We’re always on the lookout for new talent in the world of videogames and the Google Play Indie Games contest is a good place to go. We’ve covered this event in the past, but on this occasion, we’re celebrating the independent games three-times over: the ten best games in Europe, Japan, and South Korea.
Developers from 12 different countries participated in this distinguished competition. Three different events celebrated in London, Tokyo, and Seoul; the cities chosen for these games to be presented. The audience, along with the Google Play team were in charge of testing and voting for their favorite games.
Among all the games presented in these cities, three were chosen as winners in each place. In addition to these three winners, Google Play Indie Games has also chosen seven more games from each area to complete these Top 10 indie gems. Not all of the games are available for download on Uptodown, since many of the chosen titles are paid apps. However we’ll give you the links to the ones that we do have so you can enjoy them.
Google Play Indie Games in Europe
The 3 European winners
G30 – A Memory Maze (Ivan Kovalov) — Twitter
Puzzles and minimalism always go together nicely and that’s what we see in G30 – A Memory Maze. It’s a game that wisely combines the gameplay with the story it tells.
Ordia (Loju) — Website
We’re always happy to see good platformers and Ordia fits the bill thanks to its intelligent level design and the simple controls for your character: you just need one finger to do every action. There are more than 30 to complete, in addition to different challenges and extra levels.
Photographs (EightyEight Games) — Website
The evolution of the puzzle game genre in the last few years has led us the point where we can find such impressive works as Photographs. It’s an incredibly interesting game where the story is revealed through the game’s puzzles.
The rest of the European finalists
#DRIVE (Pixel Perfect Dude) — Download — Gameplay
Fly THIS! (Northplay) — Download
Golf Peaks (Afterburn) — Website
Rest in Pieces (Itatake) — Download — Gameplay
see/saw (Philipp Stollenmayer) — Website
STAP (Overhead Game Studio) — Download
Tesla vs Lovecraft (10tons Ltd) — Website
Google Play Indie Games in Japan
The 3 Japanese winners
Infection (CanvasSoft) — Download
A puzzle game with zombies? Yes, and it’s interesting, too. At first, Infection doesn’t seem like it’s going to show us anything new: your objective is to infect all the humans. However, as you advance through the levels, you’ll notice the intelligence shown in many of its screens. It’s not the most complex game in the world, but it’s a different concept. And that always gets us.
MeltLand (Masataka Hakozaki) — Download
It’s time to sit back and take a breather with a concept that’s as beautiful as it is relaxing. MeltLand does everything it can to make sure you have a relaxing time while playing: simple gameplay, minimalist visuals, and a really zen soundtrack.
Bear’s Restaurant (Daigo Studio) — Download — Gameplay
The name Daigo Studio may not sound familiar to many of you, but this developer is finding its place in the independent scene. All their titles are small RPGs with an original story and simple gameplay. Titles that are influenced by Undertale and the like, which means they’re definitely interesting.
The rest of the Japanese finalists
Lunch Time Fish (HULABREAKS) — Website
ReversEstory (個人) — Download
Kamiori (Hanaji Games) — Website
キグルミキノコ Q-bit -第一章- (クラシック ショコラ) — Website
クマムシさん惑星（試遊制限版 (Ars Edutainment) — Twitter
Girl x Sun – Terasene (SleepingMuseum) — Website
Perséfone (Plug in Digital) — Website
Google Play Indie Games in South Korea
The 3 South Korean winners
ROOMS: The Toymaker’s Mansion (HandMade Game) — Website
144 levels await you in this beautiful puzzle game. The title belongs to a franchise that works with many different formats (PC, Wii, Nintendo DS, etc.) and that also has its hands in mobile devices. Hours and hours to enjoy puzzles where you’re mission is to escape from every screen.
Seoul2033: Backer (Banjiha Games)
Interactive novels also have a place on this list thanks to Seoul2033: Backer. It’s a game that looks pretty interesting for fans of the genre. The only problem is that it’s in Korean, so we only recommend it if you know the language or if you enjoy randomly selecting your options. Oh, and there are cute dogs, so there’s always that.
CARTOON CRAFT (Studio NAP) — Website
Real-time strategy games aren’t exactly the norm on mobile devices, but CARTOON CRAFT is here to prove that theory wrong. This is a sort of Warcraft cartoon that brings us the failsafe battle between orcs and humans. A conflict that fans of medieval fantasy have enjoyed for eons now. It’s not everyday that we find RTS games here, so this calls for a round of applause.
The rest of the South Korean finalists
Hexonia (Togglegear) — Download — Gameplay
Hexagon Dungeon (Bleor Games) — Download
7Days – Decide your story (Buff Studio Co.,Ltd.) — Website
WhamBam Warriors (DrukHigh) — Download — Gameplay
Onslot Car (Wondersquad) — Download
Maze Cube (IAMABOY) — Website
언노운 나이츠 (teamarex) — Website
