Video and mobile games are a great and fun way to escape reality for a little while and dive into another world. They are an excellent distraction from life’s many worries and difficult expectations. With a large portion of the population owning a smartphone, mobile games are some of the most popular downloaded apps. As of September 2018, the games category was the most popular in the Apple App Store with business apps coming in second. In 2016, the global mobile game industry generated 35.6 billion U.S. dollars and it was expected to increase to 40.6 billion by the end of 2017.
With North America being the second largest mobile gaming region after Asia, Canada is certainly known for generating some trendy mobile games. Below we mention some of the country’s most popular recent game apps in the last couple years including building your own kingdom, embarking on a journey through the desert, exploring ancient civilizations and uncovering underwater deep sea secrets.
1. Kingdoms of Heckfire by A Thinking Ape
According to the team: “Build your Kingdom, train your dragons and start destroying things today. Goblins! Skeletons! People with weird Moustaches! Battle them all in this real-time strategy mobile MMO!
FEATURES
- Real-time, open world map filled with monsters and players from around the world!
- Raise a powerful Dragon army to strike fear into your enemies hearts (and other organs)!
- Create powerful Clans and Alliances to rule the realms of Heckfire!
- Complete epic quests issued by a semi nude wizard!
- Battle well-groomed Titans for massive amounts of loot! Possibly even Ham!”
Location: Vancouver
Website
Angel List Profile
Apple Store
Google Play
2. Alto’s Odyssey by Noodlecake Studios Inc.
According to the team: “Just beyond the horizon sits a majestic desert, vast and unexplored. Join Alto and his friends and set off on an endless sandboarding journey to discover its secrets. Soar above windswept dunes, traverse thrilling canyons and explore long-hidden temples in a fantastical place far from home. Along the way, you’ll grind across vines, bounce atop hot air balloons, ride towering rock walls, and escape mischievous lemurs – all while uncovering the desert’s many mysteries.”
Location: Saskatoon
Website
Apple Store
Google Play
3. Lara Croft Go by Square Enix Montreal
According to the team: “Lara Croft GO is a turn based puzzle-adventure set in a long-forgotten world. Explore the ruins of an ancient civilization, discover well-kept secrets and face deadly challenges as you uncover the myth of the Queen of Venom.
- Experience lush visuals and a captivating soundtrack
- Navigate using simple swipe-to-move controls
- Fight menacing enemies, overcome dangerous obstacles and escape deadly traps
- Solve more than 115 puzzles split into 7 chapters
- Collect ancient relics and unlock new outfits for Lara”
Location: Montreal
Website
Apple Store
Google Play
4. Storm Casters Ultra by Get Set Games
According to the team: “Storm Casters is a loot-filled, action-packed dungeon adventure game from the makers of Mega Jump and Mega Run! Find and collect rare Battle Cards to discover new spells, blast enemies with explosive powers and evolve your character to become a mighty Storm Caster! Lost and alone after escaping from your burning village, you find yourself at the entrance to an ancient and forgotten dungeon. With no way back, your adventure begins as you unlock the power of the Storm Casters and conquer the mysteries below!”
Location: Toronto
Website
Apple Store
5. iBiome-Ocean by Springbay Studio
According to the team: “A fun app for kids who love nature, animals, and science! iBiome-Ocean lets kids learn about ecosystems, food webs, and how humans shape the environment. Play with food webs, identifying which plant or animal belongs where on the food chain. Experiment with the number of predators, prey, consumers, and producers, and see what happens to the rest of the food web. Explore the natural balance of ocean habitats. Build diverse and intricate ecosystems. Celebrate the rich diversity of sea life. Study the human impact on our oceans.”
Location: Toronto
Website
Apple Store
6. Fish Tycoon 2 Virtual Aquarium by Gogii Games
According to the team: “Dive into a delightfully fishy adventure of a real-time virtual aquarium: it’s an adorable fish tank game! In Fish Tycoon 2: Virtual Aquarium, your goal is to breed your pet fish so you can sell them for money to upgrade and decorate your tank or renovate your store! This tycoon simulator is free, fun and one of the top fish tank sim games available! Just like a real world, this one will be changing and growing along with the families of pet fish you collect, breed and care for in your game! Start with just a few eggs, and before you know it you’ll be taking care of Koi, Catfish, Groupers and even Sharks! There is plenty of fish in the sea!”
Location: Moncton, New-Brunswick
Website
Apple Store
Google Play
These Canadian-made games certainly look interesting and amusing. Let us know in the comments if you’re going to try them out! Don’t forget to keep an eye out on our blog for more original and innovative Canadian mobile app ideas and startups.
