Best Android Apps — New Year's Eve — 2018/2018

Believe it or not, the year is almost over, and now it’s time to reflect on all of your accomplishments in the past 12 months and start making plans to build on them going forward. This list obviously needs to start with a good countdown app that you’ll be able to rely upon in order to know the exact second of when celebrations and best wishes are in order. The Aqreadd Studios-made New Year Countdown is precisely that kind of an Android app which comes with an added bonus of being extremely customizable and being able to function as a screensaver of a wallpaper. As if that isn’t enough, the app also boasts support for Android TV and Google’s Daydream virtual reality platform. If you’re throwing a party to celebrate the start of the new year, you’ll surely want to treat your guests to some cocktails and while you can always buy pre-mixed drinks, nothing beats a freshly made mojito or martini. That’s precisely what this app allows you to do and while its overall design leaves something to be desired, the GIFs it packs are both attractive and varied.

Fireworks Creator is one of those Android apps that you never thought you needed but that will easily keep you entertained long after the New Year’s celebrations are over. It’s also one of the most technically polished Android apps on this list and is a worthy recommendation to anyone looking for a casual time waster that can also get a pretty big laugh among a group of friends. Not sure about the kind of music you want to play at your New Year’s party that has a large group of people with all kinds of tastes coming over, Just find some neutral playlist on Google Play Music and divert your attention to something else as it’s basically impossible to go wrong with its many hits and mixes. Naturally, if you still haven’t tried Google Play Music, you really owe it to yourself to give it a go and see how the Internet managed to revolutionize the industry. With free trials always being available, there’s really no reason not to take this Android app out for a test run.

This VR experience will transport them to distant national parks or highest mountain peaks. Also, a great find for gamers seeking VR apps for Samsung. Monetization: subscription model (in-app purchases). This is the app about football, but not the American one, a classic one some of us may know as ‘soccer’. Maybe not really the app to be included in ‘Best Google Cardboard apps’, we agree, but we also love football. How it works: Experience the play as the first person, compete against the best teams on the planet, shoot penalties, and score goals. The graphics are great, making a truly good use of VR tools so users may enjoy special effects. You just need to play moving your head. Cool features: As a goalkeeper, you see your hands as the pointer and it moves around as you move your head. When you want to catch the ball, you literally have to use your whole body.

So it can even be a kind of physical exercising, which makes the app stand out among iPhone VR games. User tip: To set direction to kick the ball in, use the head. Or move your head faster to make your kick more strong. Also, you can play local tournaments offline, with 100 competitors at hand. Recommended for: Users who simply want to rest their mind after a hard day at work and explore simplistic virtual reality experiences. Great VR game accessible for all ages and free Google Cardboard app. Monetization: freemium model (in-app purchases, ads). How about a fairy-tale as a VR app for free, This virtual reality Android experience was created in partnership with BBC Research & Development audio team, and is an interactive fairy-tale for all ages. How it works: In a magical forest, a young child meets a fantastical creature, they embark on the journey…The story flows on. What is stunning here are spatial audio and visuals. With headphones you may actually hear the creature’s teeth gnawing, birds and fish, and other sounds.

The makers also warn us to ‘play it safe’, meaning following safety info from the manufacturer of the device you use, like the cardboard. Cool features: Falling auburn leaves to create a setting to chill out seamlessly. It is great to listen to as well due to the 3-D audio and a few surprises here and there. Let’ say, fans of Falkor from The Neverending Story may be in for a treat. User tip: Do not play if you are under the age rating, pregnant, under influence, have a medical condition, psychiatric disorders, seizures or heart problems. Make sure you are in a safe place, be aware of surroundings, and stop using The Turning Forest VR if you feel nausea, eye strain, dizziness or any discomfort. Recommended for: Family-friendly experiences, storytelling and fairy-telling, kids’ bedtime, short movie watching, cartoon watching for all ages. With Google Cardboard APK simple free VR apps like this one have been made easily accessible.