Android is surging, their remains no questions about it. Android is a proven platform now and that is particularly showing in the burgeoning apps market. Google Play Store is now home to nearly 900,000 applications and games. More than 25 billion apps and games have already been downloaded from Google Play Store. About an year ago, we did a brief round up detailing 10 must-have games for Android. But things have drastically improved over a one year period. Here's our "take two". 30 must have games for Android in 2012.
Ski Safari is perhaps the most addictive Android game I have ever come across, even more addictive than Temple Run. Nice and smooth graphics, awesome game play and very easy to use controls. All that makes Ski Safari a never ending fun. Price: US$0.99
During my college days, NFS Most Wanted was among the sought after games for PC. Now, you can experience similar graphics and gameplay right from your phone. NFS Most Wanted is now released for Android and even though it is a bit pricey in general, the game has already been downloaded many thousand times from Google Play Store. NFS Most Wanted is a must have especially if you are a fan of racing game genre. Price: US$6.99
C.H.A.O.S: Engage in a thrilling dogfight against attack helicopters. Controls are a bit tricky but splendid rendering of landscapes, helicopter models etc. and the gameplay itself more than makes up for it. C.H.A.O.S is paid only. Price: US$0.99
Gunman Clive: A great platformer with old school sidescrolling action, full 3D graphics and unique sketch shaded artstyle. Price: US$1.99
Extreme Skater is a fun-filled ride. If you are fan of Ski Safari sort of games, you'll absolutely love Extreme Skater. Game is ad supported. FREE
Mass Effect 3 Infiltrator is for those who really want to test all the CPU cores and GPU capabilities of their smartphones. Game is heavy and gameplay is intense. If you are a serious gamer, Mass Effect 3 is the one for you. Price: US$6.99
Temple Run, of course. Among the best casual games ever, and free too.
Predators: If you are fan of original, Arnold Schwarzenegger starrer, Predator movie, this game is going to be a trip down the memory lane for you. Stunning graphics, neat soundscore, quite a bit gory also. Predators is non-free. Price: US$2.99
F18 Carrier Landing: A really good flight simulator application with simple graphics and gameplay. Paid ad-free version of the game is also available. FREE
From the makers of smash-hit ShadowGun, Samurai II: Vengeance is a brilliantly done console-quality game with very unique graphics and stunning gameplay. Samurai II was not exactly released in 2012. But I discovered this game only recently and got hooked to it almost immediately. Game is non-free. Price: US$ 2.99
Riptide GP: Beautiful water racing game for Android, one of its kind.
Grand Theft Auto III: Perhaps the biggest release of the year. Not a big fan of it though. Graphics can be a lot better. But very effective time killer. Price: US$4.99
Tank Hero original is one of the first games I ever installed in my Galaxy SII, and it still remains one of my favorites (though after a certain level, it becomes quite hard to play, sometimes even unplayable kind of hard). Tank Hero Laser Wars is the successor and it is no less stimulating. Ad-free paid version also available. FREE
Mr. Legs is a very creative and unique game that deserves a lot more attention. We did a small review of Mr. Legs when it was launched sometime in Feb 2012, and it still remains one of the most original Android games I have ever played. Price: US$0.99
Stay Alive as long as you can space shooter game. Controls are awesome and soundscore deserves a special mention here. Paid ad-free version also available. FREE
Anomaly Warzone Earth HD: The best tower defense game I have ever played. Period. Awesome graphics, gripping soundscore and very adddictive gameplay. This was one of those games that I actually completed. I bought it from Humble Bundle though. Price: US$3.99
Osmos HD: It's not everyday that you see an app with near-perfect 4.8 rating after more than a million downloads! Like Mr. Legs, Osmos HD is one of the most original games ever to be released for Android. This has got *the* most amazing soundscore ever. Osmos was yet another Humble Indie Bundle pick for me. Osmos free demo also available. Price: US$2.99
Great Big War Game is an immensely challenging strategy game. Its predecessor, Great Little War Game, was the first of its kind. The latest GBWG is a huge improvement when compared to the original in terms of graphics and controls. Price: US$2.99
Like Osmos HD, Spirits is a game made with a lot of love. "Art so beautiful it could have been lifted from a Miyazaki movie," reviews WIRED. Free demo version available. Price: US$ 2.99
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Frontline Commando: Free, console-quality, third-person shooter game for Android (Release date: Dec 2011, recently updated).
Cogs is another one of my favorite picks from recent Humble Indie Bundles for Android. Though everything about this game is pretty great, it started to get really difficult after a certain level, at least for me. Free demo available. Price: US$ 2.99
Edge Extended: Yet another critically acclaimed puzzle game recently released for Android.
Canabalt HD: I first played Canabalt while it was released for Chrome Web Store. I have never been so overwhelmed by such a simple game. Music has a lot to do with it. US$ 2.99
Ingress is the start of something big. It is a new free Android app and augumented reality game made by Google. Nobody saw it coming. Initial reviewers say that it has the potential to kick start an entirely new gaming genre. Android Police notes, "the point of Ingress is to get you out of the house and exploring your city. It's trying to get you to interact with strangers who have similar interests, and ultimately, to embrace creativity and curiosity." Ingress is not available universally at the moment. And even if the Ingress app is available where you live, you have to signup for an invitation... and wait.
Google Play Store is now home to hundreds of thousands of games, and I could have missed quite a number of quality games as a result. If your favorite games are missing from this list, let me know about them in the comments below. Just to be clear, these are my favorite games.
Also, some of the games featured above were not exactly released in 2012 itself, like Samurai II: Vengeance for example. Since they are really good and since I found out about them only recently, I have decided to include them anyway. Hope you liked them all. Thanks for reading.
Ski Safari is perhaps the most addictive Android game I have ever come across, even more addictive than Temple Run. Nice and smooth graphics, awesome game play and very easy to use controls. All that makes Ski Safari a never ending fun. Price: US$0.99
Plague Inc. will test your strategic planning skills like no other. It was a hugely popular game in iOS and a few weeks back, Plague Inc. was finally launched for Android as well. Soundscore deserves a special mention here, so does the graphics. Game itself is free but you can upgrade to paid ad-free version if you like. FREE
If you thought Rovio Mobile is all about Angry Birds, think again. Amazing Alex is an interesting little physics based puzzle game by Rovio Mobile which is just as fun and just as addictive like its predecessor. Both free and non-free versions of the game, Amazing Alex, is available in Google Play Store. Price: US$0.99
From the creators of massively popular Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride was an iOS only game until recently. From the day of Android launch, Jetpack Joyride has been a revelation of sorts in Android platform as well. And like all popular games, Jetpack Joyride is insanely simple. The whole package is free and devoid of ads, but supported by in-app purchases. FREE
Dead Trigger is one of those games that won't make you feel like playing a free game. Made by the creators of Shadow Gun, Dead Trigger is perhaps the best free game for Android with no-compromise graphics and amazing gameplay. As with most other free games these days, Dead Trigger is supported by in-app purchases, and no ads by the way. FREE
Air Attack HD is an award winning top down air combat shooter with stunning 3D graphics alongside great audio, effects and gameplay. Very addictive and a lot of fun guaranteed. Paid ad-free version also available. FREE
Granny Smith is one of those games that took my phone away from me. I mean, my wife was addicted to this cutey little game and just couldn't stop playing. And like most other popular games, Granny Smith has criminally simple gameplay and graphics. Price: US$0.99
If you thought Rovio Mobile is all about Angry Birds, think again. Amazing Alex is an interesting little physics based puzzle game by Rovio Mobile which is just as fun and just as addictive like its predecessor. Both free and non-free versions of the game, Amazing Alex, is available in Google Play Store. Price: US$0.99
From the creators of massively popular Fruit Ninja, Jetpack Joyride was an iOS only game until recently. From the day of Android launch, Jetpack Joyride has been a revelation of sorts in Android platform as well. And like all popular games, Jetpack Joyride is insanely simple. The whole package is free and devoid of ads, but supported by in-app purchases. FREE
Dead Trigger is one of those games that won't make you feel like playing a free game. Made by the creators of Shadow Gun, Dead Trigger is perhaps the best free game for Android with no-compromise graphics and amazing gameplay. As with most other free games these days, Dead Trigger is supported by in-app purchases, and no ads by the way. FREE
Air Attack HD is an award winning top down air combat shooter with stunning 3D graphics alongside great audio, effects and gameplay. Very addictive and a lot of fun guaranteed. Paid ad-free version also available. FREE
Granny Smith is one of those games that took my phone away from me. I mean, my wife was addicted to this cutey little game and just couldn't stop playing. And like most other popular games, Granny Smith has criminally simple gameplay and graphics. Price: US$0.99
During my college days, NFS Most Wanted was among the sought after games for PC. Now, you can experience similar graphics and gameplay right from your phone. NFS Most Wanted is now released for Android and even though it is a bit pricey in general, the game has already been downloaded many thousand times from Google Play Store. NFS Most Wanted is a must have especially if you are a fan of racing game genre. Price: US$6.99
C.H.A.O.S: Engage in a thrilling dogfight against attack helicopters. Controls are a bit tricky but splendid rendering of landscapes, helicopter models etc. and the gameplay itself more than makes up for it. C.H.A.O.S is paid only. Price: US$0.99
Extreme Skater is a fun-filled ride. If you are fan of Ski Safari sort of games, you'll absolutely love Extreme Skater. Game is ad supported. FREE
Temple Run, of course. Among the best casual games ever, and free too.
Predators: If you are fan of original, Arnold Schwarzenegger starrer, Predator movie, this game is going to be a trip down the memory lane for you. Stunning graphics, neat soundscore, quite a bit gory also. Predators is non-free. Price: US$2.99
F18 Carrier Landing: A really good flight simulator application with simple graphics and gameplay. Paid ad-free version of the game is also available. FREE
From the makers of smash-hit ShadowGun, Samurai II: Vengeance is a brilliantly done console-quality game with very unique graphics and stunning gameplay. Samurai II was not exactly released in 2012. But I discovered this game only recently and got hooked to it almost immediately. Game is non-free. Price: US$ 2.99
Riptide GP: Beautiful water racing game for Android, one of its kind.
Grand Theft Auto III: Perhaps the biggest release of the year. Not a big fan of it though. Graphics can be a lot better. But very effective time killer. Price: US$4.99
Tank Hero original is one of the first games I ever installed in my Galaxy SII, and it still remains one of my favorites (though after a certain level, it becomes quite hard to play, sometimes even unplayable kind of hard). Tank Hero Laser Wars is the successor and it is no less stimulating. Ad-free paid version also available. FREE
Mr. Legs is a very creative and unique game that deserves a lot more attention. We did a small review of Mr. Legs when it was launched sometime in Feb 2012, and it still remains one of the most original Android games I have ever played. Price: US$0.99
Stay Alive as long as you can space shooter game. Controls are awesome and soundscore deserves a special mention here. Paid ad-free version also available. FREE
Anomaly Warzone Earth HD: The best tower defense game I have ever played. Period. Awesome graphics, gripping soundscore and very adddictive gameplay. This was one of those games that I actually completed. I bought it from Humble Bundle though. Price: US$3.99
Osmos HD: It's not everyday that you see an app with near-perfect 4.8 rating after more than a million downloads! Like Mr. Legs, Osmos HD is one of the most original games ever to be released for Android. This has got *the* most amazing soundscore ever. Osmos was yet another Humble Indie Bundle pick for me. Osmos free demo also available. Price: US$2.99
Great Big War Game is an immensely challenging strategy game. Its predecessor, Great Little War Game, was the first of its kind. The latest GBWG is a huge improvement when compared to the original in terms of graphics and controls. Price: US$2.99
Like Osmos HD, Spirits is a game made with a lot of love. "Art so beautiful it could have been lifted from a Miyazaki movie," reviews WIRED. Free demo version available. Price: US$ 2.99
Frontline Commando: Free, console-quality, third-person shooter game for Android (Release date: Dec 2011, recently updated).
Cogs is another one of my favorite picks from recent Humble Indie Bundles for Android. Though everything about this game is pretty great, it started to get really difficult after a certain level, at least for me. Free demo available. Price: US$ 2.99
Edge Extended: Yet another critically acclaimed puzzle game recently released for Android.
Canabalt HD: I first played Canabalt while it was released for Chrome Web Store. I have never been so overwhelmed by such a simple game. Music has a lot to do with it. US$ 2.99
Ingress is the start of something big. It is a new free Android app and augumented reality game made by Google. Nobody saw it coming. Initial reviewers say that it has the potential to kick start an entirely new gaming genre. Android Police notes, "the point of Ingress is to get you out of the house and exploring your city. It's trying to get you to interact with strangers who have similar interests, and ultimately, to embrace creativity and curiosity." Ingress is not available universally at the moment. And even if the Ingress app is available where you live, you have to signup for an invitation... and wait.
Also, some of the games featured above were not exactly released in 2012 itself, like Samurai II: Vengeance for example. Since they are really good and since I found out about them only recently, I have decided to include them anyway. Hope you liked them all. Thanks for reading.