Now that 2016 has officially (and mercifully) been declared over, we thought we’d kick off the New Year with something more uplifting: a look back at some of the best, but less conspicuous games from last year.

Many of these games released in the latter half of 2016. They’re true hidden gems and if you haven’t already played them, we’d highly recommend you check them out. Without further ado, let’s begin the countdown of our top 10 mobile games.

10. Touchdown Hero

Developed by Cherrypick Games

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

Score big, become a Touchdown Hero and recreate the Madden’s of yesteryear on your phone in this birds-eye infinite running retrogame. The movement is fluid (simply drag from left to right), and the core gameplay mechanics are given an interesting twist with the ability to slow down time to a near standstill. Use this “Matrix Mode” to find and exploit a gap in the defense. You’ll need this handicap after about 30 seconds of play, trust me. With every length of the field you rack up more points (and encounter more defenders). How many touchdowns can you manage?

9. Narcos: Cartel Wars

Developed by FTX Games

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

Yes, that’s right… yet another title to add to the long list of 4X games. The four X’s stand for: eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate (in case you didn’t know). This stands apart with the interesting twist of growing a cartel rather than an army and is a must for any fans of the popular Netflix series. Think Boom Beach meets Command & Conquer (but with an empire powered by cocaine rather than Tiberium). Build up your defences and unlock Sicarios to help defend and expand your cartel. Much like the popular titles from Supercell, there’s an impressive range of upgrade options which means countless hours of fun, subject to a LOT of waiting, of course.

8. Exploding Kittens

Developed by Exploding Kittens

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

Originally a concept for a board game, Exploding Kittens has the accolade of being the most funded game in Kickstarter history. This Russian Roulette style card game has now been developed for iOS and Android. The game sees you hoarding a selection of frankly ridiculously named cards, including Cat Butt and Kitty Diarrhea, which either provide buffs or hinder the competition in order to reduce your chance of picking the Exploding Kitten. You can choose to play random players online, or with a group of friends in the same room (recommended).

7. Slip Away

Developed by Nanovation Labs

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

Slip Away is fascinating game with stunning art that’s both beautiful and at the same time slightly eery (like Limbo with the mechanics of Doodle Jump). You play as a jellyfish and tap left or right to ascend from the depths, whilst avoiding the ever more elaborate obstacles blocking your path. One of the most interesting aspects of Slip Away is the physics of suspended animation, which varies the tempo of play as you’re forced to drift and descend in tougher sections.

6. Snails .io

Developed by Canh Doan Xuan

? Download for Android

If you cleverly fuse the core mechanics of Snake and Tron, this would be the lovechild. The game has you eating colorful blobs of unnamed foodstuff scattered across the floor to grow your trail of slime. You then use this slimy trap to block and defeat other players and amass your points. If you were ever the owner of a Nokia 3310, then you’ll already have a good understanding of these mechanics. The fun is notched up a level with real-time social competitive play and an online leaderboard, making this one hard to put down.

5. Shopping Cart Hero 5

Developed by Monkeywantbanana

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

You can’t make shopping carts fun unless you’re one of the Jackass crew, right? Think again. The fifth edition to the series escalates this shopping cart epic to new heights – quite literally. This game is much more eventful than your standard trip to the supermarket and has you upgrading your wheels, installing rocket engines and pulling off sweet tricks nostalgic of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater. Even the epic crashes are laugh out loud in a weirdly sadistic kind of way. It’s a winning formula if you ask me.

4. Flippy Bottle Extreme! – Hardest Flip Bottle 2K16

Developed by Most Played Games

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

Master of the art of the flip in this simple, infuriating, fun and painfully addictive game. The image above pretty much says it all. Swipe to flip a bottle across pieces of furniture of varying sizes. The mechanics and physics are similar to Backflip Madness, but with more fluidity between each flip increasing the cadence of your attempts (always a good thing). Combine this with retrogaming pixelart reminiscent of Crossy Bird and you have a win!

3. GamePigeon

Developed by Vitaliy Zlotskiy

? Download for iOS

GamePigeon is an app for iMessage which adds a selection of competitive PVP games directly into your Messages screen. With just one install, you get access to some classic arcade, sport and board games, including: 8-Ball Pool, Sea Battle (a.k.a Battleships), Checkers, Tanks, 20 Questions and Word hunt. With the latest update, Chess, Shuffleboard, Poker and 9-Ball Pool have been added to this already strong selection. It’s great fun playing with friends and family.

Related Post: How to Make an iMessage Game

2. Mr. Crab 2

Developed by Illusion Labs

? Download for iOS

For any of you new to the game, you play a crab scuttling your way up a cylindrical obstacle course, navigating environments like tree trunks and fairground rides. Not much has changed with the mechanics of this auto-running classic. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it, right? Saying that, Illusion Labs have clearly invested a lot of time into the quality of graphics and level design, making this a must-play addition to the series. At every stage, the layout of the level is thoughtfully considered and maximizes the simplistic one-tap-jump mechanic through a combination of precision timing and partially destructible environments.

1. Tap Titans 2

Developed by Game Hive

? Download for iOS

? Download for Android

In this update to the hugely popular original you continue to play as the Sword Master, battling (or tapping) your way through a seemingly endless horde of enemies, whilst collecting coins in an effort to scale as quickly as the monsters you’re confronted with. For some, the tapper game mechanics are simply too repetitive. I’d normally be inclined to agree. Where Tap Titans 2 stands apart however is in it’s beautifully drawn enemies, visually stunning backdrops and complex upgrade options (including the ability to recruit heroes and pets to help you on your journey). Definitely one to check out for the RPG fans out there.

Final note

So what do you think? Have we missed out any titles that you think deserving of the top 10 position? Reach out to us on Twitter and share your thoughts, opinions and recommendations. We’re always happy to try out new games.