Mobile games are a $50 billion dollar industry with over 2.1 billion players worldwide, and both those numbers are growing every single year. How do you serve a market that huge? Lots and lots of games.
It wasn’t easy picking the best mobile games of all time. With over 500 new games submitted to the App Store daily and a fantastic backlog of hard-earned classics and hidden gems already out there, that’s a whole lot to wade through.
For the purposes of our Top 25, we decided to focus on the most original and creative experiences possible on mobile devices. While there are notable exceptions, we generally leaned away from games based on existing IPs and we tried to keep it to games that originally launched on mobile. That’s partially why PUBG and Fortnite are missing – while both are undeniably massive games, we don’t think mobile is the best way to play either.
Without further ado, here are IGN’s top 25 mobile games of all time.
25. Tetris
The best puzzle game ever made was destined for phones. Immune to the ever-changing waves of mobile game trends, Tetris is timeless and untouchable. While there are several knock-offs available, the go-to way to play now is the official EA version, which comes with a new coat of paint, new modes, and online leaderboards. But beyond the additional fluff and under its new candy-colored palette, what’s great about Tetris is that it will always just be… Tetris. It’s hard to compete with that.
– Chloi Rad
24. Arena of Valor
While it's relatively new to Western audiences, Arena of Valor is one of the most popular games in the world. It takes the full League of Legends experience and masterfully refines it down to the essentials. It also makes matches an impressively condensed 15-minutes long, and somehow manages to translate a MOBA's complex mechanical controls into sleek and clever touch joysticks.
– Tom Marks
23. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
It could be the fantastic art direction, or the open ended narrative, or the tongue-in-cheek humor that make Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP such a unique and singular experience, but... it's definitely the music. Despite the fact that you can finish your journey in about five hours, Sword & Sworcery will stick with you. What it lacks in mechanical complexity, it more than makes up for in charm and artistic vision. Also, seriously, that soundtrack. Wow.
– Zachary Ryan
22. Angry Birds
Angry Birds is a perfect example what works well on mobile: bite-sized, pick-up-and-play levels that are challenging enough to keep you coming back. Unlocking each new bird feels like an exciting discovery, and figuring out each level’s unique twists (plus recognizing how to master its physics) was so addicting it isn’t surprising it became a global phenomenon. Along with fantastic support for additional levels plus creative sequel and spin-offs, Rovio created a franchise that became more recognizable than Mickey Mouse for a whole new generation.
– Andrew Goldfarb
21. Love Nikki
While it seems like just another fashion game at first glance, Love Nikki is a surprisingly robust RPG set in a world where just about everything is settled through fashion battles. It comes complete with two difficulty levels for its campaign, thousands of items, upgradable skills and stats, and plenty of weekly events. Learning all its systems can take a while, and some events do require an earnable premium currency if you want to get far in them, but Love Nikki's community system and rewarding design makes it one of the best fashion games we've played anywhere.
– Miranda Sanchez
20. Canabalt
Endless runners are endlessly popular on mobile, but it was Canabalt, initially an unassuming browser game, that really set the genre into motion. Its clean look, one-button controls, and subtle background storytelling made it a perfect fit for phones. Few traditional endless runners have really come close to capturing the exhilaration of this little guy’s first leap out that window.
– Chloi Rad
19. Hidden Folks
The hidden object genre has rarely looked as vibrant and charming as Hidden Folks. Stunning detail and silly sound effects bring busy interactive scenes to life as you tap and scan for various items, wildlife, and characters. While its visual clutter might seem overstimulating to some, Hidden Folks can be a surprisingly relaxing time thanks to its laid-back objectives.
– Chloi Rad
18. Florence
If you’ve ever been in a relationship, Florence is a video game that will hit close to home. From the first time you ever consolidated your collective belongings into a small apartment, to that frustrating first argument, Florence perfectly encapsulates the fleeting life cycle of a passionate connection between two strangers. It’s a succinct, heartbreaking, yet ultimately beautiful love story and you owe it to yourself to experience it, even if love hurts sometimes.
– Brian Altano
17. Year Walk
There’s something special about a game that can make you frightened of your phone. Simogo’s evocative take on a real-life Swedish folk tradition is as smart as it is scary; not just utilising, but embracing how you navigate a touchscreen to provide scares, puzzles, even history lessons. There’s nothing else quite like it.
– Joe Skrebels
16. Donut County
It may be a short diversion, but Donut County is a delight. It’s absolutely brimming with personality, has a killer soundtrack and visual aesthetic, and is based on an irresistible gameplay hook.
– Cam Shea
15. Mini Metro
Almost every round of Mini Metro is doomed to eventually fail, but there’s a strange comfort in that. It’s a game of slow and steady optimization and growth, throwing you into a loop of constant catch-up as you try to juggle the needs of multiple metro lines in an expanding transit system. Even when your carefully crafted machine breaks under the strain, there’s nothing more satisfying than getting to start over with a fresh slate and giving the whole thing another go.
– Chloi Rad
14. Clash Royale
Most people play mobile games just to pass the time, but in Clash Royale, you play to win. Its one-on-one combat is delightful and it’s hard to match the thrill of unlocking new cards and putting them to work on your next opponent. Watching your deck of cards come to life, demolish the opposition, and topple that final tower is enough to keep you invested for much longer than you ever planned.
– Amanda Flagg
13. Super Hexagon
Super Hexagon manages to balance both the adrenaline-pumping thrill that makes hyper-challenging, high-speed rhythm action games great, with the clean readability and accessibility of a good casual mobile game. It’s risky to call a game perfect, but Super Hexagon comes very close.
– Chloi Rad
12. 80 Days
750,000. If you’re buying a narrative adventure, that’s the kind of word count that lets you know you’ll be getting your money’s worth. Except 80 Days is so much more than that. It’s a resource management RPG, an open-world adventure, sometimes even a romance sim. Above all, it’s a strange, beautiful retelling of a classic story.
– Joe Skrebels
11. Sorcery! 3
Inkle’s takes on Steve Jackson’s seminal choose-your-own-adventure books were already a beautiful exercise in adaptation, but Part 3 was when the developer truly (and literally) shone. With the addition of a magical lighthouse, the game’s cartographic open world becomes a time travel puzzle as well as a narrative path, setting this apart from not only the books but, well, everything else we've played.
– Joe Skrebels
10. Spaceteam
Few party games are able to embrace chaos as well as Spaceteam. Using only their smartphones, players work together to pilot a ship in real time, attempting to reach hyperspace by frantically manipulating nonsensical control panels. It's a madcap party game that is just as fun to watch as it is to play.
– Cassidee Moser
9. Desert Golfing
You’re in the desert alone. In front of you, a golf ball. Beyond that, a shallow hole marked with an unremarkable yellow flag. Beyond that? The same scene. Over and over and over again. Desert Golfing doesn’t seem like much, because it isn’t – but that’s where the magic lies. It’s a suspiciously simple, odd, and hypnotic experience that rewards in the moment and over the long term in small, unexpected ways.
– Chloi Rad
8. Spelltower
If you’re looking for a word game that’s easy to pick up, looks great, and feels good to play, you can’t get any better than Spelltower. Its steadily ramping difficulty and handful of game modes makes it appealing to casual players and veteran wordsmiths alike.
– Chloi Rad
7. Gorogoa
Gorogoa is one of the most elegant and meditative puzzle experiences out there, and the smooth tap-and-drag of its mobile version is the ideal way to play. It’s like opening a window into a strange and fascinating world, right in the palm of your hand.
– Chloi Rad
6. Reigns: Her Majesty
Reigns: Her Majesty’s simple swipe-based control scheme is deceptive – with each decision, the balance between order and chaos in your kingdom hangs in the balance. Each simple swipe is another move towards delicately proportioning peasants, royalty, military, and more to keep your reign going for as long as possible, while you uncover the land’s mysterious secrets. That is, if you don’t get overthrown first!
– Amanda Flagg
5. Pokémon GO
Pokémon GO is a rare good example of a huge franchise coming to mobile with a game perfectly suited to the platform. Inserting the exploration of Pokémon into a real world, mobile-driven setting brought a light, accessible version of the elements that make the main series great. With the addition of AR and constant waves of new updates and features, it's no surprise it became a global phenomenon and continues to thrive.
– Andrew Goldfarb
4. The Room
If you want some measure of its success, consider that most people thought The Room was a game adaption of the Tommy Wiseau film when it came out. Now, it’s the gold standard for mobile puzzle games, and the beginning of a series that’s enthralled and creeped me out with every new entry.
– Joe Skrebels
3. Monument Valley
You wouldn't expect to call a puzzle game chill, but Monument Valley is just that. A serene series of perspective puzzles you have to navigate through, Ustwo Games' puzzler is never overtly challenging. It instead is so much more about the process of discovery, of watching its world come together and break apart, than it is throwing obtuse or tough scenarios at you. Its series of MC Escher-esque puzzles only make one demand of you — rethinking how you look at its world. And taking that moment to reconsider things leads to a consistently calming, beautiful experience.
– Jonathon Dornbush
2. Minecraft
It’s hard to beat Minecraft's legacy no matter what platform it ports to. For so much of its younger playerbase, mobile is increasingly the way to play when it comes to Mojang’s highly successful block-based sandbox adventure game. Pocket Edition was the noble first-step towards bringing the open-ended creativity to phones and tablets. Sandbox-focused and with smaller maps, Pocket Edition brought the joy of Minecraft to phones, albeit simplified for smaller screens. But with the Better Together Update consolidating all versions into one and adding cross-platform multiplayer, Minecraft is better than it’s ever been on the go.
– Chloi Rad
1. Threes!
Threes is a near-flawless puzzler. It’s easy to pick up: all you need to know how to do is swipe in four directions and pair numbers. Bright ones and twos come together to make three, and from there, increasingly high multiples of three, as you work to clear the ever-crowding grid of tiles. A pleasing combo of charming visuals, satisfying sounds, and friendly accessibility makes it a joy to play casually. But its simple numbers-matching mechanic stretches far, making more strategic, long-term games a compelling possibility for even the most hardcore puzzle fans. But whether you’re coming at it as a fun way to pass the time or to boost your personal high score, Threes will have you promising yourself “just one more game” like no other.
– Chloi Rad
