10 Addictive Android Games

Main points

• Mobile phones and tablets now offer console-quality gaming experiences.
• Android users can also access a selection of popular games on the Google Play Store.
• Some must-try Android games include Doom, PUBG, and Bridge Constructor Portal.

Now that phones and tablets offer gaming experiences that are on par with, and in some cases better than, consoles and PCs, the barriers to entry are virtually non-existent. If you’re an Android user, you can use any device you own as your primary gaming platform without worrying about missing out on too much. That’s not to say there aren’t great games for iPhone and iPad users, but the Google Play Store selection is special.

Coming up with a list of Android games you can play is not an easy task. People get into games for a variety of reasons and seek a vastly different experience. One person might want a simple game to spend five minutes while waiting in line, while another might want to spend hours playing a deep role-playing game. I’m here to take on the challenge of giving you 10 of the best, most addictive Android games – from shooters and role-playing games, to puzzle games and card games.

1 doom

It can run Doom

Doom has been ported to everything from smart refrigerators to calculators, so it’s no surprise that it’s available on Android. While it’ll be interesting to see what non-traditional devices people run it on next, the reason people are still obsessed with it more than 30 years later is that Doom is a damn good game.

If you have any appreciation for the first-person shooter genre, you should play the original Doom. It wasn’t the first first-person shooter, but it set the standard for the genre for decades. If you like Call of Duty, Halo, Battlefield, or any other modern shooter, you can find inspiration in this classic game that remains a great game today and not just a history lesson .

2 PUBG mobile version

Have chicken for dinner

Just like Doom wasn’t technically the first FPS game, PUBG wasn’t the first battle royale game, but it was a wildly successful one. While other games (mainly Fortnite) have become the most popular and flashy battle royale games due to multiple crossovers and events, PUBG Mobile has always maintained its status as a great game. It’s still a more grounded, hardcore game than its more colorful, cartoony counterparts.

If you’ve played a battle royale game before, you’ll know what to do. You can enter the map alone or with a team, with the goal of being the last survivor. You start with nothing and need to find weapons, armor, and items to destroy the enemy team and use their equipment to improve your own. The action here happens quickly, and a few well-placed shots can knock down or kill an opponent. Gunfights are closer to simulation, so get ready for some hardcore competition.

3 Bridge Builder Portal

this is a victory

These two Portal games are some of the smartest and funniest puzzle games ever created, acclaimed by gamers around the world. What most people probably don’t know is that there’s a little spin-off game called Bridge Constructor Portal that lets you revisit the weird and hilariously grim world of Aperture Science.

True to the names of both games, the gameplay is a mashup of the world and mechanics of Portal and the Bridge Builder series. Your task is to construct a path for Bendies to navigate from one end of the test chamber to the other. There is no single solution, so creativity can and will pay off, and I think we could all use a little more GLaDOS in our lives.

4 Castlevania: Symphony under the Moon

Even though Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was the first game to establish the genre, there’s still a very strong argument to be made that it’s the best Metroidvania game ever made. It’s a huge shift from the original Castlevania game, but the gamble paid off in one of the best games ever made, and it’s astounding that this game is playable on Android.

As Alucard, you’ll explore a richly detailed pixel art castle while leveling up, collecting new powers, and unlocking new areas to explore. Movement and combat are fast and fluid, and there’s a natural sense of satisfaction in uncovering the entire map one block at a time.

5 timed trigger

If you haven’t played Chrono Trigger yet, you have no excuse. This is one of the most incredible JRPGs ever created, created by Hironobu Sakaguchi (creator of Final Fantasy), Yuji Hori (creator of Dragon Quest), and Akira Toriyama (creator of Dragon Quest). Created by a dream team composed of the creators of “Dragon Ball”. With a legend behind it, you can bet this is a special game.

It’s hard to sum up the greatness of Chrono Trigger in a few words, but I would say its strengths lie in its restraint and replayability. You can experience the main story in about 20 hours, but if you’re curious and a little creative, there’s plenty more to do and see after that.

6 Go down the well

For a smaller game, Downwell is a game that needs to be played on an Android phone. As part of the design, it makes full use of the vertical layout of the screen, focusing on a small character falling into a well. It’s an easy game that you can start with for a minute or two, or get into a series of more serious attempts, and have fun either way.

As you fall into the well, you’ll need to avoid obstacles, collect treasure, and defeat enemies and bosses using gun boots that fire projectiles downward. This helps you adjust yourself in the air as each shot will jolt you slightly, but they only reload when you land on solid ground. If you like chasing high scores, you can easily become addicted.

7 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

It might look like another old arcade game ported to Android, but Shredder’s Revenge is one of the latest adventures from the Turtles. For people like me who remember playing classic fighting games in arcades, this game will take you back to the days of putting coins into the machines at pizza parlors or bowling alleys.

Both controller and touch controls work well here, so there’s no barrier to entry. With tons of playable characters, plenty of levels, bosses, and even a leveling system, you’ll be glad you don’t have to insert coins every time you play.

8 diablo immortal

Despite the harsh criticism it received when it was first released, now that I’ve gotten my hands on Diablo Immortal, I have to say it’s an excellent Diablo game that you can take with you anywhere. If you can look past the mildly offensive microtransactions, all the elements you’ve come to know and love from the series shine in this spin-off.

For those who love the series and its lore, Immortal takes place between Diablo 2 and Diablo 3, featuring an all-new story and classes, but familiar and addictive combat. You wipe out entire groups of enemies with powerful spells and attacks.

9 Legends of Runeterra

Trading card games vary widely in scope and complexity, so I wanted to include both. Starting with Legends of Runeterra, you get a deeper card game with more moving parts and synergies to learn and use. For those who enjoy building the perfect deck and watching their opponents fall into traps, few other Android games can satisfy their cravings quite like this one.

While it’s technically set in the world of League of Legends, understanding Legends of Runeterra doesn’t require knowledge of the game. These decks are themed around these heroes, but everything you need to know isn’t listed on the cards. Best of all, you don’t have to pay real money to earn and unlock any card.

10 Marvel Snapshot

For a shorter, less “cerebral” but still tactical card game, I’m still hopelessly addicted to Marvel Snap. Seeing and collecting cards of all your favorite Marvel heroes is fun in itself, but the game itself is much better than it should be. Even someone like me who is often intimidated by card games can pick it up and start strategizing after a round or two.

Marvel Snap’s rounds are fast, which is not only great for when you need a distraction, but it also avoids the frustration that can come with some longer card games where you know you’ve lost but have to wait ten minutes to actually End Game. The only thing you can spend money on is embellishments for your card, which is cool but by no means necessary.