Mobile gaming has long surpassed the classics such as Snake and Tetris. In the last couple of years, the handheld industry has blossomed into its own beast within the gaming space.
Hundreds of awesome mobile games are constantly being released, which inspires the question: which ones are the best?
If you’ve been aimlessly scrolling through the App Store or the Play Store looking for your next mobile obsession, look no further than this list. These are the best mobile games released in 2022.
1. Diablo Immortal
The Diablo franchise has always been a trusted source of epicness, and Diablo Immortal is no exception. It plays like a classic Diablo adventure, just on a smaller screen. You have a range of classes to choose from before embarking on a top-down adventure to slay some demons.
Diablo Immortal is free to play, which means, like many games, there are microtransactions involved. You can treat yourself to in-game currency, gems, and other items in exchange for real money in Diablo Immortal, but this is optional. You can collect these items for free in exchange for your time and dedication to playing the game.
But pay-to-win tactics aside, this MMO RPG is a go-to title if you ever feel the need to release some pent-up frustration on a horde of demons.
Download: Diablo Immortal for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
2. Vampire Survivors
If the hordes of enemies in Diablo Immortal weren’t enough, Vampire Survivors definitely has endless waves of monsters to scratch that itch.
If you can imagine being surrounded by hungry vampires clad in a nostalgic pixel art style and garnished with some roguelite elements, you have a pretty good idea of what Vampire Survivors has to offer.
Vampire Survivors is an addictive and deceivingly fun title that doesn’t suffer from the same pay-to-win tactics that many mobiles succumb to these days. So, if you’re looking for a new mobile game that you won’t be tempted to splurge on, Vampire Survivors would be a great choice.
Download: Vampire Survivors for iOS | Android (Free)
3. Marvel Snap
If card games are more your speed, Marvel Snap was the best one to hit mobiles in 2022. This is unsurprising, considering one of the designers for the game, Ben Brode, is a co-creator of the hugely successful digital card game Hearthstone.
Marvel Snap allows you to create your dream deck of heroes from the huge cast of Marvel characters. Your team will then battle against another player or AI to fight for ownership of several locations before the game ends.
Marvel Snap is incredibly simple and easy to wrap your head around, which makes it great for beginners to jump in at any time and still be in with a fighting chance against their competitors.
Download: Marvel Snap for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
4. 20 Minutes Till Dawn
Like Vampire Survivors, 20 Minutes Till Dawn is a roguelike survival horror shoot-’em-up with endless waves of enemies to keep you slaying for hours on end. The premise is simple. Survive the hordes of enemies until dawn breaks, which is usually about 20 minutes.
It has an incredibly unique, almost monochromatic art style that inspires the same sense of existential dread as the gameplay. It is dangerously addictive and perfect for those who don’t mind being entirely overwhelmed by evil monsters.
Download: 20 Minutes Till Dawn for iOS | Android ($2.99)
5. Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds
The journey of Ni No Kuni continues in the mobile game Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds. If you are a lover of anime, you will most likely recognize the whimsical art style as none other than the work of Studio Ghibli.
The world is based on the same one featured in Ni No Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn and Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch. So, if you were a fan of those titles, then Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds should be a familiar adventure for you.
Ni No Kuni games are solid RPGs with addictive monster-taming mechanics and a world-class anime art style. If you love Studio Ghibli movies and are looking for a new mobile title, Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds would be right up your alley.
Download: Ni No Kuni: Cross Worlds for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
6. Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel
Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel is the latest mobile game by Konami in the Yu Gi Oh! franchise. The title is free to play, but you’re invited to pay real-world cash to get better cards to build your deck faster than those who choose to do so organically.
The difference between free and free-to-play games can be confusing, and this title can introduce some frustrating pay-to-win tactics as you are matched up with players who have forked out for better decks. But for the most part, Master Duel is an incredibly fun iteration of the Yu Gi Oh! card game we all know and love from the 90s.
The game already features over 10,000 Yu Gi Oh! cards and also receives the occasional update to stock up the roster. Recreating your old childhood deck to see how it fares nowadays is a fun and engaging possibility here.
Download: Yu Gi Oh! Master Duel for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
7. Tomb Raider Reloaded
Tomb Raider Reloaded is the latest Lara Croft adventure on mobile. The game takes place in a series of temples you can work through by clearing all the enemies in each room to unlock the next area. Tomb Raider Reloaded free to play, but you can pay money for upgrades and in-game currency if you choose to do so.
While the option is there, Tomb Raider Reloaded is still an enjoyable experience without handing over any of your hard-earned cash. It’s also a single-player game, so you don’t have to worry about falling behind the pack and not matching up to other online players if you choose to play it organically.
Tomb Raider is a beloved franchise, and Reloaded is sure to scratch the itch while waiting for the next big AAA game from Square Enix.
Download: Tomb Raider Reloaded for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
8. Dungeons of Dreadrock
If you like Zelda games but wish to play them on your mobile, Dungeons of Dreadlock will have your name written all over it. This action puzzle dungeon crawler combination is presented in a beautiful pixel art style similar to games like Crypt of the Necromancer.
Dungeons of Dreadlock sees a loyal sister traversing through a hundred levels of a dangerous dungeon in search of her brother. These levels are structured in a grid-like pattern and are bursting with monsters, booby traps, spiders, and almost anything else unpleasant that you could imagine hiding in the depths of a deadly dungeon.
Dungeons of Dreadrock is among some of the most fun mobile games you can play offline. It’s a whimsical and fun adventure, and the best part is that it’s free! There are ads, but for the small price of $1.99, you can eliminate them for an uninterrupted experience.
Download: Dungeons of Dreadrock for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
9. Disney Mirrorverse
Disney Mirrorverse almost sounds like every child’s dream. You get to choose three guardians out of a huge cast of 44 Disney heroes and use them to combat a malevolent evil force that threatens the existence of life as we know it.
Disney Mirrorverse gives these Guardians a place to release their inner badass. Instead of the tame heroes we know and love from Disney movies, Mirrorverse sees them embrace their grittier side as they are bound in a fight to save the world.
Disney Mirrorverse offers a ton of loot boxes, but you can steer clear of them if you wish. The game still provides a robust and enjoyable experience without spending any money.
Download: Disney Mirrorverse for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
10. Apex Legends Mobile
Apex Legends is one of the most popular battle royale games on the market, and it found its way to mobile devices in 2022. If you enjoy games like Fortnite, you’ll likely join the forces of Apex Legends fans. Apex Legends Mobile is free to download and play but does offer skins and loot boxes in exchange for money.
The purchase of skins and loot boxes in games in exchange for real-world money has recently come under fire and has even been compared to gambling. What skin gambling is and why you should avoid it is something to be aware of when playing Apex Legends Mobile, but as long as you don’t get carried away, it is a solid mobile title.
Apex Legends Mobile was hugely successful after its release and was even nominated for the best mobile game at the 2022 Game Awards. It combines battle royale and first-person shooter mechanics to create addictive, fast-paced matches that keep you coming back for more.
Download: Apex Legends Mobile for iOS | Android (Free, in-app purchases available)
2022 Was a Great Year to Be a Mobile Gamer
Mobile games have advanced drastically within the last couple of years, and 2022 saw the release of some of the best games to come to the platform yet.
These incredible games are sure to provide gamers with endless hours of entertainment, and we are eager to see what the mobile gaming space has in store for us and how it will continue to develop in the future.
