To be honest, I don’t like playing long on my smartphone. If I am sitting down on my bed and want to play a game, I will always choose my tablet over the smartphone. I don’t want to drain the battery faster on the smartphone because I’ll need it later. But the tablet won’t be going around the supermarket with me so, it’s entirely feasible for me to play extensively on it and not fear reduced productivity. I’m pretty sure that the larger screen also plays an important part in the overall gaming enjoyment. Some games are just too fast and cluttered to be fully enjoyed on a small five-inch screen. Add touchscreen controls and we have another problem, your thumbs obscuring gameplay elements on a smartphone. This is exactly why I always recommend that you use a tablet while emulating games as well as playing narrative-driven experiences. Note: The best Android tablet games were tested on an Asus MemoPad 7 HD and Sony Xperia Z smartphone. The screenshots shown here are from the smartphone version of the games. The games ran fine, and no problems were faced during the testing phase. Some of the games may require an active internet connection to work properly.
1. The Wolf Among Us
Telltale Games have made some of the best interactive adventures I have played. This company has single-handedly revived the long-running genre and made it quite interesting for general masses. I used to play point-and-click adventures back when they were popular. But as time went by, their popularity dwindled, and the genre came to a halt. These developers have proven themselves in countless amazing narrative-driven experiences. The Wolf Among Us has a mature and gritty universe and follows characters from legends, folklore, and fairytales. Basically, the game is about fictional characters who have escaped into our world. I will not be spoiling the story for you as that is the major draw. But rest assured you will have an amazing time playing through this game. You should play this game on the big screen of a tablet because the art style really suits the big form factor. You will be able to appreciate the amount of work done on the characters and environments better on a big screen. And to be frank, this is more of an interactive story than a proper arcade game for Android, so you will be better off playing on a large screen. From The Walking Dead to Tales from Borderlands each title they make has an exceptional story to back it up. I have personally enjoyed each game they made but The Wolf Among Us is my favorite one. Free Version
2. BadLand
This is one of the few games that are brimming with quality and yet are extremely easy to play. BADLAND has been featured in a lot of articles I’ve written recently, and there was a good reason behind it. This game has some of the most beautiful 2-D backgrounds I have ever seen on any platform. Artists behind this title have really outdone themselves and elevated the game to an otherworldly level. Sure, there are a lot of games which rival this art style, but the gameplay goes with it like peanut butter and jelly. The game follows a fuzzy creature of some sort who has to navigate the harsh terrains to complete the level. The gameplay is simple, press anywhere on the screen to lift the fuzzy creature up. This type of gameplay might remind you of a popular game called Flappy Bird. However, BADLAND is exponentially better. The game was featured in the best looking games for Android list as well. Free Version
3. Hearthstone Heroes of Warcraft
Blizzard has been making incredible videogames for over two decades now. For some time, I also used to be an active Warcraft subscriber and really enjoyed my time raiding with my friends online. The latest addition to the long catalog of the developer is a card based videogame. I know, it is kind of disappointing because I was really hoping to get Diablo on Android. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see this card game do so well. I admit, I really suck at playing this game but it has captured my attention. Just like any other card game for Android this one allows you to jump right in and start playing. Building your deck with hundreds of cards is extremely rewarding. Thankfully there are practice matches against computer-controlled heroes so you can save yourself the embarrassment of losing online. But if you are ready to take on the real players, there is also a robust online mode available. Free Version
4. Limbo
Indie games are all about art and craft of making expansive experiences with a very small budget. This game right here is perhaps one of the most influential indie game to come out in recent times. A lot of video games were inspired by the art design of this beautiful masterpiece. It’s a simple tale of a boy in search of his sister but little does he know that terrors awaiting him. The 2-D nature of the game makes it an exceptional platform game as well. Everything in the game has an aura of quality to it. The gently diffused light across the backdrops, the articulate yet accurate animations of the little boy and the sheer amount of terror the spider induces, all are present in this amazing videogame. The story is not explained explicitly, but it is nonetheless heart touching. Free Version
5. SimCity BuildIt
SimCity is one of the most recognizable videogames in the history of city building. EA released the first iteration of the series almost 3 decades ago, and the game is still going strong. Despite the latest PC game being an absolute horror to play, the mobile version of the game works wonderfully. I was one of the unfortunate people to purchase the PC version of the game back when it launched, and I still have a salty taste in my mouth when I booted up SimCity BuildIt. Thankfully, Electronic Arts has improved and learned from the online only fiasco and has made this mobile version a lot stable. It’s a simple game about building a city and keeping it running at optimal levels. You will also be tasked to take care of the people residing in the city and keep them happy. While the game is limiting in some ways, it more than makes up for it in other features. It is a very rewarding experience which takes full use of the larger screen real estate, available on tablets. Free Version
Conclusion
Playing video games on a tablet is a lot more fun in many ways. Sure some games suit the small screen better, for example playing Fruit Ninja on a tablet can be tiring. However, there are a lot of games which can benefit from the larger screen available on Android tablets. In fact, I would always prefer to play any game that has virtual buttons and joysticks on a big tablet. As we might need to keep our hands on the entire screen most of the time, it is certainly beneficial to have more of the screen to play with. What are your favorite Android tablet games to play full-screen? Do tell us about them in the comments below. Feature Image Credits
