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10 Best Android Games 2015: Our Top Picks
We take a look at some of 2015’s best Android games
There are hundreds of thousands of Android games out there, but let’s be honest: most suck, many are okay, but only a few are the best. Here we’ve assembled a list of the 10 best Android games for 2015. They’re not presented in any order and, as you’ll see, they run a gamut of genres and styles of play. Of course what makes a “good” game is subjective, so we’re not saying there aren’t any other great games out there. Matter of fact, if your favorite didn’t make this list we’d love to know about it. Be sure to let us know in the comments!
Marvel Contest of Champions (free)
Marvel’s Contest of Champions is part fighter, part role play and is based off the “Contest of Champions” storyline from the 1980s. In it The Collector summons you to lead a team of Marvel heroes to fight against Kang, who has also summoned his own team of Marvel heroes. You build up your team and earn powers by fighting battles, which you can then use to improve your character’s special skills. The graphics are truly stunning for a mobile game, and the battles really don’t get old. If you’re a Marvel fan, you’ll love the huge amount of–sometimes obscure–characters in this game. But the keen eye will also notice every single character included in this game will be appearing in a Marvel movie in the next five years. Shrewd marketing? Sure. Lots of fun? You bet.
Badland (free)
Badland is probably the most beautiful side scroller we’ve seen on Android. In it you play the inhabitant of what on the surface looks like a beautiful fairytale forest, but you soon know there’s some, quite frankly, creepy stuff going on in the background. The aim of the game is to explore this side-scroller’s levels to find out what’s going on. The game uses some of the best physics gameplay we’ve encountered.
Goat Simulator (£3.29)
And now for something completely different…Goat Simulator is a game that simulates what it’s like being a goat. No joke. The game started out as an in-house joke between a few developers and has quickly become something of a phenomenon. In it you play a goat and your goal is basically to wreck things using the goat. Yes, that’s it. But it’s fun as hell.
Plague Inc. (free)
If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if there were a large-scale plague outbreak, wonder no more. In the game you play an evil scientist/terrorist who has created a plague. Your job is no less that the complete eradication of mankind. The game is a mix of simulation and strategy and has been hailed for its accuracy–so much so the US Centers for Disease control actually invited the developer to speak at the CDC about disease modeling!
Hitman GO (£4.79)
If you’re a fan of the first-person shooter Hitman video game series, Hitman GO…is nothing like that–it’s even better. Instead of FPS action Hitman Go is a highly visualized turn-based puzzle game not that different than chess, if the object of chess were to assassinate people. But forget about the style of play. This game needs to be downloaded by everyone because it is jaw droppingly beautiful. Every level is a diorama-style set piece that looks like a stunning scale model you might see in an architecture firm’s lobby. Everything from the design to the lighting to the music and sound effects is styled to perfection.
Ravensword: Shadowlands 3d RPG (£4.37)
There’s no shortage of good RPGs out there on Android, but we really love Ravensword: Shadowlands for its immense 3D worlds. The game feature excellent sound effects and lighting, on top of genuinely challenging gameplay. And with dozens of skills to learn, objects to acquire and even mounted combat, it’s a game you’ll never get bored of playing.
Monument Valley (£2.99)
Monument Valley is one of those games that make you marvel at how cool multi-touch gaming can be and that also makes you awestruck at the same time because it looks so beautiful. In the game you help Princess Ida navigate around surreal architectural mazes with impossible geometry–manipulating the world to help her clear a path through it. Almost just as beautiful as the graphics are the accompanying sound effects. It’s a short game, but well worth the price.
Into the Dead (free)
Into the Dead is a great take on endless runner games. You play a human who has survived a helicopter crash and landed right in the middle of a field overrun by the living dead. Your aim is to keep running as fast as you can so you’re not eaten–avoiding obstacles and the living dead along the way. It’s a terrifically creepy and atmospheric runner. Don’t play it in the dark!
Threes! (£2.30)
Threes! is the addictive numbers puzzler that has taken the mobile world by storm. In it you mesh numbers together to match them. Once matched, those numbers double. Your goal is to match as many numbers on the board before it fills up. Give it a download and I can guarantee you’ll realize you’ve never played a better time waster. And the little voices the number blocks talk in are just a huge bonus (you’ll see what I mean).
Does not Commute (free)
Does Not Commute, a beautifully designed game with some of the best lighting I’ve seen in a while. In the game you navigate cars through a neighborhood by dragging their driving route with your finger. Seems easy enough, but as you navigate each additional car, you have to make sure it doesn’t run into the cars you previously navigate through the neighborhoods. So fun, so addictive. Download it now.
Main image credit: Johan Larsson
Michael Grothaus
16:19, 10 Aug 2015