Apps to check your tablets graphical power

There are many apps that will simultaneously thrill you, inform you and welcome you into the world of tablet computing. Part of the fun of having a new tablet is showing off its graphical prowess. Games are a great way to do this. I've had immense fun with 'Edge Extended' (about $3 on Google Play). In this game, you play a multicoloured cube that you roll around a blocky terrain to collect targets. 

You swipe your finger on the screen to make the cube flop onto its faces to move. There are all the classic elements of collecting points, avoiding pitfalls, activating switches and so on. But despite its graphical simplicity, the app is swift-paced and very satisfying; it even gave me that sensation of falling from a height in some of its trickier parts. 
If you really want to impress people with your tablet's screen, then you'll probably get a kick out of a game like 'Need for Speed Most Wanted' ($7 on Google play). It's a racing game that uses motion to control steering and simple tap controls to brake, slide the car in a drift or turn on a nitrous turbo boost. True to the "Most Wanted" title, you race on regular roads, not racetracks, and can get in trouble with the police. 

This app has all the typical racing fun, along with the ability to earn points that unlock better cars and so on. But the standout feature is the attractiveness of the graphics, and the image rendering even includes reflections of passing buildings in puddles. It's really eye-popping , and it even works on a diminutive tablet like the Nexus 7. 

If racing's not your thing, you may like SoulCraft THD instead. In this hack-and-slash role-playing game, you control your character from above as it fights its way through a fantasy landscape of dungeons and cities. As on a standard computer action game, you can earn spells and improve your character's powers. 

The game is "freemium" so it's free to download and play, but you have to make in-game purchases with real money to advance quickly. The graphics are slick, but don't expect the kind of detailed rendering you would see on a gaming PC. 

Have fun, but here's a big reminder for you: Not all Android tablets will play nicely with all tablet apps, and some features depend on installing the latest edition of the operating system.