While we will see a few complaints here and there, for the most part the Windows Phone Store is full of quality gaming titles from independent developers and the larger software companies. One of the more popular companies is Gameloft.
Gameloft's gaming portfolio contains over forty gaming titles, most of which are rated at four stars or better. Sure, you have some flops like Captain America: TWS but for the most part Gameloft's titles are worth having in your Windows Phone gaming library.
For this week's roundup, We've plucked four of the gaming titles from Gameloft's collection that include a war game, city builder, a puzzle game and a Medieval sports game. We'll also toss out a few honorable mentions for good measure and as always, we have the comments ready and waiting for your recommendations.
Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War
Brother in Arms 3 brings the action of World War II to your Windows Phone where you play the role of Sergeant Wright and have to battle your way through enemy strongholds and lead your band of brothers to victory in the aftermath of the D-Day invasion.
Mission based game play includes four main themes, assault, sniper, siege and stealth. As you gain experience, yours and your squad mate's skills will improve along with the opportunity to upgrade your arsenal.
The 3rd person game nicely drawn up graphics and challenging game play. Brothers in Arms utilizes on-screen controls movement and weapons fire but swiping at the screen will change your point of view. It does take a little time to get used to the gaming controls but it won't take long.
Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War is a nice mixture of action and tactical game play. It isn't all run and gun action with your characters needing to utilize cover, stealthy moves and support (air strikes, artillery, etc.) to be successful.
Brothers in Arms 3: Sons of War is not available for low-memory Windows Phones or Windows 8 devices. With the game's graphics I can understand it not being available for low-memory devices, but I cannot help but think the game would be well suited for a Windows 8 tablet.
Dragon Mania Legends
City builders are the type Windows Phone games that you either love them or hate them. The genre can often be an acquired taste with very few installments having across the board appeal. Dragon Mania Legends is one such title that has enough versatility to have such appeal.
Dragon Mania Legends has a several elements going for it. You are tasked with building your kingdom as well as breeding dragons, battling dragons. Did I mention breeding dragons?
You take control of the kingdom of Dragonlandia where you are in a constant battle with Vikings and their dragons. You breed your dragon army to not only battle with the Viking dragons but also to search mysterious cave, treasure ships and mines. The game is chocked full of missions that when accomplished will earn you gold, food (used to upgrade your dragons) and other rewards.
Dragon Mania has over 100 species of dragons you can breed or buy in the game's store, each with an elemental power they will use in combat. The combat sequences require a touch of strategy in how you pit elemental dragons against other elemental dragons.
On top of the in-game adventures, Dragon Mania Legends also includes an online battle feature where you compete against other players to see who the top dog is.
Overall, Dragon Mania Legends is a nice mix between a city builder game and a turn based combat game. The balance can be addictive and if you log into the game with your Facebook account, your progress will synchronize between the Windows Phone and Windows 8 versions of the game.
- Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows Phone (Free)
- Download Dragon Mania Legends for Windows 8 (Free)
Rival Knights
Sporting events in medieval times was somewhat different from what we are used to these days. The term contact sports back then usually resulted in a lance squaring up on your opponent and sending them sailing from the saddle. The Windows Phone game Rival Knights delivers the sport of the joust to your Windows Phone in all its painful glory.
You play the role of a young Knight working his way through the lands, competing against rival Knights to capture their lands, castles and thrones. Along the way you can upgrade your Knight by purchasing new gear, horses or upgrade the equipment in hand. Rival Knights has over 120 lances, sets of armor, helmets and banners available for purchase in the game's store with your event earnings.
Game play with Rival Knights will test your timing and reflexes. As your horse races down the track, you tap a meter (much like you tap the screen to shift gears) at just the right spot for the horse to pick up speed. Once your opponent gets in range, you will target your lance and if all goes right, your opponent will be removed from their saddle in explosive manner. The different camera angles deployed and ragdoll physics are impressive.
Along with the main storyline, Rival Knights includes an asynchronous multiplayer game mode and weekly player vs. player tournaments. All in all, Rival Knights is a fun way to pass the time competing in a rather unique sport.
Please note, that while available for low-memory Windows Phones, you may find the graphics and animations a little laggy on the 512MB devices. However, if you prefer a little elbowroom for your game play Rival Knights is available for Windows 8 devices.
Pastry Paradise
If you judge Pastry Paradise by the cover, many will pass on it because it looks too girly or something you would find on Facebook. However, what you find beyond the cover art is a fun, challenging match three game for your Windows Phone gaming library.
The game has you joining a young chef, Hannah, who is trying to stop the evil chef Mr. Moelleux from filling the world with cheap mud cakes and canned custard. Pastry Paradise has dozens of gaming levels spread across maps such as the Gingerbread Gardens, Wafer Woods and Mount Mud cake.
The goals of each gaming level will vary between two objectives. You will be tasked in achieving a certain score within a set number of moves or you will be required to match and collect baking ingredients to complete the desert you are cooking. You also have boss fights that are turned based competitions where you try to collect a number of gaming squares before your rival cook does.
Game mechanics with Pastry Paradise is not much different from any other match three styled game with one possible exception, you can swap out game pieces diagonally.
If you follow the adage, "Don't judge a book by its cover" and give Pastry Paradise a try, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. Graphics are nice (might even make you hungry), game play challenging and Pastry Paradise can become rather addictive if you are not careful.
Available for low-memory Windows Phones and Windows 8 devices, Pastry Paradise is a free gaming title with various in-app purchase opportunities.
Honorable Mentions
Blitz Brigade
Like online combat games? Blitz Brigade is a nicely animated, battle intense online First Person Shooter game. You take on the role of a soldier from one of five classes and can team up with other online players to pound your enemies into the dirt. The five classes include Soldier, Gunner, Medic, Sniper and Stealth.
Blitz Bridage support twelve players at the same time, has over 100 weapons to choose from and over 120 training missions. Additional features include voice chat between teammates, unique taunts and kill phrases for characters and a boatload of vehicles to commandeer.
Six Guns
Like western themed games? If so, you'll need to take a gander at the Windows Phone game Six Guns. You play the role of Buck Crosshaw, an outlaw who has escaped to Arizona where he will explore the mysteries of the region.
The game has forty missions to tackle with over eight different horses to and nineteen weapons to unlock. Graphics look good, game play challenging and full of variety and overall, Six Guns comes across as a worthy Xbox gaming title for Windows Phone.
Lets Golf 2
Lets Golf 2 can likely be considered a classic Windows Phone game or maybe just an "oldie but goodie". Lets Golf 2 is a fully animated (no stick figures), 3D modeled, challenging, fun golf game. The only downside to things is that the game needs to be updated with more holes or we need Lets Golf 3 released.
With Lets Golf 2 you will find 108 golfing holes that are spread across six varied global locations. You get eight characters to compete against, you can customize your golfer and Lets Golf 2 has several gaming modes (career, challenges, quick game, etc.) to keep you busy.
Okay… before you start typing "What about…" in the comments below, I didn't include titles such as Asphalt 8: Airborne, Spider-Man Unlimited, World at Arms, Despicable Me and others simply to mix things up a bit. All of those games are fantastic titles and, just as with the games highlighted this week, I do not think you can go wrong with any of of the titles in the Gameloft collection (well.. maybe except for Captain America).
Now it is your turn. Did we mention your favorite Gameloft Windows Phone game or is there another Gameloft title that you think is tops? Feel free to toss out your recommendation in the comments below.