Google-less Android Games
Hey, been a while since my last entry here, I know. Let's just boil it down to life has been a little bit heavy mentally. But let's forget that and move onto something good.
So Google thinks they're the smart one by thinking about having people identify themselves for the apps they make and making external installations more difficult to do. God I wish deGoogled phones would be more affordable & Linux phones be more accessible. UGH.... Anyways... I have a little list of games that you can play on Android #### that don't require needing to phone home and harvest all sorts of data that's then sent to advertisers to try and sell you on some bullshit.
Ehem, that aside, these games have controller support, so your Retroid, Anbernic, or other Android-powered handheld can play these games just fine! Also, if there's any other games that I know of, this list will be updated. So now that that's outta the way, let's start with....
SuperTux is an open source 2D platformer akin to games like the original Super Mario Brothers. You play as Tux the Linux penguin and must save your girlfriend from the evil Nolok. The platforming style is simple and smooth with a nice little array of powerups. There's also a level editor and you can stack fireball pickups.
SuperTuxKart is an open source racing game featuring a cast of different open source mascots like ones for Gimp, Krita, GNU, Luanti, etc. You have a wide array of courses and grand prixes and gamemodes to race and battle across, as well as a Diddy Kong Racing-like story mode. It also has online multiplayer and mods through its own repo and Gamebanana page, so you can race against Tux as say, Sonic or The Noise in a track reminiscent of Rainbow Road.
Bundling these two together. These are remakes of the 8-bit versions of Sonics 1 & 2 for the Sega Master System/Game Gear. For those that grew up with the MS/GG or enjoyed playing it through Virtual Console and are looking to revisit it, you can check these out. Not only are these remakes, but they also include some new features such as a challenge mode, new characters, and for S1, extra stages like Star Light & Spring Yard! And yes, there's also cheats for those that don't wanna put up with some hurdles.
On the note of 8bit Sonic games, comes Sonic Triple Trouble, now with a coat of Sonic 3&K paint! It's another 2D Sonic Adventure, but now comes triple the threats as you not only push back against Eggman but now also Metal Sonic & Fang in an effort to get the Chaos Emeralds once again! I won't say much since I want to make a little blog review about this game specifically. Yes, cheats do exist, but modding this game is a bitch to deal with unlike Sonic 3 AIR.
Now moving on from the 8bit era, comes an oldie but still goodie of a fangame! Sonic Time Twisted is another 2D Sonic adventure, this time it's inspired by S3K & Sonic CD. You travel between the future and past of stages in order to nab all 14 emeralds! ...Yes there are 14 emeralds. 7 Chaos Emeralds, 7 Time Stones. #### They're different but still serve the same purpose, who cares- Anyways, Time Twisted brings some new changes as well! When moving off a ledge, you can curl back into a ball and use your ability! Special stages let you use an extra stock in order to try again as well. There's also an Nvidia Shield port of this game as well, for those that have it for whatever reason.
Surge Engine (or Open Surge or Surge the Rabbit) is a 2D platforming engine akin to Sonic games featuring another open source character, Surge the Rabbit! By default, the engine only has one zone that's split into three different acts, Waterworks. Other stages are included from earlier versions of the engine as well, including a level editor to make your own stages or edit existing ones! Though you'll need a computer to actually make levels. With how Surge Engine is built and works, you can also make your own characters, enemies, bosses, and other things too! Editing content is simple as long as you have something like GIMP or Krita. Surge Engine also includes its own scripting language, SurgeScript, which has its own documentation as well. This is the same engine that's used for the handdrawn Sonic 2 remake, by the way!
Let's switch from platformers to a bit of a puzzle! Dr. Mario Mania is a simple puzzle game based on the NES classic. You use colored pills to get rid of mischievous little viruses and aim for the highest level you can go to! Although, Dr. Mario Mania includes some extra content! Just like Tetris, DMM has a feature where you can store a pill for later use, and swap between pills at any time! DMM also includes a level editor, local multiplayer, virus/pill customization, and even level packs! Dr. Mario Mania is also open source, too!
On the surface, you may think Luanti is a Minecraft clone, and while you do have stuff like Voxelibre, Luanti is much, much more than that my friend. Luanti is an open source voxel game engine. You can make games with it, mod it, play multiplayer, pretty much anything! Coupled with the ContentDB, Luanti can be made for anything! You can play it on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, BSD, it's cross-platform! I personally used to play Minecraft years ago, but overtime I've appreciated Luanti and eventually didn't really need to play Minecraft anymore. It may not replace Minecraft for many, but for some, this is a sweet little spot! Controller support isn't there unfortunately, but if you're looking for a way to explore a world full of nodes and voxels and other fun stuff, this will hit the spot perfectly!
DFC is an Undertale fangame with some Deltarune aspects. You initially play as Harlow but you can change your vessel to someone else with enough gold that you get from either sparing or killing enemies. And in the name, you can play this game online as well, but I hope you have an account made on the PC version of this game, otherwise you're stuck in offline mode. A neat little Undertale experience, but it can kind of be a little bit repetitive.
Deltatraveler is a Deltarune fangame based on the "GODDAMNIT KRIS WHERE THE HELL ARE WE" meme that takes place not just in Deltarune, but various different worlds. Currently there are only sections for Undertale, Earthbound, and GG!Underfell, but it looks like it'll take place as well in The Legend of Zelda and maybe Toontown, according to DT's Soundcloud playlist. The Android version of Deltatraveler is dubbed as the "Classic" version as thanks to the Undertale 10th Anniversary Stream, a lot of things will be overhauled and updated for newer versions of DT. Will you spare? Or will you fight?
TS!Underswap is a fangame of Undertale that switches around the roles of Undertale characters. For example, silly little Temmie takes the role of Flowey, and Asgore takes the role of Toriel. The premise is just like Undertale where you can spare or kill enemies, so for folks that are used to Undertale, this game will feel right at home, just with a fun little switch up.
Outertale is like Undertale, but takes place in the great, cosmic beyond known as outer space! You'll meet familiar faces, be able to spare and kill enemies, the usual you'd come to know and love, all while the cosmic beyond decorates everything!
Polly the Frog is a trio of platformer games reminiscent of Super Mario 3D Land & Paper Mario. Only the 3rd game has controller support, the previous two don't have them unfortunately. I unfortunately can't say much since I haven't really played these games much but I have a big guess that these three games utilize Beepbox or some fork of it for the sounds and music.
AM2R is a fan remake of Metroid 2: Return of Samus for the Game Boy. You explore a world full of aliens and other strange creatures, picking up items to enhance your arsenal. Uhh... I don't have much here since I don't play this much but this at least can still work to this day on Android handhelds like Retroid for instance!
- (Bonus) Shantae & the Pirate's Curse
Didn't expect a bonus, eh? Well that's okay because the more, the merrier! (Besides we can use more Android games that don't require Google or their predatory and invasive services.) SATPC is a platformer game where Shantae loses her genie powers, and has to form a truce with Risky Boots in order to stop a curse. You might be wondering why this is on the list, that's because this game was released on Amazon Firestick.
though you should definitely support shantae cuz she reminds me of lilac and she's so fucking awesome get the games on gog they're drm free plus you have every right to OWN your games
Addendum:
Anybody remember the Ouya? I wonder if there's a way to modify Ouya APKs to work with mainline Android... Super Indie Karts would be banging on mainline Android. Someone get on that please?