There was a time, and it was not so long ago, when developers would push out a “mobile version” of a successful console or PC title and it would mean a watered-down, simplified version of the original with less detail and functionality, simplified graphics and so on. That was nobody’s fault, it was simply what the technology of the time would allow, and beside the PC or console game, the port to Android or iOS would be like “gaming lite”.
All that started to really change between 2016, when mobile became the leading platform for games and two years later, when it outsold all other platforms put together. This means mobile has been the platform of choice for a few years now, and developers have at last got used to the idea and its implications.
When mobile is the top choice for buyers, there will be some among them who are prepared to pay a premium – but it has to be for a premium experience and not an afterthought. Here, we have picked out three games that truly deliver and are better on mobile than their original format.
Journey
This atmospheric and visually stunning indie adventure game won a whole host of awards when it was released on PS3. That was 10 years ago, and in 2019, it was ported to iOS. The minimalist landscape works well on a smaller screen and the multiplayer gameplay means you can meet up with friends in this magical landscape any time you like.
The story arc is designed to reflect the stages of life, and developer Jenova Chen once remarked that three of the 25 testers were in tears when they completed the game.
Poker
You might be surprised to see poker on the list and ask can you play poker on your phone? There are actually dozens of poker apps, whether you want to play for fun, or for real money or to sharpen up your game.
They say that poker takes five minutes to learn and a lifetime to master so if you are serious about improving your skills and developing your poker game to a higher standard, then you really need to install at least a couple of poker apps on your phone and maybe even more.
Football Manager
It’s been through dozens of iterations, but at is heart, Football Manager 2023 is not so different to Kevin Toms original vision from 1982. Yes, the detail, complexity and data on which the game operates is exponentially higher, but it still comes down to using your nouse to manage the team, make shrewd decisions regarding signings, make the right team selections on match day and so on.
Once you start a game of Football Manager, you are in for the long haul, so having it right there on your phone for whenever you have a spare moment or two to get a game in makes a whole lot of sense.
