Taking the crown for the best overall app of the year is Imprint: Learn Visually. This app dishes out bite-sized lessons infused with visual storytelling, giving life to concepts. With it, you can dive into psychology, history, health, technology, and more in a new and engaging way.
Claiming the title of the best game for 2023 is Honkai: Star Rail, a sci-fi spectacle boasting outstanding content depth, stunning visuals, and thoughtful design. With a sprinkle of lore and character backstories woven into the game, Honkai: Star Rail offers enduring entertainment for both seasoned role-playing game enthusiasts and newcomers alike.
Securing the top spot in the Best Multi-device App category is Spotify, sharing the limelight with the game OUTERPLANE – Strategy Anime. Play’s editors took notice of OUTERPLANE’s “ability to easily work across multiple devices,” setting it apart from other turn-based strategy experiences on Play.
Now, let’s see what the users have to say about the cream of the crop in apps, games, and books for this year. Not surprisingly, given the rapid integration of AI into our lives, Google Play’s users have crowned ChatGPT as the best app for 2023. OpenAI’s chatbot has gained such popularity that even Elon Musk, who is working on his own generative AI chatbot named Grok, remarked that “ChatGPT is scary good.”
Best apps of 2023
- Best for Fun: Bumble For Friends: Meet IRL
- Best for Personal Growth: Voidpet Garden: Mental Health
- Best Everyday Essential: Artifact: Feed Your Curiosity
- Best Hidden Gem: Aware: Mindfulness & Wellbeing
- Best with AI: Character AI: AI-Powered Chat
- Best for Families: Paw Patrol Academy
- Best App for Good: AWorld in support of ActNow
- Best for Watches: WhatsApp Messenger
- Best for Tablets: Concepts: Sketch, Note, Draw
- Best for Chromebooks: FlipaClip: Create 2D Animation
- Best for Google TV: Max: Stream HBO, TV, & Movies
- Best for Cars: Amazon Prime Video
Best games of 2023
- Best Multiplayer: Farlight 84
- Best Pick Up & Play: MONOPOLY GO!
- Best Indies: Vampire Survivors
- Best Story: Honkai: Star Rail
- Best Ongoing: Stumble Guys
- Best Games for Good: Pokémon Sleep
- Best on Play Pass: Magic Rampage
- Best for Tablets: Honkai: Star Rail
- Best for Chromebooks: Minecraft
- Best for Google Play Games on PC: Arknights
Best books of 2023
- “In the Lives of Puppets” by TJ Klune
- “The Covenant of Water” by Abraham Verghese
- “All the Sinners Bleed: A Novel” by S.A. Cosby
- “Bellies: A Novel” by Nicola Dinan
- “The Art of Scandal” by Regina Black
- “Hijab Butch Blues: A Memoir” by Lamya H
- “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros
- “Girls Like Girls” by Hayley Kiyoko
- “Boys Weekend” by Mattie Lubchansky
- “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin
