We know you’re itching to meet the Best Android apps of the week, so we’ll keep this intro mercifully short. This time around we’ve got a trio of awesome games to keep you entertained when you’re next stood waiting at the bus stop, while the duo of applications boast a mix of useful functionality and aesthetic awesomeness. These are the five Android downloads that have tickled our fancy over the past seven days, and we’re certain they’ll also find favour with you lovely, lovely readers.
To indulge in some QR code zapping you’ll need Barcode Scanner – once this is installed you can point your phone’s camera at the code in question and you’ll teleported immediately be taken to the app’s personalised page on the Android Market (or Gameloft’s site, in the case of two of this week’s games). If we didn’t know better we’d scream ‘witchcraft!’ and run to the shed to grab our pitchfork.
Backstab (Xperia Play exclusive)
£3
If the Sony Ericsson Xperia Play needed a ‘killer app’ to help it grab attention during its launch period, this is it. Backstab is an Assassin’s Creed-style romp through the Caribbean, and is bedecked in Gameloft’s typically high production standards. There’s plenty of piratical combat, stealth sections, running across rooftops and – most importantly – stabbing people in the back. The stunning visuals combine excellently with the tight gameplay, and the Xperia Play’s brilliant gaming interface makes it an utter joy to control. A great start to what will hopefully be a long and illustrious list of Xperia Play exclusives, and an effortless candidate for one of the best Android apps of the week.
SemiSilent
Free
Ever put your phone on silent only to miss a vital call? It’s an unfortunate event that is all too common in today’s world, and can be especially infuriating when the caller is trying to impart world-changing information. SemiSilent allows you to be a little more selective when it comes to keeping your handset totally quiet – you can pick from your contacts callers of particular importance (the boss, the wife, the unknown lover – it’s up to you) and should they call you when your phone is on vibrate, the ringer will sound regardless. Granted, it defeats the object of having a silent mode and could potentially cause embarrassment if you’re in a business meeting, but at least you won’t miss a life-changing call again.
Gameloft’s second contribution to our weekly run-down of the best Android apps is a port of its iOS-based Final Fantasy beater. Remember the hyperbole we spouted about Backstab’s wonderful degree of polish and graphical finery? Well they apply here, too. Eternal Legacy is one of the best-looking Android games we’ve ever had the good fortune to clap eyes on, boasting the kind of detail and visual complexity you’d normally expect from a Sony PlayStation Portable release. The fact that this aesthetic brilliance is buttressed by an epic plot and hours of intense RPG gameplay is merely the icing on the cake – and all for around the same price as a pint.
Twisted Colors
Free
While many Android users have ignored the fad of battery-draining live wallpapers, we can’t help but admit that we always come crawling back for more. This is one area where Android really does beat the iPhone, and even the most dedicated Steve Jobs fan will admit that dull static wallpaper lacks the visual impact of a moving one. With that in mind, it’s well worth checking out Twisted Colors, a cool background which features hypnotic shifting shapes that dance around your home screens. The same developer has also released Inferno Galaxy, Shadow Galaxy and Crazy Colors – other live wallpapers contain equally awesome effects. The cost to you? Nothing. Nada. Nowt.
Angry Birds Seasons: Easter
Free
OK, so the format is looking more tired than a Grand National winner after its victory lap, but Angry Birds continues to entertain, infuriate and ensnare millions of players worldwide. The latest in the ‘Seasons’ series focuses on the time of year when we remember that our Lord Jesus Christ gave his life for our sins – although predictably, there’s little of that in the game, and plenty of chocolate eggs and pesky pigs dressed wearing bunny ears. Repetition is becoming a problem with the Angry Birds franchise, but when you consider that this version is just as addictive as the others, and is being offered free of charge (if you already own Seasons, simply update it to get the new levels) then it’s hard to grumble.
