Should You Play the Mobile Games Nominated at The Game Awards?

Gaming for 2023 climbed a tremendous all-time high this year. Some of the best video games in recent history launched this year. The highly anticipated title Hogwarts Legacy kicked the year off and finished with titles like Alan Wake II and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

And if those sequels aren’t enough, games like Armored Core VI, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of The Kingdom, and Pikmin 4 kept every gamer busy and engaged. But ultimately, the crown for the Game of the Year was earned by Larian Studios’ incredible high-fantasy RPG, Baldur’s Gate 3.

The same could be said for mobile games this year too. A huge amount of mobile apps were released this year but the Game Awards can only have five nominations. But even with this lean list of games, most players might not have the time to try and play everything. So here’s a rundown of what to expect when spending time engaging with the mobile games of the year.

1. Honkai: Star Rail

First up is the undeniable Best Mobile Game at the Game Awards. MiHoYo has been on a roll with their games at the moment, and Honkai: Star Rail is no different. This sprawling adventure takes place in space and is the studio’s first turn based game. Players can control up to four characters during combat, which demand critical thinking and strategy for victory.

While the JRPG graphics can throw most players off, make no mistake. The stakes are high in this game and the battles can be quite intense. It may look cute but it’s no walk in the park! But should you invest in Honkai: Star Rail, you’ll easily find out why it was this year’s Mobile Game of the Year for the Game Awards.

Much like other MiHoYo Games such as the excellent Genshin Impact, Honkai Star Rail shares the play-to-earn mechanics reminiscent of real cash scratch off apps at The Sports Geek. They’re pretty similar when it comes to earnings, it would only take a few seconds to learn the prizes. The difference is that while scratch cards can earn players real cash, Honkai: Star Rail users earn loot boxes. These boxes usually have multiple equipment or characters inside them, which can be used to progress the story much faster.

2. Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis

The ever-popular Final Fantasy franchise came out with a new game for mobile this year. Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis attempts to condense every installment of the seventh game of the franchise. So for die-hard Final Fantasy fans out there, this will include the plot from titles like Advent Children, Before Crisis, Crisis Core, and Dirge of Cerberus.

Like most games of the franchise, gameplay will be turn-based combat and will progress through chapters. Popular characters in the series such as Vincent Valentine, Zack Flair, Sephiroth, and Cloud Strife himself. The game is free to download but do take note that there are lootboxes for sale which will have bonus equipment inside them.

Coincidentally, the Game Awards became the platform to announce the much-awaited sequel for the Final Fantasy VII Remake. So for a substantial refresher to the saga, Final Fantasy VII: Ever Crisis will serve as engaging context until the sequel is released.

3. Monster Hunter Now

Monster Hunter is possibly one of gaming’s strongest franchises. All of the games in the series are stellar and are consistent in reinventing themselves despite being a simple game at its core. You just hunt giant monsters and make cool clothes out of them!

This mobile game iteration of the Capcom franchise is a collaboration between the Japanese gaming giant and Niantic, popularly known as the developers of Pokemon Go. And like its predecessor, Monster Hunter Now features augmented reality gameplay. Depending on the terrain that your character will be in, many different monsters will arise that you can defeat in exchange for weapons and armor. Terrains change every 24 hours, providing excellent variety from the grind.

4. Terra Nil

Terra Nil has been widely praised by most gaming pundits like PC Gamer and Game Informer for a reason. The game’s beauty relies on its themes and simple gameplay. While most games that fall similarly to its gameplay run as city builders, Terra Nil goes into the other direction.

In this game, urbanization is dense. It is up to the player to reinvigorate the ecosystem by carefully placing buildings like water pumps to fill river beds. Wind turbines in the game are used to power toxin scrubbers to help restore healthy soil for irrigation.

Once the flora is restored, the player is then tasked to help wildlife reach healthy numbers again. Players can restore biomes for deer herds or schools of fish. Once the ecosystem thrives again, the player can then sell the buildings they used to buy an airship to leave nature at ease.

The game can also be played on PC and Switch.

5. Hello Kitty Island Adventure

One of the most prolific franchises coming out of Japan is this little white cat and she makes a stunning debut at the Game Awards by having her adventure nominated! For the early mobile gamer, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is the perfect start. It’s not as challenging as the games that will turn up on the list, has cute but very well done graphics, and is just a relaxing game all around.

In this game, Hello Kitty must repair a once-majestic island back to its lively and festive glory from long ago. She can’t do it without her friends so she must reconnect with them as they are scattered all over the island. Build ziplines and rides around the island for easy traversal while bonding with your friends! Kitty can even dive in the ocean for even more exploration! She can also cook for her friends around the park. It will be a worthwhile adventure, guaranteed!

All the games at the Game Awards accrued excellence for their devotion to provide entertainment. For mobile games, it’s no exception. May the cream of the crop for this year inspire developers to reach for the highest stars in mobile gaming!