The Best Action Games for iOS & Android

10 Must-Play Mobile Action Games of 2022

Let's face it: Day-to-day life can get boring. To break up the monotony of going to work or class, heading home, eating dinner, then going to bed, all you need is an action-packed mobile game. Fortunately, with mobile gaming in such an innovative phase, there's no shortage of thrilling, engaging action games. Below, in no particular order, we've compiled a handful of the best mobile action games that you should make a point to check out this year.

1. Subway Surfers

Developed by Sybo Games, Subway Surfers is a free endless runner game in which the player must dash and dodge until they can't dash-and-dodge any longer! Playing as one of several young graffiti artist characters, you must escape the wrath of the inspector and his dog. To do so, you'll need to cruise on your hoverboard and avoid obstacles. As you work to outrun your pursuer, you can collect coins and different power-ups to purchase upgrades and help you survive. The game doesn't end until you get caught or crash into an obstacle, so you can compete with friends to get the highest score or try to one-up your own personal best!

2. Stumble Guys: Multiplayer Royale

If you've ever played the game Fall Guys on a PC or console, Stumble Guys is essentially the free version for iOS and Android devices. Created by Kitka Games, this massively multiplayer party game offers tons of chaotic fun. With up to 32 players per round, Stumble Guys takes you through multiple levels, each acting as an elimination round. To successfully pass each level, you'll have to run, jump, slide, dodge, and be faster to the finish line than at least some of your opponents. At the end of the round, one player will be crowned the victor and achieve bragging rights over their friends! Then, you'll want to start over and do it all again.

3. Bridge Race

Bridge Race is a free iOS and Android game with a pretty simple concept: Players must collect blocks to build bridges so that they can cross them to reach the finish line. Developed by Supersonic Studios Ltd, Bridge Race features over 1,000 levels for players to progress through. These levels contain mechanisms like ladders, trampolines, elevators, zip-lines, and sliders that you must contend with while competing with other players to build your bridge. Players can customize their characters and bridge colors, and anyone who does well enough can climb to the top of the game's online leaderboard! Bridge Race has over 250 million downloads and counting. So, why not join in on the fun?

4. Call of Duty: Mobile

Anyone familiar with the first-person shooter genre is probably familiar with Call of Duty. However, you no longer need to purchase it for a console to join the high-intensity action. With the free Call of Duty: Mobile app, you can enjoy classic multiplayer modes like Team Deathmatch, Domination, and Kill-Confirmed right on your iOS or Android device. The mobile game also comes loaded with several iconic maps that long-time players will recognize, such as Shipment, Raid, and Standoff. The game even features a thrilling 100-player Battle Royale game mode, in which you can fight and survive to be the last player standing! You can also customize your loadouts, play against or with friends, and even join a clan.

5. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas

Speaking of classic console games that you can now play on your phone, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas is another excellent example. Whether you've grown up playing GTA games as a teenager or are a new player, this mobile game is worth downloading. The game costs just $6.99 to download on your iOS or Android device, and that price gets you a ton of great content. San Andreas takes place in the 1990s, and you play Carl Johnson, a young man who, upon returning to his hometown, has been framed for murder. The vast open-world map features three detailed cities, and it's up to you if you want to spend your time exploring them or playing through the game's intense storyline. You can steal cars, get into gunfights, run from the cops, and engage in other exciting hijinks.

6. Going Balls

Sometimes, the games with the most basic concepts are the most fun to play. Going Balls, developed by Supersonic Studios Ltd, is a terrific example. Going Balls is free-to-play on iOS and Android devices. You play the game by controlling one of many available balls, and your objective is to keep the ball rolling long enough to reach the level's finish line. As you move through each level, you'll encounter many unique obstacles of varying difficulty, and each is capable of ruining your run in an instant. There are 99 levels to conquer in total, and they get more and more challenging as you progress. Your ball is controlled with simple one-finger swiping, so there's not much of a learning curve; just a lot of fun!

7. Earn to Die 2

Developed by Russian indie game developers Toffee Games, Earn to Die 2 takes the gaming genres of racing and zombie apocalypse and combines them into one exciting package! In this game, your city gets overrun by a zombie hoard, and to reach the evacuation ship waiting on the other side of the country, you must drive your run-down car through hordes of the flesh-hungry monsters. For only $0.99, players get access to a lengthy, detailed story mode, numerous multi-tiered levels, and the ability to unlock and upgrade a variety of zombie-killing vehicles. Earn to Die 2 is a nonstop thrill ride from start to finish, and it's one you won't want to skip. So, get it on your iOS or Android device now!

8. Among Us!

Created by InnerSloth LLC, Among Us! is a novel simulation game centered around teamwork and betrayal. Each online game consists of 4-15 players who must work together as a Crew to prep their spacecraft for departure. However, in each round, one or more players will be secretly working to betray and kill everyone on the Crew. These Impostors are randomly selected, and while they work to sabotage the mission, the Crew has to complete tasks while trying to determine who's working against them. Each round is customizable by changing the roles, the missions, and the number of Impostors. Sometimes, Among Us! can get very chaotic and intense, but it's always a blast, and it's free to play on iOS and Android devices.

9. Clash Royale

Clash Royale is a strategic, action-packed free mobile game developed by Supercell—the same people who brought us Clash of Clans. Clash Royale borrows elements from card-collecting, tower defense, and multiplayer online battle arena games to create one exciting gaming experience. In this popular title, players can collect cards, create Battle Decks, and engage in head-to-head battles against other players in the arena. In Clash Royale, strategically playing your cards and collecting powerful ones are crucial to achieving victory. If you're confident enough, you can enter the League and Global Tournaments to see how you stack up against the best players in the world!

10. Temple Run

Despite being around for over a decade, Temple Run is still going strong as one of the most popular mobile action games. In the classic endless runner adventure, you must guide your character past turns, jumps, and several obstacles while outrunning the monsters trying to chase you down. You navigate the treacherous temple walls by swiping and tilting, and sometimes, all it takes is one little slip up to end your run. You can snag coins and power-ups as you go so you can purchase character upgrades and improve your odds of surviving a little longer. Whenever your mad dash finally ends, all you'll want to do is start your next one to see if you can beat your high score! So, start your first run by downloading the free app on your iOS or Android device.

Quality Action-Packed Fun

These ten mobile apps represent countless hours of exciting, action-packed gameplay. So, next time you find yourself bored while sitting in a waiting room or the passenger seat of a long drive, you'll know just what to do. Frankly, with all of these and much more fantastic mobile action games available, you can say goodbye to boredom. As long as you've got your mobile device with you, you'll always have access to plenty of action-packed fun!