Best Free Games for Android Tablets and Smartphones : 8 TechPinas Essential Titles!

One of the questions I get asked most often in the TP Mailbox and on Twitter is which free games for Android smartphones and tablets are the best.

"Best" is highly subjective (regardless of topic) so I've decided to just share with you the Android games I like the most; I have eight. I like them because they load fast, they're not complicated (that is, you don't have to click too many buttons to start playing), and the graphics look great.

So if you purchased an Android handset or slate last Christmas or if you're planning to grab one this coming new year, make sure you check out these titles from Google Play Store. (*whispers* Just between us, these are the first eight games that I installed and played on my Nexus 7.)

1. Temple Run: This very popular 'running' game for the iOS platform officially became available for Android devices on March 27, 2012. Since then, Imangi Studio's most successful mobile game thus far has become one of the most downloaded titles on Play Store. In fact, amazingly, it hit the 1 Million download mark in less than three days following its official release.

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2. Raging Thunder 2: This 3D car racing game is not as heavy (in terms of file size) compared to other popular titles in its category but it's just as good if not better. I think this game's graphics and responsiveness are simply top-notch. I also love the fact that it uses the gyro as opposed to on-screen controls for maneuvering the vehicle.

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3. Jetpack Joyride: As of writing, this is the most downloaded free game on Play Store in the Philippines. And for good reason: It's just loads of fun.

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4. Fruit Ninja: I've always loved playing this game on my Nokia N8 and Nokia 808 PureView. And I'm glad that it's now available on Android. If you haven't played it, which is most likely not the case, all you have to do is to slice fruits with your finger and avoid hitting bombs. So simple yet exciting!

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5. Cut The Rope: What I find particularly attractive about this title is that it has this "slow down, take it easy" zen feel to it. And yeah, Om Nom - that little green monster - does look cute.

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6. Where's My Water: 'Swampy The Alligator is not like other alligators — he is curious and friendly, and he loves taking a nice long shower after a hard day's work. The other alligators have damaged the plumbing to his toilet disrupting the water flow. Help him by guiding water to his shower!' Now, I don't know about you, but I think only Disney can come up with such a back story.

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7. Angry Birds Star Wars: I first encountered Angry Birds way back in 2009 as a pre-installed game on my Nokia N900 smartphone running Maemo operating system. I've always known this game will go far but I never imagined that we'll eventually get a Star Wars edition. Hats off to our friends at Rovio, really.

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8. Wind-up Knight: I don't think a lot of you are familiar with this one but it's my personal favorite. When I got my HTC Sensation last year, one of the first things I did was to open Play Store and look for cool games to install on the device. I thought this game's name was cute so I gave it a shot. And I'm glad I did.

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So there you go, TP Friends. I hope you check out these titles. They're all good, I promise you. Again, all of them are free and they should all work smoothly on Android devices with dual core or quad core processors.

(Oh, and if you're wondering, I got my 32GB Nexus 7 from Kimstore for Php 13,400 and that's my The Boom Blues Coloud Headphones, which I totally love.)