Mobile Games

Top 10 Mobile Games in 2016

History of Mobile Games:

A mobile game is a video game played on a feature phone, smartphone, smartwatch, PDA, tablet computer, portable media player or calculator.

The earliest known game on a mobile phone was a Tetris variant on the Hagenuk MT-2000 device from 1994.

In 1997, Nokia launched the very successful Snake. Snake (and its variants), that was preinstalled in most mobile devices manufactured by Nokia, has since become one of the most played video games and is found on more than 350 million devices worldwide. A variant of the Snake game for the Nokia 6110, using the infrared port, was also the first two-player game for mobile phones.

Today, mobile games are usually downloaded from app stores as well as from mobile operator's portals, but in some cases are also preloaded in the handheld devices by the OEM or by the mobile operator when purchased, via infrared connection, Bluetooth, memory card or side loaded onto the handset with a cable.

Downloadable mobile games were first commercialised in Japan circa the launch of NTT DoCoMo's I-mode platform in 1999, and by the early 2000s were available through a variety of platforms throughout Asia, Europe, North America and ultimately most territories where modern carrier networks and handsets were available by the mid-2000s. However, mobile games distributed by mobile operators and third party portals (channels initially developed to monetise downloadable ringtones, wallpapers and other small pieces of content using premium SMS or direct carrier charges as a billing mechanism) remained a marginal form of gaming until Apple's iOS App Store was launched in 2008. As the first mobile content marketplace operated directly by a mobile platform holder, the App Store significantly changed the consumer behaviour and quickly broadened the market for mobile games, as almost every smartphone owner started to download mobile apps.

Here is the List of Top 10 Mobile Games in 2016:

1. Pokémon Go

(Google Play: 4/5, iTunes- Apple: 3/5)

Pokémon Go is a free-to-play, location-based augmented reality game developed by Niantic for iOS, Android, and Apple Watch devices. The game was the result of a collaboration between Niantic and Nintendo, by way of The Pokémon Company, and was initially released in selected countries in July 2016. In the game, players use a mobile device's GPS capability to locate, capture, battle, and train virtual creatures, called Pokémon, who appear on the screen as if they were in the same real-world location as the player. The game supports in-app purchases for additional in-game items.

Pokémon Go was released to mixed reviews, with critics praising the game's concept and the incentive to be more active in the real world, while criticizing frequent technical issues apparent at launch. Despite such reviews, it quickly became a global phenomenon and was one of the most used and profitable mobile apps in 2016, having been downloaded more than 500 million times worldwide. It was credited with popularizing location-based and augmented reality technology, promoting physical activity, and helping local businesses grow by way of increased foot traffic. However, it also attracted controversy for contributing to various accidents, as well as becoming a public nuisance at some locations. Various governments also expressed concerns over the security of the game, with some countries passing legislation to regulate its use.

2. Clash Royale

(Google Play: 4.5/5, iTunes- Apple: 4.4/5)

Clash Royale is a freemium mobile strategy video game developed and published by Supercell. The game combines elements from collectible card games, tower defense, and multiplayer online battle arena. The game was released globally on March 2, 2016.

In Clash Royale, players are ranked by level and trophies. The maximum level is thirteen, while there are nine arenas (excluding the Training Camp) in total in the game. A player wins a battle by destroying more towers than the opponent, or by destroying the opponent's "King's Tower", which grants an automatic three "crown" victory. At the start of each game, both players are given a "hand" of four cards from a "deck" of eight cards chosen by the player. Cards can be used to attack and defend. To play the cards, the player must have enough "elixir", one elixir automatically being replenished every 2.8 second (during double elixir 1.4 seconds). Once a card is placed, a new card from the deck is drawn to the hand.

In July 2016, Supercell introduced a new "Tournament" feature. The feature is unlocked at level 8. Tournaments can only be created by using gems, but anyone may join. Based on tournament performance, players are rewarded with tournament chests. As well as tournaments, there are two types of Victory Challenges in which the goal is to win 12 times while losing no more than two times. A Grand Challenge costs 100 gems to enter, and a Classic Challenge costs 10. Winning (or getting 12 wins) in a Classic Challenge gives you 2000 gold and 100 cards, and a Grand Challenge will reward you.

3. Crashlands

(Google Play: 4.8/5, Steam: 9/10)

Crashlands is an action-adventure role-playing video game developed and published by Butterscotch Shenanigans. It was released onto the App Store, Google Play, and after being on Steam Greenlight for 42 hours, Steam in January 2016. Shortly after release, software pirates had uploaded the game to Amazon without permission. The game is described as being a "story-driven crafting game" and tasks players to collect items in order to craft items such as weapons and armour.Crashlands has been compared to Don't Starve.

The mobile and PC versions of the game hold aggregrated scores of 95 and 79 on Metacritic, respectively. PC Gamer awarded it 73%, saying "Fun combat, great writing, and a great look, but with pacing and progression tuned for a mobile experience, not the PC.

4. Batman: The Telltale Series

(Google Play: 3/5, iTunes- Apple: 4.6/5)

Batman: The Telltale Series is an episodic point-and-click graphic adventure video game developed and published by Telltale Games and distributed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment under its DC Entertainment label. The game is based on Bob Kane and Bill Finger's Batman comic book series, though not tied to any previous adaptation of the work in film or other media.

The player takes the role of Batman, both as the superhero and as his alter ego Bruce Wayne. Telltale Games CEO Kevin Bruner has stated that playtime will be split evenly between them, though at times the game will offer the player a choice of whether to approach a situation as Wayne or as Batman. The game's narrative offers a "fresh interpretation of the universe set in current times, not tied to any existing iteration of Batman in games, film, or comics", according to Telltale Games.According to Bruner, the game is set a few years after Wayne decides to become Batman, giving them flexibility in their writing and gameplay to give the player some control on how they want to play the character without ties to any established narrative. The game features a branching narrative, similar to past Telltale games, giving the player options in approaching a situation and having that choice affect later events in the game. The game includes action sequences that are resolved similar to Telltale's other games, using quick time events. The series also includes investigation sequences, allowing the player to use Batman's detective skills to progress the story.

5. Slither.io

(Google Play: 4.3/5, iTunes- Apple: 4.5/5)

Slither.io is a massively multiplayer browser game developed by Steve Howse. Players control a snake-like avatar, which consumes multicolored pellets from other players, and ones that naturally spawn on the map in the game to grow in size. The objective of the game is to grow the longest snake in the server. Slither.io is similar in concept to the popular 2015 web game Agar.io and is reminiscent of the classic arcade game Snake.The game grew in popularity following its promotion among several prominent YouTube users such as PewDiePie. A mobile version of the game for Android was released on March 27, 2016, and topped the App Store shortly after its release.

The objective of the game is to control and move a snake (or a worm to most players) around a colored area, eat pellets to gain mass, defeat and consume other players to grow the biggest and longest in the game. If the player's snake's head collides into a part of another snake, the player loses the game and must start over. The defeated avatar's body turns into bright, shining pellets for other players to consume. These pellets that remain from "death" of an avatar will correspond to the color of the avatar itself. Pellets also spawn from other snake avatars. By pressing the space bar or clicking the mouse, the player can activate "boost mode", which causes the avatar to speed up. When a player does use "boost mode", the snake loses mass causing the snake's size to shrink slightly. The mass that is lost from the boost appears as a line of dots where the boost was used. This feature is useful to outmaneuver and defeat opponents. The drawback is that the avatar will lose some length while being speed-boosted.

6. Deus Ex Go

(Google Play: 4.5/5, iTunes- Apple: 4.5/5)

Deus Ex Go is a 2016 turn-based puzzle video game in the Deus Ex series by Square Enix. The player uses a touchscreen to move Adam Jensen, a protagonist from the cyberpunk-themed series, as a puzzle piece through a board game while avoiding obstacles and manipulating the environment. In-keeping with the main series, Jensen can hack environmental features such as turrets and platforms to bypass and eliminate enemies. The game follows the format of Hitman Go (2014) and Lara Croft Go (2015), in which Square Enix Montreal distilled major motifs from the games' respective series to fit turn-based, touchscreen, puzzle gameplay. New to the Go series, Deus Ex Go introduced an in-game story and puzzle creation mode. Deus Ex Go was released in August 2016, for Android and iOS platforms to generally favorable reviews. Critics wrote that the game successfully captured the cybernetic dystopia of the Deus Ex series and the brain teasing puzzles of the Go mobile game series. But compared to the other entries in the Go series, reviewers considered Deus Ex Go's to be less creative, with a lackluster story, less visually interesting aesthetic, and shorter length.

7. Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens

(Google Play: 4.1/5, Steam: 9/10)

Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a Lego-themed action-adventure video game developed by TT Fusion, based on the film Star Wars: The Force Awakens. It is the fifth entry in TT Games' Lego Star Wars series. Under license from Lucasfilm, the game was released by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for iOS, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation Vita, and Wii U, on 28 June 2016, and for Android on 27 July 2016. The game was ported and released by Feral Interactive for OS X on 30 June 2016.

In addition to adapting the film, the game includes content which covers the period between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.

The gameplay of Lego Star Wars: The Force Awakens is similar to previous Lego video games. New systems were introduced including Multi-Builds which grant players access to various building options. These options can be destroyed and rebuilt in certain brick-building sections of the game, allowing for new path to be opened within the game's world. Players can also hide behind cover and engage in "Blaster Battles" with enemies throughout the game. The game features over 200 playable characters, including Rey, Finn, Captain Phasma, Poe Dameron, Han Solo, Kylo Ren and droids, including C-3PO and BB-8, and locations, including Jakku and Starkiller Base.In addition to adapting the film, the game also bridged the gap between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens, with Lucasfilm allowing for creative freedom in the additional content that will explore the characters' backstories.

8. FIFA Mobile

(Google Play: 4.2/5, iTunes- Apple: 4.1/5)

FIFA Mobile is an association football simulation video game developed by EA Mobile and EA Canada and published by EA Sports for IOS and Android. It was released worldwide on 11th of October 2016, for iOS, Android, and Microsoft Windows. It was announced on August 16, 2016 during Gamescom 2016.

The game introduces a new "Attack Mode" in which players only play the offensive stages of a match. Attack Mode features an asynchronous turn-based multiplayer. The game also features Live Events themed on recent real world events, as well as mini games based on skills such as shooting, dribbling and goalkeeping. The game also includes a Season mode with various teams from leagues over the world, as well as a multiplayer Leagues section where players can join together to form leagues and compete with other leagues.

9. 7 Mages

(Google Play: 4.3/5, Steam: 7/10)

7 Mages is a 2016 video game developed by Napoleon Games. It is the third installment in Gates of Skeldal series. 7 Mages a tactical, turn-based game with that focuses on musical magic. Each character has a tune they can play to directly affect anyone within earshot.

The story is an adaptation of Akira Kurosawa's benchmark film, Seven Samurai.

7 Mages is a dungeon crawler that features gameplay similar to the original Gates of Skeldal. The player moves squares in real-time, but battles are turn-based. Each mage has some specialization, such as being a warrior or archer.

There are multiple types of magic, such as elemental magic and musical magic etc. Musical magic uses instruments, and its effect weakens with larger distances. Magic can heal, refill mana, resurrect dead companions, etc.

10. Pocket Mortys

(Google Play: 4.5/5)

Pocket Mortys is a Rick and Morty-themed role-playing video game developed by Big Pixel Studios and published by Adult Swim Games. The free-to-play game was released on 13 January 2016 worldwide for iOS and Android. The game is set in the Rick and Morty "Rickstaverse" and the mechanics serve as a parody on the Pokémon franchise. Pocket Mortys is based on the multiple timeline concept as described in episode 10 of season 1, "Close Rick-counters of the Rick Kind".The game uses a style and concept similar to the Pokémon games, with catching various 'wild' Mortys, battling them with a variety of 'Trainers' in the form of aliens, Ricks and Jerry. The game features voice acting from Dan Harmon.

Pocket Mortys is in a third-person view, overhead perspective and consists of three basic screens: an overworld, in which the player navigates the main character; a side-view battle screen; and a menu interface, in which the player configures their Mortys, items, or gameplay settings.

The player can use their Mortys to battle other Mortys. Wild Mortys are visible on the overworld and can be captured using a 'Morty Manipulation Chip'. "Trainer" fights are also visible and entail fighting against their party of up to five Mortys. When the player encounters a Morty or a trainer, the screen switches to a turn-based battle screen that displays the engaged Mortys. During battle, the player may select a maneuver for their Morty to use in the fight, use an item, switch their active Morty, or (against the wild Mortys) attempt to flee. Mortys have hit points (HP); when a Morty's HP is reduced to zero, it gets dazed and can no longer battle until it is revived.