Google Play Store announces the best Android apps and games of 2020

by Sophie Blake December 1, 2020, 9:49 am

Google Play Store announced the best mobile games and apps of 2020. Among the best Android games of the year, listed in five different categories, there are games that have driven millions after them, as well as indie games that have unexpected breakthroughs. The best Android apps of the year were listed under 6 “best” lists.

For those who are not familiar with it, Google announces the best Android games and apps of the year in the last month of each year via the official app store Play Store. Google Play localized all lists so you can browse your region by tapping the “Best of 2020” banner at the top of the Google Play app.

Meanwhile, Apple also announced the best App Store games and apps of 2020. Check out the winners of App Store Best of 2020 Awards.

Best Android games of 2020 according to Google Play

Genshin Impact was the winner of the 2020 best Android game award on the statement page published on the Google Play Store. The game, which has more than 17 million downloads globally, scored 4.5 out of 5 in 854,751 reviews. The game has a size of 145 MB. The category published for this game was determined as “Adventure Games”.

“Bound through rolling fields and bustling cities, soaking up majestic views from towering heights. The vast open world of Teyvat is yours to explore as you gather a team of intrepid travelers and search for knowledge on commanding the elements. Genshin Impact blew us away with its sheer scale and ambition. Recruit characters and fight together in a richly detailed, utterly beautiful world. Combat is fast and fluid, with each fight a spectacle to behold. Quite simply, this is the best game we’ve played this year.”

Meanwhile, Google also announced the bests of four additional categories:

Best Competitive: Celebrate hard-fought victories or gear up for a rematch in the competitive games that pitted us against friends and foes alike in 2020.
Best Indies: It’s been a stellar year for indies, one full of games designed to delight. These picks went above and beyond to become our favorites in 2020.
Best Pick Up & Play: These games brought us hours of fun in 2020 thanks to their quick-start style, pleasing challenges, and approachable design. Enjoy our favorite pick-up-and-play games of the year.
Best Game Changers: Whether it was riffing on genre norms, creating imaginative new ways to play or worlds to explore, these games dared to be different in 2020.

Best Game Changers

Game	Category	Publisher
Fancade	Arcade	Martin Magni
Genshin Impact	Action	MiHoYo
Minimal Dungeon RPG	Role Playing	CapPlay
The Gardens Between	Puzzle	The Voxel Agents
Ord.	Action	Crescent Moon Games

Best Competitive

Game	Category	Publisher
Brawlhalla	Action	Ubisoft
Bullet Echo	Action	ZeptoLab
Legends of Runeterra	Card	Riot Games
The Seven Deadly Sins: Grand Cross	Role Playing	Netmarble
GWENT: The Witcher Card Game	Card	CD Projekt S.A.

Best Indies

Game	Category	Publisher
Cookies Must Die	Action	Rebel Twins
GRIS	Action	DevolverDigital
inbento	Puzzle	Afterburn
Maze Machina	Strategy	Arnold Rauers
Sky: Children of the Light	Role Playing	Thatgamecompany inc

Best Pick Up & Play

Game	Category	Publisher
Disney Frozen Adventures	Puzzle	Jam City
DreamWorks Trolls Pop	Puzzle	Huuuge Games
EverMerge	Puzzle	Big Fish Games
Harry Potter: Puzzles & Spells	Puzzle	Zynga
SpongeBob: Krusty Cook-Off	Casual	Tilting Point

Best Android apps of 2020

Loóna: Bedtime Calm & Relax has become the best Android app of 2020.

“Loóna captivated us like no other app this year, with its innovative, beautiful take on bedtime stories. Drift into relaxation through immersive “sleepscapes” — 3D scenes you’ll explore with narration and simple interactions, tapping to bring color and light to everything from a magical Brooklyn bookshop to a carousel in Paris. Rather close your eyes? Turn on a soothing soundscape, like “Lo-fi Beats” or “Art of Nature.””

Meanwhile, Google also announced the bests of five additional categories:

Best Everyday Essentials: In a year of so many upended routines, these apps helped us create new ones. They’re the tools that helped us stay in touch with others and in tune with ourselves.
Best for Personal Growth: Around the globe, people met 2020’s challenges with personal feats big and small. These apps helped us with our own endeavors, from trying new workouts to building resilience.
Best Hidden Gems: These apps are new to the scene and quietly building a fanbase. From rising stars to our favorite niche platforms, they’re 2020’s greatest hidden gems.
Best for Fun: Throughout 2020, these delightful apps helped us unwind and get creative. Whether you’re looking to transform, record, or transport yourself, these picks will bring the fun.
Best Apps for Good: Mission-driven and user-friendly, our Apps for Good address some of the most pressing issues we face as a society. They’re a reminder of our power to change ourselves and the world around us.

Written by Sophie Blake

Google Play Store announces the best Android apps and games of 2020