Android 101: 5 Must-Have games for beginners

BY Rajesh Pandey

Published 19 Mar 2014

If you’re new to Android, you must be overwhelmed by the selection on the Play Store. Just like apps, there are a plethora of games on the Play Store as well. Some of them are worth your time and offer excellent gameplay and graphics, while others are only meant to make money by stealing your precious data. To make your life easier, we list down five must-have apps that every new Android user should try out.

Granny Smith

Granny Smith is a racing platformer inspired from the likes of Temple Run and others. The game puts the users in the shoes of an old granny who needs to beat the thief in collecting all the gold coins and fruits. Its simple yet addictive gameplay is the reason why even more than a year after its release, the game is among the most popular ones on the Play Store.

granny_smith

You can try out the free version of Granny Smith first before buying the paid version.

Ingress

Ingress is made by Ninantic Labs at Google and is an augmented reality game that makes the whole world your playground.

A mysterious energy has been unearthed by a team of scientists in Europe. The origin and purpose of this force is unknown, but some researchers believe it is influencing the way we think. We must control it or it will control us.

“The Enlightened” seek to embrace the power that this energy may bestow upon us. “The Resistance” struggle to defend, and protect what’s left of our humanity.

Sadly, Ingress portals are filled in abundance only in the United States, Canada and other popular first world countries.

Ingress

You can download Ingress for free from the Play Store.

QuizUp

QuizUp is a recent entrant on the Play Store and has been a smash hit on the iOS AppStore. It is a very simple quiz game that allows users to compete against other opponents or their friends in real time on a wide array of topics.

QuizUp can be downloaded for free from the Play Store.

Asphalt 8

Asphalt 8 comes from Gameloft Studios that is known for releasing some quality games. If you love racing games, Asphalt 8 will surely fill you with an adrenaline rush with its high-speed aerial stunts and various tracks.

While the game is free to download, it is filled with in-app purchases that will greatly slow down your progress. As a bonus, the game also supports real time multiplayer racing and Google Play games integration so that you can complete against your friends. Make sure your Android device has more than 1.5GB of free storage space and a decent GPU before you download the game.

asphalt_8

Riptide GP2

Riptide GP2 comes from the studios of Vector Unit, who are known for quality games like Beach Buggy Blitz and the original Riptide GP. It is an arcade racing game that features some stunning visuals and an addictive gameplay. The game requires users to race against other opponents in a hydro jet in an interactive water environment with some amazing physics and real time effects.

riptide

Make sure your Android device packs in enough oomph before you decide to buy the game from the Play Store.

That’s not it though. There are tons of other games that beginners can try out on their devices including Flow, Plasma Sky, Clash Of The Cans, Hill Climb Racing and more. Of course, I have not included all the other extremely popular games that most users already know about, like the Angry Birds series from Rovio and Temple Run.