So many Android games, so little time. What’s a mobile gamer to do? Sometimes, you have to sift through a lot of garbage to find the jewels hidden in the Play store. It can definitely be a little bit of a frustrating experience. If you’re searching for some new Android games, look no further. Here’s a list of some of the best Android games in March of 2016.
1. Color Switch – Free
Like Flappy Bird, Color Switch has a sharp learning curve, and it can be kind of infuriating when you’re first starting out. However, once you get the hang of it, Color Switch can provide a pretty tranquil experience. Color Switch has a pleasant and simple design, and it’s definitely an Android standout for a reason.
2. Lifeline – $0.99
Lifeline may not be for everyone, but it’s one of the most breath-taking Android games that I’ve played in a long time. Lifeline is a text-based adventure, meaning there is next to no gameplay. You just read text, and select different options to change the way that the story goes. It may sound dull, but Lifeline’s story — sort of a science-fiction thriller — is absolutely captivating.
There are plenty of text-based games out there (I’m very fond of Choice of Games text-based games) but Lifeline has a pretty unique feature that I’ve never seen before. You can be closed out of the app, and still receive notifications as to what is happening in the story. It’s really something. It’s very easy to find yourself heavily invested in this story and these characters. Definitely a unique experience.
3. Alto’s Adventure – Free
There’s been a bit of hype surrounding Alto’s Adventure, and it seems like the hype has paid off. Critics are praising the physics-based gameplay, simple controls, and beauty of this game. Alto’s Adventure is unlike other endless runners, where death usually means throwing your device across the room. Alto’s Adventure is much more relaxing than other games in this genre, and I really enjoy it.
4. FOTONICA – $2.99
You may have heard of FOTONICA on PC, but the game has only recently been ported to Android. It’s really faithful to the source material, which fans of the original game will enjoy. I have FOTONICA on Steam, and I’ve always really loved its unique presentation of common gameplay. FOTONICA’s weird visual style, paired with its cool and relaxed soundtrack, comes together to make one of the more interesting games I’ve ever played. Alto’s Adventure is gorgeous, but FOTONICA is weird, which is gorgeous in its own right.
In FOTONICA, the player traverses through pre-made levels by running and jumping. It sounds simple enough, but believe me when I say that there’s a slight learning curve. Everything about FOTONICA is kind of quietly intense, and making precise jumps while your player is speeding though a course is very difficult. The first-person perspective makes it feel like a Mirror’s Edge-inspired fever dream. I highly recommend for someone who likes infinite runners, but is looking for a more unique take on the tired genre.
5. Downwell – $3.00
Alright, I hear you. “This list sucks!” you cry, “It’s all infinite runners!” Even though that’s not true, I can certainly understand the plight of the mobile gamer. So many games just feel like recycled versions of older ones. That is not the case with Downwell. Downwell is a really unique game, and although its arcade style, procedurally-generated feel may make it seem like an infinite runner, I think it’s in a league of its own. Downwell has been out on PS4, PC and iOS for a while, and Android finally gets its turn!
Downwell is a retro-style game where you play as a boy going down a well. He’s trying to get as low as he can, and collect as many treasures as possible. His only means of protecting himself? Gunboots. Boots that are guns. While playing Downwell, you will have to fight and kill numerous monsters lurking beneath you. You can shoot, stomp, and much more. It’s a really cool premise, and I think the end product is something both approachable and weird. That’s a good combination, right?
6. Have No Mouth – $3.99
I feel like I should preface this by saying that Have No Mouth is meant for a very specific crowd. That very specific crowd is EXTREMELY excited that Have No Mouth was ported to Android. Others may be more indifferent. I Have No Mouth, And I Must Scream is an old horror-themed point-and-click game from the 90s. On Android, it’s more of a point-and-tap, but the original game is still very much there.
If you’re familiar with the original game, there isn’t much to say about this app. It’s a very successful and accurate port. It has the original game’s same imminent feeling of dread, same psychological thrills, and great soundtrack. I definitely recommend this app to fans of the original game, and I tentatively recommend it to people who like point-and-click games, or retro horror games. That’s sort of a niche group of people, though, heh.
7. OK K.O.! Lakewood Plaza Turbo – Free
You probably haven’t heard of Lakewood Plaza Turbo yet. Lakewood Plaza Turbo is a cartoon that will be coming to Cartoon Network soon, made by Ian Jones-Quartey. Ian has played pretty key roles behind-the-scenes with Cartoon Network favorites like Adventure Time and Steven Universe. OK K.O. is a tie-in to the Lakewood Plaza Turbo show, and it’s a blast.
Lakewood Plaza Turbo is a show very much inspired by old-school Shonen anime and Street Fighter. The app itself is a pretty basic story-driven side-scrolling beat-em’-up game, and it does what it sets out to do very effectively. It never takes itself too seriously, and its solid gameplay is supported by a colorful cast of likable characters. If you’re looking for a silly game that’s chock full of throwbacks and nostalgia, OK K.O. is the game for you.
8. Worms 4 – $4.99
When it comes to competitive, goofy multiplayer, look no further than Worms. Worms is a franchise that has been around for quite a long time, and it’s grown to be pretty well-respected in the gaming community. Worms is a game where you fight an opposing team of other worms in turn-based combat, traversing different terrain and using a variety of different weapons. The gameplay is simple, but it can become very complex as you explore different strategies and get into more competitive rings.
Worms 4 is the most recent Worms game to come to Android, and it’s a really solid app. The graphics are very colorful and they definitely pop. Multiplayer is fun, but functionality is admittedly kind of spotty. I’ve had numerous connection issues when it comes to Worms on multiplayer, which is unfortunate because multiplayer is Worms’s bread and butter. However, even just playing single-player against a team of CPUs is a load of fun.
9. ULTRAFLOW 2 – Free
Ultraflow isn’t visually stunning, but it’s very easy on the eyes. The graphics are simple, the colors are never too bright. Ultraflow is a game that makes me want to lay in bed and space out for a little while. The gameplay is also pretty innovative, and I have to admit that I’ve had to Google solutions for some of the more difficult levels. It’s a hard game, but it never feels so hard that I’m angry. It’s well balanced.
10. Galactic Nemesis – Free
This is a slightly more obscure title, but it’s just as close to my heart as all of the other games on here. It’s an injustice to call Galactic Nemesis a Space Invader clone. To me, it feels like less of a clone, and more of an upgrade. Galactic Nemesis takes the basic gameplay premise of Space Invaders and adds upgrades, new stages, and slightly upgraded graphics.
Fans of the original Space Invader game shouldn’t be too concerned, though. Galactic Nemesis stays very true to the principles of the old spaceship shoot-em’-ups that you grew up with, and the entire game feels very authentic and retro. Galactic Nemesis effectively draws on your nostalgia for those old games, and turns it into something entirely new. In a market oversaturated with “quirky” pixelated games, Galactic Nemesis manages to stand out, and it manages to succeed.