Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends are two of the popular MOBAs on the market, and they bring with them distinctive offerings of gameplay experiences. At first glance, some might mistake both games for each other, having thus similar elements as their 5v5 battles and tower defense mechanics. Upon closer inspection, however, real differences can be deduced concerning design, game features, visual effects, and even the character roster. So, here’s what sets these two giants apart in the MOBA-dense arena.

Gameplay Dynamics

Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends are built on the classic MOBA design in which the player controls heroes in order to destroy the opponent’s base, which is defended by three turrets across top, middle, and bottom lanes. Strategic gameplay involves leveling up heroes and enhancing their abilities with items, which is crucial for overpowering enemies and demolishing defenses. The two games differ primarily because of the unique systems that enhance hero abilities: Arcana in Honor of Kings and Emblems in Mobile Legends, thereby further elaborating on the ways one can customize their hero.

Lobby and Menu Design

The main lobby of both games is highly focused on displaying the character, which acts as the update for the latest game version, and the layout is clean and neat for both game modes and social features. Honor of Kings uses Starstone as the basic currency and Tokens for premium transactions; it presents a more organized and modern interface appealing to users who prefer streamlined aesthetics. Mobile Legends uses Battle Points for regular purchases and Diamonds for premium items, maintaining a functional but familiar design.

Control Layout and Features

The interface in both games is user-friendly, which has placed a movement joystick on the bottom left and skill buttons on the bottom right. Item shop is placed at the top right in both games, as well as access to fast communication tools. On the top left, detailed maps of gameplay dynamics are placed, with a clear view of the battlefield from all angles for strategic planning.

Differences of Map and Monster

In the two games, while they both use minions and jungle monsters to assist players, differences appear in the bosses. Honor of Kings gives challenges early game with Tyrant and Overlord, comparable to Mobile Legends’ Turtle. In the later parts of the game, Mobile Legends can call the Lord for breaking enemy defenses, whereas Honor of Kings makes the challenge harder by bringing Tempest Dragon in the late game. Additionally, Honor of Kings integrates minimal healing zones near towers, a strategic element absent in Mobile Legends.

Character/Hero Selection

More than 120 heroes in each game provide immense rosters but vary greatly between the two with cultural thematics. Honor of Kings utilizes extensively from Chinese history, as with the examples of characters being Guan Yu and Lu Bu, giving way to the immense tapestry of Three Kingdoms history. Meanwhile, Mobile Legends has a globalized mix of characters that features Kadita and Gatotkaca inspired by Indonesian legendary folklore for international appeal.

Items and Spells

The games are similar concerning functional design, especially those concerning items and spells that, while differing in terminology, have subtle variations in what their names represent. For example, “Boots of Fortitude” in Honor of Kings equates with “War Boots” from Mobile Legends. Flicker in MLBB resembles Flash in HoK, bringing forward the similarity of ideas both games have on how familiar mechanics are retained with new branding.

Ranking Systems

Both games have the kind of progression system that goes from beginner to top-tier and ranks in Honor of Kings go up to Bronze to Legend, Mobile Legends goes from Warrior up to Mythical Immortal. It is in those moments where the players engage and become competitive.

Unique Features and Visual Appeal

Honor of Kings is distinguished by superior graphics and more complex visual effects, making it a more visually appealing game than Mobile Legends. This added visual value, combined with innovative gameplay elements, may be an incentive for players looking for a more immersive and visually engaging MOBA experience.

Honor of Kings and Mobile Legends share core gameplay elements common to MOBAs, but each game provides a different experience that caters to a different set of preferences. For fans of the genre, BlueStacks offers an incredible gaming experience on PC, laptop or Mac. Happy Gaming!