Top 10 best Android games of 2012 (so far)
You didn't think we'd leave Android out, did you?
It’s been something of a bumper year for Android in terms of gaming. After struggling in the shadow of the iOS App Store for quite some time, Google’s mobile platform is starting to gain a little bit of equality.
No longer are Fandroids denied the best mobile gaming delights - developers are now conducting simultaneous launches, or at least speeding up the process of porting over existing iPhone hits.
Given the sheer volume of top-notch titles in 2012, we’ve put our heads together here at Pocket Gamer to bring you the ten best Android games currently available. Feast your eyes, prime your phones, and get those fingers ready - it’s gaming time.
Mr LegsBy I Like James Games - buy on Android
This bizarre Android exclusive may resemble something from a childhood nightmare, but the thoroughly addictive gameplay ensures that you’ll be willing to weather the disturbing visuals.
Mr Legs likes gobbling fruit, and you have to help him by extending and retracting the limbs from which he takes his name. Inventive and appealing, the mixture of action and puzzling makes for a winning combo.
Triple TownBy Spry Fox - buy on Android
Match three puzzle titles may have been done to death, but Triple Town shows there’s still room for experimentation.
On the surface it looks like any other example of the genre, but the unique gameplay - which sees you combining environmental objects to create new ones - is both interesting and surprisingly deep.
New Star SoccerBy New Star Games - buy on Android
The world can be roughly divided into two camps: those who have played New Star Soccer, and those that haven’t. We honestly dread to think how many hours of potential productivity have been lost forever to the charms of this football simulation - and simulation it most certainly is, despite what the simplistic visuals might have you believe.
The enthralling career mode allows you to enjoy every aspect of the superstar player’s life, and the on-pitch action is fantastically rendered. Even if you have no interest whatsoever in football, this is essential stuff.
Draw SomethingBy OMGPOP - buy on Android
Draw Something burst into the mobile gaming scene in emphatic fashion, only to fade slightly amid tales of developer disharmony and plummeting player figures.
Despite this, it remains the best digital version of Pictionary we can mention, allowing you to challenge people from all over the globe to guess your random scribblings.
Epic Astro StoryBy Kairosoft - buy on Android
Japanese developer Kairosoft is usually a dead cert when it comes to quality gaming, and this futuristic offering is thankfully no exception. The challenge here is to populate a new planet, building factories, homes and spaceports in order to not only placate your people, but also attract friendly aliens to your world.
As is the case with all of Kairosoft’s games, this really should come with a warning attached - it’s hazardously addictive.
Gunman CliveBy Bertil Horberg - buy on Android
With its cel-shaded look, old-school platform gameplay and steep learning curve, Gunman Clive is the ideal tonic for those of you old enough to recall such classics as Sunset Riders, Contra and Gunstar Heroes.
Best enjoyed on Xperia Play - where the physical controls really do make a difference - this Wild West epic is a slice of good, old-fashioned action.
Angry Birds SpaceBy Rovio Mobile - buy on Android
Just when you thought you were sick to death of the on-going battle between birds and pigs, Rovio releases this unique take on the concept. As the title so plainly suggests, the action is transported from security of earth to the vast void of space.
As you might imagine, the usual physics don’t apply here; you’ll need to get to grips with the gravitation pull of the various planets and moons which populate each level.
Pocket ClothierBy Kairosoft - buy on Android
This is the second Kairosoft title in our top ten, and one of the most accomplished titles from the developer to date.
Granted, the premise may not get pulses racing in quite the same way as Epic Astro Story or Grand Prix Story - you’re in charge of a clothes shop, after all - but the way in which Kairosoft has augmented its typically gripping gameplay with new features and a revised interface really does make for a superior piece of software.
Bean's QuestBy Kumobius - buy on Android
Continuing our love of the old-school aesthetic, Bean’s Quest feels like every 16-bit platformer you’ve ever played, lovingly rolled into one compelling package.
On the face of it, you need to get the titular bean from one end of the level to the other, but there’s a deeper mechanic here; making the journey in as few jumps as possible bags you a better score.
Zombie SlashBy Glowing Eye Games - buy on Android
It may have taken a while to shamble over from iOS, but this comically gory take on the traditional tower defence concept was worth the wait.
It’s incredibly satisfying to dismember reanimated corpses using nothing but your digit, and the detailed visuals and abundance of items to unlock make it a compelling long-term experience.
