Let’s be honest when people talk about top games to play, the list usually looks the same. Call of Duty. PUBG. FIFA.
All great, sure. But what if we told you there are games built right here on the continent by African developers, with African stories that are just as worth your time?
Because there are. And they slap.
Here are the top 5 games by African studios you should genuinely have on your radar in 2025/2026.
1. Okada Ride — Maliyo Games 🇳🇬
Genre: Arcade / Casual
Studio: Maliyo Games, Lagos, Nigeria.
If you’ve ever hopped on an okada in Lagos and silently prayed for your life this game is going to feel very familiar.
You’re on a motorcycle, dodging cars, buses, and the beautiful chaos that makes Lagos, Lagos.
It’s fast, it’s funny, and it’s the kind of game you pick up for five minutes and put down forty-five minutes later.
Maliyo Games has been one of the most consistent forces in African gaming since 2012 and they even partnered with Disney on Rising Chef, inspired by Iwájú. Yeah. Disney came to them.
.
Why you should play it:
- Captures real Lagos energy
- Free to play, no excuses
2. Aboki Run — Maliyo Games 🇳🇬
Genre: Endless Runner / Casual
Studio: Maliyo Games, Lagos, Nigeria.
Yes, Maliyo gets two spots. They earned it.
Nigeria’s answer to the endless runner genre think Temple Run, but make it Lagos.
Sprinting through Nigerian streets, dodging obstacles, surviving the kind of madness only West African city life can produce. Everything about it just feels right if you grew up here.
Casual enough for non-gamers. Addictive enough to embarrass you when you check your screen time.
Why you should play it:
- Perfect for commutes and quick sessions
- Fun for literally all ages
3. Aurion: Legacy of the Kori-Odan — Kiro’o Games 🇨🇲
Genre: Action RPG
Platform:PC (Steam), Mobile
Studio: Kiro’o Games, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Now we step things up, because Aurion is not a casual game.
You play as Enzo Kori-Odan, a king overthrown on his wedding night, fighting to reclaim his throne using a combat system built around African ancestral heritage.
The lore runs deep. The story makes you think. And the fact that a Cameroonian studio built this, launched it on Kickstarter, and sold it internationally? That’s the real plot twist.
Why you should play it:
- Rich African mythology, deep RPG mechanics
- A genuine milestone in African game development
4. Africa’s Legends — Leti Arts 🇬🇭
Genre: Action / Beat ’em up
Platform: Mobile (Android & iOS)
Studio: Leti Arts, Accra, Ghana
Ghana in the building and Leti Arts came with something special.
A side-scrolling action game built around legendary African heroes, each with abilities rooted in real mythology and history.
Part history lesson, part beat ’em up, fully entertaining. Leti Arts has been one of the continent’s most prolific studios, and they’re making African folklore feel cool to a whole new generation.
Why you should play it:
- African heroes front and centre
- Accessible action gameplay with real cultural depth
5. Semblance — Nyamakop 🇿🇦
Genre: Puzzle Platformer
Platform: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, Mobile
Studio:Nyamakop, Cape Town, South Africa
This one is different. And that’s the point.
A puzzle platformer where the ground is soft you deform the world itself to solve puzzles and navigate levels.
It sounds simple. It is not simple.
Semblance launched on Nintendo Switch and Steam to real critical acclaim, built by a Cape Town indie studio on pure creativity alone.
No big budget. No major publisher. Just an idea so good it travels.
Why you should play it:
- One of the most original game mechanics in recent memory
- Proof that African indie gaming is genuinely world-class
Bonus: Because 5 Is Never Enough
Haki: Shield & Defend — Usiku Games 🇰🇪
Genre: Action / Strategy
Platform: Mobile(Android & iOS)
Studio: Usiku Games, Nairobi, Kenya
East Africa wasn’t going to let us slide without a mention.
Action meets strategy in a game built around Kenyan culture, where you’re defending your community under real pressure.
Usiku Games represents a growing wave of East African studios quietly building something big. Keep your eye on them.
TossDown — Fer Factor 🇳🇬
Genre: Action / Delivery Simulation
Platform: PC & Mobile
Status: Wishlist on Steam
Old-school Dreamcast energy, brand new game. You’re delivering packages through chaotic, trap-filled environments with 50+ perks to unlock and it gets wild fast.
One of Nigeria’s most anticipated upcoming titles. Wishlist it now so you’re ready.
Outliver: Tribulation — Gbrossoft 🇳🇬
Genre: Survival Horror / Souls-like
Platform: PC & Mobile
Status: Available on Google Play
Nobody saw a Nigerian survival horror game coming. That’s what makes it hit different. Third-person, atmospheric, deeply rooted in African mythology.
Outliver blends Souls-like gameplay with a supernatural realm that genuinely unsettles you. Started on PC, now on mobile. No excuses not to try it.
Why This List Matters
Every game here was built by Africans, for the world. These studios looked at the global gaming industry and said, we can do this and then they actually did it.
Africa now has a $1 billion gaming market. But the real story isn’t just who’s playing. It’s who’s building.
Download any of these and show the studios some love. African gaming is not coming, it’s already here.