Time for spurs, ten-gallon hats, and sun-scorched gunfights. The announcement of Red Dead Redemption 2 may have caught us by surprise here at Uptodown, but we can’t deny that it’s made our day. Yes, the best-ever Western is making its return – and what better way to get in the mood than with a collection of Android games set in the Wild West? The game from Rockstar won’t in fact end up on smartphones and tablets, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy infinite sunsets à la John Ford with these 10 recommendations from various genres.
Six Guns
Gameloft is known for its feats in trying to approximate the console gaming experience on smartphones. And if we’re talking about Red Dead Redemption, we’ve gotta mention Six Guns. This game, set in 19th-century Arizona and Oregon, has you trekking wide open spaces while facing a good handful of diverse enemies. A good third-person action game for people looking for a John Marston–style adventure. But different. Obviously. [Download]
Shoot and Run: Western
The potential settings for endless runners are pretty much infinite and we’ve seen all sorts of places used as a backdrop for running around dodging obstacles and collecting objects. Shoot and Run: Western takes us to the Wild West, rather a novel location, and puts you in the skin of a cowboy who moves on both foot and horseback while fighting the bandidos who cross his path. Its cartoonish look gives it a different touch that harks back to iconic comics like Lucky Luke. [Download]
Gravebound
As we mentioned, the Wild West may not be the most popular setting for a videogame, and the truth is that finding a title like Gravebound comes as a real surprise. This is because it’s super odd to see the words “western” and “roguelike” together in the same sentence. Luckily, this turn-based game does justice to both – and does it well. You play a sheriff tasked with finding out who burned down his HQ and murdered his colleagues. All while trying to survive in a hostile environment where enemies try to kill you as fast as possible. A highly original playable western. [Download]
Gun Done: Road to West
When we’re talking about the Old West it’s hard not to think about those gunfights under the scorching sun. Sergio Leone and his Dollars Trilogy has ensured that the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about that lawless era is Clint Eastwood with his gun. It’s no surprise, then, to come across a game like Gun Done: Road to West, where you have to fight in duels starring quite the array of characters. A simple game that more than meets its objective and also lets you play some rather odd characters: Han Solo, Deadpool, Tarantino’s Django… The Wild West ain’t just for cowboys, y’know. [Download]
Oddland
You knew it wasn’t going to be all desert and hay bales lining Main Street. Oddland is, as its name suggests, the odd one out in this list of Android games as it’s set not in the 19th or 20th century but in a post-apocalyptic world where the law of the strongest is what sets the tone. This is precisely why we’ve included it in our list – and the fact that it’s set in a sort of Wild West of the future. What you have to do is go around defeating every enemy who takes a shot at you while beating the different territories on the map in Oddland. A comprehensive first-person title that also includes an online mode. [Download]
Bounty Hunt
Another shadowy gunfights title, but this time in 3D. You’ve got to be faster than your opponent but still wait until exactly the right moment to draw, outlining the trajectory of your bullet with a touch. The result of the duel depends on where your shot hits, though you can even disarm your opponent without doing him any harm. Better than Terence Hill in his best spaghetti western days. [Download]
Guns’n’Glory
A proper fossil in Android terms, dating back to 2010, over time this game became a standard bearer for proving the potential of the smartphone as a gaming platform. A straight-up tower defense that has you placing all sorts of structures to halt the advance of a convoy and conquer it. [Download]
Compass Point
It was inevitable that somebody would try to make a western out of your standard online strategy and management game à la Clash of Clans. In this case you have to make your outpost prosper, defend yourself against the outlaws, and attack clusters of enemies through a real-time combat system broadened with managing different cards with different types of units. [Download]
Western VR Shooter
3D can’t miss out on the action, either. With a piece of cardboard and your smartphone you can live through an immersive experience where you shoot enemies who creep up on you from all sides, like in a first-person shooter (though the game happens on rails, and you have to defeat each wave to move on to the next). Not quite as immersive as a visit to the Tabernas desert but at least you won’t get so hot. [Download]
The Oregon Trail: Pioneers
There are lots of games focused on the popular migration route that American settlers took in fulfilled the doctrine of Manifest Destiny that sought to justify expansion of U.S. territory. This Gameloft title has you raising settlements while you cultivate crops and extract resources, Farmville-style. [Download]
