A lot of Android games depend on a mobile data connection. Whether it’s downloading stuff from the server like Clash of Clans, or using it for DRM protection like most Final Fantasy games, it seems like virtually every game is asking you to be within close proximity of a web connection just to make the game run. Not everyone has that luxury so here are ten of the best offline Android games that don’t require a connection to play. If none of these are floating your boat, Google Play has lists for offline games, offline action games, offline simulation games, offline puzzle games, offline casino games, and offline sports games for your convenience. Of course, if we missed your favorite offline Android games, tell us about them in the comments!

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BADLAND

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
BADLAND is first on our list and this is about as great of a time waster as you can get. It’s a 2D runner where you must progress forward faster than the screen or else you’ll be consumed and lose. The game features silhouetted graphics and colorful backdrops which look fantastic. There is also a local multiplayer, a sizable single player with over 100 levels, and there is even a level creation tool to let you make your own levels that you can share. There’s a lot here and it’s worth a play.
Get it now on Google Play!

Final Fantasy III, IV, and V

[Price: $15.99 each]
Square Enix has been back and forth when it comes to online DRM checking, but you can play a few Final Fantasy games offline provided that you’ve logged into them at least once with an Internet connection. Final Fantasy games offer more than 20 hours of game play per title along with deep story lines, various types of character development, and more. They’re not the most exciting games, but fans of the series generally play them for their stories. They cost $15.99 each which is rather steep, but you’re definitely getting a lot of content from each game.
Get it now on Google Play!

Kingdom Rush Frontiers

[Price: $1.99]
Kingdom Rush Frontiers is the latest title in the popular tower defense franchise and probably the best one as well. It includes a ton of missions that you can complete over three difficulties and three different game modes (Classic, Iron, and Heroic), boss fights, over a dozen towers and heroes, upgrades, and the game even includes a built-in encyclopedia to help your strategies. It’s a fun experience and a must have for tower defense fans looking for offline Android games.
Get it now on Google Play!

Limbo

[Price: $4.99]
Limbo is a unique, 2D puzzle game where you must use elements of your environment to solve puzzles and progress forward as you look for your sister in the world of Limbo. The graphics are creepy, silhouetted, and monochrome which adds to the ambiance of the game. You’ll likely be killed a lot by bullets, water, electricity or some combination of all three and it’s a great way to spend an afternoon. The only potential downside is the length of the game because it’s not all that long.
Get it now on Google Play!

Minecraft Pocket Edition

[Price: $6.99]
Minecraft may not have story lines, but if you want the biggest bang for your buck then it’s probably this game. You can create whole worlds and play in them offline either in creative mode or survival where you can build stuff, mine stuff, kill bad guys, and do pretty much whatever you want. It’s not as big and immersive as the computer version but the developers have been closing the gap by adding things like Redstone for more unique building. It’s $6.99 but there are no in-app purchases.
Get it now on Google Play!

See also: 15 best Android games of 2016157

Smash Hit

[Price: Free / $1.99]
Smash Hit is one of the beautifully done infinite runners out there. It’s a first-person runner where you must throw balls to break obstacles in your path. The catch-22 is that the number of balls in your inventory is also your life total and you lose balls when you’re hit by anything. The muted, smokey colors and unique mechanics give this a wholly different feel from similar games in the genre. It’s free to play with $1.99 being to unlock extra goodies like saving, stats, and more.
Get it now on Google Play!

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

[Price: $9.99]
Star Wars: Knighs of the Old Republic is an action RPG that was ported to Android from PC. The mechanics are a little stiff, but it has a very long story line complete with all kinds of goodies to collect and alternate endings depending on the decisions you make while playing. The graphics are pretty decent, it has support for third party controllers, and the game also comes with Google Play Games achievements. It’s as big game with a lot of content and it should last you a long time.
Get it now on Google Play!

The Room 3

[Price: $4.99]
The Room 3 is the latest iteration from The Room franchise and it’s the best one yet. It has crisp, gorgeous graphics, unique puzzles, and new elements added to help you solve puzzles that weren’t present in older games. It is a bit short, but this time around the developers have added things like alternate endings which add replay value to make the game longer than prior titles. It also doesn’t have any in-app purchases, supports Google Play Games features (cloud saving and achievements). Do be warned, though, that offline players won’t be able to use the Google Play features.
Get it now on Google Play!

World of Goo

[Price: $4.99]
World of Goo is a unique puzzle game where you must build bridges using bits of goo in order to make it to the end. The challenge is using your goo to its fullest potential and getting enough of it across to the other side to earn a 3-star rating all while getting around the game’s physics. There is also a freestyle mode where you try to build the tallest tower that you can and your results are stacked up against players from all around the world. It’s a simple puzzle game, but it’s hard to complete and the mechanics are solid. Best of all, there are no in-app purchases.
Get it now on Google Play!

XCOM Enemy Within

[Price: $9.99]
XCOM: Enemy Within is a tactical strategy game where you must move around the map taking down aliens that are trying to kill you. The graphics are really good and the game play is easy to learn. The game itself is rather difficult and should provide a decent challenge in order to complete the whole thing. You’ll also get to research alien tech in order to make yourself stronger and you can upgrade and recruit new team members as well. There is also multiplayer for when you get a web connection again. There are no in-app purchases with XCOM.
Get it now on Google Play!

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• A lot of board games are offline as well and you can find the best Android board games here!
• Short on cash? Here are the best free Android games!

If we missed any of the best offline Android games, tell us about them in the comments! To see our complete list of best app lists, click here.