Best Free Games on Android Marketplace

Android phones might not be as good for your social status as an iPhone, but there’s no doubt that they are a growing force in the mobile market. We looked at the best games on the Android Marketplace that can be downloaded completely free of charge.

Angry Birds

This is an obvious one, but if you’ve just got a new Android phone the trio of free Angry Birds games on the Android Marketplace should be first on your list. The original, Seasons and Rio editions are all worth a download and will keep you entertained for months. That is unless you’re one of the growing number of Angry Birds haters.

Jewels Deluxe

If this looks familiar then you’ve probably seen or played the game Bejeweled before. There’s nothing especially novel about this version, but for a free download the package is incredibly well put together and comes complete with a number of game modes in addition to the original classic.

Abduction!

Too cheap to buy Doodle Jump? Abduction is for you. Taking the now classic vertical jumping gameplay mechanic that Doodle Jump popularised, Abduction swaps the main character for a cow and builds the game around the idea that aliens are trying to abduct farm animals. It’s simple, but strangely addictive.

Alchemy

“Got to create them all” could have been the tagline for this simple looking, but deceptively devilish and addictive title. You start out with four elements (fire, water, air and earth) and have to combine them to create new elements. Drag earth over fire to create lave, then lava over water to create steam, then steam over water to create a cloud. There’s some trial and error, but Alchemy is a real time-sink.

Cordy

While you only get a handful of levels free, this 2D (with 3D visuals) platformer is easily one of the best games available for Android devices. You’ll need a top-end phone to get it looking its best, but if you’ve got an HTC Desire or better you’ll be fine. It’s like a more platforming focused LittleBigPlanet.

Zenonia 3

Retro-style RPGs are an acquired taste, but if you want a well produced and entirely free adventure then Zenonia 3 is about the best you can get on an Android device. It’s very similar to the previous outings, but seeing as this is free we’re not going to be down on developer Gamevil about it.

Slice It

Good lord, can this game do your head in. What starts out as a nice and simple ‘slicing up pictures into a certain number of equal parts’ game, quickly descends into one of the most frustrating but rewarding games on mobiles. It’s completely free on the Android Marketplace even though it costs 69p on Apple’s App Store.

Burn the Rope

This is a case of doing exactly what it says on the tin, with your goal being to burn a rope by rotating your mobile in order for the flame to continue burning upwards. Multiple paths quickly come into play and before long you’ll be trying to play while your limbs are contorted into strange positions.

iRunner

It’s hard to explain just how addictive a game in which you can only duck and jump is, but iRunner is hard to put down once you’re hooked. As your guy automatically charges across the screen, it’s up to you to make sure he avoids holes and annoyingly placed objects.

Lane Splitter

This is another game that costs 69p on the App Store but is completely free on Android. The idea is incredibly simple, but the high-score nature of the gameplay makes it hard to resist. You’re on a bike and must avoid other traffic while screaming down a motorway. Last for as long as possible without hitting other traffic to earn your place on the local, friends and global leaderboards.