Brett Molina

USA TODAY

Smartphones are productive devices allowing us to check our emails, find the best restaurants nearby and keep in touch with loved ones.

They're also great for gaming. And it's clear smartphone owners love their games. According to research firm Statista, in December, Games represent a 25% share of all active apps in Apple's App Store, well ahead of categories including business and social networking.

If you received a new smartphone as a gift, or just plan to treat yourself to a new device, here are 10 great games to download right away.

Candy Crush Saga

A classic. The puzzle game requires players to match pieces of candy to clear them from the board. It boasts hundreds of levels, growing more difficult the deeper you advance. Fans of casual games will find the perfect way to kill time.

Deus Ex Go

Based on the popular PC and console video game franchise, this turn-based puzzle game stars spy Adam Jensen, as he infiltrates locations dashing past enemy guards and other obstacles. Be careful not to get caught.

Disney Crossy Road

It's the smartphone equivalent of Frogger, only starring Mickey Mouse. This spinoff of the hit Crossy Road lets players swipe up and across their touchscreens to advance past moving obstacles including cars or herds of stampeding animals. Players can also unlock new characters across Disney properties.

Hearthstone

Blizzard's fantasy card game features nine heroes players choose, assembling battle decks featuring a variety of spells and minions. Players take their decks into battle through a series of duels, earning gold and unlocking a wider selection of cards. Between building decks and battling, it's a difficult game to put down.

Marvel Contest of Champions

For the superhero fan, this brawler features Marvel heroes and villains including Captain America, Iron Man and Spider-Man duking it out in a variety of events. Players collect and put together their own roster of characters to compete against human opponents or in story-driven game modes.

Pokemon Go

There is a reason millions of players wandered their neighborhoods in search of pocket monsters this summer. The augmented reality game features a map based on your surroundings, where players capture Pokemon. Then they use their smartphone camera to find and capture the creature. It's like discovering Pokemon in the real world.

Reigns

It's similar to a choose-your-own-adventure book, only with cards. Players become King, analyzing situations presented on cards then deciding what to do. Those choices determine how long the king stays in power. The game even tracks the line of power through the course of the adventure, rewarding you for clinging to the throne.

Super Mario Run

If you're willing to get past the $9.99 price tag for the full game, Nintendo's first jump into the smartphone games market is a successful one. It plays like the Mario games you see on Nintendo's platforms, only you control the action with one hand. Mario runs on his own, and players tap the screen to leap for mushrooms, coins or to stomp on bad guys.

Slither.io

Remember Snake on the original Nokia cell phones? Think of Slither.io as its logical evolution. Players eat up orbs to make their snake grow bigger, but must be careful not to hit other snakes or the game is over. The most exciting element to this is the ability to play with human opponents online.

Star Wars Galaxy of Heroes

Did you watch Rogue One, and want more Star Wars in your life? Galaxy of Heroes might be the best mobile game out there. Players collect characters from Star Wars lore to assemble a dream team taking on infinite enemies across popular locations. Want a team up with Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader? Do this you can.

Follow Brett Molina on Twitter: @brettmolina23.