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Humble Bundle offers 6 Android games, but is it really a good deal?

It can be hard to calculate the real value of a collection like this. Let's take a closer look at the math.

Rick Broida Senior Editor
Rick Broida is the author of numerous books and thousands of reviews, features and blog posts. He writes CNET's popular Cheapskate blog and co-hosts Protocol 1: A Travelers Podcast (about the TV show Travelers). He lives in Michigan, where he previously owned two escape rooms (chronicled in the ebook "I Was a Middle-Aged Zombie").
Rick Broida
2 min read

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It'll cost you at least $4.42 to get this six-game bundle. Is it worth it? Humble Bundle

Most software bundles, especially game bundles, deliver considerable bang for the buck. You might pay a few dollars for a collection worth 10 times as much, or maybe a sawbuck for a bundle that's literally worth hundreds.

With app bundles, however, the math sometimes feels a little fuzzier. After all, most games are free or just a dollar or two, right? And if you're not interested in every single game in the bundle, the value proposition seems lower still.

So I approached the Humble Mobile Bundle 6 with a somewhat skeptical eye, knowing full well that the "name your own price" come-on applies only to the first three titles. If you want the bottom half, you'll have to pay at least the average purchase price (currently $4.42).

Here's a rundown of the six games and their current prices on Google Play:

  • Eliss Infinity: $2.99
  • Duet Premium: N/A, because Duet itself is free, but this version comes with unlocked content -- the value of which is not specified.
  • Combo Crew Special Edition: $0.99, but this version also includes unlocked content, the value of which is not specified.
  • Threes!: $1.99
  • Mines of Mars: $4.99
  • Joe Dever's Lone Wolf Full Game: $9.99, though Act 1 is free. This version includes a Season Pass.

The games themselves have all earned 4-5 stars from users, so you can rest assured you're getting premium stuff.

What's more, the bundle includes soundtracks for all the games -- not a huge value-add, but cool for people who enjoy that sort of thing. There's also the promise of at least one more game to come, a nice mystery element for those willing to buy in now. (The average purchase price will probably trickle up in the days to come.)

Finally, there's the charity component: Humble Bundle supports Child's Play and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, donating whatever portion of your payment you want (even 100 percent) to those organizations.

So, yeah, is the Humble Mobile Bundle 6 worth it? If you like games and don't already own these, there's solid value here -- especially if you beat the average. That scores you six games with a combined value of at least $21 -- an awfully good return on your investment, with the satisfaction of helping worthy causes to boot.

Your thoughts?