Key points
- You can subscribe to Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass to access the best games for a monthly fee.
- Downloading the emulator allows you to play old games like Pokémon, Zelda, and Sonic.
- Be sure to check out the Editor's Choice section on the App Store and Google Play for the latest new mobile games and personalized recommendations.
Mobile gaming has a bad reputation. Head to the App Store or Google Play Store, and you’ll find thousands of questionable games that aren’t worth your time. However, beneath these shoddy games are some amazing experiences. Need help choosing the best mobile games? Here’s a look at how to find the best mobile games available on iOS and Android.
1 Subscribe to Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass
One of the easiest ways to narrow down your options is to sign up for Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass. These services are designed to curate the best games on the platform, and almost anything in their catalogues is sure to be a hit.
Of course, no service is perfect, so be sure to check out our guide on how to navigate Apple Arcade or learn more about one of the biggest drawbacks of Google Play Pass.
I personally enjoy Apple Arcade and find that browsing the New Game section is the easiest way to find gems like Vampire Survivors and Dicey Dungeons.
If you sign up for either service, be sure to keep track of how often you actually use them. Both require a monthly fee, and if you’re not getting your money’s worth, this may not be the way to go. But if you’re having trouble finding good games on the App Store, checking out Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass is a wise decision.
2 Download the emulator
Emulators are readily available on Android, and now that Delta is available on iOS, everyone can get back to playing their old favorite games. Emulators don’t give you games to play right away, but they do allow you to run any ROMs you have installed on your smartphone. As far as finding good games to play with an emulator is concerned, just think back to your favorite childhood games.
Many people love to play Pokemon games on their smartphones, but you'll also be able to play Zelda, Metroid, Sonic, and more. Be sure to check out all the emulators available on your device, as they all offer unique features that cater to different types of gamers, although Delta is definitely a great place to start.
3 Check out the Editor's Choice section.
Both the App Store and Google Play Store have a section dedicated to the most popular games of the day. Depending on your platform, this section may be called “Editor’s Pick” or “What We’re Playing Now.”
Despite its name, this curated section is the perfect place to look for the best new mobile games. Not all of these games are hits (and some are older releases that are still popular), but you’ll find hit titles like PUBG Mobile, Zenless Zone Zero, and Diablo Immortal.
While you’re sifting through these choices, consider taking a look at the “Based on recent downloads” section of the App Store or Google Play Store. This section pulls out recommendations based on your download history. It’s not perfect, but it’s how I discovered the awesome Coffee Golf. If you don’t find anything that catches your eye, be sure to check back in to the “Based on recent downloads” section as it’s updated frequently.
4 Interest in paid games
One of the biggest draws of mobile gaming is the number of free titles available, where you can spend hundreds of hours playing games without spending a penny. For this reason, paid games may not seem as appealing – but it’s worth taking a few minutes to browse the offerings and see what’s available to you.
Games like Minecraft, Plague Inc, and Kingdom Rush 5 are some of the most popular paid games and are easy recommendations for almost everyone. Best of all, these games usually don’t use questionable microtransactions and don’t force you to watch ads before continuing your gaming session.
Paid games often look and feel similar to their PC and console counterparts, and are often developed and published by the same companies. Picking a few paid games that catch your eye is a good alternative to subscribing to Apple Arcade or Google Play Pass, which are mostly paid games. So if you’d rather not pay a monthly fee, paying for a few of your favorite games is the way to go.
5 Visit some sub-forums
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and sometimes that applies to finding good mobile games too. Instead of relying solely on yourself to search the mobile market, head over to Reddit and check out these subreddits:
Not only can you browse other people’s picks, but you can also create your own post asking for help finding a specific type of game. For example, a recent post recommended Papers, Please and Dead Cells as the best games on iOS. Another user was looking for good multiplayer games and was directed to Plato.
The best thing about using Reddit is that there is a constant stream of new posts and recommendations. I find myself browsing each subreddit multiple times a day to see if I have found anything new and noteworthy.
Metacritic is a great place to find the best movies, TV shows, and video games. What makes it great for searching for mobile games is its search feature. After opening the main menu, you can simply click on “Explore Games” to filter all of your options. Using this, you can narrow down your choices to include only mobile games.
Not only that, but you can also experiment with all the different filters to find the best games for your needs. For example, you can choose to only search for games that were released during a certain year or in a certain genre. There’s also the option to check out upcoming releases – giving you something to look forward to for the rest of the year.
The main drawback of Metacritic is that its mobile catalog is a bit smaller than its other platforms. You’ll only find about 50 mobile games on Metacritic that were released between 2019 and 2024, but that number balloons to over 1,300 if you move it back to 2010. This makes it a great way to find popular titles from years past, like Crashlands or Bastion.
With these methods, you’ll have no problem filling your phone with great mobile games. Whether you’re an Apple Arcade subscriber, downloading an emulator to play old games, or browsing our Editors’ Choice section for the best new releases, there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself with quality games. Don’t be afraid to try genres or franchises you don’t normally play, because you never know where you’ll find your next mobile game.