The 10 Best Games Like League of Legends

What are the best games like League of Legends?

From casual gamers to esports champions, just about everybody has played their fair share of League of Legends matches at some point. 

At first glance, the game somehow looks both complicated and simple, but fans know how easily League of Legends can get its claws in you. 

For anyone who needs a similar experience to enjoy after dumping hours into your favorite multiplayer online battle arena, this is the list for you. 

The 10 Best Games Like League of Legends

In order to create this list, we gathered the most credible information available about top-rated games in both the MOBA and esports genres. 

We then measured all the information to create this ultimate ranked list with a variety of titles, so you can choose exactly which title hits the spot. 

With that said, let’s dive right in to see what kind of skill sets you’re going to need to play the best games like League of Legends: 

10. Wild Rift

This is an obvious one for the list because it’s a free-to-play, mobile version of the standard League of Legends we all know and love. 

Released toward the end of 2020, “Wild Rift” featured a streamlined system and paired-down map that worked well on mobile devices.

With this game, League fans found unexpectedly intuitive controls, and they can take their epic MOBA game battles wherever they want to go.

Another unexpected benefit is a slightly different culture among players; fans have noted that player communications tend to be less toxic than in standard League games.

This may be because “Wild Rift” made an effort to welcome in new players, which top reviewers said breathed new life into the already populated world. 

You’ll find this one on our list of best games like Raid: Shadow Legends, which makes sense because of the high-quality mobile RPG elements.

As if all this isn’t enough, “Wild Rift” has added several new champions to their lineup, which definitely means it’s time for fans to test them out.

9. Overwatch

This mega-popular game is a first-person shooter, but the combat uses a hero structure that will instantly appeal to League of Legends fans.

Originally released in 2016, Overwatch has become such an unstoppable phenomenon that it’s transcended the genre and gained a following among nearly all gamers.

The game itself didn’t bother much with internal storytelling, but Blizzard ran a transmedia campaign that spread the world’s lore outside of battle.

That, paired with the esports excitement the title generated, has resulted in one of the most fun hero games out there, and its absolutely one of the best games like League of Legends.

For all your hero-based needs, check out the Overwatch tier list, where the heroes get ranked according to all of their stats.   

Overwatch was such a successful title that it has since gone on to give us a sequel, comics, fan art, serious cosplayers, and so much more.

All this hype has only increased over time, and it has now earned the distinction of being the seventh-bestselling video game ever made.

8. Paladins

If you like Overwatch and League of Legends, then Paladins is the next game to add to your must-play list.

This one has a lot in common with Overwatch mostly because of its hero FPS combat system and MOBA game mechanics.

Most people were able to pick it up in 2018, but a Steam early access version came out in 2016, adding to the advance hype.

One major difference between this and Overwatch is that Paladins is set in a fantasy medieval world, complete with magical races embroiled in warring factions.

As is expected for this genre, there are plenty of amazing characters to choose from as soon as you enter the game.

You can find your Paladins tier list here to help you choose the perfect characters for your gameplay strategy and vibe.

Critics and fans alike often point to Paladins as the gold standard for excellence in free-to-play gaming, so it’s definitely worth a try.

7. Valorant

Valorant is a little different, but it’s still right up the alley for most League of Legends fans who are looking for a great time with their online battles.

This game pulled its main inspiration from popular titles like Counter-Strike, so you can expect plenty of thrilling FPS tactical shootouts.

It’s also a free-to-play hero shooter, so there is plenty to love for all kinds of gamers in this 2020 release. 

Hero shooters like Valorant have so much in common with great MOBA games that some critics would say they are actually a subgenre.

However, you define them, really great hero shooters like this one are blood-pumping fun and awesome experiences when you’re playing with friends.

When you’re choosing your loadout, you’ll want to refer to the Valorant guns tier list to be sure you have exactly what you need for the fight ahead.

Like most of these titles, Valorant’s also popular in esports, so whether you’re a top player or just love to watch, this game delivers.

6. Vainglory

The story of Vainglory’s existence is filled with drama that has nothing to do with the fictional world of the MOBA game itself.

Developed for mobile devices and PC, this visually stunning game generated such a devoted following that it outlived its own death.

In 2020, Rogue Games announced that it planned to discontinue the development of the game, effectively killing all centralized server support.

That was a harsh blow for Vainglory gamers, but the community was ready to keep the world going as long as servers stayed up.

Since then, there has been strong community support for keeping the game running despite all odds, and it manages to live on.

That might be in part due to the hype generated by early PR from Apple, when they used the game to demonstrate the new iPhone capabilities in 2014.  

That and a few years of strong esport events were enough to generate a dedicated community of fans for this worthy game.

5. Apex Legends

 Electronic Arts probably weren’t trying to signal they were making games like League of Legends when they put the word “Legend” in this title.

But it didn’t hurt, as fans found their way to the epic world of the new FPS hero shooter called Apex Legends in 2019.

This game implements a battle royale mechanic that had already become popular with some of the funniest games to play with friends online, like Fortnite.

The official tournament prize pool is significant for this title, reaching millions of dollars for teams that battle against the best in the world.

Much of the game mechanics are reminiscent of Counter-Strike and Valorant, but the world also follows a seasonal system much like Fortnite.

Apex Legends and its developers received praise for its “ping” system that allows players to share tactics without the need for verbal communication.

With the simple addition of that “ping” system, the game expanded its accessibility to a wider community of eager players, bringing in more MOBA fans than ever before.

4. Heroes Of The Storm

Here’s another game whose future is somewhat uncertain, as the publisher faces downsizing and no plans to release new updates.

Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm is a MOBA that came out in 2015 for Mac and PC, at first being called a “hero brawler” instead of the mouthful that is “multiplayer online battle arena.” 

“Hero brawler” as a genre name is pretty great, but MOBA was already popular with fans, so that’s the category that stuck with this one.

Heroes of the Storm lets players choose from a large set of different game modes that bring variety to the overall experience.

This is another free-to-play title that uses the freemium model, with in-game purchases funding the game through different world-based currencies.

In 2018, fans started noticing some trouble with Blizzard and the development team, as tournaments were canceled without much warning.

Then, sad news came in 2022, as Blizzard confirmed Heroes of the Storm will remain in maintenance mode only for the foreseeable future.

3. Arena Of Valor

This amazing MOBA title comes to us as an adaptation of a popular game from China, where it is known as Honor of Kings (translated).

Originally released as a mobile answer to League of Legends in 2016 for Android and iOS, it later hit the Nintendo Switch, as well.

By now, the game features over a hundred heroes to choose from and has won awards for its competitive gameplay, as well as its music.

In addition to this, the localization of the adaptation showed strong attention to detail, swapping Chinese folklore for references to more Western tales.

As characters are central to the game, several IP collaborations have made appearances in the game, adding additional fun for fans who enjoy the references.

The game is also a regular at the Asian Games and Southeast Asian Games tournaments as a staple in esports MOBA excellence.

With all this in mind, it’s safe to say Arena of Valor is a perfect choice for anyone who wants to play more games like League of Legends.

2. Smite

Smite has one of the strongest esports standings in MOBA history, in part because it runs its own tournament called the Smite World Championship.

Publisher Hi-Rez Studios is the one to thank for the game and the tournament, which are both examples of top-notch gaming fun.

The title Smite refers to the game’s interesting use of gods instead of the usual champions or heroes for the battle characters.

Players can select deities from a variety of worldwide pantheons of gods, opening up the gameplay to interesting levels of personalization.

Gods need not come from non-fictional religions, either; Smite also includes a number of Lovecraftian and Arthurian characters among their selectable heroes.

The freemium model of this game has been successful for over a decade, complemented by additional IP collaborations with familiar faces from TMNT and more.

This is easily one of the best MOBA games currently out there, and it’s an obvious choice for anyone seeking an arena game with a unique flavor.

1. Dota 2

Here’s some trivia: Defense of the Ancients (DotA) took the world by storm in 2003 as a community-created mod for Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos.

That was one of the major starts to the entire genre of MOBA games, which by now dominates esports tournaments worldwide.

Publisher Valve saw the writing on the wall with this one and created Dota 2, the game that’s now arguably the pinnacle of MOBA fun.

Showing they respected the source, Valve hired IceFrog, the lead designer of Defense of the Ancients, to spearhead work on Dota 2’s creation.

Today, Dota 2 is a favorite among fans, from hardcore esports champions to friends who just like to meet online for casual fun.

It’s easy to see why this is one of the 20 best online games to play with friends, as it’s more fun with your peeps.

If you’re looking for the best game like League of Legends, then look no further for everything you want in a MOBA game.

Summary

The world of multiplayer online battle arena gaming is wide and varied – and we’re so here for all this genre has to offer.

From different playing perspectives to fun worlds and champion lore, these games like League really show how versatile the style can be. 

That’s why it was high time for a list of the top games for MOBA players who want a unique flavor for their favorite genre.  

Here’s a quick recap of the 10 best games like League of Legends:

1. Dota 2
2. Smite
3. Arena of Valor
4. Heroes of the Storm
5. Apex Legends
6. Vainglory
7. Valorant
8. Paladins
9. Overwatch
10. “Wild Rift”

What’s your go-to MOBA of choice? Leave a comment below.