Top 5 Cell Phone Games with Avon Gale

Avon's Five Favorite Cell Phone Games
(Smartphone games)
(Whatever you call them) 

Whenever I am faced with the daunting task of editing a first draft, I look for all kinds of ways to "take a break" i.e. procrastinate. And one of my favorite ways to do this is with game apps on my phone!

I have a Google Nexus and it runs Android, but most of these are (I believe) cross-platform. 

1. The Room (I, 2 and 3)

These are my most favorite games and they're amazing! They're basically hidden object/room escape games, where you have to solve clues/puzzles and...find this gem and put it in this circular disk so that a music box opens, revealing a coin that you melt in the fire to become a key, which fits in the...you get the picture. The thing that makes these games stand apart are their graphics, beautiful sound design and a story that is vaguely nonsensical but interesting enough to keep you engaged. It's very Victorian steampunk. 

Also the clues are built in to the game and if you get stuck, there are walk-throughs online! You know if maybe you couldn't figure out how to make the laser reflect off the -- anyway. 

2. No Stranger

This is a fun little game in which you are ostensibly talking to a guy named Mark on a "stranger chat" app. It involves the real world in the sense that you have to find clues by typing in coordinates, looking up blog posts and going on Google maps. You even have to send emails and such, all to "help" Mark. This is a really unique and interesting way to spend a few hours, and at the end...well, if you play this come talk to me about it omg. 

3. Blendoku

OMG, this game is like...the most relaxing thing ever. You basically arrange colors in order of hue. It is the most aesthetically pleasing game in the entire world, no lie. Sure, you'll close your eyes and see it for like three hours afterward, but it's totally worth it. 

4. Drawtopia 

I spent an entire afternoon listening to the Limetown podcast (this is not relevant for any reason other than to tell you it's a good podcast and several hours long, and therefore indicate how much time I spent doing this) and playing this game. It's a physics game where you have to "draw" a path for a ball to get to a gate thing. It sounds simple but it had a fun interface, even if sometimes I shouted loudly and would try and move the phone like that might help it along somehow (uh, it doesn't). 

5. Futurama

This is one of my all-time favorite shows, and this is your basic "match" puzzle game with the added benefit of your fave characters and a fun little storyline. The only downside to this game is that if you can't pass a level or are really close, you can "buy" additional moves or helpers to move past it. I don't know why I put "buy" in quotes because it is straight-up buying it. Which I've never done. Nope.

Anyway, there you have it! I really do recommend these if you're looking for a low-key way to relax, challenge your brain and have a little fun. And of course, procrastinate :D