What a decade it has been for mobile gaming.When the clock struck midnight on January 31st 2009, the iPhone 3GS was in hand for Apple users, whilst HTC was ruling the roost for those Android users.Fast forward ten years and how times have changed. Phones have become larger in screen size yet smaller in width, whilst the advancements in mobiles performance and capability has left mobile gaming better than ever before.There is plenty for mobile gamers to look forward to in the next twelve months, but for now we are going to focus on the best of the ‘10’s for gaming on-the-go!Here is RealSports list for the top mobile games of the decade:
10 - Clash Royale
Year: 2016Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Supercell
Kicking off our list of the top ten mobile games of the decade is the real-time strategy game, Clash Royale.The tower rush format game pits players against each other, both alone (1v1) or as part of a duo (2v2) with the aim to destroy your opponents towers.First hitting the market in March 2016, the game instantly took the world by storm and in March of this year it was reported that the game had surpassed $2.5 billionin revenue since its launch.
9 - Florence
Year: 2018Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Mountains
Next up is the award winning Florence, which was initially released on the 14th February, 2018.
The interactive story game follows the life of 25-year-old Florence, with gamers working their way through the 20 chapter story by completing a series of puzzles as the story of Florence and her love interest Krish unfolds.
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The game received widespread acclaim from the critics, winning a number of awards, most notably the Best Mobile Game award at the 15th British Academy Games Awards.
8 - 8 Ball Pool
Year: 2010Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Miniclip
A game which began as part of Miniclip’s wide range of titles and fast developed into a global phenomenon, 8 Ball Pool comes in at number eight.The online billiard-themed pool simulation has sat at the number one spot in Miniclips Top 100 Games list since 2015 and shows no signs of moving anytime soon.In-app purchases has made the title one of the highest grossing in the last decade, with players able to purchase upgrades to help their performance on the table.
7 - Mario Kart Tour
Year: 2019Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Nintendo
The most recent release in the list but one which warrants its place nonetheless, Nintendo’s mobile version of the smash hit driving title, Mario Kart Tour.
In the first week after its release on September 25, 2019, the title received 90.1 million downloads, a record number of first-week downloads for any Nintendo mobile game.
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The nostalgic element of the game brought many old-school Nintendo users back to the platform however there was criticism directed at Nintendo for the number of paid for services in the game.
6 - Flappy Bird
Year: 2013Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: dotGears
You forgot about this one didn’t you? But lets face it, no game in the last decade drew the same levels of attention that Flappy Bird did.An incredibly simple game in which the aim was to keep your bird alive by passing between green tubes, Flappy Bird was arguably the most addictive game of the decade.The addictive nature of the game lead to creator Dong Nguyen removing it from the market on February 10, 2014 due to the guilt that its addictive nature and overuse had caused him. The world hasn’t been the same since.
5 - Temple Run
Year: 2011Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Imangi Studios
We enter the top five now and it’s the turn of the 3D endless running title, Temple Run.
Whilst there has been a range of spins offs since it’s release in 2011, including collaborations with huge company’s such as Disney to create Temple Run: Brave and Temple Run: Oz, nothing quite compares to the original.
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Despite being over eight years old, Temple Run is still a big hit and currently sits at number 62 in the top free games chart on the App Store.
4 - Pokemon Go
Year: 2016Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Niantic
Just missing out on a podium spot is yet another game which revolutionised mobile gaming, Niantic’s Pokemon Go.
The augmented reality game uses GPS as players aim to find and collect Pokemon in the real world. They can then train up their Pokemon and use them to battle others and takeover gyms which can be found in a range of locations.
The game received widespread acclaim due to the way in which it promotes physical activity and helped local businesses due to the increase in foot traffic.
3 - Subway Surfers
Year: 2012Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Kiloo
Claiming the bronze medal for the best mobile games of the decade is another endless runner game, Subway Surfers.The most downloaded game of the decade, Subway Surfers see’s players take control of a subway surfer, with the aim to avoid the oncoming obstacles in any means necessary in order to avoid the chasing guard.
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The game received in excess of 2.7 billion downloads since its release, with over 15% of those downloads surfacing from India.
2 - Candy Crush Saga
Year: 2012Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: King
Just missing out on the top spot is the game loved by your mum, dad, brother, sister, aunt, uncle and dog. Candy Crush Saga.
One of only two games to feature in the top 10 list for both downloads and consumer spend, the match-three puzzle video game has enjoyed plenty of success since it’s release and to date, has three spin off titles: Candy Crush Soda Saga, Candy Crush Jelly Saga and Candy Crush Friends Saga.
Almost eight years on from it’s initial release, downloads are still coming in thick and fast. It is estimated that there was over two million downloads in November 2019.
1 - Clash of Clans
Year: 2012Platform: iOS and AndroidDeveloper: Supercell
It was a tightly fought battle, but RealSport's number one pick for mobile game of the decade is Clash of Clans.Like Candy Crush, Clash of Clans feature on both the top 10 downloaded and top 10 consumer spend lists of the 2010s, topping the latter.
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To this day, the daily revenue estimate’s for the game still exceeds the $1 million mark, with the average monthly player count believed to be roughly three million.
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