Nick Fernandez / Android Authority
2025 was a crazy year for mobile games, with new releases offering console-quality experiences for the first time. With the Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset offering incredible performance in the year’s flagship phones, it’s great to see games finally take advantage of all that power.
We also saw a few great lightweight mobile games released in 2025, although again, they were mostly ports. The Steam Frame hasn’t even been released yet, and we’re already seeing a blurring of the lines between Android games and PC games, and that trend is set to continue in the new year.
With all that said, here’s a list of all of my favorite mobile games that dropped in 2025 that you might want to pick up before all the new games of 2026 start to grab headlines. Note that the list isn’t in any particular order, since it covers a variety of genres and price points (including several that are free). The majority have full controller support, so they’re also great for Android gaming handhelds.
What is your favorite new mobile game of 2025? 16 votes Red Dead Redemption 19 % Subnautica 25 % Persona 5: The Phantom X 19 % DREDGE 19 % Where Winds Meet 6 % Cassette Beasts 0 % Destiny: Rising 0 % Enter the Gungeon/Exit the Gungeon 0 % Umamusume 6 % Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown 6 % Other (leave a comment) 0 %
Red Dead Redemption
Our first pick needs no introduction. Rockstar Games’ Red Dead Redemption was a massive hit when it dropped in 2010 on the PS3 and Xbox 360, and now you can play the full game on your smartphone. What a time to be alive!
In case you have been living under a rock for the past two decades, Red Dead Redemption is an open-world action game set in the Wild West. It somehow succeeds in converting the Grand Theft Auto gameplay that put Rockstar on the map with an immersive cowboy narrative that will stick with you well after the credits roll. Or you can just play the game as a sandbox, riding around on your horse, hunting bounties, and navigating random world events.
The Android release features the full game and the zombified Undead Nightmare expansion, but it isn’t cheap. The game costs an eye-watering $40 to buy outright, but it’s included for free with a Netflix subscription, which is an incredible deal to experience this game.
Subnautica
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