40 Best Offline Games for Android & iOS in 2023
Mobile gaming has advanced in recent few years, and some of the biggest console and PC titles have their own mobile variants, and some even support cross-platform play between other gaming platforms. However, one thing that has gotten more prominent and more annoying in the recent few years in regards to mobile gaming is the constant need to be connected to the internet. This is mainly due to ads and depends on the type of game, so you can download subsequent levels and updates.
And even though the latter is completely understandable, the former can be quite a drain on your cellular data, which is why most players are giving a wide berth to those types of games. This is why we decided to put together this fresh list of offline games, so you can play on the go with no regard to your internet connectivity.
Editor’s Note: This list was updated in November 2023 and has some new additions. Some of the games were removed from the list due to now requiring internet connectivity.
1. Subway Surfers
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Subway Surfers is the classic time-management game that requires you to dash as fast as possible. There is a lot of grinding involved, and levels are seemingly endless. The game is free but does require you to view occasional ads. Besides that, you can play it completely offline, considering that it requires online connectivity if you want to make an in-game purchase or check out the leaderboards.
2. Word Cookies
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Word Cookies is a classic spelling game but with an extra twist of baking-inspired graphics. It has infinite levels, and the game gets progressively harder, so beware, even if you do have an extensive vocabulary, you might find yourself reaching for cheats! In any case, Word Cookies is free and can be played offline. You pay with ads, however!
3. Clumsy Ninja
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Meet Clumsy Ninja, a hapless touchscreen ninja you can train, throw, and interact with to improve his skills and help him find his missing friend, Kira. Customize his outfits, explore new locations, and experience unique moments with the first-ever use of EUPHORIA simulation technology on touch devices, creating a lifelike character. Clumsy Ninja is free for the most part, and it can be played offline.
4. Guns’n’Glory WW2
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Guns’n’Glory WW2 offers explosive defense action in World War II, allowing players to choose between the Axis or Allies factions, recruit and upgrade troops, and strategically deploy tanks on the Western Front. With 12 challenging maps, an RPG-like skill system, and powerful items, players can experience thrilling battles with earth-shattering explosions and tactical advantages.
5. Townsmen Premium
Availability: Paid + in-app purchases
Townsmen Premium allows players to transform a humble village into a medieval metropolis by developing a thriving economy, managing the daily routines of cute inhabitants, and dealing with various challenges such as bandits, disasters, and economic complexities.
With city-building gameplay, a range of production buildings, military features, and unrestricted sandbox gameplay, players have the freedom to build the city of their dreams in this medieval simulation. Townsmen Premium is a paid app, but this doesn’t unlock all the features that you would otherwise pay for; it only removes the ads, allowing you to play the game offline.
6. Fruit Ninja
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Fruit Ninja is a game that probably anyone with a phone has heard of. The game has three classic game modes—Arcade, Zen, and Classic—players can dodge bombs, achieve high scores, and equip power-ups for an extra boost while also engaging in challenging clashes in Event mode and competing with friends in local multiplayer matches. The game can also be played offline in single-player mode, however you do need internet connectivity for multiplayer and for leaderboards.
7. ZigZag
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
ZigZag is a fairly straightforward puzzle game. Stay on the wall, change the direction of the ball by tapping the screen, and navigate through zigzags without falling off the edges. The best part is, you can play it offline.
8. Ninja Revenge
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Take on the role of an enraged ninja seeking revenge for his wife’s death by eliminating assassins. Experience a true ninja adventure with power-ups, utilities, and numerous missions, all while competing on a global leaderboard, achieving goals, and enjoying a fast-paced, simple control system with support for both HD and SD.
9. Heroes and Castles
Availability: Paid + in-app purchases
In Heroes and Castles, you face an imminent threat from the Undead Horde, Orcs, and Goblins attacking your castle, with the King on the verge of death. Choose from a variety of powerful heroes, summon armies, and engage in seamless 3rd person Action-RPG, Strategy, and Castle Defense gameplay, with features including unique hero abilities, cooperative multiplayer, competitive versus multiplayer, castle building and upgrades, and battles against diverse enemies. The only downside is the game is paid, but this means absolutely no ads and no required internet connectivity.
10. Adventure Beaks
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Embark on an adventurous quest in Adventure Beaks, the unique platformer where you assemble a team of elite Penguin adventurers to explore ancient ruins and exotic lands. With 50 levels, 16 challenging levels, 150 side missions, and 198 clothing items for your penguins, navigate through traps and enemy hoards using simple and responsive touch controls.
11. Mushboom
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Guide Fukko from mundane city life to his wildest dreams by surviving the city, eating mushrooms, and entering his dream world in Mushboom, a blend of classic platformer and endless runner genres. Experience fun gameplay, face various challenges in an interactive world, and embark on a journey with a unique art style, diverse items, tools, characters, and over 100 missions to accomplish in different themes.
12. Rocket Craze
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Rocket Craze allows you to construct and launch your rocket into space, aiming to reach the Moon and compete for the best time with friends. Upgrade your rocket’s components, including the engine, wings, and fuel tank, using collected coins to enhance maneuverability and strategic skills, crucial for multiple successful landings on the Moon’s surface and achieving dominance.
13. BADLAND
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Explore the enchanting but mysteriously troubled forest in BADLAND, an award-winning side-scrolling action adventure platformer. With innovative physics-based gameplay, atmospheric graphics, and a local multiplayer mode for up to four players, the game offers a unique experience as you navigate imaginative traps and obstacles, surviving in both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes.
14. The Secret Society: Mystery
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Embark on a free hidden object mobile adventure in The Secret Society, solving puzzles, finding clues, and exploring your uncle’s mysterious mansion. Immerse yourself in a captivating story with unexpected plot twists, enjoy various game modes, and uncover hidden treasures in this magical world of mystery and puzzles.
15. Temple Run
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Temple Run is yet another classic on this list. Escape Evil Demon Monkeys after stealing a cursed idol from the temple. Swipe to turn, jump, and slide, testing your reflexes on ancient temple walls, collecting coins, unlocking characters, and navigating booby traps in a thrilling adventure to see how far you can run and beat your friends’ high scores. The game is offline but requires the Internet to access some features, including in-app purchases.
16. Hitman GO
Availability: Paid + in-app purchases
Hitman GO is a turn-based puzzle game that strategically navigates diorama-style set pieces to avoid enemies, take out targets, and infiltrate well-guarded locations. With challenging puzzles, beautiful scale model visuals, and the inclusion of iconic Hitman tools like disguises, distractions, and sniper rifles, players experience various ways to complete levels while testing their assassination skills. The only downside is that it’s a paid app and quite pricy at that.
17. Monster Dash
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
In Monster Dash, the classic resurrected game by the creators of Jetpack Joyride and Fruit Ninja, join Barry Steakfries in an action-packed adventure with simple controls and powerful weapons to run, gun, and blast through hordes of zombies, vampires, and more. Enjoy uninterrupted gameplay without ads or in-app purchases, explore five exotic worlds, defeat unique enemies, and discover 62 hidden awards and accolades in this nostalgic monster-slaying experience.
18. Dumb Ways to Die 2: The Games
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Dumb Ways to Die 2: The Games, a sequel to the massively successful Dumb Ways to Die, introduces fresh levels, challenges, leaderboards, and new characters, taking the world by storm with a cheeky and fun approach to delivering a train safety message.
19. Smash Hit
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Embark on a surreal journey through a futuristic dimension in Smash Hit, where you must move in harmony with sound and music, smashing obstacles and targets to experience the best destruction physics on mobile devices. With musically synchronized gameplay, over 50 different rooms, and realistic glass breaking mechanics, the game offers a cost-free, ad-free experience, with an optional premium upgrade for additional features like new game modes, cloud save, detailed statistics, and the ability to continue from checkpoints.
20. Monument Valley
Availability: Paid + in-app purchases
Embark on a surreal exploration in Monument Valley, where you manipulate impossible architecture to guide the silent princess, Ida, through a stunningly beautiful world filled with mysterious monuments and optical illusions. With inspired minimalist 3D design, easy-to-use controls, and a surreal soundscape, Monument Valley offers a unique, hand-crafted experience, praised for its brilliance and gorgeous aesthetics.
21. Colossatron
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
In Colossatron, unleash the power of a unique Match 3 and Snake gameplay fusion, allowing you to build a destructive machine by merging colored power-ups to create new and more powerful weapons. With a chaotic campaign spanning seven continents, epic boss fights, devastating weaponry, and intense survival challenges, master the art of building Colossatron to take down formidable foes in a furious fight for survival.
22. SoulCraft: Action RPG
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
SoulCraft is a free action roleplaying game for Android where you play as an Angel Hero fighting against demons and humans to rid the world of evil. With hack’n’slash dungeon crawling, real locations like Venice and New York, and various game modes, SoulCraft offers an engaging gameplay experience featuring graphics that have remained decent even after a decade of existence.
23. My Little Pony: Magic Princess
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
In this official free game based on the MLP TV show, players join Twilight Sparkle and friends like Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy to save the day for all the horses in Equestria. With over 300 characters, the game offers quests, mini-games, and the opportunity to beautify the MLP town with cute houses and decorations while interacting with the official voice talent from the show.
24. PBA® Bowling Challenge
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
In PBA Bowling Challenge, players rise through the ranks to compete against 24 of the PBA’s best bowlers, participating in regional and national championships. The game features multiplayer, quickplay, and career modes, offering realistic 3D bowling graphics, a variety of PBA tournaments, and the chance to bowl against bowling legends. Players can use different bowling balls, compete in online multiplayer matches, and tackle bonus challenges in tournaments.
25. Final Fantasy IV (3D Remake)
Availability: Paid + in-app purchases
The fourth installment in the Final Fantasy series, Final Fantasy IV, originally released in 1991, is known for its unique characters and dramatic storylines. It introduced the Active Time Battle (ATB) system and the Augment system, allowing the transfer of abilities between characters. The game features voice acting for event scenes, emotional character portrayals, a new mapping feature, and a jukebox for players to enjoy the game’s music anytime.
26. Minecraft
Availability: Paid + in-app purchases
I believe that Minecraft needs no introduction since it’s one of the most played games in the world, and it’s only getting stronger. In any case, you can play Minecraft on your phone offline; the only feature that requires an internet connection is multiplayer mode and in-app purchases that are in no way mandatory. However, you will have to pay for the game initially, just like when it comes to console and PC editions of the game.
27. Terraria
Availability: Paid
Terraria is a pretty famous “Minecraft clone,” and it’s a good and cheaper alternative for the aforementioned game. The good news about Terraria is, even though the game is paid, there are no hidden in-app purchases whatsoever and the game can completely be played offline.
28. LIMBO
Availability: Paid
Limbo is an award-winning indie adventure known for its captivating puzzle design, immersive sound, and visuals. The game’s dark, misty spaces and haunting narrative leave a lasting impression on players. I initially played LIMBO on PC, and even though I’m not a fan of adventure puzzles, LIMBO is surprisingly good when you take into account its minimalistic approach. The game is paid, but just like with Terraria, once you buy it, that’s it, no ads, no additional purchases, and no internet connection.
29. Plants vs. Zombies™ 2
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Plants vs. Zombie also needs no introduction. It’s one of the most popular action-strategy games of all time. The good news is that it’s completely free. Bad news is that you will have to bear through some ads.
30. Sorcery! 2
Availability: Paid
“Sorcery 2” is an interactive fiction adventure set in the perilous city of Kharé, known for its thieves and murderers. With a fully interactive story, hand-drawn 3D city maps, and a unique spell-casting system, players navigate through a captivating narrative filled with choices, actions, and strategic combat against various monsters. The game boasts over 300,000 words, 10,000 choices, and an expansive world where every decision is remembered.
31. Flow Free
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Flow Free is an addictive puzzle game where players connect matching colors with pipes to create a flow and cover the entire board. With over 2,500 free puzzles, the game offers both Free Play and Time Trial modes, featuring clean, colorful graphics and fun sound effects, catering to a range of gameplay preferences from simple and relaxed to challenging and frenetic.
32. Buttons and Scissors
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Buttons and Scissors is a logic game where players cut off sewing buttons by selecting two or more buttons of the same color on the same horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line. With realistic sewing buttons and scissors, the game offers various levels, including 5×5, 6×5, 6×6, and 7×7, along with features like unlimited undo, HD graphics, tablet support, a leaderboard, saved games, and solutions for levels. The goal is to cut off all buttons from the denim scrap at each level, requiring strategic planning and logical thinking.
33. Plague Inc
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Even if you’ve never played Plague Inc, you’ve probably heard about the game, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic, even though the game is far older than that. It’s a strategic simulation game that challenges players to infect the world and bring about the end of human history by evolving a deadly global plague. Developed by Ndemic Creations, the game combines high strategy with a realistic simulation, allowing players to adapt their pathogen against humanity’s efforts to defend itself. With over four billion games played and half a million 5-star ratings, “Plague Inc.” has received acclaim for its innovative gameplay.
34. Asphalt 8 – Car Racing Game
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Asphalt 8, part of Gameloft’s Asphalt franchise, offers an action-packed racing experience with over 300 licensed cars and motorbikes, competing on 75+ tracks. Players can immerse themselves in high-speed races across diverse landscapes, customize and design their vehicles, showcase unique racing styles, and take the competition to the skies with gravity-defying stunts and maneuvers. The game features luxury cars and motorcycles from renowned manufacturers, allowing players to personalize their avatars and dominate the racetrack in single-player or multiplayer modes.
35. 2048
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
2048″is a number puzzle game where players join numbers to reach the 2048 tile. The game features a 3×3 or 4×4 grid, online leaderboard, automatic saving, and the option to continue playing after reaching 2048. Players can compete globally, track their best score, and enjoy a clear and simple UI. The game is played by sliding tiles in different directions, merging identical numbers when they collide. New tiles with values of 2 or 4 appear randomly on the board after each turn.
36. Freeze!
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Freeze! is an award-winning game where players help an anonymous hero escape a distant planet using rotating, physics-based puzzles. The player uses intuitive touch controls to turn the hero’s cell, faces challenges like lasers and traps, and makes use of the Freeze! button to overcome gravity. The game features gloomy graphics by pop-up designer Jonas Schenk, a sinister soundtrack by Karl Lukas, and offers leaderboards and achievements for competitive play.
37. Ice Age Village
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
A game based on the world-famous ‘Ice Age’ movie series. Embark on a frozen journey in the Ice Age universe where Scrat’s hunt for his favorite acorn accidentally cracks the Earth’s crust. Help build a new home for cute animals like raccoons, sharks, monkeys, dinosaurs, and more, inspired by the Ice Age films. Explore Dino World, play mini-games, and participate in events while joining Sub-Zero Heroes in reuniting the Herd and various animal families.
38. Into the Dead
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Survive the zombie apocalypse in Into the Dead, facing intense gameplay with stunning visuals and sound. Unlock powerful weapons, complete missions, and challenge friends with ongoing updates for new modes and content. Keep moving, stay alive, and do whatever it takes to protect yourself in a world overrun with the Dead.
39. Crystallight Defense HD
Availability: Paid
Defend your kingdom in Crystallight Defense HD, a tower defense game with exciting gameplay and online ratings. Build towers, mix crystals, and use obstacles to defeat evil mechanical creatures in the Campaign mode. Explore 40 unique maps, mix crystals for unique effects, and challenge other defenders in Battle mode with worldwide leaderboards. Upgrade your abilities and strive for high scores in this strategic defense game.
40. Manuganu
Availability: Free with ads and in-app purchases
Experience pure action in Manuganu, a 3D side-scrolling running game where you control the adventurous boy, Manuganu. Navigate through 30 levels with unique designs, mastering platforming actions like double jumping, wall sliding, and more. Use two-button or swipe controls to run, jump, slide, and climb ropes, avoiding obstacles with precise timing. Explore three different environments with full 3D graphics and enjoy the original soundtrack by Tolga YURDABAK in this thrilling running adventure.
Have a game to add to the list? Let us know in the comments below!
