Yesterday we shared with you the
best apps for your Nokia Lumia 520. Why the
Lumia 520
and not Windows Phone in general? Because if you have a device like the
Lumia 920 or 1520 you can run practically any app in the Windows Phone
Store. However, the Lumia 520 and other devices with just 512MB of RAM
(think Lumia 521, Lumia 620, Lumia 720, etc) might come across certain
apps and games that don’t work or don’t work too well.
The overwhelming majority of apps in the Windows Phone Store do work
on all devices, including those with just 512MB of RAM. It’s when we
look at games that we see the frequency of support drop a bit. All too
often this year we’ve seen a highly anticipated game come to Windows
Phone, but without initial support for 512MB devices. That said, here
are the best games you can run on your Lumia 520.
Jetpack Joyride – Best game to get addicted
Jetpack Joyride
hit Windows 8 first, then finally came to Windows Phone over the
summer. The game is highly addictive, so be careful before playing in
this endless adventure. It’s free and comes with Xbox Live integration,
hard to beat that killer combo. Pick it up in the
Windows Phone Store.
Halo: Spartan Assault – Best game for saving the universe
Is there anything better than playing Halo on Windows Phone? It’s tough to say, because
Halo: Spartan Assault
does an excellent job of bringing Halo from your television to your
phone. Your game also syncs across the Windows 8 and Xbox One/360
versions of the game. It’s expensive for a phone game, sure, but it’s so
good and performs well considering the hardware we’re working with
here. Pick it up for $7.99 in the
Windows Phone Store.
SongArc – Best music game
We’ve been covering
SongArc
over the course of its inception, beta, launch, and present success.
It’s the best music game you can get for Windows Phone and it supports
512MB devices. Its success is also highly dependent on the support of
the community, which is really strong. Users can make their own music
sheets and put them up for other players to download and play along
with. The game is free, but you can buy more coins via an in-app
purchase. Those coins are currently on sale, so you better hurry and
grab them and save anywhere between 50-70%. Grab it in the
Windows Phone Store.
Rayman Jungle Run – Best platformer
Rayman has been on the video game scene for nearly 20 years and he
recently joined Windows Phone this past year. Rayman Jungle Run
instantly became one of the best games in the Windows Phone Store. It
features great gameplay, graphics, and music to create a really fun
experience on your phone. It goes for $0.99 and is worth every penny.
Pick it up in the
Windows Phone Store.
Wordament – Best game to get your brain buzzing
Is there any question about how fun
Wordament
is? It’s been out on Window Phone for a very long time and has an
interesting story. It was started by two Microsoft guys in their spare
time, eventually that became their full-time gig at Microsoft as
Wordament was absorbed into Microsoft Studios. Since launch its gained
Xbox Live support and is available on every mobile platform. It’s free,
has Xbox Live achievements, supports a handful of languages, and is
super fun. You do require an internet connection to play, but it’s worth
it. Grab it in the
Windows Phone Store.
Rail Rush – Best endless runner
Oh yeah, time for a little controversy. You’re probably wanting
Temple Run or Temple Run 2 as the best endless runner right? Well Temple
Run 2 isn’t available for the Lumia 520 (yet) and Temple Run doesn’t
have quite the depth and variety you can get with Rail Rush. Graphics
look good and gameplay is smooth on 512MB devices. Rail Rush is also
free, so that’s a nice bonus. The only downside to Rail Rush is the lack
of Xbox Live and the need to use in-app purchases if you don’t feel
like grinding it out to level up. Either way, it’s worth playing on your
Lumia 520 so grab it in the
Windows Phone Store.
Asphalt 8: Airborne – Best racing game
When it comes to mobile racing games, Asphalt is king of the hill.
Gameloft is one of the biggest game developers in the mobile space and
they’ve mastered the racing genre. On Windows Phone we have the 7th and
8th installment available, with the former having Xbox Live integration
and the latter lacking it. So why are we picking Asphalt 8: Airborne as
the best racing game? Because it’s newer with better graphics and (in
our opinion) better gameplay. You really can’t go wrong with either.
Asphalt 8 goes for $0.99 in the
Windows Phone Store.
Reaper – Best role playing game
Picking a great role playing game is hard because they all vary
wildly in graphics, gameplay, content and more. We’re going with
Reaper
for a few reasons. It has great graphics, gameplay, and value. It’s a
free that’s really just really fun to play. There are in-app purchases,
but you can decide to indulge once you encounter them. Grab Reaper in
the
Windows Phone Store.
Angry Birds Star Wars II – Best Angry Birds
Yeah, the category is a bit of a gimme, but it’s true. Angry Birds
Star Wars II is the best Angry Birds we’ve ever played. The first mashup
between Angry Birds and Star Wars was a hit, but the second installment
takes it to another level. Addictive gameplay with cameos from your
favorite Star Wars characters. The game is super fun and probably the
best Angry Birds game yet. Grab it for $0.99 in the
Windows Phone Store.
Sparkle 2 – Best puzzle game
10tons makes some of the best games on Windows Phone.
Sparkle 2
comes to us from them and is an excellent little puzzle game. Shoot
your colored marbles to other marbles with a similar color before all
the marbles reach the end. The game features a trial, but will set you
back just $1.29 in the
Windows Phone Store.
It’s tough to pick the top anything, especially games. Our tastes are
all so different that no one list is going to satisfy everyone. Which
is where the comments come in. Which games are must-haves for your Lumia
520 (or any device with 512MB of RAM)? Sound off below in the comments
with your favorites!
