Affiliate links on Android Authority may earn us a commission. Learn more.
10 best dating simulators and dating games for Android
Dating games are in a league all on their own. There are varying mechanics that range from visual novel to puzzle and all the way up to adventure and even gacha. Even so, at their core, they are simulators. This is one of the few genres where the content matters a bit more than the mechanics. Every good dating simulator lets you select and court a suitor to be your significant other. The trick is making it feel believable enough to be engaging, but not so difficult that it makes the player sad.
There are a variety of games in the genre, but most of them are actually pretty bad. Most are free to play with aggressive microtransaction strategies and obnoxious energy restrictions. Still, there are a few that stand out from the pack. Here are the best dating simulators for Android.
The best dating simulators for Android
The Arcana
Price: Free to play
The Arcana is a fairly standard dating simulator with some visual novel elements. The game contains a 21-episode storyline, various collectibles, and a decent number of people to romance. There is also an above-average soundtrack, surprisingly decent game art, and you can earn in-game currency by watching ads instead of buying it. It’s LGBT friendly, so you can romance whoever you want. The game doesn’t judge, nor does it care. It’s a free-to-play game, but it’s easily one of the best in the genre for just about anybody.
Amnesia: Memories
Price: Free / $2.99 / $22.99
Amnesia: Memories is another dating simulator with visual novel elements. This one has a lot to offer. The characters all have voice actors, the stories are decent, and the art style is quite good. This one is an otome so it’s mostly for women. All of your dating choices are men, so proceed with that knowledge in mind. It plays like most dating sims and visual novels, so there are no surprises there, and it’s quite easy to play. The base game is free. You can pay for individual episodes for $2.99 as in-app purchases or get all of them for $22.99 in a separate premium version (Google Play link).
See also: The best dating apps for Android
Genius Inc dating games
Price: Free to play
Genius Inc is a developer on Google Play with a bunch of dating simulators. Some of the more popular options include Yaoi Beast Boys, Mythical Hearts, and Twilight School. Most of their games have identical mechanics and UI elements, but with different styles between games, so we included all of them in a single entry on this list. You play through a story, romance the characters you want, make decisions that affect the outcome of the game, and generally just enjoy yourself.
The stories are surprisingly decent. We especially like the trio of Attack of the Dead, Mall of the Dead, and University of the Dead. Most of them are free-to-play otome (for women) titles, so there’s no upfront cost. We have the developer page linked up at the button so you can see their expensive collection.
Mr Love: Queen’s Choice
Price: Free to play
My Love: Queen’s Choice is a solid overall dating simulator. It features a storyline with four choices for your love interest. Admittedly, it’s a small number, but the game has a bit more visual novel and a little less dating sim than most of its competitors. That means there’s a larger focus on the story rather than the dating sim part of it. Still, it’s a fun little visual novel and dating sim hybrid with simple controls and a good UI. The only downside is you can only progress so far in a play session without spending real money, but otherwise, it’s quite relaxing.
My Girlfriend series
Price: Free to play
The My Girlfriend series is technically by Genius. However, the other entry is mostly otome (geared toward women), while these are obviously geared toward men. Most of the games have identical mechanics and controls, so you can pick the one that you think you’ll enjoy the most. The only difference between them is the story. These titles are visual novels and dating sim hybrids. That means fewer choices, but a more in-depth story. The free-to-play elements are a bit more aggressive in these titles than the otome ones, but most people don’t seem to mind. You can earn in-game currency through mini-games and other stuff if you want.
More Android games here:
Mystic Messenger
Price: Free to play
Mystic Messenger is a dating sim with a texting game twist. The main character finds and downloads the Mystic Messenger app and embarks on a journey to find a boyfriend. The story is a bit more shallow compared to most on the list, but the mechanics are simple, and the micro-transactions are kept to a minimum. The only real gripe is that you can’t customize the main character to look like you, so it breaks the immersion a little bit. Otherwise, it’s a solid entrant in the genre.
See also: The best anime games for Android
Obey Me
Price: Free to play
Obey Me is one of the most popular dating simulators on Android. This one actually has quite a few mechanics. There are various tasks to complete, seven dudes to choose from, and even a card dueling mechanic. The card dueling part is a little bit difficult once you get to higher levels, but the game is friendly enough with a decent enough story to keep you going while you grind it out. The developers obviously put a lot into this one, and even the developer replies in Google Play are playful and goofy. It’s an otome, so it’s not really for dudes, but it’s hard not to like this one.
The Sims Mobile
Price: Free to play
The Sims is one of the most popular life simulators ever, and the mobile game is quite popular as well. You live the life of a fake person you create, and that includes all aspects of that life, including dating. This is a life simulator more than a dating sim, but a lot of the same stuff is there, minus the story. There are also a lot of quests and other stuff to keep the players engaged. It’s a bit heavy on micro-transactions, but otherwise, it’s pretty fun. Some people prefer The Sims FreePlay (Google Play link) over this one. You can go with the one you like most.
See also: The best puzzle games for Android
YAGS and ZAGS
Price: $8.99
Yearning: A Gay Story (YAGS for short) and Zen: A Gay Sequel (ZAGS for short) are two of the best dating simulators for gay men developed by a very delightful indie developer who is also a gay man. ZAGS is a direct sequel to YAGS and includes a similar setting, some recurring characters, and even the same main character. Both games feature over 200,000 lines of dialog, various unlockables and collectibles, decent soundtracks, multiple endings (and dating routes), and good characters. We highly recommend playing YAGS first before starting ZAGS since they are directly related to each other. YAGS is entirely free with no in-app purchases, and ZAGS runs for $8.99. It seems pricy, but you’re basically getting two games for under $5 on average, and we think that’s more than reasonable.
Emulators
Price: Free / Varies
Dating simulators are on a bunch of different consoles, and the genre has evolved over time. You can play older games in the genre with emulators. We recommend a Nintendo DS one first, and we have DraStic DS Emulator linked at the button below. We have a list of the best emulators for various systems here as well. Basically, you can look up dating sims on older systems, obtain the ROMs (legally, of course), and play. Newer console games have the benefit of not having micro-transactions so you get everything without paying extra, and some of the classics are actually pretty good.
See also: The best emulators for Android to play old favorites
If we missed any great Android dating games or dating simulators, tell us about them in the comments. You can also click here to check out our latest Android app and game lists.
Thank you for reading! Try these too: