Over here in the supposed hardcore gaming corners of the internet, we like to complain about mobile gaming, and that’s understandable. Many mobile games, especially the freemium ones, are purposefully designed to start off fun, then become more and more of a slog unless you start ponying up for some shockingly expensive “microtransactions.” Many of them are more megatransactions, if you ask me. However, I’ve grown to love some of the more entertaining options available on my tablet. Not every mobile game hates you unless you spend half your salary to keep up with its paywalls. Here are a few of the better ones on my rotation – perhaps you’ll enjoy checking some of them out if you’re on the road this time of year.
Juice Jam
Far too many people are addicted to Candy Crush , a match-3 game that is devilishly designed to frustrate you unless you juuuuust pony up for a few real-cash boosters. If you want to break the sugar addiction, try the more wholesomely-named and less calculating Juice Jam . Sure, it’s even more sickeningly cute than Candy Crush and the lady who exclaims “That’s organic!” when you make a huge match is a bit annoying, but its hundreds of levels rarely feel unfair. I actually find Juice Jam more fun when I refuse to pay for its small collection of boosters, because then I have to rely on a combination of wits and luck to get through the more challenging levels. New kinds of fruit drops and challenges keep this game feeling fresh even after many hours of play.
Alphabear
Are you a word nerd? You know I am, and so are the fine folks at Spry Fox, makers of the acclaimed Triple Town . Their new mobile masterpiece is Alphabear , a challenging Boggle-style game in which you also collect a bunch of very silly bears. The good thing is that if you like Alphabear, you can purchase an unlimited supply of its main currency, honey, for around $6. At that point, you pretty much own the game and can play its levels whenever you want (your only barrier is coin levels that earn you Legendary Bears, and coins are given out generously every day). Though its progression slows down a bit more than I’d prefer at higher levels, that’s less a microtransaction beg and more a bit of a balance issue. Even then, Alphabear is always good for a short session of word game fun and wackiness to brighten up your day.
My Singing Monsters
Less a game and more a musical experience, My Singing Monsters is still a great mobile companion. Collect silly monsters who combine their voices in original songs, alter various aspects of their tunes, decorate their habitats, and even create original light shows in this title that emphasizes freeform creativity and fun. It’s the kind of game that you enjoy by checking in once or twice a day to collect resources and play with your mosnters, and that’s ok. You don’t need to buy anything to enjoy it, but if you do, the monsters and decorations you purchase are permanent. That’s a plus on my “games that don’t hate you” checklist – it’s just not fun to pay for temporary buffs or boosts.
Republique
Even gamers who scorn most mobile titles should have nothing to complain about with Republique . This well-made stealth title is most at home in its original, mobile version, because you play as a person with a portable device who gains access to the security system of a creepy underground “utopia.” You’re charged with aiding a young girl who aims to learn the Republique’s mysteries and ultimately escape it. Your limited point of view through security cameras on your tablet or phone screen adds a lot of verisimillitude and tension to the game. Republique is episodic, but has no microtransactions. You just straight-up buy it either by episode or as a whole, and it’s frequently on sale. Now that ‘s a mobile game that doesn’t hate you, indeed.
Mobile games don’t need to be stingy cash grabs that are low on quality and high on psychological tricks try to get you to pay far more than they’re worth. These games prove it, and show that there’s hope for more varied and diverse titles on phones and tablets. The one kind of mobile game that needs to be completely avoided is anything that involves competitive play that’s influenced in any way by microtransactions. I avoid those games like the plague, and recommend that everybody else does, as well. That way lies madness and bankruptcy, my friends. It’s just not worth it. Play these games that don’t hate you instead.