Top 7 Classic Mobile Games on Feature Phones Before the Era of Smartphones

Along with Snake Xenzia and Bounce, Rapid Roll holds a special place in the hearts of the early 80s and 90s generations. This game tested the player's quick reflexes, requiring them to navigate through boards using side-to-side keys. If you weren't quick and precise, you'd fall off or land on a board with spikes. The real challenge in Rapid Roll lies in its increasing speed as time passes. The faster pace makes for a thrilling experience. Plus, there is no end to the game—only your mistakes can bring it to a close.

• Download iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/vn/app/rapid-roll-roll-the-ball/id1135875684?l=vi&mt=8
• Download Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eskimob.rr&hl=vi

For those of us from the 80s and 90s, the block-stacking game is a familiar part of our childhood. Many spent hours pressing buttons on those plastic handheld Tetris devices with 3A batteries, or playing NES, switching between Mario and Tetris. Nintendo was the first company to bring this legendary game (originating in Russia) to Game Boy devices, where it gained addictive appeal. Tetris has appeared on almost every gaming device in history and, of course, was a hit on mobile phones as well.

The rules are simple: with 7 different types of 'blocks' that fall randomly, you must rotate and arrange them to complete full lines and clear them. If you’re not quick enough and the blocks stack up to the top, it’s game over. It sounds simple, yet Tetris has survived through generations, even becoming the most downloaded mobile game in January 2010, with over 100 million downloads since EA acquired it in 2005.

• Download iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/vn/app/tetris/id480805652?l=vi&mt=8
• Download Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ea.game.tetris2011_na&hl=vi

Pocket Carrom was a popular cue sports game at the time. The gameplay is similar to other billiard-style games, featuring two-player turns. Using the directional keys 2, 4, 6, 8, and the 5 key to control shot power and execution, Pocket Carrom delivered a thrilling experience. Players needed to calculate their moves carefully to secure a victory.

• Download iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/vn/app/real-carrom/id1105859833?l=vi&mt=8
• Download Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.csharks.megapocketcarrom&hl=vi

The iPod may not have been a phone, but it certainly earned its place as a mobile device. At one time, we were glued to its earbuds and this cutting-edge gadget. And let's admit it—besides listening to music, many of us spent hours playing Parachute.

In this game, your task was to shoot down bomb-dropping planes and prevent the bombs from destroying your base. You aimed using the scroll wheel and fired with the middle button on the iPod. That was all it took to lose yourself for hours on the tiny screen of the iPod. And honestly, the iPod’s scroll wheel was perfectly suited for this game. It was a clever design, and for anyone who owned an iPod, this mobile game will always be a cherished memory.

Back in 1997, when Nokia phones were taking over the mobile world, the game Snake became hugely popular. Mention the name "Snake" and almost everyone knows the iconic game. With just two colors—black and white—and a simple gameplay concept, Snake captivated countless players who chased after unbelievable high scores. Surely, you remember playing Snake on those classic Nokia phones, a game so simple yet so addictive. It was one of the first mobile games, created in 1997 and inspired by the arcade game by Gremlin Industries (1976). The rules are simple: control the snake to eat food on the screen, while avoiding walls, obstacles, and not crashing into itself. The challenge lies in the snake growing longer each time it eats, increasing the risk of colliding with its own body. Despite its simplicity, Snake is full of challenges. How many of you managed to get past level 9? It was first featured on the Nokia 6110, which also introduced two-player mode—a move that not only contributed to Nokia’s success but also proved the potential for mobile gaming.

Today, the game has been revived by developer dsd164, and it’s available on Android, iOS, and Windows Phone for those who want to relive their childhood memories. Once the king of mobile phones, Nokia pre-installed Snake on over 350 million devices, making it the go-to game whenever people had a moment of free time. Snake was always the first game to play, challenging players to achieve higher scores.

Snake 97 brings back the exact experience of the classic Snake game on old Nokia phones, now on a smartphone screen. You control the snake using the number keys 2, 4, 6, and 8 to make the snake eat prey that appears on the screen while avoiding collisions with its own body or the walls. The game becomes more difficult as the snake grows longer after each meal, and the risk of hitting itself increases. Many people search for Snake on app stores to relive the fun, but most Snake games today have been revamped with new styles, losing the nostalgic charm. Snake 97 brings back the original 1997 version of Snake, ensuring you’ll be satisfied with its classic feel.

• Download for iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snake-97-retro-phone-classic/id438052745?mt=8
• Download for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dsd164.snake97&hl=en_US

Space Impact takes us back to the golden age of early mobile phones with black-and-white screens. It was featured on almost every Nokia device, most notably the legendary Nokia 3310. While today's space shooting games might seem more advanced and exciting, in its time, Space Impact was groundbreaking. The game was simple: control a spaceship and destroy alien ships invading your space. While the gameplay might not have been revolutionary, and the black-and-white display could give you a headache after long play sessions, Space Impact was a breakthrough for mobile gaming at the time. It offered a complexity, length, and structure far beyond what was expected of games back then, earning it a place in mobile gaming history, even if it wasn’t perfect.

• Download for iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/space-squids/id921570508?mt=8
• Download for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.klvbgames.retrospaceimpact&hl=vi

Several years after the rise of color-screen phones, Nokia launched the game Bounce to follow up on the massive success of Snake Xenzia. Bounce offered users a more engaging gaming experience with a wider range of sounds, eye-catching gameplay, and vibrant colors. However, today, the game is also available on classic black-and-white Nokia feature phones.

The objective in Bounce is to roll a ball past obstacles and collect rings to earn points, progressing through levels. Along the way, players must avoid spikes on the walls and floor, dodge moving obstacles, and cleverly use air pressure to make the ball float or fly higher. The game also requires players to deflate the ball for a tighter fit and take advantage of special terrain features like jumping platforms or water pits to navigate tricky spots.

• Download for iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bounce-original/id938667334?mt=8
• Download for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genico.bounce&hl=en_US