UPDATE: added controller support indicator 🎮 to more games, portrait mode 📱, multiplayer 👥️, and 120FPS indicators.

Latest entries - April 17th, 2025:

Other recent entries:

 

Introduction

(scroll down for the actual list)

This is a list of all games, sorted by category, that I’ve purchased and finished (or played extensively) over many years and I’d like to recommend as they’re all excellent and without predatory monetization or gacha system.

Edit: now I'm also including the most recommended titles by the community - which I haven't playtested yet or I'm not particularly interested in - marked with 💬.
If you want your entry to have a chance to be listed, these are the criteria:

  • paid Play Store games compatible with recent Android versions
  • no ads or microtransactions except ads-removal, full-game unlock, or proper DLCs
  • you love the game and think it’s worth the price
  • include link and genre

I will still use my discretion and judgment to filter the entries, in an effort to try and keep the list’s quality high.

[If you want to recommend free games, without ads or microtransactions, here is the list for you.]

Some of the games may be free with IAP’s, but EXCLUSIVELY to unlock the full game, DLCs, or remove ads (no gacha or energy/gambling mechanics, “diamonds”, pay-to-win, or any recurrent cash-grab bullshit of sort).

[Disclaimer: chances are some items in this list will inevitably be removed from Play Store as time goes by, or will not be compatible with future Android versions. I’ll do my best to always keep it updated, but feel free to PM me if you come across any unavailable title and I’ll make a correction]

I’m planning to keep the list updated for personal reference with the new games I’ll play and like, or old games I’ve played that will come to mind later. So feel free to save it and check out new entries every so often.

My ultimate goal is to promote worthy content and honest/talented devs, hoping to see more quality games in the future, rather than the cancerous cash-grab machines the Play Store is regrettably riddled with. And, of course, to let everyone have a great time playing great titles ;)

 

THE LIST

 

Legend

🌟 - top favorite  

👑 - top favorite and masterpiece status  

💬 - recommended by the community, but I haven’t played it or not my favorite  

🎮 - controller supported and, usually, strongly recommended  

🎮❗️ - controller recommended but not supported—you need a controller mapping app like Panda)  

📱 - portrait orientation (either exclusively or optional)

👥 - includes multiplayer

120FPS - 120 FPS on supported devices

[Game title] - delisted, but you might still see it in the store if you’ve purchased it  

 

Action shooter

 

Action-adventure platformer/hack-n-slash

  • Prince of Persia: Lost Crown 🌟 🎮

  • Grimvalor 🌟 🎮 ‘120FPS’ (2.5D hack and slash medieval fantasy platform/RPG)

  • Shadow Blade 🌟 🎮 (2D hack and slash action platform)

  • Swordigo 🎮❗️ (2D RPG action-adventure platformer; requires controller mapping app if you want controller support - free with 2 IAPs that add compass or coin doubler, and either of them remove ads too)

  • Oddmar 🎮 120FPS (2D action-adventure platformer)

  • Ninja Arashi 🎮 (2D hack and slash action platformer - free with IAPs to remove ads)

  • SAMURAI II: VENGEANCE (top down/isometric hack and slash) 🎮

  • Dead Cells 💬 🎮 120FPS (roguelite action platformer)

 

Platformer

 

Metroidvania

 

Beat 'em up

  • TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge 🌟 🎮 👥️ (beat 'em up with story mode and fun multiplayer - IAP to unlock complete edition with all DLCs - free if you have Netflix)

 

Turn-based RPG

 

Action RPG

  • Trials of Mana 🌟 🎮❗️ (it’s a port from console/PC but critically lacks controller support. You can use Panda Gamepad Pro - recommended - or Mantis to achieve that)

  • The Bard’s Tale (3D action RPG adventure - this game has some optional IAPs: they can easily be ignored but they’re there. Also, some users experienced an auto-save bug that corrupts ALL save files, so I recommend disabling auto-save altogether. I’m keeping the game listed here for now as I still consider it a true premium game and I haven’t personally experienced any bug)

  • Evoland 🎮 (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics and a mix of genres. Touch controls work great)

  • Evoland 2 🌟 🎮 (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics, mix of genres; controller recommended)

  • Pascal’s Wager (soulslike) 💬 🎮

  • Star Wars: KOTOR 💬 🎮

  • Star Wars: KOTOR II 💬 🎮

 

CRPG

 

Roguelite cards, dice, or deck builder

  • Solitairica 📱 (surprisingly engaging and perfect for quick games)

  • Balatro 🌟 (poker-inspired roguelike)

  • Indies Lies 🌟 (inspired by Slay the Spire; free and with three paid DLCs which will also remove ads, add extra story modes, characters, and new mechanics)

  • Meteorfall: Journeys 📱

  • Slay the Spire (legendary deck builder; PC port)

  • Dicey Dungeons (there’s no actual deck of cards but rather equipments and dice; it plays like a roguelite deck-builder)

  • Slice & Dice 💬 📱

  • Dawncaster 💬 📱

 

Action adventure

  • Anodyne 🌟 🎮❗️ 📱 (lanscape/portrait. Adding controller support through Panda is a must if you want to finish the game)

  • Legend of the Skyfish 2 🌟 🎮 (Zelda-like with a fishing rod for weapon)

  • Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion 🎮 (humorous, Zelda-like, pixel art adventure; achievements didn’t work correctly, but they might have been fixed after I played it)

  • Oceanhorn 🌟 🎮 (3D Zelda-like action adventure)

  • Afterplace 💬 📱 120FPS

 

Survival crafting

 

Worker placement survival

  • This War of Mine 💬 (DISCLAIMER: as of April 2025 multiple users still report crashes, but part of the profit goes to war victims)

 

Survival horror

 

Point-and-click adventure

 

Puzzle adventure

 

Strategy

 

Tower defense

 

Management

 

Idle

 

Racing

 

Golf

 

Netflix games

(require an active Netflix subscription)

 

Delisted or outdated

Extras and emulators

  • AppSales is an app that will make you save some money by notifying you when specific games (or apps) in the Play Store go on sale. Just add the games you wish to buy to the AppSales’ watchlist and you’ll get notified when the price gets cut.

  • Panda Gamepad Pro 🎮 is a tool that allows you to map your controller for touch inputs, practically adding controller support to those game that don’t have it.

  • Retroarch 🎮 (emulator for almost all consoles) “jack of all trades” emulator, the only one that supports analog triggers for Xbox One S controller. It has a bit of a learning curve, and other individual emulators might offer better performance

  • Dolphin 🎮 best emulator for GameCube and Wii

  • DraStic DS Emulator 🎮

  • PPSSPP Gold - PSP Emulator 🎮

  • Delta Touch [9 x Doom engines] 💬 (engine for Doom games)

  • Quad Touch 💬 (engine for Quake games)

 

Happy gaming ;)

ps: please let me know if there’s any wrong information about the games included in this list (especially regarding IAPs or availability) so that I’ll fix the post if necessary.

  • char_stats@lemm.eeOPEnglish
    1·
    1 month ago

    Thanks. I’ve heard of Peglin, but it’s got kinda mixed reviews on the web. So I’m not too sure about adding it to the list.

    Have you played it for some time, and still enjoy it? Some reviewers said it lacks content for a $10 game.