Multiplayer online battle arena. That’s the definition offered by Wikipedia for one of the most popular genres in recent years. MOBA games are staying on top in terms of popularity, and the arrival of League of Legends to the Android ecosystem made it even greater. Although other genres are always trying to throw their hats into the ring in order to dominate the world of mobile video games, there’s no doubt that MOBAs still come out on top. That’s why we’ve decided to dedicate a few lines to the best MOBA games available on Android.
Battles lasting 25 minutes or longer, between two teams of 5 on 5. This could be the generic definition of MOBA games, although fans of the genre know that there’s much more to the story than this. The heroes in each one of the games that we list here are the real kings of the trade and mastering them is the key to win. Well, there’s another thing. The real key to victory lies in the team. A well-balanced group will be hard to defeat, no matter how well the 5 members of the opposite team play. Okay, that’s a little bit of a lie, too. There’s actually another crucial aspect to winning: patience. Patience to look at the time after a while and maintain your focus on not dying too much. Sweet, sweet patience.
If you can keep your cool while playing a MOBA, then half the battle is won. That, and recognition from the rest of the people on your team. The extreme duration of many of the rounds is a hard pill to swallow for the mobile world, since the battles lasting more than 30 minutes can end up leaving your fingers numb. There are game modes that have tried to lighten the load, so to speak, but it’s not the same. Luckily, this hasn’t prevented MOBA from continuing to be one of the most-played genres. And that’s considering the fact that in recent years, we’ve witnessed the births of Battle Royales and Auto Chess. A movement that’s begun to tip the scales a bit. But we’re not here today to talk about the umpteenth clone of PUBG Mobile or the subgenre that spawned directly from MOBA games. It’s time to choose between one of the three lanes and start attacking enemy towers. So let’s get to it.
League of Legends: Wild Rift
It was a long time coming, but the moment finally arrived. The king of MOBAs landed at the end of 2020 on Android to unleash its potential and bring together millions of players worldwide. In the blink of an eye, Riot’s title was completely redesigned to offer an experience fully adapted to mobile devices. With almost fifty different champions, some of them legendary, we will enter into games of shorter duration than those of the original version. This, however, does not affect the excitement at all, and we’ll still be able to demonstrate our potential in each 5v5 battle. [Download]
Lokapala
The first MOBA developed entirely in Indonesia immerses us in a universe inspired by the culture and history of this country. Following the line of 5v5 battles, you will be able to participate in dynamic confrontations in which you will try to leverage all the potential of the heroes, or “Ksatriyas”. Each one of these Lokapala characters has unique skills, inspired by Hinduism and the Indonesian essence to give the title its own personality. [Download]
Pokémon UNITE
We are used to the Pokémon franchise sneaking into many of the charts of various genres. In this case, we talk about Pokémon UNITE, a great MOBA starring the well-known beings that will team up in teams of five to fight. By means of well-designed 3D visuals, you’ll be controlling the movements of Pikachu and others to conquer all the enemy bases. Moreover, you’ll encounter dozens of “pokéballs” that you’ll also have to slip into each rival’s area. [Download]
Brawl Stars
One of the best MOBA games that continues to triumph among Android users. Supercell found the key to creating an attractive title that dazzles players of all ages. The large number of characters that you can use in the arena increases every week, each of them with the most peculiar physical features. There is no doubt that Brawl Stars is one of those games that provide a lot of fun from the very start. Its amazingly intuitive control system makes it easy to perform dynamic assaults, thus captivating you as to play a little longer. [Download]
Heroes Strike
Here’s a peculiar MOBA that is actually a mix between Brawl Stars and League of Legends. In Heroes Strike you will unlock different characters with distinctive skills to attack the enemies. And you’ll do so alongside three other teammates that will help you destroy each opponent. Time will play against you, as the team that defeats the most enemies in each fight wins. So you better hurry! Get ready to discover new heroes and enjoy adrenaline-fueled gameplays. [Download]
Battle Rivals
Destroying the enemy base in frenetic 3v3 assaults of about ten minutes is the premise behind Battle Rivals. As usual, in this MOBA it will also be crucial to create synergies with the rest of your teammates in order to win. Approaching the enemy zone while defending your team’s will require a lot of effort, using the best attacks at the right moment. In addition, you will encounter a variety of characters that you will discover, analyze and integrate into your team as the games go by. [Download]
Heroes of Order and Chaos
Gameloft brings us a LoL-inspired MOBA in which you will be part of exciting online battles against players from all over the world. The great variety of heroes that you can combine is one of this title’s strengths, which also includes different maps for each type of duel. In fact, the game lets you choose between 3v3 or 6v6 fights to thus adapt the number of warriors to your preferences. [Download]
Vagary
It’s hard to innovate within the MOBA genre without losing the essence. That’s why most games from the genre attempt to make changes in other aspects: visuals, cast of heroes, equipment purchases, etc. That said, these differences tend to be insignificant, since many of the ones listed here are complete clones of LoL, in every way. Vagary doesn’t stray too far from this formula, but at least it dares to use an artistic cartoon design that’s full of color. The title is still in beta, but we’re hoping it’ll come out of its shell soon enough. [Download]
Strike Royale
When we put together a list like this, we try to add some black sheep to the mix that most people may not be familiar with. Strike Royale, previously known as Speedy Gunfire, attempts to shout from each one if its pixels that it’s different, even though the design of its characters is pretty generic and unimpressive. But at least you’re not going to play in 5vs5 rounds. Instead, the duels here are between six players. This makes for shorter battles, although the game has various game modes so that everyone can find one they like best. The 3vs3 mode in Speedy Gunfire will take you to vibrant battlefields where each hero’s death represents an even more painful loss for the whole battle. [Download]
Heroes Evolved
It’s been three years since we began talking about Heroes Evolved, one of the totems of the mobile world that’s now expanded its boarders to computers around the world. This here is the umpteenth clone of LoL that copies the formula to a T: heroes everywhere, classic gameplay, and a community that’s up to par. This last one is a huge plus, considering the high competition that exists in these types of games. Once installed, you can get right down to business, since there are always 9 more people waiting to fight their way to victory. And the latest update brought with it a new Auto Chess mode. Here’s to making sure we don’t miss a single new feature from this success from Riot Games. [Download]
Extraordinary Ones
The arrival of Extraordinary Ones to the west has been excellent. Not only because it’s an incredibly high-quality game, but because this way we won’t get lost in the many versions of the game that exist. Because this title was released separately for Taiwan, China, and Japan. Not only this, but there have been custom campaigns according to the market, like the arrival of Saitama as a playable character in the Japanese version. But that’s enough formalities for now. The fact of the matter is that Extraordinary Ones is an excellent MOBA. Its visual anime style makes us cry for joy, as we say goodbye to the repetitious style of characters from League of Legends. We’d love to see more unique games, even if it’s only in the visuals, we’ve had enough copies to last us a lifetime. [Download]
Arena of Valor
What can we say about Arena of Valor that you don’t already know? It’s a total classic that has a huge company like Tencent behind it and a gigantic community of players. One of the originals in the genre for Android, with everything that comes with the territory: constant updates and an immense cast of heroes. It’s improved visually throughout the years, as well as in-game modes: it now has quicker game modes for players who find games lasting 30+ minutes yawn-worthy. And yes, the character balances continue to be better than most of the titles on this list. [Download]
Legend of Ace
Looking at the character design in Legend of Ace makes us doubt if we’re playing LoL, Mobile Legends, or Arena of Valor. We can’t blame this game from FUNCUBE, but instead the bad habit that comes from sticking too close to the original formula. And there’s actually some good thinking behind this idea, since the game is really fun. No, it may not be the most innovative game in the world, but 90% of the titles on this list haven’t broken away from the three original tracks. The good thing is that it’s a well-balanced game with a huge community of players ready to throw down at a moment’s notice. [Download]
Vainglory
Of all the MOBA games for smartphones, Vainglory is the most interesting case of them all. On paper, it appears to be just another clone of LoL, but the game stands out from its competitors with an unusually excellent fluidity for mobile devices and a dark visual style. It’s a title that allows crossplay with other systems, another strength that we can’t forget to mention. It’s probably the closest experience you’d get to play a MOBA with a mouse and keyboard. And all this is using great touch controls that you’ll thoroughly enjoy. Yes, you’ve probably figured out that we’re Team Vainglory. [Download]
MARVEL Super War
Imagine the typical MOBA setting with its jungles and different monsters along the sides of the tracks. Now add Marvel superheroes to the screen, and let the fun begin. MARVEL Super War isn’t officially out yet, but ack in 2019 we had the pleasure of beta testing for Android. And boy did we love it. It’s still a conventional MOBA with skins of Captain America, Thor, Hulk, etc., but the care taken in the characters’ abilities is incredible. [Download]
Mobile Legends
Alright, we know you’ve been waiting for this moment. A list about MOBAs just isn’t complete without Mobile Legends. This timeless MOBA continues to impress, maintaining its position as the number one most played game of all times. The reason for this reign is simple: it’s the most accessible game for all players. The 10-minute time limit per round gives a unique intensity to the genre. Plus, it works on the most mobile devices possible since it’s not too demanding tech-wise. Basically, it was the first MOBA for mobile devices that decided to offer short rounds. And there’s no doubt that this decision has carried it to the top. [Download]
Onmyoji Arena
Although we don’t put the games on this list into a strict order of preference, the game from NetEase is one of the titles that’s closest to our heart. It may not have as huge of a community as the cornerstones of the genre, but Onmyoji Arena is really special. This is because it has the artistic design of the original Onmyoji, infusing it with personality. This artistic mix from the Japanese legends is just too much to handle. In terms of gameplay, it’s the “same old, same old,” although the heroes and their special attacks are more spectacular than ever. And another thing that gets us is that the developers have wisely taken a step back: getting rid of the horrible Pay To Win in order to make it fairer for all players. [Download]
