Big Games in a Small Package
A few weeks ago, we took a look at some awesome games for Android devices in general. Today, we're taking a peek at a few more Android games, but these are titles that work better on the tablet form factor due to the bigger screen real estate, interface, or just straight up technical hardware wizardry. Check out these 20 games for Android tablets.
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1. Angry Birds Star Wars HD
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Angry Birds is a ubiquitous mobile game series that's hit on a good formula of classic catapult demolition gameplay, accessible art style, and sound puzzle design to spawn a hit gaming franchise. The latest release, Angry Birds Star Wars, takes Angry Birds' classic formula and adds new powers and puzzles inspired by George Lucas' classic space opera series.
Verdict: Good fun for all ages and gamers.
Score: 4/5
Bad Piggies HD
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Rovio's Bad Piggies flips the Angry Birds franchise on its head. Instead of smashing things, players must aid the swine by cobbling together devices to get the pigs to where they want to be. Set up improbable Rube Goldberg machines out of odds and ends in order to accomplish your objectives and keep the Piggies in one piece.
Verdict: Not quite as intuitive and easy to pick up as Angry Birds, but still a fun physics puzzle game. Now time to make some pigs fly!
Score: 4/5
Neuroshima Hex Lite
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Seize control of the post-apocalyptic remnants of humanity with Neuroshima Hex! A mobile port of the Polish board game of the same name, players take command of one of disparate factions of survivors attempting to destroy their rivals by laying down hex tiles representing troops. Set up your assault while blocking off your opponents, and when the battle tile is played, hell is unleashed. The game includes detailed rules and links to video tutorials, and supports 2-4 player battles against a competent AI or pass-and-play multiplayer. Unfortunately, Android players are still waiting for online multiplayer, which has already been implemented on iOS. The Lite version only allows you to play against the AI and with limited army access. The full version unlocks more armies with additional ones released as IAPs (in-app purchases).
Verdict: A good, tough tile combat game that's great for playing against the AI or your friends. Now, if only online multiplayer were implemented, this would be perfect.
Score: 4/5
Fruit Ninja THD
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Become the avatar of juice-splattering, fruity destruction in Halfbrick Studio's Fruit Ninja! Your Sensei has told you that all ninjas hate fruit, and who are you to argue with Sensei? Practice your swordsmanship by swiping your finger across the screen in a deranged, medieval version of skeet shoot. Don't let any fruit past get past you, but watch out for bombs! Cutting up multiple fruits with a single slice earns more points! It's simple, splatter-pulp fun as your screen quickly fills up with sliced fruit and splattered juices. The THD version takes advantage of the Tegra graphics chip to deliver even better splattery goodness.
Verdict: Let out some aggression in this fast-paced slicing game.
Score: 4/5
Heroes of Order And Chaos
Gameloft's Heroes of Order and Chaos is an impressive attempt to bring MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) gaming to mobile formats. Heroes of Chaos is a multiplayer game with players choosing specialized teams of heroes to lead against in battle against their enemies. New heroes cycle in and out every week, though players can choose to buy personal favorites for everyday use, and the game supports 5-on-5 sessions. Heroes of Order and Chaos has a surprisingly good interface with responsive movement and easily accessible icons.
Verdict: An ambitious attempt at bringing MOBA gaming into portable form.
Score: 4/5
Triple Town
Spry Fox LLC's Triple Town is a simple, addictive match three game. Players try to build the biggest town they can, earning points by matching three objects of the same kind in order to create the next object up the hierarchy. Three clumps of grass make a bush, three bushes make a tree, three trees to a house, etc. Along the way, you need to outwit giant bears who will get in the way of your construction plans. Free-to-play, Triple Town uses a time energy mechanic, though you can use in-game points to buy turns, or purchase unlimited turns with real money.
Verdict: Simple, accessible, and addictive, even without resorting to IAPs, Triple Town is a great casual time waster.
Score: 4.5/5
Words with Friends Free
Zynga's Words with Friends is a multiplayer Scrabble-like game where players compete for the highest score by forming words on the board and taking advantage of previously laid down letters and special tiles in order to magnify the points of their words. Asynchronous multiplay allows you to play at your own pace, with up to twenty games open at any one time. Play with your friends and contacts, or against random strangers, and keep in touch with in-game chat messaging. Additionally, a notifications system informs you when your turn rolls around, allowing you to get right to it.
Verdict: A classic word game that can quickly get addictive.
Score: 4/5
Dead Trigger
Dead Trigger is a free-to-play shooter by Madfinger Games. It's the zombie apocalypse, naturally, and it's up to you to blast your way through the shambling hordes, save other survivors, and secure your supplies. Dead Trigger features really impressive "console quality" graphics for a mobile game, and a decent, dual-stick style control system (though fine-point aim can be a bit problematic). There's a story in the game somewhere but, really, the game is all about the visceral thrill of taking on the zombie hordes while armed with a broad array of weapons and scratch-built gadgetry. That's great, because if the gameplay wasn't this good, grinding your way through the various levels and missions in order to earn in-game currency would otherwise be extremely tedious.
Verdict: An excellent free-to-play zombie shooter with impressive graphics.
Score: 4/5
Global Outbreak
Zooming out from the survivor's view to the commander's, we get Global Outbreak, a free-to-play strategy game where players take the role of mercenaries fighting the zombie apocalypse. The game plays out on the tactically and strategically as players direct their mercenaries through a top-down view, slaying zombie hordes and rescuing VIPs while taking command of the global conflict by building a network of helicopter bases and turrets to contain and eliminate zombie outbreaks. It's the strategic level that is this game's blessing and curse, as the worldmap system, while well designed, takes a fair amount of real time (constructing bases can take 15 minutes, and some research projects more than an hour). This means the game oscillates between tactical action segments and lots of thumb-twiddling in the slow worldmap mode. Being free-to-play, of course, there's an option to spend real money to skip the tedium.
Verdict: A compelling mix of top-down shooter action and node defense gaming is hindered by the energy time mechanic and the slow pace of the strategic map.
Score: 4/5
Shadowgun THD
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You could call ShadowGun the mobile Gears of War. Bounty hunter John Slade is tasked with tracking down a mad scientist and his genetically engineered creations and putting a stop to his schemes using a high-tech arsenal of weaponry. All cliche, but you're playing this game for the gory action, not the deep, soul-scouring plot. This third-person shooter delivers moody, gritty environments, tough enemy AI, and cover-based gameplay. It delivers hours of entertainment, and the expansions 'ShadowGun: The Leftover' and 'ShadowGun: Deadzone' offer more single player action and multiplayer mayhem respectively.
Verdict: If you're looking for a good Android 3PS cover shooter, look no further.
Score: 4.5/5
Shadowgun: Deadzone
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Shadowgun Deadzone is the free, multiplayer expansion of Shadowgun that allows players to duke it out in massive multiplayer mayhem. Supporting 12-player slugfests and featuring deathmatch, zone control game modes, and built-in voice chat, Shadowgun: Deadzone is a pretty impressive offering, regardless of whether or not you've played the single-player game.
Verdict: The same impressive graphics of Shadowgun wedded to a solid multiplayer game makes for an impressive package.
Score: 4/5
Mass Effect Infiltrator
Mass Effect Infiltrator is a mobile tie-in to Electronic Arts' Mass Effect 3 RPG shooter. Infiltrator puts players in the shoes of Randall Ezno, a Cerberus commando who turns against his masters once he finds out the shocking truth behind the conspiracy's machinations. Armed with high-tech weaponry, stealth armor, and awesome biotic powers, players are a one-man army hell-bent on stopping Cerberus's vile experiments. Progress in game can be tied into Mass Effect 3's Galaxy at War mechanic, providing extra resources to a player's campaign.
Verdict: Great graphics and levels combine with some awesome combat mechanics for a good Android 3PS. The controls can be a bit overwhelming, but not enough to drown out the fun of a neat game.
Score: 4/5
Dead Space
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The mobile Dead Space game is a tie-in to the hit video game series, with players taking on the role of Vandal, an agent of the Church of Unitology doing some less than savory assignments who gets caught up in a bloody Necromorph outbreak. Of course, this is the SF horror universe of Dead Space, and nothing is ever what it appears to be. Moody soundtracks, brooding environments, and tense, gory action keep the pressure on the player throughout. As Vandal's sanity unravels, can the Necromorph outbreak be stopped?
Verdict: Impressive graphics and controls combine for a solid Dead Space mobile experience that's aged pretty well.
Score: 4/5
Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour
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Gameloft's Modern Combat franchise is the closest we'll get to a Call of Duty on an Android tablet for the moment. Sure, you could call it just another derivative modern war shooter, but it's an excellently made one, hitting all the right points in graphic design, level design, gameplay, and online multiplayer. The singleplayer campaign? Well, the writing isn't really anything groundbreaking or fantastic, but you can cut it some slack with the richness of the gameplay that Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour delivers.
Verdict: An excellent mobile shooter with a solid single player campaign and great multiplayer. You'll pay a premium price point for this mobile game, but if you're a fan of FPS games, it's a good play.
Score: 4.5/5
NOVA 3
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N.O.V.A. 3 is the latest installment in Gameloft’s sci-fi shoot-em-up series. As Kal Wardin, you fight your way through stunningly rendered urban and alien landscapes with a deadly arsenal of weapons powered by your Mobile Armored Suit. N.O.V.A. 3 also offers fierce multiplayer battles with up to 12 players. The entire package is a thinly-veiled riff of marquee shooter franchises like Halo and Crysis, which isn't a bad thing. Like many mobile shooters, controls can feel a bit crowded and take some getting used to. Otherwise, N.O.V.A. 3 is one of the best shooters on Android.
Verdict: Loads of content augmented by a solid multiplayer make this an excellent choice for the mobile gamer looking for a good scifi FPS.
Score: 4.5/5
Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
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SuperBrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP is an audiovisual experience wrapped around an adventure game. You take control of the Scythian as she explores a gorgeously rendered pixel-art fantasy world, doing battle against strange creatures with her sword and using the magic of sworcery to solve puzzles. The beautiful soundtrack is one of the compelling draws of the game, meshing perfectly with the gameplay and its visuals. The beautiful art and soundtrack are accompanied by the fun writing for the narrator Archetype, and the Scythian's inner voice. This is best described as a silly hipster Conan. It doesn't break through the fourth wall. It never bothered to build one in the first place.
Verdict: Gorgeous pixel art, a great soundtrack, and a funny narrative voice all blend with light combat and a cool magic system to make for a memorable exploration and adventure game.
Score: 4.5/5
Minecraft Pocket Edition
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Minecraft Pocket Edition is a mobile port of Mojang's open-world sandbox classic that manages to capture much of the game's charm while distilling it down for the mobile platform. Explore enormous, randomly generated worlds, get busy terraforming, building fanciful structures and Rube Goldberg machines, and even have a blast with local WiFi multiplayer options. While it doesn't have everything the PC version has, Minecraft Pocket Edition, like it's desktop sibling, is a game constantly in development, with new features always being worked into the game.
Verdict: Minecraft Pocket Edition manages to retain the charm of its PC sibling, which mostly excuses the finicky touch controls. New features are constantly being added, so it's got great replayability, especially if you're the kind of player that likes to tinker and explore, rather then rush towards the next quest marker.
Score: 4/5
The Bard's Tale
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The Bard's Tale is a humorous, off-kilter action RPG with players controlling the Bard, a snarky, wisecracking, amoral rogue on an eternal quest for coin and cleavage. Armed with blade or bow as well as wits and wizardry, the Bard can lay down a beating or summon minions to do his fighting for him, abilities that he'll need given his propensity to get into and out of trouble. A side-splittingly funny RPG looselyinspired by the original 1980s computer games, The Bard's Tale is a hilarious addition to your games collection.
Verdict: Witty writing and some impressive graphics (especially on the hi-res Tegra 3 option) make for a fun action RPG game to while away the time.
Score: 4.5/5
Horn
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Horn is an action-RPG that feels like a meshing of Infinity Blade and Ico. The game puts you in the shoes of Horn, a young blacksmith's apprentice who wakes up one day to realize that a mysterious evil has ravaged the land and turned everyone into monsters. Armed with strength, wits, and the ability to craft, Horn must battle monsters, solve puzzles and explore a changed world in order to restore order and undo the curse that has warped his homeland.
Verdict: Graphically and musically gorgeous, we can forgive slight movement clunkiness for the sheer beauty of the art and the gameplay.
Score: 4.5/5
Great Big War Game
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A lighthearted wargame with a distinctly cartoonish style, Great Big War Game draws inspiration from such games as Advance Wars and other turn-based strategy titles. Cartoony graphics mix with some solid gameplay to create a wargame that can appeal to the casual gamer and the wargaming grognard alike. A single player campaign delivers hours of entertainment, while skirmish modes and asynchronous multiplayer provide added replayability.
Verdict: A light-hearted beer and pretzels romp that's loads of fun for casual players and wargaming vets alike.
Score: 4/5
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