Top 5 mobile Games of 2020: Colin’s Picks of the Year

Available on console and PC as well, The Pathless plays beautifully on mobile, once again proving that great games from other platforms can play amazingly on mobile. The combat is highly satisfying and the pacing is extremely smooth. Firing arrows at enemies and objects feel so pure and one-to-one on touch screens.

Another reason why The Pathless is number one on my list is how beautiful the world looks as well as the exploration of it. It’s a breathtaking world on a mysterious island that is filled with lush green forests and other environments. And the game’s mystique makes the world that much more intriguing. I always love a game that isn’t straight forward with its story and lets you sort of piece things together yourself.

The Pathless is one of those games on mobile that checks almost all of the boxes. Whether it’s the gameplay, environment, ambiance, etc, it is an amazing and fun adventure all across the mobile gaming board. 

Although it was released closer to the end of 2019, we got a chance to see the complete Sneaky Sasquatch experience in 2020. One of the Apple Arcade’s most popular games, the Rac7 Games’ game has received a plethora of updates to help keep the experience rich on iPhone and iPad.

Playing the role of a friendly sasquatch, your goal is to run around a beautiful forest and try to take food away from campers, quietly. You need to keep your hunger gauge as full as you can and go to sleep, wake up and do it again, but oh ho, let me tell you, this game is way more than that.

It essentially plays like an open-world experience where you can take part in several activities including racing, golf, skiing, fishing, and surfing. And then you have some other things you can such as photography, taxi driving, and finding hidden crates among many other things.

On top of all of this, there are a couple of funny storylines you can complete as well. Overall, Sneaky Sasquatch is a mobile gem that takes the simple concept of being a hungry sasquatch into something much bigger and it’s an immensely wholesome game that is fun to play for anybody.

One of the more highly acclaimed games of the year, Genshin Impact is a massive gacha adventure game that is set in the mythical world of Teyvat. You play as a twin (either male or female) who tries to save the other after they are taken away by a mysterious god.

You can freely explore the vast world that consists of seven different nations with their own gods. You are accompanied by Paimon, an adorable, fairy-like character who loves to talk in the third-person and give you some hints, tips, and more. The adventure is as deep as can be. 

On its surface, you truly could be playing one of the deepest games ever to be released on iOS and Android devices. That could be a reason why it’s the second highest-grossing mobile game of all-time. It’s rapid popularity still continues as the game sees regular updates. 

Overall, what I love about Genshin Impact is the immense freedom you have. It’s one of those games that can be used as a solid example of a quality open-world game. It’s also a great game to show off the power of mobile devices today and give a glimpse into how powerful mobile games can be.

Easily one of the most colorful and vibrant games on the Apple Arcade, Crossy Road Castle is the sequel to the highly acclaimed Crossy Road. You choose from a selection of cute, pixelated animal characters (most of which are locked when you start) and then your goal is to try climbing as high as you can on some gigantic castles.

Each floor of the castle is randomly generated, featuring traps and puzzles for you to avoid or figure out. You have three lives to work with as you rise as high as you can. After ascending enough floors, you’ll be greeted by a giant eagle who plays like the boss battle of the game. You’ll see the bird every time you climb a certain amount of levels.

A beautiful platformer, the randomness of each floor makes it a lot of fun to play, especially when playing online with other players. Another strong area of the game is its music. It has some of the best music that you’ll hear in an Apple Arcade game.

If you remember some of the awesome music from the old Sonic games, then you’ll greatly appreciate the quirky charm of Crossy Road Castle’s music and it makes the experience that much more enjoyable, fitting the mood of the game perfectly.

A retro, first-person dungeon crawler, Castle of White Night is made by Game Stew, showcases a classic, black and white design, while also feeling a bit modern. And although developers are a respected group, Castle of White Night seems to fly under the radar a bit.

It’s a big game that’s bite-sized in design and graphics. What I mean by “big” is that your goal is to eliminate 100 bosses within the massive Japanese castle known as White Night. By doing so, you’ll then weaken the most powerful boss in the game known as the Pale Devil.

When exploring the corridors of the castle, you just never know when you’ll come across a boss. Combat is turn-based which is an always fun, classic style of fighting. You’ll have an opportunity to uncover some secrets hidden within the castle also so it makes exploring more intriguing.

Castle of White Night is one of those games where headphones are essential. The game is one of the more atmospheric mobile games you’ll play. From the feeling of being in the dark, creepy castle to the great, atmospheric music and audio, it’s one of the juices that help make the game one of the best on mobile in 2020.