I’m sure a couple of our readers have been wondering the absence of any Indie Game Round-Up’s over the past couple weeks. Well, simply put, I was very busy. Over the past few weeks I was preparing last minute stuff for my wedding, getting married, going on my honeymoon, graduating from university, and catching up on work at my 9 to 5 job. It has been a hectic time but I’m very happy to announce that the Friday Night Indie Game Round-Up’s will be returning to their regular once-a-week scheduling from here on out. We have found some extremely stellar games for you all this week so sit back, relax, and check out some of this weeks best indie game picks!
- SGDjames
100m Stunt from Apptention
Apptention, the developer of the fantastic dodge-em game Dodge Balls has just released a new game onto Google Play called 100m Stunt. This game is a vertical platformer that has you jumping your cute little character from wall to wall while trying to reach the 100m goal marker. Sounds easy enough, right? Nope! Each of the game’s 100 stages are filled with a wide variety of enemies and deadly obstacles that will make your ascent a whole lot more challenging. If you’re a gamer that’s been searching for a game that will test both their patience and reflexes then you need look no further than 100m Stunt!
100m Stunt (Playboard) | 100m Stunt (Play Store)
Cow Dash from Retroid Interactive
I can never pass up a game sporting a retro flair so I obviously had to check out Cow Dash from Retroid Interactive. Cow Dash is a one-button platformer that puts you in control of a highly customizable cow. Your goal is simple: make your way through the meadow to the portal before you starve to death. If the core platforming gameplay isn’t enough for you (though it should be) each of the game’s stages also includes three optional objectives to complete. You can aim to collect all the veggies in the level, beating the par time requirement, and if you’re lucky you might be able to find the hidden treasure chest too! Each treasure chest contains some sort of costume piece for your cow so you’ll want to find each and every one of them!
Cow Dash is a free to play game but if you decide to purchase the premium version via a small IAP (which you should) all ads will be removed and you’ll gain access to a bunch of fun new content. How can you argue with that? Cow Dash is a great retro platformer that all gamers should check out!
Cow Dash (Playboard) | Cow Dash (Play Store)
Dark Way Down from Poemdexter Games
Poemdexter Games, the developer of the hugely addictive Running With Scissors, has released a fun new puzzle game onto Google Play. It turns out that the game’s hero has found himself in quite the predicament. He is surrounded by darkness with only a few shards of light to help guide him along his journey. It is up to you to help him solve these logic puzzles by turning all black squares to white to move onto the next level. Do you think you have what it takes to bring our little hero to the light?
Dark Way Down (Playboard) | Dark Way Down (Play Store)
Die For Metal Again from SinSquid Games
Die For Metal Again is the follow-up title to SinSquid’s original heavy metal themed platformer Die For Metal. This sequal has brought a whole lot of new content to the table this time around. With the addition of a whole whack of new heavy metal tracks, 45 all-new stages to conquer, and even more of the dark atmospheres and oceans of blood that fans know all too well from the first game in the series.
Die For Metal Again is a brutal platformer that fans of the original and new gamer’s alike will instantly get hooked on. Download it today for a mere $1.50!
Die For Metal Again (Playboard) | Die For Metal Again (Play Store)
Dungelot 2 from Red Winter Software
The original Dungelot is an indie made game that gamers from around the world simply ate up. The clever mixture of Minesweeper-esque gameplay with easy to grasp roguelike RPG elements made it a game that was easy to fall in love with. When I saw the sequel pop up on Google Play earlier this week I was immediately excited. I wanted to see what kind of fun new elements Red Winter Software had made to the formula – and I certainly wasn’t disappointed by what I saw. The biggest change that I have spotted is that the game’s graphics got a complete overhaul from those found in the original Dungelot. There have also been some clever changes to the gameplay that keep things a bit more engaging but for the most part the gameplay has remained untouched – and that’s certainly not a bad thing!
This time around your Dungelot experience features several IAP’s and some annoying life-timers to contend with but they’re nothing that should keep you from checking out this extremely addictive game. Fans of the original and those new to the series will get some serious play time out of this one!
Dungelot 2 (Playboard) | Dungelot 2 (Play Store)
Fight the Virus! from Lost City Gamez
Fight The Virus! is a Doom-esque FPS that has been built from the ground up by the talented indie developers at Lost City Gamez. This game features fast-paced horde-based gameplay that includes a variety of drop-in modes and levels – plus the dev has stated there will be additional free content added in the near future. Fight The Virus features an simple to learn control scheme that gamers of all ages will be able to pick up with ease. Fight The Virus is hugely addictive and totally free on Google Play so be sure to download it today!
Fight the Virus! (Playboard) | Fight the Virus! (Play Store)
Fluid SE from Radiangames
Everyone should know who Radiangames is by now. The maker of games like Bombbcats, Inferno+, Slydris, and many many other awesome mobile game has just released a new gem onto Google Play: Fluid SE. Fluid SE is most easily described as a mash-up of Pac-Man meets time-trial racer. You’ll be speeding your way through mazes while avoiding baddies, collecting dots, and shooting for the quickest time possible. The game features 40 levels to blaze through, 12 achievements to unlock, and while the game has some great virtual controls there’s also the option to hook up a Bluetooth HID-compatible game controller to make things even more enjoyable. Definitely check this one out.
Fluid SE (Playboard) | Fluid SE (Play Store)
GlowGrid from Zut Games
GlowGrid is a new retro puzzler that falls in a similar vein to that of games like Tetris. Rather than using basic tetrimos though you’ll be placing a variety of different shapes of varying colours with the goal of making matches and filling the power bar to move to the next level. The concept is actually quite simple but the gameplay itself is incredibly deep and extremely addictive. Combine that with the game’s more than stellar retro art and sound design and you’ve got yourself one heck of an awesome puzzle game! Definitely don’t pass up GlowGrid!
GlowGrid (Playboard) | GlowGrid (Play Store)
Hundred Fires: Episode 2 from David Amado Fernandez
The second entry in David Amado Fernandez’s Metal Gear Solid inspired stealth series Hundred Fires has finally appeared on Google Play! This time around the game takes place in Cuba in the middle of the Cold War. In a story based on around actual historic events it is entirely up to you to defeat the communists and return liberty back to your once peaceful country. Just like in the game that inspired this series you’ll need to use a combination of stealth skills, puzzle solving skills, and your fire-arms expertise to make your way through the game in once piece. If you’re a fan or stealth games, especially the Metal Gear Solid series, you’ll absolutely fall in love with Hundred Fires: Episode 2.
HUNDRED FIRES : EPISODE 2 (Playboard) | HUNDRED FIRES : EPISODE 2 (Play Store)
Horde of Heroes from Cookiebit Studios (Published by Noodlecake Studios)
There are probably hundreds of F2P Match-3 games on Google Play, but few, if any, of those games do the genre quite as well as Horde of Heroes from Cookiebit Studios. There are three things that make Horde of Heroes stand out from other games in the genre: 1. it’s simple yet complex RPG elements, 2. it’s brilliant pixel-art style, and most importantly 3. it’s actually a whole lot of fun to play! You’ll level up your character as you defeat baddies and boss characters, you’ll work your way through challenging puzzles levels, and you’ll gather a huge variety of loot that actually greatly impacts how well you’ll do in the game’s battles.
Horde of Heroes does feature a couple of IAPs that may irk some gamers but during my extensive playtime with the game I haven’t felt that they are unfair or necessary for enjoyment of the game.
All around Horde of Heroes is a solid match-3 RPG and easily one of the best F2P games available on Google Play. Definitely check this one out!
Horde of Heroes (Playboard) | Horde of Heroes (Play Store)
Kiwanuka from CMA MegaCorp
Kiwanuka is an absolutely stunning game that is all about guiding your citizens to safety by building a tower with your magical staff. Kiwanuka is a game unlike anything you’ve likely seen before and it is certainly worth your time and money. On top of the fun gameplay Kiwanuka also features achievements and cloud saves through Google Play Game Services.
Do you have what it takes to guide the citizens to freedom? Find out for $2.99 on Google Play.
Kiwanuka (Playboard) | Kiwanuka (Play Store)
LEX from Simple Machine
LEX is a brand-new style of word game from one of my all-time favorite indie developers: Simple Machine (maker of Hoots, 4 Thrones Solitaire, and Even Up). Your goal is simply to spell as many worlds from your selection of letters to build up a new high score. What makes the game a real challenge is the time limit that is placed on each letter the moment that it appears on the screen. You must use that letter in a word consisting of at least three letters before the timer reaches the top – or else it’s game over. It’s quite a challenge and is sure to test even the most veteran word gamers out there.
In addition to the fun gameplay LEX also features a truly beautiful aesthetic feel. The game is filled with colourful glyphs and breath-taking music that actually changes as you play. It is something you really need to experience. Download this gem for just $1 on Google Play. You wont be disappointed.
LEX (Playboard) | LEX (Play Store)
Pixel Plane from Afterburner Software
Pixel Plane is an addictive endless-arcade game that is easy to pick up and get hooked on but quite the challenge to do well at (at least for myself). Your goal is simple: glide your paper airplane between the small gaps between an infinite number of platforms for as long as you possibly can. Okay, it sounds easy, but I assure you it’s not as easy as it sounds!
Pixel Plane from Afterburner Software is an extremely fun and endlessly addictive arcade game that will have you playing it for a long time to come. It’s totally free and even supports Facebook leaderboards so definitely check it out!
Pixel Plane (Playboard) | Pixel Plane (Play Store)
Qvadriga from Slitherine
Qvadriga is a tactical chariot racing game that is loosely based on the 80′s board game Circus Maximus. Think of it as a sort of turn-based racer that takes place in a Ben Hur-esque setting. In Qvadriga you’ll be managing your very own chariot racing team. You’ll need to train your drivers and provide them with the best equipment and horses around if you hope to come out on top and earn that much sought after fame and fortune.
Qvadriga provides players with a turn-based gaming experience unlike anything released before it. I’m sure many gamers will be put off by the games fairly high price tag ($10) but those willing to shell out the cash are sure to be kept busy for quite some time.
To find our more about Qvadriga be sure to check out JC Richardson’s full review: Qvadriga Review.
Qvadriga (Playboard) | Qvadriga (Play Store)
Raining Tacos from Holmade Games
Raining Tacos is the official game of the hit song by Parry Gripp (If you haven’t heard it you can check it out HERE… at your own risk!). So it turns out that it is raining… tacos! It is up to you, and you alone to eat them all up while dodging the chaos surmounting around you. Along your tasty journey you’ll have plenty of achievements to unlock and leaderboards to climb – all through Google Play Game Services.
How long can you survive? How many tacos will you be able to gobble up before your untimely end? There’s only one way to find out! Download Raining Tacos from Google Play for just $1!
Raining Tacos (Playboard) | Raining Tacos (Play Store)
Ramble Planet from A. Hagen
Ramble Planet is an incredibly unique scavenger hunt RPG that takes place in a unique sci-fi world. It seems as though you have crashed on Badmark, a hostile frontier planet / tourist hotspot. A weird combination indeed, but it makes for some interesting encounters to say the least. You’ll scour this alien landscape for replacement parts for your spaceship while either befriending or battling the planet’s strange denizens.
Ramble Planet sports an impeccable retro art and sound design and a unique free-roaming gameplay style that has to be seen to be truly understood. This great game is entirely free on Google Play so be sure to check it out.
Ramble Planet (Playboard) | Ramble Planet (Play Store)
RedShift from Belief Engine
RedShift casts players as the last person left that has the ability to stop a power plant from overloading and destroying the city. To do this players must race against the clock and find a series of relay consoles hidden throughout the facility. Easy, right? Well… no, actually. As the closer the timer gets closer to zero the more the power plant will fall apart in epic fashion and hinder your progress with fire and debris. You’ll only be able to succeed if you collect fire extinguishers and think strategically in the heat of the moment. Do you have what it takes to stay cool in such a terrifying situation? Let’s hope so… millions of lives depend on you!
RedShift sports addictive old school gameplay and an impressive presentation that makes it a must play game for any and every puzzle fan out there. Download it from Google Play for the nice low price of FREE!
RedShift (Playboard) | RedShift (Play Store)
Salad Shark from Overtoast
Salad Shark is an extremely addictive one-touch reflex arcade game that puts you in the shoes… err… fins of a vegetarian shark. You heard me right – this shark will only eat fruits and vegetables! In fact just one bite of meat is enough to put this shark into submission.
In Salad Shark a troupe of monkeys throw an assortment of fruits and vegetables at the vegetarian shark. It’s all fun and games until they start throwing slabs of steak into the mix! By pressing and holding on your device’s screen you will open the sharks mouth so he can collect the fruits and veggies coming his way and simply taking your finger off your device will snap his jaws shut to avoid any of that disgusting incoming meat.
Salad Shark features awesome retro graphics, an addictive survival mode, a challenging mission mode, 7 achievements to unlock, and online leaderboards to climb! And it is totally free! Download it today!
Salad Shark (Playboard) | Salad Shark (Play Store)
Siralim from Thyacine Studios
Siralim from Thycine Studios is a fantasy RPG that plays as part dungeon crawler and part monster collector. You play as the new king or queen of a kingdom that is looking to explore strange new worlds in a quest for resources new monsters that will fight for you. The game starts you off at an easy pace but as you progress you’ll notice that Siralim quickly becomes a full-on kingdom management sim with over 200 monsters to fight and collect, over 120 magic spells to learn, and with no level cap in sight you’re sure to be able to explore this endlessly randomized landscape for quite some time to come.
For more on Siralim be sure to check out JC Richardson’s full review: Siralim Review
Siralim (Playboard) | Siralim (Play Store)
Soar from Obium
Soar is a truly beautiful one touch reflex game that has you guiding a phoenix through the treacherous skies above a cloud covered mountain range. By simply tapping on the game screen you will send your phoenix to an area free of dangers – well, that’s the plan at least. As you progress your speed will increase and so will the number of obstacles that get in your way. How far do you think you can fly?
Soar (Playboard) | Soar (Play Store)
Solarmax 2 from Nico Tuason
Solarmax is a utterly beautiful streamlined strategy game of interplanetary war.You will need to colonize planets, build a massive fleet of starships, and use superior tactics to destroy anyone that gets in your way of universal domination. Solarmax 2 features 36 missions challenging missions, an intuitive control scheme, stunning HD graphics, and an original musical score to top things off. If you’re looking for a space based strategy game you’d be hard pressed to find one as good as Solarmax 2.
(*Note: This game requires at least a Dual Core 1GHz processor to be played)
Solarmax 2 (Playboard) | Solarmax 2 (Play Store)
SolForge from Stone Blade Entertainment
SolForge, for those who didn’t get the chance to play it on PC or an Apple device, is a Magic: The Gathering-esque trading card game where you set up a deck of fantasy-powered cards from up to two factions. Once this is done you are ready to pit your deck against others in turn based battles. The rules are actually quite simple, but the underlying strategy here is where the game comes into its own. If you’re a gamer familiar with this style of card game you will quickly discover how important it is to seek out the rarest cards available.
Some gamers may be turned off by the use of IAPs in SolForge but if you’re into this style of game each dollar spent is sure to be worthwhile. If you want to learn more about SolForge be sure to check out our very own JC Richardson’s full review: SolForge Review
SolForge (Playboard) | SolForge (Play Store)
Star Traders 4X Empires from Trese Brothers
Star Traders 4X is a classic space-opera that follows the ancient traditions of Master of Orion, Imperium Galactica and the like. You are faced with a daunting unexplored star map that you’ll make your way across as you try to gain a foothold for the human race. You will have to colonize planets by providing shelter for your nomadic people, create work and entertainment, and even get into politics once the people start splitting into factions. It’s all a fairly complex system but for fans of the genre ST4X will be a no brainer.
I was born naturally horrible at this style of game so for a more in-depth look at ST4X from someone who knows what he’s talking about be sure to check out our very own JC Richardson’s review: Star Traders 4X Review
Star Traders 4X Empires (Playboard) | Star Traders 4X Empires (Play Store)
Star Traders 4X Empires Elite (Playboard) | Star Traders 4X Empires Elite (Play Store)
Stellar Ghosts from PROTOFACTOR
Stellar Ghosts is a new third person shooter that is sure to test your alien varmint’ hunting prowess with some truly intense horde based action. Stellar Ghosts is an ambitious 3D shoot ‘em up that feels closer to a console game than a mobile game thanks to its wealth of content and customization options. There are tons of different ways to play each mission depending on which character you choose, which coupled with light RPG mechanics lets players experience the game the way they want. But basically, if you were to stick Jet Force Gemini and Borderlands together in a blender and set it to “puree” out would come the digital smoothie that is Stellar Ghosts.
Stellar Ghosts is an impressive indie shoot ‘em up that can be yours for just a dollar over at Google Play! Go check it out!
*Note: Stellar Ghosts requires a high end mobile devices to run smoothly so be sure to play with a Tegra 3 powered tablet, Kindle Fire HD, Galaxy S5 or similar.
STELLAR GHOSTS (Playboard) | STELLAR GHOSTS (Play Store)
Super Blue Fighter from Álvaro Herrero
Super Blue Fighter is a new Robotron 2084 inspired arcade game from Álvaro Herrero, the indie dev behind the fantastic retro platformer Job The Leprechaun. Super Blue Fighter is most easily described as a melee-based tilt-controlled version of the classic arcade hit Robotron 2084. This time around you’ll still run around the game screen while avoiding obstacles and destroying baddies – but you’ll be doing so with melee combat instead of with a blaster. It’s an interesting change to the formula that works very well and is a whole lot of fun to play! Fans of the classic arcade game will eat this one right up and it’s fun new additions and modern control scheme are sure to appeal to a whole new fan base as well.
Super Blue Fighter (Playboard) | Super Blue Fighter (Play Store)
Tiny World from Laurent Bakowski
Laurent Bakowski, the indie developer of the ever so popular Bad Roads series of games, has just released a new automobile-based physics game onto Google Play called Tiny World. Anyone who has played any of Laurent’s previous games will know what to expect here: drive across bumpy terrain while trying to hold onto your luggage for as long as possible. It’s a simple concept but it sure is addicting!
Though Tiny World continues in the tracks of its predecessors on the gameplay front it has a whole new look and feel this time around. The brand new colourful art style and catchy new soundtrack are a nice change from the dank and dreary locales in the previous games.
Tiny World is a a fun little game that is definitely worth your time. It’s free to download so be sure to check it out.
Tiny World (Playboard) | Tiny World (Play Store)
Toxic Bunny HD from Celestial Games
Toxic Bunny HD is best described in the words of it’s creators: “Toxic Bunny is what would happen if the Looney Toons & Monty Python were heavily armed and thrown into a blender with the best (and worst) movies of the 90′s and turned the results into a retro platform game”. Sounds like a whole lot of awesome to me!
Fans of retro platformers really have no excuse as to why they shouldn’t check out Toxic Bunny right now. The game is loaded with a very quirky charm, costs a mere $1 on Google Play, and it offers players both virtual controls and connectivity for USB controllers too. Toxic Bunny is definitely a lot of bang for your buck… literally.
Toxic Bunny HD (Playboard) | Toxic Bunny HD (Play Store)
UMAI! from Konstantin Kopka
UMAI! is an incredibly bizarre sushi eating puzzle game that is a ridiculous amount of fun! You must chain together sushi using your ultra-flexible tongue to build combos and craft yourself a new high score. Just make sure you avoid the poisonous ones…
In addition to it’s addictive gameplay UMAI! also sports some gorgeous low res graphics, five unique characters to choose from, and both local and world leaderboards! If you’ve been itching for something truly bizarre you need look no further than UMAI!
UMAI! (Playboard) | UMAI! (Play Store)
Virus Jigglin’ Fever from devFluid
Virus Jigglin’ Fever is an off the wall take on the classic arcade game Breakout that looks and feels like a hallucinogenic fantasy where Dr Mario and the art of brick breaking collide in a chaotic tapestry of psychedelic visuals. You find yourself in the shoes of a renowned scientist that has been tasked with cleaning up a deadly outbreak of escaped rare diseases. It is entirely up to you to strategically bounce your way through the game’s surprisingly meaty campaign mode or see how far you can make it in the game’s endless mode.
There are alot of games that you can break bricks in nowadays but Virus Jigglin’ Fever goes about this digital destruction in a way that feels completely its own. So what are you waiting for? Head on over to Google Play right now and grab Virus Jigglin’ Fever for just $1.99!.
Virus Jigglin Fever (Playboard) | Virus Jigglin Fever (Play Store)
VVVVVV from Terry Cavanagh
VVVVVV, Terry Cavanagh’s hit platformer has finally made it’s way onto Android devices! VVVVVV has won many awards and received a tonne of rave reviews since it’s initial release in 2010 – and rightfully so. This game is quite simple one of the best video games ever made. It mixes a fun retro art style together with highly addictive yet often excruciatingly difficult platforming gameplay into a well designed Metroid-esque game world. It took quite a long time to get over to Android but I assure you it is worth the wait. VVVVVV is without a doubt one of the best games on Android and you’d be silly not to download this right away!
Oh, and while you’re downloading VVVVVV be sure to check out Terry’s other release – this one free – Super Graviton. It’s a SUPER-FAST dodge ‘em style game that will definitely test your reflexes… and your patience.
VVVVVV (Playboard) | VVVVVV (Play Store)
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The Friday Night Indie Game Round-Up is brought to you by the combined Voltron-esque powers of SGD co-editors Craig Forshey and James Maxwell!