Always check the settings menu first

Most people skip straight past the settings and into the game. I get it — you want to play. But the settings menu is often where a game goes from fine to great, and it takes two minutes.

Look for graphics presets first. Dropping from ultra to high usually costs you nothing visible while helping heat and battery. On older phones this can be the difference between smooth and stuttery.

Then check the accessibility and control options. Colorblind modes, button resizing, aim assists, one-handed layouts — modern games pack in a lot, and it's all off by default sometimes.

Finally, audio and notifications. Turning off intrusive pop-ups and background sound not only makes the experience nicer, it can save a little battery too. A well-set-up game just feels more like yours.