Best mobile otome games
Get romantic with demon boys, detectives, and even samurai!
If you're looking for the next great mobile otome game to really capture your heart and get you invested, you've come to the right place. From pretty detective boys to stone-cold samurai warriors, your options for romance are vast and wide, but we can help you narrow it down!
What exactly is an Otome game?
Of course, given the niche market these games appeal to, you might not be quite aware of what exactly an otome game is. These titles are specifically romances, usually hosted within the shell of a visual novel. This means that you'll be interacting with a cast of boys, and it will be mostly boys as this genre is very specifically catered towards a female player base, to capture their hearts and learn more about them through dialogue, 2D art scenes, and sometimes even full CGI cutscenes.Sometimes, the mechanics of the gameplay can be switched up. There are a few puzzle otome games on mobile, some with gacha mechanics, and others with town management elements! With all of these factors combined, it can be hard to decide exactly where to start. But really, at the end of the day, it all will come down to preference between settings, what sort of gameplay you're looking for, and of course, how attractive the boys are.
Now, even with these being of the romance genre, it is important to note that otome games usually involve quite a lot of drama and some can even get pretty heavy and involved. Numerous titles on this list have stories that will truly stick with you and if you get really caught up in it, you may even find yourself shedding some real tears!
So, now that you know what you're getting into, let's dig into the types of mobile otome games available and what we have decided are the best of what is a very populated genre!
1
Mystic Messenger
We've simply got to start with the absolute legendary title that is Mystic Messenger. If you somehow haven't heard of it, Mystic Messenger is a dating simulator that begins with the protagonist finding a random app on their phone. This app leads the protagonist down a wild path that involves a cast of five potential suitors, each with their individual routes with differing stories.
The mechanic this game is most known for is the fact that the characters can actually call you with voice messages, and these calls can come in at any time of the day. Back in the day, people were waking up at 3 AM to answer their phone calls from anime boys, and we loved it.
2
Obey Me!
Obey Me is up there in terms of popularity with the likes of Mystic Messenger and shares a lot of the same mechanics. Based on talking to the cast of seven boys through text and phone calls, the game focuses on integrating the cast into your daily life just like Mystic Messenger. The difference here is that this cast is made up of demons.
Yup, as the story takes place in an academy for demons, you'll be romancing and smooching some demonic anime boys as you navigate your way through card battles with various opponents, all with the goal of wooing the boys and completing their stories. As mentioned, this one does differ from Mystic Messenger in that, rather than a simple visual novel structure where the only gameplay is choosing what to say next, Obey Me has a card game mechanic that will further the story as you complete stages. You can also roll on a gacha system to unlock new versions of your favourite boy from the main cast to use in battle. Obey Me is an extremely popular mobile otome game with a large fanbase and is a wonderful place to start for beginners who are new to the genre.
3
Tears of Themis
Part otome part puzzler, Tears of Themis is set against a detective backdrop. You'll take on the role of a crime-solving beauty tasked with finding out the culprit of various crimes both petty and not so petty. Of course, along with this, you'll be meeting a cast of boys that are all ready and willing to fall right for you, if you manage to woo them just right.
As you solve more and more cases, the story will reveal itself slowly but surely, and as you talk more and more to whichever boy you end up dialling in on, you'll learn more about them and their story as well. This all combines to make a wonderfully engaging title full of a well-developed cast and gorgeous art. Oh, did I mention it's also developed by the legendary Genshin Impact developers, Mihoyo?
4
Dangerous Fellows
Do you like bad boys? Do you like zombies? Well, boy do I have the thing for you. Dangerous Fellows is based on a post-apocalypse setting, where a zombie virus takes over the world. You take on the role of a female survivor who finds herself teaming up to survive alongside five other boys, all of course, very pretty.
With a darker theme than most given the setting, Dangerous Fellows is for those of us looking for a little, well, danger in our romance stories. Much like other mobile otome games, you'll be able to slowly but surely chip away at your favourite boy's story until you learn everything about him and eventually fall in love, but this time the stories will be dark and full of tragedy, allowing for some pretty heartbreaking moments and tough choices to make. This one may be the most unique on our list, so if you're looking for a bit more of an edgy romance simulator, check it out.
5
Ikeman Sengoku
Ikemen Sengoku is a period piece otome, based in the samurai era of Japan. After the protagonist nabs a job as a style designer, she's suddenly transported back in time, and quickly earns the favour of the legendary Nobunaga himself. From here, you'll be able to romance a vast cast of samurai boys, most based on their respective historical figures of the time period.
This one is our most classic mobile otome game listed so far, with nothing but a visual novel gameplay system involving branching dialogue choices and very nice art. Using nothing but your words, you'll win the heart of a warrior of your choosing and become a princess at their side. With an anime adaptation and a long list of titles in the series in Japan, Ikemen Sengoku is a well-known franchise for a reason.
6
Lovely Hero
In a time where all of the most popular movies are about caped crusaders and hammer-wielding legends, a superhero romance might be just what the world needs. Lovely Hero is about a girl who hides her face with a mask due to scarring from an early incident in her life and continues on like this until she meets a group of other masked boys.
These boys of course turn out to be real-life superheroes, and you'll be taking your pick from them to decide which one to develop a relationship with. Another classic visual novel styled otome, this one features some very uplifting messages about self-confidence and never giving up, combined with a romantic and heartwarming story regardless of which of the heroes you end up falling for.
7
The Arcana: A Mystic Romance
The Arcana is one of the other big names in terms of mobile otome games. In this title, you'll take on the role of a tarot reader who is awoken by a strange (and attractive) character, who after being intrigued by your reading capabilities, invites you to a dreamy palace full of other equally attractive characters.
The driving force is that the price of this invite is a promise to solve the murder of this character's partner, leading to an intriguing mystery plot sure to keep you hooked. And if that doesn't get you addicted, the romance options and tough choices surely will. The Arcana is a very mystical-themed otome, all about tarot cards and magical boys for you to fall in love with.
8
Court of Darkness
In a magical world full of whimsy and talented magicians, Court of Darkness is one of the best otome games for mobile that features a large number of attractive characters, each with their unique personality and charm. There is even a dress-up element in the game, allowing you to change the appearance of your character and the ones you choose to date.
9
First Love Story
In First Love Story you will have complete freedom to shape love however you want, and every single action will have a reaction. The choices you make will always have a great impact on the end result, which is not something we see in many games, especially not to this extent. You will encounter some rather intriguing scenarios, many of which will leave you wondering if you've made the right choice or not.
First Love Story also supports multiple languages, so it's widely available for anyone to try, especially as a first otome game. So, if you're new to the genre or just want something that is simple and features a great narrative, this is definitely a title worth checking out.
10
Romantic HOLIC
Romantic HOLIC: Dream Walker is a beautiful game with stunning visuals, original CV, and befitting audio to act as the soundtrack for your dream love story. You will oftentimes hop between dream and reality, where you encounter mysterious characters that will always make you want to learn more about them.
It has a pretty light story, but one that is full of romance and is guaranteed to put a smile on your face if you're having a bad day. Romantic HOLIC gives off a somewhat 'good aura' if you will - try it out if you haven't yet!
11
Ikemen Vampire
To close off our list of the best otome games mobile platforms have to offer we have one of the most exciting titles - Ikemen Vampire. Similar to Ikemen Sengoku and Ikemen Prince (it was a difficult choice between them), in Ikemen Vampire the story unfolds similarly, but with entirely new characters and narratives.
It's one of the titles that you must have in your library if you're an avid otome player since everything about this game is spicy. Every element has benefitted from a lot of attention put into each individual detail, and the soundtrack is just lovely. Easily one of our personal favourites!
