Many of the top Android games on the Play Store today are available on desktop computers and laptops via ChromeOS, but the Google Play Games for PC beta allows Windows users to join in on the fun. All games approved for this service are optimized for keyboard and mouse, so you don't have to work around awkward controls.

While the current selection of games available on this service is small, it's still worth exploring. Unfortunately, all our favorite Android controllers are incompatible with Google Play Games for PC, but we hope to see this changed soon.

What do I need to play Google Play Games on a PC?

Google Play Games for PC is in beta, so Google has plenty of kinks to work out before its eventual full release. To ensure you have the smoothest experience, check your computer meets the system and region requirements. Google Play Games for PC is available in 120 regions at the time of writing. Google lists both requirements on its support page; if you're in the correct region, check your computer meets these requirements:

Minimum System Requirements

  • Windows 10.
  • 10GB SSD drive.
  • 8GB RAM.
  • Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU.
  • 4-core CPU (preferably Intel).
  • Windows admin account.
  • Windows 10.
  • 10GB SSD drive.
  • 8GB RAM.
  • A dedicated gaming GPU.
  • 8-core CPU (preferably Intel).
  • Windows admin account.

Is it worth downloading Google Play Games for PC?

In a nutshell, yes. While the current library isn't comprehensive enough to recommend it over other PC gaming services, it's a great way to play a mobile game on your laptop or desktop PC without missing out on earning Google Play Points.

Alto's Odyssey

Alto's Odyssey is one of our favorite games on Android, thanks to its charm, addictive gameplay, and support for high framerates. We recommend trying it on Google Play Games for PC as its stunning visuals are best experienced on your biggest screen.

Alto's Odyssey is a brilliant casual game, able to hold its own against any dedicated PC game. As you cannot play this game on any other desktop platform, it's worth installing Google Play Games for PC just to play it.

Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus

Warhammer 40,000: Tacticus might suffer from some of the most bloated monetization we've seen in a mobile game, but once you manage to get into a game, you'll find that its strategic gameplay is well worth your time.

Tacticus' slow-paced strategic gameplay is ideally suited to PC. A larger screen makes issuing commands easier; misplaced orders are a thing of the past. It's fantastic fun; just be prepared to deal with a tsunami of frustrating in-game notifications.

Genshin Impact

Genshin Impact offers some of the most spectacular visuals on Android, but the effect can be wasted on a mobile screen unless you have one of our top gaming phones. While Genshin Impact already has a presence on PC via the dedicated client, the Google Play Games version is equally stunning.

Playing through the Google Play Games PC client allows you to make in-game purchases via your Google Play balance and earn Play Points. Beyond this, it's an identical experience to the standalone desktop client.

Genshin Impact isn't fully integrated with the Google Play Games PC client; the installation procedure will take you through the standalone client before you can launch it through the Google Play Games client.

Jetpack Joyride

While spectacular visuals like Genshin Impact are great, it's the porting of classic mobile titles to PC that we're most excited about. Jetpack Joyride made a brief appearance on PC with Windows 8 but is currently absent in the Microsoft Store. However, thanks to Google Play Games, you can now play this classic side scroller on a PC once again.

Designed for smaller screens, Jetpack Joyride doesn't scale particularly well to desktop monitors, but thankfully, the gameplay is just as addicting as ever.

Grimvalor

Grimvalor is one of the best platformers on the Play Store, and until Google Play Games for PC came along, your phone was the only place to play it. However, you can now play this gritty RPG/platformer game on a PC.

Grimvalor might be the game that benefits most from its PC port. Playing with a mouse and keyboard is much more comfortable than touch screens, and the graphics look excellent on the big screen. It feels like it was meant to be a PC game all along.

What game will you play first?

Google Play Games for PC is steadily growing its library and availability. While it has a long way to go before we see it installed on most Windows PCs, things look good. We hope to see more significant additions; support for Netflix Games' impressive library would go a long way.