The Play Store offers many fantastic PvP games you can enjoy on your Android phone or tablet, from fast-paced shooters to RTS games that reward careful planning. Even if you don't play games competitively, plenty of games offer fun and rewarding PvP modes. However, if you'd rather head offline, there are an equal amount of enjoyable offline action games for Android.

We've rounded up our favorite PvP games across all genres. While you can enjoy these games on any Android phone or tablet, we recommend pairing the FPS titles with one of the best Android controllers to gain an edge over your opponent.

1 Omega Strikers

Omega Strikers, developed by a team that worked on League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics, is a fast-paced competitive brawler with a unique take on air hockey. There's plenty to sink your teeth into here, from customizable characters to game-changing abilities.

Omega Strikers is the perfect game if you want a modern, competitive brawler that won't bog you down in endless matches. Plus, there's nothing more satisfying than scoring that game-winning goal.

2 Dead by Daylight Mobile

Dead by Daylight Mobile is a re-release of the 2020 mobile port of the competitive survival game. In our hands-on, we noted that this version comes with various graphical and gameplay improvements, although long-term players may find the microtransactions offputting.

Nevertheless, Dead by Daylight Mobile is a pulse-pounding competitive experience where you'll team up with other players to avoid a murderous killer. It's a great combination of teamwork and stealth, and you can switch it up by playing as the killer instead. Give it a go to try one of the best asymmetrical PvP competitive games around.

3 Hearthstone

Hearthstone for Android is a port of the successful desktop game. It offers three game modes: Hearthstone, Battlegrounds, and Mercenaries. The original, most popular mode, Hearthstone, pits players in 1v1 battles, who take turns to use minions and spells to reduce their opponent's health pool to zero. Battleground is an auto-battler where players build teams in an 8-way free-for-all. Mercenaries is the newest mode, where players construct a party of 6 minions and set out on an adventure to complete quests and gather loot in a series of PvE and PvP battles.

While easy to pick up, Hearthstone takes a long time to master. You'll sit there for hours, pondering over cards and combos and developing new strategies. But you'll feel on top of the world when you craft that perfect deck and go on a winning streak.

4 Brawlhalla

Brawlhalla for mobile is an impressive achievement. Platform fighting games tend to rely heavily on tactile feedback, with experienced players being able to manipulate their physical controllers with laser precision. Brawlhalla proves that a touch screen is perfectly sufficient to leap, fight, and perform impressive combos. However, if you want to improve your experience, try one of the best Android gaming controllers.

Brawlhalla boasts an extensive range of characters and game modes that, coupled with its buttery smooth gameplay, create an experience that's hard to step away from. While it does lock a significant amount of content behind a paywall, you'll have plenty of free content available from the start.

5 Teamfight Tactics

Teamfight Tactics (TFT) is a strangely empowering game mode. Many competitive games require hours of practice and reading guides to become the best, but TFT is so intuitive that I often do well just by following my gut feeling. TFT is part of the genre commonly known as auto-chess or auto-battlers. You'll be placed into a game with eight other players, and over successive rounds, you'll collect champions and items to build the perfect team.

Part of what keeps TFT exciting is that all champions are reworked each season, forcing players to create new strategies. This keeps the game fresh by preventing particular combos from dominating and ensuring no two seasons feel the same.

6 Clash Royale

Like Hearthstone, Clash Royale is a deck-building game. However, Clash Royale ups the intensity by creating a frantic mix of real-time strategy and tower defense. Matches are fast-paced, allowing you to squeeze in a few games on your commute easily.

Don't let the cartoony appearance fool you; Clash Royale rewards strategic thinking and careful planning. Googling the perfect deck might help you get started, but managing the real-time combat takes a fair bit of practice. However, while the core game is free to play, micro-transactions carry more weight here. Progression can feel unnecessarily grindy, and while the game isn't pay-to-win, you may find it takes some time to get the deck you want.

7 PUBG Mobile

PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Mobile (PUBG) follows a similar format to the original PC version, dropping players into an expansive open world to be the last one standing. However, matches are shorter, around 10 minutes compared to the average 30 minutes of the original, so you won't spend half an hour crawling around only to get sniped by an unseen assailant.

The controls are fully customizable and designed exclusively for mobile, so you shouldn't have much trouble creating a comfortable play style. Regularly updated, with many game modes and unique mechanics, it's a must-play for any battle-royale lover.

8 Rocket League Sideswipe

Rocket League Sideswipe is a dramatic shift from its PC counterpart. The switch to a 2D format might seem overly simplistic initially, but in reality, it just tightens the focus; Sideswipe is just as fast-paced and rewarding as the original.

The goal of Rocket League Sideswipe is simple, knock the ball into the goal with your car more times than your opponent. After you've done it once, you'll pull off tricks and flip the ball into the goal like a pro. A 2D plane means less frustration, and matches that last just a few minutes leave you hungry for more. Microtransactions will only get you cosmetic items, so when you lose or win a game, you'll know it was entirely thanks to your skill.

9 League of Legends: Wild Rift

League of Legends: Wild Rift is a fast-paced MOBA that resides comfortably on mobile. League of Legends is known for its high skill ceiling, but Wild Rift levels the playing field while keeping the classic experience alive.

If you're unfamiliar with MOBAs, League of Legends is easy to pick up and play. However, each champion is substantially different from the next, requiring practice and careful thinking to master. However, mastering champions is only half of it; teamwork is the name of the game here. Matches are 5-a-side, so no matter how good you are, you'll need to give your team a hand too.

10 GWENT: The Witcher Card Game

GWENT was originally an excellent minigame within The Witcher 3. The standalone game is nearly identical but rebalanced and structured for online play. Each match is the best out of three. Decks don't get reset after each round; use all your cards in the first round, and you'll set yourself up for defeat.

Unfortunately, it's not as approachable as it could be. While the gameplay is a brilliant mix of deception, bluffing, and strategy, a confusing tutorial and bewildering amount of cards can put off new players. However, stick with it, and you'll be hooked on this rewarding card game. The cherry on top is the stunning animated cards that make the game feel like a playable work of art. It's worth it just to take a look.

11 Call Of Duty

Call of Duty Mobile is a shooter game that is two games in one. One pits players against each other in classic team-based game modes; the other is a battle royale like PUBG. Along with the fast-paced gameplay, CoD Mobile offers players impressive realistic visuals without a drop in performance. It's a perfect way to crank out a few games of Call of Duty without starting up your console, and it isn't a lesser experience for it.

CoD Mobile is regularly updated with new maps, equipment, and game modes. Extensive customization helps you create your ideal character, so this is your best bet if you're looking for a shooter to sink your teeth into.

12 Rusted Warfare

Rusted Warfare screenshot showing two armies fighting from a top-down perspective
Source: Google Play

One of the best RTS games on Android, Rusted Warfare is the perfect choice for those looking to scratch that competitive RTS itch on the go. Inspired by early large-scale RTS games like Supreme Commander, Rusted Warfare melds these classic mechanics with intelligent touch-screen controls, allowing you to seamlessly maneuver large armies with your fingers.

While there are offline modes, Rusted Warfare is best played against a person. The AI is relatively easy to beat, so you'll need a human opponent to challenge yourself. That said, it's worth getting a few games against the computer to explore the available options. It can seem overwhelming but don't worry; you'll learn it fast.

13 Marvel Snap

A recent addition to the collectible card game genre, Marvel Snap is a fast-paced card battler perfect for those who find Hearthstone bloated. Each game lasts about 3 minutes so that you can get through multiple matches on your commute to work.

You don't have to be a Marvel fan to enjoy this game. While fans will enjoy the original artwork, those unfamiliar with the franchise will quickly get absorbed into this brutally competitive game. Best of all, it's got the fairest monetization we've seen in all the card games we've tested, so don't worry if you're not planning on opening your wallet.

14 Dota Underlords

Dota Underlords is a similar game to Teamfight Tactics, otherwise known as an auto battler. You'll build a team of characters from the Dota universe and then watch them fight automatically against your opponent's teams. The strategy lies in picking characters with the same alliances while ensuring your roster is varied, all so you can trounce your foes. The game supports crossplay between mobile and PC, so you can pick up your progression on your computer later. Thankfully, there's also offline play, so you can practice as much as you want against the AI before you jump into competing with friends.

15 Harry Potter: Magic Awakened

Harry Potter: Magic Awakened is one of our favorite RPGs, but there's a competitive PvP mode hiding under the beautiful graphics and excellent fan service. It's a card-battler combined with RTS mechanics, so you'll move your character and minions around the board while drawing spells and abilities from your deck. It's engaging, fun, and rewarding; you don't even need to play card games to enjoy Magic Awakened's gameplay.

Magic Awakened's PvP mode is just one part of the game. We recommend playing through the story in addition to the PvP mode, but if you're only interested in competitively play, don't worry; it's unlocked within an hour of playing.

16 Mario Kart Tour

Mario Kart Tour is the definitive Mario Kart experience on mobile. It isn't some cheap mobile spin-off; this is the full Mario Kart experience with multiple game modes, returning maps, and leaderboards. While a frustrating amount of microtransactions are involved, the multiplayer mode is accessible and not pay-to-win.

In Mario Kart Tour, you can race against up to seven other people online. People have reported occasional glitches with matchmaking, but most of the time you shouldn't encounter issues.

17 Old School Runescape

RuneScape is one of our favorite MMORPGs on Android, but it also offers a vibrant PvP scene. If you've never tried this classic MMO, you might be unsure what it can offer you, but there are plenty of ways to test yourself against other players, ranging from standalone events to dedicated PvP worlds.

Old School Runescape's PvP worlds are high-risk but offer a consistent PvP experience across the entire map. However, every world includes the Wilderness area, a PvP-enabled zone anyone can enter. There are also minigames where you can engage in PvP without the risk of losing your hard-earned items.

18 Gladiabots

Gladiabots is a PvP game that rewards careful planning and strategy. Before each match, you'll program your robots to craft the perfect AI. Programs are built via a simple flowchart interface, which is easy to learn but offers countless combinations.

We recommend playing through Gladiabots' single-player campaign before diving into the PvP mode. Experienced players will build complex programs that can easily overwhelm beginners, so take your time to experiment with all the tools available first. It's one of the most rewarding PvP games on Android.

Knock some online socks off with your PvP skills

PvP games are fun, but take time to wind down with our favorite casual Android games if you get frustrated. But when you're ready to dive back in, why not try something new? Games like Gladiabots offer unique PvP experiences rarely found on the Play Store.