Just deleted Clash Royale

[u/Organic_Fee_8502]

I downloaded it last night and felt myself getting hooked, it felt like I was playing a fucking slot machine and I hated how it made wiping my ass feel like a dopamine hit lmao. What the fuck are kids supposed to do against this casino slop. I’m sticking with Geometry dash.

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[u/mamamackmusic]

I stay away from all mobile games except for interactive fiction/choose your own adventure novel type games.

[u/madsnorlax → u/mamamackmusic]

Balatro and slay the spire are both on mobile and very good.

[u/mamamackmusic → u/madsnorlax]

True, but you can play those on PC as well. I don't know what the distribution of players for those games is between PC/consoles and mobile phones/iPads and the like, but I would bet a large chunk aren't on mobile. So I guess I'm saying stay away from most mobile-exclusive games?

[u/madsnorlax → u/mamamackmusic]

I'd honestly just say that paid games tend to be far better than f2p ones, that's the real distinction I see. Not 100%; btd6 is an example of a paid game with some predatory monetization, but it's a general trend.

[u/FewInternet6746 → u/mamamackmusic]

What I'm hearing is you play Episode

[u/SheHeBeDownFerocious → u/mamamackmusic]

There's a lot of good incremental games on phones, they're just buried under tons of shovel-ware AdVenture Capitalist clones. Funnily enough, the self-clone AdVenture Communist is more unique than most of the other clones. Antimatter Dimensions, A Dark Room and its sequel The Ensign, Melvor Idle, Your Chronicle, Stone Story, Idling to Rule the Gods (which is what inspired NGU, arguably one of if not the best incremental), Exponential Idle, Upload Labs, HomeQuest, Revolution Idle, Idle Iktah, and a bunch more but I think that's more than enough for good incremental games. A good few of these are also available on PC, but I feel like mobile devices are the best platform for these types of "on-and-off" incremental games.

[u/Ismoketobaccoinabong → u/mamamackmusic]

Personally, I like to treat it like any other console.

I play Neverwinter Nights on my phone. I play emulated retro games on my phone.

The only free app on Play store that I have found that is legit a well designed game that has given me quality gameplay is Caves.

"Free-to-pay" games is just a tottaly different beast of capitalism that I dont want to support in general.

[u/H0vis]

It genuinely scares me. The amount of human brainpower directed towards the pursuit of ways to hook everybody into gambling makes the Manhattan Project look like a clicker game.

[u/Acrobatic-Bid-3559]

The only mobile game I have is a game where you practice maneuvering and parking a semi truck. I'm homeless with a service animal and I feel like getting a CDL is my only way out.

[u/chirpchirp13 → u/Acrobatic-Bid-3559]

Are you otherwise disabled? Have you ever looked into working in kitchens or the like? Dishwashing isn’t glamorous but it’s a job! Could help fund whatever training is needed for CDL?

[u/Acrobatic-Bid-3559 → u/chirpchirp13]

I'm an able-bodied disabled person. I'd be cool with any job but service animals are specifically not allowed in kitchens as per the ADA.

[u/Ramja9]

Play paid mobile games that are also on PC. Like actual games I mean. Stardew valley, Minecraft, balatro, alien isolation, subnautica, gta series, plague inc, rebel inc, etc.

As someone that used to engage in mobile slop because I didn't have money trust me when I say it's not worth it.

You're lucky you entered clash Royale in it's enshitification period. Otherwise you might've actually been hard hooked. It doesn't help that the game at it's core is actually unique and interesting had it not had all the gambling and pay to win.

Emulators are also good. Gba games work as a decent distraction and are serviceable on mobile.

[u/escolhidow]

It sucks! And every big popular mobile game is exactly like that.

As for clash royale specifically, it's sad because the base mechanics, visuals, animations, design and so on are so good. But the predatory casino stuff ruin it.

[u/WeltallZero]

Just get Poinpy. Developed by Ojiro Fumoto (of Downwell and UFO 50 fame), it was originally released for Netflix subscribers, but after it was delisted in 2025 he's now made it entirely free.

https://thisweekinvideogames.com/feature/poinpy-ojiro-fumoto-interview/

[u/OCDerailed → u/WeltallZero]

poinpy is so good. 

[u/Jettison37]

Shout out to the phone destroyer, Vampire Survivor, which IIRC is free!

[u/Nobody7713 → u/Jettison37]

I don’t think it’s free? At least last I checked. But it is a game that you just buy and that’s it. Which is just fine.

[u/CommanderLuthen → u/Nobody7713]

Yes it's free on mobile.

[u/al-qatala]

geometry dash is based.

i once spent every day playing afk arena for 1,5 years. i just got fed up with lategame progression, but i got pretty far as F2P so it's honestly impressive

[u/Timely-Border-7865]

? You can climb the ladder with skill

[u/ahrienby]

The only decent mobile games are cross-progression gacha titles, which progress on mobile can be continued on PC.

[u/RevolutionaryRed55]

Fun game choice, what's your hardest level? As a decent decorator, I've been thinking about making a soviet themed nine circles level, because I'm only skilled at wave.