Android gaming has been the joke of the mobile gaming world for the last two and a half years. The primary focus of Android was never in the gaming arena, but if you want to compete in the phone market now it has to be a focus. With Honeycomb (Android 3.0), developer tools for games were added into the platform making the entire process easier.
To date, only tablets and the Xperia Play have 3.0, so the benefits of that upgrade have yet to find their way into new, creative games. Truthfully, the absolute best games available on Android are iOS ports, which is fine with me. As long as there are games to play, I don’t really care. So, in this two-part saga, I will run down the best games available to the Android owners. Shall we begin?
PewPew 2 – I always thought that Geometry Wars would be the perfect game to play on the go. PewPew 2 is basically that. PP2 is a twin-stick shooter with a great, flowing aesthetic and solid controls. Normally, trying to control sticks on a touch screen is nearly impossible, and usually never fun. Something about the sticks in this game feels very satisfying, though.
With an endless mode and a difficult (but still enjoyable) campaign, PP2 has enough to keep you going for quite awhile, and I recommend picking it up right away to cover your mobile gaming needs.
Angry Birds and Angry Birds Seasons – If you haven’t payed attention to the world around you in the last year, Angry Birds is kind of a big deal. With over 200 million downloads (30+ of those on Android), the game has proven to be a hit with the core gamer demographic, and those just looking for a time-waster on the bus. Just buy them both, well worth the two dollars.
Speedx 3D – This accelerometer controlled game is flat-out a great time. A rail-moving 3D tunnel driver may seem complex, but it really isn’t. Simply avoid walls and hit power-ups as you slide through the simple tracks. Not even kidding, the best part about this game is it re-calibrates the accelerometer every turn, so you can play laying in bed and not be constantly turning when you are on your side. It is the simple things in life.
Words with Friends – You guys know what Scrabble is, right? Well, WwF is that, except you can play as many matches against your friends as you want at your own pace. This version crosses over with all of the iOS versions so if you need someone to connect with, just send out a message on the Twitters and wait for a reply. I mean, everyone is playing this game and everyone loves a new challenger.
As a starting point, these games are pretty damn good. I expect games on a phone (albeit a smartphone) to be nothing more than time killers. If I want a deep RPG, I will bust out my DS and replay Chrono Trigger for the 35th time. Check back in the coming days for another Android gaming post. I truly believe within the next year the platform will start getting some real attention from the same developers that work on iOS games (PopCap is already porting their games to Android).
If you have any games you like playing on your Android phone, feel free to leave a comment telling us what they are.
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