Best tablet games for a large screen
While all our favorite Android games are playable on tablets and phones, some are better suited for one device than another. Some games, especially ports of desktop or console titles, are challenging to enjoy on a small screen but are much better experienced on a large screen like an Android tablet.
You can enjoy these games on any tablet, but we recommend picking up an Android gaming tablet to enjoy the highest-quality visuals without compromising on framerate or resolution.
1 OXENFREE II: Lost Signals
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals is one of our favorite horror games on Android, partly thanks to its atmospheric visuals. Each level is packed with details easily missed on a phone screen, but on your tablet, you can explore every part of this beautiful game. You’ll want to take your time anyway, as the mystery of Lost Signals requires careful and slow exploration.
Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals is one of the best horror games you can play on your tablet, but if you’re new to the series, we recommend playing the first Oxenfree game too. It is also playable on tablets and offers the same narrative-driven atmospheric horror gameplay.
2 Subpar Pool
Subpar Pool is a deceptively simple arcade game that adds a dash of roguelike mechanics to keep things interesting. While it starts as a straightforward pool game, you’ll soon encounter unusual balls that force you to adapt your strategy on the fly. It’s challenging, absorbing, and easy to learn. The levels are ideally suited to tablets, as the bigger screen makes it easy to fine-tune the perfect shot.
The game’s interesting mechanics are paired with a whimsical aesthetic that makes every round a joy. Sound effects are satisfying, and the game doesn’t waste your time with unnecessary menus or windows; you’ll get straight into the action in seconds. Subpar pool is a rewarding arcade game that fans of golf, pool, and roguelike games should definitely try.
3 Total War: Medieval 2
Feral Interactive did a terrific job porting Rome: Total War and Total War: Medieval 2 to mobile, but the nature of these games means that the UI is cramped and hard to navigate on a phone screen. Playing them on a tablet is significantly more comfortable, allowing you to control troops, flip through menus, and pan over the map as easily as on a PC.
We could have put any of Feral Interactive’s Total War ports on this list, but Medieval 2 is their mobile library’s biggest and most impressive title. Give it a go if you want to see just how clever Feral Interactive’s UI design is.
4 Civilization VI
Like Total War: Medieval 2, Civilization VI struggles with a cluttered UI on a phone. Playing this expansive strategy game on a tablet means you’re not scrolling endlessly to find your next unit. If there is a drawback, the bugs (including severe battery drain) have not been fixed since the game’s launch, so prepare yourself for a rocky ride.
If you can overcome the bugs, you’ll find that Civilization VI is a far better experience on a tablet than mobile. It’s the perfect way to occupy your time on a long plane ride; just ensure you keep it plugged in.
5 Sid Meier’s Railroads
The second Feral Interactive port on this list, Sid Meier’s Railroads, suffers from the same problems that plague their Total War ports. While the developers have neatly adapted the game’s ancient UI for touch screens (including some great quality-of-life features), the game’s controls mean you’ll constantly be making mistakes when playing on a phone.
But as we noted in our review, playing Sid Meier’s Railroads on a tablet is the definitive way to play this classic RTS. Whether you’re a train enthusiast or just enjoy an economic strategy game, we highly recommend trying it out.
6 RuneScape
RuneScape and it’s retro brother Old School RuneScape are two of the best MMORPGs on Android. But while Old School RuneScape’s minimalistic gameplay is ideally suited to any size device, RuneScape’s almost bewildering array of menus, windows, and chat boxes can be overwhelming even on its native PC platform. On a tablet, RuneScape becomes more manageable, allowing you to open windows without blocking off most of the screen.
We recommend RuneScape on a tablet over its retro brother as it’s the most up-to-date version of the venerable MMO. There are hundreds of hours of gameplay to enjoy, and the point-and-click controls are perfectly suited to the large touchscreen on a tablet.
7 Honkai: Star Rail
HoYoverse has made some of the most visually stunning games on Android, but we recommend downloading Honkai: Star Rail if you’re gaming on a tablet. Unlike their previous game, Genshin Impact, Honkai: Star Rail’s battles are turn-based, meaning you won’t have to awkwardly handle real-time controls on your tablet.
Honkai: Star Rail might suffer from aggressive gacha mechanics, but fans of this genre should undoubtedly play it. From the enormous amount of content to the stunning graphics, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best games for your tablet.
8 Hearthstone
Hearthstone narrowly avoided the bloat that plagues many of the best card games on Android by adding a variety of single-player game modes for casual players. Android card games are best played on tablets as their relaxed, strategic gameplay is more accessible on a large screen.
While Hearthstone faces tough competition from other digital card games (notably Marvel Snap), it’s easily one of the best-looking. Download this if you want to play a tried-and-tested card game that still holds up many years after its original release.
9 Mini Metro
The minimalistic subway simulator is one of our favorite strategy games on Android. While its simple gameplay might initially seem just as suited to phones as tablets, you’ll begin to appreciate the larger screen as you play. Mini Metro is easy to learn but challenging to master; as subways thread across your map with ever-increasing complexity, you’ll find yourself tapping frantically to keep your transport network alive.
A larger screen makes Mini Metro’s complexity seem less overwhelming, enabling you to reach higher scores than ever. We’ll hopefully see Mini Motorways break out of its Apple Arcade cage one day to join Mini Metro on this list.
10 Worms W.M.D: Mobilize
Another PC staple that made it’s way to Android, Worms W.M.D: Mobilize ditched the features introduced in modern Worms games in favor of a return to the staples that made the original games great. Playing Worms W.M.D: Mobilize on a tablet is the perfect way to relive the series’ glory days, and it also serves as the ideal platform for some hot-seat action.
Worms is a series best played with friends, and while you can play W.M.D: Mobilize online, the aforementioned local multiplayer is the best place for it. Best of all, the game isn’t demanding on hardware, so you can easily enjoy it on any of our favorite budget tablets.
11 Pocket City 2
There are more city-builder games on Android than gacha games, but Pocket City 2 is one of the best. Rather than overwhelming you with complicated features and microtransactions, Pocket City 2 keeps things minimalistic while providing countless hours of gameplay.
City-builders are best experienced on a large screen so that you can admire your whole city at once, and Pocket City 2 is no different. Best of all, you can navigate your city in first-person, letting you see what life is actually like in your burgeoning metropolis.
12 Bloons TD 6
One of the most iconic tower-defense games of all time, Bloons TD 6 is packed with more game modes than you can shake a monkey at. From short challenges to classic maps, this game’s variety is only matched by its addictiveness. But as anyone who’s played it on their phone knows, the later levels become overwhelming with the amount of monkeys and balloons packed into a small space. Playing Bloons TD 6 on a tablet makes those advanced stages easier to manage, helping you reach wave 100.
Make the most of your screen
Your tablet is a great place to play games, but we recommend installing some of our top entertainment apps when you don’t have the energy for another round of Mini Metro.