Well, both my parents have tablets and I have decided to give in and get one after getting a taste of games from the Google Play store.
So I bought an 16 Gig Insignia Flex 10.1 inch Tegra 3 powered tablet (plenty of juice without breaking the bank), and while most of the games available are no different from what you find on Kongregate, there are a few gems that are a blast to play.
The first game I downloaded was Candy Crush, I’ve only been playing for about 5 days and am already past level 45, the only thing is now I’m being slowed down artificially by waiting for mystery quests to unlock at the end of an episode. Oh well, it was free.
Then there were other gems I found (and lately, got a Google wallet to get the premium versions). They are the following…
Runbot - this is like a turbocharged 3D lane-based endless runner with skydiving, jetpacks, forks in the road, and a huge variety of design (free to boot as well), did I mention the polished graphics and professional-level animation. Get enough batteries (collected in the level) and acquire upgrades as well as powerups which can even affect what collectables are in the level. It looks to me this indeed beats the stuffing out of Subway Run, Running with Friends and maybe even Temple Run.
Smash hit - You’re going through a surreal world and you have to break the glass that’s in your way, hitting crystals to get more balls. I just bought the premium version which allows you to start at any checkpoint you cross on your way to unlocking endless mode (free players have to start at the beginning).
Blocky Roads - plop one of those side-view driving games in a 3D environment based on Minecraft and this is what you get. You only have three tracks in the free version, but the full version allows you get every piece of the farm that you’re trying to find after it’s blown away by a tornado.
Smash Cop - Basically, you’re a cop and you’re driving from a 3D-based overhead view trying to catch crooks or taking them to the police station. I’ve seen it crash once or twice but it’s fun when it works. Perform well enough and you can get car upgrades. Oh well, it was free
Beach Buggy Blitz - Kid friendly game where you drive along a semi-generated track on a remote island, collect enough coins and get the ability to pick up increasingly potent powerups while driving.
Angry Birds Rio - Might be fun for some, but might get boring due to it becoming very difficult to get a 2 and 3 star rating and the short commercials interspersed.
Another one is some GameMaker shoot-em-up taking place in World War 2, it’s quite tricky actually and mastering one set of levels only means you’ll still have trouble with the next.
Anyway, so it turns out that the screen doesn’t feel quite as awkward as one might first think (a heck of a lot nicer than the old trackpads that came with laptops), and yes, your fingers will put smudges on the screen (the tablet’s box even taking that into account by containing a wipe). I have to admit, it seems like a number of game types are entirely doable on tablets, though some like platformers have control schemes harder to get adjusted to than a controller or keyboard setup (though I just lay it down flat on a table and pick it up when I need to use the tilt controls). The nicest thing is that this is the closest you get to plug and play, the app. downloading is a one-step process and all you need to do after getting the tablet is sign in to your Google account (and after that you’re free to go). The Google wallet is also a good way to control your spending, but all of the higher-rated apps. should have a clear distinction of what is an in-app purchase and what isn’t.
So have you run into a situation where you feel you just had to have your first tablet, and how did you like it?