Augmented Reality (AR) is going to be the future of most apps, all it takes is a decent processor, a camera, a compass and a GPS — all of which are becoming increasingly common on smart phones.

This futuristic AR world for android is is slowly growing. Though, the true experience of Augmented Reality Technology is yet to be seen, some apps and games which are available for Android can give you a glimpse of it. I’m featuring 33 36 of them here:

(I’ve added QR Codes as well so its easy for you to download them. Use your phone’s camera on the codes with a QR App and it’ll take you directly to the Market.)

Interactive Information and Travel

1. Wikitude World Browser

World Browser is an augmented reality browser based on location-based Wikipedia and Qype content. You can search from 350,000 world-wide points of interest by GPS or by address and displayed in a list view, map view and “Augmented Reality” cam view, very handy for planning a trip or to find out about landmarks in your surroundings.

Watch this video to get an idea how it works.

2. Layar Reality Browser

One of the first and best of it’s kind in the world, Layar App is a beautiful, fun augmented reality Browser app that displays real time digital information on top of the real world as seen through the camera of your mobile phone based on your location.

Watch this video to see it in action.

3. Satellite AR

Another amazing apps, Satellite AR shows what’s floating in the space. Point your phone at the sky and see actual satellites flying overhead in an Augmented Reality view. Various satellites will appear as small icons. Those in sunlight are colored yellow to help you look for them on a clear night.

Also check out SightSpaceStation AR, it can track International Space Station, Shuttles etc. in the space. It has a $4.21 price tag.

4. Weather Reality

Weather Reality allows you to explore the weather around you in an AR view through the camera. You can check current conditions, real-time radar and severe weather alerts. Plus track the path of the sun and moon. You can even share geo-tagged weather pictures on social networking sites.

5. Star Chart

An awesome astronomy app, Star Chart locates Stars and Planets and constellations in the Sky by pointing your device towards it. It calculates – in real time – the current location of every star and planet visible from Earth and shows you precisely where they are in an augmented reality view.

6. Google Sky Map

Very similar to Star Chart, Google Sky Map turns your Android-powered mobile phone into a window on the night sky. Point your phone at the sky, and Google Sky Map will show the stars, planets, constellations, and more to help you identify the celestial objects in view.

7. Mixare

Mixare is an AR browser which, similar to layar, it also shows relevant information for your surroundings like any building etc. But not just from Wikipedia. It also shows twitter and Google buzz entries around you. Moreover, it also allows other apps or websites to use its engine and display any kind of content.

Watch this video to see how it works.

8. Tagwhat

Tagwhat is a friends location browser that lets members explore the world and interact with friends in an augmented reality world. With on-line map and mobile AR, everyone enjoys their own personalized global canvas. Set up your account, connect to and invite friends from Facebook and Twitter. The best part is that Foursquare is included as well.

9. Sekai Camera

Sekai Camera is a social AR application that offers users to interact in social communication through digital contents attached to the real world. You can post digital annotations called “Air Tags” which float in the real world. Communicate, navigate, advertise, and simply have fun!

Watch this video to see the app in action

10. vouchAR – Vouchers via AR

VouchAR finds discounts in Local Stores using AR technology. As it claims, with over 40,000 vouchers on our system you can find local discounts on Dining Out, Hotels, Bars, Event Tickets, Fashion & Beauty. It works best if you’re in a big city. Also, it shows daily deals from Groupon.

11. Fast Food Reality

Fast Food Reality eases your work for finding nearby Fast Food Restaurants like Mc Donald’s, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks, Pizza Hut and Pans and Company etc. in an Augmented Reality view, ofcourse, using your camera.

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12. Photos Around

Photos Around displays popular photos from Panoramio near your current location in an AR view. Point your camera towards a location and see different photos floating around you taken by other people. Tap on the photo for details. Tap again to open its web page.

Panoramio is the same service that Google has integrated in G Earth/Maps to display photos nearby you.

13. Lookator

Lookator is an amazing, must have, application. It is an Augmented Reality app for finding better WiFi signals. Open it, hold up your phone and you’ll see hotspots around you with their relative strength and direction. Enable GPS and download Wefi to get hotspots out of range too. (It may not show hotspots accurately every time)

14. Google Goggles

It is an app which enables you to search the real world by taking a picture, for e.g., books, QR Code, famous landmarks, artwork, popular images etc. It can even translate words in English, French, Italian, German & Spanish and can extract contact information from business cards.

It even solves Sudoku!

GPS and Transportation

15. Car Finder AR

A Car finder app which uses Augmented Reality and RADAR to help you reach your car where you parked it with the ability to manage upto 3 cars. It shows you walking/driving directions with other features such as Shake to save, Parking timer, Location History and it doesn’t eat up your battery like hell.

Demo	Full Version ($3.04)	Bluetooth Plugin

16. Wikitude Drive

Wikitude Drive is an Android navigation app that make use of the AR technology to overlay video being captured through your phone’s camera with driving instructions. This allows users to literally drive through their phone, watching the road even while they are looking at directions.

17. PhantomALERT

PhantomALERT is a good GPS app that is, as it claims, powered by the world’s largest driver generated and verified database of speed traps, traffic lights, speed cameras etc. You can set up Traffic camera views to get an idea of the traffic ahead and an Augmented Reality View – move your phone around you to see the traffic camera views around you.

(Traffic Cameras are supported for most of the cities across the US and in Canada, Ottawa/Toronto and Vancouver are supported)

18. 3D AR Compass

This app is an augmented reality 3D compass which comes with Multi-compass types, Auto rotate map facility, Heading and degrees, Current address, Fast bright with one tap and much more

Free	Paid

19. Dashboard Assist

It is a AR in-car dashboard with logging capabilities. You can use it as an additional dashboard display or journey logger. While the free version includes information such as Speedometer,  G-forces, Journey duration, Distance covered, Acceleration, cornering statistics and background mode etc., Pro version adds Hands-free, auto-answering of call (with contact filters), spoken announcement of incoming messages/calls etc.

Free Version	Paid Full Version

Social and Lifestyle

20. FriendsRadar

Friends Radar is a GTalk Client with an AR twist. It shows your friends on a Map or in Augmented Reality View on top of your camera, if your friends allow you to track them.

You can chat with them, send emails, call etc.

21. TweepsAround

See who’s twittering around you and tweet back! Tweeps Around is an application that displays nearby Twitter Users in full Augmented Reality around you. This app requires Layar pre-installed in your mobile, you can find it in the Interactive Information and Travel Apps category of this list. The only thing in this app which you may not like is its minimum radius restriction. Rest is good.

Fun and Games

22. Parallel Kingdom

Parallel Kingdom is the first and most popular MMORPG that uses Augmented Reality engine and your actual GPS (or WiFi) location to place your character on a map filled with monsters, mythical beasts, treasure, and other real players. You can explore, collect items, claim cities, chat with other players etc.

It is a cross-platform game so this means you can compete with iPhone gamers too.

23. Zombies, Run!

Zombies, Run is a trans-reality game for the Android platform that pits you against a world full of zombies in a race for your life.

You need to choose the Zombie Count which will determine how many zombies populate the area around you while speed let’s you decide to compete with different breed of zombies. After you’re done with these options, let the game find your location and then choose your endpoint for your journey.

Once you do that, the game begins and it’s your job to get to your endpoint without running into any of those red dots which are zombies. This game may sound ugly but its worth playing.

24. Sky Siege

Sky Siege is among the most addictive AR game for Android. It transforms your physical environment into a deadly battlefield. Your Phone becomes a true Virtual Reality display – it is a window into a 3D virtual world full of hostile helicopter gunships and jet bombers coming at you from all angles in 32 levels of increasingly difficult numbers and tactical formations. You are alone on a flak tower armed with an Ack-Ack gun, Rockets, and a limited supply of guided missiles.

25. SpecTrek

SpecTrek is another awesome augmented reality ghost hunting game. You have to Walk or run around using GPS and your phone’s camera to find and catch virtual ghosts. The game offers statistics, awards, titles, records, and most of all a whole lot of fun!

Free Version	Paid Full Version

26. iSnipeYou

iSnipeYou is an AR Shooting game. You have to use your camera to shoot targets. Features include Multiple reticle styles, dynamic blood splats, accelerometer based aim drift, face detection for scoring. You can also share your shots via email, Flickr, Facebook etc.

Free Version (With Ads)	Paid Version ($0.99)

27. AndAR Model Viewer

AndAR Model Viewer displays 3D models on Augmented Reality markers. Nothing much to boast about this app but you’ll have fun for some time. Models include Superman, Chair, Plants etc on an AR marker that you need to draw out.

28. Kaleidocam

Kaleidocam is an fun little Augmented Reality Kaleidoscope application. You point your camera around you and then you can create some cool effects and amazing patterns with it.

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29. KIA Optima AR

It is a 3D animation browser, something similar to AndAR app. Using Augmented Reality (AR) technology, it triggers the 3D animation of the all new Optima from the KIA logo.

Experience it’s key features as you’re able to interactively view it in 3D (on screen using your camera) from any angle.

30. AR Shooting

It is a shooting application in an AR environment. Use your camera and start shooting. You can use a 7 types of guns including handguns, shotguns etc which can be semi-auto, fully auto.

It’s a nice, fun game.

31. DroidShooting

DroidShooting is another fun little AR Shooting game. There are some weapons included using which you can fire on your target, by pointing your camera.

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Also check out ConqAR. Thanks to Fred van for suggesting this!

Concept AR Games

32. ARhrrrr!

ARhrrrr provides your phone a window into a 3D town overrun with zombies. Point the camera at our special game map to mix virtual and real world content. Civilians are trapped in the town, and must escape before the zombies eat them! From your vantage point in a helicopter overhead, you must shoot the zombies to clear the path for the civilians to get out.

33. Rock’Em Sock’Em

Another Stunning AR game, Rock’Em Sock’Em is game by Qualcomm Augmented Reality Game Studio, established at Georgia Tech University. It mixes both real-world and rendered visuals to create a unique gaming experience.  Players will have to point their phones at a printed arena map and the robot characters are displayed in full 3D.

Thanks to a fellow redditor, Dan Treble, for some more suggestions which I had missed:-

34. Paparazzi

Paparazzi is the game which bagged the 1st prize of Qualcomm’s Augmented Reality Dev Challenge ‘10. It’s an interactive game where the player becomes a virtual paparazzo and sneaks pictures of a vain celebrity before he gets agitated and attacks your camera.

Unlike other AR games, in Paparazzi, the Augmented Reality world will still continue even if you turn your camera away from the marker as in AndAR, andAR pong etc.

Update: Paparazzi is out, Get it now! - Paparazzi on Android Market

35. Inch High Stunt Guy

The second place winner in Qualcomm AR challenge, Inch High Stunt Guy is a tale of a small stunt-man. The player arranges various obstacles to enable a stuntman to successfully jump his motorcycle through a hoop and move on to the next level.

Racing across your desktop in a series of crazed challenges, risking life and limb, smashing through hoops and exploding into your affections! Move the obstacles and try to successfully guide him to a crowd pleasing finale – or maliciously crash him repeatedly into tanks filled with sharks if you’re that type of person.

36. DangerCopter

Now, the third place winner: Danger Copter is a gaming adventure where the player becomes a pilot for a rescue helicopter and maneuvers the water-spouting chopper between skyscrapers to extinguish fires and rescue people from danger.

Watch the video to see it in action.

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I’m not a master of Android so I may not be knowing about every AR app/game. If you think something’s missing from this list, do tell me about it by leaving a comment below.

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