Best Free Android Games 2018: The best apps for your phone

Looking for the best free Android games? Our round-up includes over 25 titles for you to play without having to pay a penny. And what’s more, we keep updating this guide with the latest and greatest so your phones only have the top apps, so bookmark this page to keep up to date!

And here’s the best part: if you have an iOS device, many of these games are also on the App Store for free, too!

South Park: Phone Destroyer

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Developer: Ubisoft 

If you’ve finished up all the rude offerings of South Park: The Fractured But Whole this may be your new favourite game. Ubisoft has created a collectable card experience that’s both addictive and offers the crude humour you’d expect from Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s infamous cartoon.

You can assemble a unique deck while interacting with beloved characters spread across the Colorado town. It’s surprisingly challenging and fun, offering bite-sized gaming sessions perfect for playing on the go.

Animal Crossing 

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Developer: Nintendo 

Nintendo’s Animal Crossing series has absorbed hours of our precious time in the past. Whether we’re decorating our house with trinkets or befriending every villager, there is always something to do in the charming world Isabelle and friends inhabit.

Now, after much anticipation, you can finally play it on smartphones. However, it’s a little different to what you’d find on 3DS. Pocket Camp has you running your own campsite with its own unique style. You’re free to invite over friends and complete favours for them in exchange for a bunch of goodies.

Pocket Camp is a cute and accessible idle experience that feels like a genuine entry in the Animal Crossing series. While it’s not packing the same level of features, it’s still a neat thing to have on your phone.

Final Fantasy: Brave Exvius

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Brave Exvius is one of many freemium Final Fantasy titles available on mobile, and it’s one of the best. Taking a number of cherished elements from the classic series, players can explore towns, conquer dungeons and assemble a varied party of clever and courageous heroes.

The core gameplay is simple at first, but some of the later battles will require a keen sense of strategy to succeed. Altering equipment and assembling parties with a number of classes means you’re always kept on your toes. Accompanied by a striking art-style that feels both unique and true to the series’ roots, Brave Exvius can easily take away dozens of hours from those looking for a more adventurous commute.

Iron Maiden: Legacy of the Beast

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Legacy of the Beast twists decades of Iron Maiden history into a gritty, recognisable RPG with a surprising amount of depth behind its skeletal appearance. Dedicated fans of Iron Maiden will definitely get the most out of Legacy of the Beast. The characters, environments and attacks are positively littered with clever, obscure references to the metal icons’ decorated history.

Battles themselves are fun and rewarding, with the occasional difficulty curve being your only barrier to progress. The simplicity of the battle system is improved by splicing rhythm action into the mix. Everytime you attack a circle will close in on your target. Hit this prompt at the right time and you’ll do more damage and possibly stagger your enemies for an extra hit or two.

However, if you’re looking for a challenging mobile RPG, you won’t find it here. Every counter is fairly predictable, offering no challenge beyond your constant rhythmic accuracy. predictable in terms of pacing. The challenge of each new obstacle never feels overwhelming if you keep on top of your party’s upgrades. 
Injustice 2

5 of 29

Developer: Warner Bros. International Enterprises
Price: Free/optional in-game purchases

The original Injustice on mobile gave fans of the brawler a reason pick up the mobile version of the game as well as having it on console. Similarly, Injustice 2 manages to hold its own against the console version and is the essential app for anyone who wants to pummel superheroes and villains on the go.

This mobile sequel introduces new jumping and low attacks that generates a big focus on performing combos to allow your character to perform their signature super move. The game isn’t shy about delivering a ton of content to give the player their Injustice fix on the go with a lengthy campaign and story mode featuring cutscenes from the console version being just some of the many modes available.

The only big ugly asterisk here are the in-app purchases that range from a reasonable £1.79 to a ludicrous £91.99 for in-game items. Of course, you don’t need to shell out to see everything this game has to offer, but with rest periods needed in-between play if you don’t, you’re going to need a few other games on your phone to keep you occupied at the same time.

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The perky plumber’s mobile debut is an endless runner with all the character and depth you’d expect from Nintendo. Except now, it’s been squeezed onto your smartphone. It’s worth noting that only the first world of Super Mario Run is available for free. You’ll have to fork out £9.99 to gain access to every world the game has to offer, which is a little steep for our liking.

Super Mario Run controls brilliantly on a touch screen without feeling too detached from the platforming classics that inspired it. The green pipes, goombas and carnivorous plants are iconic staples of the Mushroom Kingdom.Once you’ve cleared through Super Mario Run’s six unique worlds you’ll want to check out Toad Rally. This mode has you competing against other players in a timed event that concentrates on winning the support of the Kingdom’s many Toads.

Plague Inc.

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Plague Inc is a handheld strategy game with an incredibly dark premise. Your only job is to kill every person on the planet with your own brand of disease. Upon naming and crafting your demented ailment you are asked to pick a starting location. Every country across the globe is up for grabs, but you’ll have to think about how such a disease would work in that environment. No transport links? Good luck. No healthcare? They’re doomed!

It’s oddly unsettling, complimented by a dark, pervasive soundtrack that reacts to the death of millions unfolding before you. Despite its subject matter, crafting a successful pandemic is hugely satisfying. Being able to name them also gives the in-game news reports an element of dark comedy many games simply can’t pull off.

An average session of Plague Inc is short and sweet, so long as you ignore the endless death and destruction. It’s a fun, rewarding and dark strategy game that works perfectly on Android.

Fire Emblem Heroes

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Fire Emblem Heroes does an excellent job of translating the existing gameplay formula to iOS and Android. Admittedly, it lacks some of the depth of the 3DS entries, yet often feels just as challenging. Every battle is controlled with a swipe of your finger, ensuring each move takes advantage of your enemy’s hidden weakness.

The solo campaign is a nostalgic trip through Fire Emblem history as you encounter characters from previous entries summoned into your world by an evil sorceress. Each chapter has you battling through a series of skirmishes before coming across the iconic individual in question.

The core appeal of Fire Emblem Heroes is arguably in its addictive recruitment system. By sacrificing hard earned orbs, the game’s main currency, you can recruit Heroes from across the Fire Emblem universe. These are all picked at random, with the likes of Marth, Chrom and Lucina ruling the top spots. Additional orbs are obtained through completing challenges and story missions, with new characters acting as occasional rewards.

Nintendo’s third stab at mobile gaming could be its deepest yet, with Fire Emblem Heroes delivering an experience that pays homage to the beloved series while also carving its own identity. By combining familiar gameplay mechanics with dozens of iconic characters, Fire Emblem Heroes crafts a deceptively deep SRPG perfectly suited for mobile.

Rogue Life

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Rogue Life is a top-down shooter spliced with an endless runner, sprinkled off with surprisingly tactful RPG elements that make for an addictive freemium experience. The art style is a mixture of chibi-style anime sprites and classical fantasy tropes. Your team consists of three different characters each with their own unique class – Knight, Mage and Viking, looking suitably cute and silly.

There’s an unforeseen amount of depth in Rogue Life, piling multiple gameplay systems on top of one another to create a minute-to-minute experience that has you dispatching enemies, upgrading your squad and making improvements to your base.

The bulk of the game comes in its combat stages, which are played by sliding your finger across the bottom of the screen, moving your squad with unexpected grace, zipping them across the screen as attacks automatically hurtle toward the enemy. Having to constantly strategize my movements against the enemy’s attacks is swift and thrilling, especially when boss battles hurl projectiles in every direction.

While they may not impact the overall gameplay too much, having to mine for resources and customise each hero between stages is a nice distraction. The little stat bonuses that come with this are always handy.

Tap My Katamari!

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Katamari is an obscure Japanese delight, fully aware of its oddball visuals and mental personality. It’s become a cult favourite amongst fans with its fabulously catchy music and addictively simple gameplay formula.

If you’ve played a clicker on your smartphone, the usual trappings of Tap My Katamari are nothing new, and do little to alleviate the usual frustrations that accompany the genre. Luckily, the wackiness of Katamari shines through.

The charming nature of Katamari is complimented by a blistering pace. Constantly barraged by new skills and upgrades as you escort an unstoppable sphere through colourful environments. One of its highlights is the army of katamari occupying the bottom half of the screen. These colourful creatures are gained through individual upgrades that feel neverending at first, but quickly fall into a rhythmic pattern of tapping, upgrading and bursting through to the next level.

Despite how catchy and novel it may be, the soundtrack of Tap My Katamari is bloody repetitive at times. For minutes at a time it will drill the same tune into your head. It’s fun at first, but doesn’t change it up often enough to stay impressive.

Trials Frontier

11 of 29

Trials Frontier brings the addictive physics based series to mobile for the first time, translating its fast-paced, satisfying gameplay with surprising success. By combining a story-driven mixture of stages and fantastic touch controls, Frontier is one of the finest racers you can find on mobile without spending a single penny.

The core gameplay of the Trials franchise remains untouched. It’s fast, chaotic and satisfying, propelled further by the convenience that comes with playing it on your phone. The touch controls can feel unusual at first, being overly sensitive as you prod at the on-screen prompts in clumsy anticipation. Putting sensitivity aside, Redlynx has created a wonderful adaptation of the beloved series on mobile, right down to the clumsy physics and laughable wipeouts.

Trials has always felt like the perfect fit for a controller, demanding ultra precise reflexes for those wanting to dominate its hardest tracks. Frontier supersedes this notion, creating a great experience that not only feels great on mobile, but created for it. 

Rolling Sky

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Rolling Sky is exactly what you might expect from a quick, accessible platformer on mobile. The second the game starts up you’re thrown straight into action, soaring across claustrophobic tiles towards a plethora of hammers, walls and traps. One hit and it’s all over, incompetence rewarded with an immediate restart. That’s okay, though, as with each defeat, your knowledge grows, the location of each barrier to victory becoming etched into my mind.

The fantastic controls, or lack thereof, reflect the impressive accessibility Rolling Sky brings with it, providing a commute-friendly experience that can be difficult to pull yourself away from. Much like Super Meat Boy, respawning is almost instantaneous, making its impossible to resist having just one more go. That is until you run out of balls to use, which can only be obtained by waiting a certain amount of time or indulging in a few advertisements. Alternatively, you could drop £2 on the full version, which isn’t asking much.

Egg, Inc.

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Egg, Inc. is a fun little clicker that has you escorting chickens to a hatchery where they begin laying a never-ending quantity of eggs for you to sell. From here you can earn money, upgrade your farm and store more chickens.

Spawning chickens is done by a simple tap of the touch screen, and the faster you tap, the more will spawn. It’s a wonderfully satisfying feeling that had me constantly tapping away at the screen, marvelling as hundreds upon hundreds of birds swarmed into my newly constructed shacks. I can’t imagine being a farmer in real life is this stylish, or profitable, for that matter.

Egg, Inc takes more than a bit of inspiration from games such as Cookie Clicker and Simpson’s Tapped Out, combing an addictive idle experience with mechanics that encourage you to monitor your progress while adding new upgrades to your arsenal. The dangling carrot is always within reach, and I found myself reaching for it every time I started a new and improved farm.

Saying that Egg, Inc. doesn’t ask much of you is a colossal understatement. It’s designed in such a way that rewards persistence far more than skill, and the mechanics definitely reflect this. At times it can feel like you’re waiting for a series of meters to fill rather than doing anything substantial, which can be a nuisance at times. But, for what it is, you can’t ask for much more. Just don’t count your chickens before they hatch…

Pokemon GO

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Pokémon Go brings the tried-and-true RPG series to life using augmented reality. GPS and AR are used to have Pokemon populate your surroundings only to be caught with a single swipe of the touch screen.

Your enjoyment of Pokémon GO will depend largely on where you live, and how far you have to travel in order to access the map’s Poke Stops and Gyms. Fortunately, my local area was littered with both. The same convenience can’t be said for rural areas, though. Some users have already reported their experiences to be nothing more than series of arduous hikes in search of Pokemon.

Pokémon GO isn’t without problems, but is an admirable first attempt by Nintendo to bring Pokémon into the real world. It’s difficult to describe just how addictively satisfying it is when you stumble upon a Growlithe in your back garden.

Even if Pokémon GO is a temporary trend instead of a long-lasting phenomenon, it’s one that’s well worth being a part of.

Tales of Link

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The Tales franchise has proven to be hugely popular in recent years, capturing fans with its engaging characters, in-depth combat system and cutesy visual style.

Bandai Namco has crafted a fun and refreshing experience for newcomers and veterans on mobile, providing plenty of nostalgic fan-service throughout. It isn’t without its flaws, but Tales of Link is an impressive, bite-sized adventure.

The battle system is immediately accessible, teaching all you need to know in the opening minutes. Turn-based battles are carried out using the touch-screen, where you must link character attacks together with a single swipe of your finger.

Considering it’s free-to-play, the game is incredibly generous when it comes to handing out equipment, points and gems needed to upgrade your party. I had an abundance in the opening hours, spending several minutes outfitting each character with shiny new goodies.
Tales of Link is fun, accessible and addictive mobile experience suited for veterans and newcomers alike.

Clash Royale

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Clash Royale is one of the most addictive mobile experiences out there, providing fast, exciting and rewarding gameplay perfectly suited for the platform. It gives a fantastic first impression, laying out nearly everything you need to know in the opening minutes. Supercell is well aware how many approach mobile gaming, curating an experience that favours snappy, rewarding gameplay with constant progression.

The variety of imaginative characters at your disposal is overwhelming at first, as you slowly familiarise yourself with each unit’s traits and abilities. Upgrading these is a rewarding joy, providing a noticeable advancement in battle, so long as you aren’t facing someone pumped up on microtransactions.

Chests are unlocked after each successful match, and within them can be found the cards and currency needed to upgrade your arsenal. The constant arrival of new goodies is paramount to your investment, and Clash Royale has arguably perfected this system.

Futurama: Game of Drones

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Futurama: Game of Drones sees the series take on the match-three puzzle adventure genre that bundles in as many characters and jokes as possible. It seldom strays away from the match-three formula, but when it does, it creates some spectacular moments that reward sharp thinking and persistence.

Rare stages will have you battle against a boss enemy, racing to deplete its health by matching as many drones as possible. These brief stages imbue an element of competition, and it makes for a wonderful addition, providing a competitive context to your actions that would otherwise feel insignificant.

The crux here is undoubtedly the characters and writing, both of which build upon the franchise in creative and somewhat unorthodox ways. All of your favourites make an appearance, cleverly referencing obscure moments from the TV series as you play.

Stupid Zombies 3 – Dying Light

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Think “Angry Birds with Zombies” and such a comparison isn’t too far off. Stupid Zombies 3 is a fun, addictive title that builds upon the initial formula popularised by Angry Birds with dynamic level design, clever mechanics and a weirdly charming visual aesthetic.

You have access to a variety of weapons, which must be aimed meticulously if you want to succeed. Nailing a succession of zombies by bouncing bullets around the environment is hugely satisfying. The Dying Light crossover twists the existing game into a surprisingly sombre experience. Arcade-inspired game mechanics remain untouched, but everything feels enhanced by the oppressive atmosphere that surrounds you.

Containing 10 new levels, 4 new weapons and a unique graphical style; the free crossover is a fantastic addition, changing the original game in truly surprising ways. Stupid Zombies 3 – Dying Light is a neat little game, blending an atmospheric visual style with game mechanics that surprise and challenge you enough to maintain investment.

OPUS: The Day We Found Earth

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OPUS has a wonderfully simple premise, and for the most part, it’s executed brilliantly. After the charming introduction, you are immediately thrust into the depths of space in pursuit of our home planet. The discovery of planets is snappy and satisfying, and the challenge of scanning the universe is substantial enough to feel consistently rewarding overtime.

Naming your planets just to add them to your personal encyclopaedia feels weirdly personal, like you’re shaping your own intergalactic family. OPUS also has an unusual talent for tugging at heartstrings through relatable characters and a tragically sombre narrative.

The first time you start the game you are urged to wear headphones, and it’s definitely a suggestion worth taking. The melancholic soundtrack is the perfect companion to your hopeless search across the cosmos.

OPUS: The Day We Found Earth is a joyous experience packed with memorable high notes. The core experience is entertaining enough by itself, but the addition of lovable characters and a surprisingly involved storyline transcend it above similar mobile titles.

Pocket Mortys

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Grandpa Rick has found himself in a parallel dimension populated by alternate versions of himself.  The dialogue is bitingly funny, filled with the excellent one liners and comical timing that made the show such a joy to watch. The distinct lack of voice acting is noticeable though, as many characters don’t translate well into bland dialogue boxes.

Exploring each new dimension is great fun, mainly for the unpredictable dialogue and characters you encounter. The endless variants of Rick are fantastic, imaginatively conveyed through bright and colourful visuals.

Pocket Morty’s battle system is identical to Pokemon, and the game has no problem admitting that. Rick often makes subtle stabs to the franchise throughout; you can even catch him singing the legendary theme song in the hub world.

Despite its similarities, levelling your party and participating in battles is still fun and rewarding. Each time I came across a new Morty I felt compelled to capture it, purely so I could appreciate the weird and wonderful character designs.

Pocket Mortys may lack the variety and challenge required to make a lasting impact, but it remains a fun, engaging and often hilarious distraction for newcomers and fans of the show.

Crossy Road

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Developer: Yodo1 Games

Crossy road follows a similar framework than the 1980’s classic Frogger game – all you need to do is get your hopping pal across roads, grassy fields, rivers, railroads and more.

The exception with Crossy Road though is that you are offered a large variety of characters to unlock. Furthermore, unlike Frogger, the game is never ending and ever changing making the game unique every time you play it.

Crossy road is a great example of a rejuvenated remastered arcade game.

Timberman

22 of 29

Developer: Digital Melody

Timberman is an excellent example of a Arcade pastime game made into a mobile app. If you want to game yet don’t want to invest yourself to heavily into the game Timberman is the game for you.

An endless cycle of cutting wood and missing branches, Timberman is a great arcade game to play on your commute to work or waiting for the bus to school.

Does Not Commute

23 of 29

Developer: Mediocre

Does Not Commute is a time oriented puzzle game in which both frustration and enjoyment arise as you attempt to get the community from point A to point B without collisions.

The in-app purchases are highly intriguing yet, you won’t need to fork out to enjoy the game. The personal stories are both mysterious and comical creating a unique element to Does Not Commute, which you’ll struggle to find with other mobile games.

Furthermore the differences with each characters and maps means that repetition rarely occurs, making for a game that you can keep coming back to. 

Asphalt 8: Airborne

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Developer: Gameloft

Asphalt 8: Airborne is an intense and adrenaline pumping racing game. It is truly astounding that a free mobile game offers an experience that can come close to console racing games.

With 13 different locations and countless cars to choose from, boredom is a word that will never be associated with Asphalt 8: Airborne.Plus, the constant updates guarantee enjoyment throughout the year.

If the visuals were not enough, the soundtrack seamlessly integrates with the game making Asphalt 8: Airborne a truly must have game.

Marvel Future Fight

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Developer: Netmarble Games

Create your own ultimate team of three Marvel superheroes and fight against the super-villains of the marvel universe.

With a large roster from both the Marvel movies and Marvel comics you are now the leader of any superhero team you want. With simple and easy controls you can immerse yourself into the game with ease.

The complex upgrade system can be a little frustrating. But, overall the game is enjoyable and will be enjoyed from a die hard Marvel fan to a casual watcher of Marvel movies.

Angry Birds 2

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Developer: Rovio Entertainment Ltd

Angry Birds 2 might have only just launched, but it’s already shown great improvements over its many predecessors.

Rovio Entertainment has answered their fans’ cries with several asked for features such as the ability to choose your bird, allowing you to pick the order in which you sling your feathery friends.

Another new feature is multi-stage levels, meaning now you can kick those piggies’ asses multiple times in one mission.

You will have to face the occasional Boss Piggies that you must defeat making the game even more enjoyable and complex.

With the new super stunning graphics and those enhanced gameplay features, Angry Birds has never looked so good.

Cooking Fever

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Developer: Miniclip.com

An addictive time-management game is the perfect description of Cooking Fever.

It’s a great cooking game that simulates the rush and enjoyment of a restaurant, but none of that terrible stuff like the washing up.

There are over 400 unique levels to complete meaning boredom is nearly impossible in Cooking Fever.

Like a real restaurant, design and appliances are important. You must upgrade your restaurant to bring in more money and appease your increasingly demanding customers.

We guarantee that this is a fun, free game for everyone.

The Sims Freeplay

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Developer: Electronic Arts

The Sims Freeplay is a mobile spin on the classic PC simulation title. Now available on iPhone and Android, The Sims Freeplay allows you to create unique Sims, build dream homes, and let them live your way.

It has similar gameplay and goals to the original Sims titles and comes with constant updates. It means that there is always something new without the need of buying it, such as pets and outfits.

The gameplay is perfect for small play sessions, but is perfect for dedicated sessions too if you want it to be.

Rider

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Developer: Ketchapp

Price: Free

Rider is a simple yet appealing physics-based platformer that works perfectly on mobile. By holding the screen you cause your neon motorcycle to accelerate, forcing it across a series of precarious platforms.

Holding it while in the air causes you to flip, adding a sense of precise rhythm to each troublesome gap in the road ahead. It’s great fun, and having your score constantly monitored and new bikes being unlocked on the regular, this is a great arcade experience for smartphones.