TV is the most preferred device for entertainment especially at home and with friends and family. Before the influx of smart phones we have all grown up playing video gaming on our TV’s. Now the gaming is largely available in two formats
Firstly Professional / Hardcore gaming being done using PC Gaming rigs that are custom made, high end gaming console. Secondly on the Smartphones, this is the latest and most trending form of gaming which is gaining a lot of popularity.
This leaves a big gap for good quality casual gaming experience. The emergence of Android as the preferred software for both smartphones and TV is resulting in a lot of quality gaming content being produced. More and more android games are now being produced with high-end graphics and proper storylines like their pro counterparts. A lot of the smartphone games are now getting gamepad integration and are being made available for large screen playing on the TV. The biggest advantage of android is that most of the games are either FREE or have in-app purchases.
Since TV is the most used entertainment device for consuming movies and TV shows and now with the availability of more and more quality content being produced by OTT apps viewers are now moving towards becoming Cord cutters and consuming content on demand. This goes for not just tv shows and movies but a lot of games are now being produced for the TV as well .
Some of the popular games on Android TV Play store are
1. Asphalt 8: Airborne
Asphalt 8 is one of the most popular mobile games. It is incredibly fun to play, and even comes with a local (and online) multiplayer mode, which makes it even better. On the Evo Gamebox, the game comes pre installed but an update needs to be downloaded from the Play store to get the latest version of the game, the game runs perfectly on the Amkette Evo fox Gamebox courtesy of the powerful hardware. Unlike other android TV’s, the frame rate is very smooth and there is no Lag, it’s a great playing experience. The game automatically detects the Evo Fox Elite Pro gamepad and shows the controls in the starting itself.
The controller just makes the gameplay really fun and brings to life the thrill and excitement of racing on the big screen
Note: While Asphalt 9: Legends is available for smartphones currently the game is not compatible with Android TV , as a result it is not available for play on the Play store.
2. Crossy Road
Crossy Road is a fun game that will keep you hooked for hours at a time. The premise is simple – you just have to cross roads, while avoiding getting hit by traffic (which comes both ways, on some streets), and also avoiding going out of the screen, as the camera keeps panning forward, and you need to keep ahead of that. What makes this game so addictive, is possibly the fact that you feel like it’s easy enough, when it’s not, and that it requires you to maintain a fast pace, right from the start. Making your way through traffic is hard enough, but the game quickly moves on to streams that you have to cross by stepping over logs, and leaves.
The graphic quality in the game is deliberately poor, but that is what adds to the overall charm, and feel of the game. Plus, the fast paced movement, and the easy control scheme makes it a lot of fun to play. The game can be played with the Android TV remote and the Elite pro controller.
3. Dead Trigger 2
Dead Trigger 2 is a first person survival (FPS) game, set in a world torn apart by a global zombie apocalypse. If you’re thinking this is yet another zombie apocalypse game, it kinda is. However, the “kind-of” open world maps, and the graphic quality of the game makes for a very interesting game design. You can walk around the map, completing objectives, and a lot more. The game requires a gamepad to play, and you will have to set it up before you can get to playing the game. While the set up does take some time, I like the idea of customizing the controls when the game launches, so you know exactly how to go about playing the game, and completing the objectives handed to you.
When the game starts off, you’re in a post-apocalyptic world filled with zombies, and you’re armed with just a melee weapon, and a handgun. More weapons get unlocked later on in the game, and give you the option to play the game in variety of different ways. The game is updated often, adding more and more gameplay elements, to keep you interested, and absorbed in surviving in what can only be described as a hell-hole.
4. Into the Dead
Into the Dead is another game that I really liked playing on my Android phone, and it was a pleasant surprise to see the game being just as much fun on a larger screen. Except, more interesting. Also, playing the game on a bigger screen give the visuals a much deeper perspective, bringing out the real horror in running along a field filled with zombies, and obstacles. The game is easily playable with a gamepad, and tells you controls as you go along. Running is automatic, and all you have control over, is turning left or right, to avoid zombies (and obstacles like trees, and abandoned cars), as well as shooting from weapons that you can pick up from crates that are dropped randomly.
The game is basically an endless runner, and it gets progressively more difficult to play, as the distance increases. You will need to be quick with your reflexes, and turn at the exact moments, to avoid colliding with a zombie, resulting in death.
5. Hovercraft: Getaway
The Hovercraft series of games have gotten immensely popular over the years and well, the latest entry, Hovercraft: Getaway is no exception. This is a combat-racing action game that’s supremely fun. The game, obviously, lets you handle a hovercraft and you are on the run with the cops on your tail. All you need to do is evade the cop cruisers, and destroy them with a range of different weapons. The game offers everything, be it guns, missiles, lasers, rockets, sniper cannons and more. Plus, what makes the game fun is the fact that the police come in cruisers, hoverbikes, trucks, drones, tanks and even helicopters.
Hovercraft: Getaway is an extensive game and I like the fact that it lets you customize the hovercraft with different weapons and numerous upgrades. Plus, the visuals are really good and the physics based combat system makes it a lot of fun. The game works with both the Elite pro controller and the Air mouse remote.
6. Zombie Age 2
Zombie Age 2 is a fun, side-scrolling shooter game, with light graphics, and a funny take on killing zombies. The game starts off with teaching you the basic movement, and shooting scheme that you’ll follow. Then, you’re quickly thrown into the field, expected to defend yourself with just a baseball bat, and a pistol. The first couple of levels are easy, and just when you start unlocking weapons, and basically start feeling invincible, you’ll be shoved into a level that seems almost impossible to complete.
That’s the fun part of this game, it challenges you in unexpected ways, and tries to (successfully) keep you on your feet, and keep your adrenaline pumping. The game is really quite fun to play, and if you like shooter games that don’t take themselves too seriously, Zombie Age 2 is the perfect way to spend some time shooting, and bashing zombies on your TV.
7. BombSquad
BombSquad is a really fun game that can be played multiplayer as well. The game supports a number of different gameplay modes, including single player/co-op, or multi-player. The game is a lot of fun when played in multiplayer mode; all you need to do is connect two (or more) controllers to your Evo fox Gambox, and you’re all set to play with your friends.
BombSquad has a number of great levels, and the sole aim of the game is to kill all your friends’ characters. You can punch them, lift and throw them off the platform (effectively killing them), or chuck bombs at them. The game is a lot of fun, even in single player mode, but playing with friends will bring out its true potential. You should definitely try it out with a couple of your friends.
8. Beach Buggy Racing
If you’re interested in racing games, Beach Buggy Racing is a great racing game that you can play on your Evofox Gamebox . The best part about this game is that you can easily control the beach buggy that you’re supposed to be racing. The control scheme is easy to understand, and the game does not use super accurate physics, which, to be honest, can be annoying in a casual game. The game starts off by teaching you how to race your car, and how to upgrade it… all the basics of the game. While racing, you can pick up various power-ups that provide you with different types of powers, including things like rockets to blast your opponents out of your way, boosts to speed past anyone in front of you, and a lot more.
You can also get the shield, which basically protects you from rockets, and bombs fired by your opponents. The game itself is a lot of fun, partly because of the smooth gameplay, but also because it does not try to make itself too complicated, and keeps the controls, and the handling of the car, sweet and simple; something that I really love.
9. Does Not Commute
Does Not Commute is a very different type of a game, and while it comes off as confusing to start with, the objective of the game becomes clear pretty soon. The game follows turn by turn stories of a number of different people, all of whom are heading somewhere or the other, and you have to ensure that they all get to their destinations, in the given time limit, while avoiding collisions with other cars. From the starting of the game, you will need to think about things like the shortest path to their destination, and then, as the game progresses, you will need to figure out the best paths for each one of them, so they don’t end up colliding with each other, or with buildings, and other obstacles.
The game is fun, and the graphics are very nice. Gameplay is fluid, and definitely engrossing; there’s something fun about reading the short descriptions of the people in the cars, and what they’re doing. I would recommend this game, only when you have enough time on your hands, and enough energy to apply a little bit of thought to the game, to do it justice.
10. Sky Force Anniversary
I am sure you have played Sky Force. Sky Force is one of the classic mobile games out there and the 10th anniversary version of the game celebrates that. The game brings a scrolling shooter experience where you control a plane and you just need to blast your enemies, collect power ups and stars, and save people stuck on islands. This is a game I have always enjoyed playing and the Anniversary edition of the game brings better graphics and more powerful upgrades, which make blasting the enemies a lot of fun.
The game works with the EvoFox gamebox remote although I’d suggest you to play it with the Elite pro gamepad, because while the remote experience is okay-ish, it’s not very intuitive, as you have to use the D-pad to control the plane, while pressing the select button to shoot and there’s no option to enable continuous shooting, which is a little weird. Having said that, you should try out the game on your TV because of the whole nostalgia factor.