10 Best Mobile Games To Play With Friends Right Now

Single-player games can be great, but they don’t match the social element that gaming with friends gives you. If you’re a gamer who seeks connection with other players — especially on the go — then mobile games are your best bet.

There are so many mobile games, however, that choosing the best one for you to play with your friends can be difficult. You can find everything from lighthearted fun to intense competition in the best mobile games.

To make it easier to choose a new game, we’ve compiled a list of the best 10 mobile games to play with friends below.

Top 10 Mobile Games To Play With Friends

1. Sky: Children of the Light

• Genre: Adventure, indie
• Release date: July 18, 2019
• Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Android, iOS
• Gameplay features: Exploration, emotional storytelling, puzzle-solving
• Developer: Thatgamecompany
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players seeking relaxing, emotional adventures and collaborative exploration

Traverse a magical kingdom and restore fallen stars in Sky: Children of the Light, a thrilling social adventure game where you explore and collaborate with other players. Even though you’re tasked with exploring from the get-go, the journey you take across seven distinct realms always feels compelling and progressive. You will find your character unlocking new abilities as you travel the world solving puzzles either alone or with other players.

If you enjoy emotional, peaceful experiences that focus on collaboration rather than competition, you and your friends will enjoy Sky: Children of the Light. One of the best games on Android to play with friends, it’s frequently updated with new events and content, keeping the game fresh. It also has a welcoming and friendly community.

2. Call of Duty: Mobile

• Genre: Battle royale, first-person shooter (FPS)
• Release date: October 1, 2019
• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Gameplay features: Ranked matches, customizable loadouts, fast-paced combat
• Developer: Activision
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 81/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of fast-paced action and competitive multiplayer shooting games

Call of Duty (COD): Mobile brings the frenetic action and strategy of Call of Duty right to your phone, with surprisingly solid controls despite being on touch screen. COD: Mobile has expanded its modes over the years, even including zombies and battle royale through updates. It’s one of the most popular games in 2024, and for good reason.

COD: Mobile has proven to be one of the best multiplayer mobile games, with millions of active players at any one time. You and your friends can enjoy a free-to-play, constantly updated version of COD that remains more accessible to a group than the main series. 

3. Frostborn

• Genre: Co-op survival MMORPG
• Release date: November 10, 2020
• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Gameplay features: Survival mechanics, base-building, PvE and PvP combat, Viking-themed world
• Developer: Kefir Games
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.4 on App Store
• Best for: Players who enjoy survival RPGs with cooperative and competitive multiplayer elements

If you’re into Viking media and survival games, you’ll love Frostborn! A mobile multiplayer survival RPG, Frostborn tasks you with building your base, crafting weapons, and battling monsters across the lands as you try to build the best base against other players.

Frostborn encapsulates what it means to be a good mobile game, with a mixture of PvP and PvE activities, multiple game aspects to focus on, and a solid community that’s friendly to new players.

4. Among Us

• Genre: Social deduction
• Release date: June 15, 2018
• Platforms: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
• Gameplay features: Social deduction, sabotage, deception-based gameplay
• Developer: Innersloth
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 85/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Groups of friends or online players who enjoy social deduction and quick, strategic thinking

Among Us was a global sensation during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic after it finally picked up steam with gamers. A social deduction title and one of the best mobile games with charming art, relaxed gameplay, and an undertone of hilarity, Among Us offers a distinct and fun experience with your friends.

The guessing game that’s part of Among Us ensures you and your friends remain engaged, thinking about each other’s playstyles and trying to predict each other’s behaviors. The result is a surprisingly cerebral experience that will see you and your friends coming back for more.

5. Mario Kart Tour 

• Genre: Racing
• Release date: September 25, 2019
• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Gameplay features: Arcade racing, character collection, item-based gameplay, special events
• Developer: Nintendo
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 59/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Casual gamers and Mario Kart fans who enjoy fun, fast-paced racing games on mobile

Mario Kart Tour brings the infamous Mario Kart racing experience to your phone with fantastic controls, great graphics, and a friendly community.

If you’re a fan of arcade and casual racing games, then Mario Kart Tour is an excellent choice for you and your friends. The game makes it easy for you to party up with a group and is one of the best online games to play. As you race across the many featured maps, you’ll unlock new characters, karts, gliders, and upgrades.

6. Clash Royale

• Genre: Real-time strategy
• Release date: March 2, 2016
• Platforms: iOS, Android
• Gameplay features: Real-time strategy, card-based battles, tower defense, clan system
• Developer: Supercell
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 86/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Players looking for quick, strategic card-based PvP battles with competitive progression

A real-time strategy (RTS) game that took the world by storm when it was released, Clash Royale builds upon the popular world and characters from Clash of Clans in a new style. Defend your tower, collect the best cards, and head into the arena to defeat other players around the world.

Clash Royale offers 1v1 and 2v2 modes, against AI or other players, allowing you to battle the way you want to as you build up your cards. If you’re wondering which game to play, trying out an established title like Clash Royale is recommended!

7. 8 Ball Pool

• Genre: Sports
• Release date: October 10, 2013
• Platforms: iOS, Android
• Gameplay features: Online multiplayer pool, realistic physics, tournaments, progression, customizable cues
• Developer: Miniclip
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 74/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Pool enthusiasts and casual players looking for competitive online billiards games

8 Ball Pool offers some of the best pool-based gameplay you can find. You can play a mixture of 8 Ball or 9 Ball against AI, random players, or your friends in this cool game.

Battle it out across multiple tournaments and unlock new cues with different stats to find the perfect match for your playstyle. 8 Ball Pool is regularly updated with events and new items to keep gameplay fresh while retaining an authentic digital pool experience.

8. Genshin Impact

• Genre: Action role-playing
• Release date: September 28, 2020
• Platforms: iOS, Android
• Gameplay features: Open world exploration, action RPG combat, character collection (gacha), elemental magic, quests
• Developer: miHoYo
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 81/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Fans of expansive open worlds, character-driven RPGs, and gacha mechanics

A perfect blend of action RPG and gacha, Genshin Impact is a great game to play solo or with friends. You’ll have tons of fun comparing your characters to your buddies, and can even battle against each other between questing together.

Genshin Impact offers a vast world with a gorgeous art style. There are tons of quests and areas to unlock, each with their own set of rewards that contributes to the power of your character. The game’s storyline is centered around finding your missing sibling, with clues uncovered as you travel across Tevyat’s distinct regions. Featuring all of the hallmarks of an action RPG game, Genshin Impact will keep you and your friends coming back for more.

9. Roblox

• Genre: Online game platform (FPS, sandbox, racing, and more)
• Release date: September 1, 2006
• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Gameplay features: User-generated content, endless custom game modes, creation tools
• Developer: Roblox Corporation
• Payment model: Free to play (in-game purchases)
• Rating: 4.5 on App Store, 4.4 on Play Store
• Best for: Players who love creativity, socializing, and exploring a wide variety of user-made games

Roblox is a gaming platform filled with indie games created by other players. You and your friends can find tons of different games made using the Roblox engine and can even collaborate on creating your own game.

With a huge dedicated community, you can meet new friends as you play different creations in a group. Racing games, RPG games, shooter games — plenty of genres are covered in Roblox games, ensuring there’s something for everyone.

10. Minecraft

• Genre: Sandbox
• Release date: November 18, 2011
• Platforms: Android, iOS
• Gameplay features: Sandbox gameplay, building, exploration, survival, crafting
• Developer: Mojang Studios
• Payment model: $6.99
• Rating: 82/100 on Metacritic
• Best for: Creative builders, survival enthusiasts, and fans of open-ended gameplay in procedurally generated worlds

Minecraft is a timeless AAA game to play with friends, as you mine resources, slay monsters, and build as a team. The mobile version of Minecraft is well done, with intuitive controls and the core experience retained from the main version. Minecraft’s art style easily translates over to mobile, offering the familiar therapeutic aesthetic the game is known for right from your own phone.

In Minecraft, you’ll build a base, mine for resources, and survive against dangerous monsters in your very own world. Discover the secrets of the Nether and trade with nearby villagers as you and your friends build a whole world together.

The Best Mobile Games To Play With Friends at a Glance

Looking for the best mobile game for you and your friends to play but don’t have much time? Check out our handy table below:

How To Choose the Best Mobile Games To Play With Friends

There are a few things to consider when choosing the best mobile game to play with your friends:

• Player preferences and interests: Perhaps not everyone in your group has the same preferences for games. Search for a title that matches the interests of everyone in the group as best as possible. Think about factors like art style, mechanics, and time commitment that make a game feel more or less appealing to your group’s individual members.
• Game type and genre suitability: Choose a game that matches the genre and game type that most of your group wants to play. 
• Multiplayer features and player count: Search for a game that has lots of multiplayer features, frequent updates, and an active player base.
• Social interaction and communication options: Find a title that offers ways for you to interact with your friends as well as the wider player base.
• Game balance and progression incentives: Pick a game that offers balanced involvement and power levels between players as well as incentives to progress, giving you and your group something to aim for. The idea is that members of your group can progress at different paces, but you should all be able to cooperate near-equally to have the best experience.

Choose Your Next Game Night Hit

Choosing the next mobile game to play with your friends can be challenging, especially if your group has different tastes. This list compares the best options out there to help narrow down your search.

Find the best mobile game for you and your group.

Multiplayer Mobile Gaming FAQ

What Games Can I Play With My Friends on My Phone?

There are tons of games available for you to play with your friends on your phone, including Call of Duty: Mobile, Minecraft, and Genshin Impact. Generally, most newer titles available on either the App Store or Play Store will be cross-platform and offer online play, making it them highly accessible. 

What’s the Most Fun Game To Play on Your Phone?

Phone games that hold your attention, don’t feel pay-to-win, and offer a compelling gameplay loop that’s regularly kept fresh with new mechanics tend to be the most fun games on mobile. Everything else depends on your taste — for instance, an MMO game may suit you if you’re someone who likes to grind and travel a sprawling open world.

Which Game Is Best for Online Friends?

Games that encourage you and your online friends to work together tend to be the best titles. In recent years, collaborative puzzle titles have been released, intended for two to four player groups.

But remember that what’s “best” to you may be one of your friends’ “worst,” so consider whether everybody in the group wants to play your chosen title. It can often be hard to lock down a title for groups due to conflicting interests, but some of the best gaming nights are just around the corner from that choice of title.