Best RPGs You Can Only Play On Mobile

There are several genres in gaming that are accessible for a whole host of reasons. Role-playing games definitely fall in this category, with this genre being full to the brim with both casual and hardcore RPGs that are absolutely excellent. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that most people fell in love with gaming after they grew invested in a role-playing game that kept them occupied for hours on end.

Of course, not everyone can afford a high-end console to play these games on. However, this isn’t necessary to enjoy RPGs — there are several games players can try out in the palm of their hand as well. In fact, some of these titles are so suited for mobiles that they haven’t even been released for other platforms. Keeping this in mind, here are some of the best RPGs around that can only be played on modern mobile devices.

Updated on April 6, 2024, by Mohsen Baqery: Mobile RPGs have been on the rise, attracting millions of players worldwide. According to Statista, in the first quarter of 2020, mobile RPG games accounted for 12% of the gaming market revenue share in the United States, indicating the genre’s increasing popularity. As of March 2024, this momentum reached a crescendo with the highly anticipated title, AFK Journey, finally hitting the Google Play Store and dominating the top spot. With the release of groundbreaking titles like AFK Journey and mobile-exclusive RPGs such as Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King, this list has been updated with the latest information, featuring the top entries of the genre in 2024.

13 Octopath Traveler: Champions Of The Continent

Google Play Rating: 4.4 / App Store Rating: 4.7

Octopath Traveler is one of the few mainstream modern JRPGs out there, featuring a great 2D-HD art style coupled with excellent combat and awe-inspiring stories. The first game had several flaws, with the lack of connection between the main characters and the self-contained nature of each character’s storyline leading to the overarching narrative feeling weaker than it should’ve. The cliches didn’t help either, and the vast majority of these issues have been addressed in a sequel that many people consider to be one of the greatest JRPGs of all time.

Champions of the Continent seemed like nothing more than a way to cash in on the success of this JRPG, but that isn’t necessarily the case. Its gacha elements aren’t too overbearing and the game’s combat is quite fun. Players who have combed through the two mainline entries and want more Octopath Traveler goodness should definitely check this game out on their phones.

12 Witch Spring 4

Google Play Rating: 4.4 / App Store Rating: 4.7

The Witch Spring series is a set of mobile-only RPGs that are pretty great despite their limited scope. It’s a shame that many people don’t know about this title since this game certainly has a ton of heart despite being somewhat cliched.

Moccamori is a pretty unique protagonist, with this queen having a great character that makes every interaction with her quite engaging indeed. The combat system also does its best to innovate from past games, with the inclusion of magical mediums being pretty innovative.

11 Fantasian

App Store Rating: 4.6

Hironobu Sakaguchi is the brainchild behind the Final Fantasy series, with his multi-million dollar idea saving Square from a tricky financial situation and turning it into the modern gaming powerhouse everyone is familiar with. However, his departure from the company wasn’t really on the best terms, with the disastrous failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within spelling the end of his tenure with the company.

While Sakaguchi did experiment with his fair share of JRPGs, he quickly shifted his interests to mobile gaming and has been working hard in that department ever since. While some people didn’t like the idea of this legend shifting to a supposedly inferior platform, Sakaguchi was unrelenting in his work for the platform… leading to the development and release of Fantasian.

This mobile-exclusive JRPG features an amazing art style, an impressive story, and memorable characters to boot. Players looking for a classic JRPG experience should look no further than Fantasian, although some people argue that its mobile-exclusive status hinders the game from reaching a wider audience.

10 Hero Emblems

App Store Rating: 4.5

Many mobile RPGs tend to be rather gimmicky, with mechanics present in puzzle games integrated into the regular flow of gameplay. However, this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, with Hero Emblems being a great example of how to create a puzzle RPG.

The idea of matching icons in order to deal damage might sound odd, but credit should be given to Hero Emblems for pulling this concept off spectacularly. It makes for one of the better RPGs that players can check out on mobile due to its solid gameplay loop.

9 Battleheart 2

Google Play Rating: 4.3 / App Store Rating: 3.8

The Battleheart series features a host of easy-to-play RPGs that focus on real-time action. The fact that players can either play alone or with co-op is one of the biggest reasons that the series has been such a rampant success on mobile.

Battleheart 2 is a great evolution of the formula that is easily the most accessible title to try out. Given that the stories of these titles don’t really matter, players looking for a good time gaming on their phones or tablets should definitely try out the latest title in the Battlefield series.

8 Final Fantasy Brave Exvius

Google Play Rating: 4.1 / App Store Rating: 4.6

Square Enix has definitely made a name for itself with its foray into mobile gaming time and time again. While most of the news was pretty negative in the early days of these endeavors, Square Enix has recently made more of a structured effort when it comes to breaking into the mobile market with its games.

Their free-to-play titles have been fairly hit-or-miss, but Brave Exvius definitely deserves all the praise it gets. It’s a game that has only gotten better over time. Fans of the series should definitely check it out, just to see what the hype’s all about.

7 Inotia 4

Google Play Rating: 4.5 / App Store Rating: 4.6

Com2uS has made several mobile JRPGs for Android and iOS. Their niche has been present on mobile platforms for a long time, with the Inotia series being one of their biggest successes.

These games are simple yet satisfying to play through, with the combat being engaging enough to keep players occupied all the way to the very end. There’s a bit of thinking required to fight bosses, although players who grind and follow the established rules of an RPG shouldn’t really face any major problems here.

6 Zenonia 5

Google Play Rating: 4.4 / App Store Rating: 4.5

Inotia isn’t the only series that is popular under Com2uS’ name. That honor also goes to the Zenonia series as well, which is excellent in its own right.

The latest title in the Zenonia series is undoubtedly the best place for newcomers to start with this series. It features the most evolved gameplay, and the story is nowhere near hardcore enough to force players into checking out its predecessors.

5 Aralon: Forge And Flame

Google Play Rating: 3.9 / App Store Rating: 3.6

Aralon: Sword And Shadow was a decent title that made the most of smartphone technology to craft an open-world title with decent combat and exploration to boot. To call it a poor man’s Skyrim would be an oversimplification… but, for what it’s worth, it’s not completely wrong.

Aralon: Forge And Flame improved upon this formula in many ways, and allowed players to experience the magic of open-world RPGs in the palm of their hand. It’s a great time sink for players who don’t have the time or hardware to check out the high-end RPGs that are coming out for consoles.

4 The Shadow Sun

Google Play Rating: 4.4 / App Store Rating: 4.8

Players who love the BioWare games will feel right at home with The Shadow Sun. It might not be the biggest or the most interesting game around, but it makes the most of its limited resources to offer an enjoyable experience to its players.

The basic combat and story of The Shadow Sun will be more than enough to keep mobile gamers hooked. It’s genuinely impressive and surprising at times to see the amount of work that the developers put into fleshing out this game’s world.

3 Black Clover M: Rise of the Wizard King

Google Play Rating: 4.6 / App Store Rating: 4.9

• Release Date: August 30, 2023
• Developer: Garena
• Platform: iOS, Android

Developed by Vic Game Studios, Black Clover M draws inspiration from the rich lore of the titular anime to create an immersive RPG universe. It offers turn-based combats with customizable actions and reactions. But what sets Black Clover M apart from its peers is its vast and in-depth character progression system. Players can fully customize their heroes, giving them new gear, class, skill, talent, and buff, creating unique teammates for the battles.

Mobile RPG fans will appreciate Black Clover M’s exciting balance of combat, customization, and campaign, as it comes with a refined battle system, an abundance of cosmetics, and rich lore.

Unlike many other mobile games that downscale their universe to save on file size, Black Clover M offers a sprawling open-world map for exploration. Presented in a Kawaii-style 3D animation distinct from the main gameplay’s art style, this feature brings an extra layer of adventure.

2 One Piece: Bounty Rush

Google Play Rating: 4.3 / App Store Rating: 4.8

• Release Date: March 29, 2018
• Developer: Bandai Namco Entertainment Inc.
• Platform: iOS, Android

Once Piece’s RPG mobile game Bounty Rush may initially appear like a typical Japanese Gacha: Players expend resources to acquire rare heroes who can participate in leagues. As per genre conventions, luck and RNG play a significant role in which heroes they obtain and how they strengthen them.

Nevertheless, Bounty Rush distinguishes itself as a commendable mobile RPG by focusing on gameplay aspects beyond Gacha mechanics. Despite the heavily monetized character collection aspect, fans can enjoy adrenaline-fueled battles, albeit with unbalanced matchmaking.

Upon obtaining the iconic characters from One Piece, players can enhance their combat effectiveness through various means, such as crafting new skills, altering traits, providing booster medals, or maximizing stats. These enhancements offer an advantage in PvP matches, where the main objective is to win a “Capture the Flag” match.

1 AFK Journey

Google Play Rating: 4.8

From the creators of acclaimed titles such as AFK Arena and Rise of Kingdoms, AFK Journey emerges as a groundbreaking addition to the mobile RPG sphere, boasting captivating Gacha mechanics and a compelling narrative. In this expansive adventure, players embody Merlin, the enigmatic Mage grappling with fragmented memories as they unravel the mysteries shrouding their kingdom.

AFK Journey stands out as the epitome of excellence in the mobile RPG landscape, earning its acclaim through several standout features:

• Addictive hybrid gameplay: Seamlessly intertwining RPG, Gacha, and strategy elements, AFK Journey delivers a dynamic and immersive experience, offering refreshing combat, exploration, and progression mechanics.
• Genuine free-to-play formula: Setting a new standard for mobile gaming, AFK Journey allows players to unlock and fully optimize their roster of heroes through organic progression, devoid of the burdensome microtransactions.
• Stunning visuals: AFK Journey has breathtaking graphics that surpass its peers. (Players are encouraged to download the enhanced visuals for optimal immersion.)
• World-class voice actors: In a departure from the norm, AFK Journey features comprehensive voice acting for all cutscenes and main quest interactions, enhancing immersion and storytelling in the mobile RPG genre.