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As we approach New Year's Eve, it's high time we share with you our favorite Arab games that came out this year. And boy were they plenty... fortunately we have been testing out and reviewing a big bunch. We even hosted Battle of the Games back in Riyadh 2014. Anywho, here are our favorites in no particular order:

Trombiya is an Arabic game set in the 80's and 90's back when young Moroccans used to play it in the streets. You get to move the Trombiya by moving your tablet or phone as it responds to gravity-like physics. It is an arcade/puzzle game, where players are challenged to master the Trombiya, resolve the puzzles, and arrive to the destination as fast as possible. The game is available on iTunes and Google Play.

Almwajawa is a multiplayer trivia challenge. In the few months since its initial launch the app has featured on the App Store’s main page in seven Arab countries. The app includes over 12,000 questions spread over 12 categories, and it’s free! Only personal performance stats and customizable backgrounds are paid options.

The game was developed by AlfaApps, a mobile development house founded by Syrian born entrepreneur Ayham Gorani, who cofounded WidgetLabs in 2007 in Germany. “we have seen a similar concept in Europe and we thought it would be something for this region seeing that Arabs grew up with Quiz Shows in TV. We decided to do it, and after 3 months of hard work we launched it on both iOS and Android.” 

"Tribal Rivals” also known as فزعة is an exciting combat strategy game set in early 20th century Arab peninsula. The game boasts an epic story of vengeance, leadership, and persistence that will lead you to building a village, training troops, starting your own tribe, or joining one. You get to wage battles against enemies and thousands of other players to lead your tribe to desert domination.

The game can be likened to the popular “Clash of Clans”. The game is free to play, with in-app purchases that will speed up your progress.

The game is currently available on iOS and Android free of charge.

Charbaka is a multiplayer Arabic word game that hails from Lebanon, where players share a grid of 16 letters and compete by trying to find as many words as they can within two minutes. Users can only play for a limited number of times each day. When playing rounds, power ups can used to stop the clock, get word hints or scramble the grid. Charbaka targets players of all ages, and it is free to download on Android.

Girnaas, a local app & game company based in Qatar created “Giddam” which means “forward ahead”. This is a multiplayer side-scrolling, racing/platform game, with a unique Qatari spin. The characters are grumpy Ali, plump-and-round Um AlThahab (Bigmama), smirky Rashid, and Farawla (Strawberry). They race through cartoon-Qatar on foot, in posh cars or by bicycle, passing through palm-riddle deserts and cities filled with mosques and skyscrapers. Players can use Karak tea, A’qal, Zanuba, or Eshrij to trap and get ahead of their opponents, and have up to 5 online partners- and chat with other gamers on Google Play and iTunes.

Fairytales Gang is an Android running game created by Maysalward, Jordan. Players need to help Santa and his buddies free the elves from an evil gang wearing paper bags on their heads. Run through the streets and jump over fences and water canals to collect gifts and coins to free the North Pole brethren. Some weird obstacles are on the way such as a dog on a canon and nails on the ground, and you might just run into Cinderella or get lost in a magical forest. While the game is free to download and play, you can purchase “power gadgets” for a boost.

Escape from Paradise is a Puzzle and action game that follows the adventures of a mystical creature trying to escape from paradise, and your job is to navigate Devi, a constantly bouncing, ball-like creature through a 2D world, avoiding various obstacles and collecting mushrooms, potions and gifts within a time limit. The controls are limited to tapping on the left and right hand side of the screen. There are 5 themed worlds, each made up of 30 increasingly challenging levels, for a total of 150.

The team tried to envision what certain landscapes would look like had they been in heaven. The game is available on Facebook, Android, iOS Lite, and iOS Full.

Football Rush is a single and multiplayer football game that can be played on both Facebook and Google Play. Unlike more traditional games, going through levels means reaching bosses and players with superpowers. You also get to upgrade your squad’s abilities to complement the game’s increasing difficulty. Which means the excitement keeps building up. Upgrades can be bought though it’s easy to get passed many levels before you might need to do that.

Zero Age is a game Described as an ‘atmospheric puzzle adventure’ by its Lebanese creators, it features neon landscapes combined with renditions of classical masterpieces by Russian pianist Sergei Rachmaninov that inspire haunting lonesomeness and intrigue.

You control the protagonist, a chibi wizard, and help him journey across dreamlike terrains of a celestial island dominated by imposing fluorescent cube structures, where you make use of moving blocks and beams to build bridges and stairs, teleport and block harmful lasers to get through.

The game is exclusive to iPads 2 and above, although best experienced on the 4th generation device or newer. It sells for $2.99. Get it here.

 
"Harwel Ya Wahesh", a 2D smartphone game developed by Na3M Games , based in Amman, Jordan; saw an unexpected success as the game was listed among the "best new games" in the Apple App Store, Middle East; and it was the third most downloaded game in KSA.

You control a camel called Faisal that runs automatically, and all you have to do is get him to jump over obstacles  on different surfaces or avoid weird enemy creatures.  The camel can also blow fire on enemies and fly using a flying carpet where he might face rockets. 'Harwel Ya Wahesh' is available, free of charge, on Android  and iOS.