Mobile gaming has exploded in popularity in recent years. With powerful smartphones and tablets, high-speed mobile data, and thousands of games available in app stores, more people than ever are gaming on the go. While mobile games are often designed to be quick and casual experiences, there are still techniques and strategies you can use to get better at playing games on your mobile device. Here are tips across different aspects of mobile gaming to help you excel.
Picking the Right Games
The key to enjoying mobile gaming is choosing titles that work well on a smaller touchscreen. Here’s how to find games that are ideal for mobile play:
Focus on Genres Built for Mobile
Some genres lend themselves particularly well to mobile gaming. Pick games from genres designed around touch controls and short play sessions:
- Casual puzzle games like Candy Crush or Angry Birds. Their simple rules and tactile nature make them perfect for mobile.
- Auto-runners like Subway Surfers or Temple Run, where you control a character automatically moving forward, swiping to avoid obstacles. The one-touch controls work great on smartphones.
- Strategy games like Clash of Clans utilize simple tap or drag & drop actions. Their gameplay unfolds over time, so you can pick up and play in short bursts.
- Card games like Hearthstone, whose turn-based nature fits well into mobile gaming habits. They also usually have simple controls using your finger to drag cards.
- Battle royale games like PUBG Mobile or Fortnite condense the battle royale formula into tighter matches for on-the-go gaming.
Check Reviews for Mobile Quality
Even within genres, some games work better on mobile than others based on their controls and interface. Check reviews from mobile gamers specifically to get a sense of how suitable a game is for phones and tablets before downloading.
Avoid Quick Ports
Many games are ports of PC/console titles that don’t translate well to mobile, with virtual buttons cluttering the screen and fiddly controls. Seek out games built natively for mobile for the best experience.
Optimizing Your Devices for Gaming
Today’s phones and tablets are powerful gaming machines—if configured properly. Follow these tips to get your mobile devices ready for gaming:
Prioritize Your Storage
High-quality 3D games take up significant storage space. Free up room on your device so you can install the games you want by:
- Deleting or offloading little-used apps and photos/videos.
- Transferring files to cloud storage like Dropbox or Google Drive.
- Getting a phone with 128GB or more storage.
Use a Tablet for More Immersive Gaming
For an enhanced gaming experience, use a tablet like an iPad Pro with its gorgeous screen and beefy processor. The expanded real estate allows more comfortable controls for complex games.
Reduce Graphics for Smoother Play
In games with graphics settings, reduce the quality to ease the strain on your phone and prevent lag. Turn off resource-intensive settings like shadows, textures, and anti-aliasing.
Close Other Apps
Suspend background apps to allow your device to focus resources on the game. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to reveal open apps and close them before launching your game.
Do Not Disturb Mode
To avoid distracting notifications, turn on do not disturb mode, which silences calls and alerts while you game without interruptions.
Keep Your Device Charged
Gaming drains phone batteries fast. Make sure to charge your device before extended gaming sessions and plug into a charger when possible to extend playtime.
Mastering Mobile Controls
The small touchscreens of phones and tablets influence the controls of their games. Here are tips for getting the hang of the unique control schemes:
Take Time to Learn Complex Controls
Don’t jump right into a game. Spend time in tutorials and practice areas to familiarize yourself with any complex virtual controls and gestures necessary to play.
Customize Control Placement
Many games allow you to customize where virtual buttons and joysticks appear on the screen. Tailor their placement to what’s most intuitive for you.
Use Short Mobile Play Sessions to Sharpen Reflexes
Playing in brief bursts can help sharpen your reflexes and skills precisely because the controls are cramped and challenging compared to gamepads and keyboards.
Try Accessories like Gamepads for Easier Controls
For games with support, connect Bluetooth gamepads to your phone or tablet for more console-like controls. Popular picks include the SteelSeries Stratus and Razer Kishi.
Take Advantage of Motion Controls
Some games utilize motion controls using your device’s accelerometer and gyroscope. When implemented well as in Asphalt 9, they provide an immersive control scheme.
Staying Safe and Secure
Mobile platforms come with their security risks. Apply the following tips to ensure safe and fair mobile gaming:
Research Apps and Publishers before Downloading
Vet a game and its developer/publisher before installing it to avoid malware or shady freemium models. Seek recognizable brands and quality ratings in app stores.
Enable App Locks and Set Up Passcodes
Leverage built-in security features like requiring a PIN to open gaming apps or using your fingerprint to make purchases. This prevents unwanted access if your device is lost or stolen.
Use Secured Wi-Fi and Avoid Public Hotspots
When possible, download apps and play online games using your private home Wi-Fi network, not risky public hotspots. This reduces exposure to your data.
Beware of Suspicious Links and Downloads
As with PC gaming, remain vigilant against phishing attempts and malicious downloads when playing games online on mobile. Only install content from trusted sources.
Research Free-to-Play Games Before Spending
Study in-game economies before investing substantial money in “free” games to understand how fair their monetization is to avoid wasting money.
Monitor Children’s Online Play
Pay attention to how and with whom kids are playing mobile games to ensure their experience is fun and safe. Set limits on purchases and online interactions.
Improving Your Mobile Gaming Skills
Like any hobby, honing your skills in mobile gaming takes practice and dedication. Implement these habits to step up your game:
Quickly Learn From Your Mistakes
Mobile games often rely on rapid reflexes and split-second decision-making. Watch replays to see where you erred, then correct it.
Analyze Your Opponents
Study how other players act and react during matches for patterns you can exploit later, similar to sports analytics.
Record Your Sessions to Review Strategy
Capturing video lets you rewatch your decision points and tactics away from the heat of battle to refine your next approach.
Stretch Your Abilities with New Modes
When your current difficulty level gets comfortable, seek out new challenges like competitive multiplayer or extreme settings to expand your skills.
Experiment with Advanced Control Options
As you improve, try advanced nuances like customizable buttons, swipe gestures, gyro aiming, and controller add-ons to step up your play.
Continue Practicing Regularly
Like physical skills, gaming skills degrade without regular play. Even in a busy life, try to play a little each day to maintain your abilities.
Balancing Gaming and Real Life
It’s easy to go overboard with the constant access to mobile gaming. Manage your hobby wisely using these tips:
Set Limits on Game Time
Use built-in parental controls or third-party apps to define daily time limits for gaming, then stick to them to prevent excessive distractions.
Avoid Playing at Key Times
Abstain from gaming during important moments like family dinners or right before bed to reduce its interference in your relationships and rest.
Take Regular Breaks
Look away from the screen regularly when playing for long stretches and stand up to stretch. Continuous use of phones can strain eyes, hands and posture.
Let Game Modes Dictate Session Length
Play in shorter bursts if you select live multiplayer modes where others are waiting on you, and dive into longer sessions for offline story modes.
Sync Gaming Time to Routine Down Moments
Match gaming to naturally slow parts of your day, like commutes or waiting rooms, to indulge without eating into productivity.
Use Gaming as a Reward
Couple gaming with completing responsibilities. For example, play after a workout or once chores are finished to add motivation.
Exploring the Latest Mobile Gaming Trends
Mobile gaming is a fast-moving space with new trends arising constantly. Stay current on innovations shaping the future:
Cloud Gaming Services
Stream games on any device instead of downloading with services like Xbox Cloud Gaming and Google Stadia. This expands play options while saving storage.
5G Networks and Devices
Faster 5G networks and compatible devices will enable console-quality online play on mobile by reducing latency.
Augmented Reality Integration
AR overlays digital elements onto the real world for enhanced gameplay. See examples in Pokémon Go or upcoming games built for AR headsets.
Cross-Platform Play
Games now regularly feature multiplayer and progression syncing across mobile, PC, and consoles to allow picking up where you left off.
Game Subscription Services
Netflix-style game subscriptions like Apple Arcade provide vast mobile game libraries for a monthly fee rather than individual purchases.
Controller Support
More games accept Bluetooth controllers like the DualShock 4 as mobile gaming gets competitive enough to require precision beyond touch controls.
Cloud-Hosted Titles
Graphics-rich titles getting streamed to phones through cloud gaming opens the door for mobile versions of AAA franchises once limited to PCs and consoles.
Conclusion
Mobile gaming brings classic gameplay genres to the devices in your pocket for gaming anywhere, anytime. Mastering touchscreen controls, understanding mobile platforms, improving your skills, and keeping up with new technologies will have you on top of this dynamic gaming space. Use these tips to get the most enjoyment out of mobile play. Game on!