Games apps, reviewed
Free-to-play games are monetised through ads, in-app purchases, and data — often all three, and often aimed at players too young to read a privacy policy. We review popular games for what they cost in practice, not just how they play.
8 Ball Pool
The default pool game of the smartphone era, built on coin wagers, cue stats, and a steady drip of ads.
Among Us
Still the best mobile party game for a group of friends, and still a gamble with strangers.
Candy Crush Saga
Superb match-3 craft wrapped around the most refined purchase funnel in mobile gaming.
Clash Royale
A brilliant three-minute strategy duel wrapped in one of mobile gaming's most persistent monetisation engines.
Genshin Impact
A console-grade open world that costs nothing to enter — and a gacha economy you should understand before you pull.
Pokemon GO
Still the game that gets millions walking — and still the most location-hungry app in gaming.
Roblox
A vast user-built games platform whose scale is both its magic and its biggest safety problem.
Subway Surfers
The most-downloaded endless runner ever — easy to love, and carrying more ads than its young audience should face.