The 10 Best MOBA Games You Can Play Today

Looking for a new MOBA to sink your teeth into? We’ve compiled a list of some of the best MOBAs around—let’s dive in.

MOBA games bring a feeling of competition few genres can replicate. Fast reactions, coordinated teams, and a strong knowledge of the specific game are required for you to succeed on MOBAs.

Whether you are completely new to MOBAs or looking for a new title to try out, there are plenty of MOBA games available.

1. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

It was unbelievable in the early days of MOBAs that the genre would eventually reach mobile platforms, but it has, and pretty convincingly. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a responsive, visually-pleasing MOBA title that doesn’t skimp out on quality despite being for mobile rather than the typical PC or console platforms.

You’ll take part in five vs. five battles with a mixture of roles and Legends to choose from, accommodating a wide variety of play styles. It’s hard not to draw the overwhelmingly obvious comparison between this game and League of Legends, which even resulted in Riot suing Mobile Legends’ developer for copying League of Legends, as reported by Yahoo News UK.

If you’re familiar with League of Legends or League of Legends: Wild Rift, you’ll find picking up Mobile Legends to be pretty easy in comparison.

2. Paladins

While Paladins seemed to start strong in terms of popularity, it has hemorrhaged players in the years since its 2018 release. This isn’t to say that the game isn’t good, however, as it is very beginner-friendly and polished. An FPS MOBA, Paladins is more based on reactions and movement skills than other MOBAs. It has a responsive system with many combat options and good hitboxes, making it as solid as any of the best free first-person shooters around.

Made by the same developers (Hi-Rez) who made SMITE, you’re likely to find Paladins to be easier to get into if you’ve played that, despite the differences between the games. Paladins has over 50 playable characters, but compared to a lot of other MOBAs, this isn’t all that much to learn and try out.

3. Heroes of the Storm

Based on Blizzard titles such as Warcraft, Diablo, and StarCraft, Heroes of the Storm is a great choice if you’re looking to play a MOBA and have an interest in those worlds. While not as popular as you’d probably expect considering the developers behind it, Heroes of the Storm is worth giving a go.

Unlike most MOBAs, there are no items or currency in Heroes of the Storm, with you instead gaining experience simply by killing enemies and other players. Experience is also shared, making the game very beginner-friendly because it means even if you’re having a bad game your teammates can ensure by playing well that you don’t get left behind.

4. Dota 2

Dota 2 is one of the oldest MOBAs around and the fact it still maintains an active player base is a testament to how balanced the heroes are and how well-maintained the game is in terms of new content.

Despite the age of Dota 2, some argue online that it’s easier to pick up than other longstanding MOBAs such as League of Legends, due to it having fewer playable characters and a hero design that’s more beginner-friendly.

5. Black Survival: Eternal Return

Eternal Return isn’t the oldest MOBA around, but there are a lot of good reviews for the game. Unlike a lot of MOBAs, you tend to be rewarded by avoiding fights as often as you can, particularly if you’re a new player. The map is larger than a lot of other MOBAs and escape mechanics and abilities are built into a lot of playable characters, making evasion a big part of the game.

As with all MOBAs, there is a bit of a steep learning curve, but by watching guides and focusing on grasping the fundamentals, even a complete beginner will be able to pick up Eternal Return.

6. League of Legends: Wild Rift

League of Legends: Wild Rift is quite different from the main League of Legends game, enough to make it worth being considered a separate game. While it retains the same champion pool, items, and design, the games are much shorter and faster-paced, there are different animations, and a slightly streamlined load-out system saves you time. Wild Rift is a game that looks too good for your smartphone and provides a great, fun experience even for beginners to MOBAs.

If you prefer shorter, more action-packed games you will likely prefer Wild Rift to the main League of Legends game. Wild Rift is much more liberal over how much time the games take and even what the game awards you, with many free champions and skins available just from playing. Wild Rift is a great choice for a beginner to the MOBA genre and perfect for a seasoned League of Legends player looking for an easier experience with the same core content.

7. Pokémon Unite

A relative newcomer to the genre compared to its competitors, Pokémon Unite is the franchise’s first foray into the world of MOBAs, and it’s a fantastic attempt at that. The game runs with the typical MOBA core gameplay such as five vs. five with differing roles and multiple lanes throughout the map, but it adds the Pokémon spin in an intuitive way.

While fighting with a Pokémon, you’ll grow in levels and eventually evolve (if the Pokémon you’re choosing can evolve). For instance, you’d start off with Charmander which would then grow into a Charizard by level nine. Pokémon Unite has a good foundation of gameplay, but the lack of possible move set alterations and heavy amount of microtransactions may put you off.

8. Overwatch

Overwatch is probably the MOBA game that threatened League of Legends’ popularity the most. Overwatch shows no signs of slowing down, with a healthy eSports presence, over 30 heroes for you to choose from, and a tightly controlled meta that keeps the game feeling balanced.

Roles are a bit more streamlined in Overwatch, divided into simple Tank, Damage, and Support archetypes. Maps abandon the lane structure most MOBAs take, with the number of maps available adding another dynamic that ensures each game feels different. Overwatch has quite a stark learning curve but can absolutely be worth it once you’ve gotten the hang of it.

9. SMITE

SMITE ditches the top-down style of more traditional MOBAs, such as League of Legends and Dota 2, in favor of a third-person camera. While not able to boast as high of a player base as its competitors, SMITE has maintained an active player base across multiple platforms.

SMITE has a well-designed system and meta that doesn’t see too many changes throughout the seasons. There are over 120 playable gods and multiple roles making it likely you’ll find a way to play that works for you. SMITE games tend to focus on player-v-player confrontations and mechanical skills, so players with quick reactions will do well.

10. League of Legends

Undoubtedly the most popular MOBA of all time, League of Legends has over 150 champions available across the traditional five roles. You can play against bots or players and once reaching Level 30, there is a comprehensive ranking system for you to try out. League of Legends is very well-optimized, so you can add it to the list of free online games you can play with your friends.

League of Legends has managed to stay on top of the MOBA genre and eSports industry for years. It has achieved this by continuously adding new content and champions, expanding to different platforms, and keeping a tight grip on the game’s balance. You’re unlikely to find a more toxic community than League’s, but the actual gameplay can more than make up for it.

Discover Your Next Favorite MOBA

There are plenty of MOBAs for you to play but not all of them are right for you. When choosing a MOBA, it is always best to choose one that’s more similar to games you know. If you play a lot of FPS games then Overwatch or Paladins may be better for you, a lot of top-down games then League of Legends or Dota would be better.

Competitiveness is an element in any game, but this is dialed up further for MOBAs. If you’re good enough, playing MOBAs competitively can be a great way to earn money playing games.