Whether you have an iPhone or an Android device in your pocket, you’re a part of the most popular (and arguably most profitable) segment of the games industry. There are 3.4 billion active mobile gamers in the world, according to Newzoo’s data analysts.
The world of mobile gaming is constantly evolving, and it’s easy to fall victim to choice paralysis when trying to figure out where to start. While you can still download games from your phone’s app store, you can just as easily boot up an emulator, stream Xbox Game Pass titles through cloud gaming or subscribe to the Apple Arcade service. There are more games available at your fingertips than ever before.
That’s why we’ve curated this list of the best iPhone and Android games you can download right now, including older arcade-style classics and newer indie games that’ll push your mobile gaming experience to the next level.
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How we determined CNET’s best mobile games
When creating this list of the best mobile games, we factored in how unique and enjoyable these games are for most players, from impressive graphics to novel gameplay to compelling narratives. Our picks cover a variety of genres from deckbuilding roguelikes to tower defenses to shooters to fantasy RPGs, and while we favored classic mobile experiences that take advantage of simple control schemes, we also included some can’t-miss games that appear on multiple platforms. If you’re looking for help choosing your next game, CNET’s top mobile games list is a good place to start narrowing your choices.