For as long as the world of gaming has existed, we’ve strived to turn even two-dimensional characters against each other for some multiplayer action. While we may have come the original multiplayer game called Pong by Atari, but the craze of Player vs Player (PvP) games has hardly been contained within the mainstream gaming industry by itself.
The very nature of mobile devices makes them great for connecting with more people and communicating, which is why they are a great resource for an impromptu social gaming session as well. The ability to play the same game with other actual users in the same room and around the world has reshaped the way we enjoy the PvP genre, and mobiles are a huge part of this push.
8 Best offline multiplayer games for Android
Since there are more PvP multiplayer Android games than you could possibly bother playing through to find out the best ones, we’ve done the hard work for you. Breaking them down genre by genre from action-packed FPS (first-person shooter) to Open-World game titles, here are the very best PvP games for Android that you can play right now.
Strategy
From watching artistry in motion as players on Twitch create the perfect battle plan on Dota 2, to playing solo and mastering Clans of Clans, strategy games can be a lot of fun. They are especially fun if you can skip past the bots and have a real PvP battle.
1. Clash Royale
Back when Supercell created Clash of Clans for mobile devices, it seemed unlikely that it could ever be superseded by any other quick-play strategy game. However, it has been bested by none other than its very own successor – Clash Royale. Recruit your troops that are made up of Dragons, Knights, Giants and a bunch of mystical characters.
Prepare for a world of hurt that you’ll be inflicting on your real-life opponents from around the world, including your friends, as you battle to conquer it all. Apart from upgrading your army to become mightier with every battle you fight, it is all about the right placement of your pawns to break the fortresses and capture Crowns to come out victorious.
→ Download Clash Royale (Free)
2. Hearthstone
From the creators of massively popular games such as World of Warcraft and Fallout series, Blizzard hit a home run with Hearthstone too. The mobile adaption of the game has also succeeded in bringing over the strategic gameplay and the mesmerizing dynamics that have made the original version of the game so wildly popular.
Join together with your friends to forge an alliance that will fight against everything from the evil spirits of The Witchwood to the Death Knight of the Frozen Throne. You do this by building up a deck of power with minions that you can summon to fight for you and powerful spells that can be cast to take down the most formidable foes.
3. Vainglory 5V5
A game that clearly draws inspiration from the most popular MOBA (multiplayer online battle area) games of our generation such as Dota 2 and League of Legends, Vainglory 5V5 is an instant hit on the mobile platform too. Go in solo or join your friends to dive into a world of mythical creatures where your battle can only be fought with a strategic depth, not brute force.
Play a casual game to test out your skills or go in for the competitive gaming experience as you face off against real players and clans in these 5-minute PvP battles. With a rich control support that offers up to 120FPS and highly accurate vision systems that bring console and PC style gaming experience right to your smartphone.
→ Download Vainglory 5V5 (Free)
Also see: Best Bike racing games
Action Shooter
The adrenaline rush you get with shooter games like Call of Duty and Overwatch is simply unmatched by any other. Thanks to popular demand, there are plenty of action shooter games on Android too, and here’s the cream of the crop.
4. Modern Combat 5: Blackout
Just like Valve has Counter-Strike series that has defined its brand, Gameloft has seen a severe boost in popularity with the Modern Combat series, and Modern Combat 5: Blackout just builds on top of it. This first-person shooter is designed to feel and work perfectly for the mobile gaming devices with 9 different unique skills for you to gain experience with.
Whether you choose to be a Sniper, Bounty Hunter, or a Heavy Gunner, gain Skill Points and engage online with a massive community of like-minded comrades to blast your way through the enemy squad. All of this comes with local and online support with PvP matchmaking so you can give them a taste of your eSports skills.
→ Download Modern Combat 5: Blackout (Free)
5. Guns of Boom – Online Shooter
The closest adaption you could ever find of Team Fortress 2 on the mobile platform, Guns of Boom is an FPS (first person shooter) that is packed with all the action you need, and the social element to keep you engaged for more. You get different brilliantly designed maps to choose from each game and with your squad against the enemy, it is a PvP kill fest.
Truly get into handling the character you choose to play with customizable attire and special unlockable skins to flaunt your weapons. From blasting off pistols, automatic rifles, machines guns and more, to being the dedicated grenadier or team medic, every squad member in Guns of Boom has to pull their weight to get ahead.
→ Download Guns of Boom – Online Shooter (Free)
Also see: Bored of Subway Surfer? Try these alternatives
6. UNKILLED – Zombie Multiplayer Shooter
There’s something about the post-apocalyptic zombie genre games that has gone viral among gamers, and Mad Finger studios have been riding the wave strongly. UNKILLED is set in the heart of New York City where the zombie hordes have taken over the living, and the few brave souls are fighting to the teeth to keep the light of humanity shining.
Not just a bash and crash FPS, you get to play over 150 missions that reward you with awesome unlockable content. But when it comes to getting in the game for some PvP action, it is time to build up your Skirmish Ops and battle against the incoming zombie army with over 40 different weapons to choose from.
→ Download UNKILLED – Zombie Multiplayer Shooter (Free)
7. SHADOWGUN LEGENDS – FPS PvP and Coop Shooting Game
Here’s another installment to the already great SHADOWGUN series. The recently released game is easily one of the most entertaining action games on the Play Store. You can play in a story campaign mode as well dive into epic PvP battles in fantastic arenas.
This cool sci-fi shooter has an awesome selection of weapons and brilliant graphics that would make you feel as though you’re playing on a gaming console rather than on a smartphone.
→ Download SHADOWGUN LEGENDS – FPS PvP and Coop Shooting Game
8. Critical Ops
If you’ve played Counter Strike and are a fan of the game, then Critical Ops should be the game you check out ASAP. This cool FPS PvP game is absolutely insane and offers almost the same experience as you’d get while playing Counter Strike.
The game is regularly updated with new gun skins and also new weapons and maps as well. What’s even better is that the game isn’t a pay-to-win game like some other games on the Play Store hence, you battle against other real players from around the world in a fair and square battle.
The game even has a ranking system so you don’t have to worry about being matched up against pro players in the game as soon as you begin.
9. Metal Madness: PvP Shooter
Metal Madness is a car game with an epic twist. Rather than out racing your other players like traditional PvP racing games, you need to smash and shoot down enemy player vehicles on your way to victory. The game offers a host of different vehicles to choose from, all of which are unique in their own way.
The weapon selection is absolutely insane since you’ve got guns, rockets, bombs, flamethrowers, sniper rifles, and a bunch of other weapons to choose from. The controls are super simple to get the hang of and you’d be destroying enemy vehicles within no time at all.
Don’t like to pay for games?
Here are 10 truly best free Android games without In-app purchases
Racing
What is PvP game genre even worth if you don’t include the rubber-burning action of racing games? Fortunately, the mobile gaming industry is a fan of racing just like we competitive souls are.
10. Asphalt 9: Legends
A true winner among the entire racing category of games on the mobile platform, Gameloft has brought back the Asphalt series for the ninth time to rock your world. Designed to shift from a story-oriented gameplay to just pure competitive action, Asphalt 9: Legends comes packed with over 50 different world-class machines for you to take out for a spin.
Each and every one of these means machines can be customized and upgraded from the hood to the wheels, but the real meat is in the multiplayer gameplay. Designed to make racing a team sport for the first time, you can gather around your very own crew and put the pedal to the metal for some reckless driving across scenic landscapes.
→ Download Asphalt 9: Legends (Free)
11. Riptide GP: Renegade
Based in a futuristic world where the latest and greatest mode of transportation are high-powered hydro jets, you’re put in the role of an outcast who is forced to race illegally through the streets of an ultra-modern city where the waterways are the real highways. While the storyline is mesmerizing by itself, it is the competitive multiplayer that’s the cherry.
From infiltrating military bases that fall in between your race track to battles hurricanes from out of nowhere, race your heart out against the competing players in an 8-player PvP matchup to drift across the finish line.
→ Download Riptide GP: Renegade ($2.99)
12. CSR Racing 2
A bigger success than its predecessor, CSR Racing 2 brings out the top of the line machines from McLaren, Ferrari, BMW and many other with the CSR Racing 2 that redefines competitive racing. Packing a redesigned 3D design and performance engine for enhanced controls and visuals, this one puts a new perspective on mobile racing games.
When it comes to competitive racing, CSR Racing 2 takes it two steps forward with not just complete automobile customization features, but the ability to race against players in real time with special multiplayer racing modes, along with features like live chat and season rankings.
13. Real Racing 3
Real Racing 3 is one of the best racing games to get for smartphones and the game’s graphics are stunning. Electronic Arts are known to make great games and Real Racing 3 lives up to the reputation. You’ve got a ton of real cars to choose from and can race on multiple tracks from real-world configurations including Silverstone, Hockenheimring, Le Mans, Dubai Autodrome and many more.
You could race against real players from all around the globe in an 8 person multiplayer mode.
Also see: The best multiplayer racing games
Sports
The very definition of sports is synonymous is competition, so you simply cannot keep out PvP gaming from the top sports games on Android, especially with these solid names available on the board.
14. NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball
You don’t have to be billionaire Mark Cuban to own your very own NBA team, thanks to NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball that brings you all the action in real-time for free. Create your very own award-worthy squad, upgrade players as you grow your winning streak, and manage the different play styles as the coach for some hands-on action.
But the real competitive action begins in the court as you compete daily with different PvP challenges from throwing dunks to raining buckets. From Head-to-Head mode to take on your friends and foes alike, to become the hoop master with enough practice, NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball has it all.
→ Download NBA LIVE Mobile Basketball
15. FIFA Soccer
Almost synonymous with the sport itself, FIFA has been a long-standing partner of Electronic Arts Sports, creating football games for decades. The same exciting and adrenaline-fueled gaming experience is now available on mobile devices now with nobody else but Cristiano Ronaldo himself calling you to the field to enjoy a thrilling high-graphic game of football.
By any means, FIFA Soccer from EA Sports is just what you expect from the mobile version of the game to have – the Ultimate Team feature to create your own roster, Rewards, and Daily Events to make you come back for more. The ideal PvP game for a premium competitive gaming experience, you get with every major football team and star players officially licensed for use.
16. Badminton League
We may not be the biggest badminton fans out there, and neither do you have to be to fall completely head over heels for this addictive, and highly competitive game. Badminton League takes the gentle sport to a whole new level, all while keeping a neat and clean design and stupidly simple controls all over.
You can start off on online 1v1 competitive mode or even join up with more friends to start your own tournament. Apart from just the crisp graphics and dynamic gameplay control, you even get the addition of a little extra with specialized skills to score a victory with every hit on the shuttlecock.
Also see: 10 Most popular PC games you can play on Android
Arcade
Not all PvP games have to be cutthroat competition, especially when you’re just trying to spend some time relaxing. This lot of PvP games focuses on the arcade genre, with the best of the best that will keep you in the winning spirit while staying mellow.
17. BombSquad
Why play alone in a corner when you can gang up with 8 players connected on a local or networked connection to enjoy some explosive action? BombSquad is a beautifully designed adventure game with ragdoll physics to play all sorts of sports ranging from capture-the-flag to even hockey!
You can put yourself against your fellow players or join the team to defeat the computer team in a range of mini-games. You can create your own avatar, place them in a race or even play football, all the while trying to blow up other players with the random bombs that pop up on the map.
18. Crossy Road
Finally giving meaning to the question “why the chicken crossed the road?”, Crossy Road is among the most popular games across multiple platforms. The entire premise of this game is helping your cute pixelated character cross the busy streets, rivers, and even train tracks without being hit.
The 3D retro-style design is too cool to ignore, but what makes the game so addictive is the intuitive controls to move your character across. With more than 150 incredible characters to unlock and play with, you and your gaming companion can enjoy endless hours of fun on Crossy Road without an active internet connection.
19. MORTAL KOMBAT X
A generation of gamers who’ve spent a good amount of their free time at the arcades already know how big of a deal it is to have MORTAL KOMBAT on smartphones. But not the old pixelated retro version of it, you get the very latest gore-filled MORTAL KOMBAT X to play around with for free.
Included with all of the legendary characters from the past like Sub-Zero, Kitana, Johnny Cage and dozens of others, this game isn’t built for the faint of heart. Packed with bloody decapitations, bone-crushing X-ray shots, and mindboggling Fatality moves, the fact that you get to enjoy a PvP mode on dedicated servers is what makes this game a real winner.
Which highly competitive PvP game on Android are you addicted to right now? Be sure to let us know in the comments section and we just might add it to this list as well.
