Top Android Games - September 9, 2011

One of the best things about the Android Marketplace is the sheer number of new games being introduced into the store every week. It's also one of the worst things about it, as there's a lot of dross to have to swim through to find the fun. To help you out, we've collated some of the top games we've played in recent weeks, so check out the list below to see what you should be playing on your Android devices.

Pocket League Story
Kairosoft--the purveyor of extremely addictive management-sim games on both the Android and the iOS--is back again, and this time, it is tackling the big-money world of professional football (that's soccer to everyone in North America). Pocket League Story sees you taking charge of a budding football club, and you'll be put in charge of player recruitment, training, sponsors, team formations, and much more. You won't, however, actually be able to take control of players during games, but your management decisions in the lead-up and during the games (such as changing formations) have a direct effect on whether you win or lose matches. Even though you're not playing, there's still a good deal of excitement to be had from watching your little league of players hit the field, and it can even be tense when the scores are close. Kairosoft fans be warned, though: Pocket League Story lies on the more difficult side of the Kairosoft scale and is probably as complex to initially learn as something like Pocket Academy. But once you get past those early hurdles, Pocket League is an engrossing title that will surely suck up a lot of your free time.
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Zoombie Digger
Not all games have to be as complex to come to terms with as Pocket League Story, however, and Zoombie Digger is an excellent example. In this fun, tight little arcade game, your job is to protect famous international landmarks from being overrun by cute (but still deadly) zombie animals. You can either tap or flick them directly to do damage, use your handy shovel to dig graves and bury them again, or use a variety of other weapons to stop the undead animal hordes. It's all rather silly, quite enjoyable, and not intellectually taxing, but it still provides plenty of fun as you frantically try to swipe and dig your way out of trouble. There are also plenty of weapons and upgrades you can buy, some of which cost in-game currency and some that you'll need real-world cash to purchase.
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Muffin Knight
Muffin Knight is another arcade style action platformer, but this one will require a little more skill than Zoombies to successfully complete. Your goal in Muffin Knight is to collect muffins placed around levels, with each level featuring different enemies that spawn and run along the platforms to kill your character. You're not completely helpless, though, as there are several different types of characters that you can morph into, each with its own special attack. There's the eponymous Muffin Knight with his crossbow, an archer who can shoot to the left and right simultaneously, a unicorn that excretes explosive poop, and much more that you'll need to unlock. Muffin Knight presents a good level of challenge, as the requirements to open up new levels (the number of muffins you collect in a row without dying) continually increase, and it becomes increasingly difficult to avoid the high number of enemies onscreen. Also, did we mention this game has a unicorn that poops explosives?
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Third Blade
Sticking with arcade gameplay, Third Blade is a hack-and-slash game that sees you trying to clear screen after screen filled with various enemies, using one of three blades to cut your way through your foes. The different blades all have unique properties and skills: a dual-wield sword, which is speedy but does low damage; a one-handed blade that attacks a little slower but has better defense; and a large two-handed sword that sacrifices speed for power. The game's action is frantic if a little simplistic, but it's still good fun to bash your way through dozens of enemies on each screen, especially as the game features some good-looking anime-style graphics.
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GameSpot's weekly mobile games recommendation list aims to bring you a snapshot of what games the editorial team members around the globe are enjoying (or maybe regretting) on their phones and tablets. For more games, be sure to check out our previous coverage:
Top Android Games - August 26, 2011
Top Android Games - August 26, 2011
Top Android Games - August 19, 2011
Top Android Games - August 12, 2011
Top Android Games - August 5, 2011
Top Android Games - July 29, 2011