A recent spat of long travel times allowed us to dig deep into Google Play Android Games and uncover a handful of really great games. The first of our findings are presented below for your gaming pleasure! Don't leave home without stocking your phone with awesomeness!

The links below point to Google's official web version of the Google Play Android Games, allowing you to download and install games to your phone right from your browser. We also recommend AppBrain for a more full-featured web-to-phone experience.

Alien Defender - There's something to be said about simple games, especially on the mobile platform! Alien Defender is a basic arcade-style shooting game that features waves of alien enemies streaming in from the top of the screen. Sitting at the base of your phone is you, tiny pixel ship, firing a constant barrage of bullets and trying to keep the bad guys at bay. Collect power-ups to shield your craft and restore health, and keep an eye out for orbs that fill your missile and supergun powers, as they're really quite handy! Excellent for short bursts of play, and three difficulty modes let you customize how much punishment you take.

Traque - Roguelike RPGs are slowly taking over the mobile platforms, but most of them are sloppy and rather un-fun. Traque, on the other hand, is anything but. Featuring big pixel visuals and simple, compelling gameplay, you control a hero who has fallen down a dungeon (oops) and is working to get out. Tap the sides of the screen to move in that direction, and ram into enemies to attack them. To regain health, simply stand still for a few moments, but be careful, as enemies are still active during this time. You can open doors and break cracked blocks by bumping into them, and treasure chests contain some really useful items. Work your way deeper into the dungeon as you gain levels and encounter increasingly dangerous foes!

Forbidden Brakes - A great little retro-styled arcade racing game that's for too entertaining for its own good. Seriously, why is this so fun?! Eight unique tracks with time challenge, ghost races, and championship modes available, and a good variety of locations to check out while you squeal around tight curves. The computer-controlled opponents are surprisingly aggressive, and the controls are spot-on: hold the left side of the screen to steer left, the right side to steer right. The free Forbidden Brakes Lite is also available, and you should definitely give it a shot!

NOTE: Games listed may not be available outside of North America. Prices are subject to change and are therefore unlisted. Please see the individual game pages for purchasing info. Games have been confirmed to run on Android 2.2 on an HTC Incredible.