Eager to take a risk? Finally got your hands on a gaming phone? Or maybe you’re just the type who's constantly on the move? Then check out Game8's favorite mobile gacha games that you should definitely try out!
The Best Mobile Gacha Games in 2023
Our Top 20 Gacha Picks Available in 2023
It's a good era to live in when dozens of quality gacha games launch every year. But with so many options, it’s hard to know which of these games are any good. We here at Game8 have compiled a list of our 20 most recommended mobile gacha games for 2023. Note that the games in this list do not reflect their success, popularity, or any such standards and are simply selected and ranked according to our preferences.
20. Langrisser M
Based on the popular Langrisser series, Langrisser M follows the journey of a group of friends appointed by the Goddess of Light to recast the titular legendary sword, Langrisser. To aid them in their quest, Almeda, one of the group members, summons history's greatest warriors to fight against the evil creeping through the land. Players are able to make use of these heroes and other prominent characters from Langrisser’s previous games in their party.
Using a traditional turn-based grid combat system, Langrisser M is a familiar take on a beloved franchise that's sure to pull in the series' fans. The game features fluid in-game animations, a diverse roster of characters from popular titles, and a surprisingly profound strategic aspect hidden behind its basic mechanics. Even after well over three years since its release, Langrisser M is a great mobile game.
Langrisser M on Google Play Store
Langrisser M on App Store
19. Blue Archive
Take on the role of Sensei in the heartwarming and surprisingly gripping mobile title, Blue Archive. There, multiple schools and groups conflict with each other, more often than not, for petty reasons. However, the protagonist's job is to assist the students with whatever they need. Thus begins the player's life in Kivotos, the Academy City.
Blue Archive is eye candy with a surprising amount of depth to it. This depth comes from both its strategic team planning as well as its story. Though the story and gameplay does start out rather slowly, those willing to put in the hours will eventually enjoy its solid strategy shooter gameplay and eye-widening plot twists. The player must manage these combat-capable students to utilize their weapons and abilities to defeat their enemies. There are a variety of modes to choose from, including a PvP mode where players can pit their strategies against other players in a fully-automated combat simulation.
Blue Archive on Google Play Store
Blue Archive on App Store
18. Aether Gazer
Aether Gazer puts you into the shoes of the Administrator, a high-ranking individual in charge of the Modifiers of Gaea, a simulation of the real world to keep humans alive. Modifiers are sentient forms of Gaea's self-check programs, tasked to eliminate bugs in the system. These programs are forced to take human forms because of Visbanes, major bugs directly influencing the virtual world.
This is a new mobile action RPG that just released this 2023. Aether Gazer has been a surprising hit, despite the market's relatively-saturated action RPG lineup. Its popularity can be attributed to its incredible gameplay; a fast-paced, action-packed hack-and-slash experience that any fan of the genre would be happy to dabble in.
Aether Gazer on Google Play Store
Aether Gazer on App Store
17. Memento Mori
"The Witch Hunts." An initiative by the Church of Longinus where unfortunate girls cursed to become witches are hunted down. As the hunts go on, the world sinks into a state of turmoil, as friends and family are executed at will in the name of a supposed "greater good." Under this situation, the Witches face extreme oppression, causing them to develop unique personalities and accompanying traumas. It is up to the player to free these girls of their mental afflictions and save the world.
Memento Mori is an idle mobile RPG. But don't let that label fool you; the game is anything but easy. The game also features stunning artwork that resembles water painting. Although the live 2D animations are relatively basic, they contribute to the game's quick pace. But above all else, the voice acting in Memento Mori is impeccable. The entire game is fully-voiced, including the side content for each character. It's one of the most aesthetically beautiful games on the market right now, and any players who like to focus on that aspect will not regret getting into it.
Memento Mori on Google Play Store
Memento Mori on App Store
16. Fire Emblem Heroes
In the war between Askr and Embla, our silent protagonist comes to the aid of the Kingdom of Askr. The protagonist, a summoner, can call upon heroes from other worlds to assist them in their battles. These heroes come from all other Fire Emblem titles, each with their own motivations to join the protagonist's cause.
Featuring traditional grid-based combat, Fire Emblem Heroes emphasizes strategic positioning and decision-making. The character progression is deep and complex, yet fun and wholly satisfying. To aid their players in their quest for victory, the game also has very generous gacha rates, providing valuable additions to their rosters and fodder for strengthening their heroes.
Fire Emblem Heroes on Google Play Store
Fire Emblem Heroes on App Store
15. Another Eden
Live the life of our protagonist, Aldo, who lives in a quaint village with his sister Feinne. Though they lived in peace away from the world's conflicts, the Beast King suddenly appears to take his sister, intending to use her dormant powers to destroy all humans. In his struggle to rescue his sister, he is suddenly thrown into a space-time distortion and arrives 800 years into the distant future.
Another Eden is a turn-based RPG with all of the traditional flavors that long-time fans of console RPGs can enjoy. The game's main pull is in its exploration, surprisingly enjoyable story, and side content. Another Eden handles its writing with a kind of humor and optimism that's refreshing and entertaining. It provides a nice contrast to the game's relatively heavy plot, as well as against the large number of mobile games with gritty stories out right now.
Another Eden on Google Play Store
Another Eden on App Store
14. Epic Seven
In a world created by the Goddess Diche atop the body of her deceased brother Orbis, the threat of destruction from the great Archdemon razing its lands looms in the horizon. The Heirs, blessed by the goddess, and their guardians are the only ones who can push against the invasion. However, good does not always so easily triumph over evil as it does in fairy tales. As the heirs fail, the goddess resets the world and wipes everybody's memories each time, thus restarting the cycle over again.
True to its subtitle, "Play the Anime" (I supposed the more appropriate “Play an Anime” doesn’t quite roll off the tongue as well), Epic Seven is a mobile RPG stuffed with animated cutscenes for everything from the characters' skills to story events. The game features steep character progression, ensuring long and satisfying play sessions. But other than that, it has a standard gameplay loop that anybody familiar with mobile or handheld RPGs will be familiar with; it’s a turn-based RPG featuring 4-man formations, loads of side dungeons, and farmable events.
Epic Seven on Google Play Store
Epic Seven on App Store
13. Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage!
Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage combines the usual character-collection mobile gacha experience with rhythm gameplay. While this game is certainly not the first to do so, it pulls on people's heartstrings and nostalgia by placing the well-known anime poster girl for Yamaha's voice synthesizer software, Hatsune Miku, front and center. The story follows multiple groups of aspiring talents, each with their own personalities and troubles. But with their passion and the power of music, they perform on the big stage to bring joy to millions.
While as a rhythm game, Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage is not the most difficult one in the market, it has some incredibly catchy songs. On top of that, certain pieces also have in-game choreography where 3D models of the game's cast dance in different costumes that you can obtain through its gacha system.
Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! on Google Play Store
Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! on App Store
12. Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe
The story follows Polka Lynn Wood, the brother in a well-known acrobatic sibling duo. One day, her sister is suddenly kidnapped by an evil demoness, claiming that she will be made her 500th daughter. After being left without much else to go on, the perplexed brother vows to take back his sister no matter what.
Players familiar with Square Enix's SaGa series will definitely find comfort playing Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe. It is a turn-based RPG mainly featuring familiar console RPG mechanics, such as staggered turns, while incorporating modern mobile game features, such as auto-play. Though the story isn't its strongest point, its traditional RPG mechanics and enjoyable gameplay serve as a strong pull for the series' fans, as well as a good starting point for players new to the SaGa series.
Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe on Google Play
Romancing SaGa Re;univerSe on App Store
11. Brown Dust 2
In a fantasy world plagued by the secret experiments of evil warlocks, the people spend their lives ignorant of the hidden deaths around them. That is, until they laid their hands on the wrong family. Aided by a vampiric knight, a sorceress obsessed with magic stones, and a womanizing archer, the player takes on the role of Lathel in his quest to take revenge against the warlocks who destroyed his family.
Brown Dust 2, sequel to Brave Nine, is a game that seeks to emulate the nostalgic RPGs of old with modern hardware. It's a turn-based dungeon-crawler with a heavy emphasis on strategy. Though auto-play is available in Brown Dust 2 like other mobile titles, unprepared players would regret dabbling in that feature. That's because everything in the game can and will hurt their teams, regardless of their levels. Nevertheless, Brown Dust 2 is an incredible mobile game with engaging music, pleasing character artwork, enjoyable stories, and a generous gacha experience.
Brown Dust 2 on Google Play
Brown Dust 2 on App Store
10. Goddess of Victory: NIKKE
Humanity is under the threat of extinction. Rabid, mechanical monsters called "Raptures" suddenly appear on the surface world, hunting and killing all humans on sight. Immune to traditional weaponry, they make quick work of most of humanity, forcing what few that remained underground.
Despite these dire circumstances, there was hope. The development of "Nikke" technology, which allowed for humans to receive technological augmentations, gave humans a fighting chance. With it, humans can finally take their first, furtive steps to take back the surface world.
Though some may be put off by the game's heavy preference for male-targeted fanservice, Goddess of Victory: NIKKE is an easy shoo-in for this list. Players, or Commanders, must assemble a team of five combatants called "Nikkes" to save the world from the Raptures. All the while, they must also face the scrutiny and tyranny of the system that had developed due to humanity's isolation. Most importantly, the game has an incredible main story focusing on the meaning of existence, loyalty, and commitment.
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE on Google Play
Goddess of Victory: NIKKE on App Store
9. Snowbreak: Containment Zone
The Post-Juvosis Era
is the name used to refer to the world before the calamity. It was named after the pandemic that ravaged the world, Juvosis. During the Juvosis era, AI-driven manufacturing had become the norm, and the immensely-popular Valkyrie Games had overshadowed all forms of entertainment. These games were a form of e-sports where augmented participants are pitted against each other to fight for glory. Humanity was at the cusp of a golden age. That is, until the Titans
arrived.
Take on the role of a rookie adjutant in Amazing Seasun's mobile title, Snowbreak: Containment Zone. The game boasts traditional third-person shooter gameplay with excellent polish, mixed with mobile RPG elements such as switch-in skills. Featuring beautifully-modeled characters and environments, punchy audio, and heartwarming side stories, Snowbreak: Containment Zone is an unsurprising hit this 2023.
Snowbreak: Containment Zone on Google Play
Snowbreak: Containment Zone on App Store
8. Puzzle & Dragons
Despite its age, first coming out over a decade ago in 2012, Puzzle & Dragons remains a strong contender. Its traditional match-3 gameplay paired with the RPG elements seen in its character skills and dungeon-crawling is a fun mix of colorful visuals and action.
Players can choose their units from a pool of, and we kid you not, a few thousand-odd available units to deploy. A strong party will be able to synergize with each others' abilities and produce incredible effects on the battlefield, such as being able to shuffle the board to connect matching tiles. With a wealth of content from its many years of service, regular updates from its developers, and the promise of a fun and challenging experience in equal measure, Puzzle & Dragons continues to have a place in our phones, even now.
Puzzle & Dragons on Google Play
Puzzle & Dragons on App Store
7. Arknights
Lead Rhodes Island Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s efforts to aid those infected by Oripathy, a terminal disease that results in bodily crystallization, in Hypergryphy's hit game Arknights. While the number of combat-capable personnel in what's supposed to be a pharmaceutical company may give pause for some players, Arknights possesses one of the grittiest and best-written stories in the mobile gacha market. It features unfortunate tragedies, painful choices, and dreadful circumstances that force players to make difficult choices.
Arknights' gameplay is a standard mix of traditional tower defense and RPG-esque skill usage. Operators can perform different roles depending on their class. Some of them, for example, are proficient in blocking enemies from advancing, while others can bombard a vast area with spells or ordinance. Arknights also offers gorgeous character artwork for all their operators. But most of all, the music in the game is so good that it has catapulted Arknights from a simple mobile gacha game into a staple candidate for any "best gacha game" discussions.
Arknights on Google Play Store
Arknights on App Store
6. Honkai Impact 3rd
In a world beset by otherworldly monsters called the Honkai, young women called Valkyries are trained by the organization Schicksal to combat them. These Valkyries can resist their radiation and have natural or artificial stigmata on their bodies. Players follow the lives of Kiana Kaslana, a student at St. Freya Academy, and her friends. There, they are trained to become Valkyries themselves.
Who could ever forget HoYoverse's masterpiece, Honkai Impact 3rd? Its gameplay aside, Honkai Impact 3rd has one of the most memorable stories on the market. Its plot is so full of emotional roller coasters that the memories of tragedies from years past, such as Himeko’s death, are still fresh in its players' minds. It's an absolutely fantastic game that is still very much relevant to this day, seven years after it was released.
Honkai Impact 3rd on Google Play Store
Honkai Impact 3rd on App Store
5. Punishing Gray Raven
Welcome to the fight, Commandant. Punishing Gray Raven is an action RPG ripe with fantastic, philosophical storyline, a robust and fast-paced combat system, and wildly immersive audiovisuals. Players take on the role of the commander of the Gray Ravens, an elite task force whose goal is to eradicate the Punishing Virus from Earth and make it habitable for humans once again.
It boasts one of the best fast-paced action RPG gameplay in the market, featuring incredible animations and exquisitely-detailed models. On top of that, obtaining characters is extremely easy. Unlike many character gacha games, Punishing Gray Raven guarantees a player the event character from their pulls instead of the usual 50-50.
Punishing Gray Raven on Google Play Store
Punishing Gray Raven on App Store
4. Honkai: Star Rail
In Honkai: Star Rail, players take on the shoes (and baseball bat) of Stelle or Caelus, one of the Nameless who trailblaze through the cosmos as part of the Astral Express. It is their mission to explore the farthest reaches of the universe. Along the way, they pick up passengers from different worlds and assist them in their problems, just like the god-like being that once piloted the Astral Express before them.
HoYoverse's latest release is a smash hit. Honkai: Star Rail's main pull might be how obviously this was a passion project for the HoYoverse developers to use to vent. The protagonist is a treasure trove of witty remarks. They even break the 4th wall often, like referencing how they are in a gacha game or how plot armor works. Honkai: Star Rail's other main appeal is their well-written characters paired with crisp, beautiful models full of personality.
Honkai: Star Rail on Google Play Store
Honkai: Star Rail on App Store
3. Genshin Impact
Perhaps the most influential open-world mobile game of the decade, Genshin Impact is pretty much guaranteed a spot somewhere at the top of this list. It boasts polished gameplay, diverse characters, immersive audio, and beautiful models. The game is about the Traveler, an unfortunate soul from a bygone era who has been separated from their sibling and thrown into a different time. During their quest to find their missing family, they are thrown into the many conflicts between the Archons, the gods of the world of Teyvat.
As the game that keeps on giving, Genshin Impact remains a staple in our hearts (and phones) and is an excellent game to recommend. The game's polished combat system, gorgeously-designed characters, and breathtaking environments are a big hit for fans and skeptics alike. Though there are many other games that are better than Genshin Impact in certain aspects, there is little doubt that this game is here to stay for a long while.
Genshin Impact on Google Play Store
Genshin Impact on App Store
2. Guardian Tales
Guardian Tales is an adorable and colorful game that embraces the pixel sprite art style. However, behind the cartoonish visual effects and fun minigames is a plot full of tragedy and resentment. It is a redemption story with an incredible setup. Players take on the role of The Knight, one of many from the Kingdom of Kanterbury. Either by chance or by fate, she became the last remaining royal princess' guardian and best friend after the Invaders came and ruined the country.
Featuring surprisingly fast-paced combat, Guardian Tales lives up to its genre as an action RPG. Players with experience with older, handheld RPGs such as The Legend of Zelda on GameBoy would surely recognize Guardian Tales' aesthetics. However, unlike the former, Guardian Tales offers far more freedom in every aspect, such as movement directions, aim, etc. The gacha rates are also quite good, which should be a nice motivating factor for players interested in trying this gem.
Guardian Tales on Google Play Store
Guardian Tales on App Store
1. The Battle Cats
Imagine a battle between two fantasy armies. Then, imagine both sides having soldiers of all shapes and sizes, from towering giants to chonky dwarves. Now, imagine that they all have a cute cat face. That's essentially what The Battle Cats is; a charming and entertaining 2D cat-focused tower defense game made by the geniuses at PONOS.
The Battle Cats feature adorable units that players can drop onto the battlefield to... uhh... pet the enemy's cats to death, we guess. Whether they be relatively "normal-looking" cats, like the True Superfelines, or hulking monstrosities, like the Macho Leg Cat, or units whose feline ancestry is questionable at best, like the Headmistress Jeanne, players can choose from the game's over 700 units to lay siege on their opponent's base. It's an entertaining and endearing game that has withstood the test of time.
The Battle Cats on Google Play Store
The Battle Cats on App Store
Upcoming Mobile Games To Look Forward To
Reverse 1999
Reverse 1999's story takes place in a world where magic exists. A mysterious event called "The Storm" suddenly occurred on the last day of 1999, reversing time without anybody realizing it. Players take on the role of Vertin, an Arcanist from the St. Pavlov Foundation and the only one who wasn't affected by the rewind. It is up to her to figure out what had happened and how to undo "The Storm's" effects.
Bluepoch's upcoming mobile title, Reverse 1999, looks promising. Though it is not yet available for the English-speaking audience, a global version will be coming, with a beta test scheduled for August 4 to 13, 2023. It is a turn-based RPG where players assign action cards for their characters to follow. The game features beautiful artwork, immersive audio, and excellent voice acting.
Arknights: Endfield
The next title in Hypergryph's Arknights series is currently in development. Not much is officially known about the game, save for the videos that have been uploaded. But from the short gameplay trailer, we can determine that it will be a real-time action RPG, unlike the original's tower defense format.
Arknights: Endfield will likely be a banger regardless of what shape will take.
Girls' Frontline II: Exilium
A turn-based strategy game that's already becoming the talk of town, Girls' Frontline II: Exilium is an XCOM-style game that will be released for mobile and PC. Some footage of the game is already out ahead of official news, and just from the models alone, people are already under the impression that it will be an insanely great title.
Those on PC who need to scratch their Girls' Frontline itch as soon as possible could also try Code Name Bakery, as it should be releasing on Steam soon.
Wuthering Waves
From the developers of Punishing Gray Raven comes another action RPG destined for greatness. Though it has all the gameplay elements of Genshin Impact (though I hate making that comparison, trust me), Wuthering Waves is sure to distinguish itself from the former with Kuro Games' signature gameplay polish.
It should be released soon, as they have just finished a round of testing a couple of months prior.
Zenless Zone Zero
Zenless Zone Zero, yet another HoYoverse title, is about to drop. Its demo at Anime Expo 2023 has already set expectations for the title sky-high, fueling suspicions and estimates of a hopeful 2023 release. But does it have what it takes to stand among the successes of Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail?
Most probably.
