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Google followed Apple in announcing its Apps and Games of the Year – and if you’re looking for something new to install on your Android phone, these Play Store picks are worth checking out.
These choices are made (opens in new tab) by the Google Play editorial team, and there are some honorable mentions, as well as the winners in each category. Google has also highlighted the best books and audiobooks. From what we can tell, there are also some country-specific choices: find your local selection here (opens in new tab).
Most of us probably spend our days cycling around the same core set of apps on our phones, so these lists are a good opportunity to check out something new that we may not have come across before.
The best Android apps of 2022
Best app overall: Dream (opens in new tab) (freemium) – artificial intelligence keeps getting better and better, so it seems fitting that AI art generator Dream takes the top spot. All you need to do is enter a few prompts and the app will produce great looking digital artwork.
Best app for fun: PetStar (opens in new tab) (freemium) – if we tell you that PetStar gives you the tools you need to make a music video starring your pet’s face, then we probably don’t need to say anything else. However, we don’t know exactly what your pet will think of the final results.
Best Personal Growth App: breathwork (opens in new tab) (freemium) – ready for a self-improvement ride in the coming year? Breathwrk aims to help you reduce stress and release energy from your body through hundreds of carefully curated breathing exercises led by the app.
Best daily necessities app: Plant older (opens in new tab) (freemium) – as the name suggests, this app will help you raise your plants and give you tailored tips on what your plants need to stay healthy. It can also identify virtually any plant through your smartphone’s camera.
Best Hidden Gems App: Restore athletics (opens in new tab) (freemium) – we’re not exactly sure what qualifies as a “hidden gem”, but Google has chosen Recover Athletics, which has partnered with Strava to ensure your body properly recovers after exercise to avoid injury and fatigue.
Best App for Good: The Stigma App (opens in new tab) (Free) – The Stigma app has an important mission to normalize conversations about mental health. You can use the simple app to hear stories from other people, ask for help and also support others.
Best app for Wear: Todoist (opens in new tab) (freemium) – if you’re looking for something to enhance the experience on your Wear OS smartwatch, Todoist is worth checking out. The comprehensive to-do list app gives you everything you need to plan and organize your life.
Best Tablet App: Bag (opens in new tab) (freemium) – there’s never enough time to read everything online, and Pocket helps by providing an article archive to catch up on when you can. A distraction-free layout and the ability to have articles read aloud add to the appeal of the app.
Best app for Chromebooks: BandLab (opens in new tab) (freemium) – Chromebooks can now run Android apps, of course, and this is one of the apps best suited for the laptop size. BandLab makes creating and mixing music easy whether you’re a veteran or a complete novice.
Best app chosen by users: Be real (opens in new tab) (free) – we’re not exactly sure which users voted for this category, but the winner is BeReal, the social app that challenges you to post a photo of what you’re doing at a specific time of day, when the app that’s why you ask.
That’s not all: Google has also found time to indicate honorable mentions DanceFitme (opens in new tab), note the widget (opens in new tab), Learn to Read – Duolingo ABC (opens in new tab), Gym log and workouts (opens in new tab), Yousician ukulele (opens in new tab), Book Waking Up Morning Routine (opens in new tab), Daily Diary (opens in new tab), sleep tracker (opens in new tab), Link tree (opens in new tab), Small lunches (opens in new tab), wavering (opens in new tab), Sleep fruits (opens in new tab) and Zario (opens in new tab).
The best Android games of 2022
Best Game Overall: Apex Legends mobile (opens in new tab) (freemium) – this strategic battle royale shooter continues to be phenomenally popular and also received the user’s choice award. There are several gameplay modes to choose from and the speed and fun of the combat are hard to beat.
Best Multiplayer Game: dislyte (opens in new tab) (freemium) – an urban mythological role-playing game that stands out for its style, the quality of the visuals and the story that runs through it. The game also does a good job of staying challenging as you get better at it.
Best Pick Up and Play Game: Angry Bird’s journey (opens in new tab) (freemium) – the Angry Birds need no introduction for those who know their mobile gaming history, and this is the latest in the series. It’s as fun as ever as you throw birds to demolish structure after structure.
Best Indie Game: Dice dungeons (opens in new tab) ($4.99/£4.19) – sometimes the best games don’t have to be incredibly complicated, and Dicey Dungeons takes a simple format and uses it well. You are a giant dice in this roguelike deckbuilding and must escape the vagaries of chance.
Best Story Game: Papers, please (opens in new tab) ($4.99/£4.09) – Papers, Please, one of the most immersive and engaging games on the Play Store right now, has been described as a “dystopian document thriller”, asking you to be smart in identifying smugglers, spies and terrorists.
Best Running Game: Genshin effect (opens in new tab) (freemium) – assuming this is your type of game (an open-world action role-playing game), you’re guaranteed to have a lot of fun with Genshin Impact, with beautiful scenery and memorable characters.
Best game on Play Pass: Very little nightmares (opens in new tab) ($4.99 / £4.99 per month) – if you pay a monthly fee for the Google Play Pass, you’ll get games like Very Little Nightmares included, a brilliantly creepy and compelling puzzle game that will keep you entertained for hours.
Best Tablet Game: Tower of fantasy (opens in new tab) (freemium) – Tower of Fantasy is one of the better Play Store games when it comes to taking advantage of the larger screens that tablets offer, and the open world fantasy adventure title ranks high in most areas.
Best Game for Chromebooks: roblox (opens in new tab) (freemium) – Roblox has been something of a gaming sensation in recent years, and Google picked it as one of the best Android games to use on a Chromebook, giving you access to a keyboard and trackpad.
Hold on, because there are plenty of honorable mentions here too: you might want to check it out too Catalytic converter black (opens in new tab), Diablo Immortal (opens in new tab), Rocket League side swipe (opens in new tab), Gun and dungeons (opens in new tab), CROCHET 2 (opens in new tab), Hyde and search (opens in new tab), quadline (opens in new tab), Dungeons of Dreadrock (opens in new tab), Button words (opens in new tab), A clap of hands (opens in new tab), phobias (opens in new tab), DEMO II (opens in new tab), Inua – A story in ice and time (opens in new tab), The Secret of Cat Island (opens in new tab), Rapboy commits tax evasion (opens in new tab), Candy Crush Saga (opens in new tab), Garena free fire (opens in new tab), PokémonGO (opens in new tab), Bridge builder (opens in new tab), Final Fantasy VII (opens in new tab), Line light (opens in new tab)and Path of giants (opens in new tab).