What is MOBA / Top 5 Best MOBA Games of All Time / Gameplay and Mechanics Explained

MOBA stands for Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. It is a popular genre of video games where players control a single character on a team and work together to defeat the opposing team. The objective is often to destroy the enemy team's base or core.

In a typical MOBA game, players choose from a variety of unique characters, each with their own abilities and playstyles. These characters, known as heroes or champions, have different roles such as tanks, damage dealers, or healers.

Players compete in teams of usually 3v3 or 5v5, with the goal of pushing down lanes and destroying towers and structures while defending their own. The map is usually divided into multiple lanes, and players must coordinate their movements and abilities to advance and overpower the enemy team.

MOBA games require strategic thinking, teamwork, and quick reflexes. Players must communicate and make decisions on the fly, using their chosen heroes' abilities to outplay their opponents and gain an advantage.

Some popular MOBA games include League of Legends, Dota 2, and Heroes of the Storm. These games have large player bases and are often played competitively, with tournaments and professional leagues.

TOP 5 MOBA OF ALL TIME:

1. League of Legends (LoL): Widely considered as one of the most popular MOBA games ever, LoL boasts a massive player base and an extensive competitive scene. Its strategic gameplay, unique champions, and constantly evolving meta make it a favorite among gamers. With regular updates and new content, LoL continues to impress and maintain its top spot in the MOBA genre.

2. Dota 2: Developed by Valve Corporation, Dota 2 is another iconic MOBA title. Known for its complex gameplay mechanics, deep strategy, and a vast selection of heroes, Dota 2 offers an incredibly competitive and skill-based experience. The game's tournament scene, including The International, features the largest prize pools in esports history.

3. Heroes of the Storm (HotS): Developed by Blizzard Entertainment, HotS stands out by incorporating beloved characters from multiple Blizzard franchises. With its team-oriented focus and objective-based gameplay, HotS offers a more accessible and fast-paced MOBA experience compared to other games in the genre. Though it may not have reached the same level of popularity as LoL or Dota 2, HotS has its dedicated player base and continues to receive updates and support from Blizzard.

4. Smite: Bringing a unique twist to the MOBA genre, Smite replaces the traditional top-down view with a third-person perspective, allowing players to experience battles from a more immersive angle. Set in mythological settings, Smite features a diverse selection of gods and goddesses as playable characters. Its accessible gameplay and different game modes make it an enjoyable option for both casual and competitive players.

5. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang: Catering to the mobile gaming market, Mobile Legends has gained millions of players worldwide. While it may not have the same depth or scale as some other MOBAs, it offers quick and thrilling matches on the go. It features a broad roster of heroes, smooth controls, and a strong focus on teamwork, making it one of the leading mobile MOBA games.

These five games have left a significant impact on the MOBA genre, each offering its own unique gameplay experience and maintaining a dedicated player base.

League of Legends (LoL) is a team-based multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game where two teams of five players compete against each other. The objective of the game is to destroy the enemy team's Nexus, which is located in their base, while defending your own Nexus.

Here is a breakdown of the basic gameplay and mechanics of LoL:

1. Roles and Champions: Each player selects a champion from a vast roster with unique abilities and playstyles. There are five primary roles to choose from:

   - Top Lane: Typically plays tanky or bruiser champions and focuses on either absorbing damage or dealing sustained damage.

   - Jungle: Roams the jungle area, killing neutral monsters to gain experience and help teammates in their lanes.

   - Mid Lane: Usually played by mages or assassins, this role focuses on dealing high burst damage and providing crowd control.

   - Bot Lane: Consists of two players – the ADC (Attack Damage Carry) and the support. The ADC deals sustained damage and the support helps protect and provide utility for the ADC.

   - Support: Supports the team by healing, shielding, or crowd-controlling enemies while also protecting the ADC.

2. Laning Phase: At the start of the game, players typically split into different lanes, with one player going to the top, one to the jungle, one to the mid lane, and two to the bot lane. During the laning phase, players focus on farming (killing minions for gold and experience), harassing the enemy, and occasionally engaging in fights to gain an advantage.

3. Gold and Items: As you kill minions, neutral monsters, or enemy champions, you earn gold, which can be used to buy items that enhance your champion's abilities and stats. Items can significantly impact your effectiveness in battles, so deciding which items to purchase based on your champion and the situation is crucial.

4. Abilities and Cooldowns: Each champion has four unique abilities, typically consisting of three basic abilities and an ultimate ability. These abilities have cooldowns, meaning you can only use them once they have recharged after use. Properly timing and using your abilities strategically is essential to secure kills, escape, or aid your team during fights.

5. Map Objectives: Throughout the game, various neutral objectives spawn on the map, such as Dragon and Baron Nashor. Killing these creatures grants powerful buffs to your team and can help turn the tide of battle. Additionally, there are turrets, inhibitors, and the Nexus in each team's base that must be destroyed to win the game.

6. Teamfights and Strategy: As the game progresses, teamfights become more frequent and decisive. Coordination with your teammates, proper positioning, focus targeting, and using your abilities effectively are crucial aspects of winning teamfights. Communication and teamwork play a vital role in achieving victory in League of Legends.

It's important to note that League of Legends has a steep learning curve, with a vast array of champions, items, and strategies to master. The best way to learn the game is by playing, familiarizing yourself with different champions, watching tutorial videos, and seeking guidance from more experienced players.

DOTA 2 (Defense of the Ancients 2) is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game where two teams of five players compete against each other. The objective of the game is to destroy the enemy team's Ancient, a structure located in their base, while defending your own Ancient.

Here is a breakdown of the basic gameplay and mechanics of DOTA 2:

1. Roles and Heroes: Each player selects a hero from a pool of over a hundred unique characters, each with their own abilities and playstyles. Heroes are divided into different roles:

   - Carry: Heroes who scale well into the late game and deal high damage.

   - Support: Heroes who provide utility and support their team by healing, disabling enemies, or providing vision.

   - Offlaner: Heroes who can withstand the enemy's aggression in the offlane and disrupt the enemy's farm.

   - Midlaner: Heroes who dominate the middle lane and gain levels and gold quickly.

   - Jungler: Heroes who farm jungle camps to gain experience and gold.

2. Laning Phase: At the start of the game, players typically split into different lanes, with one player going to the offlane, one to the mid lane, one to the safe lane, one to the jungle, and one playing the support role. During the laning phase, players focus on last-hitting minions to gain gold and experience, denying the enemy's farm, harassing opponents, and occasionally engaging in fights.

3. Gold and Items: Killing enemy creeps, neutral monsters, or enemy heroes awards gold, which can be used to purchase items that enhance your hero's abilities and stats. Items are crucial for improving your hero's effectiveness and survivability in battles. There is a vast array of items available in DOTA 2, and choosing the right ones based on the situation and your hero's needs is important.

4. Abilities and Cooldowns: Each hero has four abilities, consisting of three basic abilities and an ultimate ability. These abilities have cooldowns, mana or health costs, and can have various effects such as damage, crowd control, or mobility. Using your abilities strategically and coordinating with your team's abilities is essential for success.

5. Map Objectives: Throughout the game, various neutral objectives spawn on the map, such as Roshan. Killing Roshan awards the team with Aegis of the Immortal, which grants a one-time resurrection to the hero carrying it. Additionally, there are towers, barracks, and the Ancient in each team's base that must be destroyed to win the game.

6. Teamfights and Strategy: As the game progresses, teamfights become more frequent and decisive. Proper positioning, target selection, map awareness, and communication with your team are crucial for winning teamfights and gaining an advantage. DOTA 2 requires strong teamwork and coordination to succeed.

It's important to note that DOTA 2 has a steep learning curve, and mastering all aspects of the game takes time. The best way to learn is by playing, watching professional matches, studying heroes and their abilities, and seeking guidance from experienced players. Additionally, Valve, the developer of DOTA 2, provides comprehensive guides and tutorials within the game to help new players understand the mechanics and gameplay.

Heroes of the Storm is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed by Blizzard Entertainment. It features a fast-paced team-based gameplay where two teams of five players compete against each other on various battlegrounds. The objective of the game is to destroy the enemy team's Core while defending your own.

Here is a breakdown of the basic gameplay and mechanics of Heroes of the Storm:

1. Roles and Heroes: Each player selects a hero from a diverse roster of characters from various Blizzard games, such as Warcraft, StarCraft, and Diablo. Heroes are divided into different roles:

   - Assassin: Heroes who deal high damage but are generally more fragile.

   - Warrior: Heroes who have higher health pools and can initiate fights and soak damage.

   - Support: Heroes who provide healing and utility to their team.

   - Specialist: Heroes with unique abilities that excel at pushing lanes and controlling the map.

   - Multi-class: Heroes who can fulfill multiple roles depending on talent choices.

2. Battlegrounds: Heroes of the Storm features a variety of unique battlegrounds, each with its own objectives and mechanics. These objectives grant different advantages to your team, such as capturing and holding points, collecting items, or escorting powerful units to attack the enemy.

3. Experience and Talents: Instead of individual leveling, Heroes of the Storm uses a shared team experience system. The entire team gains experience by defeating minions, mercenaries, and enemy heroes. When a team levels up, all heroes gain access to talent points, which allow them to choose from a selection of unique abilities and upgrades. Talents can greatly affect your hero's playstyle and can be selected at different levels throughout the match.

4. Mounts and Map Control: To move quickly around the battleground, each hero has a mount. Mounting up allows heroes to traverse distances faster, increasing map control and allowing for rotations across different lanes to assist teammates or complete objectives.

5. Teamfights and Objectives: Heroes of the Storm heavily emphasizes team fighting and objective control. Teams must work together to secure map objectives, which can provide significant benefits such as pushing lanes, summoning powerful allies, or damaging the enemy's Core. Proper positioning, coordination, and decision-making during team fights play a crucial role in determining the outcome of the game.

6. Communication and Strategy: Effective communication and coordination with your team are key to success in Heroes of the Storm. Players must work together to make strategic decisions, such as when to engage or disengage from fights, when to secure objectives or push lanes, and when to defend or attack. Utilizing pings, voice chat, and understanding each hero's strengths and abilities are vital for achieving victory.

Heroes of the Storm is designed to be accessible and user-friendly for both new and experienced players. The game provides various tutorials and practice modes to help players learn the basics and discover different heroes. Additionally, there are ranked modes for players interested in competitive play and continuous updates and balance changes from Blizzard to ensure an engaging and dynamic gameplay experience.

Smite is a third-person multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed by Hi-Rez Studios. It features a unique take on the traditional MOBA formula by adopting an action-oriented, over-the-shoulder perspective. In Smite, players control mythological gods and legendary figures from various pantheons, competing in team-based matches with the goal of defeating the enemy team's Titan.

Here is a breakdown of the basic gameplay and mechanics of Smite:

1. Gods and Roles: Players select a god from a large roster, each with their own unique abilities, powers, and playstyles. Gods are divided into different roles:

   - Assassin: Gods who excel in dealing high bursts of damage and eliminating enemy squishy targets.

   - Warrior: Gods with moderate damage and high survivability, ideal for frontline tanking and crowd control.

   - Mage: Gods who have powerful magical abilities and excel in dealing area-of-effect damage.

   - Hunter: Gods who specialize in ranged physical attacks and sustained damage.

   - Guardian: Gods who have high health and strong protective abilities, ideal for tanking and supporting allies.

2. Battlegrounds and Game Modes: Smite offers a variety of battlegrounds, each with its own layout and objectives. The main game mode is Conquest, a five-versus-five mode with a three-lane map, similar to traditional MOBAs. Other game modes include Arena (a team deathmatch mode), Clash (a smaller-scale Conquest map), Siege (a four-versus-four mode with a focus on objective control), Joust (a one-versus-one or three-versus-three mode), and Assault (a five-versus-five all-random mode).

3. Gold, Experience, and Items: Similar to other MOBAs, Smite uses a gold and experience system. Players earn gold by killing minions, jungle monsters, and enemy gods. Gold can be used to purchase items that enhance a god's stats and abilities. Experience is gained by being near dying minions or monsters, as well as participating in kills. Leveling up unlocks new abilities and increases the god's base stats.

4. Abilities and Ultimate Skills: Each god in Smite has four abilities, including their ultimate skill. These abilities can be used for offense, defense, crowd control, or utility purposes. Ultimate skills are more powerful abilities that have longer cooldowns and can greatly impact team fights.

5. Map Awareness and Objectives: In Smite, map awareness is crucial. Players must pay attention to their mini-map and be aware of enemy movement and objectives on the map. Objectives include things like jungle camps for buffs, gold furies for team-wide gold bonuses, fire giants for increased damage, and phoenixes to attack the enemy base.

6. Teamwork and Communication: Effective communication and teamwork are vital in Smite. Coordination with your teammates, calling out missing enemies, and planning and executing strategies are key to gaining an advantage and securing victory. Proper positioning during team fights and understanding each god's strengths and weaknesses are also crucial.

Smite offers a tutorial mode to help new players learn the mechanics of the game, as well as practice modes to refine skills and strategies. The game also features a ranked mode for competitive play and regular updates and balance changes from the developers to ensure an engaging and evolving gameplay experience.

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang is a popular mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game developed and published by Moonton. It features fast-paced, team-based gameplay where players compete in 5v5 battles with the goal of destroying the enemy team's base.

Here is a breakdown of the basic mechanics and gameplay of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang:

1. Heroes: Players select a hero from a large roster, each with their own unique abilities, roles, and playstyles. Heroes are divided into different roles:

   - Tank: Heroes with high durability and crowd control abilities, ideal for initiating team fights and protecting allies.

   - Fighter: Heroes with a balance of offense and defense, capable of engaging in close combat and dealing sustained damage.

   - Assassin: Heroes who excel in dealing high burst damage and eliminating enemy squishy targets.

   - Mage: Heroes with powerful magical abilities, specializing in dealing area-of-effect damage or crowd control.

   - Marksman: Heroes who specialize in ranged physical attacks and dealing sustained damage.

   - Support: Heroes who focus on providing healing, shielding, or utility to their teammates.

2. Laning and Map: The game's map is divided into three lanes, known as top, middle, and bottom. Each lane has turrets that players must destroy to reach the enemy's base. Players are assigned to specific lanes and must work together to push and defend each lane. The jungle area between lanes contains neutral monsters that can be slain for additional gold and experience.

3. Gold and Experience: Players earn gold and experience by killing minions, jungle monsters, and enemy heroes. Gold is used to purchase items that enhance a hero's abilities and statistics. Experience is gained by being near dying minions and monsters or participating in kills. Leveling up unlocks new abilities and increases a hero's base stats.

4. Abilities and Ultimate Skills: Each hero in Mobile Legends has four abilities, including their ultimate skill. These abilities can be used for offense, defense, crowd control, or utility purposes. Ultimate skills are more powerful abilities, often with longer cooldowns, that can greatly impact team fights.

5. Teamwork and Objectives: Mobile Legends emphasizes teamwork and coordination. Players must communicate with their teammates, plan strategies, and perform coordinated attacks to outmaneuver and defeat the enemy team. Objectives, such as clearing lanes, securing jungle buffs, and taking down turrets, make up the core gameplay and progress towards victory.

6. Ranked Matches and Practice: Mobile Legends offers various game modes, including classic 5v5 matches, ranked matches for competitive play, and other casual modes. Players can also use practice mode to refine their skills, learn new heroes, and experiment with different strategies.

Mobile Legends features an intuitive control scheme designed for mobile devices, with virtual joysticks and buttons for movement and abilities. The game also provides matchmaking to ensure balanced and fair matches based on player skill level.

It's important to note that Mobile Legends is a constantly evolving game, with regular updates and balance changes from the developers. Additionally, Moonton provides tutorials, guides, and tips within the game to help new players learn the mechanics and improve their gameplay.