Mobile first-person shooters (FPS games) cater to the player experience. They often boil down to a player’s satisfaction with how running and gunning holds up over time. Unfortunately, clunky gameplay, poor performance, and frustrating controls don’t cut it for the best Android games. Ideally, there should also be an upward trend for FPS titles to ensure compatibility with your favorite Android gaming controllers, providing that much-needed quality-of-life boost for the optimal shooting experience. So considering all the factors we’ve listed that may make or break the player’s enjoyment, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to analyze and evaluate which FPS games on Android are worthy of your time. Let’s dive in!
1 Doom
One of the best controller-supported Android games, and thankfully the touch controls are no slouch either. Doom is a timeless classic and is considered the father of FPS games. Essentially, it’s the game that defined and revolutionized the entire genre. And now anyone can pick up and experience the famous classic directly on Android thanks to the 25th-anniversary rerelease by Bethesda. The version found on the Play Store includes “The Flesh Consumed” expansion and boosted framerates for a smooth-as-silk experience.
2 Call of Duty Mobile
You can’t argue that Call of Duty Mobile is leading the pack as one of the best FPS games on Android; it has reached over 500 million downloads since its release in 2019. The game is already a few years old, but it’s still going strong. In general, FPS games tend to age poorly as they tend to evolve with newer hardware, and your expectations for games begin to heighten; why dish out hundreds of dollars for a new phone for your games to play on the same graphics and have the same performance as your old phone? Call of Duty Mobile never suffered from this issue. It was already ahead of its time and has developed a massive following; you can fully expect a full-course meal for all the game modes found in Call of Duty Mobile, from zombies to battle royale, along with other modes that made it from the previous games, like team deathmatch with a ton of classic maps. It’s an all-in-one package deal, and it’s great.
3 PUBG Mobile
We can’t talk about PUBG Mobile and not mention the sister game, PUBG: New State. Comparatively, PUBG: New State is just as good and, in some ways, more optimized for mobile. But age and content separate PUBG Mobile from New State. New State is much newer than PUBG Mobile and still has the potential to overtake the spot that PUBG Mobile currently holds; PUBG Mobile is the veteran battle royale between the two and has a more extensive player base. PUBG is known for bringing in an intricate weapon upgrading system (New State also has weapon customization). Once New State catches up to PUBG Mobile, it’ll be even more challenging to see which game deserves the spotlight. Until then, PUBG Mobile is where most are currently playing.
4 Standoff 2
Closer to CS: GO style of FPS than Call of Duty. It is what CS: GO would be on mobile (unofficially). You can collect weapon skins, play single-player and multiplayer (including ranked), join clans and sell your skins in the marketplace. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, considering how CS: GO gameplay is much slower-paced than the standard arcade-style FPS, requiring a lot of patience while traversing small maps to take out your opponents. Going in full force without a plan is the fastest way to forfeit the match, which means practice is very much key to tackling Standoff 2 long term.
5 Dead Effect 2
Dead Effect 2 is primarily a single-player zombie FPS game that reflects the genre quite well. It eerily resembles the hit sci-fi horror Dead Space, and it doesn’t scale down on the blood and gore to set up the chilling atmosphere where players attempt to survive a zombie apocalypse. The mature hair-rising storyline makes Dead Effect 2 worth the playthrough while still offering plenty of polishing moments to feel like a console title. Luckily the first title is skippable, so you can safely jump straight into the sequel, which you’d likely consider just because it’s a sizeable upgrade from the first game.
6 Combat Master Mobile
Combat Master Mobile has all the successful ingredients to be a fantastic FPS game and a respectable side option for Call of Duty Mobile (one of our favorites on this list), praised for satisfying gun action and smooth movement. Unfortunately, Combat Master Mobile content is somewhat lackluster, but the core gameplay still holds up well. In addition, the game offers a few multiplayer modes like battle royale, quick play, and team deathmatch, with a few new modes during seasonal updates such as Bomb Plant and Arms Race. Overall, the resemblance with Call of Duty Mobile is a huge plus, but the much smaller map size and personalized experience make it a great game to get your thrills in for running and gunning on Android.
7 Critical Ops
Another wonderfully done unofficial CS: GO clone for mobile. Critical Ops receives updates seasonally, including a critical pass, thematic mini modes, limited edition skins, and frequent updates. Outside of seasonal content, there are plenty of weapon skins to earn and custom game modes to play, from team deathmatch to ranked. The game has already reached over 96 million downloads. When both the developers and community are on board to make Critical Ops a success, you know that there’s a lot of care and passion put into the game; the developers are active on their respective social media channels (such as Youtube and Reddit) and put forth updates to improve the user experience with the presence of anti-cheating tools, bug fixes, and stability patches. After all, the built-up trust between the developer and the community keeps games like this alive and thriving.
8 Modern Combat 5: mobile FPS
Your first stop for a highly customizable FPS experience. Modern Combat 5: mobile FPS allows you to choose between 10 classes, including styles like sniper, assault, and maurader. You can play through the campaign or jump right into pub matches. Scratching your itch with online play and PvE, events are cycled in regularly, including a battle royale mode, team deathmatch, and capture the flag. The game also has native voice chat support, giving you the option to take team play next to the level. The popularity of Modern Combat 5 means you don’t have to worry about not having enough players to keep your matchmaking feeling fresh. It also incentivizes the developers to keep up to date with this game. The quickest way for any FPS mobile game to die is when both the developers and players abandon the game, which is far from the case in Modern Combat 5: mobile FPS.
9 Into the Dead 2
Are you feeling a bit burnt out from the standard pub stomping PvP gameplay that other titles tend to lean towards? Into the Dead 2 focuses on the zombie apocalypse theme on a personal level; do what it takes to survive and save your family. It’s up to you to take your FPS zombie-killer skills and see if that’s enough to avoid a bad ending. Into the Dead 2 brings new story chapters, daily and special event modes, loyal canine companions that fight alongside you, and multiple endings. The best part is that you can play this game entirely offline. Access is free, with some in-game items available for purchase; it is up to you how you’ll unfold this story — will you live to see another day?
10 Shadowgun Legends
Shadowgun Legends is a solid game all around; it has sharp visuals, sci-fi flavoring, and plenty of PvP and PvE content. There’s something in this game for everyone, whether you’re looking for a looter shooter, co-op campaign missions, or enjoy setting up multiplayer lobbies to go up against your friends in a heated competitive match. It’s also comes with controller support, so you no longer have to opt into touch controls to get your FPS fix, either. Shadowgun Legends was clearly inspired by big hitters like Gears of War, Destiny, and Halo, which makes the game all the more appealing if you’re seeking FPS titles that stray away from the likes of Call of Duty and PUBG (in setting and gameplay).
11 Hitman Sniper
Now we’re headed towards the sniping mini-game territory, so if you find popping heads off to be quite satisfying — you’re going to love Hitman Sniper. It’s not the typical FPS game when it comes to pacing; you’re essentially playing a puzzle game to complete contracts, putting your tactical shooting and target prioritization to the test. And if you need to change it up, Square Enix offers a post-launch mode for zombie defense that adds another layer to the game. Hitman Sniper is currently the best entry for the sniping format, but you’ll have to pay close to a dollar to purchase the full game.
12 Gun Strike: FPS Shooting Games
Gun Strike: FPS Shooting Games is one of Android’s best offline FPS apps. Counter-terrorism is the name of the game, as you’ll fill the shoes of a professionally trained killer to take out the enemy camps that threaten your country; you have a variety of weapons to choose from (pistols, grenades, snipers, automatic rifles, etc.) when disposing of these encampments. But of course, the enemy AI is smarter than average and will keep you on your toes, meaning that the game requires some strategy before going in. Nevertheless, Gun Strike still provides a variety of missions and maps to keep the gameplay from getting too repetitive. Thankfully the game’s updates ensure things stay optimized for a broader range of devices, so even an average phone or tablet will be able to load up this game just fine. Plus, this is the perfect title if you’re recovering from burnout from competitive PvP modes or simply don’t have a stable connection nearby.
13 Guns of Boom
Games like Guns of Boom are a welcome addition to gaming libraries for older phones/tablets or average non-gaming phones. The app was developed with mobile platforms in mind and still delivers an exceptional performance with comfy and intuitive controls to ease everyone into the challenging gameplay. In addition, Guns of Boom brings in flexible character customization, including perks and equipment skills to complement your preferred playstyle. The only downside is that resources like health packs become indispensable for your survival, which may skew the balance of favoring pay-to-win depending on the game mode. Nonetheless, Guns of Boom is still a great title to quench that FPS thirst on older and modern-day devices.
14 Pixel Gun 3D — FPS Shooter
Pixel Gun 3D — FPS Shooter is a blast from the past, initially released in 2014 and still holding firm with consistent updates; the game offers colorful maps, quirky customizable skin styles, and creative game modes that will scratch any itch. Looking to play a battle royale, set up a sniper tournament, or simply want to frag against your friends in a deathmatch mode? Pixel Gun 3D has a mode for everyone. On the social front, Pixel Gun 3D brings clans and leaderboards, pushing more competitive activity across the globe. If competitive multiplayer isn’t your jam — there are a ton of minigames like Parkour and Extreme Run to keep you busy. All in all, Pixel Gun 3D — FPS Shooter remains a top spot thanks to its huge arsenal of game modes and customizable fun.
15 Frag Pro Shooter
Plenty of FPS games measure your skill and hardware, but what about adding mechanics that challenge your wits? Frag Pro Shooter is a PvP hero shooter that incorporates a team selection mechanic into your gunplay. Heroes determine the weapons you wear, and you have to swap between several to outplay your opponents. In addition, each hero has strengths and weaknesses, tasking you to learn and build a fully balanced team. Thankfully, some offline modes aid you in testing every weapon/hero without any added stress, that way; you can come in guns blazing once you’re ready. Updates also keep the game afloat, nerfing and buffing heroes to prevent the meta from stagnating, meaning you won’t necessarily be locked into those teams forever.
16 Gunfire Reborn
Gunfire Reborn brings a unique brand of FPS to Android; it’s a roguelite adventure game with a hard focus on FPS (and ability-based) gameplay. Gunfire Reborn was previously released on Steam in 2021 but then reached Android a year later (Xbox One and Series S/X launched after). At first glance, the cel-shading graphics brings a visual experience akin to Borderlands at low resolution. But the game offers more than just a glamorous face. Gunfire Reborn has a solid variety of heroes/abilities and a range of customizable playthrough options that can be tinkered with through skill trees and talents. In addition, the game supports single-player and multiplayer for up to four players. Overall, this version has been optimized for mobile devices (it does have Bluetooth controller support) and includes crossplay between Android and iOS users.
Exploring Android’s best shooters is easier than ever
Playing mobile games offers its ups and downs, where you’ll encounter aggressive monetization practices, poorly optimized ports, and a lack of invested developers. But despite the shortcomings, we still have gaming gems on Android to experience. Moreover, the symbiotic relationship between a game’s success on the platform and the robust player-driven experience keeps these titles updated and in service on the Play Store. And, of course, the competitive-driven titles will only continue to grow with a healthy player base, which is why we’ve highlighted only the highest-quality FPS games that deserve attention on Android. Of course, FPS games encompass a broad range of subgenres, so if you’re looking to gain ground with some of the best battle royales on Android, we’ve put together a thorough roundup for you to check out.