The best mobile "forever games"
The idea of the “forever game” is a compelling one in general, but especially so on mobile. Being able to fire up the same game over and over again on your phone or tablet and be treated to new experiences and things to do each time is close to—if not the pinnacle—of mobile gaming. So, without further ado, see below for some of the best forever games on mobile:
Motorsport Manager Mobile 2
What is it?
This management game puts you in control of a Formula 1-style racing franchise. You manage almost everything involved in this process, including the drivers you hire, the sponsorship deals you take, the R&D of your cars, and even when drivers should take a pit stop mid-race.
What makes it a forever game?
The beauty of Motorsport Manager Mobile 2 is that it contains just enough variables to ensure the racing landscape is always changing. Even if you’re many years deep into the game’s career mode, you have to contend with different drivers, unexpected financial predicaments, and, of course, all of the other race teams that are trying to beat you.
Who’s it for?
Anyone who like management sims. Even if you aren’t into racing, Motorsport Manager 2 has a great set of mechanics under its hood that almost guarantees you’ll be playing it for a long time.
Read our Motorsport Manager Mobile 2 review
XCOM: Enemy Within
What is it?
If you haven’t played an XCOM game yet, do yourself a favor and pick this one up already. Not only is it a full port of Firaxis’ reboot of a classic tactics franchise, but you can play it anywhere you like on your phone or tablet. This game has you controlling a specialized squad of soldiers in turn-based combat as they try to fight off dangerous alien invaders.
What makes it a forever game?
Although XCOM follows a set storyline, no two playthroughs are alike. The missions you are given will shift, and your overall strategy will have to adapt. On top of this, the brutal and unforgiving nature of XCOM can also take your best soldiers away from you extremely easily, even if you’re being careful. If that isn’t enough, this mobile version includes additional options that can change the game’s economy or even give weapons more varying damage rates.
Who’s it for?
People who looking for a hefty challenge and aren’t afraid to roll the dice. XCOM provides a ton of depth and challenge in both its tactics and strategy gameplay layers. Even if you master these systems though, things still might not go your way.
Read our XCOM: Enemy Within review
Invisible, Inc.
What is it?
Invisible, Inc. is Klei Entertainments tactics series that’s generally overshadowed by another one of Klei’s titles: Don’t Starve. Although it may not be quite as popular, Invisible, Inc. is an incredible stealth tactics game set in a cyberpunk universe. You start the game with your crew basically on its last legs, and you rebuild by infiltrating megacorp facilities and hacking them for all they’re worth, all while trying to stay as silent as possible.
What makes it a forever game?
Put simply, Invisible, Inc. is a run-based game. All of its missions and locations are procedurally-generated, as are the items, teammates, and powerups you run across. You can never depend on a single strategy for success in Invisible, Inc. because the game might not give you what you want to execute on your vision. Instead, you have to challenge yourself to make do with what each run gives you.
Who’s it for?
If you prefer a tactics game where your squad never lets you down, Invisible, Inc.’s got you covered. Although it may seem similar to XCOM mechanically, Invisible, Inc. only uses chance when creating its worlds, but your characters never miss or fail randomly.
Read our Invisible, Inc. review
Death Road to Canada
What is it?
This game feels like someone mixed Oregon Trail with a zombie survival game. Your goal is to escape the United States to Canada, where (of course) there are no zombies to speak of. You do this by hopping from location to location, scavenging for gas, survivors, and other necessities, all while fighting off hordes of zombies.
What makes it a forever game?
You’ll likely fail the first time you try to get to Canada. Also, you’ll probably fail your second, third, and fourth attempts. Death Road to Canada is extremely difficult and unforgiving, but that’s ok. Losing doesn’t feel too bad because the game is full of procedurally generated goofy characters and absurd situations that make your journeys feel unique and satisfying, even when they’re cut short.
Who’s it for?
If you’ve been waiting for a more action-oriented forever game to grace this list, Death Road to Canada is it. Although there is some light menu management, the bulk of this game gives you direct control over your characters while you’re looting areas, letting you go ham on zombies with pipes, guns, or whatever other items you find while on your trip.
Read our Death Road to Canada review
Steredenn
What is it?
Steredenn is a shmup that oozes attitude. The idea behind it is very simple, you control a space ship and shoot everything in your way until you die. Along the way, you’ll get cool powerups, like high-powered plasma guns or the ability to make a huge saw surround your ship. All the while, an awesome metal soundtrack shreds away in the background.
What makes it a forever game?
This game is perhaps the truest forever game on the list. You can actually play Steredenn forever. You fight a wave, the fight a boss, and repeat until you die. The game never gives you the same levels, and all of the powerups that you get from enemies and bosses is random. Steredenn also has a Daily Run mode, which gives you a new way to compete against other players for a high score each and every day.
Who’s it for?
Anyone who wants a more arcade-style forever game. Steredenn feels like and endless form of Gradius, but with a lot more electric guitars.
Pocket Run Pool
What is it?
Zach Gage’s latest release, Pocket Run Pool, presents some pretty casual billiards, but then puts this basic gameplay into some pretty compelling modes. In addition to simply trying to clear a table, the game sports things like a High Stakes Mode, which adds modified rules to your play, or the Insta-Tournament, which involves trying to outscore other players on a given table multiple times a day.
What makes it a forever game?
Most of Zach Gage’s game could probably be considered forever games, but Pocket Run Pool feels like it earns the title more than Typeshift or FlipFlop Solitaire. Specifically, the Insta-Tournament and High Stakes Modes constantly challenge your ability to clear a pool table in new ways or under different conditions. It’s actually kind of astounding how such a simple game can have such a high skill ceiling.
Who’s it for?
For the more casual player who wants something they could play occasionally without having to worry about running out of content. Pocket Run Pool promises near infinite replayability, regardless of whether you play it constantly every day or just a few times a month.
Read our Pocket Run Pool review
Disc Drivin’ 2
What is it?
Disc Drivin’ 2 is a racing game, but not the kind you’d expect. Instead of racing cars, you’re pushing discs down a track. It might help to think of it like shuffle board, except your goal is to push your disc further than your opponents on enough turns to complete three laps of a race track.
What makes it a forever game?
As a multiplayer game, Disc Drivin’ 2 provides near limitless replayability. Yes, the tracks stay the same and there’s only so many abilities to unlock, but no two races against other players will go the same way. Depending on which power ups everyone chooses, you may find yourself having to rely on different strategies than you’re used to to win.
Who’s it for?
Someone who is looking for some multiplayer action that they don’t have to dedicate much time to. Disc Drivin’ 2 is an asynchronous game, so you can check in on it at your leisure, as catching up on existing games takes just a minute or two.
Read our Disc Drivin' 2 review
Rebuild 3: The Gangs of Deadsville
What is it?
Have you ever wished Civilization had more zombies in it? If so, Rebuild 3: Gangs of Deadsville might be right up your alley. This game is a management game set in the zombie apocalypse, but with a slightly different tact than other games like it. Instead of hanging on for dear life, Rebuild 3 has you revitalizing areas that were overrun with zombies and creating working societies out of them.
What makes it a forever game?
Rebuild 3 does have its own story mode, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have no interest in playing it once you’ve completed it. This game layers on tons of systems and combines them in new and interesting ways each time you play, so you’ll always have a different set of survivors to work with in towns with different problems.
Who’s it for?
Anyone who is looking for a more unique zombie survival experience, or someone who wants to play Civilization on the go without having to deal with the massively unwieldy Civilization VI mobile port.