The lights are on
Need something to pass the time while your turkey is cooking? These Android games are a heck of a lot more fun than listening to your family argue over politics.
Given the backseat status of Android games, many of these titles are also available on iOS. I don't own an iPhone though, so if you want to see if the game is also available on Apple devices, ask Siri or something.
Block RogueSokoban puzzles have been around since the invention of video games, but Block Rogue tops all other push-block puzzle games with randomly generated rooms and evolving gameplay mechanics. The graphics are reminiscent of A Link to the Past, and the narration is pretty cute too.
Bridge ConstructorIf you like the old Pontifex bridge-simulation games...well, I don't know how to finish that sentence, because I've never met another person who likes bridge-simulation games. But I do, and Bridge Constructor is a pretty decent mobile version. Why do all of my bridges collapse?!
Total PoolAfter playing dozens of mobile pool games, I've finally concluded that Total Pool is my favorite. There are no fancy 3D graphics or lame AI characters, just a top-down view of a table, simple yet responsive controls, and a ton of different game types. Total Pool also has a satisfying unlock tree and the ball physics are great. You're free to laugh at the phrase "ball physics," by the way; I won't judge.
Neuroshima Hex!Based on the critically acclaimed tactical board game of the same name, Neuroshima Hex tasks you with taking down your opponents' armies with a variety of different soldier and power-up tiles. The game translates wonderfully to touchscreen devices, and plays even faster than its tabletop counterpart.
Greedy Spiders 2Greedy Spiders 2 seems like your typical mobile offering, but the turn-based gameplay is rooted in strategy, not reflexes. You're tasked with cutting strands of a web to stop a spider from eating trapped flies, and figuring out how to minimize the number of cuts you make is surprisingly challenging.
DropwordsDropwords is basically a clone of PopCap's Bookworm spelling game, but seeing as how PopCap still hasn't released Bookworm on Android (seriously, PopCap, let me pay you for this game already!), it's the next best thing. Dropwords rises above the other clones with its myriad options, including the ability to select what dictionary you use, grid size, and a variety of different UI skins.
Spy MouseI may or may not have downloaded this game because Spy Mouse's suave hero reminds me of Tom and Jerry's titular rodent. Underneath the polished visuals lies a fun little stealth/action game. You use your finger to lead a mouse around collecting cheese and avoiding cats in over 70 levels.
SquidsIf you think Spy Mouse is cute, brace yourself for Squids' adorable characters. But don't let the light-hearted tone fool you – Squids is actually an interesting turn-based action/strategy game. Combat consists of catapulting your squids at your enemies. Each creature has different abilities and can be upgraded between levels.
TrainyardThis clever puzzle game tasks you with laying down tracks to deliver colored trains to their respective depots. Things get trickier when solutions require you to merge trains to make new colors and set up elaborate track switching routes to keep everything running smoothly.
War Games: WOPRI'm not a big fan of tile-matching games, but War Games evolves the basic puzzle formula by pitting you in turn-based battles against AI opponents. Each tile type has a different ability: highlighting rockets drains your opponent's health, while collecting cash signs lets you buy different power-ups. You can also purchase and upgrade a variety of passive bonuses between matches. The War Games license tie-in is totally bizarre, but going up against '80s versions of Matthew Broderick and Dabney Coleman (not to mention hearing the classic "Shall we play a game?" line every time you start the game), evokes a certain amount of nostalgia if you were alive back then. Man, I'm old.
Looking for more fun Android games to play? How do you like them apples? Or these apples? Or those apples over there?
Email the author Jeff Marchiafava, or follow on Google+, Twitter, and Game Informer.
Thanks for the list, Jeff! I just recently got a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0 (it runs Android), so i've been looking for some good games to get on it. I'll make sure to check out these games. Thanks!
I played a game on my phone the other day, 'Angry Birds' they call it. Check it out, I think it may prove popular. Not as popular as 'Snake' but still...
What's that mouse game called?
ooooh~ might try those games!
These seem fun
I'll just be playing too much AC III this holiday season.
hmmmm
Yay for Android!
ALL OF THESE GAMES ARE TERRIBLE
u need Temple Run
Here are some suggestions and they're all FREE.
Flow Free - Fun puzzle game that gets a ton more difficult as the board gets bigger. Starts with 5x5 grid and goes up to 14x14 (designed for a tablet but can still be played on your phone).
Jewels Star - Best Bejeweled clone I can find for free. Once you get over how it's NOT Bejeweled you can learn how to play the game properly and will love the 3 different modes available that each have their own high score system. The story mode has over 150 levels available. Did I mention it's free?
Ceramic Destroyer - Think Angry Birds but you have different kinds of bombs and your goal is to blow up all the ceramic designs entirely on each level. Destroy at least 90%, get 1 star, 95% gets 2 stars, 100% is the only way to get 3 stars. Very addicting.
Marble Saga - Free Zuma clone with excellent graphics and a ton of levels. I wish I was better at making combos but this game is great if you need to kill at least 10 minutes as the average game lasts at least that long.
I looked up all the games mentioned in the article and downloaded SQUIDS and Total Pool. Haven't tried them yet but I'm looking forward to it based on the reviews each of these games got. Hope my suggestions help out some people.
awwww breaks over now...
I may have to check some of these out and thus this page is bookmarked. Thanks Hangtime!