11 Must-Play Indie Games For Android

It’s time to drop that controller and time to dive into some indie games. The Android Market really showcased a lot of great indie developers and the unique games they’ve added to many an Android fan’s phone. So what are you waiting for? Press start and load these great picks into your phone (or tablet), right now!

1. Battleheart ($2.99)

Be not fooled by its cutesy cartoonish characters. Battleheart is one game many have been waiting for to port to Android and it’s easy to see why. Lots of party customization, vivid graphics and intense RPG style combat awaits you. This is one game that I highly recommend you get.

2. Chalk Ball (lite, €1.49 to buy)

This line drawing game will test your reflexes. Keep the chalk ball bouncing by drawing lines of chalk. But remember, you have limited chalk so make sure you get your fair share of refills. Guaranteed to make your fingertip sore.

3. Choice of Games Books (free)

If you loved flipping on Choose Your Own Adventure books, Choice of Games has the next best thing on Android. They publish interactive novels ranging from seafaring adventures to adventuring as a princess-napping dragon. You can’t cheat by skipping to the back though.

4. EVAC (lite, UK£1.49 for regular SD or HD versions)

Pac-man this ain’t. Collect the color dots and escape the clutches of the Shadowbox and his angry red henchsquares. Fairly straightforward but challenging game, in my opinion.

5. Hextacy (lite, Skr7.00 to buy)

Hextacy throws in some hex matching, electronica and shiny graphics to keep your spare time busy. Magnus Lorentzon might have made it look simple but fans of these types of games will surely enjoy this one.

6. Meganoid (free)

Megaman plus Metroid? Close. This ad-supported sidescroller has you as the sole hero of the city, the only one who can save it. The 8-bit really oozes out of this one and even though it looks simple, it can be quite challenging.

7. NinJump (free)

Scaling walls is tough but NinJump makes it look so easy. Tap to have your ninja jump to the opposing wall to avoid obstacles since one hit and you fall to your death. Use power-ups and slice opponent ninjas to make your way as the highest scaling ninja ever.

8. Pax Britannica (free)

Simple but engrossing gameplay is what this is all about. All you need is to tap on the screen and you’re in business. Create ships and harness upgrades to be the last ship standing. It seems No Fun Games is trying to prove their name wrong on this one: this will have you hooked for hours.

9. Robo Surf (free, Skr7.00 to buy)

Bitsize Games gives us a robot surfing game, one of the most popular genres out there. Haven’t heard of it? Go check it out then. You play the last robot on Earth, destined to hang ten forever on the world ocean. Collect oil to fuel your robotic self but beware the seagulls.

10. Tales of POCOro (demo, €2.00 to buy)

Maxime Caignart gives a twist to your puzzle gaming by dressing it up like those nostalgic RPGs of old. Step around to clear the columns to advance a level. It gets trickier as you move along, requiring a mix of patience and forethought to finish each stage. Try the demo version to see if it’s your style. I’m sure you’ll grab the full version soon enough.

11. X Construction (lite, €2.00 to buy)

Use your engineering know-how (you have a degree, right?) and create a safe bridge for the train to cross. Better do it right or endure the horrific screams of passengers if the train collapses.