Our list of the best mobile games helps you find something great to play today on your iPhone or Android device, from open-world RPGs to simple match-threes.
What are the best mobile games? We’ve decided to approach this question from a simple if slightly out-there premise. If an alien were to land tomorrow and ask for a crash course in gaming, which mobile games would you encourage it to install first? We’re looking at those important, genre-defining games that represent something essential to the history of smartphone gaming.
To play these games, we recommend picking up one of the best gaming phones and considering whether iPhone or Samsung devices are for you. If you’re after titles from a specific genre, you can also head over to our lists of the best mobile RPGs and the best mobile strategy games.
Here’s our list of the best mobile games in 2024
- Monument Valley
- Raid: Shadow Legends
- Slay the Spire
- Forge of Empires
- Jetpack Joyride
- Reigns
- Genshin Impact
- Hero Wars
- Honkai Star Rail
- Kingdom Rush
- Pokémon GO
- World of Tanks Blitz
- Alto’s Odyssey
- Call of Duty Mobile
- League of Legends: Wild Rift
- Wayward Souls
- Among Us
- Clash Royale
Return to Monkey Island
The latest installment in the Monkey Island series is available on both iOS and Android devices. If you’re a longtime fan, you’ll be pleased to hear that this is the first game since Monkey Island 2 to feature involvement from series co-creator Ron Gilbert, and the whole game is filled to the brim with fun little references to the series’ past. However, even if you’ve never played a Monkey Island game before, you’ll have no problem starting here.
The game follows the unlikely pirate adventurer, Guybrush Threepwood, who in this game is searching for the secret treasures of Monkey Island. It’s one of the best point-and-click games on phones, and it sees you exploring ancient temples and tropical islands, chatting with pirates in taverns, and adventuring on the high seas. It’s just about everything you could ever want, or expect, from one of the best pirate games.
Monument Valley
Monument Valley – and especially its sequel, Monument Valley 2 – is one of those rare video games that has crossed over into the mainstream. The kind that’s referenced in TV shows and played by people outside of the mobile gaming sphere and non-gamers.
That’s not to downplay its ingenious Escher-like spatial puzzles or its achingly beautiful art style. It’s just to say that an awful lot of people like it an awful lot, including us.
Play Monument Valley on Apple Arcade.
Raid: Shadow Legends
It’s easy for seasoned gamers to get a bit sniffy about gacha RPGs. But the simple truth is, a quite startling number of people seem to play them, and Raid: Shadow Legends is the 800lb gorilla of this particular loved-and-loathed sub-genre. You can’t really ignore it.
Jetpack Joyride
Jetpack Joyride wasn’t the first endless runner to hit mobile (shout out to Canabalt), but it was one of the earliest and best. Just as importantly to this list, it’s still going strong, with ongoing support from legendary developer Halfbrick.
As hero Barry Steakfried, run, fly, and smash your way as far as you can, making use of wild power-ups and randomly generating hazards.
