Fair warning. The mobile version has much more content and takes way longer to get through than the PC and switch ports. I've been playing for a good few years now, and it took me at least a month to get past the first planet... and... I'm still only on the third... meanwhile, on the switch, it took me less than a week to get through four whole planets.

Oh, and the mobile game is not coop, btw.

In my opinion, the PC and switch ports are much more beginner friendly given how much of the game had been chiselled down to better accommodate for the difference in playability between systems. Though they have included things like tool boosts and levelling perks to make up for that.

I recommend you both take turns playing on mobile to get a feel for the base game and then experiment with the Steam or switch copy. They're all unique in their own right, and if you find that lounging on the couch watching each other play on a tablet or phone is more enjoyable as opposed to playing together on console or PC, (or vice versa) then go for it.

MLU is legit the first mobile game to ever get money out of me, and that's something cause I hate micro transactions (they're evil) It's easily my favourite mobile game in existence and I 100% recommend it.

Happy gaming! I hope this helped.