Not every mobile game is meant to be a hit. Some crash and burn so hard they become infamous, and that's usually reflected in their ratings on app stores and reviews. Some received poor ratings because of their aggressive paywalls, boring gameplay, or misleading ads that promise way more than they deliver. That said, we'll round up 10 of the lowest-rated and most heavily criticized mobile games out there. If you’ve ever wondered which games players regret downloading the most, you’re about to find out.
10. Hot Wheels: World’s Best Driver
Hot Wheels: World’s Best Driver was a licensed arcade-style racing game that had some promise due to its variety of vehicles and game modes. However, poor controls completely undermined the gameplay experience. Players frequently complained that the game felt unresponsive and frustrating, which made even the most basic of races unnecessarily difficult. Pocket Gamer gave it a 2/5 in a review, and described it as "an experience that's neither fun nor particularly rewarding." Additionally, Metacritic labeled the game as "Generally Unfavorable," with its score being 39/100. Hot Wheels: World’s Best Driver has been delisted from app stores since 2017.
(Image Credit: Firebrand Games)
9. Mobile Strike
Despite its massive marketing campaigns that featured superstar Arnold Schwarzenegger upon its initial launch, players have since frequently criticized Mobile Strike for featuring an insane amount of pay-to-win mechanics. As is the case for a lot of games on this list, progression can be difficult without spending money. The action-based MMO gameplay tests players' strategy skills, but other problems, such as the monetization and persistent app issues, have led many to drop the game. Mobile Strike is still available today, but it holds a 2.3 rating on the App Store and a 3.3 rating on the Google Play Store.
(Image Credit: Epic War)
8. The Worst Game Ever
With a rating of 2.2 out of 5 stars on the App Store, The Worst Game Ever is a “game” that is essentially satire. The developers themselves call it "absolute trash" and an amalgamation of "everything you hate about free-to-play mobile games wrapped into one." The gameplay revolves around watching ads, being bombarded by in-app purchases, unlocking terrible items, and meaningless progression. So, all things considered, the game sure has lived up to its mission, as it delivers one of the most obnoxious gameplay experiences out there.
(Image Credit: Opposite Lock)
7. Kick-Ass: The Game
Based on the action franchise, Kick-Ass: The Game just feels rushed and unfinished. The controls are clunky, combat feels lacklustre, and the game is incredibly short. It’s often criticized as a lazy tie-in that fails to capture the chaotic energy of its source material. The gameplay saw players engage in an arena-style combat, where they could play as one of three characters in a single-player or co-op mode. It received a "Generally Unfavorable" rating from Metacritic for the iOS platform, with the score being 24/100. It also received a 33/100 from Metacritic for the PlayStation 3.
(Image Credit: Frozen Codebase)
6. Dungeon Keeper Mobile
EA’s reboot of the classic real-time strategy series mobile became infamous for its extreme paywalls. The action in Dungeon Keeper Mobile can take hours or even days ot progress through unless you spend money on multiple microtransactions. An IGN review for the game on iOS said the "extortionate free-to-play payment scheme" made them feel like they were being kept in a dungeon instead of being the keeper of one. It's hard to ascertain a true rating for Dungeon Keeper Mobile, as there were allegations of manipulated user ratings. However, the overall consensus appears to be largely negative. The gameplay is decent, but the paywalls take away a lot of the fun.
(Image Credit: Electronic Arts)
5. RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile
RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile is another mobile game inspired by a classic franchise that simply didn't translate well. Fans criticized it for its shallow gameplay, over-the-top micro-transactions, and a lack of the creativity that made the original games special. The RollerCoaster Tycoon franchise is known for its rewarding progression system, but that's nowhere to be seen in the mobile game, as players were almost required to spend money if they wanted to overcome the excessive wait timers. Before RollerCoaster Tycoon 4 Mobile was shut down in 2020, it held a 2.5-star rating across app stores. It also received a 1/10 score from Eurogamer and a 2/5 from TouchArcade.
(Image Credit: Atari)
4. ELECTRIC CITY: The Revolt
Backed by a high-profile concept, ELECTRIC CITY: The Revolt was a game — meant to be a tie-in with the animated post-apocalyptic series, Tom Hanks' Electric City — that failed to deliver engaging gameplay. Its mechanics felt shallow and repetitive, and the overall experience lacked polish. The premise genuinely was ambitious and remarkably exciting, but it was let down by the subpar gameplay. ELECTRIC CITY: The Revolt received a metascore of 39/100 on Metacritic, with the game being labeled "Generally Unfavorable."
(Image Credit: Jump Games)
3. Game of War: Fire Age
Game of War: Fire Age is a game that relies extremely heavily on microtransactions. While having initial success, its reputation has, over the years, been gradually known for requiring players to invest large amounts of money to stay competitive in its strategy-based, MMO-style gameplay. Game of War: Fire Age currently holds a 2.2 rating on the App Store and a 3.0 rating on the Google Play Store.
(Image Credit: Machine Zone)
2. Pillowfight Girls
Pillowfight Girls leans heavily on suggestive marketing rather than providing actual gameplay to players. On the topic of gameplay, it offered combat-based action where players would battle it out with another person using only pillows. Underneath that surface is a shallow, poorly designed experience with outdated visuals and little replay value. The game received an "Awful" 3/10 rating from IGN and a 2/5 from Pocket Gamer. Overall, it's an exploitative game that can hardly be considered a real game when it comes down to it.
(Image Credit: I-Play)
1. Final Fantasy: All the Bravest
Often cited as one of the worst-rated mobile games ever, Final Fantasy: All the Bravest offers an incredibly stripped-down and reduced version of the beloved RPG formula that many adore about the Final Fantasy series. There’s almost no strategy, story, or meaningful gameplay depth in the game. You'll just face endless waves of enemies and bosses, as well as aggressive prompts to spend money. Final Fantasy: All the Bravest was even recognized as the worst-rated iOS game in 2013 by the Guinness World Records, with a GameRankings rating of 23.21%. The game was shut down and removed from app stores in 2023.
(Image Credit: Square Enix)
Not every mobile game is meant to be a hit. Some crash and burn so hard they become infamous, and that's usually reflected in their ratings on app stores and reviews. Some received poor ratings because of their aggressive paywalls, boring gameplay, or misleading ads that promise way more than they deliver. That said, we'll round up 10 of the lowest-rated and most heavily criticized mobile games out there. If you’ve ever wondered which games players regret downloading the most, you’re about to find out.
