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Threes! and Hoplite are the highest-reviewed iOS and Android games of Q1 2014

Critically acclaimed

Threes! and Hoplite are the highest-reviewed iOS and Android games of Q1 2014
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In the same way that public game companies announce their financial sales numbers every three months, the Quality Index (Qi) publishes its own quarterly figures.

But instead of assaulting your eyes with talk of operating profit, ROI, and monetisation (brrrr), this here Quality Index quarterly round-up ranks the top 20 best-reviewed iOS and Android games that were released during the period January 1st - March 31st, 2014.

Simple as that.

As for the reviews themselves, the iPhone, iPad, and Android Quality Indexes boast over 650,000 (in total) of them from the world's leading online sources, including 148Apps, Slide To Play, Pocket Gamer, and AppSpy.


Threes! It's a stick-up

If the first quarter of 2014 taught us anything, it's that less really can be more.

The breakout hit of early 2014 has to be Threes!, which sits atop the iPhone Qi games chart for Q1.

This minimalist number puzzler features clean presentation, a simple setup (keep shifting and matching numbered cards), and a highly competitive online high score system.

Threes! wasn't the only stripped-back iPhone delight in Q1, mind. Following closely behind at #2, you see, is Hoplite, Douglas Cowley's beautifully distilled roguelike strategy game.

Move your little warrior through successive randomly generated dungeons, employing a tight selection of attacks and dodges to combat a varied roster of enemies.

Farther down the leaderboard is LYNE, another compact puzzler boasting a compact design.

This one's all about linking up shapes and colours in the right sequence, and features a killer art style to boot.

Qi's Top 20 iPhone games of Q1 2014


Unsurprisingly, the iPad Qi games chart for Q1 2014 bears more than a passing resemblance to the iPhone equivalent. However, this gives us an opportunity to discuss some of the other impressive iOS releases of early 2014, so you won't catch us complaining. iPad-exclusive Panzer Corps is the kind of meaty strategy game for which Apple's wonder-tablet was built. Or, at least, it feels that way. As much a history lesson as a game, this one proved to be as formidably solid as, well, a tank. Out There from Mi Clos Studio left most critics starry eyed with its absorbing sci-fi tale. Part-Choose Your Own Adventure story, part-taxing strategy game, it's wholly awesome. Finally, we must give a shout-out to Hello Games's second iOS game, Joe Danger Infinity. It's a case of more of the same - SO MUCH more of the same - in this generously proportioned console spin-off.

Qi's Top 20 iPad games of Q1 2014


The fact that Hoplite, Threes!, and LYNE dominated the Android Qi games chart for Q1 2014 just as they did the iPhone and iPad charts is very significant indeed.

It shows how much the Android platform has grown and matured as a gaming platform. Indeed, another of the top-ranking Android games, Card City Nights, found similar success on iOS.

Ludosity's card battler injected a welcome dose of humour and vibrancy into what can be a rather dour genre.

Crescent Moon's Shadow Blade also made an impact across all three formats. Sitting at #12 on the Android chart, it's a silky-smooth speedrun platformer starring an improbably nimble ninja.

Blocky Roads didn't appear on the iOS Q1 2014 charts, but it made quite an impression on Android, let me tell you.

It's a charming platform-driving game all about feathering the throttle through a series of undulating 2D obstacle runs. Did we mention the lovely Minecraft aesthetic? Yep.

Qi's Top 20 Android games of Q1 2014

Methodology #1

To qualify for a Quality Index rating, a game must have received three or more reviews from the 75+ sites that feed into the Quality Indexes's databases.

Methodology #2

In the event of a 'tie', titles are separated in the first instance by number of reviews - the higher the total, the better.

Should the number of reviews also be identical, the Quality Index rating comes back into play. For while we only display the average score to one decimal place, the list is generated to further significant figures.

You can always keep up to date with the hottest-reviewed iOS and Android games at the iPhone Quality Index, iPad Quality Index, and the Android Quality Index.

Jon Mundy
Jon Mundy
Jon is a consummate expert in adventure, action, and sports games. Which is just as well, as in real life he's timid, lazy, and unfit. It's amazing how these things even themselves out.