Today I thought I’d mention of few of the apps my 12 year likes to play.  In our home we have a strict rule that we don’t spend money on games we can totally download for free.  Games come in and out of favour too quickly to be wasting money them, so all these games are free.

Clash Royale.

This is a fun battle type game. Strategy, see who wins!   We play as a family.  Our clan is called “the wee beasties” if you’d like to join us.   Only family friendly chatter happens.   They have weekly challenges and consistently put up new content to intrigue and annoy (at times).   Check it out if you like strategy games.

From site: Collect and upgrade dozens of cards featuring the Clash of Clans troops, spells and defenses you know and love, as well as the Royales: Princes, Knights, Baby Dragons and more. Knock the enemy King and Princesses from their towers to defeat your opponents and win Trophies, Crowns and glory in the Arena. Form a Clan to share cards and build your very own battle community.

Lead the Clash Royale Family to victory!

Cell labs

I have to admit, I originally didn’t see the appeal of this game until I saw what could be created with it.   My son adores this game and has come up with some really cool creations.  It takes time to understand how to play and I admittedly got lost on one of the tutorials so will need to ask my son for help!  🙂

From the site:  Cell Lab also contains an experimental mode where the user can set the parameters of the environment and put designed organisms in it to see how they multiply (or die). It is also possible to seed this environment with random genomes and once a viable genome has been seeded one can see how it slowly evolves through tiny mutations to an organism well adapted to the environment it is in.

It is then possible to change the environment to see how they re-adapt, fast forward the simulation, and finally to save and share it.

Occidental Heroes

I freely admit I am horrible at this game.  Everytime I play it I DIE DIE DIE.  OR to be honest.. my trio of three quickly becomes a singleton who can’t really do anything except restart the game.    I have managed to occasionally get new or odd quests which is WAY COOL.  But overall my son (as always) rules this game quite nicely.  It’s like being a middle ages game of combat and chivalry.   Low tech but a decent game.

From the site: Broadly roguelike retro role-playing game with exploration, turn based combat and permadeath set in low fantasy world.

Yellow

This game… my lad keeps asking “mom, have you played it yet?”  He loves for me to play the same games he does and sometimes they take and sometimes well.. I do horribly at them.  🙂   It’s all fun though since they are all free.  I can try and discard to my hearts content.   He tells me it’s a game I’d like to play as it’s a puzzle type game and he KNOWS I love those types of games.  🙂   Perhaps I should introduce you to a few of my favourites.  (another post)!

From the site:

Yellow, a puzzle game for you!
Can you make the screen yellow in all 50 levels?

Each level has its own logic.

Anyways, these are all fun, easy-going games that just might end up intriguing your middle school students as well.   Give them a go and see.   Perhaps you know of a game or two that my lad might also enjoy?  We only play on android!