The 10 Best Mobile Games of October 2015

Overwhelmed by the App Store? Think Google Play’s too clunky? With so many mobile games being released every month, finding the ones worth downloading can be daunting. Sure, you could just stick to the top-grossing charts, but you’d miss out on some great stuff if you didn’t dig deeper.

Rather than have you do the digging, though, we’re more than happy to handle the shovel. Here are our picks for the 10 best mobile games released in October 2015 — and be sure to check out last month’s picks, in case you missed them.

Downwell

I’m not sure what motivated the cute little character in this charming but difficult platformer to hop into an open well, but I’m glad he (or she, or it) did. Luckily, the star of the fiendishly addictive Downwell has guns on his boots, which helps clear out all the terrible beasts living in the well. He also finds treasure, buys upgrades, and falls ever further into one of the best mobile games of the month. ($2.99 | iOS)

Hex FRVR

Tetris with hexes? That’s the gist of this astoundingly addictive game. It’s easy to play — just drag the hexes around the board to clear lines and set up big combos — but like any good puzzler, Hex FRVR is tough to master. Simultaneously challenging and meditative (unlike Tetris, the hexes don’t stressfully drip down the screen), it’s fast becoming a favorite. (Free | iOS, Android)

Chesh

Fans of the classic Archon will dig this bizarre spin on chess. It looks likes chess, sort of, but the rules change each time you play. Think that weird dragon squiggle moves diagonally? Nope, now it moves in an L-shape. Pulling from a pool of more than 500 different pieces, a game of Chesh is part learning, part doing, and part dying to do it over again. ($4.99 | iOS)

Dust: An Elysian Tail

It took Dust’s solo developer, Dean Dodrill, a good four years to craft this gorgeous, Metroid-like platform adventure game. It only took him one to port it to iOS, however, and for that, I am thankful. Though its controls aren’t quite as sharp as they are on consoles, this is a visual stunner that really shines on newer devices. ($5.99 | iOS)

Minecraft: Story Mode

Telltale Games has proven to be a master storyteller, but Minecraft? Really? Yes, really, and though Story Mode isn’t quite as mature or intense as games like The Walking Dead or Tales from the Borderlands, it’s well-written, playful, and a must for Minecraft fans. The first two episodes are currently out. ($4.99 per episode | iOS, Android)

Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons

Dust isn’t the only excellent console game making its way to mobile. Brothers was a big downloadable hit back in 2013, thanks in part to its emotionally-charged storytelling and clever puzzles. That’s all here in this pretty port, though the controls have suffered a bit in translation. Still, if you missed it on your Xbox 360, don’t make that mistake again. ($4.99 | iOS)

Prune

iOS owners are well aware of this Zen-like game’s greatness, but now Android types can finally start trimming their own digital trees. Prune’s stunning art style is matched by its terrific game play, which has players selectively slice off branches to help a tree navigate narrow passageways, contend with the wind, and reach the warming glow of the sun. ($3.99 | New to Android)

Please, Don’t Touch Anything

It’s more a suggestion than anything, because touching things is the point of this ridiculous, riotous puzzle game. More than 20 endings await those brave enough to fiddle with a wealth of mysterious knobs and buttons after being expressly told not to touch anything. You’re not the boss of me, video game! ($4.99 | iOS)

The Balloons

We’ve seen endless runners, endless flappers, and endless fallers, but The Balloons might be the first endless floater. So that’s something. It also happens to be cute, simple, and fun, tasking you with guiding a balloon on a journey to wherever balloons go when they float away. Probably Europe. (Free | iOS, Android)

Super Sharp

Turn your blunt finger into a keen-edged instrument of blocky destruction in this brilliant little physics game. Swipe to slice blocks, though figuring out exactly where to slice them is part of the challenge. With simple, crisp graphics and smartly built puzzles, Super Sharp is a cut above most mobile time killers. ($1.99 | iOS)

When he isn’t tapping on his smartphone, Ben Silverman is tapping out faves likes on Twitter.