Best Mobile Games for Your Daily Commute

Those of us who use public transport for our daily commute spend an average of almost ten hours per week travelling. Recent productivity trends are pushing us to use our commute in a ‘useful’ manner, squeezing everything out of our days: read Tolstoy, learn a skill, write to-do lists for your upcoming week, reply to emails, or catch up on the latest news to get a wider world view. 

But sometimes we don’t want to be productive, and we aren’t in the right headspace to read dense books. The news isn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows, either. For some of us, this is our only alone time, and all we want to do is have a little bit of fun. 

Enter mobile gaming. Smartphones give you the opportunity to play games that are just as advanced as what you’d find on a console. No more pixelated graphics, atrociously slow gameplay, and tiny little screens. There are many options, but to help you avoid analysis paralysis, here are some of our favourites. 

Minecraft 

For those of you who tried the mobile version in its original format, it may be time to revisit the game you ditched. It’s now a completely different experience, with the mobile version now ‘unified’ with the console and PC versions. 

What helps this game retain its popularity is its incredibly active player community. Innovative creators continue to churn our custom maps, mods, and other elements that keep the game new and exciting. 

Mario Kart Tour 

Many of you will have nostalgic feelings about this entry, with Mario Kart a popular hangout game for years now. Considering the game’s popularity, it’s almost shocking that Nintendo only launched this game for mobile in 2019. 

Ever since its release, the game has been a hit. After just its first day, it was downloaded ten million times. While the entry hasn’t quite soared to the heights of its console counterparts in the eyes of many critics, it’s still a must-play for fans of the series. 

Casino Games 

In South Africa, both online and land-based casinos enjoy immense popularity. But what’s good to remember is that you don’t have to put your money on the line, and can simply enjoy some online games via your mobile.

Some mobile casinos now offer the heightened experience you expect from a fully-loaded desktop setup. We’re talking live casino gameplay (with real dealers) and the classic table games we all know and love (e.g. blackjack and roulette). You can also find a multitude of slots and all of the most popular games at South African mobile casinos. 

EA Sports (Insert Your Sport Here!)

We think EA Sports has done a commendable job adapting its flagship sports titles to the smartphone. We’re not going to assume your favourite sport, but chances are EA has a title to cater to your preference. 

Both FIFA and Madden NFL deserve a special mention here, with the high-quality gameplay and stunning graphics delivering exactly what you’d expect from these titles. The only problem? The time will pass so quickly that you’ll be at work before you know it.

Hitman Go 

This game is unique in that it is not trying to port the console version in an identical fashion. Instead, Hitman Go is a little more abstract, with the levels resembling a board game-style setup. 

The gameplay lends itself incredibly well to both tablets and smartphones, challenging players with interesting puzzles in an innovative manner. It’s a game that will make you think a little bit, has enough action to reflect its titular character, and its turn-based gameplay means you can leave the game behind, ready for your next journey. 

Candy Crush 

Why is Candy Crush still popular in 2023? The only people who ask this have likely never played it before. The thing is, this game has absolutely nailed what makes a game a long-term success: the simplicity of the gameplay is addictively fun. 

It’s the perfect game for commuters. Its rules are simple, nothing complicated for those early mornings. It’s satisfying in small spurts, offers goals for players to achieve over time, and it’s both easy to play for 5 minutes or 5 hours.   

Call of Duty: Mobile 

Sometimes, the daily commute calls for us to enter a free-for-all battle royale of 100 players just to let off a little bit of steam. The Call of Duty franchise now features a blockbuster experience on its mobile version, and it legitimately gives console-based equivalents a run for their money. 

The game has original content, classic gameplay from the OG version, and the zombie modes players love. The game is one of the most downloaded of all time, and is a darling with both fans and critics alike. Warning: you may miss your stop when you play this one. 

Among Us 

Among Us was first released in 2018, however, the title properly gathered steam in 2020 when most of the world stayed indoors. The game is perfect as a collaborative exercise, with players all working together to figure out who the ‘killer’ is whilst travelling together on a spaceship, which can also be sabotaged by the same individual. 

What’s nice about this game is that it was released by an independent developer; the company only had four employees when the game was first published! InnerSloth hit it out of the park, and didn’t need the investment from big business to make it happen. 

We’ve given you plenty of ideas to give your commute a dose of entertainment that you have probably been missing. So next time you are tempted to unnecessarily reply to yet another work email, load up your favourite game instead.