Oceanhorn

Oceanhorn arrived in 2013 as proof that a touchscreen device could carry a sprawling action RPG with its own story, not just a simple minigame counting down a score. The player controls a young hero searching for his missing father and gradually discovers an island world full of temples, puzzles, and sword combat that strongly recall classic Zelda games with a top-down isometric view. Travel between islands takes place on a small boat, which the player gradually upgrades, and each new island brings its own set of puzzles, hidden treasures, and enemies.

Controls rely on a virtual joystick and contextual buttons right on the display, and the game also supports physical gamepads, so fighting monsters and aiming work surprisingly precisely even without physical buttons under your thumbs. Cornfox & Bros., the Finnish studio behind the game, bet on striking visuals with long shadows and orchestral music meant to evoke a sense of epic adventure even on a phone's small screen, and the obvious Zelda inspiration is acknowledged rather than hidden. Voice acting and written dialogue lend the story a gravity that few would expect from a purely mobile title, and the temple puzzles demand real thought, not just button-mashing.

The title launched as a paid app with no ads or microtransactions, which was still a common model in 2013, before the mobile market came to be dominated by free-to-play games with aggressive monetization. For many players it was their first experience showing that a phone could handle dozens of hours of content comparable to a handheld console, and its success opened the door to a sequel and ports to other platforms.

Why play it: Suitable for players who want to experience a classic Zelda-style adventure on mobile, complete with a story, no ads, and no in-app purchases.