Let’s be brutally honest: most mobile MMOs are ad riddled, clunky messes that drain your battery and your wallet. Sword Fantasy Online actually gets it right by stripping out the junk and focusing on pure, chaotic fun. It is a brilliant little indie hybrid that mashes up the grind of a casual MMO with the sweaty, combo heavy combat of an action RPG. Better yet, the developers throw loot at you right out of the gate. Hit up the 7 day beginner login event for a stack of free gems and heroes, and punch in the promo code “sfofun20” to snag a massive head start. Oh, and it is completely ad free.

PLAY AN ENTIRE MMO WITH JUST YOUR THUMB

Ditch the terrible on screen joysticks that take up half your screen. This game was built from the ground up with a slick vertical design, meaning you can comfortably play the entire thing one handed while waiting for your coffee. You can dodge, sprint, string together massive sword combos, and cast heavy magic using just a few simple swipes and taps. It blends the satisfying, skill based fighting of an action RPG with the deep progression you expect from a classic MMO. Don’t feel like actively grinding? You can easily flip it into an idle mode and let your knights do the heavy lifting in your pocket while you go about your day.

MEMORIZE PATTERNS AND WRECK MASSIVE BOSSES

The dungeon bosses here do not mess around. If you grew up playing classic 2D arcade fighters, you will feel right at home learning tight attack patterns and timing your dodges perfectly. You step into the boots of a master mage or blade knight, hunting down colossal beasts themed around the seven deadly sins. We’re talking ancient black dragons, towering stone golems, and incredibly aggressive vampire lords. You actually have to use your brain and adapt your tactics if you want to claim the top spot as the ultimate demon slayer.

BUILD A SQUAD OF OVERPOWERED ANIME HEROES

Anime fans, you are going to eat this up. The character roster is absolutely stacked with beautifully drawn, ultra powerful waifus. You can recruit everything from heavily armored princess knights and angel valkyries to stealthy ninjas and lightning wielding sorceresses. It even weaves in some surprisingly deep dating sim mechanics where you can train up cute chibi maids. It is a wildly entertaining mix of arcade fighting and lighthearted storytelling that never takes itself too seriously.

JUMP INTO GUILD WARS AND WEIRD MINI GAMES

You definitely aren’t grinding away in total isolation. There is a massive global community hanging out in the game’s maple town hub. You can link up with an active clan to tackle huge server wide events, test your build in the PvP arenas, or gang up on massive world bosses. When you need a break from the intense combat, there are a ton of quirky 2D mini games to mess around with, from monster hunting to deep dive treasure raids. Play aggressively or just idle in the background it is entirely up to you.

NO PAYWALLS, JUST ENDLESS FREE SUMMONS

Most gacha games exist solely to squeeze your wallet dry, but Sword Fantasy Online actually respects your time. They hand out premium gems constantly just for clearing the main story and logging in every day. Make sure you never forget to rip your free daily summon, because those pulls add up incredibly fast. It is easily one of the most forgiving, new player friendly action RPGs on the market right now.