Plants vs. Zombies, developed by PopCap Games, is one of the most iconic tower defense games on mobile. Released in 2009, the game introduced players to a quirky world where they must defend their home from waves of zombies using an arsenal of plants. Each plant has unique abilities, and players must strategically place them to stop the zombies from reaching their house. The game is known for its humor, cartoony graphics, and easy-to-learn mechanics, making it accessible to players of all ages.

The Room is a mobile puzzle game series developed by Fireproof Games. Known for its innovative use of gesture-based controls, the game features intricate puzzles that players must solve by interacting with objects in a 3D environment. The Room is praised for its atmospheric graphics, tactile controls, and challenging puzzles, creating an immersive experience that has captivated puzzle enthusiasts worldwide. The game starts with players exploring mysterious boxes, using touch gestures to manipulate various components and discover hidden mechanisms.

Pokémon GO, developed by Niantic, was a groundbreaking mobile game that introduced augmented reality (AR) into mainstream gaming. Released in 2016, the game allows players to explore real-world environments while capturing virtual Pokémon that appear through the phone's camera using AR. The game encourages players to walk around their local area to discover and capture Pokemon, battle at gyms, and visit Pokestops to collect items. This use of AR technology made Pokemon GO a cultural phenomenon, appealing to both casual and hardcore Pokemon fans.

PUBG Mobile, the mobile version of the popular battle royale game PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds, was released in 2018. It quickly became one of the most played mobile games worldwide, offering the full battle royale experience on smartphones. The game pits 100 players against each other on a remote island, with the goal of being the last person or team standing. Players must scavenge for weapons, armor, and supplies while staying within an ever-shrinking safe zone to survive.

Fortnite, developed by Epic Games, introduced the concept of battle passes in its mobile version. The battle pass system was revolutionary in its approach, offering players a way to unlock cosmetics and other in-game rewards by playing and leveling up. Unlike traditional DLC models, battle passes keep the game monetized without dividing the player base, as all players can access the same content. Fortnite's battle pass offers various tiers of rewards, with players unlocking these tiers by completing challenges and playing regularly. This has kept players engaged with Fortnite over long periods, as there are always new items to unlock with each season.

Idle games, also known as incremental games, became popular on mobile due to their simple mechanics and addictive nature. In these games, players start with minimal resources and gradually accumulate more over time, often without needing to actively play. Auto Play is a key mechanic in idle games, allowing the game to progress even when the player is offline. This mechanic is often combined with the concept of prestige, where players can reset their progress in exchange for bonuses, allowing for faster progression in the next playthrough.

Monument Valley is a critically acclaimed puzzle game developed by Ustwo Games. Released in 2014, the game gained praise for its artistic design, which draws inspiration from the works of M.C. Escher. In Monument Valley, players guide a princess named Ida through a series of visually stunning, impossible landscapes, using optical illusions and architectural tricks to solve puzzles. The game stands out not only for its visuals but also for its minimalistic approach to storytelling and gameplay, creating a serene and immersive experience.

RollerCoaster Tycoon is a beloved theme park simulation game originally developed by Chris Sawyer and published by Hasbro Interactive. The game allows players to design and manage their own theme parks, including building roller coasters, placing attractions, and managing park finances. The mobile version, RollerCoaster Tycoon Touch, brings the classic gameplay to smartphones with updated graphics and new features. Players can construct custom roller coasters, manage guest's satisfaction, and expand their parks while dealing with challenges like budgeting and maintaining rides.

Supercell is a Finnish mobile game development company founded in 2010, known for creating some of the most successful mobile games in history. The studio rose to prominence with hit titles such as Clash of Clans, Clash Royale, and Brawl Stars. Supercell operates under a 'cell-based' development model, which emphasizes small, independent teams working on different projects. This structure allows for creative freedom and agile decision-making, enabling Supercell to produce games that are both innovative and polished. Clash of Clans, one of their first major successes, is a strategy game where players build their own village, form clans, and attack others to earn resources.

Fortnite, developed by Epic Games, introduced the concept of the battle pass to mobile gaming, revolutionizing how players unlock content. The battle pass allows players to unlock cosmetic rewards by completing challenges and leveling up over the course of a season. The paid tier of the battle pass provides access to exclusive skins, emotes, and other items, while a free version offers a limited set of rewards. This system keeps players engaged throughout the season, encouraging them to play regularly to earn all available rewards.

Free Fire, developed by Garena, is one of the most popular mobile esports titles, particularly in regions such as Southeast Asia and Latin America. Released in 2017, Free Fire quickly gained traction due to its accessible gameplay and low hardware requirements, making it available to a wider audience. The game follows the battle royale format, where 50 players are dropped onto an island and must fight to be the last person standing. The shorter match duration, typically around 10 minutes, makes Free Fire appealing for mobile players looking for quick, action-packed sessions.

Pokemon GO, developed by Niantic, broke records for daily active users shortly after its release in 2016. Combining augmented reality (AR) with the Pokemon franchise, the game encourages players to explore their surroundings to capture virtual Pokemon. The real-world map-based gameplay, which uses GPS, allows players to find and capture Pokemon in their local environment, battle at gyms, and participate in community events. At its peak, Pokemon GO had more than 28 million daily active users in the U.S. alone, contributing to its immense cultural impact.

Minecraft, developed by Mojang, is one of the most iconic sandbox games available on multiple platforms, including mobile. Released in 2011, Minecraft allows players to explore vast, procedurally generated worlds and engage in creative and survival modes. The game's simple block-based graphics hide a deep and complex system of crafting, building, and combat, where players can gather resources, create structures, and fend off enemies like creepers and skeletons. The mobile version, known as Minecraft: Pocket Edition, has been praised for successfully adapting the full Minecraft experience to smartphones and tablets.

Gacha pulls are a popular monetization mechanic in free-to-play mobile RPGs. Inspired by Japanese capsule-toy vending machines, gacha mechanics involve players spending in-game or real-world currency to unlock random characters, items, or abilities. These systems are prevalent in games like Fate/Grand Order and Genshin Impact, where players collect characters or gear to improve their teams. The excitement of gacha lies in the chance to obtain rare or exclusive items, which can give players a significant advantage in the game.

Game of War: Fire Age, developed by Machine Zone, was one of the first mobile massively multiplayer online (MMO) strategy games to popularize kingdom-building mechanics. Released in 2013, the game became known for its complex alliance system, where players could form powerful coalitions to wage war against rival kingdoms. The core gameplay revolves around resource management, city building, and warfare, with players expanding their empire while defending against other player's attacks. Game of War also introduced real-time chat functionality, enabling players to communicate and coordinate with their allies in real-time.

Monster Legends is a mobile game developed by Socialpoint that allows players to collect, breed, and battle various monsters in PvP arenas. The game was released in 2013 and quickly became a favorite among fans of strategy and monster-battling games. Monster Legends combines elements of resource management, breeding, and competitive multiplayer, with players raising monsters and assembling teams to face off against others. Monsters come in various types, such as fire, water, nature, and darkness, each with its own set of strengths and weaknesses.

Auto Chess is a strategy game that pioneered the auto battler genre, initially starting as a custom mod for Dota 2 in 2019 before being adapted into a mobile game. In Auto Chess, players recruit heroes, place them on a chess-like board, and then watch as the heroes automatically battle opponents in rounds. The game emphasizes strategic planning, as players must think about unit placement, synergies between heroes, and managing in-game resources to win. The genre quickly gained popularity, leading to several other auto battler games being developed.

Terraria is a 2D sandbox adventure game that was initially released for PC in 2011, later expanding to mobile platforms in 2013. The game is known for its pixel art graphics and vast world filled with enemies, treasures, and bosses. Terraria offers a blend of exploration, building, crafting, combat, and survival elements. Players can explore randomly generated worlds, mine resources, craft weapons, and build elaborate structures to defend themselves against waves of enemies. Its open-ended gameplay, along with various biomes and the ability to play in multiplayer mode, has made it a fan favorite for years.

Free-to-play mobile RPGs often use the gacha system as a monetization strategy. In this system, players spend virtual or real currency to unlock random characters, items, or power-ups. This mechanic is similar to the concept of loot boxes, where the contents are unknown until after the player has spent their resources. The gacha system is especially common in role-playing games (RPGs) where players collect powerful heroes or items to strengthen their team. Games like Fate/Grand Order, Fire Emblem Heroes, and Genshin Impact have made the gacha system a central part of their gameplay.

Subway Surfers is a popular endless runner mobile game co-developed by Kiloo and SYBO Games, a private company based in Denmark. The game was released in 2012 and quickly gained worldwide recognition due to its simple mechanics and engaging visuals. Players control a character running along train tracks, dodging obstacles and collecting coins, power-ups, and keys. The player must avoid getting caught by the inspector and his dog, which adds to the fast-paced excitement. What set Subway Surfers apart from other endless runners at the time was its colorful, cartoony art style, and smooth animations. The game also regularly updates with new 'World Tour' themes based on real cities, keeping it fresh for long-time players.