The 5 Best Mobile MOBAs
MOBAs are a game genre that have almost everything working against them. at least on paper. They’re highly competitive and demanding multiplayer games where every player’s performance and abilities matter in determining the outcome of a match. Match lengths are pretty long, too, and if anyone rage-quits, the momentum of a match swings hard in favor of the team with more players.
All of these problems are exacerbated on mobile, where people are used to short play sessions in games they can drop in and out of. This is probably the reason why the turnover of games in this genre is so high on smaller screens. With the release of League of Legends: Wild Rift, we took a look on the App Store to find the best MOBAs that still have active communities. Check out our picks below.
League of Legends: Wild Rift (Free)
Even though it’s a relative newcomer to iOS, League of Legends: Wild Rift has established itself as the mobile MOBA to beat. This comes as no surprise, as Riot Games has been the long-standing steward of the most popular MOBA on PC already, but it’s nice to see a lot of effort going into this streamlined interpretation of League of Legends.
Click here to read some practical tips for League of Legends: Wild Rift
Arena of Valor (Free)
Arena of Valor occupies a strange space on mobile now that League of Legends: Wild Rift exists. It’s an extremely similar game that’s owned by the same parent company, but it has a handful of important differences that might make it the MOBA for you. In general, these changes make for a speedier and lighter experience that don’t require as much micromanagement and upkeep during a match, allowing you to focus more on team fighting.
Click here to read our Arena of Valor review
Pokémon UNITE (Free)
Pokémon UNITE is probably the friendliest mobile MOBA you can dive into, but it departs from genre conventions in many key ways. It feels more sport-like with its use of scoring hoops and timed matches, but it also somehow retains the team-oriented, objective-based gameplay that makes MOBAs so replayable and deep. There might be a time where you feel you need a little more than what this game offers, but it's some of the most immediate fun you can have if you're a newcomer to the genre, and it always feels good to duke things out playing as your favorite Pokémon.
Click here to read our Pokémon UNITE review
Onmyoji Arena (Free)
Onmyoji Arena is a MOBA set in the universe of Onmyoji, a gacha game steeped in Japanese mythology. It’s perhaps most remarkable for presenting a cohesive aesthetic, as most other MOBAs are just a grab bag of character designs from all kinds of different genres. Onmyoji also distinguishes itself in shaking up standard MOBA roles, making for room for some distinct playstyles.
Click here to read more about Onmyoji Arena
Extraordinary Ones (Free)
Extraordinary Ones is a MOBA that aims for general weirdness. You can play as a witch girl who attacks with a frog puppet, a bear wielding a giant alarm clock, or a woman with a giant fan, to name a few of the off-beat character designs. It presents its battles as schoolyard fights that are broadcast on TV, too. It is a wonkier take on the genre, for sure, but a fun one at that.