I love playing mobile games, but sometimes I can’t help but feel like they would be better on a PC. Enter Google Play Games—Google’s solution for bringing Android gaming to your desktop.

Google Play Games Brings Your Favorite Mobile Games to PC

First things first, let’s start by clearing up any confusion. While there is a mobile app called Google Play Games for discovering new games and tracking your achievements, that’s not what we’re discussing here. The Google Play Games we’re referring to is Google’s platform for playing Android games on a PC.

Google Play Games functions similarly to other Android emulators like Bluestacks by creating a virtual Android environment where you can run Android apps. However, unlike Bluestacks, Google Play Games is an official tool designed exclusively for gaming.

The app is still in beta, but Google highlights several advantages that make it worth considering. There are supposed to be improved graphics, better controls, and seamless progress syncing between your phone and PC.

I put all that to the test by playing some of my favorite games on it.

How to Set Up Google Play Games

The first thing you need to do before setting up Google Play Games is make sure your PC meets the minimum requirements. You will need at least:

• Windows 10 (v2004)
• Solid state drive (SSD) with 10 GB of available storage space
• Intel UHD Graphics 630 GPU or comparable
• 4 CPU physical cores
• 8 GB of RAM
• Windows admin account
• Hardware virtualization must be turned on

Once you’ve confirmed that your PC meets these requirements, you can proceed with the setup.

Head to the Google Play Games website and download and install the application. Next, sign into your Google account, and, just like that, you can browse and install any games you want.

I chose 3 of my favorite Android games to test out Google Play Games’ capabilities. They are: Alto’s Odyssey, Botworld Adventure, and Asphalt Legends.

Alto’s Odyssey Looks Even Better on My PC

Alto’s Odyssey is a simple game, but one of the reasons I love it is because it’s so visually stunning. It uses simple 2D graphics, but they’re so thoughtfully designed that they create a serene and beautiful atmosphere that helps the game stand out. Paired with the immaculate sound design, the game is easily one of the most visually and aurally pleasing experiences on a mobile—at least for me.

Playing the game on PC amplified this experience tenfold. The larger screen allowed me to truly appreciate the little details that I missed on my phone’s display. It felt like I was rediscovering the game anew.

The controls were pretty smooth, but to be fair, Alto’s Odyssey isn’t control-heavy. The gameplay mostly involves tap-and-hold mechanics, which were replaced with the spacebar or right-click on my PC. Google Play Games also lets you remap controls by pressing Shift+Tab, but I stuck with the defaults because they worked perfectly for me.

I loved how seamlessly the game synced my progress between my devices. I can see myself playing on my PC when I need a short break from work, and carrying over that progress on my phone when I want a more portable gaming experience.

The only downside I encountered was the ads. Occasionally, I’d come across a specific type of ad that wouldn’t let me close it—the cancel button was completely unresponsive. I was forced to quit and restart the game anytime this happened, which was frustrating but thankfully rare.

Emulating BotWorld Adventure Means Not Spending Money on the PC Version

The next game I tried was Botworld Adventure. After installing the game on Google Play Games for PC, I logged in with my account, and my progress synced seamlessly—no hassle whatsoever.

Performance-wise, the game ran smoothly on my PC, but unlike Alto’s Odyssey, I didn’t find much benefit in playing it on a larger screen. The graphics, while charmingly simple on my phone, didn’t translate as well to a bigger display.

Controls were another slight letdown. On my phone, I can play the game with a joystick or by tapping where I want to go. I had hoped that the PC version would offer more flexibility—perhaps keyboard controls and controller support. Unfortunately, neither was available.

Interestingly, there’s a PC version of Botworld Adventure on Steam called Botworld Odyssey. This version supports controllers and boasts slightly improved visuals, but after trying the free demo, I wasn’t convinced it was worth the $25 price tag. The improvements are nice, but not game-changing, and with Google Play Games allowing me to emulate the mobile version for free, paying for the Steam version just didn’t make sense.

Asphalt Legends Looks Good and Plays Even Better.

Playing Asphalt Legends on Google Play Games was the highlight of my Google Play Games experience. The game looked stunning on a larger screen. The extra real estate allowed the graphics to shine, although it also made flaws like texture flickering more noticeable.

The controls were another standout feature. If you’re familiar with the game, you know it offers two play styles: “TouchDrive,” which requires minimal input, and full manual control. I experimented with both and found that all control options worked seamlessly.

I also connected my DualShock 4 controller, and to my surprise, it worked perfectly. Playing with a controller was a significant upgrade compared to the touchscreen experience on my phone, and it made the game feel much more immersive and enjoyable.

Should You Play Your Android Games on a PC?

So far, every game I’ve tried on Google Play Games has run smoothly, and overall, it feels like a solid Android emulator. That said, there are a few caveats to keep in mind.

First, Google Play Games is still missing a lot of popular Android titles. Heavy hitters like Call of Duty Mobile and Genshin Impact are noticeably absent. While new games are being added regularly, it could take a while for your favorites to make the jump.

It’s also not as powerful as some other emulators. For example, unlike Bluestacks, Google Play Games doesn’t support multi-instancing, which limits your ability to play multiple game sessions simultaneously.

Another thing to note is that not all the games on Google Play Games are fully optimized for PC. Look out for the little tag that lets you know whether a game has been optimized for PC or is merely PC compatible, as this can make or break your gaming experience.

If you’re serious about Android gaming, and you can live with the trade-offs, give Google Play Games a shot. I can already think of a few games with console-quality graphics that would benefit from the switch from a phone to a PC.