Discover the best Android games and apps in 2021

Every year, Google publishes its list of the best Android games and apps from the PlayStore. Now, the company has just announced the 2021 winners. The selection of titles is carried out by the PlayStore editorial team, while users can vote for the winner of the “User's Choice” category.

This year, the Mountain View giant expanded the Best of Awards for apps on more devices such as tablets, Wear OS and Google TV. In all, 40 applications appear in the list in different categories. Among them are apps like Disney +,Pokemon Unite e Garena Free Fire Max.

One of the most interesting news recorded by the award was the increase in the number of independent game developers, which, according to the PlayStore itself, brings “new experiences to mobile games”. Another point that deserves to be highlighted was the choice of winners considering the innovation factor.

According to Google, they “are responsible for introducing unique gameplay features and providing users with never-before-seen experiences. Google Play's best winners represent what's to come in app and game development. "

Among the highlights of the 2021 list is the category of Best Game of 2021, which won the game Pokemon Unite. The title has managed to arouse public attention since its release and has been a hit ever since. already like Best App of 2021, the winner was BALANCE, a tool for meditation, sleep and stress reduction.

In the category User's Choice, the winning app was Paramount More, the platform for streaming belonging to the ViacomCBS group. In games, users elected Garena Free Fire MAX as the best on the list.

Check out the full list of winners:

Best Android games in 2021

User's Choice 2021

Garena Free Fire Max

O Free Fire MAX it's a genre game battle royale, where dozens of players face each other in search of victory. The title is a more robust version of the Free Fire, with improved graphics and more immersive gameplay. The title also has connectivity to the old version of FF, allowing crossplay and data synchronization. It is available for download at Android e iPhone (iOS).

Best game of 2021

Pokemon Unite

Pokemon Unite is an arena game where two teams of five players face off against each other using different Pokémon to determine who achieves the highest score. This format is known as MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena), popularized by titles such as League of Legends, DOTA e Smite. But Pokémon Unite brings its particularities. Title is available for Nintendo Switch, Android e iOS.

best competitive

League of Legends: Wild Rift

League of Legends Wift Rift is the adaptation of LoL from PC to mobile Android e iPhone (iOS). In the mobile game, two teams of five players face each other on a map where the objective is to take down the opposing Nexus. To get there, you have to knock down towers, shoot down enemies and complete objectives. Adapted for the mobile platform, the title offers matches that last an average of 15 and 20 minutes on a reduced version of the Summoner's Rift map. Essentially, the gameplay structure is the same as the original game.

Marvel future revolution

Marvel future revolution is a game that features the famous superheroes from comics and movies. Developed by Netmarble, the title is a free-to-play action RPG and is available for both devices Android, as for iPhone (iOS). In it, the player is part of SHIELD's Omega Squad and can control heroes like Iron Man and Captain America.

Pokemon Unite

Pokemon Unite is an arena game where two teams of five players face off against each other using different Pokémon to determine who achieves the highest score. This format is known as MOBA (Massive Online Battle Arena), popularized by titles such as League of Legends, DOTA e Smite. But Pokémon Unite brings its particularities. Title is available for Nintendo Switch, Android e iOS.

Rogue land

Rogue land is an action game from the well-known company Huuuge Games. A new product that delights users with colorful locations and interesting characters. You must embark on a journey to rid the land of monsters, help the locals and find treasures. Heroes are the main playable characters with which you will destroy monsters and follow the story campaign. Each of them has basic characteristics and abilities that you can apply in battle. Title is available for Android e iOS.

Suspects: Mystery Mansion

Search for clues, complete tasks and find out which player is the killer! Suspects: Mystery Mansion is a social deduction game that features native voice chat, multiple exclusive modes, and frequently new content, all in a stylized world with unique characters. The title recalls another great recent success, the Among Us. Suspects: Mystery Mansion is available for PC, Android e iOS.

best game modifiers

inked

inked is a puzzle game whose narrative story unfolds amid breathtaking landscapes, in a world drawn entirely in pen. Play as an unnamed hero and solve challenging puzzles as you search for your lover, Aiko. Developed by Nuverse, the title is available for PC, Android e iOS.

JanKenUP!

JanKenUP! is a casual game in which you have to accompany different characters on their journey through several floors of an elevator, playing games of rock, paper, scissors. Developed by Humita, the game also has an online mode that allows the player to challenge other people from anywhere in the world. JanKenUP! is available for Android e iOS.

Knights of San Francisco

This game is a labor of love by a single writer-programmer, Filip Hracek, and a single illustrator, Alec Webb. It is relatively short and can be completed in around 90 minutes. Gameplay is closer to tabletop roleplaying games than traditional computer roleplaying games. Instead of presenting numbers and graphics, the game tells you what's going on, much like a dungeon master would. Knights of San Francisco is available for Android e iOS.

Overboard!

Overboard! is a detective game where you play a woman on a ship in the 1930s, trying to solve the murder of her husband. Overboard! is a visual novel by the company Inkle, a studio known for high-quality narrative games such as 80 Dayif Heaven's Vault. The player moves around the ship and selects dialogue from the menus.

The other characters you meet are developed and remember everything they see and hear. You may have to bribe, convince or even kill other passengers. The game is available on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch e PC.

Tears of Themis

Tears of Themis is a free-to-play romance and investigation game developed by miHoYo, the game developer responsible for Genshin Impact, another industry success. Tears of Themis has protagonists of different personalities who search for the truth during the investigations of Themis Law Firm, an office that seeks to solve several mysteries in the fictional city of Stellis.

The player starts by controlling a character, meeting with the protagonists, who will help in the development of the story, in addition to ending up causing moments of romance. Tears of Themis is currently available for Android e iOS.

best indies

7 Billion Humans

7 Billion Humans is a puzzle game developed by the American studio Tomorrow Corporation. The game, which is a sequel to Human Resource Machine, allows players to solve puzzles by moving various cubes of data with human workers, using a programming language. Title is available for Android, iOS, PC, MacOS, Linux e Nintendo Switch.

Bird alone

Bird alone is a narrative game in which you befriend a bird. Your feathered companion encourages conversation towards real-life concerns as you make music, drawings and write poetry. It's a slow game that plays out in real time, with day and night synchronized with the times of your day, just like the bird, which grows old with you.

The interactions are as playful as they are therapeutic. While you get probing or probing questions, the novelty and absurdity of interacting with a virtual bird keeps things light. This goes beyond just being new, as the interactions lead to deeper questions that challenge your thinking and perspective on life and death. Bird alone is available for Android e iOS.

Donut County

Donut County is a story-based physics puzzle game in which you play as a hole in the ground that is always growing. Meet cute characters, steal their trash and throw them in the hole. The game has also been voted Game of the Year for iPhone e iPad (iOS) in 2018 by Apple .

The creator is designer Ben Esposito, known for projects like The Unfinished Swan, What Remains of Edith Finch, Tattletail and many others. In addition to its mobile version for iOS e Android, Donut County can also be found on PS4, PC, MacOS e Nintendo Switch.

My Friend Peter: Ripe for Revenge

In this classic shooter, you must save the family from a talking banana. The game was originally released in 2019 for PCs and consoles, and it was a hit. The game uses drag controls to make you jump. Then, just tap to shoot anything on the scene. The action is divided into levels, and you have to try to chain together as many kills as possible to get the best score, Devil May Cry style. My Friend Peter: Ripe for Revenge is free to download, with in-app purchases that cost R$14,99 per item, and is available for Android e iOS.

Puzzling Peaks EXE

Puzzling Peaks EXE is a hilarious and mind-blowing physics puzzle game about a spherical hero named Knightly, a highly confident administrator named Jasmin, and a quirky, AI-powered guide named AIDE.

This game features distinct gameplay mechanics: the hero cannot move alone, so you will have to rotate platforms and manipulate environments to launch him into a beautiful 16-bit world. You'll need logic, intelligence, quick reflexes and unconditional trust in AIDE to get through over a hundred highly polished levels. The game is available for PC e Android.

Best “Pick Up & Play” (Pick Up & Play)

cats in time

cats in time is a new puzzle game from Pine Studio in which a bunch of cats get sucked back in time. You need to get the time machine and go look for them, as well as collectibles hidden in each level. It can be tricky at times, but nothing a new level can't fix.

All the collectibles you find are parts of postcards that can be seen in the background of the main menu. Once you find all of them, you will be able to access the hidden level of the game. cats in time is available for download at PC, Android e iOS.

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!

Crash Bandicoot: On the Run! is a game in the eponymous character game series, developed and published by King. The game was announced on July 9, 2020, exclusively for mobile. The game brings Crash and his sister Coco together on a quest to save the multiverse, as well as including well-known bosses such as Nina Cortex, Dingodilo, and Dr. N. Gin. The game is currently available for platforms Android e iOS.

Disney Pop Town

Disney Pop Town is a Disney-themed game released for Android e iOS on October 24, 2019. It was developed and published by SUNDAYTOZ. A separate release for the North American market was published by Jam City, the current developer of Disney Emoji Blitz, in January 2021. The objective of the game is to help rebuild the city and earn costumes, coins, rubies, tickets, lives and stars for tasks.

Switchcraft

Switchcraft tells a story divided into chapters. Each chapter is made up of various tasks that you perform to advance the story. Next to each task available in the magic mirror, appears the amount of magick needed to start it. As you play through tasks, the chapter progress bar fills up. When you complete the last task, not only do you advance to the next chapter, but you also get a special chest as a reward! The game is only available for devices Android.

Towers

Towers is a simple but interesting puzzle game available for devices Android. The game features elegant, minimalistic 3D graphics and sounds that give the game an almost tactile feel. The title has several game modes, from the easiest ones, for beginners, to more difficult levels for those who like a good challenge. The game also has dozens of skins for those who want to change the designs of their pieces.

Best for tablets

Chicken Police - Paint it RED!

Chicken Police - Paint it RED! is a narrative-driven noir adventure with a complex interrogation system and detective-style mystery-solving gameplay. The game features a carefully crafted world, a gritty story and absurd humor. The game mixes classic adventure games with visual novel-style narratives. In it, there are more than 30 characters to talk to, and some must be seriously interrogated.

There are over 30 places to visit and some of them change several times during history. It is possible to return to previous locations on several occasions to find hidden secrets, meet new characters and gather information about the world and its inhabitants. The game is available for PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch e MacOS.

League of Legends: Wild Rift

League of Legends: Wild Rift is the adaptation of LoL, from PC, to mobile Android e iPhone (iOS). In the game, two teams of five players face each other on a map where the objective is to take down the opposing Nexus. To get there, you have to knock down towers, shoot down enemies and complete objectives. Adapted for the mobile platform, the title offers matches that last, on average, between 15 and 20 minutes on a reduced version of the Summoner's Rift map. Essentially, the gameplay structure is the same as the original game.

My Friend Peter: Ripe for Revenge

Look who's here again! Well, the game also managed to reach the top on tablets. As a reminder, here's the synopsis again: In this classic shooter, you must save the family from a talking banana. The game was originally released in 2019 for PCs and consoles and was a hit. The game uses drag controls to make you jump.

Then, just tap to shoot anything on the scene. The action is divided into levels, and you have to try to chain together as many kills as possible to get the best score, Devil May Cry style. My Friend Peter: Ripe for Revenge is free to download, with in-app purchases that cost R$14,99 per item and is available for Android e iOS.

Overboard!

Another that returns to the podium of apps is Overboard! Shall we remember? It is a detective game where you play a woman on a ship in the 1930s, trying to solve the murder of her husband. Overboard! is a visual novel by the company Inkle, a studio known for high-quality narrative games such as 80 Dayif Heaven's Vault.

The player navigates the ship and selects dialogue from the menus. The other characters you find on the ship are developed and remember everything they see and hear. You may have to bribe, convince or even kill other passengers. The game is available on iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch e PC.

The Procession to Calvary

The Procession To Calvary is an adventure game in which the setting is inspired by renaissance paintings. The game is from Digerati, in partnership with Joe Richardson, the creator of the work The gameplay is made in point-click style, through which players can interact with the productions on the screen.

In addition to the classic reproductions of the paintings, the game features classics by Vivaldi, Bach and Georg Friedrich Handel on its soundtrack. Players will have to solve some puzzles to advance, or they can take more radical actions like murdering someone in one of the frames. The game is available for PlayStation 4, Android, iOS, PC, Xbox One, Linux, Nintendo Switch e MacOS.

Best Android apps in 2021

User's Choice 2021

Paramount More

In addition to those already established Netflix, Amazon Prime Video e Disney Plus, another platform that seems to be gaining strength in the market is Paramount More. The app was voted the best of the year by users of the platform Android. Currently, the Paramount More can be accessed by cell phone and tablet (application in Android), Apple TV 4 (tvOS) and 5 (4K), computer (web), chromecast, applications in iOS (iPhone and iPad), FireTV compatible (available in selected countries) and Roku.

Best app of 2021

BALANCE

O BALANCE is an app designed to help with meditation and sleep, which is especially helpful with the current state of affairs. The app description reads, "Improve your stress, sleep and more with the world's first personalized meditation program, now free for your first year." He has over 3.500 ratings on the Google Play and an average rating of 4,7, so it's not surprising that the Google gave him the highest honor this year.

best for fun

Colorize by Photomyne

Colorize is an app that lets you transform black and white images into color images. To use the app, simply scan the photo or use one from your gallery by going up to the app. Afterwards, the coloring process is done automatically by the artificial intelligence algorithm. The free version limits the number of photographs that can be colored. If you want to use it more often, the user must subscribe to the service.

Disney +

Disney + is Disney's movie streaming service, launching in Brazil on November 17, 2020. The platform brings together content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic, in addition to exclusive original productions. Regarding prices, the Disney Plus offers two plans: the monthly subscription, for R$27,90, and the annual package, which costs R$279,90 (equivalent to R$23,32 per month).

Videoleap Editor by Lightricks

O videoleap offers traditional tools to copy, paste, apply slow motion effects, green screen, speed up, edit audio and much more to your videos. Although it is offered for free, to get its full potential, the user needs to make an in-app purchase to upgrade to the Pro version, which constantly gains new features.

best hidden gems

BoldVoice

O BoldVoice is a speech and accent training app that helps non-native English speakers be as well understood and confident in English as they are in their native language. The app has personalized lessons with Hollywood accent teachers, as well as an artificial intelligence that helps during pronunciations, creating an effective and fun learning experience at the same time.

Rock Identifier: Stone Scanner

O rock identifier is an app that identifies a stone or rock by means of a photo and tells you everything about it. Among the features available in the app are collection organizers and chats with subject matter experts. Currently, the app has an average rating of 4,7 on Play Store.

moonly

moonly is a meditation app that helps you keep track of moon phases. It combines traditional techniques such as the eastern lunar calendar and ancient runes with cutting-edge engagement methods and user-oriented content. Today, Moonly has more than 1 million users.

Best for personal growth

course courses

course courses is a platform that offers courses in different areas, 100% online and with a certificate of completion. There are several areas and segments available, with video content, text and completion assessment with a certificate of 3,4 hours. Courses can be accessed by phone or computer. Among the courses offered are Administration and Business, Cooking, IT, Finance, Education, Home and Garden, Art and Culture, Beauty and Makeup. The modules are: IT Technician; Digital marketing; Management of Profiles in Social Networks; among several others.

Moses: The Musician's App

Moises is an app for musicians, producers, music students, DJs or the curious who like to play with sounds and songs. The app has artificial intelligence and allows you to easily isolate and remove voices or instruments from a song, make samples, adjust the volume, change the pitch and tempo, master and export songs. In addition, he has a metronome and will soon be able to see the lyrics sung in the songs.

Down Dog

Mainly aimed at the practice of Yoga, the application Down Dog offers a series of exercises that range from the simplest, for beginners, to the most complex, for those who are already experienced. There are more than 60.000 training combinations, where you will hardly repeat the same class, making training always dynamic. There are 6 voices from different instructors, and you can choose the one you like best. In addition, practices of different styles are available such as: Vinyasa, Hatha, Gentle, Restorative, Yin, Ashtanga, Chair and Sun Salutation.

Best apps for everyday life

PhotoRoom: Create and Edit Photos

O photoroom is a professional finish photo editor. The application allows you to cut, paste, correct lighting and colors, among many other possibilities. Currently, the app has more than one million downloads on Play Store.

Rabit: Habits & Goals to the letter

The application Rabbi uses a gamified method to help create habits in different areas and maintain consistency with the new routine. The app promises to help in various areas of life, such as financial planning, productivity at work, health, improved nights sleep, and many others.

Wix

One of the most popular website and blog creation platforms for Brazilians, the Wix ranks among the best apps of the year. Through it, it is possible to create websites for the most diverse purposes, whether for academic or professional use. In addition to the app for Android, Wix can also be used via web browser and also in the iOS.

Best to Wear OS

Calm

O Calm is a free meditation and sleep aid app. It features relaxing background music, calming stories, and breathing exercises. In the meditation options, it is possible to listen to audios with tips on how to sleep well, concentrate, calm anxiety, be happy and grateful. It is currently available for Android e iOS.

MyFitnessPal

O MyFitnessPal is a health app for the Android e iOS. With a series of useful information and tools, it helps the user to take care of the entire diet process, whether to gain weight, lose weight or simply keep the weight as it is. Best of all, there's no cost, as the app is free.

Sleep Cycle

O Sleep Cycle is a smart alarm clock that tracks your sleep patterns and wakes you up in light sleep, a natural way to wake up feeling rested and energized. The app's interface is very intuitive and shouldn't pose any difficulties for the user. You can use the app on devices Android e iOS.

Best for tablet

Adobe Lightroom

O Adobe Photoshop Lightroom is a free and intuitive photo editor that allows you to perform magnificent image captures and edits. You can create as many folders as you like and sync them to other devices, all from an elegant and easy-to-use interface. In addition, you can edit any image using the Adobe tools available. Best of all, you can use various gestural shortcuts to perform some of the most common actions in a much easier way.

Canva

The application Canva allows you to create arts easily, using ready-made templates or creating your own layouts. The platform is very useful for creating posts for social networks or websites, cards for printing, graphic materials such as posters, folders, resumes, among many other options. Canva is available to use via navigator, in programs for Windows and macOS computers and also in mobile applications Android e iOS.

Concepts: sketch/notes/drawing

O concepts is an app that allows the user to plan and create new ideas. With it, you can sketch your ideas on the infinite canvas, take notes and doodle, draw product sketches and design plans, and then share with friends and customers.

See also:

Did you like this list? Also check out our article with the 10 best to-do list apps, all free.

Top 10 free to-do list apps