Pop quiz: Name a game that involves three lanes, 5v5 teams, destroying the enemy base, a range of items you buy from gold you get killing minions or jungle monsters, and bushes that you can hide in?
Did you say League of Leg.. nope
Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a new MOBA mobile game that was recently released, developed and published by a small studio called Moontoon and supported by Tencent. The game is a MOBA clone in every way, similar to League of Legends in many ways. There are the classic three lane maps, and the snowballing that exists in every MOBA. Mobile Legends also has skill-shot based gameplay, controlled by its simple on-screen controls and auto-targeting system. The game also has in-game currency which can be used to buy new champions, masteries, and crafting materials. The game also features the standard normal and ranked modes, along with the single lane match that many MOBAs now also feature.
When compared to other mobile MOBAs, the main differences with Mobile Legends is the ease of gameplay, quality of life features of the game. Champions do not need to return to their bases to purchase items or heal, which speeds up the game quite a bit. The average game time is about 5–10 minutes which is ideal for a portable setting. This combined with 10 second champion select screens and short wait times allowing for quick games on the way to work or while sitting on the toilet.
One of my favourite features of the game is the national country grouping feature. When you enter a 5v5 match, the game will group players into a team of players from the same country and assign a national flag to the team. For example, the few games I played was against a Russian team or a Chinese team and our team was all Korean, flags were assigned to each team, making it feel more like an national e-sport. Actually, according to the website, esport tournaments are planned with formal prizes.
From a personal perspective, I really enjoyed playing this game. The controls are smooth and responsive, and the short game times help make the game addictive. As champions do not need to return to base either, the action keeps going and the first turret normally is destroyed within the first 2–3 minutes. The game is free to play and in the top 3 games on the Korean App Store currently, so why not give it a try today?
