Best Games

Top 10 hardest mobile games

Top 10 hardest mobile games

If you're looking for a challenge, check out these games!

Left Arrow
0/10
Right Arrow
Updated on July 29th, 2023 - re-checked the list. Original article by Allison Van Oirschot, updated by Nitisha Upadhye. 

Tired of games promising to be difficult that end up being easy? Then you’re going to want to have a look at this list! Each game comes with its own kind of difficulty for all kinds of challenge seekers. Whether they have in-depth stories or incredibly simple ones, the gameplay is sure to test your ability not to rage quit. Here are the top ten hardest mobile games.

 

Click Here To View The List »

1
Dead Cells

Developer: Motion Twin
Publisher: Motion Twin
Available on: iOS + Android + Steam + Switch
Genre: Action, Adventure
Find out more about Dead Cells
Dead Cells

Let’s get one thing straight; you’re going to die. A lot. No matter how good you think you are, you are going to die. Playing as a failed alchemic experiment, explore a massive castle on a spooky island and discover how it all came to be so dilapidated in this rogue-lite action platformer. Battle various enemies like zombies, freaky-looking bats, golems, and even giant worms. They’re all going to attack quickly, so you better think quickly.

You can dodge or attack with weapons, skills, and amulets. From swords to whips and even musical instruments, there is no shortage of ways to mow down enemies. However, this also means there’s no shortage of ways to die. You must constantly be on the move, or you’ll be staring down the business end of a crossbow, or worse. The gameplay will be challenging to master, but play through enough times, and you’ll get the hang of it. It's still clearly one of the hardest mobile games at the moment!

Available on Google Play and the App Store for $8.99.

2
Escape Room - Beyond Life

Available on: iOS + Android + Mobile + Apple Arcade
Genre: Adventure, Puzzle
Find out more about Escape Room - Beyond Life
Escape Room - Beyond Life

Experience two different adventures in one game, each with challenging logic puzzles. In Zero-G, the sci-fi adventure, there’s been a global disaster resulting in Earth losing its gravity. Some time ago, a scientist figured out how to reverse this. Play as the grandson of that scientist to finally restore Earth’s gravity. In Eclipse, the fantasy adventure, evil creatures called Kikimora kidnap a prince, intending to turn him into one of them.

Play as a warrior who must rescue the prince before the full moon. There are over 100 rooms and 50 levels to explore, with at least 25 hours of gameplay. While clues and hints are available to help you, most of the puzzle-solving involves tapping around to see what happens. Thankfully, the scenery is gorgeously animated and beautiful to look at.

Available on Google Play

3
Out There: Omega Edition

Available on: iOS + Android + Mobile + Apple Arcade
Genre: Adventure, Location-based, Strategy
Find out more about Out There: Omega Edition
Out There: Omega Edition

You are an astronaut waking from cryonics out in the endless void of space. Gather items floating in the void to keep your ship going and find planets to save your oxygen supply. Survive electrical storms, computer viruses and more in this punishing strategy game. While there’s no combat mechanics, you will run into alien species and it’s up to you how to respond to them.

There are over 350 choices to make with four endings to discover, and each playthrough has a different procedurally generated galaxy to explore. Additionally, enjoy a musical score by composer Siddartha Barnhoom of Antichamber and The Stanley Parable fame.

Available on Google Play for $4.99 and the App Store for $9.99.

4
Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy

Available on: iOS + Android + Mobile + Apple Arcade
Genre: 3D, Simulation
Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy

Saying that this game is weird would be an understatement. You play as a guy in a pot who needs to climb up a mountain using only a giant hammer. Yes, you read that right. It’s apparently a homage to a game made in 2002 called Sexy Hiking, with basically the same story and mechanics. Though a tad frustrating trying to get the hammer to grab onto the rock or tree you want, at least you won't suffer through this quest in silence.

The creator of the game, Foddy, talks as you play about matters that he considers to be philosophical. His soft and gentle voice adds an odd, relaxing tone to an otherwise punishing game. He said the game could be finished in at least five hours, though I suppose that depends on what kind of gamer you are.

Available on Google Play and the App Store for $4.99.

5
The Impossible Game

Publisher: FlukeDude
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Action, Platform
Find out more about The Impossible Game
The Impossible Game

It’s not called impossible without good reason. Tap the screen to help your orange square avoid hazards and make it to the end of levels. This is one of those games where if the square hits an obstacle, you must start at the beginning again. Considering the game’s fast and unrelenting pace, you will find yourself trying over and over. There’s one catchy soundtrack synced to the gameplay, an attempt to help your square know when to jump.

Miraculously, this crazy arcade game has a practice mode, so you’re not just up a creek without a paddle. Unlock different kinds of medals as you play, including one for completing practice mode and for making 500 attempts. You won't find many harder mobile games than this one.

Available on Google Play and the App Store for $0.99.

6
Geometry Dash

Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Adventure
Find out more about Geometry Dash
Geometry Dash

Geometry Dash is one of the legendary hardcore games for mobile devices. It became extremely popular from the very first day of its release. The reason for this may be the simplicity and easy grasp of the basics. All you have to do in Geometry Dash is to move a box from left to right, jump over obstacles and collect stars.

Sounds like a typical arcade game on App Store and Google Play? Well, just try to move at least a few levels forward, and you will find out that you have to memorize every obstacle to complete the level. Geometry Dash is really complicated and will impress even an avid hardcore gamer. Also, you will find more than 20,000 custom levels created by the community, which means you can play Geometry Dash for as long as you want.

Available on Google Play for free and the App Store for $1.99.

7
Duet

Publisher: Kumobius
Available on: iOS + Android + Steam
Genre: Action, Arcade
Find out more about Duet
Duet

This game is something of a contradiction; you have to survive and stay calm. Manoeuvre two different coloured balls across eight chapters of obstacles while listening to a soft voice tell you to stop looking for an exit. Think GLaDOS from Portal but nicer. If one ball hits an obstacle, both go back to the beginning.

Touch either side of your screen to move them left and right. Obstacles will move at random, so try to stay alert. While playing, listen to nine different melodic tracks from Melbourne composer Tim Shiel. The music really adds a deep sense of immersion to this game.

Available on Google Play for free and the App Store for $2.99.

8
Smash Hit

Developer: Mediocre
Available on: iOS + Android
Genre: Action, Puzzle
Find out more about Smash Hit
Smash Hit

You’ll want to play this game if only for the chance to say, ‘what obstacles?’ The goal is to smash through everything attempting to stand in your way. In a surreal, futuristic dimension, play through 50 rooms and experience 11 kinds of graphics as you let loose your silver ball army into all that breakable glass.

Don’t be fooled thinking this game is easy though; you’ll need to stay focused and concentrate to move those balls as far as possible. A fun quirk this game has is that the music and even the audio effects change with each room, and the obstacles move in time with them. Gameplay won’t dance to the same beat twice, so stay on your toes.

Available on Google Play and the App Store.

9
Hard Math Game

Available on: iOS + Android + Mobile
Genre: Brain training, Puzzle
Find out more about Hard Math Game
Hard Math Game

Who likes math, honestly? If by some miracle you do, this is the game for you. Combine four different numbers to reach the goal number using only addition and multiplication. All numbers must be used and can only be used once. An example question would be getting 22 from 2, 2, 3 and 5, the answer being (2 x 3 + 5) x 2. You’re awarded stars after completing every solution; one star simply for finishing, two for solving it under one minute, and three for under 20 seconds.

Levels get harder as you progress, even adding subtraction and division at some point. Additionally, you’ll have seven mathematicians accompanying you on your journey, like Albert Einstein and Pythagoras. The more stars you earn means unlocking interesting stories about them. Will you follow in their footsteps?

Available on Google Play.

10
Brain It On!

Available on: iOS
Genre: Puzzle
Find out more about Brain It On!
Brain It On!

Draw different shapes to solve puzzles. There’s more than one way to complete them, so let your creativity shine. All the puzzles are physics-based and there’s dozens to get through, with more being added almost every day. Tip a glass, sort balls by color and more. Unlock new levels by earning stars in previous ones. Play by yourself or with friends to see who’s the better puzzle solver.

Available on Google Play.

We hope that you'll find what you like on our list of hardest mobile games! Leave a comment below with some of your favourite titles, and help out other players, as we couldn't fit them all!

Don't forget to take a look at these afterward:

Left Arrow
0/10
Right Arrow
Allison Van Oirschot
Allison Van Oirschot
She/Her. 26-year-old aspiring author currently writing about all kinds of games. Hoping to write for a game someday. Pixel art games are my favorite.