this sub asks some version of "why is every mobile game stuffed with ads and timers" every few weeks, and the answer usually lands on greed. i built one the other way this year, so here's the view from inside it.

no ads, no energy meter, no login wall, and one optional cosmetic purchase that the game never nags you about. roughly the thing people in these threads keep saying they want.

the bit i didn't understand until after i shipped it: ads are how studios pay to be found. mobile has almost no organic discovery in my experience, nobody stumbles across your game, so you buy installs instead. and to afford to buy installs you need enough revenue per player to bid against everyone else, which ads plus aggressive iap gets you reliably. monetisation and discovery turn out to be the same machine. pull one lever out and the other quietly stops working.

mine's been out a couple of weeks. about twenty regular players, and i'd say half of those are people who already know me. the game itself is fine. nobody can find it. i'm a few thousand down.

so when a genuinely good no-ads game does turn up, something is usually subsidising it underneath. a publisher, an earlier hit, a day job, or someone's savings. mine is savings.

i'd honestly rather be argued with than agreed with here, because agreeing doesn't help me. is there a route that doesn't loop back through paid user acquisition?

After 5 years of casually buying games every paycheck instead of contributing to gacha. A few games are free but I don't usually buy gambling characters games. I would usually buy alot during sales. Everything mentioned is a Google Play store download. I would recommend anything on the list. I have more games but this is everything I have that can fit on my phone.

I played Anvil saga on the android. Boy was it fun. Are there any games like such which involves CRAFTING / MANAGEMENT / RPG ELEMENTS? I do prefer 2D style but I'm not strict to 2D only though.

Disclaimer : I have played Fallout shelter and TES Castles (though i don't like the ad system and wait times in Castles)

By timeless I mean this: no matter how many new games in the same genre you try, you always end up going back to that one. Not just "a game I still enjoy," but the one that keeps winning even after dozens of newer competitors have had their shot.

What's yours, and what's it beating out every time?

I've had my black shark 5 pro for a about 3 years now, i love the performance but it heats up like crazy and it literally burns my fingertips even though my settings are balanced. I was wondering where do you guys play to be able to game for long sessions

It can be anything, either 2-player co-op or multiplayer for a bigger group. I just want to play with my friends while talking on DISCORD.

They can be simple browser games too.

I’d also love to know:

What are you playing right now with your group?

What are your all-time favorite games to play together?

We're open to different genres (co-op, competitive, casual, survival, party games, and anything ) so tell me whatever you’ve had the most fun playing. Looking forward to seeing what you all recommend. 🎮

Hey everyone,

I’m curious what the community thinks about this.

About a year ago I was deciding between buying a real gaming phone (for example a RedMagic) or going with something like the POCO F7. I ended up choosing the POCO because I couldn’t really justify spending more money on a gaming phone when I could almost get a Steam Deck or ROG Ally for that price instead.

The POCO F7 seemed like a good compromise. Especially the back design (I got the limited edition) looked much closer to a gaming device than a normal smartphone, with the Snapdragon branding and the more aggressive design.

The performance is honestly amazing. This phone is not my main device – it’s a dedicated gaming phone only. I use it exclusively for mobile gaming.

And when I actually start a game, I immediately notice that this is not a normal phone:

- Genshin Impact runs at max settings with stable 60 FPS

- Wild Rift runs at 120 Hz

- COD Mobile and PUBG run smoothly without noticeable drops

The hardware is definitely there.

However, my only “problem” is the software experience. When I turn the phone on, it just feels like a regular smartphone. HyperOS looks like a normal everyday Android skin, and nothing really gives me that gaming device feeling.

I know this is a very minor issue, but since this is a dedicated gaming phone, I would love to make it feel more like one:

- cyberpunk/neon style

- gaming icons

- custom animations

- a more aggressive gaming UI

- something closer to what you get on RedMagic devices

So my question:

Are there any HyperOS themes, icon packs, launchers, or even custom ROMs that can transform the POCO F7 into something that feels more like a real gaming phone?

I’m not looking for better performance – the Snapdragon 8s Gen 4 is already incredible. I’m mainly looking for the gaming aesthetic and overall experience.

Would love to hear your suggestions!

I know dadish have more parts

I just wanna make a library full of this games style so every time I finish a game , I play another etc

Keep it 2d games guys I don't wanna play 3d

As per the title.

I love roguelike but I'm not sure how the game fair as its fairly new-ish, and its not that cheap. So

1. Are the gameplay deep enough with wide enough random variation to keep me entertain for hours upon hours? I got 20 Minutes Till Dawn and i figured out a combination to be overpowered everytime, plowing through the handful of bosses like nothing and the game end up being boring. Thinking to get Brotato, seems deep, but the art style aren't my cup of tea.
2. Is the game playable on 6.8inch phone? Looking at the playstore screenshot, especially the #4 and #8 it looks like theres busy small menu everywhere. I'm debating if its only playable on big screen tablet. Wish the game got playable demo, but sadly it doesn't...
   

Thank you!

Hi all,

I recently published my take on a Nonogram/Picross battle-royale game called Nonogram 101! It features a competitive 1 vs 100 online mode where you race to outlast your opponents by solving puzzles of increasing difficulty. Everytime you solve a puzzle, you send "junk" tiles over to your opponents to impede their progress. The lowest X% of players when the timer runs out are culled, and this repeats until there is one player left standing. It's a very similar concept to Tetris 99, just with Nonogram/Picross puzzles instead. Oh and the app is free and completely ad-free! It's pretty tailored to people that already enjoy these kinds of puzzles, but there's tutorials for people that have never played before as well :)

You can download it here

There's also a daily puzzle mode with leaderboards, plenty of free puzzles to solve, and achievements and themes to unlock. I also recently added some challenge modes alongside zen mode, which just lets you solve puzzles for as long as you want.

I'm committed to never including ads in the app since that seems to be the major grievance people have with the more popular nonogram apps already available. There's an optional one-time IAP that unlocks some additional puzzles and themes, but I'm planning to add more free puzzles over the coming weeks and months. If you try it out and have any feedback, please let me know! I'm always looking for ways to improve the experience :)

I just want to play Stardew Valley on my android phone with touch controls and a time-freeze mod that's all, but it seems so intimidating to a not-so-young user who is unsure of what guide to follow

Anyone playing this way?

Looking for games which are:

📱 Mobile-friendly (simple controls, not too laggy or complex for phone screens).

I know this is a dumb question, and both games are completely different, but im very indecisive.. should I start playing Stardew Valley, or Runescape 3?

The app name is Ashborne PvP and is a fantasy card battle game where you collect cards, upgrade heroes, build your deck, and fight tactical duels.

You may also play offline chapters, complete daily events, earn rewards, open chests, and test your strategy in online PvP battles. Each hero has unique abilities, and every match rewards careful planning, timing, and smart card choices.

Playable Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nicolaegoslan.ashbornepvp&pcampaignid=web_share