Top 10 best Android games of April 2013
Card fights, hungry critters, Snake reinvented, and one-on-one pucking
We'll be honest - after a stellar month of Android gaming in March, we didn't have particularly high hopes that April would be able to match it.
While the past 30 days may appear to have been relatively muted by comparison, look a little closer and you'll find some genuine treats.
Actually, you don't have to look a little closer. We've done it for you.
In case you're new to this feature, here's how it works: we take a look back at our own Android reviews section from the past month. We also take a peek at the Quality Index boards, and feed in any interesting titles that have caught our attention during the month.
Of course, this list is far from definitive, so please do tell us what your own favourite Android games of the month were in the comments section below.
Cut the Rope: Time TravelBy ZeptoLab - buy on Android
Om Nom's return doesn't reinvent the spherical candy, but it does provide a neat elaboration of the airtight original. Cut the Rope: Time Travel introduces a second hungry monster to feed in increasingly inventive - and challenging - ways.
Tekken Card TournamentBy Namco Bandai - buy on Android
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Replacing Tekken's tense, button-mashing pugilism with a card-battling system sounds like a recipe for a virtual limp-wristed slap rather than the roundhouse kick fighting fans are accustomed to. But, surprisingly, Tekken Card Tournament is ace. It's tense, strategic, and extremely satisfying to play.
They Need To Be Fed 2By Bit Ate Bit - buy on Android
Like Cut the Rope: Time Travel, They Need To Be Fed 2 offers more of the same following a polished original. We had some reservations about the developer's decision to save some of the best content until very late in the day, but this is still a highly accomplished platformer.
Trial of the CloneBy Tin Man Games - buy on Android
Another fine gamebook from Tin Man Games, Trial of the Clone tells a darkly humorous sci-fi tale, and lets you make the important decisions. With numerous nods to geek culture (you can even have Wil Wheaton read it to you) and plenty of in-jokes, this is a winner for all sci-fi fans.
Symphony of the OriginBy Kemco Games - buy on Android
With Symphony of the Origin, Kemco has eschewed its usual porting strategy in favour of building a mobile RPG from the ground up. The result is a beautiful-looking JRPG, though the hokey plot and dodgy English translation hold it back from being a true great.
Pili Pili RushBy The Game Atelier - buy on Android
Stripping the platformer back to its single-screen roots, and far more reminiscent of Donkey Kong and Bubble Bobble than Mario and Sonic, Pili Pili Rush is a beautifully condensed series of against-the-clock fetch quests. It looks a treat, too.
Frontline Commando: D-DayBy Glu Mobile - buy on Android
Damien described Frontline Commando: D-Day as "WWII-meets-Whac-A-Mole" in his review, which is as apt a description as any. The idea here is to pop out of cover and take out some Nazis before being swept along to a new war-ravaged location. If you don't have enough widescreen spectacle in your life, Glu's got the solution.
Nimble QuestBy NimbleBit - buy on Android
It wasn't so long ago that the height of mobile phone gaming sophistication was a brand-new version of Snake. Things have moved on massively, but that doesn't mean we're not glad to see a reimagined take on Snake with action-RPG elements folded in. That's what Nimble Quest is, essentially, and it's top fun to boot.
Jones On FireBy Glass Bottom Games - buy on Android
Yes, Jones On Fire is yet another endless-runner. It also hasn't sold particularly well, prompting a recent pricing rethink from the developer. But it's certainly got its charms, chiefly in the shape of a striking retro-3D visual style and the irresistible premise of saving kitties from being scorched.
Ice RageBy Mountain Sheep - buy on Android
Here in the UK, Mountain Sheep is better known for the likes of Minigore, Bike Baron, and Death Rally. Elsewhere, it hit big on iOS with Ice Rage, a frantic arcade one-on-one ice hockey game. Now the game has finally hit Android, and it's as fun as ever. You can even play two-player on the same Android handset.
Top 10 best Android games: March 2013
Top 10 best Android games: February 2013
Top 10 best Android games: January 2013
Top 10 best Android games: December 2012
Top 10 best Android games: November 2012
Top 10 best Android games: October 2012
