Google Play does not make it easy to find good Android games. Instead, it highlights the free-to-play, IAP-laden titles that all look alike and feel somewhat slimy. But the Play Store is packed with amazing ad-free, high-quality premium games—if you know how to find them.
Be Skeptical of Ad-Supported Games
Mobile gaming now makes more money than console and PC gaming combined. Most of these games are monetized using a combination of ads and a variety of in-app purchases to make money. This has changed the way games are designed, introducing annoying elements like having to put up with banner ads, needing to watch full-screen pop-up ads before starting a level, virtual currencies that cost real money, and various forms of pay-to-win.
There isn’t one single toggle you can select to stop Google from showing you these games, but you can get close. When you’re browsing Google Play, if a game shows “contains ads” under the title, be cautious. From my experience, the best games don’t have ads, so this is my starting point, even if it doesn’t necessarily weed out the freemium games laden with in-app purchases.
Many of the games recommended when you first open the Play Store not only contain ads but they’re part of a section of “sponsored” games. Publishers can play to have their games be the first Google recommends.
That said, be aware that the Play Store contains many games that contain ads but have the option to remove them via a single in-app purchase. That effectively makes these premium games you merely pay for after downloading.
Navigate to the Premium-Only Section
The games that Google Play puts front and center usually aren’t the games you want to play. Unlike on consoles, seeing a list of the most popular games doesn’t help all that much, either. Instead, you want to navigate to the section of the store that exclusively lists paid games. These are good old-fashioned games where you pay money upfront to download a game. Novel concept, really.
You can find these by tapping on the “Games” tab at the bottom of the screen and then selecting “Premium” among the categories that appear at the top.
For better or worse, this is not an exhaustive list of all the paid games available on Google Play. It’s not even close. But there are some great recommendations that can serve as good jumping-off points.
Browse the Games Made by Good Publishers
When I find a game I like, I quickly check out what other titles the game publisher has listed under their name. You can find this list by tapping on the publisher’s name on a game’s Google Play page.
For example, Sparklite is a fun top-down action game that feels like a 2D Zelda title with regenerating levels. After playing for a bit, I wanted to check out what other titles the publisher, Playdigious, has released for Android.
I was surprised to find that Playdigious has not only published some of Android’s best games but has also brought cross-platform ports like Dead Cells and Little Nightmares. Turns out, Sparklite is also a port, one that costs a mere fraction of the $25 it currently goes for on Steam.
Here’s a good list of publishers to start with:
This is hardly an exhaustive list. Some publishers only have one game (ConcernedApe‘s Stardew Valley) or one series (Fireproof Games‘ The Room series) to their name, but their titles remain absolute gems.
*These publishers have released a few ad-supported games, but there’s typically an option to remove those ads via a single in-app purchase.
Sign Up for Game Subscriptions
You can access many of the Play Store’s best games by signing up for a monthly or annual Play Pass subscription. If you play many games, this comes out to less money than buying each game outright. While Play Pass had its flaws, I’d argue it’s a pretty good deal overall.
Play Pass doesn’t expose you to new games. Rather, it makes many paid games available for free. It also removes ads and unlocks all in-app purchases in other games. This makes Play Pass a good way to play games that would otherwise feel unplayable.
Many of the best games available through Play Pass are among Android’s best games. The subscription is especially a good deal for families, as it contains a large catalog of kid’s games that you can now hand over to children without fearing them seeing ads or spending a bunch of money.
Some streaming platforms also have gotten into gaming. Netflix is a heavyweight here and has actually become one of the best mobile game publishers in the industry. Crunchyroll has also gotten into mobile gaming, though its library isn’t nearly as extensive.
Cross-Check for Games on Steam
Many mobile games are cross-platform ports. Checking Steam is a good way to confirm whether a game is also available for PC and learn more about the game’s history. Steam also provides you with more videos and screenshots, along with better reviews.
The worst kind of mobile games usually aren’t also on PC, so just the existence of a game on Steam is usually a good sign.
As a bonus, most Android versions are full ports that cost a fraction of the price of their PC counterparts. I grabbed Coromon for my phone instead of a PC, which feels like a natural fit, considering that the original Pokemon games (which serve as Coromon‘s inspiration) originally appeared on handheld Game Boy consoles anyway.
Use the Wishlist Feature
When I find a mobile game I want, I add it to my Google Play wishlist. I now have dozens upon dozens of games saved so that whenever I’m ready for a new game, I only have to check my wishlist.
This is especially vital in Google Play because it can be so difficult to rediscover a game after you’ve forgotten its title.
My phone is my primary gaming console, and it doesn’t feel like a compromise most of the time. There are more games I want to play than I actually have time to sit down and play, which is what I hope for from any other gaming platform.
When I do want to play a game that isn’t on the Play Store, I pull out my AR glasses and load up NVIDIA GeForceNOW. At that point, my phone no longer feels like a gaming handheld but a full-blown PC.
