I have started an ad free site/service that lists well designed and honest Android games. Every game that is listed on this site is either completely free with no advertising, has a one time up front cost or one time IAP to unlock the full content ad free.
For each game posted on the site I have a brief bullet point list. This list consists of information like the up front price or the price of a one time IAP that unlocks the full game or removes ads on an already full game. Also listed is the info on if the game has multiplayer, if so what kind of multiplayer (online, local wifi, pass and play). There is also a description of whether the game supports Google Play Services or whether the game supports immersive mode from Android 4.4. Gamepad support and if the game plays in landscape, portrait or both is also included in the description along with whether the Play store or Amazon offer a demo. All of these things I verify myself by playing the game. I also include the permissions of each game so everyone has an upfront idea of what the game has access to. So after the brief bulletpoints and permissions there will also be the devs description of the game from Google Play/Amazon Appstore.
There is a certain criteria I hold of all of the games I post.
- Upfront priced games with full content.
- There will not be any games listed that have pay walls or wait times.
- IAPs will only be allowed if they unlock the full game with a single purchase or removes ads in an already full versioned game.
- No ports of games that were heavily controller designed (SNK ports, Sega ports, Rockstar Games ports and DotEmu ports).
- Ports of touch based games from DS and PS Vita will be allowed as well as ports such as World of Goo or Chu Chu Rocket that happen to lend themselves quite nicely to touchscreen play. There is also a new trend of games being designed at the same time for consoles/pc as Android (such as Leisure Suit Larry or Shadowrun Returns), games designed like these (with touch controls in mind at the start of developing) will be included on the site as well.
- Games must be designed for Android and look correct on all of it's screen resolutions. That means no letter-boxing or low res graphics. This way bad iPhone ports that don't fit on our screens or games that don't bother to support HD devices like tablets will be weeded out.
- Games must look good. Some games out there have great gameplay but their graphics sometimes look like they were designed on Linux in the nineties. Games that fit this description will most likely not be listed as I am trying to encourage well designed pleasing to the eye kind of games. Of course the new trend of retro pixel art games are perfectly fine.
- Developer ethics also come into play. While Square Enix do not have IAPs their crazy online DRM schemes and complete lack of support (Chrono Trigger sound familiar) makes their games more than likely to not be listed. Gameloft, Glu and EA fit in this category pretty well too.
For me personally I feel it has been difficult at best if not almost impossible to navigate the Play Store to find truly well made games that aren't designed from the ground up to nickel and dime you. With most Android gaming review sites lacking any good list of games and most Android blogs publishing mainly articles about the newest Glu games (looking at you Android Central and Android Police) I feel a site like the one I have created will hopefully provide a much needed service for the Android gamer.
Basically this site lists games that look great on phones and tablets alike while also playing great on touchscreens all while ignoring the nickel and diming slum of Android gaming. So if any of this sounds good to you please check it out.
http://honestandroidgames.com
p.s. The site is still growing and new functions will be added. I am also open to ideas so if you guys have any please let me know.
For each game posted on the site I have a brief bullet point list. This list consists of information like the up front price or the price of a one time IAP that unlocks the full game or removes ads on an already full game. Also listed is the info on if the game has multiplayer, if so what kind of multiplayer (online, local wifi, pass and play). There is also a description of whether the game supports Google Play Services or whether the game supports immersive mode from Android 4.4. Gamepad support and if the game plays in landscape, portrait or both is also included in the description along with whether the Play store or Amazon offer a demo. All of these things I verify myself by playing the game. I also include the permissions of each game so everyone has an upfront idea of what the game has access to. So after the brief bulletpoints and permissions there will also be the devs description of the game from Google Play/Amazon Appstore.
There is a certain criteria I hold of all of the games I post.
- Upfront priced games with full content.
- There will not be any games listed that have pay walls or wait times.
- IAPs will only be allowed if they unlock the full game with a single purchase or removes ads in an already full versioned game.
- No ports of games that were heavily controller designed (SNK ports, Sega ports, Rockstar Games ports and DotEmu ports).
- Ports of touch based games from DS and PS Vita will be allowed as well as ports such as World of Goo or Chu Chu Rocket that happen to lend themselves quite nicely to touchscreen play. There is also a new trend of games being designed at the same time for consoles/pc as Android (such as Leisure Suit Larry or Shadowrun Returns), games designed like these (with touch controls in mind at the start of developing) will be included on the site as well.
- Games must be designed for Android and look correct on all of it's screen resolutions. That means no letter-boxing or low res graphics. This way bad iPhone ports that don't fit on our screens or games that don't bother to support HD devices like tablets will be weeded out.
- Games must look good. Some games out there have great gameplay but their graphics sometimes look like they were designed on Linux in the nineties. Games that fit this description will most likely not be listed as I am trying to encourage well designed pleasing to the eye kind of games. Of course the new trend of retro pixel art games are perfectly fine.
- Developer ethics also come into play. While Square Enix do not have IAPs their crazy online DRM schemes and complete lack of support (Chrono Trigger sound familiar) makes their games more than likely to not be listed. Gameloft, Glu and EA fit in this category pretty well too.
For me personally I feel it has been difficult at best if not almost impossible to navigate the Play Store to find truly well made games that aren't designed from the ground up to nickel and dime you. With most Android gaming review sites lacking any good list of games and most Android blogs publishing mainly articles about the newest Glu games (looking at you Android Central and Android Police) I feel a site like the one I have created will hopefully provide a much needed service for the Android gamer.
Basically this site lists games that look great on phones and tablets alike while also playing great on touchscreens all while ignoring the nickel and diming slum of Android gaming. So if any of this sounds good to you please check it out.
http://honestandroidgames.com
p.s. The site is still growing and new functions will be added. I am also open to ideas so if you guys have any please let me know.
