GO round out a decent selection of puzzle games. You have Heavenstrike Rivals and Final Fantasy Tactics: WotL for tactical RPGs, Secret of Mana for an action RPG, and the Deus Ex series for strategy shooter enthusiasts. It’s a huge collection of games and most of them are really good. Square Enix actually has two developer pages on Google Play. For the ones with Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, click the button below. For the one with Lara Croft GO, Hitman: Sniper, and Tomb Raider, click here!
Get it now on Google Play!
Telltale Games
[Price: Varies]
Telltale Games are the undisputed masters of the episodic adventure game genre and have the chops to prove it. They have six games in their arsenal right now and they are The Walking Dead seasons 1 and 2, Game of Thrones, Tales from the Borderlands, The Wolf Among Us, and Minecraft: Story Mode. These games all revolve around similar “point and click” mechanics and they all have stories that can be altered by the decisions of the player. They also all have five episodes a piece that are purchased as in-app purchases and they can all be completed in about 10-15 hours. They’re great games with a good stories, good graphics, and easy game play mechanics. Click the button below to check out the entire Telltale Games collection!
Get it now on Google Play!
The Room 3
[Price: $4.99]
The latest game in The Room series is just as big of a hit as its predecessors mostly because it’s just as good. For those who have never played the game before, The Room is a beautifully done puzzle game that involves a number of unique objects in a room that you must solve to unlock their secrets. You progress from room to room to find even more unique objects and solve their puzzles until you win the game. The third one includes cloud saving, multiple profiles, alternate endings, and the same beautiful puzzles and graphics that drove people to play the first two titles. There are also no in-app purchases.
If you want to check out The Room 1 and 2 from Fireproof Games, click here!
Get it now on Google Play!
This War of Mine
[Price: $14.99]
This War of Mine is so good that we awarded it the best game released in 2015. In this survival game, you lead a crew of civilians in a city torn apart by war. You’re tasked with making difficult decisions that have heart wrenching results with survival being the key. It comes with good graphics, plenty of content, and a hefty price tag with no in-app purchases. It’s definitely worth a play.
Here are more awesome games from 11 Bit Studios, including Anomaly 2!
Get it now on Google Play!
UNKILLED
[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
UNKILLED is the latest zombie shooter from MADFINGER Games, the same developers that brought us Dead Trigger 2. In fact, UNKILLED has replaced Dead Trigger 2 as the best zombie shooter on Android right now. It features great graphics, over 300 missions to complete with boss fights, various weapons and things to unlock and upgrade, online PvP mode, and the graphics get even better if you’re using a Tegra X1 device. Yes, it’s a freemium game but it’s a definitely a good one.
Click here to check out Dead Trigger, Shadowgun, and more MADFINGER Games titles!
Get it now on Google Play!
Related best app lists:
- Check out the latest Android games releases
- Too pricy? Here are the best free games with no in-app purchases
If we missed any great Android games, tell us about them in the comments! To see our complete list of best app lists, click here.
Source: ANDRIOD AUTHORITY