I have $21 in expiring Google play store credit. What Android games should I get? [GA Added!]

expiring, how?

Chaos Rings III is a pretty good RPG by Square Enix

I don't have many games on my Android, so this'll be an awfully short recommendations list

If you're into sandbox games, I absolutely recommend Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, partially because I'm biased towards this game due to fond memories I have of playing this on the PS2 until the game disc became unusable way back when, and partially because the other GTA games I've played (Which are III and Vice City, I haven't played any others) don't compare to SA, and not just because they're graphically inferior to SA. Only downside is that GTA: SA will drain your battery quickly, and it did crash a few times on my Samsung Galaxy S5.

I hear that Door Kickers is a really good real-time strategy game, I've yet to get back to playing this. Eventually.

If you crave games that you can play in short bursts of time instead of long-term sessions, I recommend Downwell and Organ trail. One's a roguelike where you kill enemies by firing bullets from your shoes, and the other one is "Oregon Trail meets Zombie Apocalypse". I'd also recommend that, when you start playing Organ Trail, buy the in-game purchases, they add a LOT of new content to the game.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/GAME/collection/topselling_paid?hl=en

I've recently enjoyed Mini Metro, and all four of Sourcery! games.

I'm in a similar position, I've amassed a heavy chunk of Play credit, but there is so little to spend it on.

Most of the games fall into one of three categories:

1) They are "free" with ads. And many these days don't even allow you to pay to get rid of the ads.

2) Ridiculously expensive. Just because I'm not using real money, doesn't mean I'm ok spending £19 on a Prof Layton game, or £15 on some Sqenix RPG.

3) A copy of a game you've already got on Steam, and you don't want or need a version in your pocket.

Every time I see a thread of "What to spend my Play wallet on" people eventually start suggesting movies ( piss cheap for rental, expensive to buy outright ) or to get a subscription, like Play Music or Evernote. It's the subscription that really puts into perspective how little money you actually have...Evernote, which I love and almost can't live without would be nearly $100 a year! ( or, $50 for the 2nd best tier ).

That said, if you don't have Crashlands yet, it's a good investment. It plays so well, and if you have it on Steam too, you sync up and play EXACTLY where you left from your phone. Which means, you can play at night on you PC, then on your commute to work/school, carry on playing. Then when you get home, pick up and go on the bigger screen. It's quite lovely.

Don't Starve is available on playstore

isn't there a app which takes Google play store credit for a Virtual credit card?

I recommend you some nice useful app which you can use in real life on your mobile/tablet for long time.

For instance, some high quality language learning app. Free apps have lots of advertisements and blocked content, but if you do some research, you can find the very best, which will not be free most likely. Language apps is my #1 investment point in Google Play store.

If you are not interested in languages, I believe you may come up with something useful for your self. Some comfy note-maker/organizer if you can think of using such, apps for secure connection to home automation/pc, or just comfy audio-player which fixes something your free app irritatingly lacks if you are listening to music often. Advanced camera app if you are taking pictures often.. you name it.

edit translator programs including on-the-go translation from camera feed (if you travel these could be great)
Btw games are cheaper to get from HB if you are patient enough to follow their android bundles

Don't Starve
Terraria
Final Fantasy III

Rayman jungle run looks pretty fun.

Also the room 1, 2 and 3 are great puzzle games.

I have gotten so far:
80 Days: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inkle.eightydays&rdid=com.inkle.eightydays
Crashlands: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bscotch.crashlands
Tales of Illyria:Fallen Knight: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.littlekillerz.ringstrail
Republique: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.camouflaj.republique
The Room: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.FireproofStudios.TheRoom

You say you have Baldur's Gate, but do you have Planescape: Torment?

I have played Torment a few dozen times over the years. :) I don't need another copy for my phone.

Tasker!

I am currently playing Crashlands on my smartphone and it's amazing ;)

I also strongly reccomend getting DraStic if you end up with spare money - it's the best, most stable and most advanced DS emulator for Android and having DS emulator will basically mean dozens of great playable games for your smartphone ;)

My time has come once again.

First and foremost this site will be your best friend. You can check the price history (to a point) and if there is a current sale on a Mobile game. I'd suggest TouchArcade but that's more for reviews and crushing your hopes of a good game when you find out its just on the IOS. I've gotten a lot of games for free thanks to it warning me there was a free deal on them. Quality, naturally, varies.

I must warn you that I avoid Action-RPGs, plaftormers, and most action games in general on the Android as I hate having to use the touchscreen for the controls and they tends to make the pad heat up faster for me. Puzzle games, adventure games, point-and-click, RPGs, and Strategy games are what I tend to be on the lookout for. Also at the end of the list are two categories containing games I've played first on other systems (mostly PC or DS) and a list of games that I've not actually played yet but look amazing and I recommend looking into them.

Puzzle/Adventure

• Agent A is a point-and-click "Escape The Room" style game. There's supposed to be more released for it but I've not seen word of it yet.
• A Good Snowman is Hard to Build Has been ported to the PC but it was/is cheaper here.
• Faraway: Puzzle Escape is a mostly free escape-the-area style puzzle game. Each level is its own puzzle and roughly half of the full game is free. The other half you pay for but there is a three pack "bundle" that costs just $3 for the last 9 levels.
• Prune - Essentially you're trimming a growing tree so that its stems can bloom into flowers. Its a lot more fun than I made it sound.
• The Room Series - I know these are on Steam with a bit more bump up in looks and probably bug-fixes but these are overall cheaper (especially if on sale again) and very nice point-and-click/room escape puzzle games.
• Lara Croft GO - Has since been ported to the PC, this is currently on sale for $1 and is possibly the best out of all the SquareEnix GO games. Deus Ex GO is the hardest (to me anyway) but the story feels like its just been slapped over a series of puzzles rather than progressing naturally. Hitman GO is the first and is more like playing chess or some other board game, but as the first it is not as good as the later titles. Lara Croft has a better balance of story (shown in actions not words), look, and puzzle design.
• Layton Brothers Mystery Room - The first few chapters are free, the rest are purchased. It feels more like the lovechild of Layton and Phoenix Wright series than the actual crossover game ever did. Here instead of solving random puzzles while exploring a town, you examine crime scenes and try to prove who is the killer by showing the evidence at the right moments to witnesses.
• Legend of the Skyfish - Has ALSO been ported to the PC. I'm recommending it as a level-based Zelda-style adventure game but I cannot fully recommend it as the control system frustrated me far too much here. Maybe its gotten better. Maybe not. Hopefully the Steam version has better controls.
• Ghost of Memories - There is a demo version also available so you can see if you like it but its a nice if strange puzzle game where you interact with platforms, spinning wheels, and colored light panels to progress to the end. Probably more but I got stuck and forgot to continue.
• Monument Valley - It is Monument Valley. A rather trippy puzzle game with a dash of M.C. Escher.

RPGs

• Steven Universe Attack the Light - Its a very solid RPG set in the Steven Universe show. Not for everyone if you're not a fan but who knows.
• ChemCaper if it works on your system. Chemistry themed monster making RPG. Wish I could say more about it but it hates my touchpad.
• EvoCreo - When you have a hankering for Pokemon but can't afford Pokemon, this is enough like Pokemon to scratch that itch. Keep in mind there are other Pokemon-like games on Mobile but this is one of the really good ones. Plus there is a Lite version (effectively a demo) that goes up to just after the first gym.

CYOA

• The Lifeline Series is pretty nice. You do have to wait a bit at times though. Keep in mind some stories are better than others and some feel weird due to the premise.

Strategy

• This War of Mine has since been ported to the PC but if I remember its still a lot cheaper here. I got it for like $2 on sale. A survival game in a war torn city, but rather than other survival games I've seen where you're alone or have incredible skills this is normal people stuck in a shitty situation.

Played but not on Mobile

• Apollo Justice - Legitimately have no idea what changes are made aside from updated graphics. Too expensive for me to warrant checking it out without a sale.
• The World Ends With You - A strange mix of Action RPG and BeatEmUp with a sort of special attack marbles minigame. That being said its an awesome game and this version has a lot of work put into it, but not a good enough reason yet for me to blow up so much on it.
• I Am Level - A puzzle-platformer where instead of controlling the character you control the level itself.
• Rusty Lake Games - The Cube Escape series (9 titles so far, the last not on mobile yet) is a unnerving but very solid escape the room series. Some titles have several endings, all are like a twisted fairytale where there is a horrific logic to everything, and the two Rusty Lake paid titles (which are on Steam and bundled together) are more of a side-story that you don't have to have played the rest of the titles to understand what to do.
• Final Fantasy Tactics: War of the Lions - A port of the PSP version of the PS title Final Fantasy Tactics, I have no idea how they worked this port or if there's any major problems with it. That being said its $6 on sale right now so if you want to buy it now is a good enough time.

Haven't Played but Looks Amazing

• Layton's Mystery Journey - The newest Layton game starring his daughter. A bit expensive though but its a brand new Layton title.
• After The End Its a puzzle adventure game but while I have it I haven't gotten far enough to get a feel for it yet.
• Chaos Rings III - A new(er) Square-Enix RPG series that, frustratingly enough, has had the previous titles in the series removed from at least the 3DS stores. That being said it looks amazing. Again: expensive but this is the case with most SE mobile games.
• Cosmic Express - A puzzle game where you're setting up train routes in a bubble dome modular space colony.
• Framed - Has a sequel coming out, Framed is a comic-book panel style puzzle game.
• Causality - Time mechanics puzzle game. I have issues with time mechanics but this looks very good.