Tom’s Guide
If you own an Android device and use the play store for your apps, you are a part of the largest and most diverse mobile ecosystem in the world. There are more devices on Android than there are on any mobile platform and the app store is also the largest, with almost 3 million apps and games to download. For the gamer, it’s a fantastic store and the biggest problem you will face is the time it takes to find a decent game.
There’s a huge choice of both free and paid games in the Play Store but not all of them are worth a first look, let alone a second one. Some of the free apps are fantastic while some of the paid games are not worth the money they cost. And not everyone wants to part with their hard-earned cash on a game they may not enjoy.
For the most part, people use recommendations from others and advertising to decide if they want to play a game or not so that’s what we’ve done. We’ve found ten games that we think are worth a look and worth the money they cost to purchase.
Top Ten Android Games for 2020
Much depends on the type of game you like – platformers, RPGs, those with a full storyline, puzzle games, or those that you can play for five minutes and then put down again. We’ve listed ten diverse games below, a bit of everything to suit all tastes.
1. The Room Series – four games, ranging from $0.99 to $4.99
All four of these are puzzle games and come from the first franchise to really make puzzle games work on mobile devices. All of them are popular and all have the accolade of being some of the best games available for Android. Each room has mysterious objects in it and is a series of puzzles that you have to solve to escape the room. The idea is to move through the rooms, finding unique objects and solving puzzles that increase in complexity, until you get to the end. The newest game in the series is called Old Sins and features include a certain amount of exploration, Google Play Game Achievements, cloud saving, and more. The exploration element puts this one head and shoulders above the previous three. It’s worth noting that they are all standalone games; you can play any of them and you don’t need to play them in order. You can download games like these from the CokerNutX android store.
2. Hatoful Boyfriend – $4.99
This is something quite different but a lot of fun. It’s a pigeon dating simulator, where you are the only human at a school for talented birds. It has a fantastic storyline and is a kind of puzzle game where you get to unlock many different endings. It’s a hilarious game, great for killing time when you want to and it really doesn’t take itself seriously so, dive in and have some fun.
3. Snapchat Games – free
If you spend a lot of time in Snapchat rooms with your friends, why not play a game or two? Snapchat has pushed our a series of games that you can play in group chats and many of them are a whole lot of fun. There’s a tennis game, a Battle Royale game, something similar to Mario Party and many more. They are pretty basic games but you can use your bitmoji and some other Snapchat tech in the games too. These are a great way to pass some time when you are chatting away.
4. Marvel: Contest of Champions – Free, in-app purchases available
If you are a fan of the Marvel franchise then you’ll love this game. Its an epic battle game where you pit your favorite superheroes and supervillains in the ultimate showdown. Build a strong alliance with your friends, and battle your way to the top, fighting alliances from all over the world. Assemble the strongest team you can with best heroes and villains and prevent the Marvel Universe from being destroyed. Level up your teams, pair up for bonuses, and much more. It is free to play but there are in-app purchases available. You can play games like these and more using emulator apps too.
5. Ordia – $3.99
One of the first premium titles on this list, once you’ve paid for Ordia, there are no ads and no in-app-purchases. It is one of the very best slingshot games available, even better, dare we say, than Angry Birds. The game is simple – slingshot your way from the start to the finish but things are never really that easy. As you progress through the game, the levels become harder and you encounter obstacles to get around. It is a challenging game but highly addictive – every time you fail a level, you’ll be jumping back on board to beat it. You can download and play similar games on the HappyChick emulator.
6. Summer Catchers – $3.99
Another premium title with no in-app purchases or ads, Summer Catchers is an auto-runner. Originally a PC game available on Steam, the mobile port is relatively new and is similar to Alto’s Adventures. Endless running games are always popular and this one is a combination of puzzle, rhythm, racing, and story, guaranteed to keep you amused for hours on end.
7. Bad North: Jotunn Edition – $4.99
Again, no ads, no in-app purchases, simply buy the game and play forever. This is an RTS game of strategy and survival. The king is dead and it’s down to you to take his place and defend your kingdom against hordes of Viking invaders. The game involves real-time mechanics and a six-hour campaign. Each stage is procedurally-generated, offering a unique gaming and unlockable upgrades as you go. The graphics are fairly simple but this is a deep game, providing hours of fun.
8. Doom – $4.99
Another premium title, most people have heard of the original Doom, a first-person shooter game responsible for kicking the genre into the spotlight. Your job is to fight the demons and stop them from taking over the world. There are plenty of weapons on hand to help you in this port which has the original game plus the expansion. The only thing it doesn’t offer is support for external controllers but you soon get used to the on-screen controls. A recent update has brought free downloadable maps and support for 60fps, making this a joy to play.
9. Space Grunts 2 – $4.99
If you enjoyed the original title, then you’re going to love this one. A roguelike game, it is card-based. Rather than weapons, you collect cards and use them to take the enemy out. Each game is generated from blocks and is unique so you won’t find two levels the same. You don’t have to pick up every card, only the ones you want, and each alien battle is fought using the right combination of cards. Randomly generated routes and events keep you on your toes, making for one of the most unique games you’ll ever play. Every time you start a game, it will be like playing a brand-new game.
10. The Escapists 2: Pocket Breakout – $6.99
The latest game to come from Team 17, The Escapists 2 is a simple, pixel-based game of strategy. First, create a convict using the hundreds of different customization options built into the game. Then it’s down to you to break out of prison. You can do it by yourself or choose up to three friends and play a local multiplayer game. There are five new prisons in this version of the game, making a total of thirteen to try and break out from. Buy or barter for items you need or even fight for them and create the combinations you need to get out. You must stay under the radar though; turn up for your job, attend role call, and do everything else you need to do to stay undetected. An enjoyable prison simulator, you get at least 30 hours of play, if not more but it is best played on a tablet as there are lots of small buttons and text.
Ten of the best games the Android platform has to offer but these are just a tiny slice of what you can find in the official Play Store. Some are free, some are paid and some are premium, which means, once you have bought the game, there are no further purchases on offer and no ads – it’s all yours.
If you are a member of Google Play Pass, which costs $4.99 a month, some of these games, and many others, are available for free, with no ads and no in-app purchases to worry about. We’ve tried to choose a diverse range of games, all different types that suit all types of players so there should be something here for you to enjoy.
Give these games a try and see what you think of them. They may even lead you to try new games that you never thought you would enjoy.
Let us know what you think and if there are other games we should have included on this list, and don’t forget to share this with others.
