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Add to SafariWhen comparing Pixel Dungeon vs TinyKeep, the Slant community recommends Pixel Dungeon for most people. In the question“What are the best Android games without in-app purchases/paywalls?” Pixel Dungeon is ranked 3rd while TinyKeep is ranked 79th. The most important reason people chose Pixel Dungeon is:
There are multiple [mods](http://www.slant.co/topics/1961/~what-are-the-best-pixel-dungeon-mods) available that extend the gameplay or even just change it outright. This way there are many choices to the player as to how they would like the game to play.
Specs
Question Ranking
Pros
Pro A variety of mods are available, which extend the gameplay by a large margin
There are multiple mods available that extend the gameplay or even just change it outright. This way there are many choices to the player as to how they would like the game to play.
Pro Tons of replayability thanks to the randomly generated level
In true roguelike fashion, levels are randomly generated each time a new game is started. On top of this mechanic, Pixel Dungeon goes one step further by randomizing effects of all items as well, so it's impossible to tell if a dropped item will have a positive or a negative effect based on its sprite representation.
Pro Challenging and fun gameplay that lends itself well to repeat plays
Pixel Dungeon's gameplay is intuitive, allowing for it to be easy to get into. What is great though is that it's also very challenging, quickly making the experience both rewarding and addictive. Just one more game is a thought many will have before actually turning off their device.
Pro Detail-oriented design lends itself well to many gameplay elements, giving a feeling of polish and care not normally found on mobile
Small details in the art design helps to add immersion to the gameplay.
Pro A good variation in items allows the player to constantly discover new and exciting ways to tackle the game
Next to the typical selection of buffs, de-buffs, potions (that can be either consumed or thrown), weapons and armor (the latter two have to identified and can carry with them bonuses and curses), there are also less common items like random teleportation scrolls, map reveals, etc.
Pro Easily play without an internet connection as the game can be played in-full offline
Pixel Dungeon does not require an internet connection to use, making for a good game to play when there is no internet to connect to such as on flights.
Pro Beautiful pixel artwork that should offer a good bit of nostalgia for anyone who grew up with games that look similar
This looks like one of the good SNES RPGs. For someone who grew up loving those games, that's a huge plus.
Pro Being completely free and open-source means that anyone can try the game in order to see if they like it
No advertisements, no in-game store, and available for free with the source code available on GitHub.
*There is a link in the game where users can donate money to the developer. This of course does not mean you have to, but it is marked as a game with in-app-purchased because of it.
Pro Has a reasonable amount of strategical depth where the player can easily plan out their next move
The top-down, turn-based nature of the game gives the opportunity to plan out a complex series of moves. This way there is no time constraint, and the player can leisurely strategize what they would like to do next.
Pro Hold your device as you like as the game can be played in portrait or landscape
Allowing the user to switch from portrait or landscape makes for an easy way to switch playstyles (one handed, two handed) depending on what device is being used (tablet, phone) as well as what is most comfortable for the user.
Pro Randomly generated levels allows the game to always stay fresh and new
Each level is randomly generated, allowing each play to feel fresh and different from any other. There is no telling how each floor will be laid out, which makes for a game with limitless replayability.
Pro Immersive mode suppot allows the game to play in full screen, hiding the software navigation and notification bars
TinyKeep has support for immersive mode on Android 4.4+. This allows the game to be played in the entire screen on devices that uses navigation software buttons.
Pro Good controller support that makes for more tactical control of the game
TinyKeep has controller support for SHIELD devices as well as any HID controller, which is great for those that would prefer to play the game with a controller over using a touch screen.
Pro Being SHIELD compatible and Tegra optimized allows for a more graphicly intensive experience over the majority of games found on Android
Tiny Keep works with all SHIELD devices as well as other Tegra devices such as the Nexus 9. This allows for a more graphically intensive game, due to taking advantage of the Tegra GPUs.
Pro Different endings and Game+ mode give plenty incentive to play the game for a long time
There are 3 different endings to the game, which gives a good bit of incentive to replay numerous times in order to see them all as well as a Game+ mode that makes the game even more difficult.
Pro Fun mechanic where the environment can be used against enemies
Parts of the environment in the game can be used against ones enemies, such as spike floor traps, turned over fire pits or even captive NPCs. Utilizing these objects or NPCs adds an extra set of tools to aid in the players fight to reach the end of each level.
Cons
Con Pixel Dungeon is hard
Pixel Dungeon's difficulty can be a turn off for some players as it is quite challenging. While there will be those that enjoy such difficulty, those looking for something easy may not enjoy the game.
Con Overly random
A lot of people see roguelike design as being based around randomness. It's actually a far more precise set of balances than that. A lot of roguelike developers shy way from "randomly generated content" in favor of the term "procedurally generated content." The reason for this is that a well designed roguelike is well balanced enough that if you lose or win, it's all because of the actions you took.
Pixel Dungeon has a habit of sometimes generating dungeons that are basically impossible and sometimes generating dungeons that are laughably easy.
Con Randomness cannot be turned off
Since everything in Pixel Dungeon is randomized, sometimes a player's character can get killed in ways that cannot be avoided. There is no way to escape this issue since randomization is baked in with no way to turn it off.
Con Only works on limited devices
TinyKeep, being a very graphically intensive game has been ported specifically for Tegra K1 devices with newly added support for the Tegra 4. Sadly this means that devices without a Tegra K1 or 4 will not be able to run the game.
