Flashback: a look back at the best mobile games of 2013

23 July 2023
Zombies were a hot topic in 2013, as were location-based games. 

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Daemon Targaryen, 23 Jul 2023Played PvZ2 a lot on my HTC One M7 in 2013. Then got a Xiao... moreWorth noting here that PPSSPP is a good Psp emulator for Android (not sure if it's also available on iOS).

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    • Anonymous
    • X@K
    • 24 Jul 2023

    The goal of mobile games is someone sitting on the toilet or in any free time, opening the game and playing for 10 mins. At least for majority of people. The more people got smart phones in the early days, the less people overall cared about storyline and experience in a smart phone game. Thats why games like Temple Run, Subway Surfers, Doodle Jump, Fruit ninja, Jetpack Joyride, Badland, Asphalt, Modern Combat, Piano Tiles, Candy Crush, Jet Car Stunts, Shadow Fight 2, Clash of Clans, Hay Day were so popular. It is just too easy, quick and convenient to open, play, close and go do your thing you were doing. And when all the big companies realized that, they all just started making these quick open, play, close games which is much easier to make than say a game focusing on storyline or experience. Cause story ends fast and easily but algorithmically generated thousands of levels doesn't. Cause they knew it was bound to happen and the ad CPM will continue to go lower and lower (due to more and more users) to the point making a storyline game even with ads isn't profitable and making a paid one was non sense cause of how the market was shifting.

    Fast forward to today, hence all the mobile games looks and feels almost the same, cause by their knowledge this is what works and its profitable as well AKA Cash Cows. :)

    (Except AAA titles. We don't talk about that.)

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      • Anonymous
      • pjh
      • 24 Jul 2023

      Vegetaholic, 24 Jul 2023Lol, you brain deads, mobile games cannot offer anything cl... moreNo, stupid comment. Actually, long time ago there was slow 3G and people couldn't download heavy games. But today, network speed as 5G compensate the fact, and also WiFi hotspots are even more widespread than before. Also, the fact that phones are more powerfull actually helps to make the games smaller in size because the games can be compressed even further.

      Storage size is not at all the reason why mobile games today have worse graphics than those before (at least if we compare to the hardware specs of the generation). Todays games should have graphics of high end PC game titles of 10 years ago (2013) and this is not true at all. The reason is that the mobile game industry is a big cash cow with ads and kids playing games, where as before it was enthusiasts so they had to make games look good for people to buy and play. Also, advertissement networks are far more agressive and widespread than before so even for a useless ugly game, its a lot of $$$ money entering because of the agressive ads.

        I REALLY wanna see more games that can take advantage of the graphics power of phones.

        Even though only 1% of the 1% will be able or even want to take advantage of it.

          Anonymous, 23 Jul 2023They came a long way in graphics? Most look like early ... moreLol, you brain deads, mobile games cannot offer anything close to what console or PC can offer because there is storage restrictions. Mobile game must be small in size as people need to play now and quick :) Imagine downloading GTA 5 on mobile phone. Good luck :)

            I see nothing much changed, 10 year ago we had crappy mobile games and now we have same crappy games :)

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              • Anonymous
              • gIQ
              • 23 Jul 2023

              Anonymous, 23 Jul 2023They came a long way in graphics? Most look like early ... moreI don't think you really know what 2000s games looked like.

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                • Modey
                • XxN
                • 23 Jul 2023

                Most mobile gaming is cash grabs
                If you want real gaming mobile device get the steam deck or something similar

                  Anonymous, 23 Jul 2023Gameloft was churning out fantastic games at that time as w... moreThose games were my favorite back then, but I didn't play them on an iPhone nor an Android, I played them on a blackberry playbook 😂

                    I'm glad the author picked 2013, that year was when I got my second iPod touch 4G (my first one, 2G, died in late 2010) and was finally back into the world of mobile gaming.

                    Since I only had an iPod back then, my all-time favorite game on iOS was DEFINITELY cod waw zombies. Man, I had some seriously good memories on that game. I still sometimes play it today on my newer 5th gen iTouch.

                    Other good games I liked back then included Temple Run, Hill Climb Racing, Fruit Ninja, and Fall Down, but I think these all released before 2013.

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                      • Anonymous
                      • pE7
                      • 23 Jul 2023

                      Anonymous, 23 Jul 2023They came a long way in graphics? Most look like early ... moreBecause 99.5% of them are freemium cash grab. Fun for the first 30 min then it gets ultra grindy. Solution? Not to play them in the first place or use emulator. But it makes sense why mobile games are reaping so much in revenue and that is because it takes low effort to sit down, open a laptop/desktop/console then warm up, before play session and BAM - a free hour or two of your time has passed and barely gamed.

                        Played PvZ2 a lot on my HTC One M7 in 2013. Then got a Xiaomi Mi 3 on July 19, 2014, and Snapdragon 800 AB was even better than the SD600. My M7 overheated like crazy playing games.

                        This weekend, I'm been reviving my old gadgets that I don't use anymore. My Mi 3 is 9-years-old on the original battery and still works well! Then I'm reviving an old PSP 2001 and d-pad works great for SF2SCE on the Genesis. Sony makes the best d-pads on handhelds.

                        I'm currently charging my Essential Phone and Nexus 5. Thinking which TV shows that I sorta like but don't love should be put onto them? I hadn't used my Mi 3 for 1.5 years and it still had a charge. You can bring new life to old gadgets from 6-10 to 15-19 years ago.

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                          • Anonymous
                          • XTA
                          • 23 Jul 2023

                          Anonymous, 23 Jul 2023And so many spend 3-4h/day on them, instead of socializing,... morethis is effect after covid

                            I think I played "Into the Dead" the most in 2013 on my Xperia arc S. 🤨

                              It started with clash of clans and now its clash of lords.Playing it since 2014 and few years back i managed to be ne of 150 best in world.
                              Now i am 945 game got very costly past few years and i rather spend my money for people in needs than a game.

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                                • Anonymous
                                • dWy
                                • 23 Jul 2023

                                Anonymous, 23 Jul 2023Mobile games have come a long way in graphics but still no ... moreThey came a long way in graphics? Most look like early '00s titles. They widened their gap from current graphics. Mobile hardware moves faster than desktop hardware, yet somehow games move more slowly...

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                                  • Anonymous
                                  • 0p}
                                  • 23 Jul 2023

                                  And so many spend 3-4h/day on them, instead of socializing, outdoor activities, physical activities etc ...

                                  So sad ...

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                                    • Anonymous
                                    • p7k
                                    • 23 Jul 2023

                                    Trollhammeren, 23 Jul 2023And they are all pay to win ... You mean pay to play

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                                      • Josh Start
                                      • fjU
                                      • 23 Jul 2023

                                      MRSTEK, 23 Jul 2023Modern Combat series were doom by Gameloft, alongside N.O.V.A.N.O.V.A was my favourite back then. A classic game I always came back to

                                        And they are all pay to win ...