7 awesome Android and iOS games you've probably never heard of
The mobile gaming market is a flooded one. There are new games coming out each day, and developers really struggle to make a splash in the huge ocean that are the various app stores. And while the majority of the unknown titles remain unknown for a reason, there are these select few that really deserve more exposure.
So, in order to give them said exposure and try and boost the confidence of some pretty solid developers by increasing their download stats, we decided to go digging through game development forums, subreddits and message boards for a portion of these diamonds in the rough.
So, without further ado, here are seven awesome Android games that you've probably never heard of.
Ever wondered what would happen if you cross a classic memory puzzle with a classic dungeon crawler? Neither did we, but apparently someone did, because Memory Dungeon RPG is exactly that kind of a crossover.
While it is pretty simple, and its sound design could use some work, it's quite entertaining when you have to wait for the bus, or have a few minutes to spare. We only wish the dungeons were procedurally generated, instead of a finite number.
Jumps and Falls is a simple game that has a grand total of four main elements – two platforms, a strip of spikes and the player. The goal is to jump high enough to land on the platform above you, without hitting the spikes on top. Jump too low, or too high and you die.
The game features simple one-click controls. You just hold your finger on the screen until you reach the desire jump strength and release it to jump. However, it's insanely hard to hit it just right. And, trust me, you will get frustrated at some point. Despite that, the game is highly addictive and endless, which makes for a great time-killer.
If your game's description starts with “Kundi the Super Dog is on a mission”, you can't go wrong.
Woof Patrol puts you in the shoes of said pooch, as it jumps from one rooftop to the next, protecting his city from evil robbers. Landing the jumps just right is essential, because if you fall off a roof, you have to start over. There is also supposed to be a robber punching mini-game, but since we can't get past the sixth roof, we have yet to see it.
The graphics, however, are quite charming and well-done for such a small studio. The music is also quite pleasant and relaxing, with a hint of a noir feel to it.
Yet another addicting “jump to the next thing” game with a twist. And the twist is what makes it good. Neo Gravity will have you control, what the developers call, an Icon that simply spins around its starting planet, trapped by its gravity. In order to advance, you need to jump over to the next planet, and trap yourself in its gravity.
The challenge here is that planets have spikes that spin around them too, so you have to avoid those. Additionally, some planets have moons that you can collect for some extra score.
The graphics of the game are rather simple, and consist of neon-colored dots, but are still aesthetically pleasing. The sound is subtle enough not to irritate you over prolonged gaming sessions, but still helps to set the feeling that you're actually hopping around in space.
Whiteman is brutal, punishing and not for the faint of heart. If you manage to make more than 15 points in one run, consider it dumb luck. Each round lasts no more than a few seconds, according to our experience with the game.
The idea is simple – you control Whiteman, a constantly running ghost-like character. Tapping the screen makes Whiteman run in the opposite direction. In the meantime, bricks are falling from the sky. Touch a brick or the edge of the screen and you're dead. Collect a coin that's near the edge of the screen, and you get ten points.
Sounds easy, right? Wrong. At any given second, there are enough bricks on the screen to build a pizza furnace, Whiteman runs so fast that you need to have the reflexes of a Bengal tiger to keep him alive, and it all happens in portrait mode so your game area is extremely limited. Hesitate for a fraction of a second and you're done.
But please, do give it a try and let us know what score you managed to achieve. Our best is 23.
Cluckles' Adventure is a weird mix between Angry Birds and Super Meat Boy. You assume the role of a brave little chicken that sets out to rescue the baby chicks that were kidnapped (or chicknapped) by the evil minions. The minions in question include rats, snails, skeletons and some weird spitting plants.
The gameplay resembles that of Super Meat Boy – a twitch platformer that will test your reflexes and decision making skills under pressure. Each tiny mistake kills you. There are no health or lives. Touch an enemy or an environmental trap and you need to start the level over, period.
Despite the game being made by a tiny studio as its first project it's extremely well-done, looks gorgeous and shows potential for its devoted developers.
If you're a fan of manager simulators, and a fan of eSports, you will definitely appreciate this game. And even if you don't actually know what eSports are, it's still a solid management game that you can have fun with.
eSports Manager puts you in charge of a competitive video games team, and it draws inspiration from the professional Counter-Strike scene. You will have to keep your players happy, complete assignments by your sponsors, win matches and gain fans. And it would have been extremely easy to do if it wasn't for the limited cash you're supposed to do it with.
The game is split into two modes. One is the management aspect between matches, where you have to please players, fans and sponsors while keeping an eye on your budget; the other is the matches themselves, where you have to assign strategies to your players, choose their weapons and keep them pumped in order to win the game.
It's not the best looking game and it would definitely benefit from some better audio, but the solid gameplay makes up for both, so it's definitely worth picking up.
So, without further ado, here are seven awesome Android games that you've probably never heard of.
Memory Dungeon RPG
Price: Free
Developer: Epic Egg Studio
Download: Android
Ever wondered what would happen if you cross a classic memory puzzle with a classic dungeon crawler? Neither did we, but apparently someone did, because Memory Dungeon RPG is exactly that kind of a crossover.
The game has your character crawling through 50 different “dungeons” that are actually classic memory puzzles, where you have to match two tiles of the same kind. When you do, you either get an experience or health boost, or you deal damage to the enemy, depending on the type of tiles you matched. When you make a mistake, though, the enemy damages you. And that's the whole game.
While it is pretty simple, and its sound design could use some work, it's quite entertaining when you have to wait for the bus, or have a few minutes to spare. We only wish the dungeons were procedurally generated, instead of a finite number.
Jumps and Falls
Price: Free
Developer: Ruslan Abdullakh
Download: Android, iOS
Jumps and Falls is a simple game that has a grand total of four main elements – two platforms, a strip of spikes and the player. The goal is to jump high enough to land on the platform above you, without hitting the spikes on top. Jump too low, or too high and you die.
Woof Patrol
Price: Free
Developer: Karben-Plass
Download: Android
If your game's description starts with “Kundi the Super Dog is on a mission”, you can't go wrong.
Woof Patrol puts you in the shoes of said pooch, as it jumps from one rooftop to the next, protecting his city from evil robbers. Landing the jumps just right is essential, because if you fall off a roof, you have to start over. There is also supposed to be a robber punching mini-game, but since we can't get past the sixth roof, we have yet to see it.
Neo Gravity
Price: Free
Developer: Heizhu
Download: Android
Yet another addicting “jump to the next thing” game with a twist. And the twist is what makes it good. Neo Gravity will have you control, what the developers call, an Icon that simply spins around its starting planet, trapped by its gravity. In order to advance, you need to jump over to the next planet, and trap yourself in its gravity.
The challenge here is that planets have spikes that spin around them too, so you have to avoid those. Additionally, some planets have moons that you can collect for some extra score.
The graphics of the game are rather simple, and consist of neon-colored dots, but are still aesthetically pleasing. The sound is subtle enough not to irritate you over prolonged gaming sessions, but still helps to set the feeling that you're actually hopping around in space.
Whiteman
Price: Free
Developer: Ludeku
Download: Android
Whiteman is brutal, punishing and not for the faint of heart. If you manage to make more than 15 points in one run, consider it dumb luck. Each round lasts no more than a few seconds, according to our experience with the game.
The idea is simple – you control Whiteman, a constantly running ghost-like character. Tapping the screen makes Whiteman run in the opposite direction. In the meantime, bricks are falling from the sky. Touch a brick or the edge of the screen and you're dead. Collect a coin that's near the edge of the screen, and you get ten points.
But please, do give it a try and let us know what score you managed to achieve. Our best is 23.
Cluckles' Adventure
Price: Free
Developer: Little Adventures
Cluckles' Adventure is a weird mix between Angry Birds and Super Meat Boy. You assume the role of a brave little chicken that sets out to rescue the baby chicks that were kidnapped (or chicknapped) by the evil minions. The minions in question include rats, snails, skeletons and some weird spitting plants.
The gameplay resembles that of Super Meat Boy – a twitch platformer that will test your reflexes and decision making skills under pressure. Each tiny mistake kills you. There are no health or lives. Touch an enemy or an environmental trap and you need to start the level over, period.
Despite the game being made by a tiny studio as its first project it's extremely well-done, looks gorgeous and shows potential for its devoted developers.
eSports Manager
Price: $1.99
Developer: Testudo Games / Greg Heath-Kelly
If you're a fan of manager simulators, and a fan of eSports, you will definitely appreciate this game. And even if you don't actually know what eSports are, it's still a solid management game that you can have fun with.
The game is split into two modes. One is the management aspect between matches, where you have to please players, fans and sponsors while keeping an eye on your budget; the other is the matches themselves, where you have to assign strategies to your players, choose their weapons and keep them pumped in order to win the game.
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