In spite of the popularity of mobile games, video games—at least video games of the traditional sort—are not going anywhere. That being said, mobile games are very popular, and thanks to the standardization offered by Google’s Android mobile platform, it’s been easier than ever for game developers to sell their titles across numerous phones without having to worry about issues with porting their games, or making sure they are capable of running on every phone in the market.
In previous years, back when Symbian OS and other operating systems were a thing, game developers had to pace themselves and worry about making their games available only on select platforms as it was cost-prohibitive for them to go all-out and deliver their games to every platform. The standardization offered by Android (and to a lesser extent, the iOS) along with Google Play, has made it easy for developers to bring their games to market.
Gaming on the mobile has never been simpler. Thanks to devices like the GameKlip, you can now attach a DualShock 3 (PS3 controller) to your Android-powered phone and game just as you would on the PS Vita. You don’t have to hassle yourself by using on-screen touch controls when you have a real controller at the ready.
And with that, we’d like to take a look at five of the best mobile phones on the market for gaming today. Expect this list to be updated regularly.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
A bold device, the Galaxy Note 3 carries a Super AMOLED capacitative touchscreen that runs at a resolution of 1080p with 386 ppi pixel density. It packs a powerful Adreno 330 GPU and a quad-core 2.3Ghz Krait 400—enough to play any game on the market, and then some. Offering up to 64gb of storage, plus 64 more if you need the space, the phone offers more than enough room for you to install the biggest games available on Google Play with space to spare.
Google Nexus 5
Built with precision in mind and available in both black and white, Google’s Nexus 5 is powered by the latest version of Android, 4.4, and packs a stunning HD display. At 4.95 inches in size, the phone runs at 1080p and carries a pixel density of 445ppi. Like the Galaxy Note 3, it packs a powerful quad-core 2.3Ghz Krait 400 CPU and an Adreno 330 GPU. Lacking an external card slot, the phone is only available in 16gb and 32gb formats.
LG G2
The LG G2 is LG’s flagship mobile phone. At 5.2 inches, the phone runs a pixel density of 424 ppi and runs at 1080p. It features a beautiful True HD-IPS + LCD capacitative touchscreen, offering some of the best visuals available on any phone today. Like the two previous phones on this list, it carries a powerful quad-core 2.26Ghz Krait 400 and runs an Adreno 330 graphics processing unit. The phone lacks a card slot and comes in 16 and 32gb varieties.
Nokia Lumia 1520
The Nokia Lumia 1520 is the only Windows Phone on this list, and sports far fewer games than its Android and Apple counterparts. Despite the smaller selection of games available, the Windows Store comes with a few exclusive titles that are otherwise unavailable on any other device. What it lacks in content, it makes up for in size. Running at 6 inches with a pixel density of 367ppi, the phone offers beautiful 1080p visuals with its IPS LCD capacitative touchscreen.
Apple iPhone 5C
The iPhone 5C is the smallest phone on this list, and is cheaper than its luxury counterpart, the 5S. At 4 inches, the device runs at a resolution of 1136×640 at 326ppi, much smaller than the 1080p offered by other phones on this list. Don’t let its small size put you off however, as the iPhone arguably offers the best selection of games on the market, thanks to Apple’s App Store. If games are your thing, and you don’t mind playing them on a smaller screen, it’s hard to go wrong with an iPhone 5C.
