Don’t tell your kids: Disney games for your Lumia

Games for kids of all ages (even the grown-ups) can be found throughout the Disney collection.

If you want to keep your Lumia to yourself, don’t tell your kids about the Disney games in the Windows Phone Store. You may never get your phone back.

With familiar faces and games for all ages and skill levels, the collection of Disney games in the Windows Phone Store is certain to put a smile on the face of even the most cranky child, and perhaps give you a little quiet time, too. 

While the games aren’t necessarily new, the quality is there, and for fans of Disney characters, the gang is all here. Why don’t we consider some of the available choices by age – we’ll start with the games for the youngsters first.

One of the newest offerings, and the only free one of the bunch, isWhere’s My Water 2, featuring Swampy, that alligator who is always in need of a shower. Your job: get him some water so he can clean up. There are plenty of obstacles in the way, duckies to collect (and occasionally avoid) – and power-ups too – with loads of levels to keep young players entertained for hours. Honestly, some of the levels require a bit of finesse to finish properly, and patience is rewarded.

  

If you like the “Where’s My” style of water-guiding game, you will also find a Mickey version (he needs water to make lemonade for some very thirsty tourists at the beach); and one featuring Perry the Platypus from the Disney cartoon “Phineas and Ferb” (he’s stuck in a perpetual tube that requires water to be channeled in his direction so he can shoot to the next level).

  

Next up, for a slighter older gamer is Monsters University, a paid game, and a pretty big download (in part due to video content in the app) that brings you that little one-eye Monster Mike Wazowski who seems to be having all sort of trouble. To begin, there are two different racing-style games, where you avoid obstacles, grab coins and do you best to be fast. Those stubby little monster legs move pretty quick, actually. Eventually, you can progress to be other Monsters in the game. For fans of the Movie, the animations in this one are quite fun. 

Moving on, and moving up in age, we have the games tied to Wreck it Ralph. The characters, straight from the movie of the same name, show up for five different games, each with a different animation style and of course different modes of play. Each one is quite detailed, and the app makes great use of the panorama format of Windows Phone to show off the games – each page features its own title.

  

Start out with Fix-It Felix, an ode to the classic 8-bit style where you must quickly climb and repair the damage that big old Ralph leaves behind; and then move on to Sugar Rush Sweet Climber, which is a bouncing, never-ending (until you miss) climber-style game featuring Ralph once again only this time he is surrounded by a candy-coated world. After that you have a racing game, and two different shooter games – something for everyone really. And, with each game, you have the option to login with Facebook to compare scores against your friends.

Then we come to the last game in our round-up, which the grown-up are certain to appreciate just as much as the kiddies: Temple Run: Oz. First off, this game is visually stunning. If you thought the graphics in the other “Temple Run” games were good, this will blow your mind just a little. Prepare to be chased by Flying Monkeys – and these fellas look mean. You begin on a path that looks a little like a Yellow Brick Road and you run as fast as you can, collecting coins, avoiding obstacles of all shapes and size (flowers that dart out to grab you!?) , and do your best to not die.

  

With tilt-controls and swiping gestures to move around (plus jump and slide), the pace of the game is frantic, but glorious. You only wish you had more time to stop and look around – the scenery that surrounds you is fantastic (there’s even a part where you ride in a hot air balloon), and well worth the price of admission for this movie tie-in game.

Which Disney game do you – or your kids – like best? Share your favorite in the Comments below.