Over the years mobile gaming has gone from simple ideas like Snake to complex multiplayer epics such as Heroes of Chaos and Order. Many companies have found a way to bridge the gap between the two and create some spectacular mobile games. Many of you have already heard of/played those on top of the big lists like Clash of Clans, Angry Birds, Flappybird and Temple Run. Here are a few games to get that short satisfying quick fix while you need something to hold you over, whether it’s a few min or a half hour. In no specific order we begin with:
1. Nimble Quest
(Arcade/Action Game)
It’s the most epic conga line you’ve ever seen!
Nimble Quest looks like an old Final Fantasy game at first glance, which is a huge plus, but plays like Snake from those old Nokia phones. So what happens when you mix those two together? Incredible things. You start off with a few characters and slowly amass your way to a small army of unique individuals. Characters are unlocked for completing a stage, which is accomplished by defeating all of the enemies and surviving. Characters level up to increase damage and health depending on how many killing blows they score. These upgrades persist throughout the game, giving this Snake-like remake some RPG elements.
Damn, that is a lot of kills. >.> A lot of characters too.
This game is beautiful in it’s simplicity and an absolutely addicting addition to your mobile gaming roster. It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s fantastically epic. Every character is unique in their design and abilities. There are a plethora of enemies and level designs, so even through the monotonous direction swiping you can find diversity. If you can’t stand leveling up your characters, then you can pay for power. GET THIS GAME, IT’S AWESOME.
Don’t run into enemies, the walls, or your friends, unless you’re acquiring them (to the right).
You can run into the chest though.
2. Groove Coaster (Zero)
(Rhythm Game)
Flying birds, aliens and lots of colors!
For those of you who have played Puzzle & Dragons you might recognize the name of this one. Groove Coaster is a rhythm based rush of excitement gleaming with awesomeness. The oversimplified controls are eclipsed by the beautiful nature of this game. All you have to do is tap, or swipe, at the correct time and enjoy the ride, kind of like how you would do Word Cookie Cheats. Each level is unique depending on the song and there are a few customization options that you can unlock. This game is hard to explain with just words, and pictures don’t really do it any justice. You ride along a track and tap to the beat, or whatever instrument is playing. Simple right? Just wait till the camera starts spinning around the seemingly simple designs.
Admit it, you have no clue what this is depicting…
Each song has two different ratings; a numeric based difficulty rating for overall complexity, and an Easy/Normal/Hard option. There are items to unlock for use during each stage, avatars with specific abilities, skins to change your bloom effect, and of course there are SONGS. You can play plenty of songs for free, you unlock more as you play and every level-up gets you a new song, or you can buy song packs for reasonable prices. I would recommend this game to anyone who likes rhythm games, flashy artwork that looks like it was born from Tron, and unique music choices. There’s some trance, dubstep, weird techno, punk, and even Christmas music! Go check this game out, it’s absolutely incredible and addicting!
This still doesn’t really help show anything.
3. Two Dots
(Puzzle Game)
We all start at the bottom.
Two Dots! If you use Pandora Radio at all, then you’ve probably heard the whimsical advertisement with the main theme playing in the background. Two Dots is another puzzle game, and it’s all about making squares (mostly). It’s far from ordinary due to the beautiful craftsmanship and energy put into it’s design. A very Indie atmosphere and style makes the game addicting to hear as well as play. Gameplay is simple, you connect however many dots you can and try to line up other combinations with each move.
Oooh, ahhh. So basic, but so bold.
Levels range from mindlessly simple to complex and intricate; some levels start with random arrangement of dots while others have recurring shapes or objective positioning. The one down side is that there is an element of luck due to the random nature of dots, but you can “re-roll” if you don’t like your starting configuration. To do so, you have to leave back to the map and re-enter the level, annoying but it can better your chances of a good start. There are various obstacles; anchors, ice, fire and a few more once you get up to the higher stages. To help you out there are also crates that can be used once at the start of each level, these are also random and give you one out of a number of bonuses at the beginning. Crates are earned from Daily Quests which can be completed on any (easier) levels to use for those harder ones.
Oh great, more fire.. and ice.. and anchors….
Overall, Two Dots is a unique twist to a fairly common game-style. The soft colors and catchy tunes make it enjoyable to play all the time. The game is also free and if you feel so inclined to do so, you can buy some help whenever you want.
4. Super Hexagon
(Minimal Action Game)
Important words. Don’t die.. DON’T DIE…
Super Hexagon is an addictive, fast-paced puzzle-action-pattern based game. Pictures don’t give this game justice, you need to watch a video to see what this is all about. There are levels, difficulties and chiptune music. What else do you need? Simple and genius in all it’s design, for just a couple bucks you can spend all the time you want trying to master this game. You move left, you move right and you try not to die, over and over again. If you enjoy games that require lots of attention and work off your reaction time then this game is absolutely a must. Not only mobile, there is a full version on Steam as well. Not much else to say about this one, just go check it out!
That’s you, in the middle. That little triangle. Don’t hit any of the walls…
5. Quell (series)
(Puzzle Game)
The puzzle game of peace and tranquility
Quell is a beautifully mystifying puzzle game, you have to collect all the pearls in a number of moves. Usually there is only one correct combination for a perfect score, meaning you have to think about every move you make and the ones that follow ahead of time. Just as the above picture states, you swipe the raindrop in the direction you want and that’s it. There are plenty of other obstacles and challenges to be encountered like; gates, portals, matching blocks, spikes, switches, and in the newer releases (Reflect and Memento) there are even more crazy things happening.
Match male and female blocks together and they disappear! Just like your parents!
If you love puzzle games then Quell is an unrivaled match. If the puzzle is too hard, you can “buy a hint” with in-game tokens. You are rewarded these tokens for every level finished and if you get a perfect score, I ended up beating the game with plenty of remaining tokens and only used a few on those extremely difficult puzzles. Quell is free and the sequels are only a few bucks, so if you want something worth your money this is it. The art style and atmosphere of Quell is breathtaking, calm music and soft visuals create a zen-like masterpiece.
I’ll be honest, I have no idea what’s going on right here.