As we reported earlier this year, the post-apocalyptic sector of the mobile games market is the fastest growing sector in 2020. Games set in a post-apocalyptic world grew by 106% from Q1 to Q3 of this year, and that trend doesn’t look to be slowing any time soon.
So we felt that this was a good time to compile our own list of our favorite post-apocalyptic mobile games. These may not be the highest rated or the best selling, but they’re our favorites.
Despite the fact that most post-apocalyptic mobile games seem to be named by a random title generator that only contains the words “Survival,” “Zombie,” “Wasteland,” “Dark, and “Day,” the ones on this list are actually quite good. So let’s take a look at our Top 10 best post-apocalyptic mobile games for Android and iOS, in no particular order.
Sunset Hardcore
Android | iOS
Sunset Hardcore is an indie game that was created for a grand total of $485, according to the developer. I’d say it was money well-spent as the retro side-scroller is actually a lot of fun. You play as a mercenary who has to escape his fate during a specific window of time at sunset when it’s not too hot or not too cold. The game is billed as “hardcore” because your character will start completely over from the beginning if you die.
Fallout Shelter
Android | iOS
Fallout Shelter has been around for five years now, but it holds up well. The object of the game is to build a giant self-sustaining underground shelter, invite more people to live there, and thrive.
Cataclysm: Dark Days Ahead
Android | iOS
This open source indie game is all about scavenging for resources to survive in the wasteland. It has a vast community that includes forums, a Discord server, a wiki, mods, and more. The game uses text-based graphics, but still features some impressive gameplay that includes crafting, farming, and a surprisingly extensive construction system.
Dark Days: Zombie Survival
Android | iOS
Dark Days: Zombie Survival is described as a “tactical survival shooter” but is much more than that. You’ll need to gather resources, build your shelter, and craft helpful items, all while defending yourself from hordes of undead. And on top of all of that, the cell-shaded graphics are quite gorgeous!
Devil’s Peak Fury
iOS
This one is a racing game with obstacles, kinda like a Mad Max version of Mario Kart. It’s a simple premise, but quite additive.
Day R: Survival
Android | iOS
This one may look like your typical survival/zombie shooter, but it’s really a deep game with over 2,700 towns and cities to explore, hundreds of crafting recipes, changing seasons, and even a multiplayer co-op mode so you can play with your friends.
Last Day on Earth: Survival
Android | iOS
If you like three-quarter-view RPGs, this is a good for you. It has all the elements you’d want in a zombie survival game, but wrapped in a fun, almost cartoonish graphical style similar to Fortnite.
Sheltered
Android | iOS
Very similar to Fallout Shelter, Sheltered is a popular disaster management game that’s also one of our favorites on PC, too. It features a bit more outside exploration and interaction than Fallout Shelter, and there’s a whole crafting element that makes this one worth checking out.
This War of Mine
Android | iOS
If you’re not into the mindless clickers that you find with most mobile games, you might enjoy the deep, emotional storyline of This War of Mine. In this game, you’re making difficult decisions that are sure to end poorly for some members of your survivor group, but which ones?
Don’t Starve: Pocket Edition
Android | iOS
One of the greatest PC/console survival games of our time is now on mobile devices, and Klei Entertainment did a bang-up job of keeping it true to the original.
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