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Best Android GamesSource: Android Central

If you're looking for the best new games available in the Google Play Store, you've come to the right place. We update this list whenever a new game comes out that's worthy of being added to this list, so you'll always know about the latest and greatest games.

Whether you're new to Android and need some fresh, new games to start building out your Google Play library or simply looking for the latest trendy games that are worthy of your time and attention, these are the best Android games you can find right now.

Call of Duty Mobile

There was a ton of hype surrounding Call of Duty Mobile throughout the beta and ahead of it's global launch, and to the credit of Activision and TiMi Studios (a subsidiary of Tencent Games) the game is phenomenal and has quickly become one of the best and most popular mobile games to be released in 2019.

The only way CoD Mobile would work is if it felt like an authentic experience for CoD fans, and that's exactly what you get. While the Call of Duty franchise has featured some really awesome single-player campaigns, CoD Mobile focuses exclusively on multiplayer and manages to hit it out of the park by delivering the exact style of action fans have come to know and love.

A big reason why the game plays so well is due to the involvement of Tencent Games. They've been owning the mobile shooter space with PUBG Mobile, another game that's featured on this list, and fans of that game will recognize the familiar user interface and surprising gameplay performance that's been perfectly optimized for mobile. CoD Mobile makes use of the iconic multiplayer maps and really does a great job translating the fast-paced action that makes CoD so fun to play on other platforms.

The game features the core team deathmatch modes that Call of Duty is known for along with the Battle Royale mode that was introduced in the main franchise with CoD: Black Ops 4. They could have easily just stuck with the team deathmatch and still had a great game on their hands, but the inclusion of a 100-player battle royale mode — and a forthcoming zombie mode — only adds more value to the total package.

I've been playing CoD Mobile since the beta and it has been one of my go-to games whenever I've got a couple of minutes to kill. Because the game is so damn popular, it's super quick to jump into a match, whether you want to play with casuals or go up against more veteran players in a ranked match.

Because it's a free-to-play game, all the usual trappings including in-app purchases for buying in-game currency, which can then be spent on battle crates filled with random rewards, and a tiered progression path with premium subscriptions available that net you more rewards. Considering the console or PC versions of Call of Duty will set you back at least $60 upfront, along with all the eventual paid DLC and inevitable microtransactions for cosmetic upgrades, the mobile version feels superior in terms of value. You don't need to bust out your credit card to thoroughly enjoy this game — which is a big reason why Call of Duty Mobile demands a top spot on our list.

Download: Call of Duty Mobile (Free w/IAPs)

Vectronom

I love finding the quirky indie titles that always manage to fall into the cracks of the Google Play Store, not receiving the promotion and attention that they rightfully deserve. Vectronom falls into that category, delivering a captivating experience that merges level design and music together to create a puzzle platformer that you play as much with your ears as you do with your fingertips.

Vectronom is, at times, a psychedelic experience given the flashing colors and thumping electronic soundtrack designed to entrance you as you play. Each level changes to the beat of the music, and the game grades you on how well your cube's movement follows the rhythm. The game was previously released on Steam and for the Nintendo Switch, and while the game no doubt controls way better with a keyboard or controller D-pad I've had no issues with the touch screen controls that rely on swipes and taps.

As straight forward as the concept is here, you will be challenged by the complexity of the levels as you progress through the game. There are currently 31 levels available to play through, each with their own theme introducing new traps to dodge and level mechanics to master. The indie developers behind the game hope to continue to build out the game's content by taking music submitted by users and designing new levels around those tracks. While the game does incentivize you to revisit levels and try and beat them clean in one try or better sync your moves to the beat of the music, I'd absolutely love to see a community build around Vectronom that delivers more puzzles which are perfect for mobile play.

Download: Vectronom ($5.49 at Google Play Store)

Stardew Valley

If you've never heard of or played Stardew Valley before, it's basically a farming simulator built atop a robust 16-bit open-ended RPG that lets you play and develop your character and farm as you choose. The story begins with your character's arrival in Pelican Town, where you have decided to take over your grandfather's simple family farm.

What makes Stardew Valley such a joy to play is the freedom granted to the player to make the game your own. If you focus on building up your farm, the game is mostly about crop and resource management, which will certainly scratch a certain itch for mobile gamers given how popular that genre of RPG is on mobile — but with Stardew Valley, there's so much more for the player to explore.

Between planting and harvesting your fields, you can work to level up your character's skills with different tools by going fishing or foraging in the woods, head to town to socialize and build relationships with the townsfolk (and even get married, if you choose), or go off on a more traditional combat-based RPG adventure complete with quests to complete and monster-infested mines to explore.

Download: Graveyard Keeper ($7.99)

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Graveyard Keeper

Graveyard Keeper is a cemetery management sim that you can easily sink hours into while enjoying the dark humor of the rather grim subject matter. You may think a game that has you play the role of a town's gravedigger would be depressing and drab, but Graveyard Keeper's bright and colorful art style coupled with the open world and deep crafting mechanics keep things really interesting. You're also rewarded for cutting corners and getting creative. For example, you can start selling ground-up dead bodies to the local butcher, host witch-burning parties, or try and poison some of the local townsfolk to drive in more business.

That's the difference between a premium mobile title like Graveyard Keeper and most other free-to-play mobile sim games — collecting resources isn't time-restricted for hours and you're able to craft anything you need in the game just by foraging, completing quests, and maintaining your graveyard. You'll enjoy the extended play of exploring dungeons and completing quests to find rare supplies and other treasures.

As you can see from the trailer, this game is absolutely gorgeous with a concise and detailed art style and beautiful animations. Because this is a direct port of a PC/console game, you should prepare to sink many many hours into this game, which may include just figuring out the different menus and controls as you work out how to be the best Graveyard Keeper you can be!

Download: Graveyard Keeper ($9.99)

PUBG Mobile

It's pretty incredible how well PUBG Mobile plays on Android. What started out as a massive 100-player battle royale game has continued to grow and evolve into the all-time best action shooter game for mobile. Drop into massive maps loaded with weapons, ammo, tactical gear, and vehicles in classic battle royale modes. You drop in as a solo player or as part of a team and must use all your best skills to take down your opponents until you're the last man standing.

It's not unheard of for a popular PC or console release to find its way to Android, but you'll be surprised at how well PUBG plays on a smartphone. It's the best game available for Android despite some of the more frustrating aspects of the way the coolest loot is hidden in exploitive loot boxes that are simply should not exist. Nonetheless, the game is free-to-play and accessible for so many gamers.

I like to play with maxed-out graphics, but the game also lets you scale back the graphical detail so you can enjoy smooth gameplay even playing on an older device. If you've got a newer device, crank those settings to the max and enjoy one of the best looking mobile games I've played in a long while.

PUBG Mobile somehow delivers all the epic moments you'd expect the PC game scaled down perfectly for mobile devices, and they've truly embraced the success of adding a zombie mode which has already spawned a sequel mode. Get your squad together, and I'll see you on the battlegrounds!

Download: PUBG Mobile (Free)

Brawl Stars

Developed by Supercell, Brawl Stars is a fast-paced arena brawler that is unlike most other games on the Play Store. It's a departure from the Clash of Clans universe that has made Supercell a household name and instead lets players team up in a MOBA game that differentiates itself from others in the genre with it's colorful and cartoony look that's backed by great gameplay variety.

There are multiple game modes available, which rotate every couple of hours so there's always something new to play whenever you log into the app. These modes include:

  • Gem Grab: teams collect gems which spawn at the center of the map, and the first team to collect and hold 10 or more gems for 15 seconds win
  • Heist: teams must defend their safe of gems while strategically attacking the other team's safe.
  • Showdown: a Battle Royale mode with up to 10 players that's available for solo players or duos.
  • Bounty: teams battle to collect stars that are earned by kill opponents. The more kills you get without dying the bigger the star bounty on your own head.
  • Brawl Ball: a soccer match featuring the Brawl Stars cast. The first team to score two goals wins.
  • Seige: similar to Heist, except teams battle to collect the most screws which unleash a siege robot that attacks the enemy turret.
  • Robo Rumble: a time-based special event where teams of three take on wave after wave of robot enemies that include boss robots with very high hitpoints and damage.

Individually, each game mode is fun in its own unique way and could easily be its own standalone app, but by including all six modes on a rotating basis Supercell has elevated Brawl Stars to the next level. This is a really well-made game that just recently got a major update that overhauled the graphics with a fresh 3D-style design that looks even better. The only downside is the crate unlocking and card collecting aspects of the game, but at least it's all performance-based rewards and doesn't require you to arbitrarily wait hours to unlock each crate.

Download: Brawl Stars (Free w/IAPs)

Oddmar

Of all the games I've played in 2019, Oddmar stands out as one of my absolute favorites in part because it's absolutely gorgeous from its opening sequence through its beautifully animated levels that show a depth of detail you rarely see in a mobile game. I'm also somewhat biased because I absolutely adore well-crafted indie platformers but Oddmar still stands out for having a great protagonist and excellent story to tell.

You play as Oddmar, an exiled Viking who never quite lived up to his warrior ancestor who is granted special powers by a magical fairy. The timing is just right, as Oddmar has an opportunity to redeem himself by going on a journey of redemption.

Overall, the level design is pretty linear but never feels stale thanks to the good variety of enemies to bounce off of and the unique obstacles and some quick puzzles to solve to progress. On top of all that, Oddmar also comes across these hallucination-like Valhalla challenges that are mixed into most levels. These challenge you with a quick scrolling bonus level that add some really nice gameplay variety.

Touchscreen controls for platforming games are notoriously difficult to get right on mobile, but then a game like Oddmar comes along and shows the industry just how it's done. Everything feels just right with the left side of the screen controlling your horizontal movement and the right side dedicated to jumping, attacking, ground-pounding, and dash attacks.

You're able to play the first section of the game for free with the rest of the game unlocked with a one-time in-app payment of $5 — well worth it for one of the best games you'll play on your phone.

Download: Oddmar (Free, $4.99 to unlock full game)

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Holedown

It's hard to find a fun puzzle game that doesn't try to sell you on power-ups or extra lives or something.

That's just one of the reasons why Holedown is a standout game in 2018. Holedown will have you strategically blasting through to the core of celestial bodies — starting with asteroids and working your way up to the Sun — using the classic gaming formula of bouncing balls off blocks. Each brick has a number that represents the number of hits needed to destroy it, or you can destroying a supporting block clear out everything above it.

This is a pick-up-and-play game that's an easy concept to grasp but you quickly learn there's an amount of strategy and skill involved. All the bricks are curved, allowing you to set up tricky bank shots to clear out massive sections of blocks in one go. This will become quite important as the screen move up one row after every shot. If the blocks reach the top of the screen, it's game over.

Along the way, you will collect crystals which you spend on upgrades that give you more balls per shot, and more shots per round. These upgrades are crucial to completing the later planets but also let the earlier levels become more of a mindless distraction for your subway commute. All told, it won't take you too long to max out all your stats in Holedown, but that's mostly because it's so hard to stop playing this game once you start.

If you're a fan of physics-based puzzle games and are looking for a new obsession, Holedown is well worth your money!

Download: Holedown ($3.99 )

BattleChasers: NightWar

BattleChasers: NightWar is an award-winning JRPG that offers one of the most complete mobile RPG experiences you'll play in 2019 — and that's complete in the sense that there's no in-app purchases or paid DLC to worry about. Hallelujah!

Everything about this game is polished and complete, and it starts with a robust overworld that's filled with hidden dungeons to explore, epic bosses to take down, and other surprises along the way.

The turn-based combat is inspired by all the favorites you remember from the JRPG genre and is a real treat even for a casual fan like myself. Along with the dense and sprawling world to explore that's teeming with enemies to do battle with, there's also deep crafting elements as well for upgrading your team's weapons, armors, and magical jewelry. An RPG is only as good as its story and characters and given that this game is based on a graphic novel of the same name we're given fully developed characters and a compelling story.

The narrative focuses on the story of a young girl, Gully, as she takes up the quest of finding her long lost father, Aramus. He was a hero to the local village who never returned after setting off into the Grey Line, a near-impenetrable wall of mist that borders their homeland of which nothing has returned from once entering. Aramus had left behind a set of magical gauntlets rumored to grant untold powers to the wearer. Gully must learn to wield her father's gauntlets as she embarks on her own epic adventure past the Grey Line to uncover truth behind her father's final mission.

Gully is joined by a supporting cast that includes Knowlan the wise old mage who always travels with Calibretto, an ancient war golem built for battle that developed his own sentience and emotions but who can still kick ass in battle to defend his friends.

There's Garrison, a paladin who was friends with Aramus and feels compelled to protect Gully along her journey and lastly Red Monika, a rogue outlaw who manages to toe the line between good and evil. This game is definitely worth checking out if you're a fan of either BattleChasers or simply looking for a new JRPG to dive into.

Download: BattleChasers: NightWar ($9.99)

Chameleon Run

Published by the fine folks at Noodlecake Games, Chameleon Run is an auto-runner that tests your reaction time in ways that may hurt your brain a bit.

The name of the game is speed as you jump and dash across colored platforms. You have special jump skills and the ability to change color, and you've got to make it through each course but you're only allowed to touch objects that match your color. Seem easy enough? Well, think again!

As pretty as the game looks when it's running at full frame rate the real joy comes from the precise input on the two-touch controls. If you time a color switch just when you touch the platform you get a quick dash boost. Jump controls are equally precise and allow you to nail tricky double jumps with ease. Each level is designed to be non-linear, meaning there are multiple paths to take to make it to the finish, however, there are also three special objectives to complete for each level which will keep you coming back for more.

Overall, the game is pretty short, but it's designed to be one of those games that's ideal for speedrunning — although there's already some stiff competition out there. I feel like the game is missing one knock out feature — a course editor that allows players to upload their own levels. Or simply more levels perhaps with platforms of even more different colors to swap between. Still, for $2 it's one hell of a fun game.

Download: Chameleon Run ($1.99)

The Room: Old Sins

The Room: Old Sins is the latest epic puzzle game from Fireproof Games and the 4th in the award-winning 'The Room' puzzle game series. You are exploring the home of an ambitious engineer who has gone missing when you find a rather peculiar dollhouse in the attic.

Using a sophisticated eyepiece you're able to explore different rooms in the dollhouse that are filled with incredibly sophisticated puzzle boxes and contraptions. There's something really weird going on here, so maybe if you can solve all the puzzles you'll figure out what happened to the missing engineer and his wife.

If you've never played a game from "The Room" series before, just get ready for one of the more engrossing games you'll ever play on a mobile phone. The graphics and audio come together to create a wonderfully creepy vibe as you carefully inspect intricate objects and unlock secrets to help you on your journey.

If you want to catch up with the other games, you can snag The Room, The Room Two, and The Room 3 at discounted prices.

Download: The Room: Old Sins ($4.99)

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Pokémon Go

Back when Pokémon Go first launched in 2016, I jumped right on the bandwagon along with millions of others. Since then, we've seen the format copied by other brands hoping to cash in on the mobile AR gaming craze that Niantic has perfected, but nothing has come close to matching Pokémon Go's cultural impact or staying power. To this day, I still frequently come across Pokémon Go players out in the wild catching and grinding to level up and evolve their Pokémon, and that's impressive.

Even though I've personally stopped playing the game, the community appears as strong as ever with the game developers constantly adding new content, and gameplay features supported by in-game and real-life events for players to participate in.

For example, last December Niantic finally added PvP battling system that finally added the ability to battle against friends like they teased in the early trailers for the game. The latest in-game event this summer involved Team Rocket Grunts popping up all over the place and challenging you to battle against their Shadow Pokémon — which can also be caught using Raid Balls.

It's just nice to see this phenomenal game continue to grow and expand, and is why we've re-added it to our list of the best games for Android. Pokémon Go is still one of those rare games that is entirely free to play as long as you're willing to put in the physical work, with in-app purchases if you need a little boost along the way. Despite challengers from other brands trying to cash in on this unique mobile gaming genre, it feels the most authentic to its source material and continues to outpace the competition in terms of gameplay variety, scope, and popularity.

For the best Pokémon Go coverage on the internet hit up or friends over at iMore for the latest news, tips and tricks, and other great guides to help you out on your Pokémon Go journey.

Download: Pokémon Go (Free w/IAPs)

JYDGE

JYDGE is a gritty and violent top-down twin-stick shooter that is an absolute blast to play. You are the JYDGE, a cybernetic enforcement officer who uses his Gavel (see: BIG freaking gun) to dole out RoboCop-style justice.

Each level features different challenges that are required to progress but never feel like a slogging chore. Confiscating illegal cash along the way, you're able to upgrade JYDGE and his gavel with a deep selection of accessories. In that way, JYDGE retains the rogue-like element from its predecessor Neon Chrome by encouraging you to replay levels with different upgrade combinations until you complete all the challenges.

With a game that has you replay levels over and over again, it's imperative for a game to find that mix of great gameplay with an interesting soundtrack that isn't super annoying or repetitive — and JYDGE absolutely delivers.

Check out my full review if you need more convincing.

Download: JYDGE ($5.99)

Tesla vs Lovecraft

Tesla vs Lovecraft is the latest game from Finnish developers 10tons Ltd and it's a real treat. The game pits Nikola Tesla and his hi-tech inventions against a vengeful H.P. Lovecraft who has unleashed endless waves of nightmarish monsters that will quickly swarm around you unless you fight back.

This is an incredibly polished game that twin-stick controls for moving and shooting. The campaign gradually increases in difficulty with well over 200 enemies spawning on screen at one time if you aren't fast with your trigger finger. Fortunately, there are power-ups and perks aplenty which are accessible in rogue-like fashion. You collect XP as you slay monsters and get a new perk every time you level up. Power-ups and weapons randomly spawn on the map and you'll also want to collect the six pieces required to build Tesla's mech which can cut down any horde in short order.

The touchscreen controls feel comfortable and the game also offers great support for Bluetooth controllers which is always fantastic to see in a premium game. There's a ton of content built into the base game, along with some DLC available that offers new monsters, weapons and much more. Don't be worry, the game feels polished without needing to shell out more money, but once you've finally made it through everything that Tesla vs Lovecraft has to offer you might be glad there's a little bit more to explore.

Download: Tesla vs Lovecraft ($9.99 w/DLC)

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Death Road to Canada

Death Road to Canada is a $10 game — I want to open with that just to get the sticker shock out of the way before I talk about how awesome this freaking game is. (It's currently on sale for a dollar, though, which makes it an even better purchase.)

Facing a zombie apocalypse, you must lead a scrappy squad of somewhat interesting characters on a deadly mission to the relative safety of Canada. Along the way, you'll need to explore and loot places for supplies, while also managing your team's health and morale.

Everything in Death Road to Canada is randomly generated, making every play-through a unique experience in this dynamic road trip action-RPG. You can randomly generate your character and buddy or custom design your starting characters with different attributes to help them stay alive, but you probably don't want to get too attached unless you're a really good shot.

The controls admittedly take some getting used to, and there's a pretty steep learning curve as you learn which weapons are most effective and which times it's better to fight or run. And you will die, early and often, although that's part of the fun of a zombie apocalypse, right?

There's a ridiculous amount of depth in this game, including 10 different game modes to unlock. The price might seem a little steep, but if you're a fan of rogue-like zombie games, it's well worth the investment!

Download: Death Road to Canada ($9.99)

Stranger Things: The Game

Stranger Things: The Game is the tie-in mobile game that other companies wish they could churn out. It's a full-fledged action-adventure game with a full cast of playable characters, tons of collectibles, and a retro graphical style that fits into the show theme and setting.

The game presents the entire town of Hawkins, Indiana along with the adjacent Mirkwood Forest to be explored. It plays like a classic Zelda-style adventure game, with the ability to switch between characters lending itself to creating complex puzzles.

Credit Netflix's marketing team for spending the time to make sure the developers at BonusXP Inc. delivered something special for fans of the series. They've created a real winner here, and a true contender for game of the year — and I'm not even a huge fan of the source material.

The controls are optimized for mobile and there's great game design on display here. The overworld is vast and filled with secret areas to explore and familiar items from the show scattered throughout as collectibles.

There's just so much to appreciate here. Not only is it a faithful adaptation of the show, but it's also available for free with no in-app purchases or ads — although you can certainly count the game itself as being an ad for the second season of Stranger Things. Here's hoping it ushers in a new trend of substantial mobile games based on TV shows and movies.

Download: Stranger Things: The Game (Free)

Reigns: Her Majesty

Reigns was one of the best games of 2016 and actually won the first ever Google Play Indie Games contest. So needless to say we were pumped to check out the sequel.

In Reigns, you play as the monarch of the land and make decisions that affect four aspects of the kingdom: the church, the people, the army, and the royal wealth. Your goal is to keep all four in balance — if any meter fills to the max or is entirely depleted your reign is over… and a new reign begins!

The sequel plays nearly identically to the first game, except this time you play as the Queen instead of the King, complete with new characters to interact with and multiple branching storylines to discover. The gameplay is as easy as swiping left or right on cards and if it's anything like the first game there's a ton of great easter eggs to find along the way!

I would hate to spoil anything for this new game, but if you played the first one and are afraid that it's going to be too similar, I can assure you there are plenty of new mechanics to make this still one of the best games on Google Play in 2019.

Download: Reigns: Her Majesty ($1.50)

Updated November 2019: Added Call of Duty Mobile and Vectronom to our list!

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