Despite the massive popularity of the mobile gaming market, it’s still fair to say that the majority of app games are pretty straightforward, if not boring. The market relies so much on repetitive concepts and simple platforms that a lot of games simply seem like different versions of one another, tried and true from the developers’ standpoint but increasingly dull for players.
Fortunately, there are still plenty of exceptions. In this article, I’m pointing out a handful of mobile games that offer a bigger, longer, more varied, and altogether more satisfying experience.
1. 80 Days
Based on concepts from iconic French writer Jules Verne’s Around The World In 80 Days and developed by Inkle, 80 Days is an exceptionally large and unique mobile gaming experience. According to TouchArcade, it won TIME’s Game of the Year award in 2014, a particularly impressive feat given that recognition of this sort is often reserved for the latest simple, addictive arcade game. 80 Days is anything but that.
Rather, it’s an intricately designed adventure story, as much a story as it is a game. It places players in the role of Passepartout, a personal assistant for the wealthy Phileas Fogg, who wishes to travel the world. You have the power to choose a route, balance your travel budget, manage your master’s health, make trades and purchases, and see the world, all with delightful graphics and a surprisingly deep script for interactions. A single play through the game is thrilling enough, but it’s also great for replay given that you can always take new routes on your journey.
2. Godus
There are a lot of different city- and world-building games out there, and there are understandable preferences one might have toward any of them. But DeNA’s Godus mobile game is certainly the most complete of the bunch. The idea is to “play God” in designing a world, not simply by plotting out buildings here and there, but by literally shaping the landscapes and directing populations that “worship” you. It does have its frustrating elements (in-app purchases are encouraged, unfortunately), but it can be enjoyed for hours upon hours free of hassle as well.
3. Only One
Macworld UK singled this game out as one of the top-28 free iPhone games, and really, I’d say it’s one of the richest gaming experiences you can find without spending a dime. Functionally it’s an old-school fighter game in which your job is to fight off endless waves of adversaries atop a cliff. But indie developer Ernest Szoka crafted this game in a way that makes it a lot more than its basic action elements. A pleasing, retro, pixel-based design, heavy doses of humor and self-awareness, and boss fights that are tricky but not impossible all make it fun to dive into Only One for hours.
4. Gala Casino
There are a whole lot of casinos out there for mobile users, but most are ultimately focused on a single game, or else a clunk, unrealistic experience. This app from Gala Casino is simply more authentic, and its range of casino gaming options make it one of the bigger games you can find. Roulette, slots, and blackjack are all available in abundance, and a number of games that online casino lovers may recognise (Cleopatra slots, for instance) are featured. Additionally, for iPad users, there are live dealer options that take a mobile gambling experience to new heights. Ultimately, the gaming is similar to what you’ll find at a lot of online casino platforms, but finding it all in one app isn’t as easy as you may expect.
5. Threes!
Both simple and brilliant, this game from AsherV remains arguably the best mobile puzzle out there, even if it’s been out for a while. The idea is just to slide tiles together to add up the numbers they have on them (so adding a 1 to a 2 turns two tiles into a single 3), combining multiples of three in an attempt to keep building your numbers higher without getting stuck navigating the board. With new tiles slotting in whenever you merge two together, it gets challenging fairly quickly, and you’ll want to solve it over and over again.