The gaming business is booming and companies are doing the most to bring us the best mobile games our phones have ever seen. While having an elaborate gaming setup can be very rewarding, sometimes you just need some entertainment on the go and that’s where the industry of addictive mobile games shines best. Available right in your pocket with simple and easily maneuverable mechanisms built-in, popular Android and iOS games are revolutionizing the things your phone can do. So while we wait for our Rog Allys and PS5s to charge up, let’s take a look at some fun mobile games in 2023.
(Image Credit – Google Play)
Best Mobile Games of 2023
The metrics to decide which are the best games to download depend entirely on individual tastes. Mobile gaming, while highly underrated, can be just as diverse as any other gaming format. From hidden object games to Battle Royale, and from open-world RPGs to racing challenges there’s something for everyone. Let’s take a look at the best mobile games we have been playing this year.
1. Hungry Hearts Diner Neo
Developed by: GAGEX Co., Ltd.
Available on: Android
If you grew up playing time management games like Diner Dash and Cake Mania, then this one should be right up your alley. Hunger Hearts Diner Neo is the second game in the series of a similar theme, where you run a restaurant with Grandma and cook to soothe the hearts of your customers. Unlike its predecessors, the popular Android game is slower-paced and allows you to have a more personal interaction with your customers and learn their stories.
This is one of the best mobile games for people who like cute animation and idle game formats but still want something to do. The slow-paced narrative never gets boring if you like conversations and want to play something that will not take up too much of your time.
2. Soul Knight
Developer by: ChillyRoom
Platforms: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
This popular Android and iOS game comes very highly rated and presents a fun storyline with very fun gameplay as well. Working with your friends to retrieve a magical stone, you get to explore maze-like retro dungeons, defeat monsters, and collect weapons like a true warrior. Other games tend to rely on world-building and story but you can focus on action more effectively with Soul Knight. If you enjoy dungeon crawlers and roguelike games that allow you to clear levels quickly and fight enemies with your trusty steed—or pet—by your side, then this one is the best game to download for you.
3. Nexus War: Civilization
Developed by: Phantix Games
Platform: Android
If futuristic sci-fi adventures are more your speed then this popular Android game should be on your phone in the next minute. This much-loved and highly addictive mobile game revolves around your homeland Origin Star and your journey to unite the four races as you work to save your land. There is a lot to build from a city to your army, as you journey through the story and strategize to defeat your enemy. So go send out battleships to fight these enemies, gather resources, and bring peace back to your people.
4. Forge of Empires
Developed by: InnoGames
Platform: Web browser, iOS, Android
Originally launched in 2012 as a world-building web browser game, this fun mobile game revolves around your journey from the primitive beginnings of man toward the future. You have to gather and spend resources effectively as you build your city up from the ground. The guild feature allows you to join others from across the globe and exchange resources on the market as you design the city of your dreams.
Similar to the concept of SimCity, you have to make sure your people are happy as your city grows. One of the best mobile games to allow progress even when you are away, another great feature is the great buildings you can build by collecting blueprints as you journey from the Bronze Age to the Space Ages.
5. IQ Dungeon
Developed by: Hirameku Inc.
Platform: Android
If you want a brain teaser mobile game that is designed to make you think, then IQ Dungeon should keep you entertained for hours. The art style is simplistic, and the music rustic, however, this is still one of the best mobile games we’ve seen recently. You might be tempted to look at walkthroughs every once in a while but if you put your brain to the task, you should be able to make it through the puzzles easily. As a knight, you must travel through the kingdom and solve puzzles and analytical challenges to keep moving ahead. The popular Android game is fun, engaging, and very easy to pick up in between tasks.
6. That Level Again
Developed by: Android
Publisher: IamTagir
The Impossible Quiz was not the first example of goofy, unserious games but it is one of the most popular ones. That Level Again follows similarly, with its hand-drawn black-and-white art style and its limited set change. But it is a game that does need you to think and make your way through every level, which is the same level but also different.
With every level, the title gives you a hint of how you can open the door and escape but it requires a lot of trial-and-error to find a way out. If you can handle the frustration of playing popular Android games that are so simple that they become hard, then give this one a try.
7. Idle Berserker
Developed by: CookApps
Platform: Android
An idle RPG that helps you do what the name suggests—go berserk. Amplified by the recent Baki Hanma collab, the game allows you to fight enemies in Shadow Fighter style. Fun mobile games are ones that let you go wild and that is quite the possibility here as you go on a rampage clearing floors after ascending equipment. Farming and summoning for gear is just as exciting as the design and experience of the game itself.
8. Genshin Impact
Developed by: MiHoYo
Platform: GeForce Now, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Android, Microsoft Windows, iOS
Hands down one of the most addictive mobile games we’ve seen, Genshin Impact is one of MiHoYo’s best contributions to the world of gaming. With an open-world format that you could spend hours exploring, the game also has a fascinating storyline that builds with each new update. With the variety in character builds, team comps, multiplayer options, and frequent in-game events, there is always something to do, no matter what your play style is.
With an odd floating travel guide to keep you company as you journey across Teyvat, Genshin Impact stands as one of the best mobile games you could be playing right now across your devices. The only drawback? It requires storage space that you might not have available.
9. Wavelength
Developed by: CMYK Games
Platform: Board Game, Android, iOS
A mind-reading party game that can be played with friends in person or online, Wavelength relies on how well you know the people you are playing with. Between 2-10+ players can play the game, taking turns to set an answer, give a clue, and then allow your friends to guess where on the spectrum your answer falls. The closer your friends are to your answer, the higher the score. One of the best mobile games that can be played with friends, Wavelength is one way to make game nights fun again. Heads Up and Gogogo! The Party Game! are two honorable mentions for similar party games.
10. Yeah Bunny!
Developed by: Adrian Zarzycki
Platform: Android
A simple Mario-like experience that follows a bunny on a heroic adventure, this popular Android game is quite entertaining. With just the right amount of difficulty as you navigate through the 2D world, Yeah Bunny! Is a retro, pixel-style game that is designed to be fun for all ages. The storyline is quite interesting, featuring a bunny trying to save some chicks from danger, and the rest of the game design is very nostalgia-inducing. The art is done just right and the gameplay is exactly like any other platform-style. In our opinion, this coin-collecting, monster-defeating experience makes for quite an addictive mobile game.
Of course, there are the usual popular iOS games and Android experiences, like Candy Crush, Subway Surfer, Temple Run, Ludo King, Clash of Clans, Among Us, Angry Birds, Asphalt, and many others that have made an impact that cannot be dusted off still. If you are like us and are bored of the usual players, then this list should give you the 10 best games to download right now, addictive and fun in equal measure.