Back in the early 2000s, most MMORPGs can be played through a direct download to PC or through browsers. Thanks to the huge impact of World of Warcraft, we have seen tons of amazing MMORPGs that took us all in epic and action-packed adventure while interacting with millions of real-time online players worldwide. As time passed by, we saw a notable decline in PC games especially when it comes to MMORPGs possibly due to the rapid growth of the mobile market. As a result, many developers decided to venture into mobile platform hoping to achieve the same amount of success. Some of the games we loved were wonderfully optimized for mobile while others failed to deliver. Listed below are five of the best mobile versions of your favorite PC MMORPGs.
Dragon Nest M / World of Dragon Nest
With over 200 million players worldwide, we cannot deny the fact that Dragon Nest by Eyedentity is a massive hit. It was extremely successful that it was adapted in various media franchises such as manga series, action figures, and full-length animated films. The PC version was expanded to numerous sequels and spin-offs. Interestingly, there are two mobile versions of Dragon Nest. The earlier version that came out was Dragon Nest M that is published by SiamGame while the official sequel just came out a few years ago through Nexon’s World of Dragon Nest. Both mobile versions share notable similarities yet still unique on their own. Dragon Nest M remains faithful to its roots and shares almost the same plot as the original game but offers you a larger number of starting characters compare to the later World of Dragon Nest version.
For Dragon Nest M, the game starts with a class selection and you can pick among 7 different classes. These include Kali, Academic, Cleric, Warrior, Sorceress, Archer, and Assassin. Of course, since the game is now optimized for mobile, the game will now feature an Auto-Play and Auto Quest system. Dragon Nest M takes you to two different phases; the exploration phase where you navigate the world and interact with NPC and real-time online players and the Battle phase where you explore one stage after another by fighting waves of enemies. You might go an Auto-Quest while exploring the world but the Battle will still be a skill-based which is one thing that separates Dragon Nest M to World of Dragon Nest. As far as the graphics are concerned, both mobile versions provide excellent visuals but World of Dragon Nest is far more impressive. In fact, this version is almost made to perfection that it looks way better than the actual PC counterpart.
World Of Dragon Nest comes with a well-crafted story and will take introduce you to characters like Althea and Vestinel, Geriant and Velskud. Most of which are seemingly derived from the name servers used in the original PC version. World of Dragon Nest comes with an excellent combat system that could either be automatic or manual. There are combo and chain system that allow you to activate an Ultimate skill during the battle. The character selection, however, was minimized to five instead of 7 which include Slayer, Sorceress, Cleric, Archer, and Warrior. Both mobile versions come with excellent multiplayer functions that can be accessed through various campaigns like Dungeons, Arena, Tournament, Party System, and many more.
Dragon Nest M is probably more nostalgic than World of Dragon Nest but as far as the quality is concerned, the WOD is seemingly made to perfection. They even introduced us to a friendship system that allows you to interact more with NPCs and build a stronger relationship with them. Generally, World of Dragon Nest will bring a new vibe into this classic MMORPG and that’s a good thing. Both mobile versions are absolutely nostalgic and they will provide an overwhelming number of references to the original PC game. They both managed to capture all the elements we loved and enjoyed while successfully incorporating new features to it which makes this game absolutely worth exploring.
Download Dragon Nest M / World of Dragon Nest
MapleStory M
A lot of you might still remember how MapleStory game took the internet by storm. This classic 2D side-scrolling MMORPG remains to be one of the most popular MMORPGs of the early 2000s. It was a massive hit and was adapted in various media franchise. There’s a Japanese anime adaptation, a trading card game, a Facebook Game, and a couple of early mobile versions for both Android and iOS devices. Interestingly, Nexon gave the fans another reason to celebrate as they officially launched the MapleStory M that will take us all the virtual world that we all loved and enjoyed. While most modern MMORPGs for mobile will treat us with remarkable visuals in an immersive 3D world, MapleStory M remained faithful to its classic 2D designs which makes the game extremely nostalgic and fun.
MapleStory M doesn’t offer many changes when it comes to graphics. The game takes you to the same iconic realm of Maple Story and allows you to explore the same set of characters. The mechanics for the game are generally simple and easily manageable and if you have experienced playing the classic MapleStory game either through its PC version or Facebook platform, you certainly know how this epic 2D MMORPG works. The mobile version comes with eight different classes to choose from. These include Luminous, Explorer, Phantom, Mercedes, Evan, Aran, Cygnus, and the recently added Shade. Unlike your typical MMORPGs, what makes MapleStory M unique is how each character differs from each other not just in terms of their default skill but also with their unique backstory. In fact, each character has their own starting point that takes you to an entirely different location in Maple World.
The drill is almost the same as the PC counterpart, in the entire course of the game, the player will be asked to accept a series of quest, accomplish them, and receive their rewards in return. Most quests will ask you to collect items from different monsters. Players can navigate from one map to another through portals. If there is one notable difference between the mobile and PC version, it is probably the Auto-play system which is very common to most mobile MMORPGs today. If you are not fond of Auto-play, you can always go Manual at any given time. The game follows the basic combat system but instead of the WASD keys, you are given with virtual joypad to control your character and navigate the 2D side-scrolling map. You are also given with tap-based buttons dedicated to your skills and actions.
Of course, the game comes with a huge number of multiplayer functions. MapleStory M allows you to explore different multiplayer campaigns from PvE to PvP modes. You can ally with other real-time online players and build parties as you raid dungeons and beat various bosses. There are many dungeons to explore in this game and each is part of an entirely different campaign. You can also set yourself on an expedition, explore Monster Masher campaign or be part of other equally engaging multiplayer modes. Of course, MapleStory will not be completed without its Guild system and this mobile version will give enough justice to this part. The guild system comes with many benefits as it gives you privileges to access guild hideout, guild shops, guild skills, a comprehensive guild ranking system, and many other exciting reward systems to take advantage of. Overall, MapleStory M is an excellent mobile version of this classic MMORPG. The fact that they remained faithful to the original design and gameplay makes the game more enjoyable and absolutely nostalgic.
FlyFF Legacy
Many Korean developers gave us amazing MMORPGs. Most of them emerged in the early 2000s which we can safely say “the golden era” of PC Gaming. The rise of mobile games, however, made a huge impact on PC MMORPGs which eventually encouraged developers to venture into mobile platform. FlyFF or Fly For Fun is one of the most popular MMORPGs for PC that garnered a huge following. The game was greatly praised for its remarkable visuals, well-crafted gameplay, and impressive multiplayer function. A sequel to the game was reportedly being developed but sadly never happened. This is why the anticipation over the FlyFF Legacy was truly on point. Gala Lab finally launched the mobile version of their iconic MMORPG which gave their fans a new reason to rejoice.
As what the title suggests, this game will bring you back the legacy that FlyFF brought many years ago. Interestingly, many FlyFF fans will surely find this game absolutely nostalgic as it brings you to all the common places that we grew up loving with. These include the magical world of Madrigal, the town of Flaris, the town of Saint Morning, and many more. Generally, this mobile version managed to capture every exciting element that we all enjoyed from its original PC counterpart but in simplified gameplay. If the original FlyFF put grinding at its forefront, this mobile version, somehow, ditched the format and transformed it into a fast-paced MMORPG. Therefore, unlike the original PC game, you no longer need to spend much time in a certain area just to earn a new level.
FlyFF Legacy went back to the three original jobs that it offered from the very beginning. These include Mercenary, Magician, and Acrobat. Much like the PC Version, changing jobs to another tier is obligatory but since the level progression in this game is faster than the original, second and third-tier jobs are now easily obtainable. For those who grew up enjoying the old-school grinding MMORPG, these major changes to FlyFF Legacy can be a downside. Nevertheless, the game still offers a nostalgic experience because you are going to explore the same areas and you will be dealing with the same mobs from the classic Aibatts to the legendary Clockworks. The game heavily relies on its Auto-Quest and Auto-Battle systems but you can always switch back to Manual gaming at any given time.
Of course, FlyFF will not be Flyff without its signature element. Players, upon reaching a certain level, will be able to get Brooms that enable them to fly and travel to certain areas. This function may not be executed smoothly as it should be but still a great experience for avid FlyFF fans. The game comes with many equally-engaging features to offer such as pet system, dungeons, and many multiplayer functions. FlyFF’s signature party system is still present in this mobile version as well as the comprehensive Guild system. Party is where you can invite players and join you in various quests while Guild is more of a long term engagement with other players. Overall, FlyFF Legacy, despite ditching some of its major elements from the PC game, provides a decent justice to its predecessor and managed to wonderfully optimized this classic MMORPG to our mobile devices.
Black Desert Mobile
Compared to the aforementioned games, Black Desert Online is relatively new. This game created by Pearl Abyss was launched in 2015 for Microsoft Windows and was warmly embraced by gamers. It eventually ventured to higher gaming platforms like Xbox and PlayStation 4 consoles. It generally follows your typical MMORPG format while treating gamers with remarkable visuals and freedom to explore an immersive 3D open world. Luckily for Black Desert Online fans, they don’t have to wait too long to get the mobile version of this popular MMORPG. Black Desert Mobile was just released worldwide last year and the game is simply beyond expectations. The epic game is wonderfully optimized for mobile platforms capturing all the exciting elements that we all loved from its original PC counterpart.
Black Desert Mobile is an absolute visual delight that treats you with impressive graphics. The superb graphics quality is something you can confidently compare with MMORPGs that are built for higher gaming platforms. Interestingly, this mobile version of Black Desert Online managed to capture all the amazing elements from the original PC counterpart while successfully incorporating some features that are uniquely and exclusively found only in Black Desert Mobile. The game starts with a character selection and it allows you to pick among 5 available classes including Warrior, Ranger, Witch, Giant, and Valkyrie. Each class will vary in terms of their expertise, the weapon they wield, and default skills.
If you have experienced playing the original Black Desert game, then you will surely find the Black Desert Mobile equally fascinating. Of course, if there is one thing that separates Black Desert Mobile to its PC counterpart, it is definitely the game controls. Here, you can navigate around the 3D map using a virtual joystick and interact with the surroundings using designated tap-based buttons. Much like any other modern MMORPGs that are optimized for mobile devices, Black Desert Mobile will also utilize the use of automated features. The game comes with an Auto-Quest and an Auto-Combat mode which allows you to progress faster with minimal interaction. All you need to do is to tap the quest log and let the AI do the rest of the job. If you are not into such feature, you can always switch back to the classic manual navigation and combat anytime you want.
Interestingly, this game also gives you great freedom to customize your character the way you want. It comes with massive upgrade options that allow you to upgrade gear and armor and turn your character into a badass hero it deserves. As far as the multiplayer elements are concerned, Black Desert Mobile comes with no disappointment at all. The game features both cooperative and PvP campaigns that will put your skills on a test. There’s a comprehensive guild system with a unique war declaration function that allows you to interact with various online players and be engaged in epic Guild war. The game may not able to capture entirely everything from its PC version but Pearl Abyss managed to deliver the same exciting experience that makes this game absolutely worth exploring. If you are looking for an MMORPG with excellent visuals, well-crafted story, and well-polished gameplay, Black Desert Mobile is surely a perfect fit.
Ragnarok M: Eternal Love
Only avid MMORPG players can tell how much impact Ragnarok Online left in the gaming industry. Don’t get me wrong but this is not a bold claim at all. Ragnarok Online was a massive hit and has become a major influence to many MMORPGs today. It expanded to many sequels and spin-offs and was even adapted in various media such as an animated series, a manga, and different lines of products. Even before the Smartphones, Ragnarok is among one of the early games you can download through WAP. After many years of anticipation, Gravity finally launched a mobile version of their epic MMORPG. Ragnarok M: Eternal Love will take you back to the iconic realm of Ragnarok Online but with vast of wonderful changes and improvements that every MMORPG lovers will enjoy.
Those who have experienced playing the original Ragnarok Online game might recall the game’s distinctive graphics where you play with 2D characters in a semi-3D environment. Unlike what MapleStory did with its mobile version, Ragnarok M: Eternal Love did not remain faithful to its classic design. Instead, this new mobile version will treat you with much-improved visuals. You will now explore a 3D map using a 3D character that gives this game an entirely new vibe for Ragnarok fans. The game comes with an excellent character selection and you can pick among six classic jobs including a Hunter, Priest, Blacksmith, Wizard, Knights, and Assasin. Yes, job change is still applicable and still on the game’s forefront.
The 3D graphics might be new but you can still feel the classic Ragnarok vibe to it. For those who missed Poring creatures which become extremely popular, this game brought them back along with other iconic monsters from the original Ragnarok Online. Like most mobile MMORPG, Ragnarok M: Eternal Love also treats gamers with Auto-Play functions. Interestingly, the game comes with manual pathfinding in which you must rely on the navigational map to reach your next destination. There’s a comprehensive map that indicates all the details you need. The combat system, however, can either go Automatic or Manual. There are tap-based buttons dedicated to skills and an Auto button to activate the Auto-Battle mode.
One thing you will surely enjoy in this game is the slow progress. The game might feature an Auto-combat system but it will still place the grinding system at its forefront. It comes with so many features to explore. There are massive upgrade options that allow you to customize your character with powerful gear and weapons and turn your avatar into a mighty hero it deserves. The game comes with multiple quest system that allows you to accept various quests at once. Of course, this game will not be completed without its multiplayer functions. Ragnarok M: Eternal Love allows you to build or join existing guilds and it is absolutely necessary. The rate of difficulty in this game will drastically increase as you progress. You may not be able to feel it in the first phase but as you reached higher levels, the enemies will become more powerful and challenging to defeat. This is where the party and guild systems will become extremely handy.
Ragnarok M: Eternal Love is generally a free-to-play game but much like its PC counterpart, there will be lots of microtransactions in this game which might tempt you to purchase premium packages to make your character more efficient and effective. Other than that, I can say that it is truly worth the wait. Ragnarok M: Eternal Love gave a great justice to the classic MMORPG that we all grew up loving with.
Download Ragnarok M: Eternal Love
