Mobile gaming continues to dominate the video game industry, with an estimated $91.8 billion in global revenue in 2022 – surpassing dedicated gaming consoles like PlayStation and Xbox which generated around $52.2 billion. With hundreds of thousands of games across various genres available on mobile platforms, it can be challenging to determine which titles are truly worth your time.
This is where crowdsourced recommendations can provide great insight. I analyzed some of the top gaming-focused subreddits on Reddit to uncover the 9 mobile games most consistently highlighted as must-play titles by real gamers.
The Value of Reddit for Mobile Gaming Suggestions
With over 50 million daily active users, Reddit operates through the power of crowdsourcing. Thousands of niche communities called "subreddits" focus on specific topics, allowing frank and honest discussion. This makes Reddit an invaluable resource for uncovering the best mobile games according to real players.
Subreddits like /r/AndroidGaming, /r/iosgaming, and /r/mobilegaming feature daily requests for game recommendations across genres. Analyzing threads with hundreds and even thousands of comments provides keen insight into the mobile games real players just can‘t put down.
Now let‘s explore 9 mobile games that come up over and over as outstanding choices across various Reddit threads.
1. Slay the Spire – Best Mobile Deck Builder
Slay the Spire stands out as the undisputed king of deck building games on mobile platforms. First released on PC in early 2019, passionate mobile ports brought the game to iOS in 2020 and Android in 2021.
As a roguelike deckbuilder, procedural generation creates endless replayability. With hundreds of cards to discover, you carefully craft a deck that can overcome various monsters and obstacles over multiple levels that ultimately lead up a spire. Turn-based combat has you play cards that provide attacks, defense, or special abilities depending on your custom deck and available energy.
While this core loop seems simple, fans praise the strategic depth required to string together a winning deck. Procedural generation also keeps each run feeling fresh. If you love card games and roguelikes, Slay the Spire offers a sublime blend with ample content for mobile gaming in short or long sessions.
Platforms: iOS, Android
2. Dead Cells – Best Action Roguelike
Since its 2019 mobile release, Dead Cells stands out as perhaps the pinnacle of the action roguelike genre. The core premise involves procedurally generated levels on an island full of deeply satisfying combat and platforming.
As you explore and fight enemies, you gather cells to unlock weapons and abilities for future runs. However, death sends you all the way back to the beginning thanks to permadeath design. You do keep meta progress like weapon unlocks, providing a sense of progression. Still, starting completely over losing your accumulated items provides significant motivation to survive each run.
Dead Cells shines thanks to its tight controls that run beautifully on mobile devices. Fighting feels impactful, environments remain varied and intriguing to explore, and dozens of weapons with unique movesets keep combat fresh run after run. Uncompromising difficulty also pushes you to skillfully utilize movement and combat systems.
For these reasons, Dead Cells commonly tops lists as one of the greatest action roguelike games ever made – an impressive feat for a mobile title.
Platforms: iOS, Android
3. Stardew Valley – Best Mobile Farming Sim
Drawing inspiration from Harvest Moon farming/life sims, Stardew Valley made a massive splash when indie developer ConcernedApe launched the game in 2016. Mobile ports arrived a few years later, optimized impressively for touchscreen devices.
As a new farmer inheriting your grandfather‘s neglected land, it‘s up to you to rebuild the farm back to glory. This involves planting/harvesting crops, raising animals, fishing, mining, foraging, and crafting goods to sell for profit. However, Stardew understands players want more than pure optimization by providing a delightful cast of characters to befriend and even marry.
With days lasting around 15 minutes, Stardew Valley is played in short bursts ideal for mobile gaming. Over long-term playthroughs lasting 50+ hours, players watch their rundown farm transform into an idyllic homestead providing peace away from the grind of daily life. Relaxing and wholesome, Stardew Valley is gaming comfort food for your smartphone.
Platforms: iOS, Android
4. Gunfire Reborn – Best Mobile FPS Roguelite
Proving first-person shooters can provide quality experiences on mobile devices, Gunfire Reborn exceeded expectations after its 2022 launch. Fusing FPS action with roguelite randomness and RPG progression, Reborn hits the sweet spot between action, variety, and replayability.
Across a series of levels, your choice of hero handles weapons with satisfying heft to mow down inventive creatures based on Chinese mythology. Bosses with epic scale attacks force you to carefully manage positioning and resource use between ammo refills and health top offs. Procedural generation varies enemies, items, and level layouts to keep each run fresh.
Different heroes provide unique playstyles to master like melee-focused builds or gadget-based assassins. Unlocking permanent upgrades allows your hero to push deeper into the game with each new attempt. Controller support even mitigates touch screen hindrances. Gunfire Reborn shows the future looks bright for FPS games on mobile.
Platforms: iOS, Android
5. Streets of Rage 4 – Best Mobile Beat ‘Em Up
After a 25 year hiatus for the iconic arcade brawler series, Streets of Rage 4 arrived in 2020 to critical acclaim. The mobile port maintains the magic allowing you to clean up these mean streets solo or via local wireless co-op.
Gorgeous hand-drawn visuals recreate the series‘ gritty urban vibe across a dozen stages. A motley crew of ex-cops and vigilantes use their fists, feet, and the odd pipe or shiv to crush the violent syndicate ruining the city. Familiar faces like Axel and Blaze make their return alongside fresh fighters like Cherry Hunter and Floyd Iraia.
Combat revolves around simple controls any beat ‘em up fan will quickly grasp – but unlockable moves and combos provide satisfying depth mastering your character. Couch co-op also amplifies the enjoyment squashing foes with a friend. Streets of Rage 4 stands tall as one of the greatest entries in beat ‘em up history.
Platforms: iOS, Android
6. Retro Bowl – Best Mobile American Football Game
American football games litter the mobile gaming landscape, yet so many come as half-hearted Madden clones. Retro Bowl sets itself apart with polish and accessibility – earning its reputation as the best pigskin title you can play on the go.
Inspired by early football greats like Tecmo Bowl, Retro Bowl adopts a wonderfully nostalgic pixel art style. Games focus solely on calling offensive plays. On defense, you simply select plays and watch the action unfold. This keeps the rules simple for football rookies while still allowing depth for veterans.
The arcade flow keeps games speedy at around 30 minutes. Perfect for killing time on your phone during commercial breaks watching real NFL games! Retro Bowl stands out thanks to its personality – from silly player names to the satisfied "crunch" when you flatten the QB on a sack. Approachable, faithful to football, and bursting with charm – Retro Bowl scores a touchdown.
Platforms: iOS, Android
7. Call of Duty: Mobile – Best Mobile FPS
Despite misgivings about the FPS genre transitioning to touch screens, Call of Duty: Mobile quickly crushed skepticism after its 2019 release. Polished visuals and controls make Modern Warfare combat sing even on phones – backed up by countless multiplayer modes to keep things fresh.
COD: Mobile cherry picks iconic maps, weapons, and characters spanning the series for over a decade of history. This hits the sweet spot between nostalgia while introducing mobile players to the best Call of Duty has offered since 2007. Controls even support external controllers to push the gameplay closer to the console experience.
While cynical mobile monetization and slot machine reward systems come baked into the CoD formula at this point, the developers deserve credit for establishing parity with the name brand console and PC entries Call of Duty rightfully hangs its hat on in the shooter scene.
Platforms: iOS, Android
8. Vampire Survivors – Best Mobile Horde Survival
A breakout Steam hit, Vampire Survivors finally reached mobile platforms in late 2022 to excitement from iOS and Android owners. The novel concept provides endless replayability through its genius simplicity.
As the name suggests, you pick one of a handful of characters and attempt to survive against endless swarms of ghouls. Movement consists only of dodging around the procedural stage. Attacks trigger automatically once enemies enter your range – allowing you to focus on positioning rather than micromanaging skills.
The more enemies you defeat, the more icons provide buffs like faster speed or exotic weapons. Survival becomes exponentially trickier, requiring careful cost/benefit analysis to push for high scores without becoming overwhelmed. Approachable, infinitely replayable, and captivating despite basic mechanics – Vampire Survivors sinks its teeth into you.
Platforms: iOS, Android
9. Bloons TD 6 – Best Mobile Tower Defense Game
It speaks to the consistent creativity of developer Ninja Kiwi that the Bloons tower defense series remains so popular after debuting way back in 2007. Thousands of pretenders litter app stores, yet Bloons TD 6 towers over the competition as the apex of the genre on mobile platforms.
Vibrant graphics and charming monkey towers meet rewarding progression systems like upgrade paths tailored to your playstyle across a varied map pool. Co-op and competitive modes add longevity beyond the considerable 30+ hour single player campaign. Daily challenges and limited time event maps provide regular new tests.
Bloons TD 6 continues carrying the torch for traditional tower defense gameplay while giving the formula enough fresh coats of paint to feel perpetually entertaining and surprising six games later. This dazzling and deep package makes for one of the best mobile strategy games money can buy.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Bottom Line
Despite worries mobile gaming comes saddled with compromises, these 9 titles recommended by actual Reddit gamers reinforce phones and tablets can deliver deep, polished, and compelling game experiences – often rivaling dedicated consoles and PCs pound for pound.
Covering key genres like RPGs, Strategy, Shooters, and more, the above games represent the vanguard of interactive entertainment you can slide into your pocket and enjoy just about anywhere life takes you.
Summary Table
| Game | Genre | Key Traits |
|---|---|---|
| Slay the Spire | Deckbuilder + Roguelite | Strategic card combos, run variety |
| Dead Cells | Action + Roguelite | Tight combat platforming, permadeath |
| Stardew Valley | Farming Sim | Relaxing gameplay loops |
| Gunfire Reborn | FPS + Roguelite + RPG | Hero builds + weapon variety |
| Streets of Rage 4 | Beat ‘Em Up | Local co-op brawling |
| Retro Bowl | Sports | Simplified football fun |
| Call of Duty Mobile | First-Person Shooter | Iconic maps and gear |
| Vampire Survivors | Horde Survival | Simplicity meeting challenge |
| Bloons TD 6 | Tower Defense | Clever towers, co-op modes |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most popular mobile game genre?
Currently, hypercasual games lead the mobile gaming market occupying over 20% of downloads. However, core gaming genres like MOBAs, RPGs, shooters, and strategy games account for the highest percentage of revenue.
Should I play mobile games on iOS or Android?
Both platforms provide quality gaming experiences. iOS gamers praise stability and optimization, where Android offers greater hardware variety and customization. Cross-platform titles like the above 9 games guarantee enjoyment regardless of your device.
What games offer multiplayer on mobile?
Popular multiplayer mobile titles include battle royales like Call of Duty Mobile, Apex Legends Mobile, and PUBG, team strategy games like League of Legends: Wild Rift and DOTA Underlords, and games with online co-op components like Bloons TD 6.
Do I need a controller for mobile games?
Many quality mobile titles feature excellent touch/tilt controls tuned perfectly for phones and tablets. However, fast-paced genres like FPS, fighting games, and platformers often benefit from the precision physical controllers provide. Supported games above like Call of Duty Mobile and Gunfire Reborn thrive with controllers.
