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Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

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Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#61

Post by nop_slide »

BoppreH wrote: post #28

Netflix Games[1] have higher quality than usual and no ads, no in-app purchases, and no predatory tactics (in the games I tried). Bonus points for being all free if you already have a Netflix account. I can vouch for Poinpy[2], Laya's Horizon[3], Lucky Luna[4], and Skies of Chaos[5]. I haven't tried the mobile ports, but the desktop versions were very good: Into the Breach[6], World of Good[7], and Kentucky Route Zer…

Into the Breach is also amazing. Can’t believe they offer it as part of your subscription, I have it for switch too.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#63

Post by jkmcf »

moritonal wrote: post #31
barbariangrunge wrote: post #16

The impossibility of finding good mobile games is why I develop desktop and console games. I have no idea how to get discovered in the soup of the mobile app stores and I don't want to build the kind of skinner's box it would take to compete alongside most of those games. There are great mobile games out there, but I have no idea to find them except by accident. It's so bad that something like 0.01% of mobile apps ma…

I looked up Sorcerry! and it says I can't play it because my phone is too new. This is absurd that the game is already considered out of date, and kind of highlights your point about the difficult market.

IIRC, this is part of the 32bit to 64bit switch. It needs to be recompiled.

I have an iPhone 4 I keep around to play one essential word game that helps me fall asleep.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#64

Post by jslakro »

ilamont wrote: post #36

Other people, especially my teen son. Would never have discovered Polytopia were it not for him.

Interesting, I bought this game some months ago and it's not usual I pay for a mobile game. I still enjoy navigating random games on google play until finding some gem but any kind of curation like in steam would be useful for many

Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#65

Post by thiht »

TradingPlaces wrote: post #62

Not much help for Android, but I love Apple Arcade. Great selection now, and no freemium nonsense.

I expected to see this answer and I would disagree. It’s true that Arcade is not plagued by the freemium cancer, but most games are not that good either. I tried it for 60 days and installed a bunch of games and don’t have a lot to show for it. The exception would be Dead Cells which is great, but I ended up buying it on Switch because the controls on iPhone are not precise enough. I also had fun with Mini Motorways but that’s it. 2 games I liked in 60 days.

I find more worthy games by browsing the paid games section.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#67

Post by solardev »

Maybe I'm just old school, but I think games ported over from older PC titles (Kotor, Baldur's Gate, etc.) seem to be generally higher quality and not full of gambling spam. Here's one random list: https://www.thegamer.com/mobile-ports-games-best-ranked/#son...

That or just forget mobile native games, add a controller (Xbox controller or a mobile phone one like Razer's) and use GeForce Now or Xbox Cloud Streaming to play real console games. On a reasonable connection it's actually great, and feels like a small Steam Deck.

Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#69

Post by arun-mani-j »

I don't know about high quality but I'm also part of the group who are disappointed by how mobile games these days are simply Pay 2 Win or ads filled.

A few games I used to play during lockdown (no P2W and zero to very little ads):

1. Adventure Quest 3D

2. Critical Ops: Multiplayer FPS

3. Payback 2 - The Battle Sandbox (turn off internet to disable ads)

(I know you didn't ask for games but sources to find such games, but still sharing so as it may help someone :) )

Some thoughts:

1. Indie developer games or paid games often have a good quality

2. You might try gaming console emulators to play the console games on your phone (the old ones) but yea - it involves legal issues

Re: Ask HN: How do you find high quality mobile games?

#70

Post by nitwit005 »

Remember that they are making billions on the top grossing games. They can afford to throw around hundreds of millions on marketing.

The search results in app stores, Google, or whatever else, are always going to end up drowned in marketing efforts.

When YouYubers or streamers recommend mobile games now, people simply don't believe them. They assume they're either getting paid, or making a joke.

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