We play so you don't waste storage
PocketArcade started as a group chat where friends swapped free games worth downloading. It grew into a small, independent review desk with one rule: recommend only what we'd keep on our own phones.
How we score a game
Every title on the site earns its number the hard way. We install it, play it past the friendly early hours, and see how it treats you once the tutorial confetti settles. A score reflects four things:
- Fun over time — is it still enjoyable in week two, or does it run out of ideas?
- Fair economy — can you progress without spending, and are ads reasonable?
- Feel — controls, performance, and how kind it is to your battery.
- Respect — no dark patterns, no nagging, no manipulative timers.
What "free" means to us
Plenty of games are free to download and miserable to play. We separate the two. A game only makes the library if a patient player can enjoy the whole experience without opening their wallet. When spending speeds things up, we say so plainly.
Independent, and staying that way
No studio pays for a spot on this list, and no ranking is for sale. If a game slips in quality after an update, its score drops — even if it used to sit at the top. That independence is the entire point.
The people behind it
We're a handful of lifelong players across a few time zones, testing on the kind of everyday phones most people actually own. If a game only shines on flagship hardware, we'll tell you that too.
Hours, not minutes
A minimum of several sessions before any game is scored or recommended.
Real devices
Tested on mid-range phones, not just the latest and most expensive models.
Re-checked often
Updates change games. We revisit and adjust scores so the list stays honest.