The OG Mobile Games
You've likely heard of and played Candy Crush, but back in the 2010s when mobile games were all the rage, these apps filled our phone screens; they served as great ways to pass the time or compete with friends. And while mobile games remain popular today, none are quite as iconic as the original ones we grew up playing. From Flappy Bird to Tiny Tower, here are 20 nostalgic games you've definitely played on your phone.
1. Temple Run
If you didn't play Temple Run, you probably didn't have a phone. First released in 2011, this 3D interactive game had everyone glued to their phones. The objective was simple: collect coins and avoid falling off the temple or getting eaten by demon monkeys. Its popularity led to a second version—Temple Run 2—being released shortly after in 2013.
2. Candy Crush Saga
While this candy-matching game was addicting to play, it was much more difficult to pass levels in its initial release back in 2012. Subsequent versions of Candy Crush got easier as boosters and mini-challenges were offered for free in-app, which made it gain even more popularity.
3. Flappy Bird
Were you able to download Flappy Bird before the developer took the app down? This game, released in 2013, consisted of tapping the screen to navigate a bird through endless pipes. Sounds easy, right? In fact, this game was so addictive that students became distracted in the classroom, prompting the developer to pull the app.
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4. 2048
When 2048 was first released in 2014, it left many people confused. Was it a math game? A puzzle game? How were you supposed to slide the blocks? After a couple of tries, though, its objective became clear—collect tiles to create the 2048 block—and many came up with their own strategies on how to win.
5. Bejeweled
Similar to Candy Crush, Bejeweled was another tile-matching game, only with gems. Though it was initially released on iOS and Android devices in 2012 and 2014, respectively, Bejeweled was a classic game included on mobile phones since the 2000s.
6. Fruit Ninja
Slicing fruit never seemed so fun until Fruit Ninja came out in 2010. Gameplay was simple: cut the fruits being tossed up and avoid the bombs. While it was more fun to play on bigger screens, such as tablets, this was another essential game on all phones.
7. Draw Something
Portable Pictionary, anyone? If you liked Pictionary, this was the game to download on your phone. Released in 2012, Draw Something was a fun game to play with friends and family, where players take turns drawing prompts while others guess the doodle.
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8. 4 Pics 1 Word
4 Pics 1 Word was a game that included exactly that—four pictures and one word that summarizes their commonality. For students back in 2013 when this was released, 4 Pics 1 Word was a fun logic game to play with friends during lunchtime.
9. Subway Surfers
Subway Surfers might not seem so nostalgic as it's still widely present on social media platforms like TikTok. But when it was released in 2012, it also took the world by storm due to its similarity to Temple Run—only that the setting was on a subway track.
10. Super Mario Run
Super Mario Run was released in 2016 and, three years later in 2019, Mario Kart Tour swooped in as well. Being two games that everyone has likely played at least once—on Wii, PlayStation, Nintendo DS, and other consoles—they were huge hits when their mobile versions came out.
11. Ice Cream Jump
The perfect game to pass the time, Ice Cream Jump's release in 2012 caught everyone—especially kids—in a frenzy. Why? Because the concept was cute, fun, and simple: just move your phone to hop the ice cream scoop toward the sky while avoiding bees.
12. Jetpack Joyride
If you're old enough to remember Jetman, which was a popular game on Facebook in the late 2000s, that nostalgia likely came rushing back when Jetpack Joyride came out in 2011. Similar to Jetman, Jetpack Joyride was an endless side-scrolling game where the objective was to collect coins and take down enemies.
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13. Pokemon GO
Pokemon GO was all the rage in 2016, and the global craze for it went on for a while. And that came as no surprise: for a franchise as popular as Pokemon, it was obvious an interactive game like Pokemon GO would go viral. Since the game allowed players to catch Pokemon in the real world, it became commonplace to see "trainers" wandering the streets with their phones in hand.
14. Doodle Jump
Released in 2009 for iOS and then in 2010 for Android, Doodle Jump was an endless leaping game with whimsical hand-drawn characters and items. The objective, similar to Ice Cream Jump, was to go as high as you could while taking down enemies and collecting coins along the way.
15. Crossy Road
Why did the chicken cross the road? Well, playing Crossy Road might have told you the answer, as it was inspired by the classic riddle. Only, the objective of crossing roads in this game was a challenge, as you encountered various obstacles and busy streets blocking the chicken's path.
16. Angry Birds
During its initial release on iOS in 2009, probably no one would've predicted that Angry Birds would become such a huge franchise. Flinging birds at pigs seemed silly enough, but Angry Birds went on to inspire comic book series, movies, animated shows, and more.
Miguel Discart from Bruxelles, Belgique on Wikimedia
17. Minecraft
Sure, Minecraft was fun to play on your computer at home, but who would turn down the chance to mine for iron on your phone? Since the objective of Minecraft was simple—build a world and try to stay alive—the liberty it gave players meant you could create anything from obstacle courses to entire cities.
18. Dots
Released in 2013, Dots consisted of a colorful board filled with, well, dots. The goal for the player was to connect as many dots with the same color as possible within 60 seconds, and combination swipes got more rewards. Unfortunately, this game shut down in 2023.
19. Tiny Tower
Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to open up a hotel? That curiosity was likely what drove many players to Tiny Tower, where you could build a skyscraper with unlimited levels. You could add retail stores, restaurants, or residential floors, and the "bitizens" that lived within the tower could live and work there.
20. Trivia Crack
Trivia Crack was extremely addictive to play when it was released in 2013, as it included various categories and topics—ranging from history to sports—with numerous quiz questions. Since you were encouraged to compete with friends and family, it wasn't unusual for people to spend hours playing.
