10 Classic Games You Should Play on Your iPhone or Android
Tons of new games are published to Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store every day. But you don’t care about those titles, even if some of them are well worth a look. You care about classic titles, you’re a fan of the gaming greats.
The games that ate your quarters in the arcades of old, the games that you played for hours on end as a kid, they’re available on iOS and Android. See below.
1. Grim Fandango Remastered
Even though it was a commercial failure, Grim Fandango received universal acclaim from the critics when it was released back in 1998. Nowadays, Grim Fandango is regarded as one of the best point-and-click adventure games of all time.
Tim Schafer was the game's project leader back in 98 when LucasArts released the adventure game. Schafer's Double Fine Productions studio remastered the game and released it to the public in 2015. It’s available for Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation, iOS, and Android.
“Something's rotten in the land of the dead, and you're being played for a sucker. Meet Manny Calavera, travel agent at the Department of Death. He sells luxury packages to souls on their four-year journey to eternal rest. But there's trouble in paradise. Help Manny untangle himself from a conspiracy that threatens his very salvation,” says the game’s official description.
Get Grim Fandango for iOS from the App Store.
Get Grim Fandango for Android from Google Play.
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Is there anyone who is not familiar with Sonic the Hedgehog? I think not!
While the original Sonic the Hedgehog for iOS and Android is interesting enough, I decided to go with the second entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The reason is simple enough: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 features Sonic’s sidekick – Miles "Tails" Prower, the flying two-tailed fox.
Play as Sonic or Tails, run through high speed levels packed with enemies and hazards, and work your way toward a climatic showdown with the evil Dr. Eggman.
Get Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for iOS from the App Store.
Get Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Android from Google Play.
3. MS. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man, one of the most popular video games in American arcade history, the game that you spent all your quarters on, the game that got your heart racing when the ghosts got too close for comfort, is available for iOS and Android, courtesy of Bandai Namco.
Mind you, Bandai Namco did not mess around and ruin the MS. Pac-Man game. Namco’s game is a faithful reproduction of the world famous arcade classic. It comes with 256 levels of familiar dot-munching and ghost-gobbling thrills, it features the animated intermissions, it is great fun.
Get MS. Pac-Man for iOS from the App Store.
Get MS. Pac-Man for Android from Google Play.
4. Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition
BioWare’s Baldur's Gate fantasy role-playing game from 1998 has been remade by Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog. Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition puts a fresh coat of paint on the original title and lets us once more enjoy a classic mystery, intrigue, and adventure game.
“For as long as you can remember, your view of the world has been limited to the heavily fortified walls of Candlekeep. Your foster father, Gorion, has done everything in his power to protect you and keep you out of harm’s way,” says the game’s description.
“All of that is about to change. Forced to leave your home under mysterious circumstances, you find yourself drawn into a conflict that has the Sword Coast on the brink of war. An iron shortage of unknown origin threatens to plunge the city of Baldur’s Gate into conflict with Amn. Meanwhile, there is something else at work, far more sinister than you can even begin to fathom...”
Get Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition for iOS from the App Store.
Get Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition for Android from Google Play.
5. DuckTales: Remastered
The DuckTales series presented the exciting adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews. I used to watch the show a lot as a kid and I absolutely loved it! I also loved the DuckTales action platformer game that Capcom released in 1990. Speaking of which… Since DuckTales is one of the most cherished 8-bit titles of all time, the game has been remastered.
DuckTales: Remastered invites you to “join Scrooge McDuck in an epic adventure across the world to discover the five Legendary Treasures! Embark on a journey to the Himalayas, Amazon, Transylvania, African mines, and Moon using Scrooge's secret map. But watch out for the evil sorceress Magica De Spell and notorious Beagle Boys – they're on a quest to steal Scrooge's fortune and will stop at nothing.”
Get DuckTales: Remastered for iOS from the App Store.
Get DuckTales: Remastered for Android from Google Play.
6. The King of Fighters '98
The first fighting game on this list is none other than SNK’s The King of Fighters '98. The game features thrilling hand-to-hand combat action, has an engaging soundtrack to accompany the sprite-based graphics, and it has a very nice selection of fighters to choose from – 38 playable characters to be more precise.
Get The King of Fighters '98 for iOS from the App Store.
Get The King of Fighters '98 for Android from Google Play.
7. R-Type
You are in control of the R-9 space fighter and you must use it to defend humanity against a mysterious powerful alien life-form known as the Bydo. That is the story behind R-Type, a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game from 1987.
The mobile version stays true to the 80s classic space shooter. “Remember how damnably difficult R-Type was?” says DotEmu. “Well it still is, because we stayed true to the original, just the way you remember it!”
There are multiple control options and difficulty levels and to choose. Shoot your way through 8 levels and make your way toward the powerful and unique boss fight. Upgrade with new weapons, power-ups, and attachments to better destroy the waves of enemies.
Get R-Type for iOS from the App Store.
Get R-Type for Android from Google Play.
8. Double Dragon Trilogy
The Double Dragon beat ‘em up game from the 80s is back and it brought its two sequels with it. Or to put it another way, experience the thrilling action of Double Draggon by getting the Double Dragon Trilogy game for iOS and Android. Optimized for mobiles, it features all your favorite moves: punches, kicks, elbows, knees, head-butts and an assortment of not-exactly-street-legal weapons.
The game’s protagonists are Billy and his brother Jimmy. I bring this up so I can tell you about the co-op mode. Connect via Bluetooth and you can play with game with a friend.
Get Double Dragon Trilogy for iOS from the App Store.
Get Double Dragon Trilogy for Android from Google Play.
9. Dragon’s Lair
The game’s hero is a knight called Dirk the Daring. What does this knight have to do? Why, nothing more than to save the princess, of course. And more to the point, Dirk has to rescue Princess Daphne from the evil dragon Singe who has locked the princess in the foul wizard Mordroc's castle.
The game looks just as good as ever. And the gameplay is just as difficult as ever. A bit too punishing if you ask me.
Get Dragon’s Lair for iOS from the App Store.
Get Dragon’s Lair for Android from Google Play.
10. Tomb Raider 1
Lara Croft Go may be the newest release, but this article is about classic games, so I’m not going to focus on it. I’m going to focus on the iconic, the first Tom Raider game from 1996. The game that kick started your Lara Croft fantasies can be played on iOS and on Android. Isn't that great?
“We've not messed about with it, so it’s the full, unedited, unadulterated experience from the classic release at a super-low price. How better to find out if you've still got what it takes to beat a legendary game than by taking on the lost city of Atlantis and the pyramids of Egypt? It’s probably not for the faint of heart!” said Square Enix.
Get Tomb Raider 1 for iOS from the App Store.
Get Tomb Raider 1 for Android from Google Play.
The games that ate your quarters in the arcades of old, the games that you played for hours on end as a kid, they’re available on iOS and Android. See below.
1. Grim Fandango Remastered
Even though it was a commercial failure, Grim Fandango received universal acclaim from the critics when it was released back in 1998. Nowadays, Grim Fandango is regarded as one of the best point-and-click adventure games of all time.
Tim Schafer was the game's project leader back in 98 when LucasArts released the adventure game. Schafer's Double Fine Productions studio remastered the game and released it to the public in 2015. It’s available for Windows, OS X, Linux, PlayStation, iOS, and Android.
“Something's rotten in the land of the dead, and you're being played for a sucker. Meet Manny Calavera, travel agent at the Department of Death. He sells luxury packages to souls on their four-year journey to eternal rest. But there's trouble in paradise. Help Manny untangle himself from a conspiracy that threatens his very salvation,” says the game’s official description.
Get Grim Fandango for iOS from the App Store.
Get Grim Fandango for Android from Google Play.
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2
Is there anyone who is not familiar with Sonic the Hedgehog? I think not!
While the original Sonic the Hedgehog for iOS and Android is interesting enough, I decided to go with the second entry in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. The reason is simple enough: Sonic the Hedgehog 2 features Sonic’s sidekick – Miles "Tails" Prower, the flying two-tailed fox.
Play as Sonic or Tails, run through high speed levels packed with enemies and hazards, and work your way toward a climatic showdown with the evil Dr. Eggman.
Get Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for iOS from the App Store.
Get Sonic the Hedgehog 2 for Android from Google Play.
3. MS. Pac-Man
Ms. Pac-Man, one of the most popular video games in American arcade history, the game that you spent all your quarters on, the game that got your heart racing when the ghosts got too close for comfort, is available for iOS and Android, courtesy of Bandai Namco.
Mind you, Bandai Namco did not mess around and ruin the MS. Pac-Man game. Namco’s game is a faithful reproduction of the world famous arcade classic. It comes with 256 levels of familiar dot-munching and ghost-gobbling thrills, it features the animated intermissions, it is great fun.
Get MS. Pac-Man for iOS from the App Store.
Get MS. Pac-Man for Android from Google Play.
4. Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition
BioWare’s Baldur's Gate fantasy role-playing game from 1998 has been remade by Overhaul Games, a division of Beamdog. Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition puts a fresh coat of paint on the original title and lets us once more enjoy a classic mystery, intrigue, and adventure game.
“For as long as you can remember, your view of the world has been limited to the heavily fortified walls of Candlekeep. Your foster father, Gorion, has done everything in his power to protect you and keep you out of harm’s way,” says the game’s description.
“All of that is about to change. Forced to leave your home under mysterious circumstances, you find yourself drawn into a conflict that has the Sword Coast on the brink of war. An iron shortage of unknown origin threatens to plunge the city of Baldur’s Gate into conflict with Amn. Meanwhile, there is something else at work, far more sinister than you can even begin to fathom...”
Get Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition for iOS from the App Store.
Get Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition for Android from Google Play.
5. DuckTales: Remastered
The DuckTales series presented the exciting adventures of Scrooge McDuck and his nephews. I used to watch the show a lot as a kid and I absolutely loved it! I also loved the DuckTales action platformer game that Capcom released in 1990. Speaking of which… Since DuckTales is one of the most cherished 8-bit titles of all time, the game has been remastered.
DuckTales: Remastered invites you to “join Scrooge McDuck in an epic adventure across the world to discover the five Legendary Treasures! Embark on a journey to the Himalayas, Amazon, Transylvania, African mines, and Moon using Scrooge's secret map. But watch out for the evil sorceress Magica De Spell and notorious Beagle Boys – they're on a quest to steal Scrooge's fortune and will stop at nothing.”
Get DuckTales: Remastered for iOS from the App Store.
Get DuckTales: Remastered for Android from Google Play.
6. The King of Fighters '98
The first fighting game on this list is none other than SNK’s The King of Fighters '98. The game features thrilling hand-to-hand combat action, has an engaging soundtrack to accompany the sprite-based graphics, and it has a very nice selection of fighters to choose from – 38 playable characters to be more precise.
Get The King of Fighters '98 for iOS from the App Store.
Get The King of Fighters '98 for Android from Google Play.
7. R-Type
You are in control of the R-9 space fighter and you must use it to defend humanity against a mysterious powerful alien life-form known as the Bydo. That is the story behind R-Type, a side scrolling shoot-em-up arcade game from 1987.
The mobile version stays true to the 80s classic space shooter. “Remember how damnably difficult R-Type was?” says DotEmu. “Well it still is, because we stayed true to the original, just the way you remember it!”
There are multiple control options and difficulty levels and to choose. Shoot your way through 8 levels and make your way toward the powerful and unique boss fight. Upgrade with new weapons, power-ups, and attachments to better destroy the waves of enemies.
Get R-Type for iOS from the App Store.
Get R-Type for Android from Google Play.
8. Double Dragon Trilogy
The Double Dragon beat ‘em up game from the 80s is back and it brought its two sequels with it. Or to put it another way, experience the thrilling action of Double Draggon by getting the Double Dragon Trilogy game for iOS and Android. Optimized for mobiles, it features all your favorite moves: punches, kicks, elbows, knees, head-butts and an assortment of not-exactly-street-legal weapons.
The game’s protagonists are Billy and his brother Jimmy. I bring this up so I can tell you about the co-op mode. Connect via Bluetooth and you can play with game with a friend.
Get Double Dragon Trilogy for iOS from the App Store.
Get Double Dragon Trilogy for Android from Google Play.
9. Dragon’s Lair
The game’s hero is a knight called Dirk the Daring. What does this knight have to do? Why, nothing more than to save the princess, of course. And more to the point, Dirk has to rescue Princess Daphne from the evil dragon Singe who has locked the princess in the foul wizard Mordroc's castle.
The game looks just as good as ever. And the gameplay is just as difficult as ever. A bit too punishing if you ask me.
Get Dragon’s Lair for iOS from the App Store.
Get Dragon’s Lair for Android from Google Play.
10. Tomb Raider 1
Lara Croft Go may be the newest release, but this article is about classic games, so I’m not going to focus on it. I’m going to focus on the iconic, the first Tom Raider game from 1996. The game that kick started your Lara Croft fantasies can be played on iOS and on Android. Isn't that great?
“We've not messed about with it, so it’s the full, unedited, unadulterated experience from the classic release at a super-low price. How better to find out if you've still got what it takes to beat a legendary game than by taking on the lost city of Atlantis and the pyramids of Egypt? It’s probably not for the faint of heart!” said Square Enix.
Get Tomb Raider 1 for iOS from the App Store.
Get Tomb Raider 1 for Android from Google Play.
