BEST PHONES FOR MOBILE GAMING

BEST PHONES FOR MOBILE GAMING

The specs war continues to rage, with RAM and processors being boosted every year. When it comes to gaming, the options have never been better. Whether you're looking for the most powerful, affordable or unique offering, we've got the right choice for you here. These are the best phones for mobile gaming.

Get gaming with one of these top-tier choices. 

Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge: for the ultimate choice

The Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge is one of the most powerful smartphones on the market. Packing the latest Snapdragon 820 processor, the Adreno 530 GPU and 4 GB of RAM, it will cope with the most strenuous games available as well as those that are still to come.

Samsung's 2016 flagship is, of course, extremely pricey, but it offers the finest gaming experience available. It's also future-proof, as far as a smartphone can be, guaranteeing two years of top-level performance.

The S7 Edge will be able to handle even high-end games of the future. 

The screen, curved at the edges, makes the most of its 5.5 inches, dissolving unsightly bezels as it peels away. As usual for Samsung, the viewing quality is of the highest standard available on the market.

Aside from the through-the-roof specs, the device is set up specifically to offer a superlative gaming experience. A Samsung-only software feature, the Game Launcher, acts as a gaming center, storing and categorizing your games. It also employs a floating button arrangement called the Game Tool, which can be used, among other things, to block notifications and record your gameplay from within any game.

The Game Tool, one way the S7 Edge is adpated to gaming, can be accessed via a floating button. 

Not only that, but the S7 devices are the first smartphones to use the Vulkan API, which is looking set to be the future of mobile gaming.

Nexus 6P: for price, power and panoramas

Powerful hardware no longer sits outside the budget of the modest buyer. Xiaomi is producing handsets capable of competing with Samsung and Apple flagships for almost half the price, and mid-range devices are quickly climbing the ladder and biting at high-end heels.

The Nexus 6P contains last year's Snapdragon 810 processor and Adreno 430 GPU, placing it within spitting distance of the Galaxy S7 Edge. Studded with 3 GB of RAM and a 5.7-inch AMOLED screen, the Nexus 6P looks stunning, performs admirably and it does it all at an impressive price point.

Plenty of space to admire the view on the Nexus 6P. 

You can pick up a Nexus 6P for around $450. That's $300 less than a Galaxy S7 Edge. Any gamer, even one pushing the performance through graphically demanding long-haul sessions, is unlikely to suffer through slowdown and frame rate drops with the Nexus 6P.

Although the specs are slightly lower than the S7 Edge, the Nexus 6P has the advantage when it comes to screen size. Its 5.7 inches of viewing space provide ample room to enjoy those HD graphics, and the AMOLED technology means color reproduction is superb. It also has the same resolution as the S7 Edge and, despite the larger screen size, the pixel density isn't far off: 518 ppi vs 534 ppi.

The Nexus 6P has a fantastic screen. 

HTC 10: for flagship audio

If you like your games played loud, there's no better choice than the HTC 10. The company, long renowned for its BoomSound audio, has upped its game on the HTC 10. As on its previous models, HTC has employed stereo speakers, but they've also added a twist.

Only the top speaker is front-facing; the bottom speaker now resides on the the frame running along the base of the phone. The top speaker is used for trebles and mids, while the newly located bottom speaker plays the role of a subwoofer, focusing on lower-end frequencies.

The HTC 10's new, slightly hidden BoomSound speaker. 

The speakers are a standout feature on the HTC 10, but it's also a beautiful phone, and it contains specs to compete alongside the Galaxy S7 range. We find the Snapdragon 820 inside, along with the Adreno 530 GPU, just like Samsung's effort, and there's also 4 GB of RAM. Performance-wise, there will be little discernible difference between this and the Galaxy S7 Edge.

The only downside here is that the HTC 10 doesn't have an AMOLED display. It instead opts for Super LCD 5 technology. It looks great, but not it's not as close to perfection as the Galaxy S7's display, although it does have a higher pixel density.

Hear those guns rattle by picking up an HTC 10. / © ANDROIDPIT

OnePlus X: for price-conscious performance

Running the Snapdragon 801, the flagship processor of 2014, might not seem like enough to play with the big boys, but the OnePlus X puts in a sterling effort for a $199 phone. It's never going to compete with the Snapdragon 820-wielding beasts of 2016, but at this price point there's little room for argument.

Running the Epic Citadel benchmark, which uses the Unreal engine, on ultra-high quality, the frame rate did bounce around, but it rarely stuttered and ended up achieving over 40 fps on average.

The screen, at 5.1 inches, might not be enough for some, but there will always have to be sacrifices at this price point.

Overall, for under $200, the OnePlus X is a fantastic choice for the gamer who expects decent but not benchmark-breaking performance.

Not bad for $199. 

Which phone would you choose as your gaming companion? Let us know in the comments.

Android games vs iOS games

Which one you preferred for Games, Android or iOS

No matter what you think about the Android/iOS divide from either a hardware or software perspective, there’s simply no getting around the fact that many developers still take an iOS-first approach with respect to app development. With games, where development costs are already sky-high, the dynamic is even more pronounced.

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For instance, one of the most addicting, successful, and highly rated apps currently available on the  App Store is a great snowboarding game called Alto’s Adventure. Originally released this past February for the iPhone and iPad (and now the Apple TV), the game is not only incredibly fun to play, it also houses some of the most eye-catching, beautiful, and immersive graphics to ever hit a mobile device.WIRED hit the nail on the head when it called the game “a piece of interactive art.”

Alto’s Adventure has deservedly received rave reviews from every game and tech publication imaginable; and yet, it remains an iOS-only affair. Still today, nine months after its initial release, an Android version of the app remains non-existent. Back in September, Noodlecake Studios announced that they were working to port the game over to Android and the Kindle Fire, but a release date hasn’t yet been revealed.

Now if you’re an Android user who happens to enjoy mobile gaming, it’s easy to see how this dynamic playing out over and over again can quickly become an endless source of frustration.

With that in mind, Ben Kuchera has an interesting article up on Polygon where he explains how the lack of first-release games for Android recently caused him to make the switch over to the iPhone.

What makes Kuchera’s take so intriguing is that he actually enjoys, and seemingly prefers, the Android user experience relative to the iPhone. In addition to the flexibility Android provides, Kuchera finds that it’s a “much more personable, able mobile operating system” than iOS.

Nonetheless, as a gaming platform, Kuchera finds that Android falls painfully flat.

But Android is a terrible platform for gaming if you’re interested in new releases, and I’m done with it. I’m not the only person who thinks of their phone as a mobile gaming system more than a communication device, and for those people Android is a bum deal.

I don’t want to wait for the upcoming Android version of The Room 3 the way I waited for the Android release of Prune. I’m tired of companies like Bethesda announcing games like Fallout Shelter and watching everyone take out their iPhones to download it during E3 while I wait for the Android release.

It extends to toys as well. The Android version of the app for Disney’s Playmation toys, I was told, is “coming soon,” but it was ready at launch for iOS. I couldn’t test that aspect of the product because it wasn’t available to me. Because I was on Android.

Almost all of the most interesting games by the developers and designers I care about and follow are released to iOS first, with the Android version coming a few weeks later, if we’re lucky. Sometimes it takes months, if it happens at all.

As to why Android games are often delayed, Kuchera caught up with an iOS developer who explained that developing for Android is a more time-intensive process because developers have to account for a wide array of varying devices, each with their own unique lineup of processors, screen resolutions and more. In short, the same fragmentation that provides users with so much choice also presents a huge headache for developers.

“With iOS you only have to test maybe eight to 10 devices,” developer Barry Meade explained to Polygon, “and that’s only because we choose to support pretty old devices, many don’t. With Android you’re looking at hundreds of devices off the bat, each with different hardware/screen set-ups.”

Another related factor to consider is that developing for Android is typically a more expensive endeavor, sometimes to the tune of 30% more in development costs. Furthermore, support costs are often more expensive for Android titles because, again, there are far more devices to account for.

Another point worth mentioning is that iOS users, on average, spend more money on apps than their Android counterparts. That being the case, even if iOS and Android development costs were practically equal, it makes sense that developers would choose to target the platform where they’re far more likely to see a quicker return on investment.

Now all this isn’t to say that the iPhone reigns supreme over Android. After all, if you’re not terribly interested in mobile gaming, you probably couldn’t care less about which platform gets which games before the other.

But if you do happen to be interested in mobile gaming, even just as a casual fan, Kuchera’s full and even-handed assessment of the iOS/Android battle is well worth checking out in its entirety.

15 best sports games for Android

Sports games have had a hard time keeping up with other genres in terms of quality. These days, you’ll find games with a little bit of polish, but the biggest, most in-depth titles are generally premium games. That is disappointing, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth playing. Despite a relatively weak selection, there are some decent games in the sports genre. Let’s take a look at the best sports games for Android!

• Get your blood pumping with the best action games for Android!
• Are you into baseball more than other sports

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9 Innings Baseball

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
9 Innings Baseball is a baseball game that’s released every year by Com2uS. It has a mixture of card-collecting mechanics along with actual baseball mechanics which adds up to a pretty solid experience. You’ll be able to find the latest rosters, 1400 total players, and all 30 MLB teams are present. The premise is to collect player cards, level up players, and then play them in the game. The developers do an excellent job of keeping rosters current based on things like trades as well. It’s a freemium game and definitely plays like one, but it’s still fun.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Archery Master 3D

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Archery Master 3D is one of only a handful of Archery games on mobile that are any good. It features over 100 levels for you to complete across four locations. You’ll also be able to earn and unlock over 20 pieces of archery equipment. Of course, the graphics are pretty decent too. The game play mechanics are simple to learn and the objectives change with each level. The only caveat is that the game is freemium and will require some grinding to upgrade your equipment. That annoyance aside, the game itself is pretty good.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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FIFA 16

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
FIFA 16 is the latest game in the FIFA franchise and it’s one of the most popular sports games available on mobile. Like most freemium sports games, this one combines actual soccer (football) game play along with a card collecting element. The idea is to build your ultimate team using the cards that you collect. The game has had its issues, especially on older devices, but it remains the most complete soccer game available to date. It has updated rosters, over 10000 players, and over 500 licensed teams.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Fishing Hook

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Fishing games are wildly underappreciated on mobile because some of them are quite good. Fishing Hook’s claim to fame are its above average graphics and simple game play. You’ll toss your line out, catch fish, and then battle to bring them in. It’s also one of the few freemium games that allows for offline play. Like most freemium games, this one requires a ton of grinding so don’t be surprised if it gets repetitive after a while. It’s a pretty fun game until that happens.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Golf Star

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Golf Star is one of the better golf games available on Android. It includes a full career mode where you’ll engage in various tournaments and aim to complete missions and quests. You’ll also have access to a couple of online multiplayer modes, including one vs one golfing or a game of skins with up to four people. It also includes weekly tournaments to keep things interesting and a guild system so you can keep in touch with friends. It’s a freemium game with all of the same freemium pitfalls so do beware of that.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Homerun Battle 2

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Homerun Battle 2 is a popular and highly rated baseball game. It’s also one of the most simple. Your sole purpose in this game is to crush the most epic home runs that you can. It features a variety of game modes, including one-on-one duels, four player co-op missions, arcade mode, and even an training mode. Unlike most sports games, which focus on realism, this game embraces its cartoon nature by adding in a bunch of fictional stuff to make it more fun. The online play is excellent and this is definitely a cut above most freemium titles.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Madden NFL Mobile

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Madden NFL Mobile is EA Sports’ NFL offering. It’s updated yearly to include the latest rosters from every NFL team and you won’t have to install any additional apps. Like most, this is a card-collecting title mixed with an actual football game so you will see mechanics built-in for both. It has a 16-game season mode complete with the playoffs and the Super Bowl. In terms of sports games, this one is actually pretty good. It does have the same premium pitfalls as others but they don’t seem to be as pervasive as you’d normally see.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY

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NBA Jam

[Price: $4.99]
NBA Jam is a cut above most other sports games and that’s not just because it’s a port of an excellent 1990’s sports game. This is an arcade-style basketball game where you and one AI teammate take on two opponents. The rules are loose which means you can shove people around to get the ball back. It features real players from all 30 NBA teams, local multiplayer, online multiplayer, and a classic campaign mode like you used to see on console. It’s a pay-once game with no in-app purchases. You’ll also find it’s a breath of fresh air compared to most freemium titles.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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NBA Live

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
NBA Live is the officially licensed NBA game that’s out now. It’s what you would expect out of an NBA game that focuses on realistic graphics and game play. Like others, this has card-collecting mechanics so you can collect basketball players and then form teams with them. It features updated rosters for every NBA team along with a variety of game modes to keep things interesting. Included is a season mode as well as an online head-to-head mode where you can challenge other players. It’s a freemium game and has all of the problems associated with it, but it’s actually pretty good for a mobile game.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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NHL SuperCard

[Price: Free]
NHL SuperCard is a pure card collecting game. It features more than 450 currently active NHL players along with some legendary players for you to collect. The central premise is to collect players, build teams, and then duel those teams with others online. Unlike most sports games, this relies on a simulation system instead of actually playing the game with the players you have. You can power up your cards as well. It’s not amazing, but it’s definitely not bad.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Patrick Kane’s Hockey Classic

[Price: $2.99 with in-app purchases]
If you want to actually play some hockey, Patrick Kane’s Hockey Classic is your best bet. This one is a flat out hockey game where you can play hockey as a member of Team USA or as Patrick Kane in the NHL. It features a variety of game modes, including Winter Classic, Face-Off Mode, Playoffs Mode, and Rivals Series. It says it has in-app purchases, but there doesn’t seem to be any present when we looked. It’s a pay-once game right now, but don’t be shocked if they include IAPs in a future update.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Rapala Fishing

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Rapala Fishing is a lot like the other fishing game on this list. It features realistic style graphics along with simple controls that will have you tossing your lure into the water in no time flat. It features various locations across North America where you can go to catch various types of fish. It boasts having no timers or energy so you can fish as long as you want to. There are also things like daily events that you can engage with to keep it interesting. The freemium strategy isn’t overly aggressive and this is definitely a great way to kill a few minutes.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Ratrod Studio

[Price: Free]
Ratrod Studio is a development studio that makes a lot of sports games. Their collection includes a snowboarding game, two skateboarding games, and even a hockey fighting game. Each game has a Lite version that you can demo and see if you like it. Most of the games only cost $0.99 or $1.99 for the full versions. The games seem pretty good, especially the snowboarding games. The only caveat is that even the pro versions have in-app purchases. Click the button below to check out their full collection!

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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Stick Sports

[Price: Free with in-app purchases]
Stick Sports is another gaming studio that specializes in sports games. The selection isn’t very large but contains a pretty decent tennis game with Stick Tennis Tour and the only good cricket game that would could find with Stick Cricket 1 and 2. There is also a soccer game if you want to check that out. The graphics are consistent between the games and the controls aren’t half bad either. The only real downside is that these games haven’t been updated since 2015.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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True Skate

[Price: $1.99 with in-app purchases]
True Skate has been around for a long time and it remains one of the best skateboarding games available. It was among the first to use the disembodied skateboard and then using your fingers to move it and perform tricks. The main game features several skate parks that you can roll through and it has more for sale as in-app purchases. It’s a fun game with one of the least offensive freemium strategies that we’ve seen because most of the IAPs are DLC which isn’t that bad.

GET IT NOW ON GOOGLE PLAY!

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