Welcome to a special Monday edition of the Super Game Droid Friday Night Indie Game Round-Up, your weekly guide to the latest and greatest indie games available on the Android platform!
Each week our dedicated editorial team spends countless hours scouring the depths of the internet in order to bring you the best new indie Android games we can find. We then take our absolute favorites for the week and compile them all together in this handy dandy round-up so you’ll always have an easy way of discovering some awesome new indie games to play on Android!
Whether you’re looking for a challenging new platformer, an action packed shooter, or even just a good old fashioned puzzler SGD has got you covered so check out all 25 of the awesome new indie games below and make sure to vote for your favorite on the poll at the bottom of the page. As always, the game with the most votes as of Thursday morning will be declared our indie game of the week and will be featured on our front page!
4-Color Taxi from ShadowBrain
Due to their existing generations apart, there has sadly never been a meeting of Crazy Taxi and the original grayscale Gameboy. One indie developer by the name of ShadowBrain has taken it upon themselves to right this injustice and the result is the fantastic new retro style arcade racer 4-Color Taxi which takes the cab driving action into 2D territory while throwing its own unique gameplay quirks into the mix. As a no-nonsense taxi driver it’s up to players to deliver passengers to their destination on time come hell or high water without silly things like oil slicks or brick walls getting in the way in this great old school style arcade racer.
4-Color Taxi (Playboard) | 4-Color Taxi (Play Store)
Alien Bang Bang from Gamechanger
Norwegian indie game studio Gamechanger’s new arcade shoot ‘em up Alien Bang Bang is a nostalgic tribute to the Galagas and Space Invaders of yesteryear as it valiantly recreates that arcade cabinet feeling on mobile. Players step into the shoes of a ruff and tumble fighter pilot fighting for the future of humanity against a menacing alien horde as they pew pew their way across 125 retro themed levels. Just like the classics there are plenty of different power ups and weapon types available which players will need when they go up against the alien armada and its incredibly powerful boss ships.
Alien Bang Bang (Playboard) | Alien Bang Bang (Play Store)
Automatic RPG from ROApps
With the advent of the cookie clicker genre has come an arms race to see which game could out simple all the rest by taking things like the RPG genre and distilling it down into a form so base that it makes Flappy Bird look like Mozart by comparison. One such cookie clicker game called Automatic RPG has arrived and it’s taking things to a whole other level by removing the player from the game almost entirely. As you probably guessed from the games title it will actually play itself if you let it, but the fun part is how players are able to assist in battles by tapping on monsters to speed up the attack, recruiting additional party members, and grabbing valuable loot when the opportunity presents itself.
Automatic RPG (Playboard) | Automatic RPG (Play Store)
Awesome Space Shooter from Guinea Pixel
Whereas Alien Bang Bang was an old school style shoot ‘em up akin to Galaga indie developer Guinea Pixel’s new bullet hell shoot ‘em up Awesome Space Shooter leans toward the kind of visual insanity typical of games like Ikaruga. What’s nice about Awesome Space Shooter is when I say it’s a bullet hell shoot ‘em up, I mean it, as this addicting mobile shooter provides some of the most challenging gameplay of any Android entry in the genre. Enemy ships will swarm players with a cacophony of ordinance which can only be evaded through lighting fast reflexes and an eye for any floating ship boosts that come their way.
Awesome Space Shooter (Playboard) | Awesome Space Shooter (Play Store)
Crevice Hero from I Am A Game
One of the most classic platforming game mechanics ever devised is coming back in style with its very own game called Crevice Hero courtesy of indie studio I Am A Game. If you’ve ever played any of the Super Mario Bros or Castlevania games you’ll undoubtedly remember a level with a collapsing roof that players have to navigate by taking refuge from the falling ceiling at certain safe points. In Crevice Hero that mechanic is front and center as players must make it as far as they can without getting squished using one of a number of pixelated heroes that each have their own special ability.
Crevice Hero (Playboard) | Crevice Hero (Play Store)
DLX1 from Karol Majeran
Indie developer Karol Majeran’s gorgeous new bullet hell shooter DLX1 is not only a fantastic arcade experience in its own right but it also uses one of the best control schemes i’ve seen which adds a whole new layer to the gameplay. In addition to being able to move their ship around the screen per normal, players can actually angle their shots by using multi-touch controls that allow them to tilt their ship 360 degrees and get the drop on enemies rather than waiting till they’re directly in the enemies line of fire before their bullets can actually connect. And as if that wasn’t cool enough you can even summon a giant battleship that will blow the crap out of any enemy ships that come your way.
de.arapps3d.shootertest (Playboard) | de.arapps3d.shootertest (Play Store)
de.arapps3d.dlxonefull (Playboard) | de.arapps3d.dlxonefull (Play Store)
Earthworm Alchemy from Team Signal
This charming new arcade reflex game serves as a great example of how to properly take a simple concept and turn it into something special, even if it is a tad bit eccentric. In Earthworm Alchemy players must help grow their own pet worm by making sure he gets properly fed which in this case means making sure he swallows food and not bombs. As players progress they’ll gradually unlock crazy new gameplay mechanics and tons of hilarious outfits for their invertebrate friend.
Earthworm Alchemy (Playboard) | Earthworm Alchemy (Play Store)
Fisherman from Artur Szott & Patinuss
Speaking of LOL worthy games there’s Fisherman, the patently absurd yet undeniably awesome new riff on Timberman style titles that takes its addicting twitch action out to sea where players fish for treasure and well, fish. For those unfamiliar with these types of games players must tap on either side of the screen in order to catch one of the two objects on either side of their boat which could be a fish, a sea mine, or something else entirely before they run out of time. Fisherman builds on a solid foundation centered around this mechanic with a ton of really neat craftable pixel swag that players can unlock to show off their god-like reflexes.
Fisherman – Monsters & Stuff (Playboard) | Fisherman – Monsters & Stuff (Play Store)
Infinite Warrior Battle Mage from Empty Flask Games
From the makers of the epic endless RPG Infinite Warrior comes a brand new spinoff title subtitled Battle Mage that takes things into a much more strategic direction than its predecessor while still keeping everything about Infinite Warrior that made it so fun intact. Combining the tower defense, RPG, and shooter genres Infinite Warrior Battle Mage tasks players with defending a lone spire against an onslaught of ferocious monsters by unleashing powerful spells and summoning mythic creatures to aid them in battle. There’s tons of loot and equipment to collect too which meshes in surprisingly well despite not being traditionally used in tower defense games.
Infinite Warrior Battle Mage (Playboard) | Infinite Warrior Battle Mage (Play Store)
Jetguy from Dodozen
What do you get when you cross Lunar Lander with Super Mario Bros? That’s the question answered by the addicting retro physics platformer Jetguy which seamlessly melds the two video game icons into a familiar yet fresh sidescrolling experience. Players take on the role of the title character as they jetpack their way past buzz saws, laser beams, and bad guys that also have jetpacks. Strategic flying and a knack for sensing momentum are needed to succeed in this challenging remix of the Lunar Lander genre.
Jetguy (Playboard) | Jetguy (Play Store)
Lamp And Vamp from GlobZ
A ghoulish new horror puzzle adventure that casts players as a Nosferatu on the run from an angry posse of exorcists and torch wielding townsfolk, Lamp And Vamp will make you sympathize with vampires in ways you didn’t know you could as players attempt to strategically avoid being staked before they can make it to a coffin to hide out. Aside from its kitchse retro aesthetic Lamp And Vamp utilizes well designed puzzle mechanics as a foundation for highly replayable randomly generated gameplay that will leave players howling at the moon.
Lamp and Vamp (Playboard) | Lamp and Vamp (Play Store)
Last Hope from Macle
My initial impression of Last Hope when I first laid eyes on it was that I was dealing with an endless runner, and while it does incorporate some elements of that genre it is actually by and large an absolutely fantastic Tron-like arcade puzzler that commands your attention with bombastic authority. Created by indie developer Macle Studios, this addicting new twitch heavy dodge ‘em up smoothly integrates gameplay styles ranging from Tetris to Tron as players attempt to rapidly rearrange a massive alien cube so their rocket powered protagonist doesn’t accidentally smash into a wall. As if its top notch graphics, design, and awesome soundtrack weren’t enough Last Hope also has a hilarious fully animated back story that tells the tale of an intergalactic war between peace loving triangles and war mongering cubes with one triangle donning a super powered suit and striking back for freedom.
Last Hope (Playboard) | Last Hope (Play Store)
MiniChase from Roshka Mobi
An addicting arcade chase racer that manages to retrofit modern pick up and play game design onto an old school body, MiniChase isn’t the biggest game but it sure is one you’ll be spending a lot of time in. The idea behind this pixelated game of cops and robbers is that players are on the run from the coppers after having pulled off a bank heist and now have to escape through the city using comically touchy controls. MiniChase is a good game in its own right, but it also serves as a snippet of a much bigger new game called Escape Fast from the same developer that expands the gameplay to include all sorts of new challenges to move onto once you’ve mastered MiniChase.
com.roshka.minichase (Playboard) | com.roshka.minichase (Play Store)
Nightmare Defender from DJantel Ware
One of the more interesting genre bending games to come out lately is indie developer DJantel Ware’s hybrid shooter Nightmare Defender, a tower defensish mashup of shoot ‘em ups and monster collecting games like Pokemon. While this RPG influenced shooter follows the usual beats about killing hordes of monsters en masse it also allows players to train their own personal guardian creatures that roam the battlefield attacking enemies and can be evolved in pretty crazy ways. If you’ve ever had the urge to play a gritty shoot ‘em up with some Pokemon thrown in, Nightmare Defender is the game for you.
Nightmare Defender (Playboard) | Nightmare Defender (Play Store)
NOON from Fallen Tree Games
Timing is everything in this manic new minimalistic twitch arcade game from independent studio Fallen Tree Games. All players must do is tap on a clock whenever its hand points to twelve which sounds simple but its not so easy when you have a bunch of different clocks bouncing around the screen and a timer ticking down with each one you get wrong. Also, new to this Android edition of the game is a special Android themed mode that switches out the gameplay as well as the bouncing clocks for the little green robot we all know and love.
com.fallentreegames.google.noon (Playboard) | com.fallentreegames.google.noon (Play Store)
Nova Spin from Diego Aguirre
This mesmerizing pseudo dodge ‘em up has some of the coolest enemy pattern design i’ve seen in a long time. Players control a rotating bar that can absorb projectiles as long as it gets hit in the center but if either of its two ends get hit its toast. What makes Nova Spin so addicting is the way that these projectiles dance around the screen and play visual tricks by faking out the player at the last second which makes for some nerve wracking but fun gameplay.
Nova Spin (Playboard) | Nova Spin (Play Store)
Odd Bot Out from Martin Magni
If Martin Magni’s adorable new physics puzzler Odd Bot Out doesn’t melt your heart within seconds you might want to check yourself for a pulse. Odd Bot Out is an inspiring sidescrolling adventure that makes an unequivocal argument for games as art with a unique visual approach and through provoking game design. Players will solve elaborate mechanical puzzles, build rocket ships, and much more in this terrific new indie puzzler.
Odd Bot Out (Free) (Playboard) | Odd Bot Out (Free) (Play Store)
Odd Bot Out (Playboard) | Odd Bot Out (Play Store)
Orcs from David Zobrist
The cookie clicker genre has seen some strange genre bedfellows in recent times, but this ambitious new click ‘em up from indie developer David Zobrist might just take the cake. That’s because his new pseudo strategy game Orcs is basically Warcraft II adapted to the cookie clicker formula. Players command their very own orcish horde as they chop wood, build up their base, and even send their warriors out on quests that they can even watch. It’s still at a fairly early stage as the dev has announced plans for future updates but so far this strategy twist on tap till you drop games it looking pretty dang neat.
Orcs (Playboard) | Orcs (Play Store)
Pixel Staff from HomeWorld Arts
From the folks behind the Zelda II style sidescroller Pixel Sword comes a brand new sequel called Pixel Staff that exists within the same 16-bit universe as its predecessor however this time around indie developer HomeWorld Arts has opted to take a Metroidvania approach instead. A nostalgic blast from the past that has players running around an expansive 2D world blasting away at monsters, Pixel Staff lives up to its Metroid roots with smart level design that ties the whole experience together in an organic way. As players defeat bosses and unlock upgrades they’ll gradually gain access to new areas by using upgraded abilities like a much higher jump.
Pixel Staff (Playboard) | Pixel Staff (Play Store)
SqUARe-X from Karim Angama
You may think puzzlers about matching falling blocks might have been done to death by now, but think again as indie developer Karim Angama’s fantastic new minamilistic arcade puzzler SqUARe-X is here to prove you wrong. Combine the basic idea behind games like Tetris and Columns with the manic arcade style of Tower Bloxx and you’ve got some idea of the addicting action that SqUARe-X has to offer. Players need to be fast and think strategically as in addition to making sure that they not only catch the falling blocks they also need to be careful about which ones they keep or which ones they let fall.
com.dreams_creations.SqUARe_X (Playboard) | com.dreams_creations.SqUARe_X (Play Store)
Super Barrel Fighters from Ennui Studio
The barrel busting bonus stage from Street Fighter II is back in independent developer Ennui Studio’s new twitch action game Super Barrel Fighters. Like in Street Fighter II the object is to punch a barrage of barrels as they fall down from the rafters but the gameplay here takes on a more Timberman style tone. These two types of games are a perfect fit for each other as Super Barrel Fighters is rather addicting.
com.EnnuiStudio.SuperBarrelFighters (Playboard) | com.EnnuiStudio.SuperBarrelFighters (Play Store)
Swinging Stupendo from Bite Sized Games
If you find the basic premise behind twitch sidescrollers like Flappy Bird to be agreeable but would rather play something more gentlemanly then indie studio Bite Sized Games addicting new physics platformer Swinging Stupendo should be just the ticket. As an acrobatic genius players will swing about in feats of manliness all the while making sure not to run into the haphazardly placed electrodes that happen to be lying around lest his performance come to an early conclusion. I prefer this type of rope swinging game to the Flappy Bird approach because it allows for a lot more finesse, plus it makes me feel like Indiana Jones.
Swinging Stupendo (Playboard) | Swinging Stupendo (Play Store)
Touchdown Hero from Cherrypick Games
Indie developer Cherrypick Games’ awesome football themed endless runner Touchdown Hero has arrived on Android with all of its excellent infinite dodge ‘em up action in tow. As a pixelated MVP pulling off the game winning play it’s up to players to score as many touchdowns as they can without getting tackled by weaving in and out of an endless supply of pursuing linebackers. There’s a ton of different and hilarious skins available in addition to a nifty time slowing ability to even things up when times get tough.
Touchdown Hero (Playboard) | Touchdown Hero (Play Store)
Vektor from Cagil Bektas
After launching on iOS late last year the futuristic arcade racer Vektor is now available for Android devices. This addicting new endless runner from indie developer Cagil Bektas mixes together elements of shoot ‘em ups and the classic Road Rash series to create the sort of game that the movie character Tron could only dream of playing. Except instead of a mindless computer program players are instead a kickass secret agent who’s on the run from a mechanized PMC that will stop at nothing to reclaim their stolen top secret files.
Vektor 1.0 (Playboard) | Vektor 1.0 (Play Store)
Wasteland Bar Fight from Kybernesis
This brawler based mashup of Streets Of Rage and Fruit Ninja from indie studio Kybernesis has players swiping the screen to kick someone’s butt instead of slicing produce in a 3D reinterpretation of the beat ‘em up genre. The general premise of Wasteland Bar Fight is to tap or swipe an opponent in order to punch or kick them while making sure to build up a sweet combo and drink beer whenever possible. However this is easier than it sounds as there are a bunch of different kinds of bad guys as well as hulking bosses that wont go down without a fight.
Wasteland Bar Fight (Playboard) | Wasteland Bar Fight (Play Store)