What are the best indie Android games?

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The 3 must play gamesWhy?

Best indie Android games	Price	Genre	Co-Op
93 Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery	$4.99	Puzzle / Adventure	None
92 Limbo	-	-	-
90 World of Goo	$4.99	Puzzle (physics-based)	None
-- Machinarium	$9.99	Puzzle (point-and-click)	-
-- The Silent Age	Free	-	-

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Limbo

Top Con

May be too dark for children

The game, by design has the main character dying quite a bit, often very gruesomely and so may not be appropriate for younger players. See More

Top Pro

Intricate puzzles

Limbo uses a wide range of puzzles in game that range from simply moving a box to puzzles that have multiple parts and normally do not reveal their secrets until the player has died while trying to solve it. See More

DiligentHaumia's Experience

I love how the setting is fairly simple, yet completely immersive. The puzzles are varying, and importantly, challenging, but not frustrating. I often replay this when it's been long enough to forget how to solve them. The perfect benchmark. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Top Con

Keyboard controls not that good

Movement is locked to the arrow keys instead of wasd. See More

Top Pro

Black and white art style

There has been many imitators since but Limbo is the original game that used a black and white art style for a stylish and creepy effect. See More

IngeniousDamasen's Experience

didn't like it See More

Top Con

Somewhat short

Limbo can be finished in about 5-6 hours on average. See More

Top Pro

Does not become frustrating even if you die a lot

Most players die a lot in Limbo. fortunately this does not translate to a frustrating experience while playing the game. If you die from a trap, the game immediately reloads and takes the character right before reaching that very same puzzle. This way you can try again immediately and find a solution. See More

Top Pro

Manages to communicate circumstance and casualty in a unique way

Being completely devoid of text, dialogue, and explanation Limbo manages to communicate circumstance and casualty to the player in a simple way not found in other games. Having a game completely devoid of those three things is hard but Limbo manages to pull it off perfectly. See More

Top Pro

Artistic puzzle

Limbo has very unique environment with highly creative puzzles that offer a great experience with monochrome, b/w and other dim colors. See More

Top Pro

Immerses the player fully

Since there are no cutscenes or loading screens, Limbo makes you fully immerse yourself in the puzzles and atmosphere of the game. See More

Top Pro

Astonishing sound design

The sound design is simply great. Even though there's virtually no soundtrack to speak of, the sound effects do a great job of creating the perfect atmosphere in which the players immerse themselves. What's more is that if you pay close attention to the sound cues while solving a puzzle, you will find out that the sound effects are quite helpful in reaching your objective. See More

See All

World of Goo

Top Con

Not free

Top Pro

Good, funny music

Each level has good and very funny music. See More

ExceptionalTuonetar's Experience

indie games should be free this is too expensive See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Puzzle (physics-based)

Co-Op:None

Controller Support:No

Top Con

Difficult to play on smaller screens

Because of the precision needed to grab the goos it may be difficult to play the game with the needed accuracy on smaller screened devices. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful visual style

World of Goo is pleasing to look at. Most of the time it's very colorful and joyful, but it changes from time to time to reflect different parts of the world. Nevertheless, it is stylistically well presented throughout the game. See More

IngeniousDamasen's Experience

too expensive See More

Top Con

No co-op mode

The PC version does not include the co-op mode that was included in the Wii Ware version. See More

Top Pro

Great variety in puzzles

A lot of attention has been put into creating interesting levels with great pacing and variety throughout the game. See More

DevotedMarzyana's Experience

costs too much See More

Top Pro

Excellent physics engine

Physics in-game take into account gravity, wind, weight of different goo-balls, structural integrity of your architectural solutions to create an addictive, "let me try this one more time"-type of gameplay. See More

PerfectEmpusa's Experience

not free! See More

Top Pro

A twisted tale

As you start playing there doesn't seem to be much of a story. A few philosophical messages left behind by the Sign Painter and a cut-scene here or there. But as you progress through the game you unearth different details about a slightly disturbing world. See More

See All

46 Other Games Considered

Machinarium

Top Pro

The gameplay is perfectly interwoven with the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the game

The player is forced to move their character across the map in order to find objects of interest. This, coupled with the great sound design and soundtrack which also do their part in giving cues as to where the objects are and if the player is close, really help you immerse into the atmosphere and art style of Machinarium. See More

Top Con

Too expensive for a mobile game

IngeniousDamasen's Experience

did not like it, not worth the money at all See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Overwhelmingly Positive

Genre:Puzzle (point-and-click)

Top Pro

Beautiful art style

Machimariums hand drawn graphics exude a very steam punk style that definitely has a very unique look by being all hand drawn. See More

Top Con

Items may be difficult to find due to similar colors

At points in the game there are needed items that blend in too well with their surrounding making it quite difficult to actually see them. See More

CromulentNona's Experience

far too expensive See More

Top Pro

Challenging puzzles

The puzzles are quite challenging to the point of frustration but in the end give a sense of immense reward when figured out. See More

Top Pro

Interesting protagonist

The main character and the one controlled by the player is just a normal, average, everyday robot. He doesn't have any special powers or abilities other than being able to slightly extend his midriff in order to reach high ledges or making his body shorter. He's pretty much an ordinary robot thrust into an extraordinary situation. See More

Top Pro

The well-designed gameplay mechanics avoid making the game boring to the player

Unlike most point-and-click games, objects of interest in Machinarium light up only when the main character is close to them; this completely changes the way the game is played. In point-and-click games where this is not the case, the gameplay is usually reduced to aimlessly flailing the cursor around waiting for something to light up. Machinarium on the other hand completely avoids this, keeping levels interesting and the player interested to the game. See More

Top Pro

Built-in hint system

For those that do find some of the puzzles too challenging there is an inbuilt hint system shown through "thought bubbles" on top of the playable character. Every level has its own hint when pressed and it's usually a hint on where to go or what kind of object you need. Although it's advised not to rely on the hint system too much since it takes away from the experience of actually enjoying the game. See More

See All

The Silent Age

Top Pro

Good use of lighting and art design

The Silent Age is a great looking game that uses lighting effects and color to make the game pop. See More

Top Con

Somewhat easy and too short

The few interactive objects a player finds will ultimately be an object that is used in a puzzle, leaving not too much guess work as to how to progress. Chapter 1 is too short to entice you to pay for the rest of the game. See More

CapableSiebog's Experience

It is an amazing game highly suggest to play at least chapter one See More

Top Pro

Interesting time travel mechanic

The Silent Age uses an interesting time travel mechanic in that the protagonist will jump between 2012 and 1970, which results in environmental changes that the player needs to explore. See More

Top Pro

Great atmosphere reminiscent of the old Delphine software games

See All

Terraria

Top Con

Too expensive

Top Pro

Allows for freedom of expression for all ages, all at your own pace

Terraria has all kinds of tools and materials you can use to build whatever you can imagine. From housing, to furniture, to weapons, to types of structure, the possibilities are almost endless. This is great for children who enjoy building and problem solving, and for adults who enjoy the same. It also makes for a great objective-less game, where you can do just about anything you want at your own pace. See More

ExceptionalTuonetar's Experience

way too much money for this game See More

Specs

Genre:2D platformer / Minecraft-like

Co-Op:8 Player Online / 8 Player LAN

Controller Support:Android (MOGA / HID), Steam (Full)

See All Specs

Top Con

Progress can feel slow

Quite often you'll have to collect tons of materials to craft the necessary tools, equipment, and boss summoning items to advance. This can take a really long time, especially if you're unlucky with the items dropped by mobs. See More

Top Pro

Lots of community servers, tutorials, and streams

Terraria has a large community of players on every platform including mobile, desktop, and console. Because of this, there are many servers to play on, as well as tutorials and Let's Plays. Finding content or help getting started is quite easy. See More

IngeniousDamasen's Experience

far too expensive See More

Top Con

Has quite a lot of gore

Some of the bosses . See More

Top Pro

Intriguing and massive world

Terraria uses a bright color palette and an upbeat chiptune soundtrack to ease you into its massive world featuring a large number biomes. However, once you start exploring and spend time in it you'll notice it's not as cozy as it first seemed to be. Blood Moons that rouse the dead from their graves. Goblin armies trying to destroy everything in their wake. Vast and dark cave systems, filled with odd creatures and various dangers. Ancient ruins, teeming with the restless dead and evil spirits. Pockets of decaying land, thriving with misshapen monstrosities. It's really fun to explore and discover something new about the world of Terraria. See More

CromulentNona's Experience

ridiculous price See More

PersistentGoorialla's Experience

far too expensive!!! See More

See All

Thomas Was Alone

Top Pro

Great story

For what is a pretty simplistic looking game, Thomas Was Alone offers a truly great story that actually gets the player to care about what are basically squares and rectangles. See More

Top Con

Short

The gameplay only lasts about 3 or 4 hours. See More

ExceptionalTuireann's Experience

Short simple and to the point. A very simplistic but moving game. Suprising amount of story for simple characters. See More

Specs

Steam Rating:Very Positive

Genre:Puzzle, Platformer

See All Specs

Top Pro

Ethereal soundtrack

Haunting guitar strums mixed with beautiful piano chords and bits of chiptune creates a very fitting soundtrack. See More

PersistentBragi's Experience

didn't like it See More

Top Pro

Professional narration

What really drives the well crafted story home is the wonderful narration done by British filmmaker, comedian, writer, actor, and presenter of radio and television, Danny Wallace. See More

Top Pro

SImple, peaceful gameplay

Gameplay is introduced at a relaxed rate, and is never frustrating or off-putting. It's not big on challenge, but does require some thinking. Everything is solvable, new techniques are introduced as they are needed for the story, and the whole thing just radiates relaxation and love. See More

See All

The Room Two

Top Pro

Interactive 3D puzzles

Move objects around with your finger in the right order. See More

Top Con

Too short and lacks replayability

The game can be finished in under four hours and lacks any real replayability once all the puzzles are solved. See More

PhilosophicalNohochacyum's Experience

didn't like the first one, or this one See More

Top Pro

Multiple objects to interact with

There are now multiple objects in a room that all need to be utilized to solve the puzzle. See More

Top Pro

Up to three user profiles

A new addition from the first title is user profiles. Now up to three of your friends or family can create their own game saves. See More

Top Pro

Better graphics than first version

Graphics are an improvement over Room-1. See More

Top Pro

Improvements on every aspect of the first game

The Room Two improves every feature of the last game. Story, graphics even the puzzles are better. See More

See All

Alto's Adventure

Top Pro

Relaxing gameplay that lends itself well to repeat plays

Between the pleasant graphics, soothing music and fun gameplay, the game allows itself to be relaxing yet still remain challenging. You never get a sense that the game is too tough, which is why the player can easily jump back into play no matter how many times they fall off the board. See More

Top Con

Standard endless runner mechanics

While Alto's Adventure isn't particularly difficult or challenging to play, the game doesn't offer unique gameplay mechanics but instead uses traditional endless runner mechanics that are present in dozens of other apps. As a result, gameplay in Alto's Adventure might come off as a bit dull. See More

Top Pro

Graphic is good

See All

Out There: Ω Edition

Top Con

Too expensive

Top Pro

Fun turn-based resource management where you are always juggling items on the fly, which requires a lot of quick thinking

Out There features a great mix of turn based strategy with complex resource management. The resource management works by only allowing you so many slots to store needed materials. These materials are collected on and around planets, and vary depending on where you are. So it makes for a situation where you need to carefully manage your inventory in order to have the necessary materials on hand to survive, which is no an easy task. See More

Specs

Genre:Roguelike / Strategy / Simulation

Co-Op:None

Controller Support:No

See All Specs

Top Con

Each replay feels very similar

There is a multitude of ways to die in Out There, and being that the game is a roguelike, there will be a lot of restarts. Each and every death brings the player back to the beginning, to do everything over again. This can be frustrating, and a cause for lulls in play at each beginning. See More

Top Pro

Beautiful art that shows off tons of polish, making for a gorgeous looking game

The game has beautiful hand drawn graphics as well as a great score with lonely overtones, which creates a fantastic and original feeling atmosphere. This sort of polish in a mobile game is not always the norm, which is why Out There tends to stand out above many other options. See More

Top Con

The graphics are a power-hog

While the graphics are beautiful, the 3D graphics are a hog and if you're going to be playing this on the go you should probably grab a powerbank if you want to play it for any extended periods of time. See More

Top Pro

Each playthrough is unique thanks to the procedurally generated levels

Out There procedurally generates the game by generating random modular elements on each playthrough, making for a unique experience on every play through. See More

Top Con

Uninspiring gameplay

There is an extremely limited number of actions to undertake. Playing it sometimes feels like a grind. See More

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Rusty Lake Series

Top Pro

A moving series, really bizzare and out there, but that makes them all the more worth while

People think indie games should be free but has your favorite X-box, Playstation, or Wii game been free? Nope. Things take time to make and Indie developers offer new ideas. They're out there spending days on games to make a living where consumers just want instant gratification. So before you dog a game for being expensive. Think about if you spent days on a project or craft only for someone to complain that you should give it to them for free. See More

Top Con

Not suitable for some ages

Not recommended for anyone younger than probably 16 or 17. See More

PerfectEmpusa's Experience

indie games are meant to be free See More

Top Pro

Easy to learn by tinkering & searching web for walk throughs / cheats when stuck

Cube Escape: Rusty Lake series has been out since 2015, and I'm fairly new to gaming. For me, this is a huge plus because being able to find helpful walk-throughs with videos, hints, and also cheats made the cost of each new installment completely worth it. When I got stuck in the game I had a community of other fans to turn to for knowledge and I didn't even have to search hard to find help! This game series is strange, dark, complex- an entire universe that I felt inexplicably compelled to keep returning to as if it was my old favorite surrealist series of TV, movies or books. I love that it's inspired by Twin Peaks, but you don't need to be a mega fan of the show to play this game- I certainly wasn't! The developers delve into the dark and twisted elements of humankind more than many other developers might care to and they are also committed to bringing us content that fills a niche market which is extremely difficult to succeed in. That's not to say I don't love silly, simple games like I Love Hue, or Cut The Rope, but games like Cube Escape: Rusty Lake are rare. Honestly, it's well worth the time and money for both newer gamers and more advanced gamers who love a good mental break now and again. I appreciate that I could buy a game like this from indie developers because I know they're putting my money to good use to keep the lights on so they can pour their hearts and talents into their next creative projects. See More

Top Con

Not free

Indie games should be free. See More

See All

Minecraft

Top Con

Not an indie game

Literally maintained by Microsoft. See More

Top Pro

Regularly updated with new features and improvements

IngeniousAshnan's Experience

Y e s fun game you can speed run but yeah well play on servers if you want more variety See More

Specs

Genre:Indie / Survival / Sandbox

Co-Op:8 Player Online / 4 Player Couch / 8 Player LAN/ Infinite Player Servers

Controller Support:Yes

See All Specs

Top Con

Lack of meaningful story mode

There is no story mode in Minecraft: there is only a create mode or a survival mode. Neither, however, supply any kind of story or background as regard what is going on in the game. See More

Top Pro

Local multiplayer option for when there is no internet

Minecraft can be played by 4 players locally via splitscreen. This makes it a great way spend time with your friends and family when you don't have access to the internet. See More

PerfectEmpusa's Experience

too expensive See More

Top Pro

Great creativity tool

If you prefer building, creative mode is the way to go. It immediately gives you unlimited blocks, the ability to fly, and immortality. This allows you to easily build anything you want without worrying about height or enemies. Things like giant castles, villages, roller coasters, and even unique builds such as the Enterprise from Star Trek. You can really let your creativity loose. See More

PersistentGoorialla's Experience

Too expensive See More

Top Pro

Amazing extended community

The community surrounding this game is huge due to its popularity. There are lots of servers and projects revolving around it that allow for so many different choices in how one wants to play and who they want to play with. From crafting guides/videos, themed servers and YouTube play sessions, there is enough out there to help one find what they are looking for. See More

TalentedTaweret's Experience

It is a great game worth playing and it is good if you are looking to make money off of it. See More

See All

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions

Top Con

Chasing high scores can get tiring

While there are some new additional game modes in this third iteration of the series, the same "chase the high score" element is present and is still the main focus of the game. While not entirely bad in and of itself (chasing high scores), it can wear thin pretty quickly. See More

Top Pro

Higher production values

The latest entry into the Geometry Wars series and the production values are pretty nice. Graphics in the game are the best they have been with newly designed levels that work in the third dimension. Overall, there is quite a lot of polish to the titles which shows over its previous endeavours. See More

Top Con

No Android TV support

With the release of the Nvidia Shield set top box as well as the Nexus Player, Android TV is becoming quite popular for TV gaming. Sadly the Android TV Store does not carry all titles available in the Google Play Store, meaning the dev has to publish it there, which Activision did not do for Geometry Wars 3. See More

Top Pro

HID controller support

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions can be played with any Bluetooth HID compatible controller. Something that is very welcome being that a controller will give much more precise controls for such a hectic style game. See More

Top Con

No immersive mode

For such a popular game released by a very large studio, to see no immersive mode for the game is quite a disappointment. There is no reason to still see this feature missing from games two years after it's initial release in the OS. See More

Top Pro

Leaderboards

Geometry Wars 3: Dimensions utilized Google's Play Games leaderboard feature wherein users can compete for the highest score with their friends and the world. See More

See All

Underworld Football Manager

Top Pro

A cool twist to the football manager games

If you ever played Football Manager you'll definitely like the concept of this game. This is an online multiplayer game where you can bribe and hurt other teams' players. You can group with other real players and plan attacks before a crucial league game or a tournament. See More

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score 58 · Accepted Answer

Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery

Top Con

not free

Top Pro

Excellent atmosphere

A detailed aesthetic, a great score and an intriguing narrative together create a world that engrosses you from the very beginning. See More

ExceptionalTuonetar's Experience

too expensive See More

Specs

Genre:Puzzle / Adventure

Co-Op:None

Controller Support:No

Top Con

The writing could have been better

The writing in the game feels a bit unpolished. See More

Top Pro

Puzzles are a part of the world

Puzzles in this game are not too difficult and usually can be quickly figured out by being attentive of your surroundings. But they are not supposed to be hard, they are meant to bring you further into the world. See More

CromulentNona's Experience

too much money See More

Top Con

Subpar gameplay

The gameplay often times feels convoluted or just too high concept. Art in the place of gameplay, which some may enjoy, but those looking for deep game mechanics should look elsewhere. See More

The 3 must play gamesWhy?

My Recommendation for Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery

My Recommendation for Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery

not free

Excellent atmosphere

The writing could have been better

Puzzles are a part of the world

Subpar gameplay

Costs too much money

My Recommendation for Limbo

My Recommendation for Limbo

May be too dark for children

Intricate puzzles

Keyboard controls not that good

Black and white art style

Somewhat short

Does not become frustrating even if you die a lot

Manages to communicate circumstance and casualty in a unique way

Artistic puzzle

Immerses the player fully

Astonishing sound design

My Recommendation for World of Goo

My Recommendation for World of Goo

Not free

Good, funny music

Difficult to play on smaller screens

Beautiful visual style

No co-op mode

Great variety in puzzles

Excellent physics engine

A twisted tale

46 Other Games Considered

My Recommendation for Machinarium

My Recommendation for Machinarium

The gameplay is perfectly interwoven with the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the game

Too expensive for a mobile game

Beautiful art style

Items may be difficult to find due to similar colors

Challenging puzzles

Interesting protagonist

The well-designed gameplay mechanics avoid making the game boring to the player

Built-in hint system

My Recommendation for The Silent Age

My Recommendation for The Silent Age

Good use of lighting and art design

Somewhat easy and too short

Interesting time travel mechanic

Great atmosphere reminiscent of the old Delphine software games

My Recommendation for Terraria

My Recommendation for Terraria

Too expensive

Allows for freedom of expression for all ages, all at your own pace

Progress can feel slow

Lots of community servers, tutorials, and streams

Has quite a lot of gore

Intriguing and massive world

My Recommendation for Thomas Was Alone

My Recommendation for Thomas Was Alone

Great story

Short

Ethereal soundtrack

Professional narration

SImple, peaceful gameplay

My Recommendation for Gemini Rue

My Recommendation for Gemini Rue

Costs too much

Parallel stories

Poor combat sequences

Great story and aesthetics

Letterboxed on the sides

My Recommendation for The Room Two

My Recommendation for The Room Two

Interactive 3D puzzles

Too short and lacks replayability

Multiple objects to interact with

Up to three user profiles

Better graphics than first version

Improvements on every aspect of the first game

My Recommendation for Botanicula

My Recommendation for Botanicula