Image credit: Nerial/Devolver Digital/CD PROJEKT RED
If you’ve ever taken part in a conversation about consoles and which platform is the best to play games on, chances are that you’ve heard someone say mobile gaming is dead or that no-one really plays games on mobile.
I find this argument to be incredibly dull – mobile gaming is convenient, it’s often more affordable than console gaming, and there are some incredible titles to play on your phone. In fact, here are 10 of the best mobile games to pick up and play today, including interesting puzzlers, eerie horror titles, and all-consuming idle games.
Best mobile games to play right now
One of the best things about being a mobile game lover is the sheer variety of gaming genres that can be enjoyed on a phone. I’m a horror lover and gacha fanatic, and I can access both of my favorite niches on my phone with ease.
Very Little Nightmares
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| May 30, 2019 | Android, iOS | – | Horror, puzzle |
Very Little Nightmares is a bite-sized addition to the beloved Little Nightmares series, available exclusively on mobile. In this game, you’ll need to guide the yellow raincoat-toting girl through a decrepit mansion on a strange island, aiming to escape with your life.
The puzzles have a wonderful sense of depth to them, and the visual style of the game is charmingly eerie. If you like the original Little Nightmares games or are generally a fan of horror puzzlers, this is a fantastic mobile game to try out.
Balatro
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| September 26, 2024 (Mobile) | Android, iOS | PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S | Roguelike, deck-builder |
While it isn’t a mobile-exclusive, Balatro is one of the best mobile gaming experiences that you can have in 2026 by a mile. Kicking off the gambling roguelike frenzy, this poker roguelike is deeply strategic and moreish, with a gameplay style that’ll keep you coming back for just one more round.
Baba Is You
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| 22 June, 2021 (Mobile) | iOS, Android | PC, Nintendo Switch | Puzzle |
Without a shred of exaggeration, I think Baba Is You is one of the best puzzle games to have ever been made. The game takes the phrase “play on words” literally, making players play with their words to move obstacles, open doors, and use items.
Cracking a level in Baba Is You is deeply satisfying – and there are plenty of challenging levels to be tackled, too. While it’s plenty of fun on PC, I’d argue that the mobile version of Baba Is You is the game at its best.
Slice & Dice
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| July 26, 2021 (Mobile) | iOS, Android | PC | Turn-based, dice, roguelike |
Slice & Dice is a turn-based, strategic dice roller roguelike with RPG elements; my ears pricked up like a dog when I heard this out loud for the first time, it’s a string of my favorite words sewn together.
Strategic, turn-based gameplay is a match made in heaven with the chaotic energy of a dice-rolling roguelike, and it’s undeniably compelling. The game has a beautiful art style, too, with a rich and vibrant pixel art world.
Reigns: The Witcher
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| February 25, 2026 | iOS, Android | PC | Casual, fantasy |
Despite appearances, you don’t have to be a diehard fan of The Witcher to enjoy Reigns: The Witcher. I previewed it when it came out in February this year, and despite a shocking lack of knowledge about The Witcher, I had a blast with it.
Instead of playing as Geralt, you play as Dandelion the bard here, with the aim of swiping left and right to choose how you deal with strange and fantastical scenarios. There’s a small combat element but it’s largely narrative-based and deeply engaging, with a colorful art style to boot.
Cats & Soup
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| October 12, 2021 | Android, iOS | – | Idler, cozy, gacha |
Fans of idle games that haven’t checked out Cats & Soup yet are missing out on a potential new favorite game. It’s the cutest title in this best mobile games list, without a doubt.
Officially stylized as Cats&Soup: Relaxing Cozy Games across mobile stores, this cute and cozy title lets players run a forest kitchen with the help of a pawrade of fluffy kittens. It’s soft and low-stakes, and a nice game to destress with.
Pokémon TCG Pocket
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| October 30, 2024 | iOS, Android | – | TCG, casual |
Pokémon TCG Pocket is a bite-sized edition of the standard Pokémon TCG, letting players collect digital cards, battle with them, and show off their collections. New sets are released regularly, like Ruler of the Skies, and despite appearances, it’s not pay-to-win.
It’s more casual and approachable than the standard game, but deeply compelling at the same time, with a thriving competitive scene that hosts regular tournaments.
Monument Valley
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| April 3, 2014 | iOS, Android, Windows | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC | Puzzle |
Monument Valley is one of the older titles on this mobile games list, but it’s aged beautifully in comparison to some other games of its era. It’s a strikingly beautiful yet simplistic puzzle game that makes use of optical illusions, and it’s well worth experiencing for yourself.
CookieRun: Kingdom
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| January 21, 2021 | iOS, Android | – | Idler, auto-battler, base-builder, RPG |
This is where I’ll lose some people – yes, CookieRun: Kingdom has gacha elements and it leans into mobile gaming tropes heavily, but I firmly believe that it’s an exciting and well-crafted game, if you can forgive the energy bar and gacha.
With a barrage of regular events, heaps of cute characters, and a good mesh of PvP and PvE content to sink your teeth into, CookieRun: Kingdom is a fun, low-stakes mobile game that’ll scratch the gacha itch if you’re so inclined.
Simulacra
| Release date | Available on | Other platforms | Genre |
| October 26, 2017 | Android, iOS | PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Horror |
Simulacra is a follow up to the cult classic Sara Is Missing, tasking players with finding a missing woman by going through her phone.
It’s a deeply immersive horror experience that falls into the FakeOS niche, with the game taking place entirely in a fake mobile phone. If you’re concerned about the ever-encroaching plague of generative AI and dead internet theory, it’s a game that’ll resonate with you.
Is mobile gaming worth it in 2026?
Yes, mobile gaming is worth your time in 2026. With the ever-increasing chaos in the gaming console market surrounding digital gaming and physical media, there’s arguably never been a better time than now to start honing your mobile collection.
More often than not, interesting indie games like Simulacra and Baba Is You can be found on mobile alongside their more popular platform counterparts, and they’re arguably more enjoyable in their mobile form.
The emulator market has exploded over the recent years, too, meaning that there are even more ways to play your favorite mobile games than ever before. If you’ve got a particular favorite title that you enjoy taking on the go but want to play it at your desk, it’s easier than ever to find a quality emulator to help you do this.
Put simply, if you’re keen on staying up to date with interesting indie games and having better access to gaming on the go, mobile games are well worth the time and effort.
Some of them are slop, sure, but there’s plenty of shovelware across every major gaming platform – you’ve just got to be willing to dig a little deeper to find some diamonds. Whether you like puzzlers, horror games, or cozy idlers, there’ll be a mobile gaming title to suit your preferences.
FAQs
When looking for a good quality mobile gaming emulator, look for a platform that offers consistent customer support, has a strong community, and promotes services that are in line with legal requirements around emulation. LDPlayer 14 is a good example of this for Android users, for example.
To stay up to date with good mobile games, it’s worth browsing Reddit and keeping tabs on communities like r/CozyGamers or r/MobileGaming for recommendations. New releases are sometimes posted in communities like this by developers.
If you’ll forgive the self-promotion, you can also keep tabs on Kyusai’s YouTube channel, too! We post frequently about exciting new indie games and try to spotlight developers wherever we can, and this often includes mobile titles.
Yes, there are great games on mobile – don’t listen to the hype! By staying up to date with indie gaming communities on platforms like Reddit and YouTube, you’ll be able to keep updating your gaming collection with fun titles to take with you on the go.
While there are great gaming mobile phones out there, you don’t necessarily need a gaming phone to play mobile games. The bulk of standard mobile games that you’ll find on mobile stores can be enjoyed on regular mobiles.
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