There are a ton of games on Android to play, whether you’re a fan of action games, long RPGs, or something more casual. But maybe you’ve burned through all of the mobile games that look interesting, or you’re just itching for something a little… bigger.
Well, that’s precisely what Google Stadia is good at. You don’t have to compromise your playing experience just because you’re on a mobile device; just grab your favorite controller, fire up the app, and start playing some of the latest and greatest games on the market.
Google Stadia Best Games
Of course, you’ll immediately run into the problem that Stadia’s library has gotten pretty big, and there’s a lot to sort through. Don’t worry though, we’ve got your back. We’ll list out the best of what’s available on Stadia so you can jump into your next favorite game without choice paralysis.
Time sink: Destiny 2
If you’re looking for a game to sink hundreds and possibly thousands of hours into, you can’t go wrong with Destiny 2. This was one of the highest profile launches on Stadia Pro, and with good reason.
If you’ve never played Destiny before, it’s kind of like a highly streamlined MMO with some of the best shooting mechanics around thanks to Bungie’s legacy of excellent FPS games. You’ve got all of the addictive and competitive aspects of an MMO, including seasonal rewards, daily challenges, loads of PVE and PVP content, and a rich campaign to play through with several different classes, and it just feels good to play.
There’s a huge playerbase, crossplay, and frequent updates, and it’s free to get started. The seasonal content and expansions will ask you to open your wallet, but if you just need a looter shooter to dive into without spending a dime, give it a spin.
Story rich action: Red Dead Redemption 2
If you’re interested in a different kind of time sink, Red Dead Redemption 2 is an excellent choice. While there is an online mode, the main thing you’re here for is the engrossing, 100-hour narrative set in the final days of the wild west, replete with traditional Rockstar gameplay elements.
The story follows Arthur Morgan and his gang of outlaws trying to set themselves for a life after crime. But it’s an incredibly immersive cowboy simulation, with survival elements like eating, drinking, and weathering the heat and cold, plus hunting, fishing, robbing banks and trains, dealing with rival gangs, taming horses, collecting cash and loot… the list goes on and on. There’s enough side content to last you for months even when you’re done with the meat of the narrative.
If you’re trying to find a slow burner to dig into for the foreseeable future, try Red Dead next.
High chaos: Saints Row: The Third Remastered
Sometimes you want a game with complex mechanics, and sometimes you want something that really pulls you in with a gripping narrative. And, other times, you just want something where you can blow stuff up. Saints Row: The Third is firmly in that last category.
This one’s actually a remastered version of the game that originally came out back on the Xbox 360 and PS3, but it still holds up today. It’s generally a pretty similar gameplay loop as Grand Theft Auto or even Red Dead Redemption that’s already on the list, but with a twist: it’s incredibly stupid.
You won’t find very many serious moments here, but you will be given ridiculous weapons, quirky side missions, and a tiger that hangs out in a car with you. You can also commit insurance fraud, and Burt Reynolds shows up at one point.
You’re either into this kind of thing, or you’re not. But if you are, you’ll have a blast.
Shoot’em up: Doom Eternal
Another technological win for Stadia, Doom Eternal is one of the best looking, best running, and most fun games to play on the platform. Building off of what made the Doom 2016 reboot so much fun, Eternal is more than just another romp through a demon-slaying campaign. That’s still pretty crucial to the game, of course, but it’s turned into such a fun and fast arcade shooter that’s hard to put down.
You won’t find many slow moments here, with near constant action forcing you to rotate through an arsenal of shotguns, machine guns, and rocket launchers paired up with your trusty shoulder-mounted flamethrower and chainsaw to mow down hordes of enemies. Doom rewards players for being fast and aggressive, unlike cover-based shooters where you need to be cautious about your approach to a group of enemies. Nope, here you charge right and fight on your toes the entire time.
The game earned glowing reviews at launch, and despite a pretty mediocre multiplayer mode, the campaign is absolutely worth running through at least once or twice, especially for anyone that loves as much action crammed into their games as possible.
Family friendly: Family Feud
Stadia has a little something for everyone, and that includes people that aren’t itching to blow things up in fast-paced action games. Titles like Family Feud round out a pretty decently-sized catalog of games that can spice up your game nights and parties, too.
In this case, Family Feud works exactly like the TV show you’re used to seeing. You can buddy up with up to 10 other people and play a full game of Family Feud, or just go solo or with a couple of friends and try and outwit the AI with customizable difficulty levels and multiple game modes.
Sure, you’re probably not going to play this on your morning commute, but give it a spin the next time you have some buddies over and tell me it’s not fun.
Sports: Madden 22
Football’s back, and that’s a big deal, at least in America. That’s a great reason to dive into another franchise, kick up a new Ultimate Team, or play a couple games against your buddies in the latest Madden 22.
EA has done an excellent job of bringing their sports franchises everywhere, which means you can run a few simulations or do a few Ultimate Team challenges right from the cloud through Stadia. The latest version of Madden brings in several franchise updates, better physics than ever before, and several other tweaks and changes to keep your playing even after football season is over.
And don’t worry if you’re not in North America; EA sells their other sports franchises like FIFA on Stadia as well, so you can settle in to whatever sport fits your tastes.
