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League of Legends vs. Dota 2 vs. Smite vs. Heroes of the Storm - Which MOBA Is Right
The popularity of the multiplayer online battle arena genre cannot be denied. With a massive player base and many games to choose from, it may seem difficult for a newcomer to decide on which title to play. If you've never played a MOBA game but wish to try, we round up the most popular names in the genre and give an overview each title's main features to help you decide which one would suit you best.
Games in the MOBA genre revolve around a core mechanic: a player usually takes control of a single character in a top-down perspective and joins a team of five with the goal of destroying the enemy team's base while protecting their own. Objectives can vary, but throughout the match, players level up their characters and upgrade their abilities to aid in this battle by killing enemy heroes or creatures.
Victory is met when a team destroys the enemy base's main structure. While all MOBA games share similar mechanics, there are enough differences to set them apart and offer a range of options within the genre.
League of Legends
Release date
October 2009 (PC)
Characters
In League of Legends, the characters are called champions. New players gain access to a pool of ten champions for free each week, and the pool rotates weekly to offer different champions to choose from. There are over 120 champions in total.
Permanent access to a champion can be gained by spending Riot Points, which are bought using real-world money or by using Influence Points, which are earned by playing matches.
League of Legends games work best with players fulfilling specific team roles.Victory Condition
A team wins when they destroy the Nexus in the opposing team's base. The Nexus itself is a building that can only be damaged after the turrets surrounding it are destroyed. Sections of the base can eventually respawn after a certain amount of time has passed.
Play this if you like...
Fulfilling a specific role in a team and learning extensive item recipes, game-specific terms, champion skills, and the importance of map positioning. Regular League of Legends games see teams adhere to a certain structure and players are expected to buy appropriate in-game items to suit their champion and the situation. Expect to have to learn the lingo, recipes, and map awareness to play at a competent level, with the average game running anywhere between 20 minutes (when the surrender option becomes available) to an hour.
Dota 2
Release date
July 2013 (PC)
Characters
In Dota 2, characters are called heroes. All heroes can be accessed immediately by all players for free. There are over 110 heroes to select from.
Victory Condition
There's a lot to think about in a Dota 2 match.A team wins when they destroy the main structure in the opposing team's base, called an Ancient.
The Ancient is a stationary building and can only be damaged when its surrounding offensive towers have been destroyed. Unlike in League of Legends, a destroyed base will not respawn over time, making it more difficult for a team to come back after their base is crippled.
Play this if you like…
Being rewarded for challenging gameplay. Dota 2 is a sequel to the original DOTA from which most MOBA games originated from, and as a result adheres closely to the original game's mechanics.
In comparison to the other games on this list there are extra things to consider in-game, such as checking enemy skills, item builds, denying enemy tower kills, and movement around the map is less restricted thanks to consumable teleport scrolls. This means that players are expected to keep track of more during a match and apply their knowledge in more ways. A lot can happen in a short space of time during a Dota 2 match. Team structure is a little more fluid, but the game-specific lingo still exists. Matches usually run for about 40 minutes and can easily extend longer, so expect to have to dedicate a fair bit of time to play the game.
Smite
Release date
March 2014 (PC)
August 2015 (Xbox One)
Characters
Hi-Rez Studios' Smite bases its roster of characters on the Gods of mythology, with seven different pantheons on offer. Over 60 gods and goddesses are present in the game, drawn from Chinese
More...
Games in the MOBA genre revolve around a core mechanic: a player usually takes control of a single character in a top-down perspective and joins a team of five with the goal of destroying the enemy team's base while protecting their own. Objectives can vary, but throughout the match, players level up their characters and upgrade their abilities to aid in this battle by killing enemy heroes or creatures.
Victory is met when a team destroys the enemy base's main structure. While all MOBA games share similar mechanics, there are enough differences to set them apart and offer a range of options within the genre.
League of Legends
Release date
October 2009 (PC)
Characters
In League of Legends, the characters are called champions. New players gain access to a pool of ten champions for free each week, and the pool rotates weekly to offer different champions to choose from. There are over 120 champions in total.
Permanent access to a champion can be gained by spending Riot Points, which are bought using real-world money or by using Influence Points, which are earned by playing matches.
League of Legends games work best with players fulfilling specific team roles.Victory Condition
A team wins when they destroy the Nexus in the opposing team's base. The Nexus itself is a building that can only be damaged after the turrets surrounding it are destroyed. Sections of the base can eventually respawn after a certain amount of time has passed.
Play this if you like...
Fulfilling a specific role in a team and learning extensive item recipes, game-specific terms, champion skills, and the importance of map positioning. Regular League of Legends games see teams adhere to a certain structure and players are expected to buy appropriate in-game items to suit their champion and the situation. Expect to have to learn the lingo, recipes, and map awareness to play at a competent level, with the average game running anywhere between 20 minutes (when the surrender option becomes available) to an hour.
Dota 2
Release date
July 2013 (PC)
Characters
In Dota 2, characters are called heroes. All heroes can be accessed immediately by all players for free. There are over 110 heroes to select from.
Victory Condition
There's a lot to think about in a Dota 2 match.A team wins when they destroy the main structure in the opposing team's base, called an Ancient.
The Ancient is a stationary building and can only be damaged when its surrounding offensive towers have been destroyed. Unlike in League of Legends, a destroyed base will not respawn over time, making it more difficult for a team to come back after their base is crippled.
Play this if you like…
Being rewarded for challenging gameplay. Dota 2 is a sequel to the original DOTA from which most MOBA games originated from, and as a result adheres closely to the original game's mechanics.
In comparison to the other games on this list there are extra things to consider in-game, such as checking enemy skills, item builds, denying enemy tower kills, and movement around the map is less restricted thanks to consumable teleport scrolls. This means that players are expected to keep track of more during a match and apply their knowledge in more ways. A lot can happen in a short space of time during a Dota 2 match. Team structure is a little more fluid, but the game-specific lingo still exists. Matches usually run for about 40 minutes and can easily extend longer, so expect to have to dedicate a fair bit of time to play the game.
Smite
Release date
March 2014 (PC)
August 2015 (Xbox One)
Characters
Hi-Rez Studios' Smite bases its roster of characters on the Gods of mythology, with seven different pantheons on offer. Over 60 gods and goddesses are present in the game, drawn from Chinese
More...