Those who use Android can rejoice in having one of the most open and diverse mobile ecosystems at their fingertips. With twice the amount of supported devices and a million more apps than its nearest rival, Android offers users plenty of choices. The app store, with over three million apps and games, offers pretty much anything you can think of in a choice of free and paid apps, and, with so much on offer, the toughest part is deciding what to download and which Warzone hacks to use.
Right now, we are living in unprecedented times, with the current pandemic keeping more people at home for longer. So, it’s really no wonder that mobile gaming has become even more popular in recent months. However, you can spend so much time searching for a game that, by the time you find one worth playing, you’ve lost interest. And then you have to decide – do you play the freebies only or do you splash some cash on a paid game? And which ones are actually worth paying for?
Most of the time, we choose our games based on advertising or recommendations. So, we decided that we would hunt through the Android app store and see if we could come up with ten games that are well worth investing time, and in some cases, money into this year.
Top Ten Android Games for 2021
We all have different tastes in everything, and that includes gaming. Some people love to get involved in a full-on RPG, while others prefer to spend their time playing puzzles or match-three games. So, we tried to find a diverse range of games, and we picked five free and five paid that cover a wide range of tastes.
Free
Although these games are free, most do have in-app purchases. However, there is never any obligation to buy them, and you can while away several hours playing completely free.
1. Tetris®
Tetris® has always been a popular game. It is simple – all you have to do is fill up the lines with the different shaped blocks that fall from the top. You can rotate them to fit gaps, but you must think ahead. It might sound like a simple game, but it gets harder. The blocks start to fall faster, and if you can’t keep up, they will soon reach the top – game over! It does have ads, but you can remove these via the in-app purchases. Otherwise, you can play this incredibly addictive game for as long as you want for nothing.
2. Free Fire
Free Fire is a household name; we’ve all heard of it, and we’ve seen how its become one of the biggest gaming phenomena across the world, with huge online tournaments and competitions. For the uninitiated, Free Fire is a simple battle game; all you have to do is build your fort and defend it while taking out your opponents to be the last one standing. You can play alone, or invite your friends to join you, be they in the same room or spread out across the world. The mobile version has no physical controller support, but you will soon get used to the on-screen controls and find yourself losing several hours as you battler to be the supreme champion.
3. Words with Friends
This one is for those who love word games. Be warned, it’s incredibly addictive, it can get frustrating at times, and you may even feel like accusing your opponents of cheating! You can do this via in-game chat, but the developer’s request that 1you keep your language clean. This is a great way of connecting with friends, family, and complete strangers across the world and immersing yourself in a game of words. There are in-app purchases available, but you don’t need them to enjoy this game.
4. Pokémon Go
When it launched in 2016, Pokémon GO became an overnight success, and, to this day, it retains its well-earned title as one of the most popular games in the world. The game uses augmented reality to let you find and capture Pokémon anywhere – in your local grocery store, the park, even your back yard. Once caught, you train them and pit them against others in battle. The game has plenty of side missions, and you can visit PokeStops to get new stocks of popular items. With each new update, the game gets even more features, including new AR features, new Pokémon, and more. You can download such game and more from the TutuApp Store.
5. PUBG/PUBG Lite
Our final free game is another incredibly popular one that became popular overnight. With more than 10 million downloads, this FPS (first-person-shooter) game has great graphics, easy controls, and one of the simplest game premises. You are one of 100 people who dropped onto an island. Our task? To be the last person standing. It’s not quite as easy as it sounds, though, and the way you survive this is what PUBG is all about. There are vehicles, weapons, and other gear hidden about the island; all you have to do is get to them before anyone else does. You can loot fallen players and do whatever it takes but, the longer you survive, the smaller the safe zone gets – that’s what limits the time each battle takes. It is fast, and you really need your wits at their sharpest to win this game. You can also play PUBG on a PC using the Nox Emulator.
Paid
6. Minecraft Pocket Edition – $6.99
Minecraft is another popular game, originally released as a PC game. Now owned by Microsoft, there are multiple versions covering all platforms, including this one for mobile devices. It’s a simple game, the graphics are blocky and retro, and all you have to do is survive. You start with nothing, you forage for resources to build your home, and you learn how to craft weapons and traps, how to grow your own food and fight off the hungry monsters that roam. You can play alone, you can join with others, and you can put as little or as much into the game as you want. As a premium game, you can buy this through the Family library and share it with up to six people in your group – you don’t have to buy a separate game for each person.
7. GRID Autosport – $9.99
A fairly new addition to the Android store, GRID was launched in 2019. Like many racing games of this caliber, it soon became one of the most popular in the genre. It isn’t the cheapest, but once you have purchased it, the entire game is open to you – no irritating ads, no in-app purchases. It has great graphics, simple controls, physical controller support, and offers hours of fun. As you progress, unlock new cars and different car games styles. It is an addictive game, and the more you play, the more you will want to play.
8. Mini Motorways and Mini Metro – $0.99
Dinosaur Polo Club released both these games, and they have proven to be incredibly addictive as well as a lot of fun. You take on the role of road manager, and your job is simple – get people around the city. The visuals are second to none, and there is none of the protracted, drawn-out gaming you get with other games – simple, short bursts, making it a great game to play for just a few minutes at a time. And the low price tag is all there is to pay – no ads, no other in-app purchases. Pay once, play forever.
9. Evoland 1 and 2 – $0.99 and $7.99
Two of the unique games in the world, each as different from the other as night and day. Both games involve a combination of gaming styles – platforming, top-down shooting, classic fighting, puzzles, card trading, and more. The game mechanics frequently change throughout the game, and, as they do, the graphics change to match. This is all about classic gaming; the further you progress, the more technologies you unlock, and the better the graphics get. Again, as a premium game, you just purchase it, and it’s yours, no in-app purchases at all. Both games have physical controller support, and both will give you hours of gaming fun.
10. Castlevania: Symphony of the Night – $2.99
Our final paid game is another premium game – buy it, and the whole game is open to you. Again, it’s a relatively new game and is a 2D platform game. The idea is to explore the creepy castle belonging to Count Dracula and, along the way, you meet enemies and unique characters. This is described as non-linear gameplay, which basically means there is no set route to follow; explore anywhere and everywhere and uncover as many of the castle’s secrets as you can. Expect the main storyline to take around nine hours to complete, a game you can truly settle to and get your teeth into (pun intended.)
Ten games – five free and five paid – all offering something to suit all tastes. And as the paid games are mostly premium games, you don’t have to worry about additional purchases once you’ve paid for them.
Try them out, see what you think, and share this with others so they can enjoy some of the best gaming Android has to offer.