Hi there! With mobile gaming bringing in over $92 billion dollars last year alone, smartphones have become a dominant gaming platform that many overlook. With so many titles flooding app stores, it can be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff when building your personal game library.
That‘s why I want to highlight 9 stellar mobile games that come highly recommended from Reddit gaming communities.
As an avid gamer and industry analyst, I frequent gaming subreddits like r/AndroidGaming and r/iosgaming to take the pulse on what real players love. Between the honest discourse and passion on display, Reddit offers gems of wisdom on the best mobile experiences worth your time.
So whether you‘re a seasoned mobile gamer or just getting started, come along as I showcase games frequently suggested across Reddit sure to upgrade your smartphone gameplay!
The Stunning Growth of Mobile Gaming
Before diving into the games, it helps set the stage to understand just how massive mobile gaming has become worldwide:
As you can see above, the global mobile gaming market has absolutely exploded in recent years. The $92+ billion generated in 2022 revenue marks a 12% jump from 2021 alone as smartphones continue to gain ground as the world‘s dominant gaming platform.
I think these staggering numbers can cause some to overlook just how many quality mobile gaming options exist today. Sure, the stereotype of quick, addictive arcade titles rings somewhat true, but games of all genres and calibers now grace app stores.
That range of quality is why I turn to Reddit for suggestions. Among the fan discourse and debates,Mobile gaming generates way more annual revenue than consoles and PC‘s combined in recent years. (Data source: NewZoo)gems can be uncovered from actual players worth highlighting!
Now, onto the recommendations!
1. Slay the Spire – Clever Roguelike Deckbuilder
Kicking off our list is the critically-acclaimed roguelike deckbuilder Slay the Spire, universally praised as one of the best mobile games of recent years.
As an avid CCG fan myself, I was stunned by how engrossingly Slay the Spire fuses deckbuilding strategy with RPG combat. The goal is choosing cards wisely to craft a battle-ready deck so you can best enemies while climbing the mysterious Spire structure floor by floor.
With turn-based battles, newly dealt cards and energy each turn, and over 200+ collectible cards, Slay the Spire will have you strategizing for hours on end.
Here‘s what one iOS player on Reddit had to say:
"Slay the Spire is fantastic. I never really got into deck builders before, but it made the concept click perfectly for me."
Having racked up awards on both PC and console, Slay the Spire saw a polished mobile port in 2020 that faithfully recreated the magic. Between the challenge, variety and approachability, Slay the Spire appeals to hardcore card game fanatics and newcomers alike!
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Roguelike, Deckbuilder, RPG
Developer: MegaCrit
Slay the Spire fuses RPG battles and clever deckbuilding strategy into one of mobile‘s most engaging experiences.
2. Dead Cells – Lightning Fast Metroidvania Mayhem
Jumping genres, the next mobile darling is Dead Cells, an insanely fun and fast-paced Metroidvania action game with elements of permadeath mixed in.
You play as a semi-amorphous prisoner trying to escape the ever-changing halls of a magical island. Armed to the teeth with swords, bows and parkour skills, you‘ll carve through hordes of baddies each run.
However, as an homage to tough classic games, when you die in Dead Cells you start completely over with a reshuffled level layout. This tense loop challenges you to reclaim vital upgrades and blueprints whenever you die to grow permanently stronger.
A shining example of modern polish blended with retro sensibilities, here‘s what an Android Redditor had to say:
"I always find myself returning to Dead Cells. It never gets old and has phenomenal gameplay."
Praised for its fluid mobility and combat, Dead Cells received outstanding reviews at launch and continues to enthrall players with frequent content updates. If you crave ruthlessly fun arcade action, Dead Cells is easily an essential mobile title.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Metroidvania, Action, Roguelite
Developer: Playdigious, MotionTwin
Dead Cells fuses tense permadeath action with depth, upgrades and creative level designs into one of mobile‘s most engaging experiences.
3. Stardew Valley – Peaceful & Heartwarming Farming Sim
If you‘d prefer a more low-key gameplay experience, the beloved farming/life sim Stardew Valley relaxing change of pace from the intense action of the last two entries.
As the new owner of a dilapidated farm, you‘ll harvest crops, raise animals, befriend townsfolk and rebuild your grandfather‘s neglected homestead into a lively community pillar.
With no combat and completely open-ended goals, Stardew Valley succeeds through sheer charm and heart. As one cozy Android Redditor put it:
"Stardew Valley is such a masterpiece. There‘s nothing quite like waking up and watering my melons."
From farming and fishing to mining and crafting, Stardew Valley offers incredible freedom paired with comforting small-town vibes. Ported faithfully to mobile in 2018 with touch-friendly UI tweaks, this 50+ hour gameplay experience continues toseen as one of gaming‘s most wholesome titles.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Simulation, Farming Sim
Developer: ConcernedApe
Stardew Valley offers a delightfully charming escape to farm life filled with personality.
4. Gunfire Reborn – FPS/RPG Mashup With Cool Style
NOW transitioning into a genre not historically well-suited for mobile, Gunfire Reborn proves first-person shooters CAN absolutely thrill on the small screen.
As an FPS/RPG hybrid roguelite, the goal in Gunfire Reborn is simple: shoot up baddies, nab loot and increase skills/power each playthrough. However, with a surprising amount of content and approaches blended with that loot addiction, Gunfire Reborn sinks its hooks in deep fast.
Here‘s what one impressed iOS Redditor had to say:
"I didn‘t expect much from Gunfire Reborn on mobile, but the controls are great and it‘s easily one of the best action roguelikes I‘ve played."
Between the different heroes, diverse enemies and weapon variety paired with that "just one more run" drive to experiment, Gunfire Reborn breaks the mold of what we should expect from mobile FPS games.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: FPS, Action, Roguelite
Developer: Duoyi Network
Gunfire Reborn redefines FPS action on phones with RPG depth and easily hundreds of hours of content.
5. Streets of Rage 4 – Beautifully Brutal Beat ‘Em Up
Beat ‘em ups feel tailor-made for quick mobile play sessions, and Streets of Rage 4 stands tall as one of the best ever made.
25 years after the Genesis-era trilogy concluded, Streets of Rage returns with 12 stages of bone-crunching action. With hand-drawn visuals, new combat abilities to unlock and fresh playable fighters, this revival updates everything fans loved while introducing new blood.
As shared by an Android Redditor:
"Streets of Rage 4 is a masterclass in how to revive a franchise. The new art style and combat additions are fantastic."
Approachable yet challenging, playing solo or co-op, Streets of Rage 4 deserves a spot in any retro fan‘s app library!
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Beat ‘em Up
Developer: Lizardcube, Guard Crush Games
Streets of Rage 4 faithfully modernizes the classic brawler series with jaw-dropping style.
6. Retro Bowl – Surprisingly Great Digital Football
American football and mobile devices might seem an unlikely pairing, yet Retro Bowl managed to score big points with NFL fans through simplicity.
Heavily inspired by early digital football games, Retro Bowl puts you in the coach/GM/play-caller‘s seat as you attempt to guide your franchise to championship glory season after season.
While the presentation is minimalistic, the surprising depth around roster construction, play-calling and upgrade decisions quickly elicits "just one more game" tunnel vision. Many Redditors expressed shock at how easily Retro Bowl sank its hooks in:
"I don‘t know how they made football work so perfectly on mobile, but I can‘t put Retro Bowl down."
It just goes to show limitations can inspire creativity, as Retro Bowl distills the strategic thrill of football down to a perfect mobile form factor.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Sports, Simulation
Developer: New Star Games
Retro Bowl captures the cerebral joy of football in an elegantly designed package perfect for your phone.
7. Call of Duty Mobile – Shockingly Great FPS Action
Another game genre notoriously difficult to translate onto phones, Call of Duty Mobile impressively delivers heart-racing FPS action on the go. Complete with multiple competitive multiplayer modes supporting up to 100 players, snappy controls and a shocking amount of content, this may be the definitive on-the-go shooter.
Here‘s what one surprised iOS Redditor had to say:
"I was skeptical about COD on mobile at first, but it has that classic Call of Duty look and feel. Easily the best shooter on iPhone."
Indeed, between the different play modes, massive unlockable arsenal and constant updates, Call of Duty Mobile is a multiplayer marvel somehow tailored for mobile play. If online FPS thrills are your thing, this should be one of your very first downloads!
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Developer: Tencent, TiMi Studios
Call of Duty Mobile is a technical showpiece delivering console-quality action to your phone screen.
8. Vampire Survivors – Gothic Survival Masterpiece
An indie sensation that took 2022 by storm, Vampire Survivors puts a unique twist onto the popular mobile survival genre. With simple one-touch controls, the name of the game is raking up combos and points while surviving an onslaught of gothic nasties trying to drain your health bar.
Already widely celebrated on PC and Switch, the polished iOS/Android port had fans gushing:
"I never expected Vampire Survivors on mobile, but the dev nailed this port. The basic premise gets so addicting so quickly!"
Indeed, while the core loop seems simple on paper, Vampire Survivors constantly challenges you to push further thanks to roguelite variety and an ever-increasing difficulty curve. For bite-sized survival chaos, Vampire Survivors is simply fantastic.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Survival, Roguelite
Developer: Poncle
Vampire Survivors infuses mobile survival action with gothic style and evenings of perfectly spooky gameplay.
9. Bloons TD 6 – Clever Twist on Tower Defense
Finally, any quality mobile games list needs an exceptional tower defense option, a genre tailor-made for tactically-minded on-the-go players. In Bloons TD 6, your goal is defending against invading balloon-like enemies using monkey towers as your last line of defense.
With 3D maps adding depth, loads of upgrades for each whimsical monkey tower type, and challenging stage dynamics, it‘s easy to see why Bloons TD 6 is considered among the very best strategy experiences for phones.
As one detail-oriented Android Redditor put it:
"I‘m picky with tower defense but Bloons TD 6 fixes all the minor annoyances I have with most others. Hundreds of hours later and I‘m still obsessed."
Indeed, as a long-time tower defense junkie myself, I‘m amazed at the depth and variety infused into this seemingly simple premise centered around sentient balloons!
Platforms: iOS, Android
Genre: Tower Defense, Strategy
Developer: Ninja Kiwi
With strategic depth tailored for mobile play, Bloons TD 6 creatively reinvigorates the tower defense genre.
The Community Has Spoken!
And there you have it – nine mobile game gems frequently recommended and praised across Reddit sure to give your phone gameplay a stellar upgrade!
Obviously everyone‘s tastes differ slightly, but I aimed to provide a genre-spanning starter pack covering both modern releases along with a few timeless classics.
Hopefully learning a bit more about each game piqued your interest to give them a shot. We‘re truly living in a mobile gaming golden age, so why not load up your phone with the best reviewed titles ready for on-the-go enjoyment!
To recap, here‘s our Reddit hall of fame inductees:
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| Rank | Game |
|---|---|
| #1 | Slay the Spire |
| #2 | Dead Cells |
| #3 | Stardew Valley |
| #4 | Gunfire Reborn |
| #5 | Streets of Rage 4 |
| #6 | Retro Bowl |
| #7 | Call of Duty Mobile |
| #8 | Vampire Survivors |
| #9 | Bloons TD 6 |
I‘d love to hear your thoughts on these recommendations or discuss other favorites I may have overlooked! Mobile gaming conversations are my passion, whether here or over on r/AndroidGaming and r/iosgaming.
So pull out your phones and load up these Reddit-approved hits. Last one to beat the Spire is a rotten egg!
