Roguelike games are often bite-sized adventures that fit into short play sessions. Mobile games are all about short play sessions, so its no wonder why rougelikes feel so great on Android and iOS devices, where you can easily pick up and put down the game at a moment's notice.
Rougelikes can come in a variety of different subgenres, like deckbuilding, action, turn-based, and more. If you're looking for some of the best rougelike games on Android and iOS devices across several different genres, you've come to the right place. Below, we'll look at a few of the best games on this genre you can play right now, on your phone.
8 Slay The Spire
Slay the Spire is a deck-building rougelike where you can choose between one of four different classes to build a deck of cards and ascend the Spire. While climbing, you'll slowly build up your deck of cards, giving you new tools to tackle the fierce challenges that await.
Making it to the top of the Spire is hard enough, but the game also has 20 stacking difficulty levels, each adding a new layer of challenge to the run. If you're looking for a game to sink a lot of time into as you learn the intricacies of each class, Slay the Spire is a great choice.
7 Dead Cells
Dead Cells is a quintessential rougelike experience, and works extremely well on mobile devices. This side-scrolling action game is jam-packed with content. WIth hundreds of equipment options, upgrades, enemies, bosses, and biomes, every run feels fresh and interesting.
If you're looking for a blood-pumping, fast-paced action game, it doesn't get much better than Dead Cells. Plus, there are frequent free content updates and a plethora of DLC available to keep the fun going.
6 Vampire Survivors
Vampire Survivors is a bullet-hell rougelike where you collect dozens of different items to amass projectiles that fly around your character, taking down waves upon waves of enemies at a time. With over 50 characters to play as, multiple expansions, and tons of build variety, there is a lot of content packed into this simple game.
Runs in Vampire Survivors last for, at most, 30 minutes, making it the perfect game for playing in small intervals on a phone. Even if you just play a single run at a time, you'll always be making progress in the game thanks to the passive upgrade system, making each run feel meaningful in some way.
5 Downwell
Downwell is a 2D platformer where you fall down a well. If this sounds like a simple concept, you'd be right, but its simplicity only makes the game more compelling. Using your character's Gunboots, you can fire projectiles to bounce you up into the air, but only for a second.
By using these Gunboots, you'll need to meneuver around enemies and obstacles and make it to the bottom of the well. Depending on how fast you go, a run can last anywhere from one to five minutes, making it perfect for mobile devices.
4 Crypt Of The Necrodancer
Crypt of the Necrodancer is one of the most unique rougelike games out there. In this rougelike rhythm game, you'll need to move and attack to the beat of the music, gaining combo bonuses the longer you can stay on tempo.
In Crypt of the Necrodancer, your skill is the only thing you can rely on. Getting strong weapons or upgrades won't help if you don't learn and predict the enemy's movements while moving in time with the music. If you're looking for a unique and difficult roguelike, you can't go wrong with Necrodancer.
3 Otherworld Legends
Otherworld Legends is a 2D rougelike action game that can be played for free on Android and iOS. Otherworld Legends has fast-paced, fluid action combat, but skill and planning are necessary to survive in later stages. Items are unique and interesting, and can allow for extremely fun and broken builds when you get the right equipment combinations.
There are tons of characters to unlock, each with their own skill sets to experiment with, all rendered in a comfy pixel artstyle. Otherworld Legends is great for playing a round or two to work towards your next upgrade, lending itself perfectly to the mobile format.
2 Dicey Dungeons
Dicey Dungeons is a dice-based deck-building rougelike. Through the random power of dice, you will fight against enemies in procedural dungeons, gaining new equipment and items as you progress. Despite the random nature of the dice, combat must be approached with strategy and resourcefulness.
Dicey Dungeons has tons of different characters to unlock, and they all play very differently. Experimenting with each of the games' characters and equipment pieces provides for endless fun.
1 OneBit Adventure
OneBit Adenture is turn-based rougelike game with a casual focus. Choose one of seven classes and make your way through endless dungeons to collect gold, experience, items, and equipment. Wrapped in a retro pixel style, OneBit Adventure is a great reimagining of this classic genre.
Although the game is light on more typical roguelike elements, Hardcore mode alleviates most of these concerns. This mode introduced permadeath, and prevents in-app purchases to keep things fair. If you're looking for a more challenging experience, Hardcore mode is the way to go.