Old School RuneScape (OSRS) has two versions available for players: a desktop version for PC users and the mobile version on iOS and Android. Both versions have the same experience but with some noticeable differences.
Controls
Controls in both mobile and PC versions of OSRS remain the same. Just replace the mouse-and-keyboard interface of the PC with the basic gestures of mobile like tap, pinch, and swipe. This experience makes playing on either platform easy to adapt to, with minimal difficulty.
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User interface
The user interface in OSRS is identical in both versions. The major difference is that on mobile, it may feel a little crammed when interacting with the elements that need to be tapped on screen. This is evident during the Tutorial Island quests when playing on a phone with at least an 8-inch screen size. Even those with short and thin fingers may have difficulty tapping the on-screen prompts and might miss them if they are not attentive. This may be solved with a larger screen and aspect ratio.
Items
Items across all supported platforms are identical, including the powerful OSRS Fire Cape which significantly increases the player’s chance to progress through the game. With cross-platform capabilities, you’ll be able to keep all your items in one place no matter where you’re playing, whether that be on Windows, MacOS or Mobile.
Account linking
The nifty feature of OSRS is its cross-save and cross-platform play. Cross-save allows you to play and save your progress across all your OSRS accounts. While cross-platform gives you the option to play the game on one account across all platforms without having to have separate save files or alt account on every system. It’s even possible to play your OSRS account from the old days if you still have access to it. Just login with the email you registered OSRS with and head to account recovery.
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Gameplay and combat
One of the questions that arise in porting console or PC games to mobile is the accuracy of the port. For a 20-year-old game, OSRS doesn’t have any problems. The gameplay is smooth, without lag, and the basic gestures—pinch to zoom, swipe to control camera—on the mobile version is an immersive experience, but with some minor inconvenience. The downside on the Mobile version is the screen size: The smaller the screen size, the harder it is to engage and disengage. This makes combat on the OSRS Mobile a bit cumbersome as players might want to zoom in or out to get a better view of the battlefield.
Nonetheless, players coming from the PC version will feel right at home with the mobile version. The combat is very typical for RPGs of the late 1990s to mid-2000s. Tap or click the enemy and the player-character will attack with their chosen weapon.
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Communications
Being an online game, both versions of OSRS have a communication system through instant messaging (“chat”). Chatting on the PC version is easier compared to mobile, but both are easily accessible through their respective spaces on-screen. It may be easier to chat on mobile if you use a Bluetooth keyboard.
Idling
OSRS Mobile features a mechanic that the PC version does not actually have—or is not optimized for such use. This is the idling system. Idling has become a ubiquitous feature in mobile games because it does not require effort on the part of the player, with push notifications alerting the player to get back in the game and check what they gained while away. For OSRS Mobile, idling is an essential part of the game.
For most players, OSRS Mobile provides a better idling experience compared to the PC version which has an idle timer lockout of about 5 minutes, compared to the Jagex client—the main client used by OSRS Mobile users—which is optimized for idling.
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This means that any event or quest that does not require the player to be proactive with the game can just leave it running in the background without being penalized or logged out.
Players can also benefit from idling while farming and mining for OSRS gold.
The convenience of OSRS Mobile
Gamers will always want the ability to play their games whenever and wherever they want. OSRS Mobile brings players the convenience of being able to do light tasks, idling, or even some leveling up while on the go. Most players, who play both versions of the game, prefer the Mobile version for its idling mechanic.
Whether you’re on PC or mobile, OSRS brings a fun experience to all players. Those who have been playing the game since its release can now have the benefits of modern gaming through the mobile version. Meanwhile, new players of the game can enjoy the original retro aesthetic of RuneScape and learn more about this iconic role-playing game.
