The 10 Best Mobile Games You Can Buy Right Now
Overwhelmed by the App Store? Think Google Play’s too clunky? With so many mobile games being released every week, finding the ones worth a download can be a daunting task. Most often that means sticking to the top-grossing charts, but you’ll often miss some great stuff if you don’t dig deeper.
Rather than have you do the digging, though, we’re more than happy to handle the shovel. Here are the 10 best new mobile games of April 2015, and be sure to check out last month’s picks in case you missed them.
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (iOS | Android | Free)
There’s a reason why Hearthstone, the digital collectible card game from Warcraft maker Blizzard Entertainment, is a hit: it’s easy to start, tough to master, and wildly addictive the whole way through. And now it’s even harder to avoid. The game was recently ported to smartphones (it was previously available on PCs and iPads), and the latest expansion, Blackrock Mountain, adds a bunch of new cards. If you keep missing it, perhaps now’s the time to try.
Attack the Light: Steven Universe RPG (iOS | Android | $2.99)
The Steven Universe cartoon has developed a massive following, so it’s no surprise the sweet, snarky show would get its own mobile game. What is surprising, however, is how good it is. Played in the style of games like Super Mario RPG, it’s incredibly easy to learn, with an active combat system that rewards careful planning and timing. The series’ stellar art also makes a grand showing.
Lost Within (iOS | Android | $6.99)
Amazon Game Studios has released a handful of mobile games on Kindle devices, but Lost Within is its first try at branching out to other systems — and it’s a winner. The survival-horror game is set in an abandoned insane asylum and offers up some solid scares. Impressive, console-quality graphics really help it stand out. Just make sure the kiddies don’t get hold of it. Nightmare city.
Implosion: Never Lose Hope (iOS | Android | $9.99)
One of the most visually impressive mobile games ever released, Implosion: Never Lose Hope is definitely a showpiece. The game follows the style of fast, third-person action games like Devil May Cry, but sets it in a futuristic, cybernetic hellscape. Whee! The controls in Implosion are especially noteworthy, thanks to a unique, swipe-based mechanic that never feels like it gets in your way. It’s drawback? That hefty $10 dollar price tag, but to be fair, Implosion certainly offers plenty of bang for your buck.
Final Fantasy: Record Keeper (iOS | Android | Free)
Final Fantasy: Record Keeper sounds about as thrilling as doing your taxes. But for Final Fantasy fanatics, it’s actually a pretty sweet deal. Rather than focusing on a single story, Record Keeper jumps back in time to various moments throughout the history of the franchise. It even lets you mix and match different heroes from different games. Want Cloud and Tidus to team up and wreck shop? Have at it. If you’re not much of a Final Fantasy nut, though, you may want to look elsewhere for your RPG jollies. This game is strictly for the die-hards.
Star Wars Rebels: Recon Missions (iOS | Android | Free)
As Star Wars fever continues to rise, we’ll undoubtedly see more games set in and around the activities of Luke and the gang. The latest is tied to the Star Wars Rebels TV series, but it seems to be inspired by old-school Star Wars games like Super Empire Strikes Back (one of my personal favorites). Some cute customization effects add to the game’s replayability, though the controls take some adjusting. But it’s worth exploring for fans, especially since it’s free to play.
The Quest Keeper (iOS | Android | Free)
There have been plenty of Crossy Road clones since the Frogger-esque free-to-play game struck it big, but whileThe Quest Keeper adopts the Crossy Road control mechanic, it takes the gameplay in a different direction. As you progress deeper into dungeons, you’ll earn coins to spend on gear upgrades that increase your skills. You’re going to need them, since the randomly generated dungeons are filled with spikes, bottomless pits, and rolling logs of death. But with every death, I keep coming back for more.
Halo: Spartan Strike (iOS | Windows Phone | $5.99)
Ages ago, Halo was originally planned to come to Macs before Microsoft swooped in and secured exclusivity for the Xbox. Now the franchise finally appears on Apple devices, albeit in a top-down shooter format. Spartan Strike is actually the sequel to Spartan Assault (which dropped on Windows platforms last year), and it follows the same, arcade-y format. If you’re looking for the cinematic heights and competitive multiplayer of Halo, you probably won’t find it in Spartan Strike, but it’s still a solid action game and a must-play for fans.
Gunpowder (iOS | $4.99)
If you dig the prospect of setting up intricate, Rube Goldberg contraptions terminating in big, splashy explosions, Gunpowder is worth a look. At its heart, it’s a puzzle game, but terrific graphics and sound really help this one to stand out. The game’s storyline actually plays out like a Looney Tunes cartoon, with hand-drawn characters cheering your successes or mocking your failures. Jerks.
Spirit Lords (iOS | Android | Free)
Plenty of developers have attempted to recreate the Diablo format on mobile devices. Spirit Lords is the newest stab at the hack-and-slash-and-loot genre, and it includes some pretty hardy features: four-player online co-op, gear that changes the look of your character, and a slick, Pokemon-esque pet raising system. The only downside? No offline play. And given the iffy nature of mobile connections, you basically need to be connected to Wifi to get the most out of it. But if that’s not an issue for you, definitely give Spirits Lords a swing.
