Oh, the end of the year — when retailers get the red, white and green decorations out of the storeroom, end-of-year parties are badly attended, and awards are given to the best tech of the year. Ask us, we’re grinding to get the Stuff Gadget and App of the Year awards sorted before the Christmas spirit befalls us.
The Google Play store has crowned its favourite apps of the year — and we’re happy to report that we agree with most of the 2018 winners (if you don’t, head to the Stuff App of the Year page and vote for your favourite).
Let’s dive right in and tell you that Google’s best app of 2018 is Drops: Learn 31 New Languages, and the best game is PUBG Mobile. There’s no debating it anymore — Google has spoken.
Winners were chosen for different categories to make the playing-field as fair as possible. It ranges from ‘Best Self Improvement app’ to ‘Best Indie Games’ in which the obvious winner came out on top too. Check out all the winners below.
Most Entertaining Apps
- VIMAGE – cinemagraph creator & live photo animator by vimage
- No.Draw – Colors by Number 2018 by Creative APPS
- Neverthink: The TV of the Internet by Neverthink
- Tik Tok – including musical.ly by musical.ly
- Scout FM – Podcast Radio by Scout FM
Best Self Improvement Apps
- Mimo: Learn to Code by MimoHello GmbH
- Drops: Learn 31 new languages by Language Drops
- 10% Happier: Meditation for Fidgety Skeptics by 10% Happier
- Keep Trainer – Workout Trainer & Fitness Coach by Keep Inc
- MasterClass: Learn How To Cook, Sing, Act and More by MasterClass Inc.
Best Daily Helper Apps
- Otter Voice Notes by AISense Inc.
- Tasty by BuzzFeed
- Sift – Get Automatic Refunds When Prices Drop by ShopInbox Team
- Canva: Post, banner, card maker & graphic design by Canva
- Notion – Notes, Tasks, Wikis by Notion Labs Inc.
Best Hidden Gem Apps
- SLOWLY by Why Interactive
- Unfold – Create Stories by Unfold Creative LLC
- Just a Line – Draw Anywhere, with AR by Google Creative Lab
- Luci – Lucid Dream Journal by Sam Ruston
- Learn Spanish with Lirica: Music Language Learning by Lirica
Most Competitive Games
- PUBG Mobile by Tencent Games
- Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realm War by Pixel Toys
- Dragon Ball Legends by Bandai Namco Ent.
- Asphalt 9 by Gameloft
- Badland Brawl by Frogmind
Most Innovative Games
- Gorogoa by Annapurna
- Umiro by DevolverDigital
- Hero Hunters by Hothead Games
- Battlelands Royale by FuturePlay
- Life is Strange by SQUARE ENIX Ltd
Best Indie Games
- Alto’s Odyssey by Noodlecake Studios
- Reigns: GoT by DevolverDigital
- Cube Escape Paradox by Rusty Lake
- Returner 77 by Fantastic, yes
- Evoland 2 by Playdigious
Most Casual Games
- The Sims Mobile by EA
- Orbia: Tap and Relax by JOX Development LLC
- Murder in the Alps by Nordcurrent
- Candy Crush Friends Saga by King
- Faraway 3 by Snapbreak
Source: 9to5Google