There are so many awesome action games in the Google Play Store, it can be hard to sort the wheat from the chaff. But we've done the heavy lifting for you and after hundreds of hours of playing, we've rounded up the best action-packed games for Android that are worth checking out. Many of the games on this list are paid apps which might give you pause, so you'll need to trust us when we say these games are well worth the initial investment. Plus, it's always good to support those teams developing great games for Android!
One-handed action
Fowlst
Staff Pick
In Fowlst, you play as a loot-seeking owl that has somehow gotten itself stuck in Hell's underground labyrinth. Every time you play is its unique challenge because each chamber is randomly generated and filled with demons and other deadly traps to deftly dodge. With simple controls and near-endless gameplay, this is a great retro-styled action game you can play with one hand.
Carnival of Death
Penarium
Penarium is a tough-as-nails platformer created by Team 17, who you probably remember best from the Worms franchise. Whereas Worms was a slow-paced strategy game, Penarium is on the opposite end of the spectrum, featuring fast-paced action and requiring quick reflexes to survive. It tells the tale of a Willy, a portly farm boy who's always longed for adventure. One day, a circus show rolls into town and Willy decides to run away for a bit of fun and excitement. Unfortunately, this is no ordinary circus — it's Penarium, the sadistic circus extravaganza!
Top-notch action platfomer
Suzy Cube
Suzy Cube is a game that's been in the works for many years. Developed by an indie game developer, this action-packed platformer is a must-play game on mobile with touch controls that have no right being as good as they are. It's easiest to compare the graphics and gameplay to Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS and is far superior to Mario's mobile debut, Super Mario Run.
More than meets the eye
ICEY
At its core, ICEY is a 2D side-scrolling action game where you play as the titular character, a mysterious cybernetic warrior that kicks serious ass. The game plays flawlessly, with tight controls and new skills to be unlocked and upgraded as you progress through the game. If that's all ICEY was — a kick-ass side-scrolling action game — it would still find a spot on this list. But that's just the beginning, there's also an entire meta-narrative at play here exploring the relationship between the player and the narrator.
Falling with style!
Downwell
Downwell is a retro-styles rogue-like game where the goal is fairly simple — you jump down the well and see how far you can fall. Easy, right? Well, not quite — the well is filled with enemies. But don't worry, you're able to shoot down as you go, which also helps you kind of float. Story? Who needs a story when all you're looking for is action, baby! From the cool graphics and simple controls, this is a game that's easy to jump into but hard to master. Each time you play is unique, with new weapon upgrades popping up randomly. At the end of each stage, you also get to choose an additional power-up to help you along.
Outlast to win
Battlelands Royale
Battlelands Royale is a made-for-mobile battle royale game that combines cartoony graphics and a top-down perspective with a simplistic last man standing gameplay format that works well. This game offers a fairly unique take on the battle royale formula that is absolutely for casual gaming sessions as a match takes only a few minutes to complete. Just like PUBG or Fortnite, you parachute down onto a map with a bunch of other players — 29 opponents in this case — and must scavenge for weapons, ammo, and armor while staying in the safety circle and eliminating your enemies.
Top-down rogue-like
JYDGE
JYDGE is a gritty and violent top-down twin-stick shooter that is an absolute blast to play. You are the JYDGE, a cybernetic enforcement officer who uses his Gavel (see: BIG freaking gun) to dole out RoboCop-style justice. Each level features different challenges that are required to progress but it never feels like a slogging chore. Confiscating illegal cash along the way, you're able to upgrade JYDGE and his gavel with a deep selection of accessories.
Endless waves of monsters
Tesla vs Lovecraft
Tesla vs Lovecraft is the latest game from Finnish developers 10tons Ltd and it's a real treat. The game pits Nikola Tesla and his hi-tech inventions against a vengeful H.P. Lovecraft who has unleashed endless waves of nightmarish monsters. This is an incredibly polished game that uses twin-stick controls for moving and shooting. The campaign gradually increases in difficulty with well over 200 enemies capable of spawning on screen at one time so you must be fast with your trigger finger. Fortunately, there are power-ups and perks aplenty which are accessible in rogue-like fashion.
An epic RPG adventure
Death Road to Canada
When you're going to be dropping money on a game, you're going to want to be sure it has good replay value. In that regard, Death Road To Canada is an outstanding choice. Facing a zombie apocalypse, you must lead a scrappy squad of somewhat interesting characters on a deadly mission to the relative safety of Canada. Along the way, you'll need to explore and loot places for supplies, while also managing your team's health and morale. Everything in Death Road to Canada is randomly generated, making every play-through a unique experience in this road trip action-RPG.
Break on through to the Other Side
Stranger Things: The Game
Set in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things: The Game starts you out playing as Police Chief Jim Hopper as he heads out to search for a missing kid, but soon discovers much more than he bargained for. The gameplay has a classic Zelda vibe to it, and the mix of puzzles and action sections keep things feeling fresh. As you explore the town, you'll find other characters from the show who join your party and have special abilities which allow you to reach new areas of the world. What was essentially a playable ad for Season 2 of the show still manages to be one of the best free-to-play games for Android.
A throwback to the 90s
Witcheye
Witcheye is a wonderfully retro game that looks and sounds like it's ripped from the 90s era but also happens to be a near-perfect mobile platformer that makes excellent use of touch controls. You play as a witch who transforms herself into a bouncing eyeball as she heads off on a quest to retrieve her stolen magical ingredients. There are over 50 levels to enjoy that each features amazingly colorful graphics and a memorable soundtrack.
Spy games
Death Point
Death Point is as polished a game as you'll find on Android. It's a top-down stealth shooter in which you play a captured spy in a post-apocalyptic world. Your goal is to meet up with the only other member of your team who has survived, an operator who can communicate with you through technology implanted in your brain. She's there to give you tips and info on upcoming sections, and provide some lighthearted banter and story as you get down to the business of sneaking through enemy compounds, taking out guards and sabotaging their systems.
Anti-gravity gun
Island Delta
Island Delta was published by the fine folks at Noodlecake Studios, which alone makes it worth checking out. Developed by Mantisbite out of Finland and released for iOS in late 2016, Island Delta brings unique top-down action-adventure-puzzler fun to Android. You're tasked with exploring a mysterious retro-futuristic island with your heroes, Zoe and Baxter, as you try to take down the evil Doctor Gunderson and his army of henchmen.
Super hero brawler
Injustice 2
Injustice 2 is the sequel to the award-winning game Injustice: Gods Among Us, which is also one of the best fighting games for Android. If you've played and enjoyed the first game, you're sure to enjoy the sequel which features more fantasy fight match-ups between your favorite heroes and villains from the DC Universe. Unlock new heroes and build your ultimate team as you battle in 3 vs 3 fights with the ability to swap out fighters as needed. The usual suspects are here — Batman, Superman, Joker, Harley Quinn — as well as a whole slew of new heroes and villains which you'll discover and unlock as you play.
Ah s***, here we go again
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto is one of those iconic video game franchises that continues to influence other games. Chances are you've played a GTA title before on PC or console, but they play just as nicely on Android, too, with support for Bluetooth controllers. Rockstar Games has released five great GTA titles to the Google Play Store, but I'm highlighting San Andreas because it has a massive map and introduced a ton of awesome features to the series that remain to this day.
These are the best action-packed games for Android
There's no shortage of great games on the Google Play Store, as long as you're willing to spend a couple of dollars upfront. We've rounded up our favorites but want to highlight some of the most action-packed games that you should consider downloading.
is probably my favorite mobile game of all time, so that gets a big recommendation from me. There's a ton of customization (and randomization) available for creating your own characters, and each playthrough is unique in terms of the weapons and extra characters you'll run into on your journey through the zombie apocalypse up to Canada.
Another game that I absolutely adore is , which is a tough-as-nails platformer where you play as a hapless boy who's been tricked into fighting for his life in an evil circus. There's a ton of challenging levels to play through and it's an unrelenting experience that plays surprisingly well with the simple touchscreen controls.
Last but not least, give a go. It's a top-down twin-stick shooter that looks great and features some of the craziest action you'll ever see in a mobile game. It's a rogue-like shooter that will literally throw hundreds of enemies at you to the point where they completely fill the screen. Luckily, you get a ton of weapons and powerups to help keep them back.
Load up your Google Play account
Google Play Gift Card
For whenever you need to pay to play
Getting a play gift card is the safest way to load up your Google account with credit to use towards in-app purchases or premium games without overspending.
One-handed action
Fowlst
Staff Pick
In Fowlst, you play as a loot-seeking owl that has somehow gotten itself stuck in Hell's underground labyrinth. Every time you play is its unique challenge because each chamber is randomly generated and filled with demons and other deadly traps to deftly dodge. With simple controls and near-endless gameplay, this is a great retro-styled action game you can play with one hand.
Carnival of Death
Penarium
Penarium is a tough-as-nails platformer created by Team 17, who you probably remember best from the Worms franchise. Whereas Worms was a slow-paced strategy game, Penarium is on the opposite end of the spectrum, featuring fast-paced action and requiring quick reflexes to survive. It tells the tale of a Willy, a portly farm boy who's always longed for adventure. One day, a circus show rolls into town and Willy decides to run away for a bit of fun and excitement. Unfortunately, this is no ordinary circus — it's Penarium, the sadistic circus extravaganza!
Top-notch action platfomer
Suzy Cube
Suzy Cube is a game that's been in the works for many years. Developed by an indie game developer, this action-packed platformer is a must-play game on mobile with touch controls that have no right being as good as they are. It's easiest to compare the graphics and gameplay to Super Mario 3D Land for the Nintendo 3DS and is far superior to Mario's mobile debut, Super Mario Run.
More than meets the eye
ICEY
At its core, ICEY is a 2D side-scrolling action game where you play as the titular character, a mysterious cybernetic warrior that kicks serious ass. The game plays flawlessly, with tight controls and new skills to be unlocked and upgraded as you progress through the game. If that's all ICEY was — a kick-ass side-scrolling action game — it would still find a spot on this list. But that's just the beginning, there's also an entire meta-narrative at play here exploring the relationship between the player and the narrator.
Falling with style!
Downwell
Downwell is a retro-styles rogue-like game where the goal is fairly simple — you jump down the well and see how far you can fall. Easy, right? Well, not quite — the well is filled with enemies. But don't worry, you're able to shoot down as you go, which also helps you kind of float. Story? Who needs a story when all you're looking for is action, baby! From the cool graphics and simple controls, this is a game that's easy to jump into but hard to master. Each time you play is unique, with new weapon upgrades popping up randomly. At the end of each stage, you also get to choose an additional power-up to help you along.
Outlast to win
Battlelands Royale
Battlelands Royale is a made-for-mobile battle royale game that combines cartoony graphics and a top-down perspective with a simplistic last man standing gameplay format that works well. This game offers a fairly unique take on the battle royale formula that is absolutely for casual gaming sessions as a match takes only a few minutes to complete. Just like PUBG or Fortnite, you parachute down onto a map with a bunch of other players — 29 opponents in this case — and must scavenge for weapons, ammo, and armor while staying in the safety circle and eliminating your enemies.
Top-down rogue-like
JYDGE
JYDGE is a gritty and violent top-down twin-stick shooter that is an absolute blast to play. You are the JYDGE, a cybernetic enforcement officer who uses his Gavel (see: BIG freaking gun) to dole out RoboCop-style justice. Each level features different challenges that are required to progress but it never feels like a slogging chore. Confiscating illegal cash along the way, you're able to upgrade JYDGE and his gavel with a deep selection of accessories.
Endless waves of monsters
Tesla vs Lovecraft
Tesla vs Lovecraft is the latest game from Finnish developers 10tons Ltd and it's a real treat. The game pits Nikola Tesla and his hi-tech inventions against a vengeful H.P. Lovecraft who has unleashed endless waves of nightmarish monsters. This is an incredibly polished game that uses twin-stick controls for moving and shooting. The campaign gradually increases in difficulty with well over 200 enemies capable of spawning on screen at one time so you must be fast with your trigger finger. Fortunately, there are power-ups and perks aplenty which are accessible in rogue-like fashion.
An epic RPG adventure
Death Road to Canada
When you're going to be dropping money on a game, you're going to want to be sure it has good replay value. In that regard, Death Road To Canada is an outstanding choice. Facing a zombie apocalypse, you must lead a scrappy squad of somewhat interesting characters on a deadly mission to the relative safety of Canada. Along the way, you'll need to explore and loot places for supplies, while also managing your team's health and morale. Everything in Death Road to Canada is randomly generated, making every play-through a unique experience in this road trip action-RPG.
Break on through to the Other Side
Stranger Things: The Game
Set in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things: The Game starts you out playing as Police Chief Jim Hopper as he heads out to search for a missing kid, but soon discovers much more than he bargained for. The gameplay has a classic Zelda vibe to it, and the mix of puzzles and action sections keep things feeling fresh. As you explore the town, you'll find other characters from the show who join your party and have special abilities which allow you to reach new areas of the world. What was essentially a playable ad for Season 2 of the show still manages to be one of the best free-to-play games for Android.
A throwback to the 90s
Witcheye
Witcheye is a wonderfully retro game that looks and sounds like it's ripped from the 90s era but also happens to be a near-perfect mobile platformer that makes excellent use of touch controls. You play as a witch who transforms herself into a bouncing eyeball as she heads off on a quest to retrieve her stolen magical ingredients. There are over 50 levels to enjoy that each features amazingly colorful graphics and a memorable soundtrack.
Spy games
Death Point
Death Point is as polished a game as you'll find on Android. It's a top-down stealth shooter in which you play a captured spy in a post-apocalyptic world. Your goal is to meet up with the only other member of your team who has survived, an operator who can communicate with you through technology implanted in your brain. She's there to give you tips and info on upcoming sections, and provide some lighthearted banter and story as you get down to the business of sneaking through enemy compounds, taking out guards and sabotaging their systems.
Anti-gravity gun
Island Delta
Island Delta was published by the fine folks at Noodlecake Studios, which alone makes it worth checking out. Developed by Mantisbite out of Finland and released for iOS in late 2016, Island Delta brings unique top-down action-adventure-puzzler fun to Android. You're tasked with exploring a mysterious retro-futuristic island with your heroes, Zoe and Baxter, as you try to take down the evil Doctor Gunderson and his army of henchmen.
Super hero brawler
Injustice 2
Injustice 2 is the sequel to the award-winning game Injustice: Gods Among Us, which is also one of the best fighting games for Android. If you've played and enjoyed the first game, you're sure to enjoy the sequel which features more fantasy fight match-ups between your favorite heroes and villains from the DC Universe. Unlock new heroes and build your ultimate team as you battle in 3 vs 3 fights with the ability to swap out fighters as needed. The usual suspects are here — Batman, Superman, Joker, Harley Quinn — as well as a whole slew of new heroes and villains which you'll discover and unlock as you play.
Ah s***, here we go again
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto is one of those iconic video game franchises that continues to influence other games. Chances are you've played a GTA title before on PC or console, but they play just as nicely on Android, too, with support for Bluetooth controllers. Rockstar Games has released five great GTA titles to the Google Play Store, but I'm highlighting San Andreas because it has a massive map and introduced a ton of awesome features to the series that remain to this day.
These are the best action-packed games for Android
There's no shortage of great games on the Google Play Store, as long as you're willing to spend a couple of dollars upfront. We've rounded up our favorites but want to highlight some of the most action-packed games that you should consider downloading.
is probably my favorite mobile game of all time, so that gets a big recommendation from me. There's a ton of customization (and randomization) available for creating your own characters, and each playthrough is unique in terms of the weapons and extra characters you'll run into on your journey through the zombie apocalypse up to Canada.
Another game that I absolutely adore is , which is a tough-as-nails platformer where you play as a hapless boy who's been tricked into fighting for his life in an evil circus. There's a ton of challenging levels to play through and it's an unrelenting experience that plays surprisingly well with the simple touchscreen controls.
Last but not least, give a go. It's a top-down twin-stick shooter that looks great and features some of the craziest action you'll ever see in a mobile game. It's a rogue-like shooter that will literally throw hundreds of enemies at you to the point where they completely fill the screen. Luckily, you get a ton of weapons and powerups to help keep them back.
Load up your Google Play account
Google Play Gift Card
For whenever you need to pay to play
Getting a play gift card is the safest way to load up your Google account with credit to use towards in-app purchases or premium games without overspending.