Terraria

Terraria launched on mobile devices in 2013 as a port of the PC game that developer Re-Logic designed as a two-dimensional answer to Minecraft - instead of three-dimensional blocks, it offers a side view of a world full of caves, biomes, and extensive underground structures. Over the years, though, it built its own identity thanks to a huge amount of weapons, armor, bosses, and crafting recipes, making it more of an action adventure with RPG elements and a metroidvania level structure than a mere building sandbox for kids.

On the touchscreen, the controls combine a virtual joystick, jump and attack buttons, and quick access to the inventory via a side panel - given the huge number of items and their combinations, the initial learning curve on a small screen is steeper than with the simpler Minecraft, but once you get used to it, the game runs smoothly even in fights against fast and dangerous bosses. The mobile version was published by 505 Games, which has long specialized in porting exactly this type of game to consoles and phones, and it gradually added updates alongside the other platforms.

Terraria's content scope - hundreds of items, dozens of bosses, and several distinct phases of world development - makes the mobile version a surprisingly long-term affair spanning dozens to hundreds of hours, not just a quick distraction between other apps.

Why play it: For players who want a more content-packed and action-oriented alternative to Minecraft in their pocket, with dozens of hours of content and boss fights, at the cost of a somewhat steeper learning curve for the touch controls.