The best Android games you can play in 2021

A running list of the best Android games available today

Finding the best Android games isn't always easy, which is why I've spent the better part of a decade compiling hundreds of lists across the web, all to help mobile gamers find what they are looking for. That's why we're putting together a list that will be constantly updated every few weeks with new entries as the Android gaming ecosystem evolves.

So if you're sick of digging for good games on the Play Store and coming up empty-handed, here's a good place to start. From platformers to RPGs to racing games, from free to paid, this is our list of the best Android games you can play.

Stardew Valley

ConcernedApe did the impossible, he created a better version of Harvest Moon/Story of Seasons, all on his own, and the results speak for themself. Stardew Valley is a phenomenon, a trendsetter, and for a good reason, it is one of the best farming and life sims ever made. Not only are there hundreds of hours of gameplay included within, but the writing is also top-notch, support is superb, plus you can easily resize the UI to fit whatever screen you play on, and there's controller support out of the box. Sure, the multiplayer content is still missing, but beyond this one issue, the Android port is fantastic. Hands-down, Stardew Valley is the obvious choice if you're looking for a friendly farming sim to dive into.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Disgaea 1 Complete

If you're big into turn-based strategy RPGs, your Final Fantasy Tactics, your X-Coms, then you've probably heard of the Disgaea titles. This is a series from Nippon Ichi Software that offers an anime-like story with matching art. The first game is known for offering the best story in the series, and what most people don't know is that the mobile port is actually the best version available, all thanks to the addition of an auto-play mechanic not to be found in any other version. Despite what you're thinking, auto-play really adds a lot to Disgaea 1 since later games saw the addition of tons of quality of life features the first title never saw. To say this is one of the grindiest games ever made is an understatement, but it's a good grind that isn't monetized aggressively. After all, this is a premium release packing controller support, a reworked UI for touchscreen play, and a speed boost for battles that ties in great with the auto-battle system.

Monetization: $32.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Sky: Children of the Light

Thatgamecompany is probably best known for games like Journey, Flower, and Flow, all titles that offer similar relaxed themes while offering casual gameplay. The studio took a chance to create a free-to-play game for mobile, and even though this game contains in-app purchases, they are only for cosmetics, leaving everyone free to enjoy the title unencumbered. More or less, Sky: Children of the Light is similar to Journey, where you'll traverse 3D landscapes in an effort to piece together the game's story while collecting items helpful for advancing. What's unique about this release is that it's online, and you can easily play with others as you explore fantastic worlds. Much like Genshin Impact, Sky: Children of the Light raised the bar as a highly-polished F2P game on mobile. Sky: Children of the Light has proven to be a great exploration game, so don't miss out.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99 ​​​​​​

Baba Is You

If you're looking for something challenging that will make you think and have yet to play Baba Is You, you're missing out. Not only is this a super popular indie game on PC and consoles, but it was also ported to Android, with touch controls in tow, and it plays great. This is a puzzle game, but it requires out-of-the-box thinking where words play an important role, as touching the words on the screen tends to result in new functionality for your character, which can then be applied to the stage to solve its puzzle. It's like someone took a Sokoban game and twisted it into something totally new. Baba Is You is one of the best puzzle games on Android, hands-down.

Monetization: $6.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Dead Cells

When it comes to roguelike Metroidvanias, Dead Cells is a name that's often thrown around, and that's because it's a title that defines the genre. Thanks to the inclusion of controller support, the controls are spot-on, and even the touch controls are good enough to get you through the first few stages. Of course, this is a challenging game, and death is a constant, but you'll still slowly progress as you unlock new weapons during your runs. What's really nice is that the game supports high framerates, and those framerates are stable, making for a smooth experience. There's even some extra DLC available when you finally beat the primary campaign, which means there's tons of content here that should last most players 30 hours or more.

Monetization: $8.99 / no ads / IAPs $3.99 apiece

GRID Autosport

Hands-down, GRID Autosport is one of the best racing games on Android. Heck, it's an excellent racing game on PC and consoles, and thanks to Feral Interactive, it's available on mobile too. The port is superb. The game supports physical controllers, and the touch controls work well, plus there's tons of content here, where the main story should last most players 33+ hours. The only thing missing is online play, though it is in testing. There's even a free version available where you can test three courses in the game, and if you like what you see, you can purchase this premium version outright or buy the modes you enjoy in the free version piecemeal. If you're looking for a racer that fits in between arcade racing and the more hardcore sim stuff, then this is the racing game for you.

Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Titan Quest: Legendary Edition

Don't confuse Titan Quest: Legendary Edition with the older Titan Quest listing, as this is the version that contains all of the DLC in a single package. I.E., it's the complete game at a single price point. If you're unfamiliar, this is a classic action RPG that still holds up. It's the closest thing we have to a legit Diablo game, set in the ancient worlds of Greece, Egypt, Babylon, and China. Controller support is included, plus the touch controls are good enough to get you through the game, which should last most players around 50+ hours just to make it through the primary campaign, and since all DLC is included, this title could easily stretch well past 100+ hours.

Monetization: $19.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact is an adventure game that might not appeal to everyone, thanks to its gacha design, but there is no denying that miHoYo Limited raised the bar exponentially when it comes to the polish and content of free-to-play mobile games. The graphics in this Zelda-like adventure are superb. There are still very few mobile games that can compare a year later. The writing is also better than expected, and the game's characters are detailed and interesting. Still, the monetization is greedy, and you will be bombarded with all manner of sales and other annoying in-game notifications. There's also a lack of end-game content, and you'll run into plenty of false walls along the way, purposefully slowing down your progress. As I said, it's a love it or hate it kind of thing, which will ultimately come down to how willing you are to put up with grindy gameplay that's monetized poorly. Still, Genshin is a great-looking game that's perfect for stress-testing new hardware, and there's some fun to be had if you play casually, especially since there's cross-save support across all supported platforms.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

Star Wars: KOTOR is a classic RPG from BioWare, and this mobile port comes from Aspyr Media, a quality port house that knocked it out of the park with this release. Not only is this RPG one of the best Star Wars games ever made, but it's also a solid RPG even if you disregard the theme. Sure, the graphics are pretty dated, but the story is as good as ever, and the controls are spot-on, too, especially since controller support is included. There's a 30-hour campaign, and if you're eager for more, Aspyr also released a port of the sequel, which you can find here.

Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Civilization VI

The Civilization games are well regarded as some of the best 4X strategy titles out there, and it was quite a surprise to see VI come to Android, but it sure was a welcome one. This is the whole game, and you can even purchase all of the DLC found on consoles and PC, though I would suggest waiting for a sale, as the expansions can be pricey. Still, the base game is a blast, though you'll have to keep in mind that a beefy device is definitely recommended, as the deeper you get in the game, the more memory you will need. Some bugs are present, which is something to be mindful of. But even then, the ability to play the full version of Civilization VI on tablets or Chromebooks is simply too good to pass up, bugs and all.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $19.99

Minecraft

Minecraft is a game that does not need an introduction. Mojang's open-world voxel sandbox content that should be familiar to most. You can build like legos in a free-play mode, or you can jump into survival mode to grind your days away. Multiplayer content is a huge part of the game, and while the store is packed with all kinds of content to buy, at least the primary gameplay loop remains consistent. Controllers are supported out of the box, and the touchscreen controls are plenty serviceable. All around, this is a solid port of a great game that offers hundreds of hours of gameplay. For the asking price, you can't really go wrong.

Monetization: $7.49 / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99

Call of Duty: Mobile

What would a best-of Android game roundup be without one of the popular free-to-play shooters on the list? Seeing that Fortnite is no longer available on the Play Store, Call of Duty is the obvious choice for today's roundup. Sure, PUBG is still cruising along, but there's no denying Call of Duty: Mobile is the cool kid in the group. It's newer, and, well, it's freaking Call of Duty. Classic maps are included for those feeling nostalgic, along with a battle royale mode that mirrors the gameplay found in every other battle royale. Monetization is greedy but primarily cosmetic, though cheating is an issue. But what competitive mobile game doesn't struggle with this problem? More or less, Call of Duty: Mobile does an okay job bringing the primary characteristics of the popular shooter from consoles to mobile, though all of the familiar issues that plague the majority of F2P mobile games are present.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Among Us

If you're familiar with the tabletop game Werewolf or Mafia, then you should be familiar with the social deduction gameplay of Among Us. While the title didn't get much attention upon release, it gained traction once some streamers started getting views while playing it. As you can imagine, streamed social deduction games are fun to watch, and so Among Us got wildly popular. So if you'd like to play a multi-layer game where cooperation and backstabbing are prerequisites, a game that almost always results in drama among those playing, then you'll probably get a kick out of Among Us. The game is fairly monetized, plus it's free to play, so there's definitely no harm in giving it a try.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $24.99

Slay the Spire

What can I say? Card game fanatics love Slay the Spire. You see the name every time people ask for Android game recommendations, and for a good reason. Unlike many mobile cards games, this is a solo experience, and it plays like a roguelike, where you'll build a deck to set out on your adventure just to see how far you can get. This is a game that many have spent hundreds of hours in. It's basically endless if you're into theorycrafting. So if you're sick of wasting time and money grinding through pointless pay-to-win cards games, perhaps it's time to give Slay the Spire a try?

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Pokémon GO

When Pokémon GO first dropped in the summer of 2016, it was a phenomenon. You couldn't walk through a city without running into groups capturing Pokémon. It was wild, but Niantic squandered a lot of player goodwill with a buggy game that seemingly took forever to update to the more stable title we know today. Still, many people play to collect Pokémon, and while the monetization is pretty greedy, it would seem the player base doesn't mind. To this day, Pokémon GO is still the most well-known augmented reality game out there, even with Niantic releasing new branded AR games at an even clip. There's no doubt Pokémon has staying power, so even though the game is often poorly managed, to the point many reviews are now complaining about lag, kids and adults still love it. While I wouldn't call the collection gameplay the best out there, it is unique and addictive, which appears to be a winning strategy for Niantic.

Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / no IAPs

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