I know I say things like this pretty often, but holy cow, is this week impressive. Not only do we get the latest Rovio game based on the Angry Birds universe, but we also get a great runner based on the recent Rayman: Origins, and we finally get a port of Jetpack Joyride, which tops our list. Those three releases may be the best three-hit combo Android has seen, and that's not even counting the awesomeness that is Subway Surfers. What a treat this is for everyone. Anyway, here are this week's top Android games.
Jetpack Joyride (Free)
It's been just over a year since this game came out on iOS, and for good reason, many, many Android users have been waiting for a port. Formerly an Amazon Appstore exclusive, and brought to us by Halfbrick Studios of Fruit Ninja fame, this endless runner takes some of the best elements of popular games, adds a new spin to them, and polishes everything to a shine. It's also the game that brought back Barry Steakfries as a protagonist, last seen blasting brains in Age of Zombies. Sick of his mundane work life in a lab, Barry steals a machine gun-propelled jetpack for a spin, with plenty of other cool vehicles and power-ups to be found along the way. This is still my favorite mobile game of 2011. Download it.
Subway Surfers (Free)
This Temple Run-like runner was originally released on iOS in May of this year, but at the time, it had flown under my radar. It's very likely that this game helped inspire the many lane-based runners we're seeing these days, such as Rail Rush. It's a colorful game with attitude, putting you in the role of a rascally kid on a hover board who has to surf some subways to outrun the guard who catches him tagging a train. When it's available, you simply double tap the screen to switch over to your gravity-defying board and get away even faster. Marty McFly would be proud.
Bad Piggies (Free)
It's generally quite strange to talk about a new Rovio game this far down on the list, but Barry Steakfries will not be easily dethroned. After the diversion that was Amazing Alex, based on the acquisition of Casey's Contraptions (which makes a lot more sense now) Rovio has revisited the wild world of Angry Birds. This time, like all iconic villains in gaming, you get to play as those mean, green, egg stealing swine. This casual puzzler asks you to use a pre-set grid of tiles and a objects to build your very own getaway vehicle. The game is imaginative, polished, unique and accessible. Just what you'd expect from Rovio. It's great to see them branching out and expanding this universe.
Indestructible (Free)
Twisted Metal meets Gun Bros. in this latest action title from Glu Mobile. It's a simple twin-stick shooter with vehicles instead of people, and it's pretty rad. The game is strictly mutliplayer-based, pitting four players against each other in three different game modes on three different maps. As you play and earn currency, you'll be able to customize your vehicles weapon load-out and appearance. Being a Glu Mobile game, you're probably wondering how bad the In-app purchases are. To be fair, they don't seem to be bad at all, though you can pay money for better weapons, so I imagine it'll be necessary to stay competitive down the line. Still worth checking out, for sure.
Rayman Jungle Run ($2.99)
This game may be the last on the list, but oh my, is it not even close to the least. Rayman: Origins was my favorite platformer of last year, with fantastic, frantic, yet streamlined gameplay, a zany world full of quirk, and the most crisp and vibrant 2-D art ever seen in a game. All of those elements are present in this challenge-based runner, based on the original. It's not an endless runner, mind you, but one with a very well designed difficulty climb of levels. The game is just as gorgeous as its counterpart, and just as much fun to play, even if it is simplified. This would have easily topped the list any other week, but fate wasn't kind to this one. Check it out.
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Whats it about? This new app from Google and Niantic Labs is a guide to the cool, hidden and unique things in the world around you.
Whats it about? This new update to The New York Times app features a complete redesign to reflect Androids Holo design standards.
Whats it about? After its iOS release last week, were glad to see this endless runner/platformer hybrid emerge on Google Play.
A $2.99 investment will get you a quality app with similar functionality to its acclaimed iOS counterpart. If youre browsing the web during the day (on any device) and find an article you dont have time to read right now, simply click Read Later and the article will be saved. Your Android smartphone or tablet will display the story free of clutter, perfectly formatted for your devices screen. Instapaper creator, Marco Arment entrusted app designer Mobelux (who worked on the beautiful-looking Tumblr app) and they did a fine job here too. The apps design is crisp, efficient and its easy to use. As Instapaper was just released, expect updates and further enhancements in the future.
Its worth noting that there used to be both paid and free versions of the Read It Later app. Now, with it rebranding as Pocket, the app is free for everyone. In addition, the functionality and design of the app improved greatly, so Pocket is well worth a look. Like the two apps above, Pocket lets you save articles for later, strips out ads and presents them in a streamlined manner when offline. It even includes the bonus feature of being able to save videos for later, but youll need to be connected to view these. Pocket works on tablets and smartphones and while most of its improvements have been welcomed, some find the new dark theme not as black as it was in the Read It Later days.
Apex didnt get off to a good start with their version 1.3.0 update: the launcher would immediately crash upon opening. But its developers were quick to fix it and now 1.3.1 offers all the features beta users have already been enjoying. Importantly, this highly customizable home screen launcher is built on the Jelly Bean launcher instead, though it still works on any Ice Cream Sandwich (and above) device. That means performance boosts, desktop items re-arranging to fit the screen, an option to switch to a tablet-style UI, activity animation options, and more. Unlock more features by going Pro, or try Nova Launcher as an alternative (which received a minor update this week, too).
Dwellable got an update just a few days ago, but its in our list because it got a lot of attention this week as a Staff Pick on Google Play. Dwellable offers reviews, photos and maps of beautiful vacation rentals across the United States with powerful search/filtering tools. There are 55,000 listings available complete with high-resolution imagery in locations like the Hawaiian islands, Cape Cod, Florida, Lake Tahoe, Myrtle Beach, Oregon, Virginia Beach and many more. Even if youre not in the market for a vacation rental, the apps sharp design and great photos are well worth a look.
Whats it about? Battery Doctor offers a great way to extend the battery life on your Android device for free.
Whats it about? The latest Foursquare update is significant because it re-introduces a feature it previously removed, namely nearby check-ins from friends.
Whats it about? Namco Bandai, better known for their Pac-Man games, bring you this delicious offering in which you get to create your very own cafe and all the tasty treats go with it!
In Rage of Bahamut you first chose a side: man, god or demon. Once you have done that, then you must go through the tutorial. In the tutorial, you will get one card and the basics on how to play and advance. Overall, the game does provide a lot of explanation about things. In general the game has two main modes: quests and battles. The quest area is where you build up experience and obtain more cards. As you collect cards, you can combine them to create customized and more powerful ones. In the battle mode, you can create custom decks that you will use when you battle other players online. The game encourages you to play with (and against) others online. There is a lot to the game and it will keep you entertained. In addition to earning items via quests and battles, you can purchase cards with in app purchases.
Cabals is another cross-platform trading card game. You can play on your Android device or online. Another nice feature of the game is you can play offline on your Android without having to log-in or create an account. Here you can try or practice the game without any commitments, but you will not get any experience points. Within the game, you can have an online match, friend match, or single player game. Cabal is also a bit difference in that in uses a game board in addition to the cards. To win you can either conquer your opponents stronghold (position on the game board) or collect 60 domination points. The game board and cards are nicely done and easy to read. As with the other games, you can earn more cards via playing or in-app purchase. The website does have a forum and help section if needed.
TuneIn Radio (and TuneIn Radio Pro) is one of the best ways to listen to over 70,000 different radio stations and millions of on-demand shows from all around the world, whether you want to hear music, current affairs, sports, local stations and much more. Its one of our favorite Android offerings, and was recently featured in a curated app list by Appolicious Advisor, Larry Sullivan.
APPO: What apps (outside of those that you develop) inspire you the most and why?
KG: Variable device sizes! Making a single application feel good in so many form factors. Its hard, but a testament to good designers. Ours are incredible.
Just be aware, as Stitcher uses your wireless provider, the radio podcasts can be a bit of a data guzzler if left unchecked. Tiered data plans may feel the hurt, though music streaming isnt as large as say, videos. Listening to a station is smooth and clear and Ive yet to encounter any stutters.
Whats it about? Insomniac, who produce innovative music festivals around North America including the very popular Electric Daisy Festival, now have an official Android app.
Whats it about? The hit game on iOS (from Mobage, the makers of Tiny Tower) now has a place on Android (and in our hearts, naturally).
Whats it about? Indestructible is a fun, frantic 3-D online multiplayer action game where you get to engage in some vehicular combat.
Order and & Chaos from Gameloft is a beautifully done game. The graphics are nicely done; the game interface does not take up too much room, and makes it easy to find the menus. If you have experience playing MMORPGs on the computer, this game should be easy to pick up. Recent updates have added more dungeons and maps to the game and cross-platform capabilities.
Navigating your character is done via the virtual joystick and the game has pinch to zoom capabilities. I had no troubles moving my character, finding where I had to go, locating items in my bags, fighting creatures and interacting with the other players. Overall, its a very smooth and pleasant gaming experience.
This was one of the more intriguing games. From the previews and reviews it looked fantastic and a game to try. Earth And Legend is not a bad game, but it is one that will take some time to figure out. The graphics and the virtual world are excellent. It always seemed to be raining when I played, though!
I did not find the tutorial very helpful and the game interface seemed not to exist at all. I eventually did find the buttons. To move your character you need to use the virtual joystick and there is no pinch to zoom. You can switch from first to third person. The game did not have any visible map or way to show you where to go. There is a map button you can gain access to see where you are in the world, but I had a hard time figuring out where to go.
Both of these excellent games are from Spacetime Studios. Star Legends is a space-themed MMO, while Pocket Legends is more fantasy-based. Both games are free and contain in app purchases that can be used for items, maps/quests and so on. When you first join, you can log-in as an unregistered player or create an account. A really, really cool feature is that you can now play the same game on your computer (via the Chrome browser) or on your Android device!
This is another free MMO, with in app purchases available. As with the other games, you can select your character class and enter a tutorial section before hitting the real game. The graphics in this game are much more cartoon-like and cute. A recent update has improved the graphics and layout, but for me the screen is very busy and you can easily get lost. To move you have to use a virtual game pad and there is no pinch to zoom. The interface, though faded out some, cannot be hidden and takes up too much real estate. To interact with someone, simply tap on the character and a dialog window will open.
Music when you want it, where you want it. Rhapsody is all about access, recently updating its cloud music service to support offline playlists for Android users. Its a small step in the grand scheme of things, but puts Rhapsody on par with rivals like Spotify, making offline access an emerging standard amongst music cloud providers.
Indeed, mobile is a promising reset button for many consumer services that leverage the cloud, but where does Rhapsody go from here? Apps are notorious for their limited functionality and usually require a significant amount of activity to personalize. Even Spotify faced criticism for leaving out features originally found on their desktop version, and this is an obstacle for Rhapsody as well.
Rhapsody may be leveraging connected devices at large, but theyre really writing a data story as a central theme. Were looking to enhance editorial for songs and artists, Springer says.
As difficult as Machinarium is, the developers throws you a bone in a form of a two-tiered hint system. One is a thought bubble on how the little robot completely concludes the area. The second system acts as a journal, a visual step-by-step guide on how players can solve the puzzle. To access the journal is a little more difficult: the developer puts the player into a shooter mini-game. This get very tedious, and once youve opened the book, youll be prompted to play again, even in the same area.
Whats it about? Just like its iOS counterpart, the Netflix Android app just got an update to mimic some the functionality of the tablet version.
Whats it about? With a fresh, new redesign, Vellamo Mobile Benchmark from Qualcomm is a great way to test the performance of your Android device and compare it to others.
Whats it about? Heres a fun new take on the old classic Space Invaders but with some cool graphics and neat 3-D effects.
Mobile gaming is a great thing. I am a big believer in the phone as a major gaming platform. And it is a major gaming platform. The NPD Group revealed this month that for the first time ever, there are more mobile gamers than core gamers right now, which means there are more people playing games on their phones than there are playing games on their Xbox 360s, PlayStation 3s and PCs combined.
Phones these days have some truly amazing graphical power, as demonstrated by a lot of Gameloft's catalog. They've got the Modern Combat, Gangstar and the aforementioned N.O.V.A. franchises, along with the recent Dark Knight Rises game, looking great and really pushing the hardware. These games, which cost a tenth the price of their console counterparts, feel like real games that core gamers can latch on to.
EA, which is primarily a core gaming company, is investing in mobile games because they're hedging their bets. If mobile gaming does take over, they want to make sure they have a piece of it. The reason we don't have more games that push the phone tech to the edge is because other core games companies aren't going there, and that's likely because they don't want to sell content so cheaply. But that's leaving mobile gaming in a hole.
Whats it about? The latest update to this app lets you stream music or photos from your Android device to your TV via your Roku box sweet!
Whats it about? Ever wanted to play as a part-spider, part-dinosaur hybrid? Now you can with this retro-style arcade shooter.
Whats it about? Another iOS hit comes to Android! This is a fun, free endless runner which keeps things simple but is also very addictive.
This is an RPG that is the exact opposite of epic, heroic or charming. In it, you play as a vulgar and lewd Bard, voiced by Cary Elwes no less, who gets wrapped up in something bigger than himself, but never really becomes a hero. This is a port of the action RPG of 2004 which is based on the original Bards Tale trilogy of the eighties. The best part? The original games actually come with this one as a bonus. They arent all done yet, but theyll arrive in time. The gameplay is solid enough, but the humor, randomness and music really drive this game, and are worth the price of admission alone. It may not be everyones cup of tea, but it definitely should be.
Originally developed for iOS by studio Retro Dreamer, this modern take on Space Invaders is excellent in just about every way. Its taken a while, but Im grateful to Noodlecake Studios for porting this title over to Android. In it, you play as a Velocispider mother who is desperately defending her delectable eggs from a rich and evil villain who wants Velocispider eggs for breakfast. You have two goals: to avoid being hit three times, and to keep all three eggs from being snatched away. The retro visuals are gorgeous, using a nice cool color palate, and its all backed up by a very catchy soundtrack. If youre looking for an arcade-style game, this is your title. There is a free version as well.
Whats it about? Coachs Eye provides athletes a method to improve their technique using slow-motion video.
Whats it about? As well as allowing you to shop for athletic gear at DSG.com, this new app also lets you track and manage your rewards.
Whats it about? This huge, sprawling, satirical and entertaining role-playing game will see you embarking on numerous quests for coins and cleavage (oh my!).
Chameleon Launcher is a great new launcher for Android tablets. It lets you create multiple home screens, each with your own layout of widgets and apps. The in-built widgets are beautiful looking and help create a uniform look and feel which is easy to customize. The overall appearance of the launcher is very slick, but the price is steep at ten bucks. Still, Chameleon Launcher is an exciting new app with plenty of room for growth and enhancement. Whether youre willing to pony up the cash right now though is up to you.
With their compelling news apps for both smartphone and tablet, it was only a matter of time before Bloomberg brought their popular Manhattan-based radio service to Google Play in app form. Its a good one, too, offering streaming business and economics news 24/7, as well as many archived shows available on-demand. Also, It offers the latest market data with a customized scrolling ticker, bios of guests, and the ability to listen to shows offline. Its a great app for people looking for deep insight and in-depth coverage on financial issues.