Need Android games? We got 'em! Here are our favorite game releases for March 2014
In our ongoing quest to bring y'all the best games the Google Play Store has to offer, we're going to start rounding up our favorite Android game releases every month. Often this will include big releases that you might have missed throughout Android Central news stories or our picks of the week, but we'll try to dig up some hidden gems for you too. We're also going to be rounding up the month's non-game apps in a separate post, so keep your eyes peeled.
March was a pretty solid month for Android gaming! It was particularly nice to see so many of these launch so closely in line with their iOS counterparts. Below you'll find some action, some strategy, some RPG, and even a rare high-quality trivia game.
Sorcery!
Sorcery! is a text-heavy role-playing game based on the novel series by Steve Jackson. Players make meaningful decisions for a character working his way through a classic fantasy quest. Though there's a decidedly "Choose Your Own Adventure" style to Sorcery!, there are some more recognizably game-y elements to it, such as a stamina-based combat system, spells, and inventory. On the whole, Sorcery! is a well-written and unique take on RPGs. Give this a go if you're looking for strong replay value.
- Download Sorcery! ($5.00)
Smash Hit
Smash Hit has become a runaway, uh, hit. The premise is simple: tap the screen to toss a marble and shatter glass obstacles that are on your inalienable path. If you don't and get hit, you lose marbles. Lose all your marbles, and it's game over. You have to start from the beginning again with the free version, or you can cough up $1.99 to start from a set waypoint. Every section is littered with powerups and fresh batches of marbles to keep you going. If you manage to keep hitting the marble refill crystals without missing, you can fire off two, three, or five marbles at once. Smash Hit is very simply an on-rails shooter, but highly-polished physics of the marbles and the glass make for a massively accessible and compelling experience.
- Download Smash Hit (Free / $1.99 upgrade)
EPOCH.2
EPOCH.2 is a finger-friendly third-person shooter with robots! So many robots. You play as a robot trying to rescue a princess in a post-apocalyptic world, but there are other robots that want to blow you up. Of course, you're going to blow them up first with an ever-expanding array of weaponry, jetpack-assisted acrobatics, and smart use of cover. Simple swipes allow you to dodge between cover, and taps offer quick targeting between enemies. In-app purchases are available if you want to deck out your bot in good gear right away. EPOCH.2 continues the tradition of striking cinematics, top-notch graphics, and fluid gameplay.
- Download EPOCH.2 ($2.50 (half off) / IAPs)
QuizUp
QuizUp is a popular trivia game where you can duke it out with your friends in several tests of knowledge. Players run through a series of questions on topics, and are scored based on how quickly they answer and how many they get right. Topics range from general knowledge about the cities of the world to obscure Doctor Who factoids. Friends are found through Google Plus, Facebook, or Play Game Services, and a rich discussion system lets you meet new folks that are into your favorite topics. In-app purchases can be used to level up faster. Sprinkle on a sharp user interface and a full-fledged ranking system, and you've got quite the trivia game.
- Download QuizUp (Free / IAPs)
Threes!
Threes! is a polished, adorable puzzle game where players have to stack identically-numbered cards on top of one another for as long as possible. Players swipe up, down, left, and right in order to shift every card in that direction (barring any full rows) in order to make these stacks, but a new card gets introduced to the board every turn. Make sure to keep pushing cards onto each other, or Threes! has spawned a legion of imitators, which the devs have mixed feelings about, but needless to say, the original is where the party's at. The animations are smooth, the gameplay thoroughly balanced, and the visual and audio aesthetic has a certain indescribable charm. You'll be able to chew on this puzzle game for a long time, and not have to deal with in-app purchases or ads.
- Download Threes! ($1.99 (33.333333333333% off)
First Strike, oO, Clarc, Bonza and Mines of Mars are also worth a gander. We're constantly on the look-out for new and awesome apps, so be sure to comment here with some of your favorite new Android apps from March, and leave a comment on our weekly round-ups if we missed any excellent releases there.
