The best Android games for smartphones can provide similar quality as some of the best AAA titles that you can find on PC and consoles. With the advent of mobile technology and a niche for gaming phones, playing Android games on your smartphone is now easier than ever. Moreover, Google is quite liberal with its Android licensing when it comes to games. This gives Android an edge over other mobile operating systems in terms of gaming.
There are plenty of Android games for smartphones that you can play in 2022. From polished ports of console games to indie darlings, there’s something for everyone in today’s mobile gaming segment. If you lack the budget to go for a gaming console or gaming PC, mobile games are a great option to get your game on. With Google Stadia barely seeing a rise in popularity, it’s possible that Google may start to focus more on Android games for smartphones.
With that being said, let’s dive into this list of the best Android games you can play today!
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Call of Duty: Mobile
Since Call of Duty made its presence known in the mobile gaming scene in 2019, its popularity has been off the charts. The Call of Duty franchise has always been known for its slick shooting mechanics. With its introduction into mobile gaming, those shooting mechanics are still solid. There’s plenty of content here too. If you want to play modes such as Team Deathmatch or any other PvP modes, you can do so. In addition, it also features the 100 player Battle Royale mode. While the gameplay is insanely good, the graphics are top-notch as well. The audio quality rings true, with each gun sounding and feeling different from the others. Overall, this is one of the best Android games that you can play today!
Among Us
Among Us was relatively unknown when it was released in 2018 for the Android platform. However, with the lockdown imposed everywhere in 2020 thanks to the global pandemic, Among Us‘s popularity surged. Everyone seemed to be playing the game as a perfect quarantine hobby. Multiple memes, reels, and even tutorials dominated the online sphere. As a game, it’s a unique concept. Out of all the players in a match, one will be an imposter and try to kill the others who are fixing the spaceship. The game ends when all of the teammates are killed by the imposter or if they catch the imposter first. Although you may develop minor trust issues after playing this game, it’s worth it!
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Genshin Impact
In terms of RPGs, there’s hardly any better than Genshin Impact on Android. The events of the RPG occur in the land of Teyvat. Your character searches for their long lost sibling. You’ll face plenty of enemies and meet some interesting characters on the way. For a free game, the developers have provided a lot of content. The gameplay is one of the best in this genre, and its visuals are breathtaking. If you’ve played Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild on consoles, this game might feel very familiar. The game employs a mechanic called gacha. Loosely translated to “vending machine”, this is similar to the loot boxes that you find in most AAA titles these days. Overall, if you’re an RPG fan, this game is a must-play!
Monument Valley 2
We can’t create a list of the best Android games for smartphones without including Monument Valley 2 into the list. This is a beautiful, aesthetic puzzle game that has some interesting puzzles. The puzzles are relatively easy at the beginning. However, as you progress through the game, the puzzles get pretty complicated. For most of the puzzles in the latter half of the game, you’ll be forced to think outside the box. Thankfully, the aesthetics and music for this game are so calming that they help you think better. To sum up, this game is one of the reasons why video games are being considered art in some circles. If that doesn’t convince you to play the game, what will?
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Minecraft
When Minecraft was first released on PC at the tail end of 2011, many people were surprised by the game’s look. After all, most new PC games at the time (and even now) aim for photorealism. With Minecraft, you get blocky textures and what is essentially pixel art aesthetics. Even though people were sceptical, fast forward to 2022, and this game is one of the best of all time. Naturally, an Android port was released and has been doing reasonably well. For people lacking a gaming PC or laptop to play this game, you can enjoy an equivalent version on your phones.
This game is comfortably one of the best Android games for smartphones. You can play a survival mode where your resources are limited, and you have to fend off enemies. If you want to exercise your creative side instead, you can go for the creative mode that gives you unlimited resources and time to build your world. Since there’s multiplayer and cross-platform play, the possibilities with this game are endless.
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Pokemon Go
Remember when Pokemon Go took the world by storm in 2016? Anytime you were out of the house, you’d see tons of people walking outside and staring at their phones. While it seemed weird at first, you realised much later that they were trying to catch their favourite Pokemon. Apart from catching Pokemon, you can battle with other trainers as well. In addition, you’ll find plenty of side quests that will keep you entertained for a long time. Even though it’s been almost six years since its release, the game is receiving updates well into 2022.
Pokemon Go has been making a resurgence of sorts in the past couple of years. Its player count seems to be increasing. Now, it’s only a matter of time before the game becomes extremely popular again. This could especially be the case with lockdowns being lifted all around the world.
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Dead Cells
This is a different pick than most might think. Dead Cells was initially released for the PC platform in 2017. Since then, it’s seen releases on consoles and has even been ported to the mobile gaming scene. To know how good this game is, you’ll have to play it. There’s no other way. However, we don’t mean it lightly when we say that this is one of the best Android games for smartphones today. The game has been receiving continuous updates.
Dead Cells is a challenging game. Yet, it rewards perseverance. The combat is fluid and will surprise you with its diversity. Moreover, each time you die in-game, you’re sent to the first level. Here comes the twist: each time you die, the levels are changed and randomly generated. This keeps the gameplay loops fresh, even if the difficulty can be frustrating. If you haven’t played this game yet, download it today!
Apex Legends Mobile
When Apex Legends was released in 2019 for PC, the game completely redefined the battle royale genre. Developers Respawn Entertainment combined movement mechanics from their Titanfall series and excellent gunplay to give us a genuinely refreshing game. Of course, ever since battle royale games such as PUBG were ported to Android, there was very little doubt that Apex Legends Mobile would enter the scene. In 2022, Respawn finally brought Apex Legends Mobile to the Android platform. Within a few weeks, it was already hitting the top of the charts. In other words, it was already one of the best Android games out there.
Moreover, the developers had built the game from the ground up, ensuring that the controls didn’t feel like they were ported from a PC or console version. The game was meticulously designed for mobile gamers, offering a battle royale experience on mobile that wasn’t seen before. Additionally, Respawn also provided mobile gamers with extra incentives to play Apex Legends Mobile. Mobile-specific heroes such as Fade were released to the public and could be unlocked relatively easily. Fast forward to the end of 2022, and this game still caters to millions of fans worldwide. If you want something different and fast-paced for your next Android game, try Apex Legends Mobile!
Diablo Immortal
Another Android game that was released in 2022 is Diablo Immortal. Veterans of the gaming industry know how big a hold the Diablo series has on role-playing games today. The early days of Diablo II and defeating monsters in dungeons definitely bring back some memories, especially when you play Diablo Immortal. Although this game is meant more for enthusiast players, we still recommend you give it a shot. This game features plenty of lore, NPC (non-playable character) interactions, and callbacks to the older Diablo games.
Moreover, as you create your warrior, you’ll have free reign on plenty of the warrior’s characteristics. From their class to their hairstyle, there’s a lot of freedom to play around with. The only major issue that the game faces is that it will cost you quite a bit of in-game currency and real-life currency to upgrade the character. This cost is definitely going to increase further down the line as more content is added to the game. Nonetheless, if you don’t mind spending money in-game or just want to try out a new role-playing game, Diablo Immortal is an excellent choice!
MARVEL SNAP
It’ll be impossible to create a list of the best Android games for smartphones if we didn’t mention MARVEL SNAP. This game was The Game Awards’ Best Mobile Game of the Year 2022 for multiple reasons. Considering the popularity of the Marvel Universe around the globe, the expectations from a Marvel-based game are always high. Fortunately, developers Nuverse met these expectations with aplomb. There are plenty of mechanics in MARVEL SNAP that make it worth your while.
Firstly, each game in MARVEL SNAP is roughly three minutes long. That’s it. No extended gameplay – you need to win within three minutes of the match starting. As a digital card game, MARVEL SNAP features over 50 locations from the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). Each location comes with its own set of problems that the player must solve with their chosen deck of cards. There are also multiple variants of your favourite superheroes. With each superhero card having its own advantage and disadvantage, you’ll have to plan your moves accordingly. For fans of superheroes, comic books, and all things Marvel, MARVEL SNAP should be on the list of games to play!
Alto’s Adventure
Although Alto’s Adventure was released as early as 2015, it stands the test of time to this day. In fact, if we had a category for the best Endless Runner game, we’d give it to Alto’s Adventure! This game has been unbelievably addictive ever since it was released. With a beautiful soundtrack, gorgeous visuals, a calming atmosphere, and even a slight challenge, Alto’s Adventure is definitely one of the best Android games you can play today. Of course, there’s a sequel available to the game. However, we’d recommend the first game over the sequel any day.
Moreover, developers Noodlecake have managed to bring worthy content updates to the game to keep it relevant in 2022. As you pass through levels, you earn currency. These currencies can then be used for purchasing new riders. Each rider brings something unique to the table, along with various stat boosts. As you complete more levels, you’ll unlock more content. Basically, you can continue playing the game for days on end. There’s plenty of content to explore while you listen to the soothing background music as well!
Thimbleweed Park
The inclusion of Thimbleweed Park in this list of the best Android games for smartphones may be a surprise to some of our readers. However, this is definitely one of the best adventure games you’ll ever play on your Android smartphone. Although point-and-click adventure games are a thing of the past, this game rewinds time and shows us what made those games so great. This is a murder-mystery adventure game where you’ll have to chase clues and solve challenging puzzles. If you’re an X-Files fan, you’ll love this game even more.
You take on the role of two detectives, similar to Scully and Mulder. As your characters find a dead body at an amusement park, you’ll have to rack your collective brains to bring the killer to justice. The game’s story is layered beautifully, and while it may seem like a simple adventure game, it’s anything but. Moreover, the gorgeous 16-bit pixelated aesthetics really give the game a wonderful retro vibe. Games like Thimbleweed Park may not receive much recognition in the mainstream. However, these games provide depth and variety to mobile gaming!
Streets of Rage 4
Streets of Rage is one of the older game series that was released over 30 years ago for the Sega Genesis console. Decades later, Streets of Rage 4 was released as the series’ revival in 2020. The game did exceptionally well for a brawler action game, being in many top lists for the best fighting game. Now, this fighting game has also become one of the best Android games that you can play. In fact, the Android port is absolutely gorgeous, bringing in an exceptional art style and smooth combat. Moreover, the developers have added both new and original characters for old and new fans alike.
The game also has some exceptional qualities, such as 60FPS gameplay on Android and added DLC (for a bit of extra cash). Furthermore, if you prefer playing your Android game with a controller, Streets of Rage 4 also supports the latest mobile gaming controllers in the market. Finally, a survival mode is added to the game to test your endurance against hordes of enemies. Overall, if you like fighting games, it doesn’t get much better than Streets of Rage 4. For classic combat action, this game is a must-play!
Conclusion
While there are plenty of Android games that can be termed the best Android games, these are our top picks for this year. We’ve included a little bit of everything – from RPGs to shooting games to puzzle games. We’ve even included a PC port for Android. Hopefully, you’ll get to try some new games through this list!
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Anirban Dutta Choudhury
Writer, researcher, and avid gamer. Geeks out over postmodern novels and the latest PC games. Usually intends all his puns.