I’m looking for Android games that are designed to be played vertically (portrait mode). Could be casual, action, puzzle, roguelike, or anything really. Best if it can be played one-handed.
Paid or not doesn’t matter.
Feel free to exclude the pay-to-win crowd. Still, name 'em if you feel you have an excellent exception.
I don’t play many Android games, and enjoy even fewer, but Hoplite is great. It’s pretty simple to play but still requires some thinking, which is what I want out of a mobile game.
Gonna go with the wildcard here and suggest Walkscape. It’s still in beta, so access requires a one-time patron sub ($4.50, then cancel) or a free written application through their portal (may take like a week to approve)
It’s a classic runescape-style RPG where all actions cost “steps” walking. It’s designed to keep screen time to a minimum and walking time to a maximum.
Character management is generally pretty passive and 1-handed. Definitely much more casual by nature, but encourages much more active participation.
The different types of Gameboys and most of their games emulate really well on a smart phone. I prefer playing them in landscape orientation for the larger display, but portrait mode gives a more accurate recreation with the screen on top and buttons on bottom.
I’m out of touch with what the latest best options are for emulators and where to source your ROMs, but if you ask around in communities focusing on things like piracy, they’ll point you in the right direction.
Once Upon a Galaxy has been my default game since I first played it.
It’s an asynchronous alternating activation autobattler (like Arcane Rush, or Storybook Brawl/Hearthstone Battlegrounds but you play against ghosts). Games take about 10-15 minutes.
It’s largely public domain fantasy themed, but has been expanding into the “legally distinct” cultural references as they add content, basically every captain/unit/treasure is a reference.
The shop mechanic is simplified, there’s no currency, you just get a set of choices, and can pick 1. You get two shops per round by default, lots of ways to get extra.
Asynchronous play means that you face challenging opponents that naturally evolve with the meta game but you can also take time to make thoughtful decisions.
The draft pool for the shop has a large base pool that you add to by selecting a custom sebset from a second large pool as your captain’s deck. The progression is through unlocking cards for each captain’s secondary pool, and unlocking new captains. You can naturally earn all cards through play, most captains are free, new captains are paywalled for a limited time.
Monetization is through 3 paths: cosmetics, acceleration of card unlocks, access to paywalled captains. I haven’t found it to be particularly exploitative or negative feeling.
My only gripe is minor, that it doesn’t have mid-run save/resume, but that is on their road map.
There is essentially no story, if that matters to you.
If it’s not obvious, I’m really enthusiastic about this game. I’m not affiliated/sponsored in any way. Happy to answer any questions.
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Pilgrims. Its a puzzle game, no dialogues but great story. Not FOSS.
https://amanita-design.net/games/pilgrims.html
It’s a paid game, though. I got it for free from Epic Games.
You can play it on any device. On phones, it is played in portrait orientation.
Slice & Dice is a dice building rogue like, didn’t originally have portrait mode, but they added it in at some point, I love the hell out of it
Seconded
The original Shapez is vertical. I don’t love how it plays on mobile in terms of controls but it works
I don’t play many Android games, and enjoy even fewer, but Hoplite is great. It’s pretty simple to play but still requires some thinking, which is what I want out of a mobile game.
Gonna go with the wildcard here and suggest Walkscape. It’s still in beta, so access requires a one-time patron sub ($4.50, then cancel) or a free written application through their portal (may take like a week to approve)
It’s a classic runescape-style RPG where all actions cost “steps” walking. It’s designed to keep screen time to a minimum and walking time to a maximum.
Character management is generally pretty passive and 1-handed. Definitely much more casual by nature, but encourages much more active participation.
I would say Umamusume but don’t get into it if you don’t really have much time.
Anuto TD
This is so basic, it is creative. 😄
Currently playing Block Blast as my time killer and loving it.
The different types of Gameboys and most of their games emulate really well on a smart phone. I prefer playing them in landscape orientation for the larger display, but portrait mode gives a more accurate recreation with the screen on top and buttons on bottom.
I’m out of touch with what the latest best options are for emulators and where to source your ROMs, but if you ask around in communities focusing on things like piracy, they’ll point you in the right direction.
Recommended to use a VPN for any downloads.
Once Upon a Galaxy has been my default game since I first played it.
It’s an asynchronous alternating activation autobattler (like Arcane Rush, or Storybook Brawl/Hearthstone Battlegrounds but you play against ghosts). Games take about 10-15 minutes.
It’s largely public domain fantasy themed, but has been expanding into the “legally distinct” cultural references as they add content, basically every captain/unit/treasure is a reference.
The shop mechanic is simplified, there’s no currency, you just get a set of choices, and can pick 1. You get two shops per round by default, lots of ways to get extra.
Asynchronous play means that you face challenging opponents that naturally evolve with the meta game but you can also take time to make thoughtful decisions.
The draft pool for the shop has a large base pool that you add to by selecting a custom sebset from a second large pool as your captain’s deck. The progression is through unlocking cards for each captain’s secondary pool, and unlocking new captains. You can naturally earn all cards through play, most captains are free, new captains are paywalled for a limited time.
Monetization is through 3 paths: cosmetics, acceleration of card unlocks, access to paywalled captains. I haven’t found it to be particularly exploitative or negative feeling.
My only gripe is minor, that it doesn’t have mid-run save/resume, but that is on their road map.
There is essentially no story, if that matters to you.
If it’s not obvious, I’m really enthusiastic about this game. I’m not affiliated/sponsored in any way. Happy to answer any questions.
I will check it out. 🙂 Thanks for the recommendation.
Sudoku by SecUSo
I’ll do ya one better, the Simon Tatham’s puzzle collection. http://chris.boyle.name/projects/android-puzzles/
Downwell is one of the best mobile games of all-time
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.devolver.downwell_rerelease&hl=en_US
Except for the lack of official gamepad support, in before anyone links to that one github with the hardcoded screen coordinates
Dungeon Tracer is a pretty decent remake of one of my favorites from back in the day, Dungeon Raid
Here is one that is quality and engaging if you like a good story:
80 Days