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It would be good if you could please recommend a game or two for me.

From most important to least important:

  1. Works on Android.
  2. Encourages me to move around while I play, instead of sitting stock-still in one position. This will help prevent RSIs and back strain while I sit and play.
  3. But doesn't require me to actually walk continuously, as Zombies, Run! does.
  4. Gratis. (Ad-supported is fine.)
  5. It would be nice if it were open-source.
  6. It would also be nice if it was in one of my favorite genres (platform, RPG, or pinball).
  7. It would be nice if it didn't require a data plan. (I do have Wi-Fi inside my home.)

[Edit: I've looked some more. I've found Tux Rider, which you can control by tilting your device. But I didn't enjoy it that much. I've also found ARTetriCAN, but I don't yet know whether or not it supports monochrome printers.]

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  • 3
    Next year, Pokemon GO will qualify as an answer. Niantic Labs is developing it, like Ingress in the answer below.
    – ZAD-Man
    Sep 11 '15 at 19:57
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Ingress (Android / iOS) might work for you.

Wikipedia writes: "Ingress is an augmented-reality massively-multiplayer online role-playing location-based game created by Niantic Labs."

It covers:

  • 1 - android based
  • 2 - wants you to move locations (at least occasionally)
  • maybe 3 - tends to be short walk, break, another short walk
  • 4 - it's free
  • not 5 - it's closed sourced (as far as i know)
  • not 6 - basic capture the flag, non-frantic

I'm afraid I don't have experience with any others.

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  • I don't want to install any MMORPG (massively-multiplayer online role-playing game). I hear that MMORPGs are too addictive.
    – unforgettableidSupportsMonica
    Aug 23 '16 at 0:33
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    Pokemon Go is now out and can be included. They are both technically a "MMORPG" but not as much as World of Warcraft, or Guild Wars. Besides, wouldn't you want something kind of addicting to get you up and moving around a little bit more?
    – Chillie
    Aug 23 '16 at 15:16
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The Walk

the walk screenshot

It's backed by the NHS and the UK Department of Health. The basic premise is:

A bomb explodes in Inverness station, and you’re given a package that could save the world. To stay alive, you’ll need to walk the length of the UK. The Walk is more than just a great pedometer/step counter — it's a way to turn walking into a journey, a challenge, and a rip-roaring adventure.

It's a less intensive alternative to Zombies, Run! but still does require quite a bit of moving about. You'll can use this to make journeys you already take a bit more exciting.

To Watch (upcoming games)

Run An Empire

run an empire screenshot

It's supposed to launching on iOS in Spring 2016, with an Android release a bit later. It sure does look good though.

Enklave

It's not available yet (still in alpha) but it sounds pretty exciting. Sort of a mash of Ingress and a RTS. It promises to be open-source as well.

Enklave is a game that takes you away from the big screens of your console or desktop and encourages you to walk around your physical surroundings. Your mobile device becomes a window into a post-apocalyptic alternate reality. You participate in extending the Enklave world by scouting out real life buildings which function as shelters (enklaves) for the remaining survivors within the game. In a departure from similar games which make gameplay tedious, Enklave is designed to automate the trivial tasks and let you focus on the important tasks without staring at the screen all the time.

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  • The walk looks fun, unfortunately i'm not gonna pay $5 for an app which I have no idea if I'll even use it for more than 5 minutes, do you know of any free ones? Run an empire also looks good can't wait for that to be deployed.
    – Aequitas
    Nov 24 '15 at 2:09
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    You can always try it during the 15 minute grace period the Play Store offers. Anyway, I'll look around and try to think of some gratis alternatives.
    – Huey
    Nov 24 '15 at 2:11
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Pokemon Go is now available in most places in the world.

It is an extremely popular game based on your real life location. You need to go looking for Pokemon to catch and for Pokestops to refill your items.

There are also gyms scattered around which you can battle in.

Eggs are speed sensitive so you must walk in order to hatch them. Getting to gyms and hunting Pokemon can be done easily via any other means of transportation.

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If you have a Fitbit, you can try FitRPG which aims to "gamify" Fitbit.

There are several different apps which are similar to FitRPG (such as StepBOT) in that they work with your Fitbit's step count. You use your step count to advance your character in the game.

Read more and download here

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Project Tango is a smartphone and tablet project by Google.

The "Project Tango" is an Android smartphone-like device which tracks the 3D motion of the device, and creates a 3D model of the environment around it.

The device would come with a 7-inch screen, two back cameras and infrared depth sensors.

On 28 May 2015 the Tango tablet became available for purchase via the Google Store.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Tango

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  • AFAIK, it's not a game though.
    – Andrew T.
    Nov 24 '15 at 9:05
  • @AndrewT. but it is poised to become a video game platform
    – Oceinic
    Nov 24 '15 at 9:11

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