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Home / News / Drop everything and download: Hatch

Drop everything and download: Hatch

Play Android games on demand – for free, with no downloads and no IAPs

There are loads of great Android games, even if you’re a massive cheapskate. But Hatch tries something new – games on demand, entirely for free, and without you even having to download them before you play.

The press release coos about Hatch being “the Netflix of gaming for mobile”, but this kind of streaming tech will be familiar to a great many gamers already.

That said, this is the first time it’s been unleashed so audaciously on mobile, providing free access to gems like Hitman GO, Leo’s Fortune, and Mini Metro.

What does it do?

What does it do?

In short, Hatch provides you with access to a slew of Android games, entirely for free. You install the Hatch app, sign up for an account, select a game, and before long can start playing it. Everything’s really that simple.

There’s a social component too. You can keep yourself to yourself, but should you jammily manage to complete Threes! (in which case, be aware that Stuff – and everyone else – will hate you), you can share the happy moment with other people on Hatch.

This probably all sounds a bit too good to be true, but it all works as expected. Pretty much.

Where’s the catch, Hatch?

Where’s the catch, Hatch?

The most obvious problem with Hatch is you’re streaming as you play. So you may chew through your mobile data allocation when blazing through Rayman Fiesta Run while queuing for a bus.

Here at Stuff, we also noticed some minor problems with the beta. Games took a while to load, the jaunty audio in Threes! was noticeably lo-fi, and the zoomy bits in Leo’s Fortune were glitchy. The games were always responsive, mind, and felt like the original premium Android titles – only playing on a phone that’s seen better days.

Still, they’re free, many of the included games are fab, and at the very least you can use Hatch to test games you might like to buy.

Profile image of Craig Grannell Craig Grannell Contributor

About

I’m a regular contributor to Stuff magazine and Stuff.tv, covering apps, games, Apple kit, Android, Lego, retro gaming and other interesting oddities. I also pen opinion pieces when the editor lets me, getting all serious about accessibility and predicting when sentient AI smart cookware will take over the world, in a terrifying mix of Bake Off and Terminator.

Areas of expertise

Mobile apps and games, Macs, iOS and tvOS devices, Android, retro games, crowdfunding, design, how to fight off an enraged smart saucepan with a massive stick.

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