7 Nostalgic Android Games That Are Still Worth Playing

7 Nostalgic Android Games That Are Still Worth Playing

For those of you who really miss playing old-school games on smartphones, especially Android, while lying down all day, you can play nostalgic games again.

Even though the graphics are simple and the gameplay is not complicated like most games, this is what makes it attractive.

There are many nostalgic Android games that accompany school time or are played when bored, which have become everyone's favorite because they are fun and easy to play.

Until now, many people have downloaded it to relive the old vibes while flashing back to the past.

So, for those of you who want entertainment while reminiscing, you can play some nostalgic Android games to play again right now!

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Nostalgia Android Games

Android Nostalgia Games are old-school mobile games that were popular in the early days of Android smartphones.

Usually this game is synonymous with school days, limited data quota or Android phones that weren't as sophisticated as they are now.

Even though the graphics are simple compared to current games, the game is very popular because it is very exciting and the gameplay is easy to understand, especially for beginners.

Many people consider the 2010s to be the golden age of mobile gaming because the games focused more on fun.

There's a wide variety of nostalgic Android games available. There are offline versions that can be played anytime without an internet connection, and there are online versions with a lighter size.

Apart from that, many games use the Free-to-Play system (F2P) which is free to download but with ads and In-Game Purchases (Microtransactions) or purchases within the game.

Compared to today's games, the old-school model is more chill because players can enjoy the game without having to Top Up, Battle Pass or In-Game Purchases (Microtransactions).

The game genres are usually Endless Runner, Puzzle, Simulation, Virtual Pet, Arcade, Racing, Strategy to Casual.

With the variety of genres available today, it makes people who play games at that time more memorable because they have different favorite games.

The strongest characteristics of nostalgic Android games usually have easy controls, simple graphics, small file sizes, fast loading and hassle-free gameplay.

Many classic games are played solely by swiping or tapping. This design makes them more user-friendly for all ages and backgrounds.

Apart from that, the small size of the game is an added value because in the past, the internal memory of Android smartphones was quite limited and internet speeds were not as fast as they are today.

The advantage of Android nostalgia games is accessibility and convenience for the players.

So, players don't have to use expensive Android smartphones to play games, don't need large storage and don't need pro mechanical skills.

Besides that, these games have a gameplay loop that makes players addicted because the concept is simple.

However, the downside is that currently there are several nostalgic Android games that have not been updated by their developers so they are no longer compatible on Android.

Besides that, even though there is a new version, it is with ads or monetization, especially after being acquired by a new publisher.

In terms of content or gameplay, it still feels repetitive and some still have the same mechanics as the previous version.

The interesting thing about this Android nostalgia game is that it invites players to reminisce when playing this game.

So, its uniqueness is not only the graphics or features, but the fun and easy gameplay that gives a nostalgic effect to the players.

Due to this, many players are still looking for and replaying some of the nostalgic games they played on Android in the 2010s.

List of Nostalgic Android Games

Below is a list of some exciting Android nostalgia games that are still really worth playing right now, including the following:

Temple Run

Temple Run is an iconic and phenomenal Android nostalgia game of its time. Developed by Imangi Studios, it was first released for iOS on August 4, 2011, and later available for Android, Windows Phone, and web browsers (Poki).

On Google Play Store, it has a rating of 4.2/5 with 5.19 million reviews and over 500 million downloads. On the App Store, it has a rating of 4.4/5 with 409,000 reviews. This game is lightweight (153 MB for Android, 287 MB for iOS), making it suitable for low-spec phones. The model is Free-to-Play with optional in-game purchases.

The main genre Arcade, Action, Endless Runner with mode Single Player. The story is simple: players take on the role of an explorer who steals a cursed artifact from an ancient temple and is then chased by Demon Monkeys. There's no narrative; the excitement comes from the tense gameplay.

How to play is quite easy, players only need to swipe left/right to turn, swipe up to jump, swipe down to duck, and tilt the cellphone.

Temple Run is very memorable because of the Demon Monkeys sound effects, temple views, and the distinctive broken bridge. 

Subway Surfers

The second nostalgic Android game is 'Subway Surfers', which is the most iconic game ever and is often played by school children.

Subway Surfers was first released on May 24, 2012, by Kiloo & SYBO Games for various platforms. The story is simple: the main character is caught graffitiing at a station and is chased by a guard and his dog.

The gameplay is very simple, just like Temple Run. The goal is to run endlessly, avoiding obstacles, collecting coins, and utilizing power-ups like hoverboards, jetpacks, coin magnets, and score boosters.

The main advantage of Subway Surfers is its gameplay which is easy to master but still requires high focus.

Jetpack Joyride

The third very popular and reliable nostalgic Android game for when you're bored is Jetpack Joyride. Developed by Halfbick Studios, it was first released on September 1, 2011.

On the Google Play Store, it has a 4.3/5 rating, with 4.81 million reviews and over 100 million downloads. The game is approximately 263 MB in size for Android and 418 MB for iOS. It's free to play, but offers optional purchases.

Jetpack Joyride is an endless runner with a single-player mode. Barry must escape from a laboratory while avoiding lasers, missiles, electricity, and pursuing scientists. The further he runs, the faster and more intense the game becomes.

You must be able to control Barry Steakfries, a reckless man who steals a bullet-powered jetpack, gets caught, and tries to escape.

Angry Birds

The fourth nostalgic game is 'Angry Birds', the most legendary game that ever made the mobile gaming world busy.

Angry Birds was developed by Rovio Entertainment and published by Chillingo and Rovio Entertainment first on December 11, 2009 for Maemo and iOS.

Apart from iOS and Maemo, Angry Birds is available on MeeGo, HP webOS, Android, Symbian 3, Series 40, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, WebGL, Windows Phone, Google Plus, Google Chrome (Chrome Web Store), Blackberry Table OS, Bada, Facebook (Flash), MacOS.

Initially this game was called 'Angry Birds' on Facebook, then changed its name to Angry Birds Friends.

On Google PlayStore, Angry Birds Friends has a rating of 4.3/5 with 1.33 million reviews and has been downloaded more than 100 million times.

Meanwhile, on the App Store, it has a rating of around 4.6/5 with more than 133 thousand reviews.

The size of the Angry Birds Friends game is around 147 MB for Android and 260 MB for iOS.

This is also the reason why Angry Birds is quite popular and is even present on every smartphone.

This type of game was initially paid, but changed to Free-to-Play (F2P) with ads and In-Game Purchases (Microtransaction) options.

The main genres are Casual, Puzzle, Strategy with Single-Player mode and a simple story. Where, the pigs steal eggs, then the birds get angry and attack back.

Each bird has unique skills such as splitting itself, speeding up, exploding or destroying certain materials.

So, Angry Birds is a puzzle game that invites players to use a catapult to launch birds into the green pigs' buildings.

The mission is to destroy the structures and defeat all the pigs who steal the birds' eggs.

You just pull the catapult, adjust the angle and power of the catapult while observing the shape of the building, building materials and timing using bird skills.

As the level increases, it becomes more difficult, thus providing challenges to the players.

Angry Birds is easy to play, although it does require strategy. Furthermore, the cute bird sound effects and colorful design keep the game from becoming monotonous.

Candy Crush Saga

The fifth nostalgic game is 'Candy Crush Saga', the most legendary game that once dominated the world of mobile gaming.

Candy Crush Saga was developed and published by King for browsers on April 12, 2012. It was later released for iOS, Android, Fire OS, Windows Phone, Microsoft Windows, macOS, and Linux.

On Google PlayStore, Candy Crush Saga has a rating of 4.7/5 with 38.9 million reviews and has been downloaded more than 1 billion times.

Meanwhile, on the App Store, it has a rating of around 4.8/5 with more than 148 thousand reviews.

The size of the Candy Crush Saga game is around 149 MB for Android and 327 MB for iOS.

Even at the peak of its popularity, the game had hundreds of millions of monthly active players (MAU).

This type of game is Free-to-Play (F2P) which is free to play without having to pay first, but there is an In-Game Purchases (Microtransaction) option for purchasing extra moves, gold bars, boosters and other progress items.

The main genres are Puzzle, Casual, and Strategy. The story is simple: you'll explore a colorful candy world while completing thousands of sweet and cute levels.

Candy Crush Saga is a match-3 puzzle game, where you have to swap the positions of colored candies to match three or more of the same color.

If successful, the candy will be destroyed and you will get points or complete the level objective.

The game is easy for anyone to understand: simply swipe the candies up, down, left, and right to create combinations of three, four, or more colors. This will give you special candies that have a huge explosion effect.

As you level up, the challenges become more varied, such as jelly that must be cleared, chocolate spreading, limited moves, score targets, and other unique objectives.

What makes Candy Crush Saga exciting is that each round is fast, the controls are easy, and the rewards after the game make it suitable to play to fill your free time.

Pou

The sixth nostalgic game is 'Pou', a children's favorite game that is always on every Android smartphone.

Pou was developed and published by Paul Salameh and Zakeh Limited for Android, iOS and Blackberry 10 on August 5, 2012.

Since its initial release, Pou immediately attracted attention because of its unique concept, which invites players to care for small creatures in the form of potatoes or aliens.

On Google PlayStore, Pou has a rating of 4.3/5 with 11.5 million reviews and has been downloaded more than 1 billion times.

Meanwhile, on the App Store, it has a rating of around 4.0/5 with more than 243 reviews.

The size of the Candy Crush Saga game is around 85 MB for Android and 104 MB for iOS.

This is the reason why Pou was previously installed by many players because it fits on low-end Android smartphones.

This game type is Free-to-Play (F2P) so it is free to download and play, although there are advertisements and In-Game Purchases (Microtransaction) options within the application.

The main genres are Simulation, Casual and Virtual Pet with Single-Player and Multiplayer modes.

The story is simple, where you have to take care of Pou like a pet that has to be cared for every day.

You have to feed him when he's hungry, clean him when he's dirty, treat him when he's sick, and play with him when he's bored until he falls asleep.

The more you play, the more your Pou will evolve and have more items to unlock.

Apart from that, there are also many mini-games to collect coins so that the game is not monotonous.

These coins can be used to purchase clothes, wallpaper, accessories, food, and room decorations. Besides caring for him, you can also customize Pou to your own style.

There are social features such as visiting friends and voice features to respond to or imitate certain sounds.  

What makes Pou so much more fun is its personality and chill vibe. You play to care for a cute character and enjoy his progress.

When people see Pou, many feel nostalgic because they remember their school days and playing it on old Androids.

My Talking Tom

The last nostalgic game is 'My Talking Tom', which is a game that used to be on almost every Android smartphone.

My Talking Tom was developed and published by Outfit7 on November 11, 2013, for Android. It was later released for iOS, Amazon Kindle, Windows Phone, and Harmony.

On Google PlayStore, My Talking Tom has a rating of 4.3/5 with 17.5 million reviews and has been downloaded more than 1 billion times.

Meanwhile, on the App Store, it has a rating of around 4.3/5 with more than 363 thousand reviews.

The size of the My Talking Tom game is around 176 MB for Android and 349 MB for iOS.

The game type is Free-to-Play (F2P) which is free to download and play, but there is an In-Game Purchases (Microtransaction) option within the application to purchase coins, diamonds, decoration items and boosters.

The main genres are Simulation, Casual and Virtual Pet with Single-Player mode and a complex story because it is about Tom's daily life (Life Simulation).

You will see Tom grow from a small kitten to an adult while unlocking several new items.

This progress makes players feel responsible for the character they care for, so they feel like they have a pet.

Initially, you adopt a cat named Tom and care for him like a pet.

You have to feed him, bathe him, play with him, put him to sleep and accompany him in his daily activities.

This is what makes My Talking Tom popular because you take care of him while playing with him to earn coins.

Additionally, Tom can mimic the player's voice. Many people use this feature to talk to Tom and hear him speak in his hilarious voice.

Besides caring for them, you can change their clothes, change their home furniture, decorate their rooms, collect items and play mini-games.

What makes My Talking Tom unique is that it has interactive and personal elements, Tom will react to touch, sound, food and how to play in mini games.

So, My Talking Tom used to be a casual companion for some people and an entertaining game just because of Tom's funny voice.

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So, that's a list of nostalgic Android games that are still fun to play. Which one is your favorite?

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