6 unique games my new Android phone wouldn't be complete without
I'm responsible for Android Police's monthly and yearly roundups of the best new games on the Play Store. This means that every month, there is a unique selection of games on my phone, but most of these only hang around for the days or weeks I need to review them.
However, some games have stuck with me for years. I keep them around as they offer practically infinite replayability, or are fantastic ways to fill up the time. While I love it when an RPG takes over my life for a month, you won't find any on this list; our favorite mobile RPGs like Oxenfree 2 and To The Moon don't offer great replayability. So without further ado, let's jump into the games I always have in my pocket.
Old School RuneScape
Old School RuneScape doesn't hold the same obsessive appeal it did for me as a teenager, but it's the best game on mobile to while away a long wait. From boring university classes to long waits at the DMV, Old School RuneScape has always been there to ensure it wasn't a complete waste of time.
There are plenty of casual games designed to fill your time on the Play Store, but in Old School RuneScape, you always feel like you're progressing towards something. I know I'll never actually reach level 99 in any skill, but the faint glimmer of hope makes the most boring moments in my life tolerable. The catch is that you must be online, but you don't need a lightning-fast data connection to play.
ADVENTURE
Price: Free
4.3
Pokémon TCG Pocket
Pokémon TCG Pocket has completely taken over my life since early October 2024. I've completed the dex for each booster pack, and I have a selection of rares and ultra rares I'm ridiculously proud of. I thought that the childlike appeal of ripping open digital booster packs would have faded three months down the line, but if anything I'm more obsessed. When I switched phones earlier this month, I immediately logged in to my Pokémon TCG Pocket account. This way, I wouldn't run the risk of missing the notification of a new booster pack to open.
In the end, what I wrote in my TCG Pocket review holds true, the game nails that classic feeling of collecting Pokémon cards with your friends.
Pokémon TCG Pocket - Card Game
The Pokémon Company
CARD
Price: Free
4.5
Plague Inc.
I can't remember a time when Plague Inc. wasn't installed on my Android phone. I have completed the core game plus DLCs multiple times, yet the appeal of wiping out humanity with a pathogen of my devising has never become boring. It's satisfying, challenging, and replayable.
I've tried out all of Ndemic Creations' games on the Play Store, and while I applaud its creativity of applying the Plague Inc. formula to an insurgency simulation, it doesn't scratch the same itch of engineering my own disease. I've also tried After Inc., but this feels like a poor imitation of Northgard. So while I'm keen to see what Ndemic Creations comes up with in the future, I don't think it will surpass Plague Inc's addictively destructive gameplay.
SIMULATION
Price: Free
4.7
My Boy!
My Boy! isn't a game, but it's the best Game Boy Advance emulator I've used on Android. Now and again I get the urge to whip through Pokémon Emerald, and after testing a variety of emulators on the Play Store, My Boy! is the one that's stuck with me the longest.
Managing emulators and ROMs can be a pain, but My Boy! is simple to use. Place your ROM in a file, select the file from My Boy!, and you're good to go. The app makes it easy to map game buttons to hardware buttons, which is handy for me as I often play with a controller. While I don't open My Boy! as much as other games, it's stood the test of time to be my default choice for enjoying retro games.
ARCADE
Price: $4.99
3.6
Balatro
Balatro took the gaming world by storm when it launched on February 20, 2024, but I only took note when it launched on Android in September 2024. I've played a lot of games on mobile, but Balatro is the most enjoyable roguelike I've installed.
Balatro sticks with me because while I put down most roguelikes after unlocking or completing all the game's content, I'm happy to replay the same levels in Balatro time and time again. It's an impressively replayable roguelike, that has replaced much of the time I would have spent playing video games on my PC or Nintendo Switch.
CARD
Price: $9.99
4.7
NYT Games
It's always good to start your day with a victory, and the various word games offered by the New York Times are the perfect way for this. I think everyone should have a daily challenge game to enjoy with their morning coffee, and for me, it's the NYT Games app.
NYT Games has stuck with me over other daily challenge and word games because of its variety. I'll get bored of Wordle after a month or so, and The Mini crossword isn't innovative enough to keep me hooked for more than a couple of weeks. But after I've rotated through all eight games in the app, I'm ready to give them another go. I could have multiple daily challenge games installed on my phone, but NYT Games has all I need in one place.
NYT Games: Word, Number, Logic
WORD
Price: Free
4.6
Keep your favorite games around, but don't forget to try new ones
You might have just one or two games that stick around on your phone, but it's always a good idea to explore new titles. Regularly exploring new games on the Play Store is how I built this list, but I normally have double this amount stored on my phone at any time as I uncover the best games of the year .
