Pokémon Go

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Pokémon Go Is easily the hottest and most hyped game of the year, so chances are you're already out there exploring your city and attempting to catch 'em all.
If you've been living under a rock, Pokémon Go is a game developed by Niantic that lets you find and catch Pokémon all around you using augmented-reality. It's based on the Ingress platform, Niantic's first breakthrough game (which, coincidentally, was previously featured on this very list), Pokémon Go is built on a nearly identical game engine. It forces you to get out and explore your neighborhood as you search for wild Pokémon to catch and PokéStops to stock up on crucial items like Pokéballs.
Once your trainer reaches Level 5, Gyms are opened up to you and you're able join one of three teams — Valor (red), Mystic (blue) or Instinct (yellow) — which is when the game really ramps up and turns into a truly social experience. Meet up with your friends and search for some rarer Pokémon, or team up to take down an enemy-controlled PokéGym.
Pokémon Go has quickly become a cultural phenomenon, so don't miss out!
Download: Pokémon Go (Free, IAPs)

Vainglory

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Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games have been blowing up the PC gaming world recent years — think League of Legends or DOTA2. If you're looking for a quality MOBA game for your moble device, one game has risen to the top: Vainglory.
This game is the complete package, featuring all the frantic MOBA action fans of the genre have come to expect — jump into a quick match with random teammates and opponents, create your own party of friends and take on all comers, or chill offline and practise your strategies against bots. There are five hero classes featuring a total of 25 unique heroes to unlock, upgrade and take into battle. The touch controls are smooth and easy to pick up, so you'll be able to jump right into the heat of the battle instantly. As you fight your way down the lane, there's a significant upgrade system that branches out, allowing you to react and counter your enemies more effectively.
If you're new to the MOBA genre, no worries! After introducing you to the gameplay fundamentals on first launch, Vainglory also features the Academy, an extensive tutorial section that will help you bolster your skills and abilities in the game. There's also a ton of things to unlock, live events to participate in, and a bustling online community on Twitch, Jump in!
Vainglory is a free download in the Google Play Store with optional in-app purchases available.
Download: Vainglory (Free, IAPs)

Asphalt 8

Asphalt 8: Airborne is easily one of the top racing games on mobile right now. It skips all pretensions of realism and provides an over-the-top, high-octane experience with all the fixings. Players can work their way through career mode, can unlock new rides, can upgrade the ones they have, or can take the competition online in multiplayer. The usual race modes are there, plus a new Infected mode where players have to tag other racers before succumbing to an explosive virus.
The incredibly polished graphics and outstanding soundtrack make Asphalt 8 an adrenaline trip you won't soon forget.
Download: Asphalt 8: Airborne (Free, IAPs)

Disney Crossy Road

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If you've played the original Crossy Road, you know just how addictively fun it is dodging trains and traffic as a chicken or any of the other characters you were able to unlock. It became a huge hit for the developers at Hipster Whale, which lead to Disney Crossy Road.
All the free fun of Crossy Road is now available with your favorite Disney characters! From classics like Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to the heroes from the latest Disney flick, "Zootopia" — they're all here! It's the perfect game for kids, but it's also tons of fun for anyone who appreciates Disney films, given all the little details they include with specific characters. It's fantastic!
Disney Crossy Road is the perfect pick-up-and-play casual game for all ages.
Download: Disney Crossy Road (Free, IAPs)

Hearthstone

Hearthstone is a free, turn-based card game that follows a familiar formula: players summon creature cards and cast spell cards based on the Warcraft universe in an effort to defeat online opponents. Every one of the nine heroes has their own unique special ability as well as a sizable batch of collectible and craftable cards. Casual online games, ranked matches, wacky weekly Tavern Brawls, and grueling Arena games appeal to varying levels of commitment.
Hearthstone is without a doubt the best free card game to come to Android to date.
Download: Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (Free, IAPs)

Smash Hit

Smash Hit is a minimalist target practice game where players tap the screen to toss a marble and shatter glass obstacles. If you bump into something you lose marbles. Lose all your marbles and it's game over. Every section is littered with power-ups and fresh batches of marbles to keep you going. If you manage to keep hitting the marble refill crystals without missing, you can fire off two, three, or five marbles at once.
Though it's a simple, on-rails shooter, Smash Hit's polished physics make for a massively accessible and compelling experience.
Download: Smash Hit (Free, pro upgrade)

Alto's Adventure

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If you haven't checked out Alto's Adventure, what are you waiting for?
It's a beautiful game with simple controls and endless replayability. You play as Alto, who must snowboard down the side of a mountain to collect all of his runaway llamas, dodging boulders and jumping over chasms as he goes. You can pull off epic stunts, pick up power-ups, and work to complete challenges to level up. Sick of the challenges? Simply swipe over to Zen mode and just enjoy the endless relaxation of sliding down the mountainside.
It's definitely one of the best games released for Android in 2016, and best of all — it's FREE!
Download: Alto's Adventure (Free, IAPs)

Modern Combat 5

Modern Combat 5 offers some of the greatest shooting action you'll find on Android. Dive into an action-packed, single-player campaign, and once you're comfortable with the myriad of classes, weapons, and attachments, dive into a variety of multiplayer modes. Challenges invite players to really test their skill in short, specialized scenarios. For those that are really serious, Modern Combat 5 supports hardware controllers for the real FPS experience.
Modern Combat 5 is perfect for hardcore gamers.
Download: Modern Combat 5: Blackout (Free, IAPs)

Clash Royale

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If you've grown tired of Clash of Clans gameplay but still love the characters and world that the folks at Supercell have created, you should definitely check out Clash Royale. Unlock and upgrade troops, build your battle deck, and take on real-life opponents in real-time battles.
Join or create a clan and share cards and strategies with friends from around the world. You'll need to employ quick thinking and genuine strategy to win, so you'll be compelled to keep tweaking your decks by working in new cards. In-app purchases will be tempting and are essentially required to reach the upper echelons of the leaderboards, but there's still tons of fun to be had playing Clash Royale without spending a dime.
Download: Clash Royale (Free, IAPs)

Sky Force Reloaded

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Fans of vertical scrolling shoot-em-ups rejoice! The new Sky Force Reloaded is on Android and is better than ever!
Blast your way through nine action-packed missions as you take down enemies while dodging the attacks they send back your way. Collect stars and upgrade your ships as you try to earn all medals on each mission at each difficulty level. It's a well-polished game from a storied and celebrated franchise, making Sky Force Reloaded an absolute must-play.
Download: Sky Force Reloaded (Free, IAPs)

UltraFlow 2

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Looking for an extremely casual yet challenging game that you can pick up and play whenever you've got a few minutes to kill? UltraFlow 2 will fill that void nicely.
The gameplay mechanic is somewhere between shuffleboard and miniature golf, where your goal is to launch the puck to the goal with a limited number of bounces. As you advance through the game, the stages get more complex and puzzling, but there's no penalty for failure. You're free to play around and tweak your shot until you figure it out. It's a free game, with an in-app purchase to upgrade and remove ads. The ads aren't intrusive, and only pop up when you're moving onto a new section of levels. Plus, if you love UltraFlow 2, you can always double back and play the first UltraFlow which is also free.
Download: UltraFlow 2 (Free, IAPs)