Why doesn't the Android App Market have any games?

[Dominato3r]

And yes, I know it HAS games, but there are barely any of good quality. Most of these games seem like college projects thrown up there. Sure, you have the regular Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja games that are on just about every platform, but nothing fresh and exciting.

Games like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2dyqwBoSqc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxhPXKbWDAQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrZyDU1uRGI

So what's the reason? I played on my friends iPhone a game called Contre Jour(3rd link) and it was amazing, there's nothing close to that quality on the android market. Heck, it was a iPhone 3GS.. so it can't even be hardware limitations.

*Not trying to start a flame war, genuinely curious

 

[Oyeve]

I hear ya. On my iphone i have tons of real games but shit on my vibrant. Andi dont even like the iphone but fhe games are superior.

 

[RobDickinson]

Because android is developed for by spotty teenagers, and owned by people unwilling to spend money on games? In general I mean.

 

[Puddle Jumper]

Most of the top games are on both platforms.

Honestly I have yet to try a mobile game that is better than mediocre including the top ones on iOS.

 

[YoungGun21]

Maybe there are just no games that you enjoy?

Everybody likes different types of games. I have found plenty of good games on Android.

 

[Anubis]

Maybe there are just no games that you enjoy?

Everybody likes different types of games.

this, the 3 you linked i have no desire to play, and actually i have no real desire to play any games on my phone, not because it cant or because the games are bad, its just because i don't care about playing games on my phone

 

[BenSkywalker]

So what's the reason?

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mediocre.sprinkle

That's the first title on your list. Lately I've been playing-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP7Xn8_vo84
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXoFlSYakuo

Buy a phone built with a little bit of support behind it and there are almost certainly a lot more games then what your device can see(obviously you didn't know Sprinkle was available).

 

[Dominato3r]

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mediocre.sprinkle

That's the first title on your list. Lately I've been playing-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP7Xn8_vo84
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXoFlSYakuo

Buy a phone built with a little bit of support behind it and there are almost certainly a lot more games then what your device can see(obviously you didn't know Sprinkle was available).

Heh, now I looks like a dumbass

I'm using a Nexus S so it probably has a bit of support behind it. Maybe it's the way the market works but I never see any quality games.

Edit: Looks like Sprinkle is a Tegra exclusive

 

[Bateluer]

Oy, not this again. Android has thousands of really good games. You only had to search a little. Gameloft makes some slick ones.

http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/the-settlers-android/
http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/nova-3d/
http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/sacred-odyssey-hd/
http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/eternal-legacy/
http://www.gameloft.com/android-games/the-oregon-trail/

 

[gorcorps]

Android is getting more good games all the time, though I will agree it's been slow. I also think that Apple's store is just better at highlighting it's quality games so that's what it appears to be full of. Unless you already know what you're looking for it's not easy to stumble into solid games on Android's store.

 

[akugami]

Most of the top games are on both platforms.

Honestly I have yet to try a mobile game that is better than mediocre including the top ones on iOS.

Not even close. There is a large difference in higher profile games on iOS compared to Android. I won't say better because that is subjective. One game that suits me may be something that has zero interest to you.

Now, the state of gaming on Android has increased by a lot with higher profile games like Order & Chaos and Modern Combat and Sims 3, among other games, coming to or already on Android but the majority of higher profile games are still on iOS. There are some high quality originals like Zenonia, Inotia and Ash along with remakes like the Final Fantasy series from Square. Not to mention stuff like Rage and Infinity Blade.

I do agree that it might be more difficult to get noticed on the Android app store. I think Apple's iTunes needs a complete rewrite for speed reasons but you can't argue that it very well organized. The fact that you need to use iTunes (officially at least) to do anything on your iOS devices also mean that eyeballs are glued to their iTunes store and that can mean an incredible boost to any highlighted apps.

 

[annomander]

I do agree that it might be more difficult to get noticed on the Android app store. I think Apple's iTunes needs a complete rewrite for speed reasons but you can't argue that it very well organized. The fact that you need to use iTunes (officially at least) to do anything on your iOS devices also mean that eyeballs are glued to their iTunes store and that can mean an incredible boost to any highlighted apps.

hmm, well excpet for sync of old cds and backup, I never use itunes with my iPad. Any apps, music, tv shows, etc I buy directly on the ipad. The app store on the iPad is a hundred times better then the market place, a lot better organised, I think its defined by the different modals of the two companys.

Apple gets a cut and so has built the best store possible
Google doesn't get any advertising revenue from it so basically hasn't bothered

 

[KH85]

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.mediocre.sprinkle

That's the first title on your list. Lately I've been playing-

Does anyone know why i get the following when i click on that link?

O2 Samsung GT-I9100
This item is not compatible with your device.

 

[badb0y]

Does anyone know why i get the following when i click on that link?

O2 Samsung GT-I9100
This item is not compatible with your device.

Because it is not compatible with your device.

Development for iOS is much easier right now so that's why they have a lot of games before us. We eventually do get ports over on Android so it isn't so bad. I like playing games on my iPad more anyways.

 

[akugami]

hmm, well excpet for sync of old cds and backup, I never use itunes with my iPad. Any apps, music, tv shows, etc I buy directly on the ipad. The app store on the iPad is a hundred times better then the market place, a lot better organised, I think its defined by the different modals of the two companys.

Apple gets a cut and so has built the best store possible
Google doesn't get any advertising revenue from it so basically hasn't bothered

I have two iPhones and an iPad. It's easier purchasing and syncing my purchases through iTunes.

Google does get a cut of all sales on its Android marketplace. There is no reason why Google should not improve it. It helps promote Android even if Google is not making much or losing a bit on the app store, they theoretically should make it back on ads through Android apps and browsers. Apple does lose money on its own app store, but it makes it up by a crap ton with device sales.

 

[foghorn67]

I own both Android and iOS devices. Honestly, iOS has a lot more of the same thing.

And App Store vs. Market? Do we really need to get into this? Both have it's glaring omissions.

 

[Glitchny]

Does anyone know why i get the following when i click on that link?

O2 Samsung GT-I9100
This item is not compatible with your device.

IIRC sprinkle for android only works for Tegra devices at the moment.

 

[RobDickinson]

Apparently not, you can apply a hack to run it on other devices.

 

[Rottie]

And yes, I know it HAS games, but there are barely any of good quality. Most of these games seem like college projects thrown up there. Sure, you have the regular Angry Birds and Fruit Ninja games that are on just about every platform, but nothing fresh and exciting.

Games like this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2dyqwBoSqc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxhPXKbWDAQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RrZyDU1uRGI

So what's the reason? I played on my friends iPhone a game called Contre Jour(3rd link) and it was amazing, there's nothing close to that quality on the android market. Heck, it was a iPhone 3GS.. so it can't even be hardware limitations.

*Not trying to start a flame war, genuinely curious

That is an easy answer....all games for Android are a MAJOR SUCK!! Google knew it!!

 

[Tristicus]

That is an easy answer....all games for Android are a MAJOR SUCK!! Google knew it!!

Maybe if you used correct English I'd take you a bit more seriously.

Plants vs. Zombies
Dungeon Defenders
Gun Bros
Guns'n'Glory
Stupid Zombies
Super Dynamite Fishing
Air Attack HD
Samurai II: Vengeance
Guerilla Bob
Asphalt HD
Fruit Ninja
Cut the Rope
Doodle Jump
Pocket Legends 3D MMO

Let's not even mention the rest of Gameloft's library or the popular Angry Birds games. Need I go on?

 

[poofyhairguy]

A few things on this:

1. Android DOES have many games. The main problem is that unlike iOS the Android market is HEAVILY fragmented and that hurts games (which usually max out devices) more than any other application type. What screen resolution you have, what CPU you have (more on this later), and what version of Android you are running all determine what games are available to you.

2. Another issue is that higher-end games (I am thinking Gameloft here) aren't available in the market because they they require device specific tweaks. Often these are only available from some manufacture market built on the device.

3. Some of the BEST Android games are PURPOSEFULLY locked into platforms- aka all the Tegra games that only play on Tegra phones to make Tegra phones more valuable to consumers such as Sprinkle or Samurai 2 Vengeance. Nvidia is trying to further fragment the platform to their benefit.

There are ways around these issues:

For the first problem, try out the Amazon Market. It has MANY exclusive games that I assume is Amazon paying for ports to increase the viability of their store. Also it is less picky about the device you use.

For the second problem, I am going to bend forum rules a little and admit the only way to play Gameloft games on your device is either to get it from a built-on-store or lacking that download different cracked versions of each game on the internet and try them. For example, here is a list of what games and what game versions work with my Nook Color (it will be similar for a SGS1):

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1191804&highlight=gameloft

For the third problem (and this gets to RobDickinson's above point) you can root your phone and install Chainfire3D

https://market.android.com/details?id=eu.chainfire.cf3d

That app once tweaked undoes pruposeful Android fragmentation. It allows you to play Tegra games on non-Tegra devices, and if you get the pay-for version it will even hack the market to fool it into thinking your device is Tegra compatible. Then you can install the Tegra Zone which has most of Android's higher-end games. Chainfire3D doesn't always work, but most of the time it does.

 

[AstroManLuca]

Get the Amazon App Store, most of their free apps of the day are games. A lot of them are not so good but what do you expect when there's a free one every day. There's usually a decent one at least once a week. And of course you can always pay if you don't want to wait for a good free game.

Also, games (and apps in general) tend to be cheaper on Android than on iOS, and Android has more and better free apps. On Android it's pretty standard for a game to have a free demo with a few levels or sometimes even the full game with ads for free. On iOS it seems like all games cost money with no demo and if you're lucky enough to find a free one it'll be a lot more gimped than a typical free Android game. But I guess that could be one of the main reasons behind why there are more iPhone games out there; developers just don't get as much money from Android games.

 

[gorcorps]

Maybe if you used correct English I'd take you a bit more seriously.

English ISN'T his native language... he's said so before. This is an international site with users from every corner of the globe. Don't be a prick.

 

[Tristicus]

English ISN'T his native language... he's said so before. This is an international site with users from every corner of the globe. Don't be a prick.

And..?

 

[Oyeve]

ios has GTA3 and VC. I want Android versions.