Updated October 2026: This post has been expanded from its original December 2013 version into a full, researched roundup of 50 standout Android games from 2013, with a summary table, release dates for the year’s biggest hits, and notes on what happened to them afterward. It is a historical account; details describe the time it covers, not today.
2013 was the year Android gaming stopped feeling like an afterthought. For several years, many of the most talked-about mobile games arrived on the iPhone first and on Android months later, if at all. During 2013, that gap narrowed sharply. Major publishers such as EA, Gameloft, Ubisoft, and Supercell shipped big titles to Google Play, and small independent studios released some of the year's most inventive games on Android at or near the same time as iOS.
The original version of this post was a one-line teaser. This expanded version is a historical roundup of 50 Android games that stood out during 2013, chosen from Google Play's own "Best of 2013" selection, Pocket Gamer's monthly Android picks, and contemporary news coverage. Every game listed was released or made widely available on Android during 2013. Prices, availability, and features described here reflect that time, and some of these games are no longer available.
The year in Android gaming
A few trends defined the year. Free-to-play with in-app purchases became the dominant business model for big releases, including Real Racing 3, Plants vs. Zombies 2, and Clash of Clans. At the same time, a wave of paid indie games, from Super Hexagon to rymdkapsel, showed there was still an audience willing to pay a few dollars for a polished, complete experience.
Some launches were enormous. Imangi Studios said Temple Run 2 passed 50 million downloads across iOS, Android, and Kindle in just 13 days after its January debut, Game Informer reported. Clash of Clans, already one of the top-grossing games on the iPhone, reached Google Play in October and, according to Wikipedia, finished 2013 as the number one game on the store.
- January 19, 2013
Super Hexagon launches on Google Play, initially on sale for $0.99. - About January 24, 2013
Temple Run 2 arrives on Android, a week after its iOS debut. - February 28, 2013
Real Racing 3 launches as a free-to-play game on Android and iOS at the same time. - May 2, 2013
PopCap brings Bejeweled Blitz to Google Play. - October 2013
Plants vs. Zombies 2 reaches Google Play worldwide after a September soft launch in China. - October 7, 2013
Clash of Clans launches on Google Play. - November 19, 2013
Ridiculous Fishing comes to Android through a Humble Bundle. - December 2013
Google Play publishes its Best Games of 2013 collection of 15 titles.
Google Play’s Best Games of 2013
In December 2013, Google's own editors picked 15 games as the best of the year on its store. They make a good starting point because they show what the platform holder itself wanted to highlight.
- rymdkapsel (grapefrukt games). A minimalist real-time strategy game about building a space station out of tetromino-like blocks while defending it from waves of attackers.
- Rayman Fiesta Run (Ubisoft). An auto-running platformer where timing your jumps and hovers through bright, short levels is everything. Pocket Gamer named it its top Android game of November.
- 10000000 (EightyEight Games). A retro-styled match-three puzzle game wrapped around a dungeon-crawling role-playing game, where your matches power attacks and upgrades.
- Anomaly 2 (11 bit studios). A reverse tower defense game: you guide an armored convoy through fixed defenses rather than building them.
- Heroes of Dragon Age (Electronic Arts). A free collectible battler set in the Dragon Age universe, with animated 3D squad fights.
- DragonVale (Backflip Studios). A free park-building game about breeding and collecting dragons.
- Asphalt 8: Airborne (Gameloft). An arcade racer built around big jumps and stunts, widely praised as one of the best-looking mobile racers of its time.
- Containment: The Zombie Puzzler (Bootsnake Games). A puzzle game where you surround infected zombies with survivors to clear them from the board.
- Dots (Playdots). A minimalist game about connecting same-colored dots, one of the year's breakout casual hits.
- Into the Dead (PikPok). A first-person endless runner through a foggy field full of zombies.
- Clash of Clans (Supercell). A free village-building and strategy game where you raise an army and raid other players.
- Juice Cubes (Rovio Stars). A fruit-themed match-three puzzler published under Rovio's label for outside developers.
- Plants vs. Zombies 2 (PopCap). The free-to-play sequel to the tower defense classic, adding time-travel themed worlds.
- The Blockheads (Noodlecake Studios). A side-on, Minecraft-inspired building and exploration game with touch-friendly controls.
- FIFA 14 (EA Sports). EA's soccer series, which moved to a free-to-download model on mobile in 2013.
Big hits and famous names
- Temple Run 2 (Imangi Studios). The sequel to the endless-runner phenomenon added zip lines, mine carts, and more varied paths.
- Real Racing 3 (Firemonkeys, published by EA). A realistic racing game whose "Time Shifted Multiplayer" turned other players' recorded laps into AI rivals.
- Bejeweled Blitz (PopCap). The one-minute, score-chasing version of Bejeweled, with Facebook friend leaderboards.
- Cut the Rope: Time Travel (ZeptoLab). A physics puzzle spin-off where Om Nom meets his ancestors across different eras.
- Dead Trigger 2 (Madfinger Games). A console-style zombie shooter with more varied missions than the original.
- Final Fantasy IV (Square Enix). The 3D remake of the classic role-playing game, based on its Nintendo DS version.
- Football Manager Handheld 2014 (Sports Interactive). A streamlined version of the long-running soccer management series.
- Ticket to Ride (Days of Wonder). A faithful conversion of the railway-building board game for one to five players.
- Magic 2014 (Wizards of the Coast). The tablet-focused digital edition of the Magic: The Gathering card game.
- Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes (Tag Games). A puzzle-RPG hybrid where lining up units on the battlefield launches attacks.
Indie standouts
- Super Hexagon (Terry Cavanagh). A brutally difficult reflex game set to a soundtrack by Chipzel. It was a finalist for the 2013 Independent Games Festival design award.
- Ridiculous Fishing (Vlambeer). Drop a line, avoid fish on the way down, then shoot your catch out of the sky. Apple had named it iPhone game of the year before it reached Android.
- Nimble Quest (NimbleBit). A take on Snake where your trailing line is a party of heroes that level up.
- Hiversaires (David Mondou-Labbé). A moody black-and-white first-person puzzle adventure.
- Hero of Many (Trickster Arts). A monochrome puzzle adventure about guiding a growing group of creatures through hazards.
- Towelfight 2: The Monocle of Destiny (Butterscotch Shenanigans). A surreal top-down adventure with twin-stick shooting.
- Quadropus Rampage (Butterscotch Shenanigans). A frantic action game starring a four-legged octopus who swats enemies with improvised weapons, including a tennis racquet.
- Ending (Aaron Steed). An abstract, turn-based puzzle game that also works as a tiny roguelike.
- Gentlemen! (Lucky Frame). A one-on-one arena battle for two players sharing a single Android device.
- Tiny Thief (5 Ants). A charming point-and-click adventure about sneaking through storybook scenes as a small thief.
- Ittle Dew (Ludosity). A puzzle-heavy adventure inspired by classic Zelda dungeons.
- Strata (Graveck). A layering puzzle game where you lay colored ribbons across a grid in the right order to build a target pattern.
- Blip Blup (ustwo). An abstract spatial puzzler built around radar-like pings that bounce off walls.
- Gunslugs (OrangePixel). A fast pixel-art run-and-gun shooter in the spirit of Metal Slug.
- Fist of Awesome (I Fight Bears). A comic side-scrolling brawler about a lumberjack punching bears.
Strategy, role-playing, and story games
- Royal Revolt! (Keen Games). Tower offense, where you lead the invading army against fixed castle defenses.
- Hero Academy (Robot Entertainment). Online turn-based tactics that plays something like chess with fantasy units.
- Fighting Fantasy: The Forest of Doom (Tin Man Games). A digital version of the classic choose-your-own-adventure gamebook, with dice combat.
- Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf (Forge Reply). A gamebook crossed with a 3D action RPG, featuring real-time combat.
- QuestLord (Lava Level). A retro first-person role-playing game in a pixel-art style.
- Magicka (Paradox Interactive). A comic action game where you mix elements such as fire and lightning to cast spells.
Racing, sports, and arcade action
- Riptide GP 2 (Vector Unit). A high-speed jet-ski arcade racer known for its water effects.
- True Skate (True Axis). A demanding, physics-driven skateboarding simulator controlled with two fingers.
- Super Stickman Golf 2 (Noodlecake). Quick, silly side-on golf with power-ups and multiplayer races.
- Vector (Nekki). A parkour-themed runner in which you escape pursuers by vaulting over obstacles.
All 50 at a glance
| Game | Developer | Genre | Where it was recognized |
|---|---|---|---|
| rymdkapsel | grapefrukt games | Strategy | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Rayman Fiesta Run | Ubisoft | Platformer | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| 10000000 | EightyEight Games | Puzzle RPG | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Anomaly 2 | 11 bit studios | Tower offense | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Heroes of Dragon Age | Electronic Arts | Collectible battler | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| DragonVale | Backflip Studios | Simulation | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Asphalt 8: Airborne | Gameloft | Racing | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Containment | Bootsnake Games | Puzzle | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Dots | Playdots | Puzzle | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Into the Dead | PikPok | Endless runner | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Clash of Clans | Supercell | Strategy | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Juice Cubes | Rovio Stars | Match-three | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Plants vs. Zombies 2 | PopCap | Tower defense | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| The Blockheads | Noodlecake Studios | Sandbox | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| FIFA 14 | EA Sports | Sports | Google Play Best of 2013 |
| Temple Run 2 | Imangi Studios | Endless runner | News coverage, Jan 2013 |
| Real Racing 3 | Firemonkeys / EA | Racing | Pocket Gamer, Feb 2013 |
| Bejeweled Blitz | PopCap | Match-three | News coverage, May 2013 |
| Cut the Rope: Time Travel | ZeptoLab | Physics puzzle | Pocket Gamer, Apr 2013 |
| Dead Trigger 2 | Madfinger Games | Shooter | Pocket Gamer, Oct 2013 |
| Final Fantasy IV | Square Enix | RPG | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Football Manager Handheld 2014 | Sports Interactive | Sports management | Pocket Gamer, Nov 2013 |
| Ticket to Ride | Days of Wonder | Board game | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Magic 2014 | Wizards of the Coast | Card game | Pocket Gamer, 2013 so far |
| Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes | Tag Games | Puzzle RPG | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Super Hexagon | Terry Cavanagh | Action | News coverage, Jan 2013 |
| Ridiculous Fishing | Vlambeer | Arcade | Pocket Gamer, Nov 2013 |
| Nimble Quest | NimbleBit | Action RPG | Pocket Gamer, Apr 2013 |
| Hiversaires | David Mondou-Labbé | Adventure | Pocket Gamer, May 2013 |
| Hero of Many | Trickster Arts | Puzzle adventure | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Towelfight 2 | Butterscotch Shenanigans | Action adventure | Pocket Gamer, Mar 2013 |
| Quadropus Rampage | Butterscotch Shenanigans | Action | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Ending | Aaron Steed | Puzzle | Pocket Gamer, Jul 2013 |
| Gentlemen! | Lucky Frame | Local multiplayer | Pocket Gamer, Jul 2013 |
| Tiny Thief | 5 Ants | Adventure | Pocket Gamer, Jul 2013 |
| Ittle Dew | Ludosity | Adventure | Pocket Gamer, Nov 2013 |
| Strata | Graveck | Puzzle | Pocket Gamer, Nov 2013 |
| Blip Blup | ustwo | Puzzle | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Gunslugs | OrangePixel | Shooter | Pocket Gamer, Jan 2013 |
| Fist of Awesome | I Fight Bears | Brawler | Pocket Gamer, Oct 2013 |
| Royal Revolt! | Keen Games | Tower offense | Pocket Gamer, Jan 2013 |
| Hero Academy | Robot Entertainment | Tactics | Pocket Gamer, Oct 2013 |
| Fighting Fantasy: The Forest of Doom | Tin Man Games | Gamebook | Pocket Gamer, Jun 2013 |
| Joe Dever’s Lone Wolf | Forge Reply | Gamebook RPG | Pocket Gamer, Nov 2013 |
| QuestLord | Lava Level | RPG | Pocket Gamer, Feb 2013 |
| Magicka | Paradox Interactive | Action | Pocket Gamer, Mar 2013 |
| Riptide GP 2 | Vector Unit | Racing | Pocket Gamer, Jul 2013 |
| True Skate | True Axis | Sports | Pocket Gamer, Jul 2013 |
| Super Stickman Golf 2 | Noodlecake | Sports | Pocket Gamer, Mar 2013 |
| Vector | Nekki | Runner | Pocket Gamer, Feb 2013 |
Genre labels are our own short summaries. "Pocket Gamer" refers to its monthly Top 10 best Android games lists for 2013 and its mid-year "2013 so far" list.
What happened next
Several of these games went on to much bigger things. Clash of Clans became one of the most successful mobile games ever made. Wikipedia reports that it had passed 500 million Google Play downloads by 2018, was still among the top-grossing apps in 2020, and was still receiving major updates in 2026. Supercell also built a series of spin-offs on its world, the most successful being Clash Royale in 2016.
Plants vs. Zombies 2 proved the free-to-play model could work for a beloved paid franchise. PopCap announced 25 million downloads within weeks of its iOS launch, before the Android version arrived. Its in-app purchases drew some criticism, a debate that followed many of 2013's biggest free games.
Not every game survived. Mobile games that depend on online servers can disappear entirely. Real Racing 3, one of the showcase titles of 2013, was removed from app stores in December 2025, and its servers were scheduled to shut down in March 2026, according to Wikipedia. Some smaller paid games from 2013 also vanished from Google Play over the years as developers moved on or stopped updating them for newer Android versions.
The indie side of the list has aged well in a different way. Studios such as Vlambeer, Butterscotch Shenanigans, Noodlecake, and Tin Man Games continued to release games after 2013, and several titles here, including Super Hexagon and Ridiculous Fishing, are still remembered as games built around the touchscreen rather than adapted to it.
Tips if you want to revisit 2013’s games today
1. Check whether the game is still listed
Search Google Play for the exact title and developer. If a game has been delisted, you may still be able to reinstall it from your library if you bought it years ago, but that is not guaranteed on newer Android versions.
2. Look for remasters or PC versions
Some 2013 mobile games were later released on PC or consoles, or received updated mobile editions. These are often the most reliable way to play them now.
3. Avoid unofficial download sites
Copies of old games from unofficial websites can carry malware. Stick to official app stores and the developers' own websites.
4. Review in-app purchase settings
Many of the free-to-play hits on this list rely on in-app purchases. If children play on your device, turn on purchase authentication in the Google Play settings so every purchase requires a password or biometric check.
The bottom line
The Android games of 2013 captured a turning point. Big publishers committed fully to Google Play, free-to-play became the default for blockbusters, and independent developers proved that small, carefully made paid games could still stand out. Ten years and more later, a few of these games are still going strong, others are gone, and the year remains a useful snapshot of how mobile gaming took its modern shape.
Sources
- Kotaku, "Google’s 15 Best Android Games of 2013"
- Android Authority, Google Play best apps and games of 2013
- Pocket Gamer, "Top 10 best Android games of 2013... so far"
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of January 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of February 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of March 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of April 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of May 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of June 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of July 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of October 2013
- Pocket Gamer, Top 10 best Android games of November 2013
- Game Informer, "Temple Run 2 Bursts Past 50 Million Downloads" (January 31, 2013)
- MobileSyrup, Temple Run 2 passes 50 million downloads (January 31, 2013)
- Engadget, "Super Hexagon out on Android, temporarily $1" (January 19, 2013)
- Droid Life, "Bejeweled Blitz lands on Google Play" (May 2, 2013)
- Android Authority, "Clash of Clans hits the Play Store" (October 8, 2013)
- Wikipedia, "Clash of Clans"
- Wikipedia, "Plants vs. Zombies 2"
- Wikipedia, "Real Racing 3"
- Wikipedia, "Super Hexagon"
- Wikipedia, "Ridiculous Fishing"
Top image: "Sony Ericsson Xperia Play open" by Badudoy, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (resized). Charts by Thank You Robot.
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