Two of these open-world games cost $6.99 on the current US phone stores, and two are free to install. Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Minecraft are the paid pair. Sky: Children of the Light and Genshin Impact are the free ones. They split on what the store still sells, and on whether any page says you need a connection.
San Andreas comes out ahead. Play and the App Store name $6.99, and the Play page does not name a second item. Minecraft starts at the same price, then the App Store lists a Realms subscription and store items. Sky is free, with no ads, and the shop is cosmetic. Genshin sells random virtual items.
Play tags both paid games Offline. Minecraft’s own wording also describes an online world. Sky’s phone page does not say either way, and the Steam page for Windows lists broadband. A PlayStation 4 FAQ asks if that version is offline or online, and the answer says you need a connection to play.
| Start price | Other prices named | Connection | Friends | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Andreas | $6.99 on Play and the App Store | In-app badge, no item price | Play tag says Offline | Not described |
| Minecraft | $6.99 on Play and the App Store | Realms $3.99 a month, a store item at $1.99 | Offline tag, and the text says online | 4 players on a free Xbox Live account |
| Sky | Free on the App Store | Season Pass $9.99, called cosmetic | Not on the phone page | Online, and friendships are a choice |
| Genshin Impact | Free to install on Play | Random items, no pack price | PS4 FAQ says a connection | Co-op after Adventure Rank 16 |
The rows summarize those pages. The scores under them use the same pages.
Scores
1–5 per criterion · select a score for its reasoning and sources| # | Product | Price to start | Prices after the download | Playing without a connection | The same game on another machine | Touch and a controller | Playing with other people | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | 5 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 4.3 |
| 2 | Minecraft | 5 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 4.0 |
| 3 | Sky: Children of the Light | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3.2 |
| 4 | Genshin Impact | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 2.8 |
How each criterion is scored
Price to start
What the current US phone listing charges before you can play. A one-time price on both Play and the App Store scores higher than a free install, because this ranking treats a finished purchase as the clearer bill.
- 5 Play and the App Store both show the same one-time price, and that price is $10 or less
- 4 One current US phone listing shows a one-time price
- 3 A fetched store page shows the phone game as free to install
- 2 Free to install is stated only on a page about a console version, and the phone listing shows no price
- 1 A subscription is required before the game runs
Prices after the download
What the fetched store pages say you can still buy once you have the game. A label with no item scores higher than a named shop. A shop the store calls cosmetic scores higher than random items or a premium currency.
- 5 The fetched store pages do not mention in-app purchases
- 4 A store page says there are in-app purchases, and no item name or price is printed
- 3 The store says the purchases are cosmetic and prints prices
- 2 The store prints a friends-server subscription or unnamed store items, on top of the game price
- 1 The store says purchases include random virtual items, or it names a premium currency you buy
Playing without a connection
Whether the fetched pages say the game needs a network. A phone-store Offline tag scores higher than silence. A PC requirements line that names broadband, with no phone answer either way, scores below silence. An official answer that the game requires an internet connection scores lowest.
- 5 A phone-store tag says Offline, and no fetched official page says a connection is required
- 4 A phone-store tag says Offline, and the same listing also describes the world as online
- 3 The phone pages say neither offline nor that a connection is required, and no PC line names broadband
- 2 An official PC requirements list names broadband, and the phone pages say neither offline nor that a connection is required
- 1 An official answer says the game requires an internet connection
The same game on another machine
Whether a fetched page says your progress or your session continues somewhere other than the phone in your hand. Naming a PC or a console on an official page scores higher than a phone-only cloud save or a cross-play claim that names no other machine.
- 5 An official page names a PC or a console among the devices that share play or the same progress
- 4 Official text says progress continues across your mobile devices, or says cross-play without naming the other platforms
- 3 The game is sold on other platforms, and no fetched page says one save or one session continues
- 2 A third party describes shared play, and the official pages fetched do not
- 1 An official page says this edition does not share play with another edition
Touch and a controller
Whether a phone listing documents on-screen controls and a physical controller. A wiki line counts when the store listing does not say it.
- 5 A phone listing documents on-screen controls and a physical controller
- 4 A reference page documents a touchscreen and a gamepad, and the phone listing does not
- 3 An official phone page documents a controller and does not describe touch controls
- 2 The fetched pages describe neither touch controls nor a controller
- 1 A listing says controllers are not supported
Playing with other people
How the fetched pages describe multiplayer. A free account with a stated player cap scores higher than multiplayer with no subscription named. Silence is the middle, not a claim that friends are impossible.
- 5 A phone listing says a free account covers multiplayer with a stated player cap, and a paid server is optional
- 4 Official text describes multiplayer or co-op and does not name a subscription required to play it
- 3 The fetched pages do not say how friends join
- 2 Multiplayer is described, and the only stated path is a paid server
- 1 A paid subscription is required before any multiplayer
The US Play listing and the US App Store both sell Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for $6.99. Play says the mobile version is by War Drum Studios. The map is the state, three cities, and the listing claims over 70 hours. That length is the store’s figure.
Play tags it Single player and Offline. The same page shows an in-app purchases badge and does not name an item. One player review says the purchase includes the features. The badge is still on the listing, so this review does not treat a shop as absent.
Touch play is three schemes, and buttons can stay hidden until you need them. Android lists MoGa and some Bluetooth and USB gamepads. The App Store lists Made for iOS controllers. Cloud save covers your mobile devices on Play, and your iOS devices on the App Store, for Rockstar Social Club members. The Rockstar page lists console and PC releases on their own line. No page here says the phone save is that console game.
Play rates it Mature 17+. Pocket Gamer’s review of the port calls it tremendous fun and also creaky, dated, and often frustrating. We’d recommend San Andreas if you want a listing that names no price past $6.99, because Minecraft’s App Store lists Realms and store items after the same price.
What it does
- $6.99 on the US Play and App Store listings
- Offline and Single player tags on Play
- On-screen sticks, plus gamepads on Android and iOS
- Cloud save across phones for Social Club members
Pros
- Both US phone listings name one price, $6.99
- Play tags the game Offline and does not require a connection in the text
- The listings document touch controls and a controller
Cons
- Play shows an in-app purchases badge and names no item
- The phone cloud save is not described as the console save
- Mature 17+ on Play, with Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, Use of Drugs
Who should skip:Anyone who wants a free download, or a game Play rates under Mature 17+.
The phone app is Minecraft. Play’s description names it Bedrock Edition, and both US phone stores list $6.99. The desktop version is a separate purchase, Play says. The Minecraft Wiki puts the mobile price at US$6.99, calls updates free, and says a Marketplace purchase can move to other platforms while the game itself is sold separately on each one.
You can play alone or with friends. A free Xbox Live account covers a server for up to 4 players. The App Store lists a monthly plan for you and 2 friends at $3.99, Realms Plus for 10 friends at $7.99, and a store item at $1.99 that the line does not describe. Play offers a 30-day Realms trial in the app.
Play’s tags include Multiplayer and Offline, while the description calls the place an infinite, randomly generated online world. The wiki’s only connection note is Realms. One player, writing on the Play listing, says a single-player world of theirs works on a plane. Touch or a gamepad, the wiki says both work. Play’s own bullets never mention a gamepad.
The App Store age rating is 9+. Digital Trends lists Bedrock cross-play on Windows, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, mobile, and Chromebook, and says Java Edition does not join. We’d recommend Minecraft if you want to build the world and bring friends on those devices, because San Andreas’s pages do not describe a friends server.
What it does
- $6.99 on the US phone stores, desktop sold separately
- Solo or with friends, in a world the listing calls online
- Up to 4 players with a free Xbox Live account
- Marketplace add-ons, worlds, and cosmetics
Pros
- A free account covers a server for 4 players
- The wiki says updates are free
- Play tags the app Offline
Cons
- The listing text calls that world online too
- Realms and store items have prices after the $6.99
- Each platform sells the game on its own, the wiki says
Who should skip:Anyone who wants Java Edition. This phone app is Bedrock, and Digital Trends says the two do not play together.
Sky: Children of the Light is free on the US App Store, with in-app purchases. No ads, and the shop is cosmetic. The list includes a Season Pass at $9.99 and Season Candles at $4.99. The page does not say whether the pass renews. The Steam page says the price stays the same and the game is free of charge. The game site calls it an MMO across seven realms.
Steam says you can explore on your own or with friends, and that friendships form if you choose. It also calls the game an online multiplayer experience. GameSpot’s review says it is entirely playable alone, and that working toward what you want takes a lot of play. The App Store says your friends are here whatever they’re playing on, and it does not name those machines. A PlayStation, Xbox, or MFi controller works. The download on that page is 3 GB, and the age rating is 13+.
Those phone pages do not say Offline, and they do not say a connection is required. Steam’s Windows requirements list broadband, so this ranking does not treat the phone build as an offline game. We’d recommend Sky if you want to pay nothing and keep the shop cosmetic, because Genshin sells random virtual items and this page does not.
What it does
- Free on the US App Store, and free to play on Steam
- No ads, and a shop the store calls cosmetic
- Season Pass listed at $9.99
- A PlayStation, Xbox, or MFi controller
Pros
- The download is free and the shop is described as cosmetic
- Steam says you can explore on your own
- The App Store download is 3 GB
Cons
- Steam lists broadband for the Windows build
- The phone page does not say whether you need a connection
- GameSpot says the rewards take a lot of play
Who should skip:Anyone who needs the phone listing to say the game works offline.
Play shows Install, and no dollar price. The PlayStation 4 FAQ calls it a free-to-play game and says travelers can update for free. What you can pay for includes random virtual items, Play says. Genesis Crystals are the currency you buy, the help page says, and Primogems can also be earned in the game. No page fetched for this ranking lists a crystal pack price.
The game page calls it a single-player campaign you can play solo or with friends, with cross-play for PC, iOS, Android, PS, and Xbox. Co-op needs the same server, Adventure Rank 16, and the required quests. That FAQ says PlayStation Plus is not required for co-op, and that a linked account lets you resume progress on iOS, Android, PC, and PlayStation. Asked whether the PS4 version is offline or online, the answer says the game requires an internet connection.
The iOS spec says Bluetooth controller support requires iOS 14 or above, and it does not describe touch controls. The supported Android spec is Android 10 with 4 GB of RAM. A device notice says storage requirements are pending. GamesRadar’s phone review lists heavily time-gated progression and huge storage demands, with no gigabyte figure, and says you do not have to spend money. Play rates it Teen. We’d recommend Genshin Impact if you want to resume on a PC and a PlayStation, because that FAQ says you resume the progress there, and the Minecraft Wiki says each platform sells the game on its own.
What it does
- Free to install on US Play
- Cross-play on PC, iOS, Android, PS, and Xbox
- Optional purchases that include random items
- Co-op after Adventure Rank 16
Pros
- The game page names phone, PC, and console together
- The FAQ says you can resume progress on PC and PlayStation
- A GamesRadar review says you do not have to spend money
Cons
- Random virtual items are part of the paid shop
- The PS4 FAQ says you cannot play without a connection
- GamesRadar calls the progression heavily time-gated
Who should skip:Anyone who will not play a game that sells random items, or who needs to play with no connection.
How to choose
- A listing that names one price, and no price past $6.99: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.
- A world you build, and a free server for 4 friends: Minecraft.
- A free download whose store calls the shop cosmetic: Sky: Children of the Light.
- The same progress on a phone and a PlayStation: Genshin Impact.
- An Offline tag without an online-world sentence beside it: San Andreas. Minecraft has the tag, and its listing text still describes an online world.
- A younger player: Minecraft is 9+ on the App Store, Sky is 13+, Genshin is Teen on Play, and San Andreas is Mature 17+.
Our picks
Questions
Can I play these without a connection?
Play tags San Andreas and Minecraft Offline. Minecraft’s listing also describes an online world, and one player says a single-player world works on a plane. Sky’s phone page does not say. Steam lists broadband for the Windows build. Genshin’s PlayStation 4 FAQ answers a question about that version by saying a connection is required to play.
What do they cost after the download?
San Andreas is $6.99, and Play does not name an in-app price. Minecraft is $6.99, then a Realms plan at $3.99 a month for you and 2 friends, plus one store item at $1.99. Sky is free, with a Season Pass at $9.99 on a shop the App Store calls cosmetic. Genshin is free to install. Its paid extras are random virtual items, and no crystal pack price was printed on the pages saved here.
Does the phone game continue on a console?
Genshin’s FAQ says you can resume progress on PC and PlayStation. Minecraft’s Play listing says Bedrock is cross-platform, Digital Trends names the consoles, and the wiki says you buy the game separately on each platform. Sky says friends are here whatever they’re playing on, and names no machine. San Andreas cloud save covers your phones, or your iOS devices, for Social Club members.
How we scored
Every score cites quotes from each product's own documentation, website and release notes, or from trusted third parties, captured in November 2026. Each criterion counts the same, and a criterion the evidence doesn't cover is shown as "?" and left out of that product's overall score.
Prices are the current US listings. The Pocket Gamer review is of the San Andreas port, and the GameSpot review is of Sky. Genshin’s connection sentence is the answer on a PlayStation 4 FAQ. Sky’s broadband line is the Steam requirement for Windows. minecraft.net did not save, so the Bedrock license, the free updates, and the Android minimum are from the Minecraft Wiki. No Genesis Crystal pack price, and no named San Andreas in-app item, was on the pages fetched.
