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Android news, reviews, tips, and discussions about rooting, tutorials, and apps.

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founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
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NOTICE: I'm reuploading this as I lost my first account on lemm.ee (the instance was shut down) so that I can continue updating the list through this new account. The previous version of this list is now deprecatedโ€”links to that post might no longer work.

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Latest entries - 8 July 2025:

Other recent entries

Introduction

I recently realized there are still, to this day, some actual "hidden gems" in the Play Store. Not the fake ones everyone talks about which, in a way or another, often have a catch or aren't very "hidden". I mean free games with no ads or IAPs of any kind that are fun to play.

So I was thinking maybe it's time to compile a list of them. Please suggest the ones you've found and enjoyed!

Edit: I'm now including free games (no piracy) from other sources beside the Play Store (which will be specified within brackets), such as GitHub or F-droid. If they're also FOSS, like all F-droid games, they'll have this green checkmark โœ…๏ธ. For the games that have both F-droid and Play Store versions, the green checkmark is for the F-droid version.

I won't try them all as I did with my premium games list, because you could simply download and try them for yourself without spending a dime. I'll simply list them.

โ€ผ๏ธAlso, please do checkout MiniReview - Game Reviews for more free games that match the following criteria (use the "Browse" tab and select the correct filters). The same app for iOS - App Store - is here.โ€ผ๏ธ

I've saved this post so to keep it updated over time, for my own reference and for your benefit. So feel free to save it and check out new entries every so often.

Entry Criteria

  1. FREE
  2. NO ADS
  3. STRICTLY NO IAPs (except donation buttons, but I'll have to check first)
  4. NO PIRACY
  5. it has to be a legit, full game you've played and liked. No demos, no emulators (everyone knows RetroArch anyways)
  6. no entire repositories. You can recommend them in the comments if you want, but this list is for individual games you'd like to recommend
  7. if it's a Play Store game, it should be compatible with the latest Android version at the time of entry
  8. must include a link to the game, especially if from sources outside the Play Store. Not direct-download links, just links to the page
  9. sketchy sources won't be considered. Play Store, GitHub, and F-droid are welcome

[If you want to recommend paid games, without ads or predatory microtransactions, here is the list for you.]

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THE LIST

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Legend

โœ…๏ธ - FOSS (Free and Open-Source Software). Listed on top in their respective categories

โ˜•๏ธ - includes option to donate, with or without minimal cosmetics only

~~[Game title]~~ - delisted

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Shooter

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Stealth

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Platformer

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Rhythm

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Arcade

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RPG

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Roguelike dungeon crawler

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Deck builder

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Adventure

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Puzzle

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Tower defense

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Strategy

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Management

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Racing

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Simulation

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Casual

ย 

Visual novel

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Educational

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Extras and emulators/engines

  • Fabularium โœ…๏ธ (F-droid - engine and maker for text-based adventures, interactive books)

Delisted or outdated

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Free games with minimal ads/cosmetic IAPs

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Happy gaming ;)

ps: please let me know if there's any wrong information about the games included in this list (especially regarding the ones with free donations) so that I'll fix the post, if necessary.

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A call for help from @[email protected], who among other things is associated with F-droid:

An open call to #Android #developers! The #EuropeanCommission needs help evaluating #GooglePlay's #security claims. I'm going to do what I can. Anyone with knowledge of how app installation, uninstallation, sandboxing, signing, etc. could really help here. If you want to contribute, please reach out!

I figured maybe someone around here could be capable of helping out. Note that his Mastodon instance, librem.one, does not support private messages.

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Open TV is the best open-source IPTV app. It's ultra fast and super simple to use. Our open-source commitment means this application is truly yours, forever.

Source

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What apps have you been using this year? Have you found new apps to fill a gap in your previous open-source use?

What is something that you wish had a good open-source alternative but does not at this time?

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Apps installed from Obtainium cannot be archived. I really want the used app icon on my home screen so that I don't forget about them but with the app deleted to save space.

There is an issue tracker https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium/issues/2042 but no developer have answered. Meanwhile is there a work around?

thanks a lot

EDIT: I guess there is not a work around for now. It would be really great for those who sees this post to give https://github.com/ImranR98/Obtainium/issues/2042 a thumbs up. thanks a lot!

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submitted 4 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
 

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/32606497

why is unzipping on android so slow compared to Windows? I've tried ZipXtract, MaterialFile... All took 10+minutes to unizip a zip file that only took 30 seconds to unzip on Windows.

Why is this the case and i s there any way to speed it up?

Thanks a lot

EDIT:

I am using google pixel 9a so this issue looks like it might not be the issue of storage speed

Windows is not running in a virtual machine, just a normal laptop

Typo in the post fixed

EDIT AGAIN:

Solved!

yes it the archive does contains thousands of small files! I think that could be the reason of low performance on android mobile!

thanks a lot @[email protected]

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NOTICE: I'm reuploading this as I lost my first account on lemm.ee (the instance was shut down) so that I can continue updating the list through this new account. The previous version of this list is now deprecatedโ€”links to that post might no longer work.

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Latest entries - 10 July 2025:

  • Subnautica ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ 120FPS - Survival crafting

Other recent entries

Introduction

This is a list of all games, sorted by category, that I've purchased, loved, and finished (or played extensively) over many years and I'd like to recommend as they're all excellent and without predatory monetization or gacha system.

Edit: now I'm also including the most recommended titles by the community - which I haven't playtested yet or I'm not particularly interested in - marked with ๐Ÿ’ฌ. Please check entry criteria below before commenting.

Some of the games may be free with IAP's, but EXCLUSIVELY to unlock the full game, DLCs, or remove ads (no gacha or energy/gambling mechanics, "diamonds", pay-to-win, or any recurrent cash-grab bullshit of sort).

[Disclaimer: chances are some items in this list will inevitably be removed from Play Store as time goes by, or will not be compatible with future Android versions. I'll do my best to always keep it updated, but feel free to PM me if you come across any unavailable title and I'll make a correction]

I'm planning to keep the list updated for personal reference with the new games I'll play and like, or old games I've played that will come to mind later. So feel free to save it and check out new entries every so often.

My ultimate goal is to promote worthy content and honest/talented devs, hoping to see more quality games in the future, rather than the cancerous cash-grab machines the Play Store is regrettably riddled with. And, of course, to let everyone have a great time playing great titles ;)

Entry criteria for user recommendations ๐Ÿ’ฌ

  1. paid Play Store games compatible with recent Android versions
  2. no ads or infinite microtransactions. Allowed: ads-removal, full-game unlock, or proper DLCs
  3. you love the game and think it's worth the price
  4. must include link and, possibly, genre

I will still use my discretion and judgment to filter the entries, in an effort to try and keep the list's quality high.

[If you want to play or recommend free games, without ads or microtransactions, here is the list for you.]

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THE LIST

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Legend

๐ŸŒŸ - top favorite ย 

๐Ÿ‘‘ - top favorite and masterpiece status ย 

๐Ÿ’ฌ - recommended by the community, but I haven't played it yet or not my favorite ย 

๐ŸŽฎ - controllers are supported and, usually, strongly recommended ย 

๐ŸŽฎโ—๏ธ - controller recommended but not supportedโ€”you need a controller mapping app like Panda ย 

๐Ÿ“ฑ - portrait orientation (either exclusively or optional)

๐Ÿ‘ฅ - includes multiplayer

120FPS - 120 FPS on supported devices

~~[Game title]~~ - delisted, but you might still see it in the store if you've purchased it ย 

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Action shooter

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Action-adventure platformer/hack-n-slash

  • Grimvalor ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ 120FPS (2.5D hack and slash medieval fantasy platform/RPG)

  • Shadow Blade ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (2D hack and slash action platform)

  • Swordigo ๐ŸŽฎโ—๏ธ (2D RPG action-adventure platformer; requires controller mapping app if you want controller support - free with 2 IAPs that add compass or coin doubler, and either of them remove ads too)

  • Oddmar ๐ŸŽฎ 120FPS (2D action-adventure platformer)

  • Ninja Arashi ๐ŸŽฎ (2D hack and slash action platformer - free with IAPs to remove ads)

  • SAMURAI II: VENGEANCE ๐ŸŽฎ (top down/isometric hack and slash)

  • Dead Cells ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ 120FPS (roguelite action platformer)

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Platformer

  • Nameless Cat ๐ŸŽฎโ—๏ธ

  • Dadish ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (2D platformer, pixel graphics, easy)

  • Dadish 2 ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (2D platformer, pixel graphics, medium difficulty)

  • Dadish 3 ๐ŸŽฎ (2D precision platformer, pixel graphics, hard difficulty)

  • Suzy Cube ๐ŸŽฎ (3D platformer, good rip-off of Super Mario 3D Land)

  • MouseBot ๐ŸŒŸ (3D platform-like)

  • Sonic Runners Adventures ๐ŸŒŸ (2.5D platformer)

  • Levelhead ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ ๐Ÿ‘ฅ๏ธ

  • Leo's Fortune ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

  • Levelhead ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ ๐Ÿ‘ฅ

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Metroidvania

  • Prince of Persia: Lost Crown ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (platform hack-n-slash - if bugs, try one of these: copy save onto a different slot; load game and save w/o connecting controller, then connect; backup+reinstall)

  • Carrion ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (inverted horror, pixel art - touch controls are recommended over a controller)

  • Castlevania: SotN ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

  • Dandara Trials of Fear Edition ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

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Beat 'em up

  • TMNT: Shredder's Revenge ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ ๐Ÿ‘ฅ๏ธ (beat 'em up with story mode and fun multiplayer - IAP to unlock complete edition with all DLCs - free if you have Netflix)

  • Streets of Rage 4 ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

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Turn-based RPG

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Tactical RPG

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Action RPG

  • Trials of Mana ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎโ—๏ธ (it's a port from console/PC but critically lacks controller support. You can use Panda Gamepad Pro - recommended - or Mantis to achieve that)

  • The Bard's Tale (3D action RPG adventure - this game has some optional IAPs: they can easily be ignored but they're there. Also, some users experienced an auto-save bug that corrupts ALL save files, so I recommend disabling auto-save altogether. I'm keeping the game listed here for now as I still consider it a true premium game and I haven't personally experienced any bug)

  • Evoland ๐ŸŽฎ (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics and a mix of genres. Touch controls work great)

  • Evoland 2 ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (action/adventure RPG with 2D and 3D graphics, mix of genres; controller recommended)

  • Pascal's Wager (soulslike) ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

  • Star Wars: KOTOR ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

  • Star Wars: KOTOR II ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ

ย 

CRPG

ย 

Text-based RPG

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Roguelite (cards, dice, deck builder, action)

  • Monster Train ๐ŸŒŸ (cards, deck builder)

  • Solitairica ๐Ÿ“ฑ (cards)

  • Balatro ๐ŸŒŸ (cards, deck builder; poker-inspired roguelike)

  • Indies Lies ๐ŸŒŸ (cards, deck builder; inspired by Slay the Spire; free and with three paid DLCs which will also remove ads, add extra story modes, characters, and new mechanics)

  • Meteorfall: Journeys ๐Ÿ“ฑ (cards, deck builder)

  • Slay the Spire (legendary deck builder; PC port)

  • Dicey Dungeons (dice; it plays like a roguelite deck-builder)

  • Luck be a Landlord ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐Ÿ“ฑ (slot)

  • Slice & Dice ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐Ÿ“ฑ (dice)

  • Dawncaster ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐Ÿ“ฑ (cards, deck builder)

  • Dead Cells ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ 120FPS (roguelite action platformer)

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Action adventure/Zelda-like

  • Ogu and the Secret Forest ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (unlocking the full game through IAPs is quite pricey on the Play Store so maybe check the Epic Storeโ€”I got it for free there)

  • Anodyne ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎโ—๏ธ ๐Ÿ“ฑ (lanscape/portrait. Adding controller support through Panda is a must if you want to finish the game)

  • Legend of the Skyfish 2 ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (Zelda-like with a fishing rod for weapon)

  • Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion ๐ŸŽฎ (humorous, Zelda-like, pixel art adventure; achievements didn't work correctly, but they might have been fixed after I played it)

  • Oceanhorn ๐ŸŒŸ ๐ŸŽฎ (3D Zelda-like action adventure)

  • Afterplace ๐Ÿ’ฌ ๐ŸŽฎ ๐Ÿ“ฑ 120FPS (landscape/portrait)

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Puzzle adventure

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Point-and-click adventure

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Simulation/management

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Worker placement survival

  • This War of Mine ๐Ÿ’ฌ (DISCLAIMER: as of April 2025 multiple users still report crashes, but I'll keep the game here because it is otherwise worth it, and devs often donate part of the profits to victims of various wars)

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Survival crafting

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Survival horror

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Racing

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Sport

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Tower defense

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Idle

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Netflix games

(require an active Netflix subscription)

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Extras and emulators/engines

  • AppSales is an app that will make you save some money by notifying you when specific games (or apps) in the Play Store go on sale. Just add the games you wish to buy to the AppSales' watchlist and you'll get notified when the price gets cut.

  • Panda Gamepad Pro ๐ŸŽฎ is a tool that allows you to map your controller for touch inputs, practically adding controller support to those game that don't have it.

  • Gamedeck ๐ŸŽฎ (game launcher/front-end for controllers)

  • Beacon Game Launcher ๐ŸŽฎ (game launcher/front-end for controllers. Also optimized for emulators)

  • Retroarch ๐ŸŽฎ (emulator for almost all consoles) "jack of all trades" emulator, the only one that supports analog triggers for Xbox One S controller. It has a bit of a learning curve, and other individual emulators might offer better performance

  • Dolphin ๐ŸŽฎ best emulator for GameCube and Wii

  • DraStic DS Emulator ๐ŸŽฎ

  • PPSSPP Gold - PSP Emulator ๐ŸŽฎ

  • Delta Touch [9 x Doom engines] ๐Ÿ’ฌ (engine for Doom games)

  • Quad Touch ๐Ÿ’ฌ (engine for Quake games)

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Delisted or outdated

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Happy gaming ;)

ps: please let me know if there's any wrong information about the games included in this list (especially regarding IAPs or availability) so that I'll fix the post if necessary.

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Non-rooted Motorola G, if that matters. I know there are FOSS apps that can do things like turn off bluetooth automatically without root so hoping there may be one for this purpose?

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It's a minor update, so this is more about me sharing that this neat app exists

An elegant and colorful location information app for Android with Compass, Clock, Level, Sun, Moon, Trail Marker and many other features.

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Am I tripping or didn't they say this was available from 16? Now it's not available until 16.1? On top of that, they've been showcasing this with Uber and Uber Eats, but both apps are targeting Android 14 and don't request the required permission.

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Verdict: Xiaomi 15S Pro

The Xiaomi 15S Pro offers a similarly strong overall package as the Pro model. This is hardly surprising, as everything apart from the chipset remains the same. In its effort to become more independent and to offer all components in-house, Xiaomi is on a very promising path with its XRing O1. Considering Google's work with its Tensor series, Xiaomi's SoC debut is genuinely remarkable. While the 15S Pro with the XRing O1 is slightly less powerful than the 15 Pro with the Snapdragon 8 Elite, it offers more consistent performance overall.Anyone willing to accept compromises in update support and availability will get a great smartphone with solid hardware. However, we see no clear reason to choose the 15S Pro over the Xiaomi 15 Pro.

Anyone willing to accept compromises in update support and availability will get a great smartphone with solid hardware. However, we see no clear reason to choose the 15S Pro over the Xiaomi 15 Pro.

Price and availability

Xiaomi 15S Pro is currently available exclusively on the Chinese market. The standard configuration, which includes 16โ€ฏGB of LPDDR5T RAM and 512โ€ฏGB of UFSโ€ฏ4.1 storage, is priced at ยฅ5,499 (approximately โ‚ฌ680 or $765 USD)

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Nothing Phone 3 details and hands on information dropped today, gsmarena plus plenty of other places have details. Plenty of videos out on YouTube as well.

view more: next โ€บ