Mobile games. They have been there since the very beginning of mobile technology's popularity. They were there before the internet was at everyone's beck and call, before streaming services and all kinds of applications stole away user's attention, when the closest thing to touch was arrows to move direction, and when a phone was just a calling device that required several taps on a digit for one letter.
And, they are still here. Old doesn't have to mean retro. Naturally, games have upgraded along with mobile phones, but there are plenty of old favorites in the app store just waiting to be revived and re-loved.
Smash Hit
First released in 2014 developed by Mediocre, Smash Hit continues to be a source of interest and entertainment.
It's an ambient game with never-ending levels of glass smashing. It's addictive, a great outlet, calming yet chaotic, and graphically pleasing. The challenge is in surviving, gaining enough balls for ammunition, and avoiding collision with obstacles.
Bounce Classic
This throwback of a game has stood the test of time. The little red ball that could. In a world of red brick and blue water, spiked creatures that move up, down, and sideways, and have the ability to become big or small, Bounce is simplistic yet satisfying.
The graphics have been cleaned and clarified in the remake to give a more appealing aesthetic for new phones, enhancing the gameplay experience.
Temple Run
Temple Run was a craze when it was first released in 2011, so much so that the developers released a Temple Run 2 in 2013. The game is exactly what it says it is. The player's avatar has stolen a treasure from a temple and is pursued by demonic monkeys.
The game is a thrill, with gamers feeling the avatar's adrenaline while they collect coins, duck, swerve, and jump to survive a daring escape.
Snake '97: retro phone classic
Snake is an old and familiar game. It doesn't require much thought except for direction and aversion. Snake '97: retro phone classic is a remake of Snake versions of old, made to replicate the feeling of using an old phone and playing the green screen version.
The game features the original sounds, controls, and difficulty levels as well as some extra challenges. Players can choose which phone version of the game they want to play.
Duet
Duet has the heart of an arcade game with its transcendent design and sparse graphics. It became accessible to mobiles in 2013 and still manages to grip players with its storyline and difficult, addictive challenges.
Described as a game of survival and co-dependence, players must navigate two synced rotating orbs, one red and one blue, as they avoid by moving forces. They are the ultimate duo.
Cut the Rope
Cut the Rope was originally released in 2010 and won the BAFTA Games Award for Best Handheld Game in 2011.
It follows a cartoon named Om Nom and the player's quest to keep Om Nom fed. The gameplay consists of logic puzzles surrounding the actions of cutting a rope, pumping air, and popping bubbles. If cut properly, the candy will swing or fall into Om Nom's mouth. The game even has a series of themed sequels for players who just can't get enough.
The Room
The Room (2012) was developed by Fireproof Games and is a world of puzzles and mystery. This mobile game is for those who love a challenge, realistic graphics, eerie gameplay, and the thrill and immersion of a great and satisfying storyline.
The Room became a series, and it includes a series of other games with different storylines: The Room Two, The Room Three, and The Room: Old Sins, each of which puts it's own new spin on the classic concept of the game.
Bubble Shooter
Color matching bubbles; the patterns and symmetry in this game are hard not to appreciate. Bubble Shooter was released in 2001 and can be a burst of fun gameplay in an otherwise grey day.
The game has a classic game mode, arcade mode, and puzzle game mode. The game is described as retro in style but having new features to make it satiating in a constantly stimulating world.
LIMBO
LIMBO (2010) is an adventure puzzle game developed by Playdead. The shimmering atmosphere is fueled with depth, foreboding, and ambiance. It's a dark storyline of a young boy wandering around LIMBO in the search for his sister.
It's creepy and uncomfortable, eerie, and disturbingly mesmerizing. Players can't help but become attached to the boy and his mission, and this saga still hasn't lost it's luster ten years after it's release.
Candy Crush Saga
Released in 2012, Candy Crush Saga is an addictive and fun game of candy switching and matching. It became huge among people of all ages and is still fun to play years after its release, with the game reaching such heights of popularity that a few different spinoff games were created from it.
Players swipe to create candy combos and advance to the next level, each level has a different and unique goal, and there are hundreds of levels to play through. It's a bright game with exciting colors and graphics that are bound to give players a sugar rush.