Today’s smartphones are impressively powerful. They can effortlessly run simpler PC and console games that have been ported to Android with no or minimal downgrades. Many of these games were meticulously designed to provide an engaging, genuine gaming experience. Here are 15 of my favorite ones.
Most games on this list require a purchase.
1 Goat Simulator 3
Goat Simulator 3 is best described as an open-world sandbox where you wreak havoc in a fun physics environment as a virtual goat (or a number of different animals that you can unlock as skins). It’s one of the most fun games that I’ve ever played on PC, and it’s now available on mobile. The game features a bunch of Easter eggs and quests waiting for you to explore. There’s also a multiplayer mode, complete with seven mini-games. The first Goat Simulator is available for free, and if you like it, you’ll love its sequel (there was no Goat Simulator 2).
2 Plants vs. Zombies
If you have never heard of Plants vs. Zombies, you’re seriously missing out. This is a tower defense game where you place plants on a grid to defend your home from invading waves of zombies. It’s an older PC game that lends itself perfectly to touch controls, and the cartoonish art style still holds up 15 years later.
3 Hitman: Blood Money — Reprisal
Hitman: Blood Money is a stealth action game that puts you in the shoes of Agent 47, a ruthless assassin. Blood Money is one of the best entries in the Hitman franchise. It features 12 unique missions, most of which involve you sneaking into a place and assassinating a target using a variety of different methods. The mobile Reprisal version has actually been enhanced with a bunch of features from the newer Hitman games, making it better than the original.
4 GRID Autosport
From a technical standpoint, GRID Autosport is the most impressive entry on this list. It’s a full-fledged console and PC simcade racing game from 2014 that got ported to mobile after only five years in 2019, showcasing how powerful phones have really become in a short period. What’s even more impressive is that the port hasn’t been downgraded in any noticeable way. It’s not just a technical powerhouse, either; GRID Autosport is one of the best racing games you can play on Android.
5 Fortnite
Fortnite is still among the top battle royale shooter games, and it’s available on a wide range of platforms. Unlike PUBG MOBILE, there are no two separate versions, as Fortnite is the same exact game across all platforms. This means you can enable crossplay to play with friends who are on PC or console, and your battle pass progress is always saved.
The game runs reasonably well natively, though it requires a powerful Android phone to do so. The good news is that you can utilize cloud gaming to get good performance on an older device.
6 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas needs no introduction. It’s my favorite GTA, a franchise that’s well-known for its deep yet goofy storylines, realistic physics, and heaps of open-world content ready to explore. It’s a 2004 game that was released on Android in 2013, but you’d be surprised by how well it still holds up.
The Definitive Edition is also available on mobile, but it’s hard to justify its $19.99 price tag given the numerous performance issues. GTA III, Liberty City Stories, and Vice City are also available on Android, and there’s also a Netflix Definitive Edition for Netflix subscribers.
7 Disney Speedstorm
Disney Speedstorm is a brand-new kart racer filled with iconic Disney characters like Davy Jones and Donald Duck. The Android version was developed alongside the PC and console version, though it was released slightly later. Much like Fortnite, it’s a cross-platform game with multiplayer, and progress is shared across all platforms, so it’s perfect to play with friends.
8 Minecraft
Minecraft is one of the most popular games of all time. It’s an open-world sandbox that’s perfect to play alone or with friends for hours on end. The Android version (previously called Pocket Edition) is the Bedrock Edition, so it’s not exactly the same as the Java Edition that’s available on PC and consoles, but the core gameplay is very similar. You can actually get Bedrock Edition on PC, so crossplay is possible.
9 Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition
Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition is a survival game with a truly unique Tim Burton art style. Think of it as a third-person adult version of Minecraft. The mobile version of the game is almost identical to the PC and console one, but it has a somewhat limited control scheme that can be fixed by getting serious with a controller.
10 Stardew Valley
If you want a game similar to Don’t Starve and Minecraft but with none of the stress, Stardew Valley is the perfect game for you. It’s an adorable farm simulator that was built by one person over a period of four years. It’s the same exact game on Android as on PC and consoles. It has a surprisingly rich story and heaps of content, though it unfortunately lacks multiplayer.
11 Super Meat Boy Forever
Super Meat Boy Forever is the latest entry in the franchise. It’s an incredibly fun (and incredibly hard) indie platformer. It’s an auto-runner, and the controls take some getting used to, but once you get the hang of it, it’s an absolute blast to play. It’s a paid app, but it’s only $1.10 at the time of writing, which is significantly cheaper than what most free games charge you to remove ads.
12 Neighbours from Hell: Season 1
If you grew up in the early 2000s like me, there’s a good chance that you’ve played Neighbours from Hell on your first PC, GameCube, or Xbox. Neighbours from Hell: Season 1 is a game where your goal is to prank your neighbor while trying to hide from him. It doesn’t have the best gameplay, but it’s a silly little game that’ll bring back some feelings of nostalgia for those who played it. PS, there’s also a Season 2.
13 SpongeBob SquarePants BfBB
No list of games ported to Android is complete without SpongeBob SquarePants BfBB. It’s a story-driven adventure-style 3D platformer that puts you in Spongebob’s world of Bikini Bottom. This is actually a remake of the original console game, and it’s great to see that publishers released it on Android and iOS in addition to modern consoles and PC.
14 Endling: Extinction is Forever
Endling: Extinction is Forever is an emotional indie adventure game. Humans destroyed Earth, and you play as a mother fox that has to survive and protect its younglings. The art style and emotional storytelling alone are impressive, and so is the 10/10 score that this game has received from PC players on Steam. Be aware that some players have experienced technical difficulties with the game on their phones, which is why the current rating for the game is 4.0 stars.
15 Wreckfest
If you love racing games but aren’t a fan of simcades like Grid Autosport, perhaps Wreckfest is for you. It’s essentially a demolition derby arcade racer with a rich color palette, a bunch of cool cars (and trucks), and several fun game modes. It’s essentially the same game on Android as on PC and consoles, which is impressive considering it launched in 2018 on PC, only four years before the Android version.
Proper PC and console ports on Android are some of the best games you can play on a phone or tablet. Personally, I think that these games provide the best gaming experience you can get on Android, and most of them are reasonably cheap or even free. Your selection of ported games will expand very soon, as several notable games are coming out soon, such as Valorant, Warframe, Rainbow Six, The Division, and even Death Stranding.
