I’m looking for Android games that are designed to be played vertically (portrait mode). Could be casual, action, puzzle, roguelike, or anything really. Best if it can be played one-handed.
Paid or not doesn’t matter.
Feel free to exclude the pay-to-win crowd. Still, name 'em if you feel you have an excellent exception.
I’ll do ya one better, the Simon Tatham’s puzzle collection. http://chris.boyle.name/projects/android-puzzles/
Deep rock galactic survivors is on mobile now and it works in both portrait and landscape mode
Once Upon a Galaxy has been my default game since I first played it.
It’s an asynchronous alternating activation autobattler (like Arcane Rush, or Storybook Brawl/Hearthstone Battlegrounds but you play against ghosts). Games take about 10-15 minutes.
It’s largely public domain fantasy themed, but has been expanding into the “legally distinct” cultural references as they add content, basically every captain/unit/treasure is a reference.
The shop mechanic is simplified, there’s no currency, you just get a set of choices, and can pick 1. You get two shops per round by default, lots of ways to get extra.
Asynchronous play means that you face challenging opponents that naturally evolve with the meta game but you can also take time to make thoughtful decisions.
The draft pool for the shop has a large base pool that you add to by selecting a custom sebset from a second large pool as your captain’s deck. The progression is through unlocking cards for each captain’s secondary pool, and unlocking new captains. You can naturally earn all cards through play, most captains are free, new captains are paywalled for a limited time.
Monetization is through 3 paths: cosmetics, acceleration of card unlocks, access to paywalled captains. I haven’t found it to be particularly exploitative or negative feeling.
My only gripe is minor, that it doesn’t have mid-run save/resume, but that is on their road map.
There is essentially no story, if that matters to you.
If it’s not obvious, I’m really enthusiastic about this game. I’m not affiliated/sponsored in any way. Happy to answer any questions.
The different types of Gameboys and most of their games emulate really well on a smart phone. I prefer playing them in landscape orientation for the larger display, but portrait mode gives a more accurate recreation with the screen on top and buttons on bottom.
I’m out of touch with what the latest best options are for emulators and where to source your ROMs, but if you ask around in communities focusing on things like piracy, they’ll point you in the right direction.
Recommended to use a VPN for any downloads.
Currently playing Block Blast as my time killer and loving it.
I guess it’s my turn to say it in a thread:
Best classic roguelike on mobile IMO
I was going to also suggest Downwell but it doesn’t seem to be available any more
Bump for Shattered
I haven’t played it in a million years but I remember Cut The Rope being really fun.
Slay the spire!
Edit: nvm I’m an idiot and forgot about “vertical” in your request. Its not, but I still recommend it because its a good game
magic survival
Such a great one.
I would say Umamusume but don’t get into it if you don’t really have much time.
If you enjoy pinball, this one is decent: https://f-droid.org/packages/com.dozingcatsoftware.bouncy
Awesome.
Here is another that I found recently. Awesome little gem. Hoping it will get saving capability at one point, but it’s great as is:
Tessel is a beautiful tile puzzle game
