Top 10 best Android games of February 2014
Nothing but Golds and Silvers
February was a strong month for Android games, as our round-up of the finest 'droid releases of the month will hopefully show.
Half of the games we've picked for this February rundown were what you'd call 'no-brainers,' for they picked up Gold Awards (9/10) when we reviewed them.
The other half of the field is made up of tasty Silver Award (8/10) winners. So, no, they're not to be sniffed at, either.
The full list is made up of a familiar blend of iOS conversions and simultaneous releases, with plenty of genuinely big hitters among the former group.
We defy anyone reading this to find a game on the following list that she doesn't enjoy. The selection is THAT strong and THAT varied.
Out ThereBy Mi-Clos Studio - buy on Android
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Not what you'd call a typical mobile game, Out There wins points for being a vast and unforgiving sci-fi epic about tough choices and hard lessons learnt.
So, nothing like Flappy Bird or Candy Crush Saga, then.
It also helps that it's really good fun to play in its own right, as you guide your spacecraft through a hostile universe and make those perilous decisions.
Card City NightsBy Ludosity - buy on Android
The developer of Ittle Dew carries across its sharp hand-drawn style and irreverent humour to the card battling sub-genre.
You often have to explore a po-faced fantasy-RPG setting in such games, but Card City Nights is a light-hearted joy to play - without compromising on strategic depth and deck-building nuance.
The Room 2By Fireproof Games - buy on Android
It's the sequel to one of the best mobile games of recent years!
Of course we're going to pick this Android conversion of The Room 2! Especially as it's a much-closer relative of the iOS original than the first Android conversion was.
The Room 2 is all about solving elaborate multi-faceted locked-box puzzles through logical thinking and observational skill. You'll be curious to see what's next... promise.
Shadow BladeBy Dead Mage Studio - buy on Android
The first of two exquisite speedrun platformers we're highlighting in this round-up, Shadow Blade sees you, a lithe ninja, bounding through tightly constructed levels.
There's also a liberal dash of sharp-edged violence here, so if you're partial to a spot of slice-and-dice in your fast-paced platformers, look no further.
Only OneBy Rebel Binary - buy on Android
Hectic arena combat done the retro pixel-art way.
That's one pithy summary of Only One. But there's something irresistible about its sloppily precarious brawling.
Knock waves of enemies from the lofty perch they share with you, tackling bosses and dying an awful lot along the way.
Tilt to Live 2: RedonkulousBy One Man Left - buy on Android
The first Tilt to Live never materialised on Android - probably because it surfaced at a time when the Android gaming scene wasn't exactly swinging.
Now it is, of course, so here we are with One Man Left's moreish arcade gem.
The clever thing about this arena shoot-'em-up is that you don't actually do any shooting. Rather, you have to dodge the enemies via razor-sharp tilt controls, activating a range of imaginative smart bomb power-ups to do your destructive bidding.
Mikey ShortsBy BeaverTap Games - buy on Android
Here's the second of those speedrun platformers on this month's list. And, yes, this is the purer of the two.
You run, jump, avoid, and collect in Mikey Shorts, though speed is of the essence if you want to top the charts for each bite-sized level.
Mikey Shorts is tight, attractive, and incredibly addictive. Also, any developer who wants to see how virtual controls should be handled, look here.
Line of Defense TacticsBy 3000AD - buy on Android
It's not everyone's cup of tea, but Line of Defense Tactics is for anyone who wants something with more strategic depth than your average tower defence game.
This is turn-based strategy on a zoomed-in squad scale. Send your futuristic troops into battle, making full use of cover, stealth, and each unit's unique abilities.
Rocket RoboBy Bad Kraken Games - buy on Android
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Take the arcade classic Lunar Lander and apply its mechanics to a casual physics-puzzler. Then, slap on some gorgeous LittleBigPlanet-like visuals on top.
That's a rough summary of Rocket Robo's appeal.
Suffice it to say, there's bundles of imagination in Bad Kraken's delightfully twisty turny gem.
PathogenBy Birnam Wood Games - buy on Android
Strategy boardgames are often a little drab and dour, but Pathogen applies a funky abstract aesthetic to its brow-furrowed scheming. It's all about taking over the board with your biological agents.
It's a bit like Othello, albeit with a whole new range of permutations and tactical possibilities at your disposal.
Also, solo players are as well catered for here as social ones, which means this game instantly wins brownie points in my household.
Top 10 best Android games: January 2014
Top 10 best Android games: December 2013
Top 10 best Android games: November 2013
Top 10 best Android games: October 2013
Top 10 best Android games: September 2013
Top 10 best Android games: August 2013
