Google Play awards Pokémon TCG Pocket as Best Game 2025
Google unveiled the winners of its 'Best of 2025' selection for the Play Store, awarding top honours to two iconic apps - one for productivity and one for gaming.
And the winner is... Mountain View celebrates its 'Oscars', or rather the excellencies of 2025 with the traditional 'Google Play Best of' ranking. Pokémon TCG Pocket takes the title of best game of the year with numbers that speak for themselves: more than 50 million downloads and 1.5 million reviews within a few months of launch. "We felt Pokémon TCG Pocket had exceeded our expectations," said the Google Play editorial team, "thanks to its ability to offer an authentic version of the physical card game while conveying the joy of collecting." The digital transposition of the famous trading card game keeps the original mechanics intact, relying on two key elements: the daily opening of free packs and a maniacal attention to the graphic detail of the cards, including the new 'immersive' versions with 3D effect that evoke the same satisfaction of handling real cards.
The success of Pokémon TCG Pocket is part of a broader trend highlighted by the Google rankings: established intellectual properties dominate the mobile market. Disney Speedstorm wins as best multi-device game with its kart-racing formula applied to Disney characters, while for PC via Google Play Games Odin: Valhalla Rising, MMORPG set in Norse mythology, stands out.
However, there was no shortage of indie surprises: Chants of Sennaar won the 'best independent game' award for 'creativity, artistic depth and originality', while Disco Elysium won the 'best story' category for its layered narrative. WutheringWaves won 'best ongoing series' for its constant updates that keep the community alive.
On the app front, the top prize goes to Focus Friend by Hank Green, described as a 'cozy, gamified focus timer'. The app combines a concentration timer with Tamagotchi-like mechanics: each completed work session earns virtual rewards to decorate the room of 'Bean Friend', the digital character to look after. A formula that Google considers effective in improving productivity without resorting to overly 'aggressive' solutions against distractions.
Other award-winning categories included Edits (Instagram clip editing app) for creative fun, Wiser for 15-minute audiobooks designed for those with little time, and Luminar for artificial intelligence-based photo editing that ensures continuity across all devices.
