Looking for the best Android action games? Mobile offers all sorts of experiences for those who enjoy throwing themselves into the chaos, whether it's the hack 'n' slash combat of a roguelike, a Grand Theft Auto rampage, or just a boy doing his best to survive falling down a well. The best Android action games belong to all sorts of different genres, but what they have in common is their fast-paced, adrenaline-fuelled gameplay, pushing you ever-onwards towards victory.
We may not have Dark Souls, but we have Pascal's Wager, and you'll find that most action-packed genres have some representation on mobile. It could be a port of a popular PC game like Thumper or Dead Cells, or it could be one of mobile's very own originals, like Grimvalor or COD: Mobile.
Either way, there's plenty to get your blood pumping on the platform. Without further ado, here's our list of the best Android action games.
Here Are the Best Android Action Games
Immortal Rogue
With its pixel art stylings and hack 'n' slash roguelike gameplay, Immortal Rogue is a great little action-packed game for Android. You play as a vampire who's just awoken from a hundred-year nap and has realised he's more than a little peckish. Head into the night and hunt down over seventy different enemies, using all sorts of weapons, while earning powerful vampiric abilities along the way. Rogue's timeline mechanic also means that who you choose to hunt affects the rest of the game, adding a layer of replayability to your midnight feasting.
Pascal's Wager
Tipsworks action-RPG is the closest you'll get to Dark Souls on mobile: it's got the spooky dying world, the hard-as-nails enemies, and the same stamina-based dodge-and-stab combat system. You've even got bonfires, known here as altars, which act as checkpoints for your progress and let you level up your character.
The main difference is that Pascal's Wager is more obviously narrative-driven than Dark Souls, and it sees you choose from a selection of Couriers, a group of characters who are trying to forestall the apocalyptic Dark Mist. You'll move from region to region, fighting bosses and investigating whatever is killing the Colossi – light bulb-headed giants who keep the mist at bay. If you're looking for a mobile game that might come close to scratching a Dark Soul's itch, Pascal's Wager is one of the best Android action games to try.
Dead Cells
Motion Twin's roguevania platformer, Dead Cells, was one of the most popular games of the year back in 2017, and considering it had Hollow Knight to compete with, that's quite the achievement. Now you can also play the game on mobile, too, delving into its procedurally generated dungeons and mastering its many skill-based weapons as you hack your way through enemies to navigate a mysterious castle setting. Dead Cells is not only one of the best Android action games, but one of the best action games, period. Its DLC, The Bad Seed, also adds even more replayability, with extra levels and a brand-new boss to boot.
GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas
Nothing says action more than loading up on guns and racking up stars in GTA. Lucky for you, mobile has ports for GTA III, Vice City, and San Andreas, meaning whether you want Miami, L.A, or New York as the backdrop for your rampage, the options are all there. Despite looking their age, these GTA games remain classics for a reason, and even though they lack the quality-of-life improvements of their sequels, they still deliver a fun dose of nostalgia to this day. Sadly, there aren't any cheats on Android, though.
Downwell
This tricky action game has a simple premise: you're a curious young boy who decided to jump down a well. The only problem is that this well seems to be almost infinite and filled with a myriad of deadly monsters and obstacles. Lucky you brought those gun boots, eh? Drop through level after level, blasting enemies with your ballistic booties and collecting gems to buy upgrades from that weird well-dwelling vendor. Imagine something like Spelunky but on mobile.
Thumper: Pocket Edition
In the end, aren't we all just interdimensional beetles riding the cosmic rhythms of the universe? No? Just me? Thumper: Pocket Edition takes the hyper-intense rail-riding rhythm game and brings it to mobile. Expect the same action-packed, brain-melting gameplay on the small screen, as you try to navigate tracks in style and defeat unnerving cosmic entities in beat-based battles.
Riptide GP: Renegade
Looking for an action-packed racing game on mobile? Riptide GP: Renegade is all about illegal hydrojet racing in the far future. "Hydrojets?" you say. "What are those?" Well, if you imagine a jetski and speederbike from Star Wars got intimate, the resulting offspring might look a little like this. Take part in illegal street races down public waterways, perform stunts and tricks, and try to outmatch your opponents to steal that first-place crown. Riptide GP is everything you'd imagine from an illegal jetski racing game, which is to say, a great time.
Sky Force Reloaded
It wouldn't be a list of mobile action games without an obligatory shmup. Sky Force Reloaded channels the high-flying retro bullet hell gameplay that the series is known for, as you pilot a top-down aircraft through wave after wave of oncoming enemies and flying bosses. There are 15 levels to sink your teeth into, plus a variety of aircraft to use, with hundreds of weapon and upgrade combinations to turn your measly fighter into a veritable flying fortress.
Crypt of the NecroDancer
This award-winning roguelike rhythm game is one of the most original dungeon-crawlers ever to be made, and now you can play it on Android, too. Descend into the crypt of the Necrodancer, moving to the relentless beat of each new floor in order to dodge and strike monsters, as you work your way deeper, fighting bosses and uncovering treasure as you go. There's even a singing dungeon vendor. What's not to love? You can enjoy Necrodancer's incredible soundtrack or even upload your own songs to listen to as you dance your way through the dungeon.
Grimvalor
This sidescrolling hack 'n' slash mobile platformer sees you enter the realm of Vallaris, stabbing your way through hordes of monsters and bosses while exploring its dark fantasy world in search of answers. It has those same Dark Soul vibes but in a platforming package, with jumping and enjoyable traversal, as you use skill-based combat to defeat whatever obstacles lie in your path.
Call of Duty: Mobile
If you're on the hunt for an action-packed first person shooter, you could do a lot worse than Call of Duty: Mobile. With regular updates introducing new modes and maps, and controls adapted for touch screen phones, it's hard not to recommend this as a go-to mobile multiplayer shooter, especially if you're someone who enjoys the quinessential COD experience on PC or console. Call of Duty: Mobile is exactly what it says on the tin, i.e the classic shooter experience boiled down for phones. If you're a fan of the series, that should be reason enough to play.
Brawlhalla
If you like the action-packed chaos of a multiplayer brawl, you could do a lot worse than Brawlhalla. This mobile fighting game features a distinctive art style and a huge cast of characters, each with their own particular way of duking it out. There are also a variety of different modes, from one on ones, to ranked matches, to anything goes free-for-alls. Add in regular updates and new characters, and you've got a great mobile fighting game that you can pick-and-play whenever you want a little dust up.
And that's our list of the best Android action games. If you're looking for more recommendations, why not try our lists of the best free Android games or the best Android strategy games? You're sure to find plenty to love.