The best Android games offer the full spectrum of genres to keep you occupied, from cozy puzzlers to timeless JRPGs, and everything in between. You can fit a whole Steam library's worth of fantastic games in your pocket these days, complete with controller support and mobile-optimized controls for the best experience.
Our list has something for everyone, regardless of budget, time constraints, or gaming skill. Dip your toe in on your lunch break at work, or dedicate hours of playtime to a challenging boss fight - it's up to you.
The best Android games are:
1. Genshin Impact
Now a staple of the gacha gaming world, Genshin Impact is easily one of the best games you could choose to download on your Android phone. With over five years of story content that takes you on a fantastical adventure across the various regions of Teyvat, and over 100 unique playable characters to fall in love with, Hoyoverse's open-world RPG has more than proven that it's not just a Breath of the Wild clone.
In her Genshin Impact review back at the game's launch in 2020, Ruby praised the game's "beautiful open world," and that world has only gotten bigger since. Combat has grown more nuanced, as new elemental reactions and mechanics like Arkhe and Nightsoul enter the fray, and character stories grow and develop alongside the player base, all leading towards what's sure to be a stunning conclusion.
As well as main story quests and exploring the gigantic map of Teyvat, there's always something happening across the various regions, and you can keep up to date with what's on in our Genshin Impact events guide. We keep track of every in-game, webpage, and offline event happening in Hoyoverse's vast world so that you can stay in the loop.
Play for free: Google Play
2. Balatro
LocalThunk's debut indie gem Balatro took the world by storm in 2024 and continues to occupy our brain space and free time to this day. This stylish, roguelike deckbuilder takes the basic scoring mechanics of poker and blends them up with insane combo potential, unique joker abilities, and a little bit of luck to create something truly delicious and worthy of its many accolades.
In his Balatro review, Connor says that the game "is well worth its place in the pantheon of indie greats. It might take a little while to reveal its full potential, but once you get it, you get it, and the thought of another run is enough to tear you away from almost anything." It's even broken the usual containment that indie games face, as I've seen everyone from commuters on the tube to bored dads on shopping trips dipping into Balatro instead of Solitaire or Candy Crush.
With its easy to learn but difficult to master mechanics, Balatro could end up being your gateway into more of the best roguelike games, if you love the thrill of completing a run by the skin of your teeth. Then again, another run of Balatro couldn't hurt, right?
Check prices: Google Play
3. Pokémon Go
After giving us all the best summer ever back in 2016, Pokémon Go is still one of the best mobile games around, especially if you're a dedicated Pokéfan. Nine years in, the team is constantly innovating the gameplay, adding heavily-requested features, and filling out the Pokédex bit by bit to catch up to the main series games.
Thanks to impressive community-building efforts and constant events, there's always something to do on your daily walk with Pokémon Go. Whether you're following local routes to sightsee in a new city while working towards a Zygarde, or attending massive Go Fests across the globe, the community is there to welcome you and throw a few Poké Balls together.
So, take a peek at what Pokémon Go events are happening this week and in your local area, slip on your shoes, and go for a walk. It doesn't have to be far, and there's plenty you can do from home, too, but why not use the joy of Pokémon to get out and about every once in a while? Did we mention the shiny odds are much higher than in any other Pokémon game?
Play for free: Google Play
4. Honkai Star Rail
Honkai Star Rail is another of Hoyoverse's mobile game triumphs, as the first Honkai series game to see major success in the West and the winner of multiple awards, including several Google Play accolades. It excels in every aspect, with an engaging turn-based combat system, deep and interesting characters, beautiful art direction, and a story that keeps players coming back for more.
As Tilly said in her Honkai Star Rail review, the game "proved itself as far more than a simple Genshin clone." Thanks to its regular updates, constant rotation of new characters and game modes, and even its recent collaboration with Fate/Stay Night, there's always something to do in Honkai Star Rail, making it the perfect addition to your Android game library.
We're admittedly a bit obsessed with the game on Pocket Tactics, so you can find useful guides to Honkai Star Rail's various characters, events, and banners right here. We've also got a Honkai Star Rail codes guide to help you bag some extra stellar jade for those all-important gacha pulls.
Play for free: Google Play
5. Monument Valley
Sometimes, all you want from a mobile game is something chill to play when you get a few moments to yourself. Critically-acclaimed puzzle game Monument Valley is just that, taking you on a calming journey with Princess Ida as she explores optical illusions and impossible objects bathed in beautiful pastel colors and exceptional sound design.
Monument Valley has seen success across mobile, PC, and now, Nintendo Switch, bringing moments of calm to gamers all around the world. It's also spawned two sequels, fittingly called Monument Valley 2 and Monument Valley 3, that build on the first game's central themes and game mechanics to deliver even more delightful puzzling.
Of course, not everyone finds puzzles calming, but one of Monument Valley's features is that it doesn't present that much of a challenge, making it a great relaxing game for those rainy days or stressful commutes. Not every puzzle game should leave you scratching your head for days on end.
Check prices: Google Play
6. Slay the Spire
Slay the Spire is the perfect example of a genre-defining game. Mega Crit's indie breakout hit combines deck building, roguelike elements, dungeon crawling, and procedural generation to create one of the most influential digital card games of this generation. Without it, we'd probably never have seen games like Monster Train, Nowhere Prophet, or even Balatro.
Although it launched as a PC game, Mega Crit made the smart decision to bring Slay the Spire to mobile, where it feels even more satisfying to play thanks to the touchscreen controls. As a roguelike deckbuilder with confined 'runs', Slay the Spire is built for short play sessions, so of course it's wonderful on the go.
With a sequel on the horizon and a potential Slay the Spire 2 Switch 2 port, there's never been a better time to experience the original. Be warned - it's no walk in the park, but for the experienced deckbuilders out there, you can look forward to plenty of difficulty modifiers and challenge runs, too.
Check prices: Google Play
7. Stardew Valley
If you haven't heard of Stardew Valley, you must live under a rock. ConcernedApe's pixel-art life sim and farm game is a global phenomenon, playable on practically every device and beloved by millions for its charming aesthetic, satisfying game loop, and all-around good vibes. It consistently sits in the top echelons of the Google Play paid game charts, and for good reason.
In Connor's retrospective Stardew Valley review, he calls it "one of the most influential titles of the 21st century, providing a blueprint for a reimagined genre and endless hours of playability. Simply put, this game is a masterpiece and is set to go down as one of the greatest of all time."
Whether you're in it for the farming, the dungeon-crawling, or the romance, it's clear that Stardew Valley is one of the best cozy games of all time, and you can feel the effects of its success all across the genre, regardless of platform. Its continued popularity has us even more excited for ConcernedApe's next game, Haunted Chocolatier…
Check prices: Google Play
8. Chrono Trigger
Chrono Trigger is a timeless RPG classic from the fourth-gen console era, and you can play it on your phone right now. Kicking off the Chrono series, the game follows a group of adventurers as they travel through time to stop a global disaster.
Square Enix has rereleased Chrono Trigger multiple times across the generations, ensuring that everyone has a chance to experience this part of gaming history for themselves. The gorgeous 2D world comes from a 'dream team' of developers - Final Fantasy's Hironobu Sakaguchi, and Dragon Quest's Yuji Horii and Akira Toriyama - and it stands as a testament to their impact on the gaming industry.
Since the DS era is over and there's no Chrono Trigger Switch port in sight, the mobile version is the definitive way to play one of the best RPGs ever made on the go, and see the game that inspired countless others across history.
Check prices: Google Play
9. Final Fantasy VII
Who needs Remake and Rebirth when you can play the original Final Fantasy VII on mobile? Arguably the most well-known entry in Hironobu Sakaguchi's Final Fantasy series, the story follows blonde soldier and heartthrob Cloud Strife on his adventures in ecoterrorism and saving the world from a sexy maniac.
While her Final Fantasy VII review might be a tad biased, Ruby says that this is "the best game of all time. It shaped the JRPG landscape into what it is today, has an incredible, unforgettable story and characters, and I continue to listen to the soundtrack regularly. If you're yet to play this masterpiece, what are you waiting for?"
This is just one of the many incredible Final Fantasy games available on mobile, either as paid retro ports or free-to-play titles like Ever Crisis, so if you find yourself falling in love with this game, there's plenty more where that came from.
Check prices: Google Play
10. Project Sekai
In my experience, most people are initially drawn to Project Sekai, also known as Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage, due to its connection to the teal-haired digital songstress, they stay for the rest of the main cast. This hybrid rhythm game and visual novel has captured my heart and the hearts of countless others thanks to its phenomenal writing, engaging gameplay, and banging tunes.
Project Sekai takes the existing library of Vocaloid music and Piapro characters and builds an entire world out of it, telling the various stories of Tokyo high schoolers through their passion for music, life struggles, and desire to grow. The rhythm gameplay is complex and responsive, and the character writing makes suffering for full combos all the more worth it.
If you're doubtful that a Miku game could have such an impact aside from being a pretty decent rhythm game, you can read about how Project Sekai tackled the trans experience in Mizuki's character arc for a glimpse into just one of the many characters' lives.
Play for free: Google Play
11. Is This Seat Taken?
Is This Seat Taken? is Poti Poti Studio's debut game, and it is indie logic puzzling perfection. It challenges you to find the perfect seats for various quirky shapes based on their personal preferences, while also encouraging you to think about the world and people around you, and how you can make life a little easier for them in your day-to-day.
In my Is This Seat Taken? mobile review, I said, "Everything about this game oozes style, and it's even more impressive when you remember that Poti Poti Studio is a two-person team. While the graphical simplicity was likely influenced by limited resources, it lends itself to the game perfectly."
As well as being wonderfully entertaining, this puzzle game has the potential to change people's minds, even just a little bit, which is why I think that everyone should play Is This Seat Taken? Who knows, maybe you'll see a bit of yourself in Nat's story.
Check prices: Google Play
12. Dead Cells
Selling over ten million copies across multiple platforms since its initial release in 2019, Dead Cells is one of the best modern roguevanias out there. It's jam-packed with content from several DLC releases, including a Castlevania collaboration, so it's more than worth the investment.
Dead Cells certainly isn't for the faint of heart, with its punishing boss fights that resemble Dark Souls bosses, and grueling permadeath making exploring the island as the Prisoner a risky undertaking. But when you start to get into the flow of things, that's when Dead Cells' gameplay loop hooks its claws in you, leading to run after run.
If games like Dark Souls are your thing, and you can appreciate good pixel art when you see it, Dead Cells is the game for you. We also can't wait to hear more about Motion Twin's next project, Windblown.
Check prices: Google Play
New Android games
There are plenty of upcoming mobile games to get excited about for your Android device, regardless of your preferred genre. Hoyoverse has Honkai: Nexus Anima and Petit Planet on the horizon, and Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed Jade has the potential to revitalize the series.
If your favorite Android game didn't make the cut, let us know over on the Pocket Tactics Discord server. You can also tell us which of the best iPhone games you wish would come to Android, as Apple Arcade keeps hogging all the good releases. For even more portable goodness, check out our lists of the best Switch games and best mobile games next.