And if the Wi-Fi signal reaches, you can even play these games with your friends on the floor below or above your apartment, provided you can all connect to the same network. These games consume less internet bandwidth and are not even demanding on the phone’s hardware.
Action: Mini Militia – Doodle Army 2
This 2D shooter lets you play with up to six “local” players. However, this mode gets unlocked only after each player plays a few battles to reach “level 2”. Once this is achieved, tap on Play Custom to host or join a battle. You can choose to play in the “free for all” mode or start a team-based deathmatch.
Gameplay is simple: You have to fight for survival on a small patch of land with a gun and some hand grenades. Controls include onscreen touchpads to navigate and aim your weapon, as well as options to switch to weapons found in the map; you can lob grenades, collect health kits and more. The fighting is intense, but not gory, and each battle lasts for only four and a half minutes.
Android, iOS | Free
Racing: Asphalt 8
The Asphalt series of car racing games by Gameloft are very popular. But this one in particular has a gem of a mode that lets a maximum of eight players—on the same network—race against each other. This option is available when you tap on Play, then “More Racing Options” and Local W-Fi to either host or join a race.
You can choose various maps, class of cars and format such as classic, elimination, infected, etc. While most formats allow up to eight participants, some like Versus and Takedown only allow two players to race. Another thing, this mode is not cross-platform. This means, all devices must either run Android or be on Apple’s iOS.
Android, iOS | Free
Teamwork: Spaceteam
Spaceteam brings everybody together, instead of making you compete against each other. You have to team up with your partner(s) to fly a spaceship together. It also supports Bluetooth connectivity and up to six participants. Once everybody has connected to the game, each player’s phone screen will get a dashboard fitted with switches, buttons, faders, etc and a display panel that flashes instructions.
You need to call out the commands that appear on your dashboard, which your partners need to listen to. Whoever has the control—like the H-spoon, gravity visor, clip-jawed fluxtrunion, etc—must act on it to prevent the aircraft from crashing. At the same time, you need to follow the instructions shouted out to you.
If you haven’t guessed already, this game gets chaotic and as you advance through the levels, it will have everybody in splits.
Android, iOS | Free
Game Console: Air Console
This service creates a virtual game console environment without having to invest in expensive hardware. And depending on the game you pick, Air Console will allow up to ten players to join.
All you need is a large screen—such as a smart TV or a telly connected to a Fire TV Stick, a PC or a laptop—that has a web browser, and smartphones with the Air Console app installed on them.
The web browser acts as your console screen while your phones function as game controllers.
Visit airconsole.com, click on the Start button and note down the code on the screen. Launch the app on both phones, choose to start without a Facebook login, tap on the “I got the connect code” and enter the passcode to ‘connect’ with the browser.
As soon you connect, you will be able to browse the free game pack which includes fun racing titles, trivia quiz to test your general knowledge, track and field events, and more.
The free version includes 45-second-long ads. That said, they are in-house commercials and family oriented. You can pay for the Hero pack to get rid of the ads and get access to over 120 games.
Android, iOS, Web | Free
Strategy: Fleet Battle
Fleet Battle is a digital version of the popular board game ‘Battleship’ where two players take turns to guess the location of the other’s ships on a grid. Whoever sinks all the opponent’s warships first is the winner.
You can play offline against the game bot; in real-time with an online player, or with a friend over a Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connection. While in multiplayer mode, you also get an in-game chat window to distract your opponent.
When you start a game, you have to place your fleet – aircraft carrier, submarine, cruiser, etc – manually on a grid or tap the “Auto” button to let the game do it for you. You can even save their positions and recall them in later games. You get rewarded with badges and rank promotions for victories. Apart from ships, you also have to find “blueprints” on the grid, which you can use to buy new ships.
Android, iOS | Free
