With the advent of mobile gaming, developers are slowly releasing games that eclipses most console titles. Nintendo and Sony’s portable devices such as the 3ds and PlayStation Portable are currently taking hits from mobile devices. Androids and iOS are taking larger bites from their market shares every year. Android and iOS are slowly overtaking the portable gaming field.
With the release of Shadowgun on Android proves the platform is capable of bringing high budget games to the green robot. Yet despite as much we like to ramble on how iOS is limited, outdated and plain, game developers flock to them first. In most instances they are released for iOS first and hastily ported to Android (we’re looking at you words with friends). Many takes months to be ported and leave many Android gamers green with envy. While you know which side of the battlefield we sit in, there are a number of games we would like to someday see at the Android Market:
5. Scribblenauts Remix
Scribblenauts was first released for the Nintendo DS in 2009 to much critical hype. A sequel was then released a year later and followed by the release of Scribblenauts remix for the iOS. Scribblenauts is a puzzle game where the player is tasked to complete a puzzle with words. Confusing? Its premise is simple, using the nouns and adjectives, players can create bridges, animals and items to aid them to complete the game.
For example one level will task you with crossing a large body of water which you can easily solve by creating a bridge. The Scribblenauts way? Create a purple dinosaur with wings and soar over the water. Have to knock down some bottles? Create a kangaroo, arm it with a fishing pole and watch as he knocks down them to the ground. The resulting events become hilarious. The game rewards creative players with higher scores for unique results and encourages different paths to solve a puzzle.
For those with dirty minds, Scribblenauts keeps it safe and does not allow you to input any words that would make your Grandmother blush. Additionally, licensed characters and products are not represented in the game. Despite the understandable omission, Scribblenauts library is massive. Each item or animal conjured up behaves exactly as they would in real life. Physics comes into play as you build and blast things out of the way. Also coupled with charming graphics, this game is entirely unique in game play and the puzzle provides a number of options to solve. Scribblenauts never fails to surprise as the solution you thought of, comes alive on screen.
4. Modern Combat 3: Fallen Nation
Despite being announced for Android, Modern Combat 3 has been sailing on the Apple’s App store for a number of months. Those who are not familiar with Gameloft games, you’ll find that most of their games closely resembles high caliber console titles. With this third release in their first person shooter franchise, Modern Combat 3 seems to close the gap. With rich graphics and realistic weapon, and a stronger multiplayer this military shooter pack quite a punch.
Just like the source which inspired it, the story is a bit farfetched. In an effort to finally beat the United States, Korea, Pakistan and Russia forms the group, KPR. With the intent of destroying your country, this becomes an excuse to blow things up. Modern Combat 3 takes you on 13 action packed levels and a number of scripted events. You’ll be gunning from Los Angeles streets to manning an AC 130 as you hail gunfire from above.
Fans of Black Pegasus will find that the multiplayer have been revamped in this sequel. With 12 players across 6 maps and 7 game plays, and the introduction of kill streaks, Modern Combat shamelessly resembles many first person military shooters. In no time you’ll be calling in Air strikes and UAV’s, ranking up and customizing you load outs. If all this sounds familiar, it’s the same concept as big budget titles on console. It’s Modern Warfare in your pocket, and it plays just as well as it looks.
When will it be released for the green robot? Looking at Gameloft’s track record for Android, I can imagine a limited number of device availability and purchases made through their app store. Still, with this console level game, it’s something to look forward to.
3. Groove Coaster
Sometimes all it takes for a game to be a success is simple game play. This is evident with recent hits such as Angry Birds (which has been available in everything but the microwave) and Fruit Ninja. While big budget games are slowly trickling unto mobile device there are still a handful of simple games that are addicting enough to pull you away from realistic graphics and many online multiplayers.
Enter Groove Coaster. Developed by Taito (Space Invaders) Groove Coaster is a rhythm game in vein of Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution. You tap the screen in time with the music and orbs littering the screen whilst chaining them together to create combos. Unlike the previous mentioned games, there is no multi tasking between buttons. Groove Coaster follows your avatar as it travels one single path of line.
This might sound overly simple, but it’s the path itself that ramps up the difficulty. The straight line becomes a twisting road and slowly picks up in speed. The line twists into spirals and barrels downwards as the camera switches angle as it attempts to follow your avatar. The neon colors of the background changes in tune with the music and everything becomes hectic. All these elements create a visual illusion that increases the difficulty of something simple as tapping the screen.
Of course being a rhythm game music plays a larger role. Electronic tracks alternate between soothing ambient music to sporadic electro beats. As you twist and zigzag, the speed increases and decreases depending on the tempo of the beat. Taito has added fresh tracks and many tailors perfectly well to the game. The high octane music and simple yet hectic visual provides a psychedelic experience adds a worthy addition to rhythm games.
2. Infinity Blade 1 and 2
Watch the video above. Yes, it is absolutely stunning. Running on the Unreal Engine 3 which powers popular console titles such as Gears of War and Arkham City, Infinity Blade is an eye candy. It sold $ 1.6 million in a mere four days. It was followed up by a sequel released this month and also received critical acclaim. Rivaling most graphics found on consoles Epic Games and Chair Entertainment pushes the envelope on mobile gaming. Lush fields and castle ruins pop out in breath taking visual and you’ll be traveling a number of beautiful environments not only limited to European structures.
Games however are not based on graphics alone. Game play is relatively easy. You swipe the screen and you character will draw his sword in the same direction. While it sounds easy, your foe will dodge and attack appropriately so hack and slash will not work most of the time. Timing, parrying and blocking is essential to beat your opponents. The camera is pulled is closely behind your character to give a cinematic feel. While the first Infinity Blade last roughly an hour, Epic Games expanded the sequel to 4-5 hours. You’ll be swiping, dodging and dual wielding in a beautiful environment that will attract core and casual gamers alike.
Will it come to Android? While Tegra 2 devices can certainly handle it based on the Epic Citadel tech demo presented, Chair Entertainment blames the Android piracy as an issue. While this is a hot issue that’s open for debate, it’s easy say that we won’t be enjoying this adventure anytime soon. However for those still seeking to taste Infinity Blade’s gameplay should try out Glu’s Blood and Glory. It’s free to play and evokes the swipe n’ slash of Infinity Blade and makes the wait for the release on Android a little easier. Still we won’t hold our breath for this one.
1. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP
While we were amazed at the technological achievements in cinematic and graphical gameplay that Infinity Blade presented, Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP tackles mobile gameplay in a different approach. Following an absorbing story and fitted in complimentary striking pixel retro style graphics, Sword & Sworcery EP is a visual treat whereas simple is more. This artistic approach stands out from the endless number of bright games that litter most app stores.
Publisher Capybara Games has released this game a couple of months ago to critical acclaim. A simple point and click interactive adventure game, Sword & Sworcery EP follows a warrior monk and without spoiling the story you’ll be tasked with a mission to retrieve the Megatome. The story is a magnet and you will constantly find yourself continuing just to find out how this will end.
This game was a collaborative effort of three parties, Capybara Games, Superbrothers Inc. and music by Jim Guthrie. The effort paid off in a beautiful and memorable gameplay that bends the rules of mobile gameplay and focuses on a great presentation that few many achieve.
In The End
Of course there are lots of great titles on iOS that we would love to see make their way over to Android, and perhaps some will, but for now these are the Top 5 titles we would like to see arrive sooner than later. Yes Infinity Blade was included even though it’ll never happen but we can always pretend it will right? Right. Let us know what games you’d like to see make the jump to Android in the comments below.
