Best board games to play on Android phones

There’s something fun about playing a board game on the Android device’s touch screen.  Whether you’re passing the phone back and forth for an in-car round of tic tac toe, or playing backgammon against someone in another country, mobile board games keep your boredom at bay.

Great for maintaining an active and healthy brain as well, these Android games can offer you an entertaining reprieve without involved plot lines.

Classics

Chess by Odesys will cost you $4.99, yet it has more game play options that appeal to serious chess players.  Deep undo and redo, a local 2-player hot-seat mode and game save are settings that many of the free Android chess games are lacking.  The game graphics and playable interface aren’t half bad either.

Reversi Pro is a good mobile version of the board game.  There are settings for game difficulty and game piece colors. Reversi Pro also tracks your game stats. Compared to the paid and free Reversi and Othello Android  games, Reversi Pro has better graphics and settings, justifying its $1.99 price tag.

Backgammon is one of my favorite board games, and it’s particularly fun on the Android’s touch screen. Safely move your men counterclockwise around the board before your opponent. For $4.99, the full version gives you access to higher game difficulty, online play and leader board score tracking.

Mahjongg Solitaire PRO is an Android favorite, with an option to create your own tile patterns for a custom game. Tile moves respond well to the device’s touch screen, which is essential for this type of mobile game. There are multiple board sizes and backgrounds to choose from.  Hints, reshuffles and undos are other game play options.

With plenty of tic-tac-toe games to choose from in the Android Market, TicTacToe Free Android game stands out from the reset. Play against the computer or with a friend. Provide your name, level difficulty, and which player gets to move first. The graphics are also more engaging than similar Android games, despite the basic nature of the game itself.

Collections

Memory Test Pro for Android is a free collection of matching games. Flip tiles until you’ve cleared the board. There are four levels of difficulty, and games are timed so you can always give yourself a good challenge. If you’re into brain teasers, the basic matching games of Memory Test Pro are worth the free download.

Board Games is a free Android app that includes eight Android games, including chess, ReversiiOthellocheckersKnightZero, Match and Pegs.  The graphics are rather basic, and for some it’s easier to use the track ball instead of the touch screen during game play. Given the price and the selection of Android games, however, this collection isn’t half bad.

Discover more Curated Android Apps handpicked by users like you.

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