The best mobile multiplayer games

The best mobile multiplayer games

Most of us love a good multiplayer game, and our tastes when it comes to mobile are pretty similar. The best mobile multiplayer games come in many different varieties and truly showcase the potential of this platform in regards to every genre under the sun. Multiplayer racing games like Mario Kart Tour or Asphalt 9: Legends show that mobile can offer both franchise and realism-based racing. Multiplayer shooters such as PUBG mobile and Fortnite make it clear that mobile can offer the same battle experiences as PC, mostly because those games are on PC.

While deck builders are arguably even better on mobile, with Gwent and Legends of Runeterra both being more convenient to play than their PC counterparts. Mobile multiplayer games cover an astonishing array of genres, doing things that you just wouldn’t have thought possible.

There honestly is no better time than now to start mobile gaming with your friends, especially as so many of these games are free-to-play, or cost a fraction of the price that console games, or their PC counterparts, do.

Here are the best mobile multiplayer games:

Mario kart tour

Just as Call of Duty: Mobile is to regular Call of Duty, Mario Kart Tour is to Mario Kart. Few would’ve thought that it was possible to port the authentic Mario Kart multiplayer experience to mobile, but they were wrong. Mario Kart Tour has everything its predecessors do: all of your favourite characters, a plethora of vehicles, and tonnes of crazy tracks on which you can challenge your friends. And best of all, it’s free. You can even stay up to date with Tour’s newest developments with our Mario Kart Tour challenges guide.

call of duty: mobile

True to it’s name, Call of Duty: Mobile brings the classic COD experience to the platform, with running, gunning, and a pretty clever auto-fire system that makes the game far more playable on mobile. There’s a reason Call of Duty: Mobile won mobile game of the year at last year’s Game Awards; it is honestly quite an astonishing game. If you fancy some sneaky tactics, give our Call of Duty: Mobile tips guide a look-see.

hearthstone

Perhaps the most popular and well-known card-battler on mobile, Hearthstone sees you build a deck with characters and creatures from the Warcraft universe. You’ll play units using a mana system, and try to create synergies to defeat your opponent, all the while protecting your hero from attacks. It also has an auto chess-inspired mode called Battlegrounds, where you face off against eight other players. If you want to give it a try, have a look at our Hearthstone Battlegounds mobile guide!

pubg mobile

It’s a well known fact that a great deal of people used to play PUBG on PC solely for its hilarious bugs and glitches, so it’s kind of funny that PUBG Mobile is actually a very well put together game, channeling the classic battle royale experience for you and your friends. The game also receives regular updates and content, including new guns and vehicles, such as with the Mad Miramar update recently.

Minecraft: Pocket Edition

A brilliant version of the original, Minecraft: Pocket Edition has everything the main game does, with crafting, huge open worlds, and mobs of creatures roaming the landscape. It’s the perfect place to hang out with friends, explore, and build all sorts of weird things together. It’s so popular in fact that some people choose to play Minecraft: Pocket Edition on PC. There’s also an AR Minecraft game called Minecraft Earth, if any of you fancy heading out into the wild blue yonder once this has all passed.

Pokémon Go

Speaking of AR games, what list would be complete without Pokémon Go? Search for your favourite Pokémon, train them, and battle for control of local gyms, in your bid to catch ’em all, as those darn kids say. Pokémon Go is a wonderful way to get out into the real world and interact with other people. Niantic have even made it easier to play Pokémon Go at home, so there really is no excuse for you not being a Pokémon master yet.

Gwent

Otherwise known at The Witcher Card Game, Gwent is a spin-off of the card-battler from the absurdly popular game, The Witcher 3. Combining lore from The Witcher book series, and characters from the games, Gwent creates a card-battling experience that any Witcher fan will get a kick out of. It’s also a great deck-builder in its own right, with excellent monetisation, and pretty decent balancing. Check out our Gwent review if you don’t believe us! Also psst, you want some tips to beat your opponents? Cast your gaze upon our Gwent guide.

Fortnite

The one, the only, Fortnite. The world-famous battle royale is on mobile, complete with elaborate cosmetics, a shed-load of guns, and more dance emotes than you could ever hope to master in real life. Whether battle royale is your thing or not, Fornite is a free-to-play shooter of great quality, with plenty of players to fight against, and a fair bit of fun to be had. If you want tips to get started, see our guide on how to play Fornite on Android.

Asphalt 9: Legends

Bringing the shiny realism of popular racing games to mobile, Asphalt 9: Legends is an impressive car game. The auto-drive system makes it easier to play on mobile, but with controller support, you can also take the wheel and drive just like any other racing game. It also has pretty cool collisions, car customisation, and plenty of nitro for boosting fun; perfect for burning rubber with your buddies.

clash of clans

As one of the most popular strategy games ever conceived on mobile, Clash of Clans revolves around building up a town and an army, then repelling invaders in a tower defence-esque game mode. Clash also still has a fairly active multiplayer scene, with plenty of clans to join, and conflicts raging across the globe. Pretty impressive when you consider the game was released eight years ago.

VainGlory

The MOBA genre is very popular on mobile, and while League of Legends: Wild Rift is set to release this year, there are already plenty of popular iterations on the platform. Vainglory is one such MOBA, where you choose your champion and battle in a range of competitive experiences, from five vs. five, to fast and deadly brawls. Vainglory is also free-to-play, so you and your friends can enjoy it whenever you want.

shadowgun Legends

Calling Shadowgun Legends the Destiny of mobile would be inaccurate in some ways, but it gives you a pretty good idea of what the game is about. In this first-person shooter, you play as an elite band of warriors called the Shadowguns, who are the last line of defence against invading alien threats. It’s also free-to-play, so well worth a look if you enjoy FPSs.

brawl stars

Supercell’s popular arena battler, Brawl Stars, is a great deal of fun, with straightforward combat and a sleek control system. Choose your hero and fight in pairs, or by yourself, in a variety of different modes, from sports-themed matches to classic last man standing face-offs. Brawl Stars is also free, and has excellent monetisation.

Riptide GP: Renegade

Maybe instead of racing cars, you and your friends prefer water sports? If that is the case, you’ll want to give Riptide GP: Vengeance a try. This crazy, part jet-skiing, part daredevil game, has you racing around a track on a customised jet-ski, completing death-defying stunts in order to outdo your opponents. It’s also got excellent multiplayer, so is worthy of a lap or three.

black desert Mobile

Ever fancy adventuring in an online fantasy world with your friends? That’s pretty much what MMORPGs were created for, and Black Desert Mobile is just one of quite a few fantastic ports from PC versions of MMORPGs. The game is both great-looking and free, meaning there’s a whole world of adventure just waiting for you and your compatriots to explore.

Legends of runeterra

Riot Games’ card-battler, Legends of Runeterra only recently came to mobile, but it’s already left a big impression, with inventive mechanics, and a huge number of cards and Champions to choose from. It’s also another example of a free card-battler with a reasonable crop of starter decks, easily enough for you to face off against a friend. Check out our Legends of Runeterra review if you want to hear more! Or see our Legends of Runeterra tier list if you need help choosing Champions.

mobile legends

As another of the great arena-battlers currently on the platform, Mobile Legends channels the classic MOBA experience, with a healthy crop of heroes to play as, and plenty of in-game upgrades to build stats during play. Mobile Legends is another free-to-play also, but features a trial system, allowing you to give some heroes a go before you decide to get them. If you want some help picking heroes, check out our Mobile Legends tier list!

clash royale

A sequel to the classic strategy game Clash of Clans, Clash Royale changes up the formula from tower defence to short, intense matches between players, utilising elements of card-battler and arena games. It’s also got a very active multiplayer scene, letting you battle with players from across the globe to rise in the rankings and earn rewards. And once again, it’s also free.

Kartrider Rush+

As a mobile port of the successful Kartrider series, Kartrider Rush+ brings fast-paced multiplayer racing to the table, along with all of your favourite racer accoutrements. These include cosmetics, car customisation, and a trunk-load of game modes. Like Mario Kart Tour, Rush is another free-to-play racing game, so easy to pick up and play with zero commitment. Check out our Kartider Rush review if you want to find out more!

teamfight tactics

Inspired by Dota auto chess and its associated games like Dota: Underlords, and Hearthstone Battlegrounds, Teamfight Tactics brings the eight vs. eight battle mode to the League of Legends universe. This turn based strategy game sees you build a roster of champions who must then battle in the arena, testing whose army is the best. It’s an imaginative game mode, but most of all, it’s free.

runescape mobile

Many of you might remember playing Runescape when you were younger, but it kept going, kept improving itself, and has now made the move to mobile. Form a band of adventurers with your friends and go complete quests or face foes in co-op combat. Runescape Mobile may currently be in testflight on iOS and early access on mobile, but now is as good a time as ever to hop on the adventure train.

garena free fire

As we reported recently, Garena Free Fire has hit 80 million users, and that’s pretty impressive, but if anything it should give you an indication of how fun the game is. In a similar vein to Fortnite, you drop into an island where you must survive against 49 other players, scrounging what you can, and making your stand. But it’s also lots of fun to play in a squad with your friends.

old school runescape

This game is perfect for those of you who want the unadulterated nostalgia trip of descending back into ye olde world of Runescape, complete with pixelated models and those weirdly squeaky combat sounds. Old School Runescape is a trip down memory lane, perfect for friends who you might have played the game with in its original iteration. It’s also still a pretty decent MMORPG in its own right, with fun quests, and a real quirky vibe.