When people talk about mobile games, the first thing to come to mind is freemium experiences that are littered with progression halters and microtransactions that are meant to entice as many people as possible to blow a ton of money on these games. It's an understandable business practice because of just how profitable this can be, but there are times when players get annoyed at how aggressive these in-app purchases can become.
However, not all mobile games deserve to be lumped into the same category. After all, there are certain titles that prefer selling for a fixed price without any microtransactions whatsoever, which is a rarity in gaming. Players who want to check out an action game on mobile phones by just paying a flat fee will be more than surprised by the wealth of amazing choices at their behest.
7 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
San Andreas is one of the greatest open-world games ever made, with the story of CJ being riveting from start to end. After being betrayed by the people he thought were his closest allies, the protagonist embarks on a quest for revenge as he strives to save his brother and regain his former life back.
While the Definitive Edition has been met with its fair share of criticism, people can still check out the magic of the original by downloading GTA: San Andreas on their mobile phones. The controls can be a bit finicky, but players who look past these issues will find themselves enjoying one of the best action-packed video games ever made.
6 Dead Cells
The controversy surrounding Dead Cells inadvertently helped market this title quite a bit, and this was a pretty good thing in hindsight. After all, Dead Cells is an excellent roguelike action game where players need fast reflexes and skill to overcome their obstacles.
While the idea of playing this game using touch controls can seem a bit finicky, most people will get used to this control scheme after a point. Of course, players can always connect a controller to their phones if they require button feedback.
5 Brotato
Players who want to get a massive adrenaline rush while wielding a multitude of weapons and absolutely destroying their enemies will get a kick out of playing Brotato. It's hard to imagine that a game where players control a potato is somehow one of the most engaging action games to come out in recent times, but Brotato's engaging gameplay loop more than makes it worth checking out.
Players will be constantly hounded by their enemies, making it important to avoid any unnecessary damage while dishing out as much pain as possible. This balancing act is easy to nail down but hard to master, and the roguelike roots of this title lead to pretty high levels of replayability.
4 Castlevania: Symphony Of The Night
The idea of playing one of the most legendary video games of all time on a device that fits in a player's pocket is hard to fathom, but that's how far technology has evolved in recent times. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night integrated many RPG elements into the series for the first time, and the end result was an immensely successful title that is responsible for coining the name of an entire genre!
Symphony of the Night is an incredible game that still holds up to this day, and players will love stepping into Alucard's shoes and slicing up his enemies in style. There are very few flaws in this amazing experience, and the gameplay translates decently well on mobile, although a controller is always recommended.
3 Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is an excellent action-adventure game set in a unique world where players have to hunt down bounties, with the end goal being to save up for a mysterious operation. The weapons are wacky and the level design is engaging enough to keep players interested for the long haul.
A unique part of Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath is that players use ammunition in the form of actual living creatures, which makes for a system that is both amusing and tactical at the same time. The game isn't extremely challenging either, meaning that players don't have to worry too much about having the perfect aim on a device where pinpoint precision can be a bit of an issue.
2 Retro City Rampage DX
Players who loved the classic GTA games and want to play something in the same vein will love what Retro City Rampage brings to the table. It's a retro-styled open-world title where players are encouraged to cause as much mayhem and destruction as possible.
The missions in the game are action-packed and quite entertaining, with the references to gaming's golden era being numerous and hilarious. Players who want to play through a mindless indie open-world game will find Retro City Rampage to be right up their alley.
1 Titan Quest
Players who love classic hack-and-slash gameplay will have an absolute blast while playing Titan Quest, a game steeped in mythology where players are tasked with exploring many historic lands and taking out the Titans that are wreaking havoc in these areas. The game may not bring anything new to the table, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
As long as simplicity isn't viewed as a bad thing, people will love the many things Titan Quest gets right. Combat feels great and unleashing abilities is extremely satisfying.