FIFA Mobile

FIFA Mobile brought Electronic Arts' football license to phones in a lightweight form, adapted for shorter play sessions than the full console entries in the series. The player builds a team from cards of favorite players, manages matches with simplified controls, and gradually upgrades the squad through seasonal events and competitions against other players online worldwide.

The matches themselves work on a principle of simplified touch controls – dragging a finger determines the direction of a pass or shot, while a large part of the tactical decisions happens automatically, which makes the game accessible even to players without experience with classic football simulations. This compromise between depth and accessibility is also what sets the mobile version apart from console FIFA – it's more of a collectible card game with a football overlay than a simulation of the sport itself. Regular season updates and ties to real football competitions keep the game in line with current events on the pitch, including period-accurate lineups and player transfers.

Monetization is free-to-play with player card packs, season passes, and microtransactions that noticeably speed up building a strong team. The game has been substantially reworked several times over the years, and the older 2016 version differs from the current offering, though the core model based on collecting and upgrading cards has stayed the same.

Why play it: Suitable for football fans who want to collect favorite players and play quick matches, keeping in mind that competing at the top usually requires payment.