Celeste , the critically acclaimed platformer about a young woman named Madeline climbing a mysterious mountain, is a near-perfect game. Its tight controls, incredible chiptune soundtrack, and heartfelt story about anxiety and perseverance have made it a modern classic.

But can you download and play Celeste natively on your Android device? The answer is nuanced. Here’s everything you need to know. First, the important truth: There is no official Android version of Celeste on the Google Play Store.

Instead, get an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription and play it via cloud streaming, or buy the game on Steam and use Steam Link. If you absolutely need a native Celeste-like experience on Android, buy or Grimvalor from the Play Store—they capture the same challenging spirit.

For now, the mountain remains unclimbable via native Android. But with cloud gaming, you can still reach the summit from your phone.

Do not waste time searching for a free APK of the full Celeste for Android. It does not exist in a playable, safe state.

Watcha looking for?

Hey, if you liked what you read…

Tom wants to talk to you.

⬅️ That’s Tom. He writes and sends our newsletter. He’s okay at basketball.

The newsletter is a thoughtful reflection on life / songwriting, plus a recap of our recent stories. (See an example here.)

If you want Tom to send you our newsletter once per week, enter your email below.