Console in Your Pocket: The Best PC and Console Games Ported to Mobile
From Stardew Valley to Resident Evil Village, full games once tied to a desk or a TV now fit in your hand. Which ports are worth it, and which phone you need.
For years, "the mobile version" meant a cut-down spin-off with a new name and a shop. Then something changed. Phones got fast, touchscreens got smarter, and studios realised players would happily pay for the real thing. Today, games that once needed a gaming PC or a console run in your hand, often with every expansion included.
This guide picks the best full PC and console games ported to mobile, from indie classics that feel born for touchscreens to blockbusters that need the newest iPhone. We note which hardware each one needs, because a port is only as good as the phone it runs on.
Why ports got good
Three things changed. First, phone chips caught up: Apple's A17 Pro, introduced with the iPhone 15 Pro in 2023, brought hardware-accelerated ray tracing to a phone. Second, controller support became standard on both iOS and Android, so a game designed for a gamepad no longer has to be rebuilt around a thumb. Third, a group of specialist porting studios, such as Feral Interactive, Aspyr and Playdigious, built careers on making big games feel native on small screens.
Indie classics that feel at home
Stardew Valley came to PC in 2016 and to phones in 2018 (iOS) and 2019 (Android). It is the full game, including later updates, and touch controls work surprisingly well for farming.
Terraria reached phones in 2013, two years after PC. Its mobile version was rebuilt over time and now includes the major later updates.
Dead Cells came to mobile via porting studio Playdigious, with touch controls and full gamepad support. It is the most demanding indie on this list, and it shines with a controller.
Slay the Spire and Balatro were both PC hits first, yet they feel almost designed for phones: turn-based, tap-friendly and easy to pause.
Big strategy in your hands
Sid Meier's Civilization VI arrived on iPad in December 2017, the full game rather than a spin-off, and has since come to iPhone and Android. Expansions are sold separately in-app. On a tablet it may be the best way to play "one more turn" in bed.
XCOM 2 Collection by Feral Interactive bundles the tactical game and its expansions. Turn-based combat is a natural fit for touch, and it plays best on a large phone or tablet.
Console blockbusters on iPhone
Resident Evil Village launched on iPhone 15 Pro and newer iPads with Apple silicon in October 2023. It runs as a free download with a trial section, and you unlock the full game with one purchase. It supports controllers and, at its best, looks remarkably close to the console version.
Death Stranding Director's Cut followed in early 2024 on iPhone 15 Pro and later and on iPads and Macs with Apple silicon. It is a strange, beautiful game about delivering cargo across a broken America, and it is still startling to see it running on a phone.
How to tell a good port
- Check device requirements first. Blockbusters like Resident Evil Village and Death Stranding only run on recent, high-end devices; the store page lists them.
- Look for controller support if you plan to play action games.
- Check storage. Big console ports can need tens of gigabytes.
- Use trials where offered, to test performance on your own phone before paying.
Our pick: for any phone, Stardew Valley. For a tablet, Civilization VI. For a new iPhone and a controller, Resident Evil Village. If you want more premium games without random draws, see our no-gacha guide.