Why I think Android is a great gaming platform

At the moment, gaming on portable devices I growing a great deal. Nintendo still have a great market percentage with the DS and its many versions, Sony have the PSP and will eventually have the NGP out on the market. Then there is other systems, and although they aren't primarily designed as gaming system, the iOS sytems, namely the iPod Touch and the iPad, and then there are the many devices that run on Google's Android platform.

I've owned a few Android devices, in the past few years, the first one being the HTC Hero, which is also branded as the G2 by T-Mobile here in the UK. It was initially running on Android version 1.5, otherwise known as 'Cupcake', until I later ungraded to version 1.6 Donut. At the time of having my HTC Hero, which was throughout most of 2009 and 2010, the Android operating system was still a rather new system, in comparison to Apple's iOS system, which was already favoured amongest many developers.

Because of there was a rather limited number of games that stood out and were actually worth playing. Many of the games, as well as other general applications were made primarily by single people or small development teams.

Since around mid 2010 and the launch of Android version 2.2 Froyo, there has been a dramatic number of developers who have since started producing apps for the platform. There are many big-name developers who now create their apps for both the iOS and Android, such as Rovio Mobile, the creators of Angry Birds.

I eventually got rid of the HTC, and now have a Samsung Galaxy S, as well as a Galaxy Tab. For me, personally, it has been since getting the Tab that even I have come to realise how good portible gaming can be, and more specificly, mobile gaming.

The Galaxy Tab, is with all smart mobile devices, will come with a number of different apps which are preintalled to the device memory. Two these where games. Need for Speed Shift, and NOVA.

Need for Speed Shift is in essence, a simplied version of the game,which has been created for mobile devices. I wouldn't quite want to refer to it as a port, as it doesn't have the same number of cars, tracks, events or as many eperience levels as the main console and PC version. The unique leveling system has been been kept in place, with the player's driving being classed as either agressive or precision, with all aspects of their driving, such as sticking to the racing line, taking corners correctly, driving at high speed and contact with other cars area all split into the two different driving types and experience points are given accordingly. The game's graphics are also incredibly impressive, with the graphics (to my knowledge) being HD. The controls are also suited well for the Tab and other mobile devices, uses gyroscopic controls to allow the car to be controlled by tilting the device to steer.

The second game on the Tab was NOVA. The game's title stands for Near Orbit Vanguard Alliance, which at first may seem like a rather confusing name, although it does make sence after playing the game. The NOVA are basiclly the guardians of Earth, being like world-police they are a team who are meant to protect the planet from various extra-terrestrial attacks, much in a similar way to the UNSC in the Halo games.

Rather ironicly, the design of the NOVA marines, bares a extreme likeness to Halo's spartan's. NOVA's developer, Gamesloft have said that they wanted to take inspiration both in gameplay and visually from the Halo series to compare it to how such gaming is possible on mobile systems. This is true as the game revolves around the main protaganist having to help to protect the world from aliens known as the Xenos, in comparison to the Covenant in Halo. Besides that the gameplay is also an FPS style, which includes a mixture of both human and alien weapons that can be used.


Both of those, to me are the best games avalible on Android. I am aware that they are also avalible on the iOS, but I think they do show that Android is currently equally as powerful for gaming. With the planned release of Android 3.0 Gingerbread, Google's system could potentially become an incredibly powerful thing. The 3.0 update is specificly meant to be an update to allow for far greater gaming capabilites on the Android tabs, whilst also having an updated and fresh interface. Sony have even announced the Experia Play, a mobile which is a partial combination of a mobile phone and a PSP, which will be launched with Android 2.3, but is thought to later be given the 3.0 boost.

So, that's my thoughts on gaming for Android. Unlike most other posts, I don't think you should simply go out and buy an Android device. This would of course be rather expensive. Maybe trying out a friend's mobile or tab, or trying a demo version in a shop could give you a quick sample of Android. You may even like the system and decide to get a new tab or phone.

Either way, I want to thank you for reading another increasingly long post. As always, randomthings, and I hope that you will be reading another post again soon.