SALTZMAN: Spring travellers, download these awesome, free phone games

Have smartphone, will travel?

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You’re not alone.

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About 96% of Canadians age 15 and older now own a smartphone, according to StatsCan, making it the most popular piece of technology we own – and something just as ideal to use away from home as in it.

In fact, now that warmer months are upon us, these pocket-sized companions are a smart travel accessory – great for staying in touch, navigating around unfamiliar cities and capturing memories with family and friends.

They’re also ideal for staying entertained on planes, trains, and as passengers in automobiles.

Whether you’re looking for something fun and free to download to your device – or ideas to reduce the dreaded “Are we there yet?” from the backseat – the following are five titles worth considering from the App Store (iPhone, iPad) or Google Play (Android devices).

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Note: While free to play, most of the following games include optional in-app purchases for additional content.

PUZZLE PAGE

If you like games like crossword puzzles, word searches, picture cross and sudoku, one freebie called Puzzle Page has it all in one place.

As the name suggests, it’s similar to a page of head-scratchers in a newspaper, with a variety of games to play that day, and you get a fresh batch the following day. But at any time, go back through the in-game calendar to play a previous day’s collection of digital diversions.

Appy Nation’s suite of puzzles games are largely based on number, word and picture games (including jigsaws), plus there are daily challenges, unlockable “achievement” trophies, and rewards.

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Puzzle Page is a must-install for fans of these kinds of puzzlers.

THE SILENT AGE

If you prefer a more story-driven adventure, The Silent Age challenges you to save the world by traveling through time.

You start off as a janitor in the early 1970s. While mopping the floors of a building you stumble upon a mysterious man who warns you of a catastrophic event before he hands you a time travel device, and then dies.

By visiting the past, present and future, you’re tasked with collecting items that can be used at the right time and place. For example, you’ll need to pour poison on a plant so that it won’t grow and block a passageway forty years from now.

Developed by Danish company House on Fire, the first episode is free to play and should take you a couple of hours to tap through, and you’ll have the option to pay $7 to continue playing on to the next episode.

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The hand-drawn animation, moody sound effects and music are all top-notch (headphones recommended), and it all adds nicely to the game’s chilling atmosphere.

ROYAL MATCH

If you like Candy Crush, you’ll love Royal Match.

Published by Dream Games, this is a “Match 3” puzzler with a gameplay mechanic that should be familiar to Candy Crush (or Bejeweled) fans, as you must swap to match at least three of the same items on a board, which causes them to disappear. Your goal is to break adjacent obstacles, unleash power-ups and unlock new levels as you help the hapless King Robert rebuild his castle (and surrounding areas) to its former glory.

The levels get increasingly difficult, just as new obstacles and objects are added as you progress.

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While free, there are no ads to sit through, which is refreshing.

There are bonus levels, mini-games, timed tournaments, and you can see how you fare against others via the global leaderboard.

DIABLO IMMORTAL

One of the most influential (and addictive) computer games now has a popular offshoot for mobile devices.

Blizzard Entertainment and NetEase’s Diablo Immortal is a free-to-play massively multiplayer game that fuses fast-paced hack-and-slash action with role-playing game (RPG) mechanics, in a timeline nestled between the events of Diablo II and Diablo III.

You’ll first choose a character class with its own unique attributes – Barbarian, Wizard, Crusader, Monk, Necromancer, Blood Knight, or Demon Hunter – and then set out across dangerous lands and subterranean dungeons to prevent the malevolent Skarn, the Lord of Damnation, from destroying the world.

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Expect a similar look, sound and feel to its popular PC predecessors.

FARMVILLE 3

Zynga’s FarmVille franchise is one of the more popular “sims” (simulations) you can play – and now FarmVille 3 has “cropped” up for players of all ages.

As you might expect, use your fingertip to create and maintain your own bustling farm.

Breed animals (hundreds of types to choose from), harvest what they produce (eggs, milk, wool, meat), trade or sell goods to complete orders for customers, and grow your farm into an expansive and sustainable business.

Much of the fun for kids (and kids at heart) is matching and mating your animals to raise babies, and discover new breeds – including rare ones – as well as customizing and designing your family ranch home with unique building styles, decorations, outfits and more.

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There’s also an option to join someone else playing FarmVille 3, online, to complete special co-op (cooperative) events to unlock new farm animals and special items.

ASSASSIN’S CREED MIRAGE COMING TO MOBILE

Already a hit on consoles and Windows PC, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be playable on the iPhone 15 Pro (and Pro Max) and any iPad with an M1 chip (or later), starting June 6.

As proof smartphones and tablets are becoming more powerful, this is the first Assassin’s Creed console and computer game that can also be played natively on mobile devices.

Explore 9th century Baghdad as Basim, a young thief who evolves into a Master Assassin, as you’ll use your fingertips on the touchscreen or opt for a wireless gamepad.

Cross-platform saves are supported, so you can start the game on, say, an Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5 machine, and then continue where you left off on an iPhone. No word yet on Android support.

Available at the App Store starting June 6, Assassin’s Creed Mirage will be free to play for 90 minutes but then will require a one-time purchase after that (price is TBD).

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