How to find a game on Android if you forgot the name: a complete guide

You remember how you had fun playing some game on your smartphone, but the trouble is, you forgot its name. Perhaps you deleted it by accident, changed your phone, or simply can’t remember what it was called. The situation is familiar to many: according to Google Play, users install an average of 30-40 games per year, but remember the names of only 10-15% of them. Fortunately, there are several proven ways to find a forgotten game on Androideven if you don’t remember anything other than approximate gameplay or design.

In this article we will look at all the possible methods - from viewing the history of installations in Google Play to using specialized services for finding games using screenshots. You will learn how to restore access to your favorite game, even if you don’t remember its name or developer. And if the game has been removed from the store, we will tell you where else it can be found. Let's start with the simplest and most obvious methods, gradually moving on to more advanced techniques.

1. Check your installation history on Google Play

The fastest way to find a forgotten game is to look at your account's download history Google. This method works even if you changed your phone or deleted the game several months ago. History saves all installed applications, including those that were uninstalled.

To view the list:

• 📱 Open the application Google Play Market on your phone.
• 👤 Click on the icon profile in the upper right corner.
• 📋 Select the item Manage applications and devices → Management.
• 🔍 Go to the tab Installed or Not installed (if the game removed).
• 🔎 Use the search bar at the top to filter the list by keywords (for example, "racing", "shooter", "farm").

If the game was installed a long time ago, the list can be very long. To narrow your search, sort applications by installation date: Sort → Recent. This will help you remember when approximately you played it.

⚠️ Attention: Installation history in Google Play stores data only for the most recent ones 2-3 years. If the game has been uninstalled before, this method may not work. In this case, proceed to the following methods.

2. Use screenshots or screen recordings

If you took screenshots while playing or streamed/recorded gameplay, your chances of finding the game increase significantly. Even a partial image of the interface, logo or gameplay will help to identify it through an image search.

Where to look for screenshots:

• 📁 Folder Screenshots or Pictures/Screenshots in the phone gallery.
• 🖼️ Cloud storage: Google Photos, Yandex Drive, Dropbox (if automatic download is enabled).
• 🎮 Social networks: VK, Telegram, Discord — perhaps you shared your successes in the game with friends.
• 📹 Screen recordings in a folder Movies/Screenrecordings or in applications like AZ Screen Recorder.

The found screenshot can be uploaded to search engines using the image:

• 🔍 Google Pictures (images.google.com) - click on the icon camera in the search bar.
• 🔎 Yandex Pictures - similar functionality.
• 🤖 Specialized services like SauceNAO or IQDB (well found anime games).

How to improve search results from a screenshot?

Cut off unnecessary elements (notification panels, keyboard), leave only the game interface.

If there is text on the screenshot (level name, button), try entering it into the Google Play search bar.

Use keywords in English - many games do not have Russian names in the store.

If the game was recorded on video, you can take a screenshot from the frame and search for it, or upload the video to YouTube and use the content recognition function (sometimes the system prompts the name of the game in recommendations).

3. Search by keywords and genres

If you remember at least the game genre, basic mechanics or graphic style, you can try to find it through an advanced search in Google Play or specialized catalogs. This method requires patience, but often produces results.

Step 1. Determine the key characteristics:

• 🎮 Genre: arcade, strategy, RPG, simulator, puzzle, racing, etc.
• 🖌️ Graphics style: 2D/3D, pixel, cartoon, realistic, anime.
• 🎯 Gameplay: first-person shooter, platformer, clicker, Tamagotchi, tower defense.
• 🏆 Features: multiplayer, offline, with purchases, free, open world.

Step 2. Use filters in Google Play:

1. Open Google Play Market and go to the section Games.
2. Click Categories and select the appropriate genre.
3. Apply additional filters: Free/Paid, Rating, Age restrictions.
4. In the search bar, enter combinations of keywords, for example:
   • farm simulator 3D offline
   • racing on cars with a top view for free
   • rpg with an open world and craft 2023

Step 3. Browse the tops and selections:

• 📊 Section Top paid/free on Google Play (games often get into the tops by genres).
• 🌍 Sites like Metacritic, IGDB, GameFAQs —there are filters by platform (Android) and genres.
• 📱 Channels on YouTube with reviews of mobile games (for example, Mobile Gaming, TouchGameplay).

Game genre	Search keywords	Examples of popular games
Simulators	farm, city, life, survival, construction	Hay Day, The Sims Mobile, Last Day on Earth
Racing	cars, motorcycles, drift, tracks, arcade	Asphalt 9, Real Racing 3, Hill Climb Racing
RPG	open world, dungeons, magicians, swords, craft	Genshin Impact, Black Desert Mobile, Torrament
Puzzles	logic, puzzles, three in a row, physics, escape	Candy Crush, Monument Valley, The Room

4. Restore data from backups

If you regularly backed up your phone, the chances of finding a forgotten game increase. Android saves lists of installed applications in backups, even if the games themselves were not archived. Here's how to check:

Method 1. Google Drive (if backup is enabled):

• 📱 Go to Settings → Google → Backup.
• 🔄 Make sure function Backup to Google Drive enabled.
• 📄 Open Google Drive on your computer, find the section Backups and check the lists of applications from old backups.

Method 2. Local backups (via Titanium Backup or Swift Backup):

• 🛠️ Install the backup application (required root access for full access).
• 📂 Check the list of archived applications - there may be data about deleted games.
• 🔍 Export the list to a file and search by keywords.

Method 3. Old devices or SD cards:

• 📱 If you still have an old phone, check the section in it Settings → Applications (tab All).
• 💾 A folder with game data can be saved on the SD card (for example, Android/obb/[package name]).

⚠️ Attention: Restoring from backups may lead to conflicts with current versions of applications. If the game is found, it is better to install it again from Google Playrather than restoring the old version.

5. Search by title fragments or developer

Sometimes we do not remember the entire name of the game, but only part of it, an abbreviation or the name of the developer. For example, the game could be called "Clash of..." or be from the studio "Supercell". In such cases, searching by fragments will help.

How to search by part of the name:

• 🔍 In Google Play enter the known part of the name with the symbol * (asterisk replaces unknown words). For example:
  • clash * royale
  • angry * birds
  • temple * run
• 🌐 In Google use the operator site: to search only in the Play Store:

  site:play.google.com/store/apps "part of the name"

How to find by to the developer:

• 🏢 If you remember the name of the studio (for example, Gameloft, King, ZeptoLab), open its profile in Google Play.
• 🔎 Enter in search publisher:"name studios" (for example, publisher:"Supercell").
• 📌 Check official websites or pages on social networks - there are often lists of released games.

Popular studios and their games:

Developer	Famous games	Genre
Supercell	Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, Hay Day	Strategy, action
King	Candy Crush Saga, Farm Heroes Saga	Puzzles
Gameloft	Asphalt 9, Modern Combat, Dragon Mania	Racing, action, simulators
ZeptoLab	Cut the Rope, King of Thieves	Puzzles, arcades

Remember at least one word from the title.

Try different combinations with the * symbol.

Search by developer, if you remember the studio.

Check similar games in the developer's profile.-->

6. Specialized services for searching for games

If standard methods do not help, specialized services and communities will come to the rescue, where you can find a game by description or screenshot. Here are the most effective:

1. Game search services:

• 🎮 WhatIsMyGame (whatismygame.com) - allows you to search for games by screenshots or gameplay descriptions.
• 🔍 GameDetective - a community where users help identify games by pieces of information.
• 📱 APKMirror - if a game is removed from Google Play, it can be found here by name or package (com.company.game).

2. Forums and communities:

• 💬 Reddit - subreddits r/tipofmyjoystick (for searching for games) and r/AndroidGaming.
• 🗣️ 4PDA - in the "Games for Android" section often help find forgotten projects.
• 🎮 Steam forums - even if the game mobile, it could be discussed in topics by genre.

3. Game databases:

• 📚 IGDB (Internet Game Database) - filter by platform Android.
• 🌐 MobyGames - catalog with detailed descriptions and screenshots.
• 📊 Metacritic —rating lists of mobile games by year.

When contacting forums or communities indicate the most detailed description: genre, graphic style, year of release (approximately), mechanics, platform (Android only or also iOS), free/paid, offline/online. The more details, the higher the chance that they will help you.

💡

If the game has been removed from Google Play, it can be found in APK archives (for example, APKMirror or APKPure), but be careful - download only from trusted sources to avoid viruses.

7. Check the cache and game files on your phone

Even after deleting a game, its files may remain on your phone - cache, saves or data in the folder Android/obb. Using them you can restore the name or at least find out the package name (com.company.game) to find the game on the Internet.

Where to look:

• 📁 Folder Android/obb/ —additional game data is stored here (usually in the format .obb).
• 🗃️ Folder Android/data/ —save files may remain here (look for folders with names like com.gameloft.android.ANMP.GloftA9HM).
• 🔧 Folder /data/app/ (available only s root access) - there may be remnants of installed APKs here.

How to determine the name of the game from files:

1. Open a file manager (for example, Solid Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to the folder Android/obb/ and look at the folder names - they often contain the name of the game package.
3. Copy the folder name (for example, com.supercell.clashofclans) and enter it into the search engine.
4. If you find the package name, open https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=[package], replacing [package] with the copied name.

⚠️ Attention: Not all games store data in the folder obb. Some (especially small ones) may not leave traces after deletion. It is also not recommended to delete files from these folders manually - this may cause problems with other applications.

8. data-i="257">If technical methods do not work, try using social connections or memory recovery techniques. Often we shared games with friends or discussed them in chats - these traces can be tracked.

If technical methods don't work, try using social connections or memory recovery techniques. Often we shared games with friends or discussed them in chats - these traces can be tracked.

1. Check the message history:

• 💬 Search in chats in WhatsApp, Telegram, VK - perhaps. you sent a link to the game or a screenshot.
• 📧 Check your mail (including the Spam folder) - there could be a letter confirming your purchase or registration in the game.

2. Remember the context:

• 📅 Remember when you played it (in winter, summer, during travel time).
• 🎵 Was there any special music or sounds in the game? Try searching for them through Shazam or Midomi.
• 👥 Who else has played it? Ask your friends - maybe they remember the name.

3. Memory recovery techniques:

• 📝 Write down all the fragments that you remember (colors, characters, mechanics) - this will help structure your search.
• 🧠 Look at similar games in Google Play - sometimes the sight of a similar project evokes associations.
• 🎮 Play games of the same genre - this can “wake up” your memory.

If the game was very popular at the time, try looking for lists of hits by year. For example, enter in Google:

• best mobile games of 2020
• top games on Android 2021
• most downloaded games on google play [year]

💡

If the game had a plot, try to remember the key points and enter them into the search engine with the words "a game about...". For example: “a game about survival on an island with crafting and zombies.”

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about finding forgotten games

Can I find a game if it has been removed from Google Play?

Yes, but it’s more complicated. Try:

• Search for APK on APKMirror, APKPure or Aptoide (be careful - download only from trusted sources!).
• Check if the game is available on alternative platforms like Amazon Appstore or Samsung Galaxy Store.
• Check with the developer - sometimes games are returned to the store after updates.

If a game was deleted for violating the rules (for example, it contained viruses), it will be impossible to restore it.

How to find a game if I only remember its logo?

Take a photo or draw a logo (even schematically) and:

• Upload to Google Images or Yandex Pictures.
• Use services like SauceNAO (finds anime style well).
• Publish on forums (for example, 4PDA or Reddit) asking for help in identification.

If the logo was standard (for example, an inscription on the background), try entering text from it into a search engine.

Is it possible to restore a deleted game without the Internet?

Without the Internet, options are limited:

• Check the folders Android/obb/ and Android/data/ on the phone - game files may remain there.
• If you have a local backup (made via Titanium Backup), try restoring it.
• View screenshots or screen recordings in the gallery phone.

For a full search, you will still need Internet access.

What to do if the game was on another phone that is broken?

Try these steps:

1. Log in to the same account Google on the new one phone and check the installation history in Google Play.
2. If the phone still turns on, connect it to the computer and copy data from the folders Android/obb/ and Android/data/.
3. Check cloud backups (if they were enabled).
4. Contact the service center - sometimes you can extract data from damaged device.

How to find a game if I only remember its music?

If the game had memorable music:

• 🎵 Record the melody on a voice recorder and upload it to Shazam, Midomi or Musixmatch.
• 🎶 Enter the lyrics of the song (if any) in Google or Genius.
• 🎮 Search in YouTube for the query "game with music [description]" - sometimes soundtracks are posted there.

If the music was standard for the genre (for example, 8-bit in a retro game), this method may not work.