Take advantage of these awesome games for a few bucks a month.
Google Play Pass continues to offer great value for Android users looking to save on premium apps and indie-developed games in 2020. There are a ton of great games that have already been added to the service across multiple genres — from intense strategy games and action-packed indie platformers to relaxing puzzle experiences and immersive RPGs.
Of course, this isn’t a full list of Play Pass games, just the ones we think you check out first. If you’re looking for other great games to try, be sure to check out our collection of the best Android games!
The games
- Stardew Valley
- Mini Metro
- Monument Valley 2
- LIMBO
- Reigns: Game of Thrones
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- Suzy Cube
- Chameleon Run
- Bridge Constructor Portal
- Terraria
- Evoland
- Wayward Souls
- Hidden Folks
- Shadow Fight 2 Special Edition
- hocus.
- FRAMED
- 60 Seconds! Atomic Adventure
- This Is the Police
- Card Thief
- Grimvalor
Stardew Valley
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHUqhYslji4?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Just like Terraria (which we’ll get to in a second), Stardew Valley is another beloved PC game that has been ported over to mobile fully intact and optimized for touchscreen devices. Stardew Valley is an open-ended RPG that opens with you taking over the old family farm, with you getting to know the townsfolk and exploring the nearby countryside.
Your first task is to fix up the old farm, but from that point on, the adventure is really up to you. Whether you choose to settle down, marry, and live out a quiet family life running the farm or dedicate your life to adventuring as a treasure-seeking explorer, the choice is yours — as is the choice of touchscreen controls or a Bluetooth controller.
Stardew Valley
$5 at Google Play Store
Take a break with this fun and relaxing RPG where you take over a family farm. You have a lot of choices on how to live out your life.
Mini Metro
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WItp6FPId4U?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Mini Metro is an award-winning subway simulator. You’re tasked with drawing up subway lines that connect the various stations that pop up as your city expands. You need to make sure passengers arrive where they need to go in a timely fashion, which often requires re-drawing your lines to be more efficient.
With a brilliant minimalist aesthetic, a responsive soundtrack that’s fleshed out by the subway lines you build, and a ton of different game modes to enjoy, you will absolutely fall in love with Mini Metro.
Mini Metro
$1 at Google Play Store
Check out this subway simulator for some awesome and engaging gameplay. Keep your stations connected efficiently as the city expands.
Monument Valley 2
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59coXPzSyVQ?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Embark on an adventure that follows a mother and her child as they explore new architectural marvels featuring mind-bending puzzles. This game is all about messing with your perspective and solving puzzles that require you to alter the beautifully rendered environments.
This game is plain awesome, just like its predecessor. It’s OK if you never played the original game as the stories are entirely unique… but if you love the sequel, you’ll definitely want to double back and play the first Monument Valley, too.
Monument Valley 2
$5 at Google Play Store
A sequel to an incredible game, Monument Valley 2 will force you to think outside the box to solve the puzzles. It’s truly a wonderful experience.
LIMBO
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4HSyVXKYz8?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
LIMBO is a brilliant puzzle platformer that looks and plays like the absolute work of art that it is. You play as the silhouetted young protagonist who is searching for his missing sister in LIMBO, a dark and dangerous place filled with traps and monsters.
If you’re looking for a fun and yet incredibly creepy platformer, then LIMBO is a must. This shadowy game will give you the heebie-jeebies more than once. With such wonderful quirks, LIMBO is delightfully weird. If you’ve played it before, you know exactly what I’m talking about. The game features ingenious puzzles and an award-winning aesthetic that will haunt you and stick with you long after you’ve put the game down.
LIMBO
$5 at Google Play Store
LIMBO’s shadowy and minimalist aesthetic is beautiful and really lends to the otherwordly feeling you get from the game. It is desolate, with few friendly human characters. It’s really quite the experience.
Reigns: Game of Thrones
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4kiwF0StZhg?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Reigns is one of the best mobile game series out there, taking simple card-swiping mechanics and using it to tell really interesting stories that you control. Another way of describing Reigns might be “Tinder meets Choose Your Own Adventure.”
With this Game of Thrones edition, you’re able to play as your favorite characters from the show and change the fate of the Seven Kingdoms as you deem fit, along with all the unforeseen consequences of every action you take. Hell, maybe you’ll craft a more satisfying conclusion for yourself than that final season.
Play Pass also features the original Reigns game and the sequel, Reigns: Her Majesty.
Reigns: Game of Thrones
$4 at Google Play Store
Enjoy the beloved Reigns gameplay with a Game of Thrones twist. Play as your favorite characters from the show and shape the future of the kingdoms.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic was, to my recollection, one of the first full console/PC games to be released on mobile in its full glory. Coming from the good ol’ BioWare days, it’s also regarded as one of the greatest RPG video games ever set in the Star Wars universe, and perhaps one of the best RPGs ever (even if I think the sequel is better as a whole).
The game is set thousands of years before the rise of the Galactic Empire and lets you choose your character’s path — will you use the power of the Force to save the Republic or go down the Sith path and join the dark side? An absolutely epic game that still holds up to this day.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
$10 at Google Play Store
Hailed as one of the best Star Wars games ever made, Knights of the Old Republic is a joy to play and still holds up well to this day. Light or Dark, the choice is yours.
Suzy Cube
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hH4VhImVgo?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
I’ve come to think of Suzy Cube as mobile gaming’s unofficial mascot in the same realm as Mario and Crash Bandicoot — not so much in terms of cultural impact but rather due to the sheer quality of gameplay. Suzy Cube is a brilliant 3D platformer with over 40 levels for you to enjoy that are filled with secret areas and power-ups.
If touchscreen controls aren’t your bag, you can connect your favorite Bluetooth controller and play the game in true style. The only disappointment for me is the mostly repetitive boss battles at the end of each world, but that is made up in the level design variety.
Suzy Cube
$4 at Google Play Store
The best 3D platformer on Android, Suzy Cube is a fun romp through a cutesy world. Enjoy over 40 levels, secret areas, powerups, and end-world bosses.
Chameleon Run
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrIAedC-wJY?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
The name of the game here is SPEED. Chameleon Run is an auto-runner that has you jumping and dashing across different colored platforms. Like a chameleon, you have special jump skills and the ability to change colors to help you make it through each course — because the catch is you’re only allowed to touch objects that match your color.
Seem easy enough? Well, think again! Each level is designed to be non-linear, meaning there are multiple paths to take to make it to the finish. There are also three special objectives to complete for each level which keeps you coming back for more.
Chameleon Run
$2 at Google Play Store
A great auto runner, Chameleon Run challenges to maintain a blistering speed while matching your color to the objects you’re landing on. There’s no one set path, either, making this game really interesting and replayable.
Bridge Constructor Portal
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rn79REAdLwc?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Bridge Constructor Portal brings the physics-based fun of the core game into the chaotic world of Portal, including our old friend GLaDOS. Now, not only are you tasked with building structures capable of carrying vehicles from point A to point B, but you’ve got to also contend with an assortment of Portal goodies, including portals (duh), propulsion and repulsion gels, cubes, and much more from the Aperture Science Enrichment Center.
It’s a simple game that’s extremely addicting. Just remember, while your test subjects may incur serious injuries, remember that it’s all done in the name of science.
Bridge Constructor Portal
$5 at Google Play Store
A mishmash of two disparate games, Bridge Constructor Portal is the best of the series. Experience some Portal wackiness, too!
Terraria
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgtN15vtiXc?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Terraria is basically a 2D Minecraft with seemingly endless areas to explore and serious depth to the crafting system. For example, you’re able to discover and craft over 400 different weapons to defend yourself. There are NPCs to interact with and lore to be uncovered, too, but this game is largely what you make of it.
The controls have been optimized for mobile, and there’s even multiplayer available for up to 8 players connected on the same Wi-Fi or playing on a custom server. If you’ve never experienced Terraria before, Google Play Pass makes it easier than ever.
Terraria
$5 at Google Play Store
Think of Minecraft in 2D and you have Terraria. It offers endless exploration and tons to craft. It’s definitely a make-your-own-adventure type of game.
Evoland
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhlQ9z67mP4?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Evoland feels like a stroll down memory lane for fans of RPGs. First developed as part of a 48-hour game jam, it’s been described by the developer as a “time-lapse of early action RPG history,” and that’s an apt description. I really hesitate to say much more because this is a game best played cold, as in the less you know about it, the better.
All you need to know is that it’s an RPG that evolves as you play to progress through the history of RPGs. Intrigued? Evoland is all about the journey, and while the journey is ultimately pretty short (it took me about couple hours to complete the main story), it is a game that sticks with you due to how the game changes as you play.
Evoland
$3 at Google Play Store
A unique game that offers a look at the history of video games, Evoland is a fun RPG that’s all about the journey. Check it out for yourself.
Wayward Souls
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZR_8ZeJdsI?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Wayward Souls is a fantastic addition to the Play Pass because it’s a perfect game to play in short bursts. This is a top-down rogue-like action game designed with randomly generated levels and permanent death. The first time you play, you’re just sort of dropped into the game and have to learn how to play as you go.
If you die, that character is permanently dead, and you just start over with a fresh character in a new part of the world. The gameplay is really great, and the graphics and soundtrack are spectacular. Again, the difficulty here is insane, but that just makes each play-through challenging, and the game rewards players with good playing skill, so the more you play and learn how to use your character’s powers, the better off you are on your next play-through.
Wayward Souls
$7 at Google Play Store
A true challenge, Wayward Souls is a tough game that blends ARPG with rogue-like. It features permadeath, randomly generated levels, and loot. Everything about this game is good.
Hidden Folks
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYw_tw__7ow?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Hidden Folks is a game that takes everything you loved about Where’s Waldo — the hand-drawn art style, the relaxing and focused fun — and pushes it into the digital age. Here, instead of scanning a page, you’re left to swipe and tap around to uncover secrets hidden throughout the living scene.
At each level, you’re given a list of people or items to find in the scene, and it’s up to you to explore every inch of the canvas as you happen upon all sorts of little moments that play out. The sound design is charming and comprised of layered human-made sound effects that remind me of a parent making sounds while reading a book to their kid.
Hidden Folks
$5 at Google Play Store
Think Where’s Waldo, but on your phone. Swipe and tap away as you uncover secrets. It’s a lot of fun and worth giving a shot if you haven’t already.
Shadow Fight 2 Special Edition
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PfjxLA66jU?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Shadow Fight is one of the best fighting game series developed for mobile, featuring gorgeous graphics, smooth animations, and a huge variety of deadly weapons to upgrade and master. This special edition is the premium version, with no ads or energy bars, so you can play whenever you want.
There’s a complete story mode to battle through with Shadow Fight 2’s surprisingly tight touchscreen controls. It’s not the newest kid in the series, but it’s still a kickass game worth your time if you like fighting games. There’s a lot of variety for different play styles.
Shadow Fight 2 Special Edition
$5 at Google Play Store
Probably the best fighting series on Android, Shadow Fight is great for all fans of fighting games. This version of the second game comes with all kinds of armor to choose from, a full campaign, and no stamina system.
hocus.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTogrtxEsVA?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
MC Esher would be damn proud of hocus, a mind-bending, perspective-based puzzle game that is easy to play, challenging to master, and lets you create and play other user-created puzzles. There are over 100 official puzzles, which require you to swipe to move a cube around the shape to the red finish marker as fast and efficiently as you can. When you hit an intersection between two paths, you can completely change direction along a different path.
Enjoy an ad-free experience and get your brain ready for some real twisters. There’s also a sequel coming sometime soon and we couldn’t be more excited for it. This game is kind of like what Monument Valley does, but amped up.
hocus.
Free at Google Play Store
A true mind-bending puzzler, hocus forces you to reconsider perspectives. There are a ton of puzzles to enjoy, so get going!
FRAMED
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXDkhFVagyA?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Both FRAMED and its sequel are included with Google Play Pass and are a couple of the most unique and engaging puzzle games you will ever play. The story unfolds before your eyes as you control things by rearranging the comic book panels to help your character make his way through each section.
It’s a great style and atmosphere. FRAMED has been around for a while, but that doesn’t make it any less great. Its sequel is just as good, too. These award-winning games are absolutely beautiful and are well worth checking out.
Framed
$3 at Google Play Store
FRAMED is a unique puzzle game where you control the story by rearranging comic book panels. Both it and its sequel are available on Play Pass.
60 Seconds! Atomic Adventure
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU2NOEpg0d8?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
A nuclear apocalypse is just one minute away and Ted is prepared — he just needs to collect some last-minute supplies and ensure his family members are down in the shelter. This frantic, action-packed game starts out with a 60-second mad dash to collect all that you can, and then you see how long you and the other survivors can manage with the supplies you’ve collected.
What you scavenged and who you saved will play a big role in determining how long you survive. This darkly comedic game presents you a brand new house to scavenge every time you play for great replay value. Even if it wasn’t on Play Pass, it’d be worth checking out.
60 Seconds! Atomic Adventure
$4 at Google Play Store
The world ends in just one minute, so you need to scramble to gather supplies and save family members before the bombs drop. It’s a dark and comedic challenge with tons of replay value.
This Is the Police
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xP77nyl7D9A?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Police Chief Jack Boyd is being forced into retirement and needs to put away $500,000 in 180 days. How he goes about making that money is entirely up to the decisions you make in This Is the Police, an intense indie adventure strategy game.
Your morals will be tested as you task your team of officers to investigate crimes in a city with a strong mafia presence and political corruption run amok at city hall. Accruing half a million isn’t going to be easy. Your choices matter, both in terms of Jack’s character development and for the world itself.
This Is the Police
$8 at Google Play Store
You have 180 days to save up $500,000 for Jack’s retirement. How you do so is up to you!
Card Thief
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylapoYTM7G8?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Stealth is the name of the game in Card Thief. You play a thief who must sneak their way through a deck of cards collecting treasure while avoiding detection. You can use equipment cards to assist you in your thieving ways, too, but don’t get too cocky or you’ll run out of sneak points and get caught.
Card Thief features daily challenges and deep strategies, and a nice progression system that lets you upgrade equipment cards as you pull off heists. There’s a bit of steep learning curve involved here, but it’s a rewarding game for fans of strategy card games.
Card Thief
Free w/ IAPs at Google Play Store
Stealth fans get their own card game with Card Thief. Each game is only a few minutes long, but there’s a steep learning curve to truly master it.
Grimvalor
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yREEssTZf-w?modestbranding=0&html5=1&rel=0&autoplay=0&wmode=opaque&loop=0&controls=1&autohide=0&showinfo=0&theme=dark&color=red&enablejsapi=1]
Grimvalor is a side-scrolling action RPG that features tight controls, excellent movement abilities, an interesting (albeit familiar) story, and pretty graphics. You need be tactical about how you approach enemies and level your character, because this game can certainly be a challenge if you’re not careful.
There’s plenty to explore, too, with secrets hidden throughout the map. All told, the world is hellbent on seeing you fail, but take up your sword and fight on anyway. Most of the time, the odds are against you and it’s up to your skill to see yourself through.
Grimvalor
Free, $7 to unlock
Grimvalor fills that action RPG itch while being a fun platformer. Enjoy the excellent combat and exploration. You even get a trial demo before purchasing.
Update November 2020: Added Card Thief and Grimvalor to our list!
