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The best games on Android cross all genres and appeal to every type of gamer, but things were a little more limited in the Play Store's early days. A decade or more ago, as developers worked out just what games were suitable for mobile devices and publishers explored how hellish microtransactions could be, we were treated to iconic games that set the standard for Android gaming.
New and original Android games appear on the Play Store regularly, but sometimes you need a retro game from the '90s and early '00s to settle down with. While other games offer groundbreaking visuals, these rely on their gameplay to provide an engaging experience.
You can play Prince of Persia right from your Android phone's browser, and it's pretty awesome
You can even play fullscreen
Back in 1989, the first Prince of Persia game was released on the Apple II, eventually finding its way to a host of platforms like the Game Boy, NES, and MS-DOS (the version I'm most familiar with). Not only is this the game that started a genre of cinematic platformers (like Another World in '91 and Flashback in '92), it's still heralded as one of the best, all thanks to its slick movement animations that utilized rotoscoping for their creation. While the original has inspired the design of many sequels, the first game still holds a special place in my heart, which is why I was very excited to discover an HTML5/JavaScript port of the MS-DOS version of Prince of Persia on GitHub that's perfectly playable on Android devices. You can even create a launcher for your homescreen to quickly jump into this port fullscreen, complete with touch controls.
I put an Outrun arcade machine in my dining room so you don't have to (but you'll still want to)
All it's missing is a mini fridge and cup holder
I've always wanted a home arcade. This is something that has appealed to me since I saw my first arcade cabinet as a child, playing Mario Bros. at a local strip mall. My affinity for arcade games only grew as I aged, but even in my 40's, I've never really had the spare cash or room to pull the trigger on a legit, full-sized cabinet for my home. This is why Arcade1up's machines are so appealing.
24 of the best classic games on Android remade with a modern design (Updated for 2021)
Get your HD remasters right here
Today's roundup is centered around classic games that have been updated with modern graphics, often known as remasters or enhanced editions. These are all older titles in the grand scheme of things, but they've all been updated with modern aesthetics to support modern Android devices. In total, I have 24 games to share with everyone, having cleaned up the list while adding in some new additions. I'd also like to point out that this roundup also serves as a sister list to my retro port roundup, so if you're looking for even more classic games, make sure to check out the companion article. Without further ado, here are 24 classic games remade for Android with a modern design, updated for 2021.
Doom and Doom II are now playable at up to 120 FPS on Android
16:9 support and DeHackEd-based add-ons are also in the mix
Bethesda released Doom And Doom II on Android back in July of 2019, but both games had a rocky start thanks to a forced log-in, music changes, and a lack of features. Unlike most AAA devs on the Play Store, Bethesda actually put in the work to improve each game, and today another large update has been pushed out to both titles. You can now view either game in 16:9, and high frame rates have also made the cut, which means you can now play at 90 FPS and 120 FPS. Support for DeHackEd-based add-ons is also in the mix, and a few performance improvements are here to seal the deal.
Shortly after the disappearance of EA's Tetris titles on the Play Store, the new mobile Tetris license holder N3twork has published a classic alternative. In contrast to its Tetris Royale that adds a 100-player mode and daily challenges to the classic game, the brand-new Tetris is as barebones as it gets.
With the recent announcement of a Red Alert game coming to Android in China, I started thinking about what other classic properties have yet to find a home on Android. Now, I know we have gotten plenty of garbage that uses the branding of popular classics for a quick buck, but that's not what I'm talking about. I mean more ports or HD remakes that stay true to their original roots and pricing models. So I have put together a wishlist of the top titles I would love to see brought to Android with the love and attention they deserve.
Sega Forever has given us a chance to relive some classic gaming experiences on Android, and they just keep coming. Past titles have included Golden Axe, Virtua Tennis Challenge, and Beyond Oasis. The latest release is the beat 'em up classic Streets of Rage. You can start playing it right now, and it'll cost you nothing if you don't mind some ads.
Fans of old school arcade shoot 'em ups would have been thrilled when TAITO started porting the RAY series to Android. It's been a long time coming, 5 years after iOS got in on the action. Now, after releasing the first 2 games in the trilogy earlier this summer, the final installment RAYCRISIS has arrived in the Play Store.
If your formative years happened to overlap with the heyday of Sega, you likely have fond memories of games like Sonic the Hedgehog, Altered Beast, and Shinobi. You will soon be able to relive those days on Android. Sega has announced the Sega Forever collection with an assortment of classic games that are completely free, as long as you don't mind some ads.
Everyone's favorite limbless hero is back, but not in the way you might expect. While Rayman has been relegated to the modern micro-transaction gaming wastelands, he comes from a proud tradition of classic platforming. Now you can relive the glory days with Rayman Classic on Android. It's $5, but that's the end of it.
I can't honestly claim to be an old-school fan of Shadowgate, because when it was first published for the Macintosh in 1987, I was -2 months old. The original game was one of the first dungeon crawlers, advancing the player from room to room in a text-driven role-playing game that focuses on puzzles over combat, ruthlessly killing the player if he or she makes a misstep or doesn't keep enough torches around. It was kind of like Dark Souls, but with a greyscale color palette. Shadowgate is simple by modern PC and console standards, but its intricate worldbuilding and devious puzzles have made it a minor classic in the genre.
Do you hear that? The high-pitched whining noise? That's Artem, unabashed and ravenous fan of the Might and Magic series, squealing with delight. Ubisoft has just announced that it plans to bring an updated HD edition of Heroes of Might and Magic III to Android and iOS in January. You'll be able to load it up on your tablet (and only your tablet) on January 29th, for an undisclosed sum.
DotEmu has made a habit out of bringing beloved retro games to the Play Store in adaptations that are both faithful and technically excellent. The latest game to get their treatment is Gobliiins, a series of point-and-click adventure games that graced various platforms in the early 1990s. As they did before with the Double Dragon series, DotEmu has packaged three games together for $2.99.
December 25th, 1993. A fresh-faced and (mostly) innocent little boy wakes up and rushes through his breakfast to make sure he beats his little sister to the Christmas tree. Underneath he finds four gifts: a Sega Genesis game console, RBI Baseball, Disney's Aladdin, and Sonic The Hedgehog 2. Twenty years later, that boy, no longer little and considerably less innocent, can relive countless wasted hours on a 5-inch phone screen. Sonic 2 is now in the Play Store.
Gamers of a certain age probably spent at least a few hours (or years) of their lives submerged in the original Double Dragon games. These side-scrolling beat-em-ups have stood the test of time, but emulators are so messy, right? DotEmu, a developer with plenty of experience porting classic games to mobile, has followed through on its promise to bring the Double Dragon Trilogy to Android as a single download.
Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our bi-weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a game version of a popular and hilarious music video, an interesting take on the vertical platformer, and a reversal of the old Donkey Kong standard. Without further ado:
It makes me feel old knowing that a game made in 1997 is now being pitched as a classic, but nevertheless, the critically acclaimed PC game The Last Express has now made its way over to Android. This animated adventure game was originally created by Jordan Mechner, the developer of Prince of Persia, and will hopefully attract a larger audience now that it's available for the significantly lower price of $3.99.
The year was 1993. A young President Clinton was embarking on what was sure to be a scandal-free presidency, Whitney Houston was topping the charts with nothing but fame and fortune in front of her, and Simon the Sorcerer was released on Amiga and MS-DOS. You could say this game has had more lingering appeal than a lot of things from 1993, and now it's available on Android in celebration of its 20th anniversary.