The last few months have been very interesting when it comes to the world of mobile gaming with Apple having to change how it operates in select regions, new games hitting iOS and Android through free and paid releases, Netflix releasing some huge games on mobile, Apple Arcade continuing along, and more. I’ve put together a list of the best mobile games of 2024 so far across paid, free, subscription service titles, and more. This list is in no particular order as usual.
The Best Mobile Games of 2024 So Far
Warframe (Free) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – Warframe on iOS is an impressive port of an excellent game. It is one of the best examples of free to play done right, and the fast paced action looter shooter with a sci-fi setting is surprisingly fun to play on iPhone with touch controls. This is the complete experience as well with full cross progression and cross play. I can’t wait to see how it evolves on mobile through the year as it gets more updates alongside other platforms.
Ex Astris ($9.99) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – Ex Astris was notable for being a premium RPG from the developer of Arknights, but it has been a lot of fun to play regardless of its monetization. It has a nice blend of semi-real-time and turn-based elements and looks gorgeous on my iPhone 15 Pro. It is a bit lacking in some areas, but Ex Astris has a lot to love. I just hope the team can build on it to polish some of the narrative and cut-scenes so it reaches its full potential.
Hades (Free) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – Hades was a sublime experience when it launched back on PC and Switch, and it has been translated brilliantly to mobile through its iOS release via Netflix Games. This version of the dungeon crawler rogue-like is second only to Steam Deck in its quality, and it joins the GTA Trilogy as another killer app for Netflix’s subscription. If you have one, you owe it to yourself to play Hades.
Slice & Dice (Free) – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Discussion] – Slice & Dice finally made its way to iOS after an early access launch on other platforms, and developer Tann’s dice-based roguelike dungeon crawler feels basically perfect on iOS. It is free to try with a single in app purchase to unlock the full game and I definitely recommend playing it on iOS. I’m quite blown away by how good it feels and I’m disappointed in myself for not buying it on Steam to try out sooner.
Adventure to Fate Lost Island ($4.99) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – If Jared’s Game of the Week feature and Shaun’s review weren’t enough to get you to try out Adventure to Fate Lost Island, I don’t know what to say, but I hope this inclusion in our list of the best mobile games of the year so far gets you check out this lovely and polished RPG. This isn’t the first game by developer TouchMint, but will likely be your gateway into the developer’s library. Get on this one. It is more than worth the asking price.
Caves of Lore ($7.99) – [Game of the Week] – [Forum Discussion] – Caves of Lore is a lovely pixel-art fantasy CRPG by a solo developer that somehow translates perfectly to mobile while retaining everything you’d want from a game in the genre. It feels like a blend of modern design and older games, but one that doesn’t dilute the experience. It is rare to see a game in this genre translate so well to touch, but here we are. I also want to highlight how good it is blending some modern visual effects with its pixel art aesthetic.
Yes, Your Grace (Free) – [Forum Discussion] – When I first saw Yes, Your Grace on Steam, I thought of the TV show Are You Being Served, and while this has nothing to do with that old show, I did start watching it once again and still love it. Tangents aside, Yes, Your Grace from developer Brave At Night and publisher No More Robots was ported to mobile through the amazing Noodlecake, and the kingdom management RPG feels super good on a touchscreen. I already played it before on Steam, but if you haven’t, this mobile release is free to try, and is a great version of an excellent game. Give it a shot.
Looking Up I Only See a Ceiling ($1.99) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – Looking Up I Only See a Ceiling AKA LUISOAC from developer silver978 and publisher IndieArk is a short adventure about a girl who wants to explore her ceiling. It hit mobile and Switch this year, and the only caveat with this recommendation is that the adventure is quite short. It is absolutely worth it with how it tackles its themes and with its aesthetic, but keep that in mind. With that out of the way, I enjoyed it on Steam and was glad to see it come over to mobile because portables are always the best for adventure games like this. Looking Up I Only See a Ceiling is definitely a game that will make you rethink something you’re doing or at least it made me do that.
Death Stranding Director’s Cut ($39.99) – [Review] – [Forum Discussion] – So Death Stranding Director’s Cut isn’t best played on iOS unless you have a newer iPad model. On iPhone 15 Pro it sadly has a few too many technical issues, but is a fantastic game. I recommend watching MrMacRight’s video and then grabbing it on iPad if you want. This purchase is universal though including iOS, iPadOS, and macOS together making it even better value. If you have the option to play it on PS5, grab it there, but this is one of the most visually impressive games in recent years, and seeing it on iPhone is incredible albeit with its technical issues.
Paragon Pioneers 2 ($5.99) – [Forum Discussion] – I only recently got around to playing Paragon Pioneers 2, and it has been a relaxing city builder idle game hybrid. I know this genre isn’t for everyone, but Paragon Pioneers 2 has a Lite version you can try (and a demo on Steam) that is worth trying out if you’ve been wanting to experience a different city builder with a lot of options and mechanics that is simple and easy to pick up and play. It also has a tweakable difficulty making it more accessible or challenging depending on your need.
Barring the games mentioned here, the top game on my list to play is Dune: Imperium. I’m hoping to play that and write about it soon once I have time to learn and play it. I know there are a few other notable games, but I wanted to restrict this to just ten for now. If you think I missed something notable, please let me know in the comments below so others reading can also discover something interesting on mobile. As always, thanks for reading.
