"Free" mobile games are the most expensive ones...
1mon 28d ago by lemmy.world/u/MousePotatoDoesStuff in TakeYourTimeBack
...because you pay for them with your time.
You're better off with paid games, and maybe a Google Play Pass/equivalent (Feel free to recommend some if you find any!)
Been using Android since some Android 2 update. I remember it being bad back then already.
Also being concerned about use of language, it irritates me that games designed to induce overspending and often addiction to gambling are called free/F2P. Even if in a shallow sense they are, without spending, chances are you will have a miserable time with short bursts of joy that sedate you to the misery of the endless grind. Idk what is the origin of the term gacha, but since it's so different than anything else I have read/heard, and already refers to such games, I make sure to always refer to gachas as that, not free or F2P.
Now, as native Android games that are either free or one-time payment, I would suggest some, not all necessarily on Google Play:
The list has plenty of old entries so hopefully none's been downgraded or delisted...
- https://btstudios.itch.io/lost-in-dungeon-steam-edition
- https://chrisnzl.itch.io/tallowmere
- https://dj_link.itch.io/quest-of-dungeons
- https://importantlittlegames.itch.io/codemancer-ch-1
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.Anodyne.mobile
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.distractionware.vvvvvvmobile
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=air.com.importantlittlegames.codemancerch1
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.BTstudios.Lostindungeon
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ChrisMcFarland.Tallowmere
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.davidamador.quest_of_dungeons
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.Deflorio.DeepDownDungeons
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.devolver.downwell_rerelease
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dotemu.neogeo.mslug
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dotemu.neogeo.mslug2
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dotemu.neogeo.mslug3
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.dotemu.neogeo.mslugx
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.emptybox.poptiles
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ludosity.ittledew
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mercurygamestudio.tyrantsblessing
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rawfury.longhathouse.Dandara
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rmstudios.chloee
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snk.acams4
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.snk.acams5
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFPR6
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.square_enix.android_googleplay.FFVII
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.thomasbowker.lynerelease
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.nippon1.liarprincess
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.defensezone2
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ninja.netox.jackquest
- https://play.google.com/web/store/apps/details?id=com.sega.sonic1px
- https://terrycavanagh.itch.io/vvvvvv
- https://thomasbowker.itch.io/lyne
- https://www.humblebundle.com/store/anodyne
- https://www.humblebundle.com/store/ittle-dew
- https://www.humblebundle.com/store/lyne
- https://www.humblebundle.com/store/quest-of-dungeons
- https://www.humblebundle.com/widget/v2/standalone/anodyne/Sndn9sjSnlz
- https://www.humblebundle.com/widget/v2/standalone/ittledew/Ldu7Tdg8Hwy
- https://www.humblebundle.com/widget/v2/standalone/lyne/Ldkwodk3
- https://www.humblebundle.com/widget/v2/standalone/questofdungeons/Qodkwo3
:::
Also, there's plenty of games sold as console ROMs, most homebrews on places like Itchio but some licensed releases on places like Steam, as DOS and Scumm softwares on places like GOG, and there's plenty of source ports, wrappers, etc. (on that, list I'm slowly building) so you could try to find ways to play your non-Android games on Android too.
I agree with the terminology part - these games aren't truly free in the same way e.g. Newgrounds games are. (In fact, I'd argue games with microtransactions should be price-weighed on basis of average player spending, not just upfront price. For example, Genshin Impact is at least a 40-Euro game and should be compared with games in that bracket, and not truly-free games.)
Hey, I remember playing the vvvvvv demo! I should buy it one of these days...
Obviously...
But don't just buy the "premium" free version.
Buy the actual normal version which is often cheaper and doesn't have the gimmick mechanics to justify micro transactions
It's obvious to me now, but it wasn't always that way.
Common sense is just knowledge, learning, and thought processes we take for granted.