Some people will always think of mobile games as cheap alternatives to “real” games on console or PC. These people are ignoring all of the great mobile games that are available. While those of us who also have gaming PCs or consoles would probably rather play more involved games on our “main” platforms, that doesn’t mean that we don’t enjoy some mobile gaming fun on our commute or any other time that we need to kill a few minutes.
However, it does mean that we’d like to play one-handed mobile games in portrait mode to really take advantage of the platform. After all, there are only so many games on PC/consoles that you can play without both hands. Therefore, here are the best one-handed games you can play on your smartphone in portrait mode, presented in alphabetical order.
The Battle of Polytopia
The Battle of Polytopia (which we’ve written about before) is a great game to kick off this list. With just one hand and about 15 minutes of time, you can play a round of Civilization shrunken down to a size more suitable for your phone. The Battle of Polytopia is free with in-app purchases to unlock more tribes, but Google Play Pass subscribers can play with every tribe at no extra cost! If you want a great strategy game you can play on the go, this is the best option out there.
Download The Battle of Polytopia for free for iPhone or Android
Dragon Quest V (or any of them)
In the past, we’ve written about how you can play most Dragon Quest games on your phone. While a little time has passed since we published that article, the fact remains that the Dragon Quest series still accounts for some of the best mobile gaming experiences out there, and they’ve been masterfully remade into one-handed games specifically for your phone. I recommend playing through as many as you can, but if you have to choose one, I’d go for Dragon Quest V. It spawned the monster collecting JRPG genre on its own, and it was even made into a movie in Japan!
Buy Dragon Quest I for $2.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Dragon Quest II for $4.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Dragon Quest III for $9.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Dragon Quest IV for $14.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Dragon Quest V for $14.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Dragon Quest VI for $14.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Dragon Quest VIII for $19.99 for iPhone or Android
Gears POP!
One of my favorite mobile genres is the “lane” genre typified by Clash Royale, which itself was basically a simplification of Nexus Wars from StarCraft. Gears POP! (which we’ve previously written about as a great mobile game that is not pay to win) the latest iteration of this formula, but it’s my personal favorite. Although it still has some problematic monetization, it’s more friendly to free players than most games of its type out there. Go ahead and give Gears POP! a try if you’ve been looking for a competitive game you can play in short bursts when you’re out and about.
Download Gears POP! for free for iPhone or Android
Linear Quest
If you could only pick one game from this list to try, Linear Quest (which we’ve written about before) might be my choice. Linear Quest is everything right with mobile game design: instead of trying to shrink a console experience into a mobile package that ends up being much worse, they built a game that makes sense for mobile from the ground up. The controls are dead simple, you can save every minute or so, and you can play for 10 seconds or an hour, depending on how much time you have. If you’re really intense, you can even try Linear Quest Hardcore, which turns the game into a roguelike.
Download Linear Quest for free for Android
Download Linear Quest Hardcore for free for Android
Pocket City
Pocket City is the antidote to all of those Clash of Clans-type building games that revolve around timers and microtransactions. For just $5, Pocket City gives you a mobile version of Cities: Skylines full of content that you’ll never have to pay another dime for. If you have a long flight coming up and need a great offline mobile game to play with one hand, Pocket City is one of the best options available.
Buy Pocket City for $4.99 for iPhone or Android
Download Pocket City Free for free for Android
Puzzles and Dragons
This is probably the most pay-to-win game on this list, but I couldn’t help myself. Puzzles and Dragons is possibly the granddaddy of all match 3 mobile games, and if you want a puzzle game full of content that’s constantly tempting you to spend money, Puzzles and Dragons is your game. While it asks you for money at every turn, you can play plenty for free, and it’s more skill-based than most games of its type.
Download Puzzles and Dragons for free for iPhone or Android
Sneak Ops
Sneak Ops is another example of mobile design gone right. A somewhat modern re-imagining of classic Metal Gear (non-Solid) stealth gameplay, Sneak Ops has a new, multi-stage level for you every single day. It’s also an example of mobile monetization gone right, as you can start playing for free before eventually chipping in $3.99 for an optional premium upgrade. Sneak Ops feels both mindless and tactical at once, making it the perfect smartphone game to play with one hand in portrait mode.
Download Sneak Ops for free for iPhone or Android
Sorcery! Series
As was the case for Dragon Quest above, we’ve also recommended the Sorcery! series as a whole for mobile gamers. These four games account for the best choose-your-own-adventure book experience you can have on your smartphone, and the series is even worth it at the nearly-$25 price tag for all four games considering its substantial replayability. However, Google Play Pass subscribers can play all four games for free, making the Sorcery! series even easier to recommend to any Android gamer.
Buy Sorcery! for $5.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Sorcery! 2 for $5.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Sorcery! 3 for $5.99 for iPhone or Android
Buy Sorcery! 4 for $5.99 for iPhone or Android
Tennis Superstars
Tennis Superstars (which we’ve written about before) is surely the most obscure game on this list, and that’s a shame, because its mechanics are rock solid. In fact, this is possibly the Android game with the most precise one-handed controls, which is impressive considering it’s an extremely fast-paced Tennis title. I would strongly recommend it to anyone who likes quick and difficult games, but especially sports gamers who are looking for a mobile game that’s not just a worse version of a PC/console game.
Buy Tennis Superstars for $1.99 for Android
You Must Build A Boat
You Must Build A Boat is the excellent follow-up to the also excellent 10000000. Both are premium match 3 games with terrible graphics and flawless gameplay. Like 10000000, You Must Build A Boat is unique compared to other match 3 games in that it actually has an end to work toward as opposed to an endless parade of levels and promotional events, but you’ll get way more than $2.99 worth in the dozen or so hours that it will take you to reach that end. Look past the graphics and you’ll see that You Must Build A Boat is an absolute gem that every puzzle gamer should play.
Buy You Must Build A Boat for $2.99 for iPhone or Android
Now that you know the best one-handed Android games around, you’re ready for your next commute, flight, or waiting room. Some are free and some cost a few bucks, but they’re all great choices that won’t take up both of your hands. Happy playing!
