Technologies

The 15 Best Mobile Games in 2025: Top iPhone and Android Games

From arcade classics to modern indie darlings, we’ve collected the best games you can carry in your pocket.

Whether you have an iPhone or an Android device in your pocket, you’re a part of the most popular (and arguably most profitable) segment of the games industry. There are 3.4 billion active mobile gamers in the world, according to Newzoo’s data analysts.

The world of mobile gaming is constantly evolving, and it’s easy to fall victim to choice paralysis when trying to figure out where to start. While you can still download games from your phone’s app store, you can just as easily boot up an emulator, stream Xbox Game Pass titles through cloud gaming or subscribe to the Apple Arcade service. There are more games available at your fingertips than ever before.

This carefully curated list includes the best games across both iPhone and Android that you can download right now, including older arcade-style classics and newer indie games that’ll push your mobile gaming experience to the next level.

FAQs

How we determined CNET’s best mobile games

When creating this list of the best mobile games, we factored in how unique and enjoyable these games are for most players, from impressive graphics to novel gameplay to compelling narratives. Our picks cover a variety of genres from deckbuilding roguelikes to tower defenses to shooters to fantasy RPGs, and while we favored classic mobile experiences that take advantage of simple control schemes, we also included some can’t-miss games that appear on multiple platforms. If you’re looking for help choosing your next game, CNET’s top mobile games list is a good place to start narrowing your choices.

Technologies

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 Might Come in 5G and 4G Cellular Models

If the rumor proves true, the 5G Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3 that debuted last fall.

Samsung’s next high-end Galaxy Watch could support faster 5G speeds, but if this leak is true, it will depend on where you live. The rumored Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 might come in 5G and 4G cellular models, with availability for each smartwatch depending on the country.

According to the Dutch website Galaxy Club (and spotted by SamMobile), Samsung’s servers may have revealed a series of model numbers that point to 5G, 4G and Wi-Fi-enabled editions of the next Galaxy Watch Ultra, which would succeed the original model that debuted in 2024.

A representative for Samsung did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Galaxy Club website speculates that the 5G edition would be sold in the US and Korean markets, while the 4G edition would sell in the rest of the world. In the US, a 5G version of the Galaxy Watch Ultra would rival the 5G-enabled $799 Apple Watch Ultra 3, which debuted last fall. The 4G edition would have broader compatibility worldwide, since the earlier network is far more established.

It will likely be a few months until we hear anything official about the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. Samsung typically unveils its new watches in the summer alongside its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip foldable phones. Last year, Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Watch 8 and the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, but otherwise left the prior 2024 Ultra in the lineup for those looking for a larger 47mm smartwatch.

Technologies

2 Cases Show Supreme Court Isn’t Holding ISPs Responsible for Piracy

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections Hints, Answers and Help for April 8, #1032

Here are some hints and the answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for April 8, No. 1032.

Looking for the most recent Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s NYT Connections puzzle is kind of tough. The purple category is a fun one, once you see the connection. Read on for clues and today’s Connections answers.

The Times has a Connections Bot, like the one for Wordle. Go there after you play to receive a numeric score and to have the program analyze your answers. Players who are registered with the Times Games section can now nerd out by following their progress, including the number of puzzles completed, win rate, number of times they nabbed a perfect score and their win streak.

Read more: Hints, Tips and Strategies to Help You Win at NYT Connections Every Time

Hints for today’s Connections groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: In the group.

Green group hint: Appearance details.

Blue group hint: Often found in gyms.

Purple group hint: They help you see.