Seems about right.
char_stats
I tried searching for a word in a long post and the behaviour was different from other apps.
Example: within a certain post, I search for the word 'house' and get 25 matches. So I tap on the down arrow in the search box to visualize each matching item one at a time, but the post doesn't automatically scroll down.
To replicate this, you can try with one of my posts here and try searching (three-dots>Find in page) for 'F-droid'. The highlighted matching item will work as intended and go down, but once it'll pass the bottom of the screen, the post won't scroll.
As the title suggests, I'm now including FOSS games and games from some reputable sources besides the Play Store in my list of free games.
You can find the list pinned in this community or simply here.
Today I've updated the list with most of your recommendations collected from the comments, updated the entry criteria, and added a green checkmark โ ๏ธ for FOSS games.
I've also added the F-droid link to some games that are both on the Play Store and on F-droid. I'm sure there are others in the list that need updating, so feel free to tell me.
Please read the edit and updated criteria before recommending your favorite games. Thank you!
The issue: tapping on a Lemmy link from outside the Summit app doesn't always redirect to the exact destination, but rather to Summit's homepage (subscribed communities feed).
The workaround: in case anyone is annoyed by this problem, while waiting for a fix you could try Lemmy Redirect on F-Droid. After installing it, you set it as default app for Lemmy links (make sure to open its default system settings and enable all the instances to be opened with this app). It perfectly fixed the issue and it's a good workaround while waiting that it is fixed in the Summit app itself.
I have a link to one of my posts saved in my notes.
-
When the Summit app is closed (double tap on back button), if I open this link in my notes the only thing that happens is that Summit starts, but I'm not in my post. I'm just on my main feed, home screen basically.
-
When Summit is already open in the background, if I open the link I'm redirected to the correct post.
I hope I've explained it clearly enough, and it should be easy to replicate!
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58870060
I've been using Samsung Internet for a very long time, knowing it isn't the best one for privacy. However, the user experience with it is, for me, unmatched by any other browser, including Vivaldi, Brave, and any Firefox forks.
So here's what I'm looking for in a browser:
preferably FOSS
some control on privacy setting, less trackers/fingerprinting, etc. Doesn't have to be the most hardened.
decent dark mode for web pages (Dark Reader is OK)
bottom search bar
bottom tabs bar rather than tab switcher
a quit button I don't have to tap and scroll 2 times to find. Ideally it'd be placed on the main bottom bar
the quit button must clear cache and close all tabs, so I think it should be native and not an extension, but maybe I'm wrong?
Is there any browser that can give me that?
I'd love using Fennec as my main - and God knows I've tried multiple times to - but missing some of those feature made it hard for me to leave Samsung Internet behind. ATM I'm using both browsers BTW.
Any suggestion is appreciated!
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58686627
If you want to save this list, I suggest doing so with the original post, as I'll keep it updated with new entries.
Latest entries - March 15th, 2025:
- Cursed Treasure Tower Defense - Tower defense
Latest entries Netflix - March 15th, 2025:
The Case of the Golden Idol ๐ฌ - Netflix, Point-and-click mystery
The Rise of the Golden Idol ๐ฌ - Netflix, Point-and-click mystery
Other recent entries:
- Ghost Trick - Puzzle-adventure
Introduction
(scroll down for the actual list)
This is a list of all games, sorted by category, that I've purchased and finished during the 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 ๐ฌ.
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
๐ - top favorite
๐ - top favorite and a timeless masterpiece
๐ฎ - better played with a controller
๐ฎโ๏ธ - better played with a controller, but you need a controller mapping app (recommended: Panda)
โ๏ธ- outdated
๐ฌ - recommended by the community, but I haven't played it or not my favorite
~~[Game title]~~ - removed from Play Store, but you might still see it in the store if you've purchased it
Action/Shooter
Door Kickers: Action Squad (2D side-scroller action shooter)
Space Marshals ๐ (3rd person shoooter - top down/isometric; space-western theme)
Space Marshals 2 ๐
Neon Chrome ๐ (3rd person shoooter - cyberpunk theme, top down/isometric view)
Time Recoil (3rd person shoooter - top down/isometric with slow-mo mechanics)
Smash Hit (first-person rail shooter)
Space Invaders Infinity Gene โ๏ธ
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath ๐ ๐ฎ (1st person shooter/3rd person platformer - adventure, bounty hunter - fantasy western setting; ported from Xbox)
~~JYDGE ๐ (3rd person shoooter - cyberpunk theme)~~
~~Shadowgun (3rd person shooter - single player campaign)~~
Hack and slash
Grimvalor ๐ ๐ฎ (2.5D hack and slash medieval fantasy platform/RPG)
Shadow Blade ๐ ๐ฎ (2D hack and slash action platform)
Ninja Arashi ๐ฎ (2D hack and slash action platform - free with IAPs to remove ads)
SAMURAI II: VENGEANCE (top down/isometric hack and slash)
Dead Cells ๐ฌ ๐ฎ (roguelite action platformer)
Platform
Dadish ๐ (2D platformer, pixel graphics, easy)
Dadish 2 ๐ (2D platformer, pixel graphics, medium difficulty)
Dadish 3 (2D precision platformer, pixel graphics, hard difficulty)
Suzy Cube ๐ฎ (3D platformer, good rip-off of Super Mario 3D Land)
MouseBot ๐ (3D platform-like)
Swordigo ๐ฎโ๏ธ (2D RPG action-adventure platformer; requires controller mapping app if you want controller support - free with IAPs to remove ads)
Oddmar (2D action-adventure platformer)
Sonic Runners Adventures ๐ (2.5D platformer)
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty ๐ (puzzle-platformer adventure)
Levelhead ๐ฌ
~~Haipy (2D platformer, pixel graphics) (regional availability)~~
Metroidvania
Carrion ๐ (inverted horror, pixel art)
Castlevania: SotN ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
Turn-based RPG
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince ๐ (3D monster-collecting turn-based RPG - ported from Switch. Great game and touch controls. It includes all DLCs. No controller support, but no need here. I recommend this game for flagship devices from 2023+ and with a TEC cooler)
Final Fantasy V - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based RPG)
Final Fantasy VI - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based RPG - the best version of the best 16-bit FF)
Final Fantasy IV (3D Remake) ๐ (3D turn-based RPG)
Final Fantasy Dimensions ๐ (fantastic 2D turn-based JRPG, old school graphics, totally worth it)
Chaos Rings III ๐ (excellent 3D turn based RPG by Square Enix. A bit pricey, but totally worth it)
Chrono Trigger ๐ (2d turn-based RPG - best 16-bit JRPG in history, originally on SNES. This mobile port (from the Steam version) is excellent and I haven't had a single issue with touch controls, bugs, or glitches, despite what the Google Play reviews say)
Epic Battle Fantasy 5 (2D turn-based RPG with funny dialogs, adult jokes, 4th-wall breakers)
Monster Hunter Stories ๐ (3D turn-based RPG)
Doom & Destiny ๐ (humorous 2D turn-based RPG)
Doom & Destiny Advanced (humorous 2D turn-based RPG)
Action RPG
Trials of Mana ๐ ๐ฎโ๏ธ (it's a port from console/PC but critically lacks controller support. You can use Panda Gamepad Pro - recommended - or Mantis to achieve that. If you will use the Panda app, check this out)
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 games and I haven't personally experienced any bug during my playthrough)
Evoland (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics and a mix of genres)
Evoland 2 ๐ ๐ฎ (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics, mix of genres; controller recommended)
Pascal's Wager (soulslike) ๐ฌ
Star Wars: KOTOR ๐ฌ
Star Wars: KOTOR II ๐ฌ
~~Ys Chronicles I ๐ฎ (2D action RPG - old-school action JRPG which doesn't really hold your hand, bump combat, level cap is 10, yet it's fun!)~~
~~Ys Chronicles II ๐ ๐ฎ (2D action RPG - fantastic old-school action JRPG! Continues where Ys I left off and offer a longer, more flashed out experience. The pixel art is simply beautiful, with real-time lighting effects. Dungeons get very "labyrinthy" and challenging towards the end (I needed to follow a guide), but the effort was fully repaid)~~
CRPG
Atom RPG ๐ฌ
Eldrum: Black Dust ๐ฌ (text based)
Roguelite tabletop
Balatro ๐ (poker-inspired roguelike)
Indies Lies ๐ (inspired by Slay the Spire; free and with three paid DLCs which will also remove ads, add extra story modes, characters, and new mechanics)
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 ๐ฌ
Dawncaster ๐ฌ
Adventure
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 ๐ ๐ฎ (3D Zelda-like action adventure)
Afterplace ๐ฌ
Crafting/Survival
- Crashlands ๐ฌ
Survival horror
Point-and-click
Fran Bow ๐ (point and click/puzzle - psychologic soft horror) Excellent story and gameplay. [Edit: the old one, divided into chapters, is here]
Lost Echo (point and click/puzzle adventure)
Tangle Tower ๐ฌ
~~The Silent Age (point and click adventure) contains IAPs to unlock episodes~~
Puzzle-adventure
Ghost Trick ๐ (story based)
The Almost Gone puzzle mistery
Lumino City 3D puzzle in a beautiful hand-crafted world
Framed re-arrange the panels of a noir story comic book
Little Nightmares ๐ ๐ฎ (horror puzzle platformer, great port from consoles, not too scary)
Very Little Nightmares ๐ (horror puzzle platformer, isometric; little jump-scares; good simple puzzles)
DISTRAINT: Deluxe Edition ๐ (story-driven puzzle) incredible atmosphere and psychological story
DISTRAINT 2 (story-driven puzzle)
Starman (isometric puzzle) work of art in sound, visuals and gameplay; creative and minimalistic, very relaxing
Fractal Space HD ๐ (3D first person puzzle) this game has an insanely good story and great gameplay
Monument Valley (1&2) ๐ (3D isometric puzzle)
Limbo ๐ (2D puzzle/platformer)
Toby: The Secret Mine (2D puzzle/platformer, inspired by Limbo)
The Room series (3D puzzle) some of them may have non-necessary IAPs to unlock hints, I can't remember honestly
Lara Croft Go (turn-based puzzle)
To The Moon ๐ (story-driven puzzle RPG) this is not for everyone, but I loved the story and the music
Old Man's Journey (stress-free puzzle game with an emotional story)
Sally's Law (chill little puzzle-platformer with an emotional story; short; offers an IAP for skins)
There Is No Game: WD ๐ฌ
Strategy
Final Fantasy Tactics: WotL ๐ (strategy/RPG)
Ticket to Earth (puzzle/strategy with some RPG elements)
Tower defense
- Cursed Treasure Tower Defense (free with no-ads transaction)
Management
Game Dev Story (game company management)
Stardew Valley ๐ฌ
Dream Town Island ๐ฌ
The Pyraplex ๐ฌ
Dream House Days DX ๐ฌ
Ninja Village ๐ฌ
Dungeon Village ๐ฌ
Sid Meyer's Railroads! ๐ฌ (tycoon, management)
Idle
Magic Research ๐ฌ
Magic Research 2 ๐ฌ
Racing
Horizon Chase ๐ (arcade car racing - modern retro style)
Riptide GP: Renegade (jet ski arcade race)
GRID Autosport ๐ฌ
Wreckfest ๐ฌ
Golf/Billiard
OK Golf (minigolf)
~~Pool Break Pro 3D Billiards Snooker (online and offline pool/billiard with single player and multiplayer modes)~~
Netflix games
(require an active Netflix subscription)
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge ๐ (beat-em up with story mode and fun multiplayer)
Monument Valley 3 (puzzle adventure)
Arranger (puzzle adventure)
The Case of the Golden Idol ๐ฌ (point-and-click mystery)
The Rise of the Golden Idol ๐ฌ (point-and-click mystery)
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 ๐ฎ 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 ๐ฎ (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 ๐ฎ best emulator for GameCube and Wii
DraStic DS Emulator ๐ฎ
Delta Touch [9 x Doom engines] ๐ฌ (engine for Doom games)
Quad Touch ๐ฌ (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.
Latest entries - 28 June 2025:
-
Levelhead ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ - Platform**
-
Crashlands 2 ๐ฌ ๐ฎ - Survival crafting**
Other recent entries
-
Ogu and the Secret Forest ๐ฎ - Action adventure
-
Wreckfest ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ - Racing
-
Gamedeck ๐ฎ - Extras
-
Beacon Game Launcher ๐ฎ - Extras
Introduction
This is a list of all games, sorted by category, that I've purchased, loved, 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 ๐ฌ. Please check entry criteria below before commenting.
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 ;)
Entry criteria for user recommendations ๐ฌ
- 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
- must include link and, possibly, 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.]
THE LIST
Legend
๐ - top favorite
๐ - top favorite and masterpiece status
๐ฌ - recommended by the community, but I haven't played it or not my favorite
๐ฎ - controller supported and, usually, strongly recommended
๐ฎโ๏ธ - controller recommended but not supportedโyou need a controller mapping app like Panda
๐ฑ - portrait orientation (either exclusively or optional)
๐ฅ - 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
-
Lara Croft: Guardian of Light ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ
120FPS
-
Door Kickers: Action Squad ๐ฎ (2D side-scroller action shooter)
-
Space Marshals ๐ ๐ฎ (3rd person shoooter - top down/isometric; space-western theme - touch controls work great)
-
Space Marshals 2 ๐ ๐ฎ (touch controls work great)
-
Space Marshals 3 ๐ฎ (touch controls work great)
-
Neon Chrome ๐ ๐ฎ (3rd person shoooter - cyberpunk theme, top down/isometric view - touch controls work great)
-
Time Recoil ๐ฎ (3rd person shoooter - top down/isometric with slow-mo mechanics - touch controls work great)
-
Smash Hit
120FPS
(first-person rail shooter) -
Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath ๐ ๐ฎ (1st person shooter/3rd person platformer - adventure, bounty hunter - fantasy western setting; ported from Xbox)
-
Hitman: Blood Money โ Reprisal ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
-
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
Action-adventure platformer/hack-n-slash
-
Grimvalor ๐ ๐ฎ
120FPS
(2.5D hack and slash medieval fantasy platform/RPG) -
Shadow Blade ๐ ๐ฎ (2D hack and slash action platform)
-
Swordigo ๐ฎโ๏ธ (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 ๐ฎ
120FPS
(2D action-adventure platformer) -
Ninja Arashi ๐ฎ (2D hack and slash action platformer - free with IAPs to remove ads)
-
SAMURAI II: VENGEANCE ๐ฎ (top down/isometric hack and slash)
-
Dead Cells ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
120FPS
(roguelite action platformer)
Platformer
-
Nameless Cat ๐ฎโ๏ธ
-
Dadish ๐ ๐ฎ (2D platformer, pixel graphics, easy)
-
Dadish 2 ๐ ๐ฎ (2D platformer, pixel graphics, medium difficulty)
-
Dadish 3 ๐ฎ (2D precision platformer, pixel graphics, hard difficulty)
-
Suzy Cube ๐ฎ (3D platformer, good rip-off of Super Mario 3D Land)
-
MouseBot ๐ (3D platform-like)
-
Sonic Runners Adventures ๐ (2.5D platformer)
-
Levelhead ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ
-
Leo's Fortune ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
-
Levelhead ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ
Metroidvania
-
Prince of Persia: Lost Crown ๐ ๐ฎ (platform hack-n-slash - if bugs, try one of these: copy save onto a different slot; load game and save w/o connecting controller, then connect; backup+reinstall)
-
Carrion ๐ ๐ฎ (inverted horror, pixel art - touch controls are recommended over a controller)
-
Castlevania: SotN ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
-
Dandara Trials of Fear Edition ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
Beat 'em up
- TMNT: Shredder's Revenge ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ (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
-
Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince ๐
120FPS
(3D monster-collecting turn-based JRPG - ported from Switch. Great game and touch controls. It includes all DLCs. No controller support, but no need here. I recommend this game for flagship devices from 2023+ and with a TEC cooler) -
Final Fantasy - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based JRPG)
-
Final Fantasy II - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based JRPG)
-
Final Fantasy III - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based JRPG)
-
Final Fantasy IV (3D Remake) ๐ ๐ฎ (3D turn-based JRPG)
-
Final Fantasy V - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based JRPG)
-
Final Fantasy VI - Pixel Remaster ๐ ๐ฎ (2D turn-based JRPG - the best version of the best 16-bit FF)
-
Final Fantasy Dimensions ๐ (fantastic 2D turn-based JRPG, old school graphics, totally worth it)
-
Chaos Rings III ๐ (excellent 3D turn based JRPG by Square Enix. A bit pricey, but totally worth it)
-
Chrono Trigger ๐ ๐ฎ (2d turn-based JRPG - best 16-bit JRPG in history, originally on SNES. This mobile portโfrom the Steam versionโis excellent and I haven't had a single issue with touch controls, bugs, or glitches whatsoever)
-
Epic Battle Fantasy 5 (2D turn-based RPG with funny dialogs, adult jokes, 4th-wall breakers - it contains a couple IAPs to unlock extra content, remove ads)
-
Monster Hunter Stories ๐ (3D turn-based RPG)
-
Doom & Destiny ๐ (humorous 2D turn-based RPG)
-
Doom & Destiny Advanced ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ (humorous 2D turn-based RPG. Touch controls work great)
Tactical RPG
-
Final Fantasy Tactics: WotL ๐ (strategy/RPG)
-
Ticket to Earth ๐ (puzzle/strategy with some RPG elements)
Action RPG
-
Trials of Mana ๐ ๐ฎโ๏ธ (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 ๐ฎ (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics and a mix of genres. Touch controls work great)
-
Evoland 2 ๐ ๐ฎ (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics, mix of genres; controller recommended)
-
Pascal's Wager (soulslike) ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
-
Star Wars: KOTOR ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
-
Star Wars: KOTOR II ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
CRPG
-
Templar Battleforce ๐ฌ
-
Atom RPG ๐ฌ
Text-based RPG
- Eldrum: Black Dust ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
Roguelite (cards, dice, deck builder, action)
-
Monster Train ๐ (cards, deck builder)
-
Solitairica ๐ฑ (cards)
-
Balatro ๐ (cards, deck builder; poker-inspired roguelike)
-
Indies Lies ๐ (cards, deck builder; 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 ๐ฑ (cards, deck builder)
-
Slay the Spire (legendary deck builder; PC port)
-
Dicey Dungeons (dice; it plays like a roguelite deck-builder)
-
Luck be a Landlord ๐ฌ ๐ฑ (slot)
-
Slice & Dice ๐ฌ ๐ฑ (dice)
-
Dawncaster ๐ฌ ๐ฑ (cards, deck builder)
-
Dead Cells ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
120FPS
(roguelite action platformer)
Action adventure/Zelda-like
-
Ogu and the Secret Forest ๐ ๐ฎ (unlocking the full game through IAPs is quite pricey on the Play Store so maybe check the Epic StoreโI got it for free there)
-
Anodyne ๐ ๐ฎโ๏ธ ๐ฑ (lanscape/portrait. Adding controller support through Panda is a must if you want to finish the game)
-
Legend of the Skyfish 2 ๐ ๐ฎ (Zelda-like with a fishing rod for weapon)
-
Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion ๐ฎ (humorous, Zelda-like, pixel art adventure; achievements didn't work correctly, but they might have been fixed after I played it)
-
Oceanhorn ๐ ๐ฎ (3D Zelda-like action adventure)
-
Afterplace ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฑ
120FPS
(landscape/portrait)
Puzzle adventure
-
There Is No Game: WD ๐
-
Ghost Trick ๐ (story based)
-
The Almost Gone ๐ฑ puzzle mistery
-
Lumino City 3D puzzle in a beautiful hand-crafted world
-
Framed re-arrange the panels of a noir story comic book
-
Little Nightmares ๐ ๐ฎ (horror puzzle platformer, great port from consoles, not too scary)
-
Very Little Nightmares ๐ ๐ฑ (horror puzzle platformer, isometric; little jump-scares; good simple puzzles)
-
Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty ๐ ๐ฎ (puzzle-platformer adventure)
-
Starman (isometric puzzle) work of art in sound, visuals and gameplay; creative and minimalistic, very relaxing
-
Fractal Space HD ๐ ๐ฎ (3D first person puzzle. Touch controls work great) this game has a very good story and great gameplay. There's a free non-HD version
-
Monument Valley (1&2) ๐ ๐ฑ (3D isometric puzzle)
-
Limbo ๐ ๐ฎ (2D puzzle/platformer. Touch controls work great)
-
The Room series (3D puzzle) some of them may have non-necessary IAPs to unlock hints, I can't remember honestly
-
Lara Croft Go
120FPS
(turn-based puzzle) -
To The Moon ๐ (story-driven puzzle RPG) this is not for everyone, but I loved the story and the music
-
Old Man's Journey (stress-free puzzle game with an emotional story)
-
Donut County ๐ฌ
Point-and-click adventure
-
Fran Bow ๐ (point and click/puzzle - psychologic soft horror) Excellent story and gameplay. [Edit: the old one, divided into chapters, is here]
-
Lost Echo (point and click/puzzle adventure)
-
Infamous Machine ๐ฌ
-
Broken Sword 5 ๐ฌ
-
Tangle Tower ๐ฌ
Simulation/management
-
Beholder (story-driven building management sim)
-
Game Dev Story ๐ฑ (game company management)
-
Stardew Valley ๐ฌ ๐ฅ๏ธ (Farming RPG)
-
Sid Meyer's Railroads! ๐ฌ (tycoon, management)
-
Tropical Resort Story ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
-
Dream Town Island ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
-
The Pyraplex ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
-
Dream House Days DX ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
-
Ninja Village ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
-
Dungeon Village ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
Worker placement survival
- This War of Mine ๐ฌ (DISCLAIMER: as of April 2025 multiple users still report crashes, but I'll keep the game here because it is otherwise worth it, and devs often donate part of the profits to victims of various wars)
Survival crafting
-
Dysmantle ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
-
Crashlands ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ
-
Crashlands 2 ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
Survival horror
-
Knock-Knock ๐ฌ
-
Alien: Isolation ๐ฌ ๐ฎ
Racing
-
Wreckfest ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ
-
Horizon Chase ๐ ๐ฎ (arcade car racing - modern retro style. Touch controls work great)
-
Riptide GP: Renegade ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ
120FPS
(jet ski arcade race. Touch controls work great) -
GRID Autosport ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ
120FPS
-
GRID Legends: Deluxe Edition ๐ฌ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ
Sport
- OK Golf ๐ฑ
Tower defense
- Cursed Treasure Tower Defense (single IAP to remove ads)
Idle
-
Magic Research ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
-
Magic Research 2 ๐ฌ ๐ฑ
Netflix games
(require an active Netflix subscription)
-
TMNT: Shredder's Revenge ๐ ๐ฎ ๐ฅ๏ธ (beat 'em up with story mode and fun multiplayer)
-
Monument Valley 3 ๐ฑ (puzzle adventure)
-
Arranger (puzzle adventure)
-
The Case of the Golden Idol ๐ฌ (point-and-click mystery)
-
The Rise of the Golden Idol ๐ฌ (point-and-click mystery)
Delisted or outdated
-
~~JYDGE ๐ (3rd person shoooter)~~
-
~~Shadowgun (3rd person shooter)~~
-
~~Space Invaders Infinity Gene (shoot 'em up) ๐ฑ~~
-
~~Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth (turn-based RPG)~~
-
~~Ys Chronicles I ๐ฎ (2D action RPG)~~
-
~~Ys Chronicles II ๐ ๐ฎ (2D action RPG)~~
-
~~Haipy (2D platformer, pixel graphics) (platformer)~~
-
~~DISTRAINT: Deluxe Edition ๐ (puzzle adventure)~~
-
~~DISTRAINT 2 (puzzle adventure)~~
-
~~Toby: The Secret Mine (puzzle adenture)~~
-
~~The Silent Age (point and click adventure) contains IAPs to unlock episodes (point-and-click adventure)~~
-
~~Sally's Law (puzzle platformer)~~
-
~~Pool Break Pro 3D Billiards Snooker (online and offline pool/billiard with single player and multiplayer modes) (pool/billiard)~~
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 ๐ฎ 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.
-
Gamedeck ๐ฎ (game launcher/front-end for controllers)
-
Beacon Game Launcher ๐ฎ (game launcher/front-end for controllers. Also optimized for emulators)
-
Retroarch ๐ฎ (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 ๐ฎ best emulator for GameCube and Wii
-
DraStic DS Emulator ๐ฎ
-
Delta Touch [9 x Doom engines] ๐ฌ (engine for Doom games)
-
Quad Touch ๐ฌ (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.
First of all, best Lemmy app I've tried so far and I can see the attention to details and to the customization that matters. So hats off to you for the brilliant work!
I tried searching for "draft" or "drafts" or "save" in the settings, and nothing popped up. However, there is a setting for "Save drafts automatically". I suppose that's a non-indexed item which should have been indexed?
~~The other thing I wanted to ask is if there's a way to search into communities, if that's even a thing in Lemmy as I'm new here, and if the feature is roadmapped? I believe it's an essential feature to avoid things being asked countless times in communities.~~ [Edit: there's Filter by community
]
Thanks for your work and keep it up!
cross-posted from: https://lemm.ee/post/58557378
If you want to save this list, I suggest doing so with the original post, as I'll keep it updated with new entries.
Latest entries - February 15th, 2025:
- Kitty Q - Adventure
February 2nd, 2025:
- Master of War - Forces of Eo - Strategy
January 7th, 2025:
- Turdbots - Adventure
Introduction
(scroll down for the actual list)
I recently realized there are still, to this day, some actual "hidden gems" in the Play Store. Not the fake ones everyone talks about which, in a way or another, often have a catch or aren't very "hidden". I mean free games with no ads or IAPs of any kind that are fun to play.
So I was thinking maybe it's time to compile a list of them. Please suggest the ones you've found and enjoyed!
I won't try them all as I did with my premium games list [will update with link as soon as I post it], because this time you could simply download and try them for yourself without spending a dime. I'll simply list them.
โผ๏ธAlso, please do checkout MiniReview - Game Reviews for more free games that match the following criteria (use the "Browse" tab and select the correct filters). The same app for iOS - App Store - is here.โผ๏ธ
Entry Criteria
- FREE
- NO ADS
- STRICTLY NO IAPs (except donation buttons, but I'll have to check before adding the game to the list, so no guarantees it'll be added quickly)
- it has to be a legit game, of course. Full, not demo.
- it has to be available on the Play Store and compatible with the latest, official Android version at the time of writing/updating (14)
- possibly include a link to the game on the Play Store
I've saved this post so to keep it updated over time, for my own reference and for your benefit. So feel free to save it and check out new entries every so often.
THE LIST
Legend
โ๏ธ - includes a fair donation button, with or without minimal cosmetics only
~~[Game title]~~ - removed from Play Store
Shooters
PewPew Live (from MiniReview top chart)
~~Satryn~~
Stealth
Platform
~~SuperTux~~
~~SuperTux Classic~~
Dribble (outdated)
Safari Forever w/ Level Editor (from MiniReview top chart)
~~Bad Trip~~
Rhythm
~~Lofi Ping Pong~~
~~Orzmic~~
Arcade
RPG
Roguelike dungeon crawlers
Shattered Pixel Dungeon โ๏ธ
Skillful Pixel Dungeon โ๏ธ
Deck builders
Adventure
Puzzle
Strategy
Racing
Simulation
Casual
Sport/Competition
Visual novel
Butterfly Soup โ๏ธ
one night, hot springs โ๏ธ
Magical Witch Bell โ๏ธ
Tomato Clinic โ๏ธ
tong jyun โ๏ธ
Happy gaming ;)
ps: please let me know if there's any wrong information about the games included in this list (especially regarding the ones with free donations) so that I'll fix the post, if necessary.
Latest entries - 3 May 2025:
- Kids Memory Game โ ๏ธ (GitHub or Play Store) - Educational
Other recent entries
-
The WereCleaner - Stealth
-
Fractal Space โ๏ธ - Puzzle
-
Orzmic (itch.io) - Rhythm
-
Satryn (itch.io) - Shooter
-
Octo Blast - Shooter
-
To arms!! โ๏ธ - Deck builder
-
Drill Down โ ๏ธ โ๏ธ (itch.io) - Management
-
Techmino (GitHub) โ ๏ธ - Puzzle
-
AAAAXY โ ๏ธ (F-droid or Play Store) - Puzzle
-
osu!(lazer) โ ๏ธ (official website) - Rhythm
-
Forge โ ๏ธ (GitHub) - Deck builder
Introduction
I recently realized there are still, to this day, some actual "hidden gems" in the Play Store. Not the fake ones everyone talks about which, in a way or another, often have a catch or aren't very "hidden". I mean free games with no ads or IAPs of any kind that are fun to play.
So I was thinking maybe it's time to compile a list of them. Please suggest the ones you've found and enjoyed!
Edit: I'm now including free games (no piracy) from other sources beside the Play Store (which will be specified within brackets), such as GitHub or F-droid. If they're also FOSS, like all F-droid games, they'll have this green checkmark โ
๏ธ. For the games that have both F-droid and Play Store versions, the green checkmark is for the F-droid version.
I won't try them all as I did with my premium games list, because you could simply download and try them for yourself without spending a dime. I'll simply list them.
โผ๏ธAlso, please do checkout MiniReview - Game Reviews for more free games that match the following criteria (use the "Browse" tab and select the correct filters). The same app for iOS - App Store - is here.โผ๏ธ
I've saved this post so to keep it updated over time, for my own reference and for your benefit. So feel free to save it and check out new entries every so often.
Entry Criteria
- FREE
- NO ADS
- STRICTLY NO IAPs (except donation buttons, but I'll have to check first)
- NO PIRACY
- it has to be a legit, full game you've played and liked. No demos, no emulators (everyone knows RetroArch anyways)
- no entire repositories. You can recommend them in the comments if you really want, but this list is for games you'd like to recommend
- if it's a Play Store game, it should be compatible with the latest Android version at the time of entry
- must include a link to the game, especially if from sources outside the Play Store. Not direct-download links, just links to the page
- sketchy sources won't be considered. Play Store, GitHub, and F-droid are welcome
[If you want to recommend paid games, without ads or predatory microtransactions, here is the list for you.]
THE LIST
Legend
โ ๏ธ - FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software). Listed on top in their respective categories
โ๏ธ - includes option to donate, with or without minimal cosmetics only
~~[Game title]~~ - delisted
Shooter
-
Satryn (itch.io)
-
PewPew Live (from MiniReview top chart)
Stealth
Platformer
Rhythm
-
osu!(lazer) โ ๏ธ (official website or GitHub)
-
Orzmic (itch.io)
Arcade
RPG
Roguelike dungeon crawler
-
Shuttered Pixel Dungeon โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
-
Shattered Pixel Dungeon โ๏ธ
-
Skillful Pixel Dungeon โ๏ธ
Deck builder
Adventure
Puzzle
-
Techmino (GitHub) โ ๏ธ (tetris clone)
-
AAAAXY โ ๏ธ (F-droid or Play Store)
-
Minesweeper - Antimine โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
-
Zoysii - Logic game โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
-
2048 (Privacy Friendly) โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
-
Flowit โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
-
Gauguin โ ๏ธ (F-droid or Play Store)
-
Simon Tatham's Puzzles โ ๏ธ (F-droid or Play Store)
-
Fractal Space โ๏ธ (first-person puzzle, great story)
Tower defense
- Anuto TD โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
Strategy
-
Unciv โ ๏ธ (F-droid or Play Store)
Management
-
Drill Down โ ๏ธ โ๏ธ (itch.io)
-
Mindustry โ ๏ธ (F-droid or Play Store)
Racing
Simulation
Casual
-
Lato โ ๏ธ (F-droid)
Visual novel
-
one night, hot springs โ๏ธ
-
Magical Witch Bell โ๏ธ
-
Tomato Clinic โ๏ธ
-
tong jyun โ๏ธ
Educational
- Kids Memory Game โ ๏ธ (GitHub or Play Store)
Delisted or outdated
-
~~SuperTux (platformer)~~
-
~~SuperTux Classic (platformer)~~
-
~~Bad Trip (platformer)~~
-
Dribble (outdated platformer)
-
~~Phigros (rhythm)~~
-
~~Lofi Ping Pong (rhythm)~~
-
~~Code challenges and puzzles (puzzle)~~
-
~~Rocket League Sideswipe (sport/competition)~~
-
~~Butterfly Soup โ๏ธ (visual novel)~~
-
~~Butterfly Soup 2 (visual novel)~~
Happy gaming ;)
ps: please let me know if there's any wrong information about the games included in this list (especially regarding the ones with free donations) so that I'll fix the post, if necessary.
Glad you like it :)