Games Ranker blog

Mobile game guides, picks, and news.

Find step-by-step guides, games worth trying, practical advice, and important Android and iOS release updates.

Don't Starve Together on a phone: four survivors gathered at a fire pit inside a walled night base, with the touch joystick, action buttons and inventory bar visible

Sep 23, 20267 min read

Don't Starve Together mobile: set up a solo or co-op world that works

Who should host, which playstyle to pick, why Caves may be missing, and the solo settings to change first in Don't Starve Together on Android and iPhone.

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Lichess mobile puzzle, home, and chess analysis screens shown side by side

Game guides

Sep 22, 20268 min read

How to play Lichess offline on Android and iPhone

Set up an offline computer game or preload chess puzzles in the current Lichess app, then test the exact mode before disconnecting.

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A person sitting outdoors holding a smartphone in one hand and a payment card in the other

Picks & advice

Sep 17, 20267 min read

Can you refund a mobile game? The Android and iPhone rules

Neither store promises you a refund. Google publishes a clock that only covers part of what you bought, and Apple publishes no clock at all.

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A parent and adult daughter compare the same fictional puzzle game on separate phones at home

Picks & advice

Sep 15, 20266 min read

Can you share paid mobile games with family?

See which paid games and in-app unlocks can be shared with family before buying again.

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A person using a magnifying glass to inspect advertising and purchase symbols on a mobile game listing

Picks & advice

Sep 14, 20267 min read

How to check if a mobile game has ads or in-app purchases

Read the store labels, purchase list, and recent player reports before installing. Learn what each clue reveals—and what it cannot prove.

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A frustrated person looking at a smartphone in his hand

Picks & advice

Sep 13, 20268 min read

Mobile game keeps crashing? Fix it without losing your save

Find out why one mobile game keeps closing, protect your progress, and work through safe fixes on Android, iPhone, or iPad.

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A landscape phone showing a thermometer warning, with heat shimmer and an unplugged cable nearby

Picks & advice

Sep 12, 20266 min read

Phone gets hot while gaming? Cool it down safely

Learn when gaming warmth is normal, when to stop, how to cool a hot phone safely, and which settings can reduce heat during the next session.

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Unciv new game screen showing Game Options, Map Options, and Civilizations columns with the nation picker open on Siam

Game guides

Sep 12, 20269 min read

Unciv new game settings: what to pick for an Android campaign

Unciv opens on Medium, Quick, and Prince. See what each setting changes in version 4.21.19 and which choices keep a long Android campaign playable.

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A person holding a physical game controller with a smartphone mounted above it

Picks & advice

Sep 11, 20267 min read

How to check mobile game controller support before buying

Check store labels, the exact mobile edition, and essential controls before buying a gamepad or game for your Android phone or iPhone.

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A traveler holding a smartphone in front of an airplane window with the wing visible

Picks & advice

Sep 11, 20267 min read

Will your mobile game work offline? Check before a flight

Test launch, gameplay, and saving before you lose your connection. A practical offline-play checklist for games already on your Android phone or iPhone.

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Official Balatro promotional artwork displaying fifteen different Joker cards in three rows

Game guides

Sep 10, 20265 min read

Balatro Joker order: when moving cards improves your score

Learn when to put +Mult before XMult, why chip Jokers do not always need the first slot, and what to check before rearranging cards on mobile.

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Mini Metro network with triangle passengers waiting on a brown line that connects to a red line at a diamond station

Game guides

Sep 10, 20265 min read

Mini Metro overcrowding guide: fix queues before adding trains

Work out whether a busy Mini Metro station needs a better connection, more frequent trains, or extra seats, with a real map example.

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Shattered Pixel Dungeon promotional screenshot of a Warrior facing a snake beside a sewer doorway

Game guides

Sep 8, 20265 min read

Shattered Pixel Dungeon beginner guide: survive the sewers

Keep missing snakes or dying before Goo? Learn how doors, strength requirements, hunger, and the first boss change your next move.

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An iPhone and an Android phone standing side by side on a desk

Picks & advice

Sep 7, 20267 min read

Do mobile game purchases transfer between Android and iPhone?

A game purchase, a saved run, and an in-game unlock can move differently. Check what survives an Android–iPhone switch before paying again or erasing your old phone.

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Card Crawl 2 horned tavern merchant behind a deck of cards with a gold pouch and coin sign beside him

Game guides

Sep 6, 20267 min read

Card Crawl 2 guide: how to unlock everything without paying

The 250-gold pouch is the wall every free player hits. Here is how the economy works, the chest trick that gets around it, and what the developer says it costs in time.

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Android and Apple store marks side by side showing a 9.99 dollar price against a 14.99 dollar price

Picks & advice

Sep 5, 20267 min read

The same mobile game can cost $5 more on iPhone than on Android

We priced nine premium games on both US storefronts on the same day. Six matched exactly, two cost more on iPhone, and four hid the real price behind a free download.

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Sea of Stars battle on mobile showing enemy locks and the touchscreen combat controls

Game guides

Sep 4, 20267 min read

Sea of Stars mobile combat guide: timed hits, locks, and touch controls

Learn a reliable touch rhythm for timed hits and blocks, then turn Live Mana and enemy locks into a simple combat plan on Android and iOS.

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Tiny Bookshop mobile gameplay at the harbor with a customer asking for a book recommendation

Game guides

Sep 2, 20267 min read

Tiny Bookshop mobile beginner tips: stock smarter and sell more books

A practical Android and iOS routine for choosing locations, stocking useful genres, handling recommendations, and avoiding early mobile mistakes.

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Apple Arcade and Google Play Pass logos on contrasting mobile game subscription cards

Picks & advice

Sep 1, 202610 min read

Apple Arcade vs Google Play Pass: which subscription fits you?

Choose Apple Arcade for games across Apple devices, or Play Pass for Android games and apps. Your device and the titles you want matter more than catalog size.

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Discounty supermarket interior with stocked aisles, shoppers, storage, and a checkout counter

Game guides

Aug 31, 20268 min read

Discounty beginner tips: build a better supermarket on mobile

Run a smoother Discounty store with practical tips for layout, stock, customers, upgrades, checkout work, and mobile save sessions.

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Lara Croft aims a bow inside a wooden shelter with Tomb Raider mobile touch controls visible

Game guides

Aug 30, 20268 min read

Tomb Raider mobile settings guide: controls, graphics, and storage

Set up Tomb Raider on Android or iPhone with sensible graphics, touch controls, aim assistance, subtitles, and enough installation space.

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Smartphone and white game controller arranged on a dark tabletop

Picks & advice

Aug 27, 20267 min read

3 premium mobile games worth buying on Android and iOS

Choose Servant of the Lake for touch puzzles, Prince of Persia for demanding action, or Reigns: Beyond for short stories. Compare costs and mobile tradeoffs.

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