Phandroid
Best Android games from March 2014
Yesterday we wrapped up the best apps to launch in March. Today we are turning our attention to the games. Gaming on Android has been getting better and better over the last couple years. Every month we see games from big companies and indie developers launch in the Google Play Store. There are so many games being launched that it can be hard to keep track of them all. We’ve got you covered. Here are our picks for the best games to launch last month.
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Captain America: The Winter soldier is headed to theaters later this week, but the game is already here. This Gameloft game lets you play as Cap in an action packed adventure. It plays like an MMO where you tap on enemies and order Cap to attack. S.H.I.E.L.D. is also along for the ride with Strike teams that can be called. With great graphics and awesome super-hero fun you can’t go wrong with this game.
Cut the Rope 2
Cut the Rope has been around for, but in March the long-awaited sequel finally launched. So what’s new? Cut the Rope 2 has all new locations, 5 new characters to meet, hats to customize Om Nom, new adventures, and new missions. It’s packed full of new things to discover. If you loved the original you will surely have a blast with Cut the Rope 2.
Dehumanize Your Friends
The Chromecast may not have been built for games, but thanks to some crafty Android developers it can be. Dehumanize Your Friends is like Cards Against Humanity for your phone and TV.. Players use their phone or tablet to choose a card, and then everyone’s choices are displayed on the TV. Modern technology meets card games in a beautiful way.
Flop Flu
Flop Flu is the strange love child between old-school 2D fighter games and the insane QWOP. This fighting game is unlike anything you have ever played. You have two controls: arms/legs and jumping. To win the match you need to flail and flop all over your opponent. It sounds weird, and it is, but you seriously need to play this game.
Goblins
This great puzzle game comes from the minds at Cartoon Network. Alien globs are brainwashing your friends. It’s your job to save your friends, and the world, with your trusty gadgets. The Goblin-infested brains need to be cleared from puzzle boards by making them explode and pop. With power-ups and gadgets you can improve your chances. Don’t be afraid!
Little Big Adventure
Originally released on PC back in 1994, Little Big Adventure is finally available on Android. You play as Twinsen, a young hero living on Citadel Island on a world under the heel of the dictator Dr. FunFrock. Dr. FunFrock locks you away in an insane asylum. As Twinsen, you’ll need to escape from your cell and discover your incredible destiny as a descendant of a long line of magicians in charge of protecting your planet’s secret.
Quiz Up
If you are a trivia buff this is will quickly become your favorite game. Quiz Up is the world’s largest online trivia game. There are over 200,000 questions across 400 topics to challenge you. If you’re good enough you can even get ranked on the leaderboards among the 10 million other players. The best kind of fun is when you learn something, which makes Quiz Up great.
Smash Hit
This is a game that the Hulk would love. The goal? Simply smash as many things as you can. The graphics are beautiful, the scenery is futuristic and gorgeous, and the music is hypnotic and great. It’s your job to destroy all of that with marbles that you ca fling at anything you see. If destruction is your name, Smash Hit is your game.
Star Wars: Assault Team
Star Wars: Assault Team is a turn-based combat game. Players get to build and customize a team from popular Star Wars characters. After that you can embark on a mission to infiltrate enemy lines, find Wookie resistance, survive ambushes and much more. Improve your character’s skills by training them and deploying special attacks. Any Star Wars fan will love this game.
Threes!
This game is all about matching numbers. The goal is to match like number (2+2, 4+4, 8+8, etc.) to create the biggest number you can. You move the entire board by swipe up, left, right, and down. When two matching numbers touch they combine into one block. The goal is to create a block that equals 2048. Threes! is one of the more addictive games you will find.
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There are many more great games that launched last month, but these are our favorites. What games did you love from March? Let us know below!
First look at Sev Zero, Amazon Fire TV’s first in-house exclusive game [VIDEO]
Earlier today, Amazon unveiled their answer to the Apple TVs and Rokus of the world with a set top box of their own: Amazon Fire TV. Based on a forked version of Android, we already told you everything you needed to know about the tiny media box, where you can buy it for $99, and how it compares to some of the competition.
Probably the most unique aspect — or at least what gives Amazon Fire TV its edge over some of the competition — is its game offerings. For an extra $40, Amazon Fire TVs get the ability to play games using Amazon’s game controller. While that may sound a bit steep, the controller gives Fire TV gamers access to the Amazon’s first exclusive title: Sev Zero.
Developed in-house by Amazon Games Studios, the sci-fi title combines a 3rd person shooter with the strategy of a classic tower defense game.
“Wield an expansive arsenal of firepower across 15 levels to hold off the alien onslaught that’s threatening you and the entire planet. In Sev Zero, players can jump between environments — start in tower defense mode to build out towers and assess the surroundings, then beam down to shooter mode for face-to-face combat.”
Because a game controller is required, it’s better suited for gaming from the couch. Graphically, it may not blow your socks off, but it’s just a hint of what’s in store for Amazon Fire TV this year. Check out the launch trailer below.
If you want something done right, sometimes you gotta do it yourself. It’s clear that’s what Amazon was thinking by opening up their latest venture, Amazon Game Studios. You may remember talk of Amazon recently acquiring Double Helix games, the game studio behind titles like Killer Instinct and the new Strider reboot for next gen consoles.
With a triple-A studio like Double Helix at the helm, we have little doubt Amazon Fire TV will be a force to reckon with when it comes to Android game consoles (and already has the jump on rumors of Google/Android game console).
For a sneak peek at what Amazon Game Studios already has lined up for later this year, check out the video below.
Download on Amazon: Sev Zero
Sev Zero is a new game from Amazon Game Studios that combines fast-action shooter mayhem with tower defense-style strategic base building. Wield an expansive arsenal of firepower across 15 levels to hold off the alien onslaught that’s threatening you and the entire planet. In Sev Zero, players can jump between environments — start in tower defense mode to build out towers and assess the surroundings, then beam down to shooter mode for face-to-face combat.
Best Android Tablets [April 2014]
Need the best Android tablet to go with your best Android phone? We’re here to help. While not much has changed in the tablet world since last month, a new contender has entered our top 5 on the heels of news that Samsung has yet another line of slates waiting in the wings. We’ll see how those stack up next month, but for now, here are the best Android tablets for the month of April.
5 — LG G Pad 8.3
4 — Amazon Kindle Fire HDX
Like the LG G Pad 8.3, the Kindle Fire HDX from Amazon makes the most out of its smaller form factor, giving users a bang-up tablet in a portable size — the Kindle Fire HDX is available in both 7-inch and 8.9-inch variants. Unlike the LG G Pad 8.3, don’t expect anything close to a Google Play Edition. Amazon utilizes a “forked” version of Android far different from the KitKat build of other devices. This also means content is locked into Amazon’s ecosystem of apps, games, and other media. The Kindle Fire HDX makes up for this with a powerful hardware compliment that includes an HD display and quad-core processor. Oh, and it starts at only $229.
3 — Nexus 7 2013
The year is now 2014, so it makes sense that the 2013 edition of Google’s popular Nexus 7 line of tablets is starting to slip down our list. When it comes to the pure Android experience, however, nothing comes close to besting the N7’s combination of solid hardware and affordable pricing. While it features the older Snapdragon S4 chipset, it still boasts quad-core processing. It’s HD display still looks mighty appealing, as well, as does its $230 price tag. Google should be unveiling an updated edition of their Nexus 7 in the coming months, however, so interested buyers may want to wait it out a bit longer if possible.
2 — Sony Xperia Z2 Tablet
Making its debut in our top 5, the Xperia Z2 Tablet is a real contender for the top spot. Not only is it super slim with sleek design and powerful hardware, but you can literally dunk it under water without fear of destroying your precious Android hardware. We don’t recommend doing so, however, as there are better things to do with the slate and its 10.1-inch 1080p display, Snapdragon 801 processor, and 8.1MP camera. Did we mention that it measures only 6.4mm thick? The Xperia Z2 Tablet is currently available in several regions around the globe and should be landing in the US this month.
1 — Samsung Galaxy NotePro
Having the best doesn’t come cheap, and the Samsung Galaxy Note Pro is a testament to this fact. The 12.2-inch tablet is the biggest on our list and features a 2560 x 1600 display, 3GB RAM, an 8MP camera, and a beefy battery. It gets a hand up (or finger?) with the inclusion of the S Pen, a dedicated stylus tailored to the many multitasking enhancements introduced as part of Samsung’s TouchWiz interface. It’s size won’t be for everyone, nor will that price, which happens to start around $700.
Honorable Mentions
Sure, those our the best (in our humble opinion), but they aren’t the only tablets out there. We almost called this section “Other Tablets by Samsung” but they aren’t the only manufacturer churning out solid slates. Here are five more tablets to mull over.
- Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1 2014 Edition — Even with the release of Samsung’s Pro line of tablet, the Galaxy Note 10.1 remains a viable option, bringing a comparable feature set to the Note Pro in a smaller size and at a lower price. Looking for something even smaller? Try the Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0.
- Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro — Available as 8.4, 10.1, and 12.2-inch variants, the Galaxy Tab Pro line gives all the performance of the Note series sans the dedicated S Pen. Pricing starts around $350.
- Amazon Kindle Fire HD — No substitute to the Kindle Fire HDX, the Kindle Fire HD is still worth consideration if only for its $140 price tag. An adequate 7-inch tablet.
- Nexus 10 by Samsung — More love for the Nexus line. The Nexus 10 is in desperate need of an update and we could see one soon, but for now it remains your only option if you want pure Google in a 10-inch form factor.
- NVIDIA Tegra Note 7 — Another low-priced option at $200. The Tegra Note 7 lacks the glitzy display resolution of other tablets on our list but makes up for it with the latest in NVIDIA Tegra processing.
Tablets to look forward to
Not ready to make a tablet purchase but getting in your research? You would be wise to pay attention to a couple more slates on the horizon. Samsung makes another appearance as well as a nifty new design by Lenovo.
Samsung Galaxy Tab 4
Just announced, the next generation of Galaxy Tabs will arrive in Q2 of this year in 7, 8, and 10.1-inch varieties. Picking up where the Galaxy Tab 3 left off, the new slates will target the middle ground between price and performance with 720p HD display (as opposed to 1080p), 1.2GHz quad-core processing, and a 3MP camera, components shared across the various sizes. The tablets will be thinner and lighter than ever while rocking plenty of internal storage thanks to expandable MicroSD memory. Specific pricing has not been announced.
Lenovo Yoga Tablet 10 HD+
This Android slate forom Lenovo has some promise. While it isn’t on the bleeding edge in terms of specs (it will carry a Snapdragon 400 processing suite) it does carry a nice 1080p display and 8MP front-facing camera. The standout feature, however, is the kickstand incorporated into its design. Much like Lenovo’s notebook line of the same name, this baby can yoga its way into several positions for maximum usability. The Yoga Tablet 10 HD+ is presumably still on track for a launch later this month.
What say you?
Planning on buying a tablet in the near future and not swayed by our rankings? Did we get it right or did we get it wrong? Maybe we missed the Android slate you think everyone needs to know about. Sound off in the comments below and give us your two cents!
Leaked Gmail user interface screenshots suggest big changes coming; Hangouts and Calendar, too
Google could be readying some extreme user interface changes for a few of their Android apps soon. Newly-leaked shots of a vastly different Gmail user interface have sprouted from the folks at Geek.com.
Aside from updates to some of the graphics within the app (specifically, neat icons for each and every smart inbo and folder, as well as circle-based profile photos for email ala Google+ and Hangouts), the screenshots suggest Google will be adding a couple more categories into the fray. Email is already automatically sorted into promotions, social, updates and forums for users who fancy that feature, but we’re also said to be treated to categories for finance, travel and purchases.
Other new reported features include the ability to “pin’ email, which will apparently replace stars. The change is not only stylistically different from stars, but it also differs fundamentally. Pinning an email makes it float to the top of your inbox whenever you enable pinning, and go back to its original spot whenever you disable it, whereas stars were simply another folder where you saved your most important email.
Finally, Gmail could be getting a “snooze” function. How does it work? If you choose to snooze a new email, the message will be pushed to the bottom as newer messages come in, but will find its way back to the top of your list once the snooze period is over. You can snooze multiple emails at a time, and can snooze them as many times as you want. I can’t be the only person in the world to put an email off until later only to forget about it, so this would be a very welcome change.
Phandroid has also independently learned from trusted sources that Google is planning major changes to both Hangouts and Calendars, though we don’t have any further details at this time. As such, there’s no word on when — or if — any of this is coming to the forefront, as sources say these changes are meant to be experimental.
Google is probably testing a ton of different ideas their engineers have come up with, and some of them could be weeded out by the time these updates come to light. Let us know if you’d enjoy any of these changes to Gmail in the comments below!
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