When Google announced that Android apps would come to Chrome OS, the biggest focus was on productivity. With Play Store access, any Chromebook would be able to use Photoshop, Microsoft Word, and other key services that people need to earn a living. But a less spoken-about benefit: it gives powerful Chromebooks the ability to play Android's best games.
Playing games on a Chromebook has some advantages and disadvantages compared to trying to play them on a smartphone or even a tablet. Most Chromebooks don't have an accelerometer, so certain titles just won't work. Not every Chromebook has a touch screen, and very few games work with a mouse and keyboard. On the flip side, every Chromebook supports some of the best Bluetooth controllers on Android and video output, so many will work when attached to a television.
The best Android games for Chromebook
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Minecraft
Minecraft has released on just about every platform out there, so it's no wonder that it can be downloaded straight to your Chromebook through the Play Store. The sky's the limit in this sandbox simulation game, and you're really only limited by your imagination. Play through its survival mode and test your skills against its enemies that come out at night, or load up creative mode and build just about anything you want. The beauty of Minecraft is its versatility, allowing players to create their own games and adventures inside of it.
Monument Valley 1 & 2
These games are for those with a convertible laptop, since they don't support controllers and rely entirely on touch controls. Still, the M.C. Escher-inspired level design is gorgeous and the puzzles themselves are a fun challenge. The base games have hours worth of puzzles, but there are expansions for the first Monument Valley for those that want to solve even more puzzles.
Asphalt 9: Legends
The Asphalt series is one of the most popular racing series for Android, and that continues with Asphalt 9: Legends. This game supports Google Play Games for synchronizing your progress, as well as Bluetooth controllers. There are hundreds of cars and motorcycles in the game to race and plenty of racetracks to keep things exciting. Asphalt 9: Legends is available for free with in-app purchases if you're not looking to spend money.
Fallout Shelter
Instead of being an expansive RPG like the Fallout series is known for, Fallout Shelter is a simulation game that lets players build and run their very own Vault. Overseers will need to manage their vault's population, food and water supplies, energy, and overall happiness to keep everything running smoothly. NPCs can even be sent out into the wasteland to search for supplies and hunt enemies.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Role-playing games don't get much better than Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Even though a Knights of the Old Republic remake is in the works for PS5 from Aspyr, you can still play the original on modern devices like Chromebooks through the Google Play Store. When the Sith wage war against the Republic, it's up to the Jedi to stop them with some help from the most unlikely of forces. What's cool is that the outcome of the game is determined by your actions, whether you fight for the light or succumb to darkness.
LIMBO
LIMBO is a dark, macabre puzzle-platformer starring a young boy making his way through a black and white world. With a giant spider on your tail and deadly traps lurking behind every corner, you'll need to keep your wits about you to stay alive. Though LIMBO is fairly short and can be played in one sitting, it's still one of the greatest puzzle-platformers to ever release. The ability to craft a story without dialogue is no easy feat, but developer Playdead seems to do it with ease.
Stardew Valley
The farming sim genre may have begun with Harvest Moon back in the 1990s but it received a resurgence thanks to the success of Stardew Valley, the brainchild of developer Eric Barone. In Stardew Valley, players are tasked with the care of a farm they've inherited in the titular quiet town. Along with growing crops and keeping livestock, players can explore the local mine, go fishing, and talk with the townsfolk — even to the point of starting a relationship. When it comes to wholesome life simulations, Stardew Valley is at the top of almost every list.
Dead Cells
Described as a rogue-like Metroidvania, Dead Cells is a fast-paced action-platformer where players take control of an amnesiac character simply called the Prisoner, who must fight their way across an island full of mutated beasts. Because Dead Cells features permadeath, should players fall in battle they'll be returned to the beginning where they find a new body to inhabit. Dead Cells offers a ton of replayability, making it a great choice for your Chromebook.
The choice is yours
There are plenty of games on the Play Store available on Chromebook across a wide variety of genres, whether you're looking to hop into an expansive RPG that may take dozens of hours or just want something quick that can be finished in one sitting, you can find a game to suit your needs. Titles like Minecraft and Stardew Valley are already massive, so maybe even consider picking up a lesser-known game.
Downloading some of the best emulators for Android even opens up a wider list of playable games. Just be sure to do your research and download through legal methods.
