These are the best Android games from July 2015
Monochrome musings, long-awaiting sequels, and plenty of arcade thrills
You know what they say about July, don't you? No, we don't either.
If it were up to us, 'they' would say that July is a pretty good time to play Android games. Just look at this lovely spread of Google Play goodies.
July has seen the return of a mobile gaming legend for a sequel six years in the making, the conversion of a moving console classic, and a whole bunch of arcadey delights.
As ever, if you have any favourites from the month of July that didn't make our list, give them a shout in the comments section.
This War of MineBy 11 bit studios - buy on Android
There's a distinctly jovial, arcadey tone to July's picks, but we have to start with something that sits at the opposite end of the spectrum.
This War of Mine is a brutally moving survival game that paints an unflinching picture of life during war time.
Ostensibly a 2D adventure game, it has you skulking through burned out buildings, scavenging supplies and evading blood-thirsty mobs - and it's all rendered in deeply affecting monochrome art style.
Angry Birds 2By Rovio - download on Android
Angry Birds might have flapped into overfamiliarity several years ago, but it's worth remembering that its phenomenal success was built on rock solid gameplay.
Angry Birds 2 doesn't attempt to reinvent the bird-flinging catapult, but it does add such features as selectable birds, multi-stage levels, powerful spells, and a gorgeous new graphics engine.
While the freemium energy system is a little galling, this undoubtedly represents a slick progression of the Angry Birds format for those who still have the stomach for it. And we suspect there'll be a fair few who do.
Agar.ioBy Miniclip - download on Android
This unusual multiplayer time waster has been a massive hit in the few weeks its been on the market.
You take control of a small circular organism, floating around a wide open space filled with other organisms of various sizes. If they're smaller than you, you can guzzle them up by touching them, enabling you to grow. If not, it's you who will be guzzled.
The twist here is that those other dots are often controlled by real players, lending the game a competitive, social angle. It's curiously compelling stuff.
Divide By SheepBy Bread Team - buy on Android
A curious mixture of mathematical conundrums, spatial puzzles, and gory sheep murder, Divide By Sheep isn't quite like anything else you'll have played.
It's also top fun, as you hop various woolly critters around assorted islands, trying to preserve the right number for the rafts waiting to take them to safety.
If you're after something that will tax your brain while bathing your eyes in cutesiness, give it a whirl.
Vault!By Nitrome - download on Android
Nitrome continues its machine gun-like assault of ace arcade delights with Vault.
As the company has proved so adept at doing in the recent past, it takes the endless runner genre and adds a memorable twist to proceedings.
Here you're a little purple pole-vaulter, and you must time your pole placement expertly in order to propel yourself across a constantly shifting landscape.
Sometimes You DieBy Kamibox - buy on Android
Okay, so This War of Mine isn't the only emotionally engaging monochrome conversion in July's Android roster. Sorry to spring such a downer on you.
Sometimes You Die launched a little over a year ago on iOS, and made an instant impact for stirring existential musings into a minimalistic mono-hued platformer.
It's still well worth playing here on Android - even if it does make you question what all this game-playing malarkey is for.
Battle GolfBy Kappsule - download on Android
As the name suggests, Battle Golf has an attritional element to it that stands at glorious odds to the genteel sport.
In single player mode it's a simple time-based pitch-and-putt competition - albeit an appreciably wacky one. In same-handset multiplayer, though, you're racing against and opponent, and can even take them out with a well-placed drive.
It's golf, but with a manic 8-bit sensibility that we really dig.
Pac-Man Championship Edition DXBy Bandai Namco - buy on Android
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When this modern take on Pac-Man hit consoles a few years ago, it did so to rave reviews. That's why we're thrilled to see this upgraded version hit Android.
It's still all about chomping dots and avoiding ghosts, but the pace has picked up considerably, and the emphasis has shifted to tempting ghosts to follow you in a hazardous conga line.
Once you have them at your mercy, grab a pill and turn the tables. Delicious every time.
Super QuickHookBy Noodlecake Studios - buy on Android
This is a truly ancient (five whole years!) iOS game that presumably got lost in a cave whilst swinging its way over to Androidland.
No matter. Super QuickHook is here now, courtesy of Noodlecake, and it's startling how fresh it still feels.
It's all about swinging through 16-bit caves at breakneck pace, utilising some nifty rocket boots along the way, and racing against the ghosts of your fellow highscore-chasers.
Bad DinosBy Insomniac Games - buy on Android
This latest effort from top console developer Insomniac Games offers a Kingdom Rush-like tower defence experience, but with cute Hanna Barbera dinosaurs and cavemen instead of bright fantasy warriors.
It also applies a notable twist to the formula, allowing you to capture enemy dinosaurs and strategically redeploy them to operate in your own interests.
It's enough to give this pretty game an injection of freshness that's generally lacking in the tower defence genre.
Top 10 best Android games: June 2015
Top 10 best Android games: May 2015
Top 10 best Android games: April 2015
Top 10 best Android games: March 2015
Top 10 best Android games: February 2015
Top 10 best Android games: January 2015
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