Android smartphones have become so powerful that they can now run mobile games that look a lot like console games. In some cases, phones can actually run older console titles. So, if you want to experience console-grade graphics on your phone, here’s a list of our favorite Android games.
1Minecraft
Of all games ported from PC and consoles,Minecraftis one of the few that’s a stone’s throw from the original. It’s hard to imagine that people initially made fun of Minecraft’s pixelated graphics, as the art style has proven that it’s absolutely timeless.
The graphics look amazing out of the box, but if you really want to push the eye candy, you can turn the render distance to maximum to experience a near-endless horizon filled with Minecraft’s blocky world. The mobile version even supports custom texture packs and skins, so you can make it look even better than it already is.
2SpongeBob SquarePants BfBB
The Android version ofBattle for Bikini Bottomis actually the “Rehydrated” version released in 2020 for consoles and PC, which is a faithful remake of the 2003 original. It largely maintains the same quality of high-fidelity graphics. This platformer is a rare instance where developers successfully recreated a 2D cartoon as a 3D game without it looking janky.
3Devil May Cry: Peak of Combat
As one of the youngest entries on our list,Devil May Cry: Peak of Combatis bound to have some of the best graphics—and it shows. It’s a mobile-only Devil May Cry game that preserves the swagger and stunning hack-and-slash visuals you expect from the franchise. The insanely detailed animations, in particular, are breathtaking, and the reason why I wrote this article is because they’rethatgood, even on the lowest settings.
4Genshin Impact
WhileGenshin Impactisn’t everyone’s cup of tea, you can’t say that it’s a bad-looking game. The anime-inspired art style packs vibrant cel-shaded graphics and animations reminiscent of the latest Zelda games. Genshin Impact also has meticulously detailed characters and clothes.
It’s worth noting that Genshin Impact supports cross-platform gameplay. So, it’s basically the same game as on PC and PlayStation, albeit with downgraded graphics so that the game can run on a mobile processor.
5Call Of Duty: Mobile
It’s hard to make FPS games that look great on mobile, butCall of Duty: Mobilesomehow manages to pull it off. While textures leave a lot to be desired, the game has best-in-class lighting and shadows that bring the game to life. The game even supports bloom, which is the visual effect that makes light sources spill beyond their borders. This makes the sun look far more realistic than a simple white circle in the sky.
6The Room: Old Sins
The Room: Old Sinsis the fourth entry in a long-running franchise that was originally released for iOS but is now available on Android, PC, and the Nintendo Switch as well. While allThe Roomgames look great, the graphics here have been polished to perfection. The sheer volume of detailed textures isn’t what you typically see in puzzle games, but The Room has always been an exception. You spend a lot of time staring at the screen to find hidden clues and artifacts, which I’d gladly do when a game has such amazing textures and models.
7XCOM 2 Collection
XCOM 2 Collectionis a turn-based tactics game where aliens rule the Earth relatively peacefully, but you control a squad called XCOM with the goal of liberating humanity. The Collection has the base game and four DLCs, and the graphics here are almost just as good as on PC. The game wasn’t downgraded for mobile, but it still runs smoothly.
XCOM 2 Collection was ported to Android by Feral Interactive, the same developer that worked on a few other games from our list,GRID Autosport andAlien Isolation. Their ports of PC and console games look great but also require a powerful smartphone to run, which is understandable given how good their games look.
8GRID Autosport
Racing games on Android often have captivating graphics and breathtaking atmospheres, butGRID Autosporthas been my favorite since it launched back in 2019. I played GRID Autosport on PC, too, and the Android version looks almost exactly the same.
GRID Autosport is newer and looks even better thanNeed for Speed: No LimitsandReal Racing 3, two other racing games with amazing graphics. The game has over 100 cars with detailed car models, liveries, and a healthy selection of circuits, so you’re definitely getting your money’s worth with this triple-A title.
9Alien: Isolation
If you’re a fan of survival horror games,Alien: Isolationis the one to get. The humans and disgusting aliens you encounter on the Sevastopol space station are incredibly convincing. I can’t think of any other Android game with character models that are this good. The amazing lighting effects enhance the space station’s liminality to make it look even more impressive and creepy.
10Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition
GTA: The Trilogy - The Definitive Editionis a collection of three classic GTA games that have received a graphics overhaul to bring them up to modern standards. While it had a rocky launch on PC and consoles, most issues have been fixed now, and the games got ported to Android in 2023. You can play them with a Netflix subscription for free, but you can also buy them for $19.99 per game; I recommend the former.
Most textures and character models have been updated, and it’s especially noticeable in the two older games,GTA IIIandGTA: Vice City. The gameplay is exactly what you expect from GTA—endless fun in the open-world sandbox and amazing story-driven missions.
