Best Android Games of 2019
At Hardcore Droid we pride ourselves on shedding light on the best (and the worst) that mobile gaming has to offer. The little brother of console and PC gaming engulfed over 50% of the gaming market in 2018 and 2019. Accessible, generally cheaper and usually graphically sound, mobile games have come a long way in the past few years. So, as yet another year comes to a close, Hardcore Droid takes a look back at the best mobile games of 2019: The most hardcore titles that helped push mobile gaming to new heights.
Best Battle Royale: PUBG
Tencent Games
Battle Royale took the world by storm in 2017 with PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds. Leading the charge into an all new genre, the title was then released to mobile the following year. PUBG implementation of Unreal Engine 4 enables console quality graphics that can be housed within a six inch screen. Choose between third and first-person viewpoints as you are immersed in an intense multiplayer experience.
With Classic 100 player battles, 4×4 TDM, a brand new arcade mode and zombie modes to boot, there’s something for everyone. What’s more, PUBG mobile continues to grow almost three years after launch with daily events, challenges, and season passes. With over 400 million downloads to date, Tencent Games’ battler continued to evolve in 2019. But it’s the title’s superb game modes, high-end mobile graphics and tight game controls that rendered PUBG the most hardcore Battle Royale game by far. So, what are you waiting for? Go get that chicken dinner!
Best Adventure Game: Stranger Things 3: The Game
BonusXP
Games adapted from movies and shows tend to garner very low expectations. However, the retro art style and modern gameplay mechanics of Stranger Things 3: The Game saved it from that reputation. BonusXP delivers something truly special with their version of the Netflix exclusive. Coming in at a price of $4.99, teamwork is the name of the game.
Players can embark on a co-op adventure to do battle with The Upside Down in a well-made, old school-styled story mode. Solve puzzles and uncover new never before seen quests. Explore the world of Hawkins, choosing to play as twelve different characters from the series. Pop culture, 16-bit styled play, and an extra-terrestrial story collide easily capturing the Hardcore Droid stamp of approval for best in Adventure.
Best Sports Game: 2K20
2K Inc.
2K builds its latest title around new game and story modes supporting it with fluid mechanics and impressive graphics. 2K20 clocks in at $1.99, with some in game purchases required for stats. Despite this it maintains a balance its console counterpart lacks regarding microtransactions. 2K20 adds an all new MyCareer mode focused on story as well as ‘Run the Streets’, a multiplayer driven mode.
Play your way from college to the NBA rosters in MyCareer or rise on the multiplayer leaderboards in ‘Run the Streets’. Cheaper than its console counterpart and just as entertaining, 2K dunks on the competition with its trademarked soundtrack to finish things off. Breathtaking graphics, air tight controls, and all new story and multiplayer modes make it clear. 2K20 is by far the most hardcore sports game of 2019.
Best Racing Game: Rebel Racing
Hutch Gaming
Combining beautiful West Coast locations with realistic driving mechanics what’s not to love about Rebel Racing? Hit the streets in supercars or custom classics, or create your very own dream machine to beat out the competition in this fresh new addition to the racing genre. With six key aspects of your car to upgrade and customize alongside realistic terrain response, Hutch Gaming delivers.
Enjoy four game modes: Easy Money, Double Payout, ladder, and Boss. Rebel Racing launched in early November as a free-to-play title and is already scooping up a million plus downloads. Beautiful graphics, realistic terrain response, drum-tight controls and incredible cars are what push Rebel Racing a tier above the rest. It may have shown up late to the track but regardless, the victory lap belongs to Hutch Gaming’s latest wheel to wheel thriller.
Best RPG: Battle Chasers: Nightwar
Handy Games
It’s rare that an Android RPG can compare to its console and PC based peers. Yet, Battle Chasers: Night War achieves just that. A mobile title with breathtaking graphics and artwork, alongside unprecedented immersion, Battle Chasers delivers an exceptional experience. Play as young heroine Gully as she embarks on an epic quest to find her lost father Aramus. No quest is complete without allies and Gully receives help from five unique heroes along the way.
Each with their own skill tree, perks, items and dungeon abilities. Battle in classic turn-based combat, explore a world rich in detail, and utilize a vast crafting system. Battle Chasers comes in at $9.99, but with no IAPs, in-game ads, its bona fide RPG experience is well worth the price tag. Hidden dungeons, full of unforeseen dangers, in a world chock full of mesmerizing beauty, makes Battle Chasers and easy choice as most hardcore RPG of 2019.
Best Indie: Star Traders Frontiers
Trese Brothers
Sequel to the original, the Trese Brothers return with Star Traders Frontiers. A great war has ravaged the galaxy. Survivors of this exodus now leave the ruins of the galactic core behind in search of new homes amid the stars. Star Traders Frontiers space sim-RPG hybrid creates endless opportunities in a massive open world.
Explore the galaxy as a space pirate, bounty hunter, military captain, merchant or something else entirely with 26 total jobs to choose from. Countless worlds await you with trade deals to establish, fortunes to make and old scores to settle. Star Traders Frontier’s surplus of content and unique turn-based combat system make it well worth its $6.99 price tag. This story driven masterpiece will ensnare any RPG lover for hours on end, making it an easy choice as most hardcore mobile indie of the year.
Best Strategy: Bad North: Jotunn Edition
Raw Fury
In all outward appearances Raw Fury takes a less is more approach with their latest title Bad North: Jotunn Edition. Simple cel-shaded graphics, vibrant colors, and one dimensionally rendered troops rich in character all add up to create an eye-popping real-time strategy game with an impressive amount of depth. Vikings have invaded your homeland and killed your father the king.
It falls to you now to take his place. Leading three customizable classes of troops into battle you defend your people, one island at a time. Bad North starts you off with two commanders, with others available as you progress. Every island is unique but not all offer new commanders making every move crucial. With its unique art direction, customizable troops and elegant gameplay, Bad North was a shoe-in as the best mobile strategy game 2019 had to offer.
Best Tactical Game: Shieldwall Chronicles
Wave Light Games Inc.
Shieldwall Chronicles is the type of turn-based RPG every armchair tactician dreams of. A massive 40 hour storyline takes you and six heroes of your choosing into the Northlands of Tarren. Here you will face off against, demons, lizardmen, and countless other evil forces in the name of riches. Wave Light Games stands out with a well-balanced, turn-based battlefield that melds together RPG strategy with some D&D game book concepts.
Build a party with 16 different classes and enjoy as assortment of customization as you move forward. Shieldwall’s trove of skills, magical items, weapons, and armor make for endless tactical and battle options. With a challenging yet rewarding style of play placed in a beautiful world, it’s no wonder Shieldwall Chronicles takes the crown as 2019’s most hardcore tactical title.
2019 Game of the Year: Call of Duty Mobile
Activision Publishing Inc.
Activision’s Call of Duty franchise has become synonymous with the FPS genre over the years. Almost a decade of storied history, groundbreaking mechanics and incredible graphics paved the way to COD’s success. Call of Duty Mobile delivers classic multiplayer modes and maps for free from iconic titles like Modern Warfare and Black Ops. On top of that it offers up a beautifully rendered 3D world with a treasure trove of customization options.
A brand new 100 player Battle Royale battlefield, Sniper vs. Sniper modes as well as Zombie Survival. This paired with thousands of infamous characters, killstreaks, outfits and loadouts to boot. Launched in September, COD mobile delivers exactly what you would expect. Providing fans with a mobile COD, offering incredible mechanics, impressive customization and a long walk down FPS memory lane, there is no question That Call of Duty Mobile reigns supreme as the most hardcore mobile game of the year.
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