Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.

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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Wonder Wood

Today's roundup is sponsored by Wonder Wood from Herocraft. This is a more friendly and kid-appropriate take on the city building and management genre, with no real combat or danger, just goals to meet. You oversee a group of gnomes building a tiny village for adorable woodland critters (who remind me of the Furlings characters in Once Upon A Forest). If you build the right infrastructure, the animals will "fall in love." Wonder Wood is a free download with in-app purchases.

This game will spirit you away. The magical woodland glade is a mess and all of the cute creatures have disappeared. These little animals need your help.

• The uniquely magical atmosphere of a fairytale wood.

• A huge menagerie of cute birds and animals.

• Endless gameplay for all ages.

• Clear the mess and decorate the landscape.

• Unusual buildings and a deep ecosystem

• Even the evil critters are cute.

The creatures require a lot of care but you'll have great fun growing special food for all animals and building homes for them. So banish the critters, clear the weeds, and repopulate the glade with animals. Then decorate the area, collect resources, feed the animals, and make sure their homes stay clean and cozy. Some animals will only fall in love if other animals are present, or if they’ve been washed, so make sure everything they need is to hand. Thankfully, a few hardworking Gnomes can build you all sorts of wonderful devices and buildings.

Games

Hitman GO

Android Police review: Hitman GO Review: The Most Satisfyingly Violent Board Game You'll Ever Play

Square's Hitman series is all about a merciless and methodical killer creating unlikely and grizzly death for a variety of well-deserving criminals. So naturally its mobile debut is... a board game? The static, grid-based movements and detailed but artistically lifeless (in a good way) visuals of Hitman GO will be jarring to anyone expecting stealth and action, but the puzzles contained therein are surprisingly complex and satisfying. At $5 (with in-app purchases for hints and stage skips) it's also one of Square's more affordable games.

Get your daily fix of Agent 47 with this elegant, strategy-based Hitman game. Hitman GO is a turn-based puzzle game with beautifully rendered diorama-style set pieces. You will strategically navigate fixed spaces on a grid to avoid enemies and take out your target or infiltrate well-guarded locations. You really have to think about each move and all the Hitman tools of the trade you would expect are included; disguises, distractions, sniper rifles and even 47’s iconic Silverballers.

Hitman GO Developer: CDE Entertainment
Price: 5.99
4.6
Download

DRAGON QUEST VIII

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Square Enix Releases JRPG Classic Dragon Quest VIII On Android, But It's Going To Run You $20

Dragon Quest is kind of a big deal in the realm of Japanese RPGs. And back in 2004 the eighth entry in the series was a big deal for Dragon Quest, since it was the first one to feature full 3D graphics everywhere. Now you can relive the classic turn-based combat, heroic story, and iconic art of Enix's classic... for twenty bucks. You could probably find a dusty PS2 and a copy of the original game for that much.

The 8th installment in the legendary DRAGON QUEST series is now even easier to enjoy. The phenomenally popular DRAGON QUEST VIII has sold 4.9 million units worldwide, and now it's coming to the Android for the first time. This was the first title in the series to be presented in full 3D, and its exquisitely detailed world has to be seen to be believed. Set off on an unforgettable adventure with Yangus, the bandit with a heart of gold, Jessica, the high-born magical minx, and Angelo, knight and lothario, by your side.

DRAGON QUEST VIII Developer: SQUARE ENIX Co.,Ltd.
Price: 19.99
3.7
Download

Great Little War Game 2

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Great Little War Game 2 Brings More Little Wars To Android

The tiny war criminals of the GLWG franchise are back, and smaller than ever (or at least they're presumably smaller than they were in "Great Big War Game"). The straight sequel features the same basic turn-based gameplay, with better graphics, more diverse battlefields, destructible buildings, and a few new tricks for your soldiers. $3 gets you in, with no in-app purchases or advertising... but I'm going to have to demote Rubicon for including iTunes App Store language on the Play Store. "Optimised for iPhone, great on iPad" - drop and give me 20!

The crazy troops return in this next and final installment of the franchise loved by millions. Command your troops wisely and try to prevail against the massive 60 mission campaign that says you can't. Great Little War Game 2 is a turn-based strategy game, following on from the success of the original Great Little War Game. Apart from the brand new 60 mission campaign, other enhancements from the original include:

  • Clearer displays with easier to use controls
  • Portrait mode for easier use on a phone
  • Faster mission starts and replayable objectives
  • Blowy uppy buildings
  • Lots of minor playability tweaks

Worms 3

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Worms 3 Wiggles Into The Play Store With Ballistic Gameplay Intact For $5

Why is this game called "Worms 3?" There have been 19 worms games before, including ones called Worms 4! Well whatever the reason, the latest mobile iteration gets some actual changes to the turn-based ballistic gameplay, thanks to a class system and collectible power-up cards (kinda like Castlevania: Circle of the Moon, or if you want something more current, Titanfall). Online multiplayer is built-in, and while Worms 3 is free to play, it only sells costumes and level skip tokens, no in-game currency.

DEAL yourself the advantage with a new, game-changing enhancement. Turn on the card mode and alter the start and end of each turn by the playing of strategic cards. COLLECT in-game rewards that allow you to purchase bronze, silver and gold cards. Build your deck from 41 fiendishly designed cards. ENLIST your perfect battle combination as you choose your worms from a new ‘Class’ system - Heavy, Scientist, Scout and classic Soldier. Each has their own unique skill and ability. Which will fit in with your style of play?

Worms 3 Developer: Team 17 Digital Limited
Price: 5.49
3.7
Download

Wordbase

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Wordbase Is A Strategic Game Of Vocabulary Vengeance

Imagine a game with the same competitive edge and literacy requirements as Scrabble, but based around word searches instead of crosswords. Placement is more important than word length, since you're trying to "move" across the board by finding words in the jumble. You'll need an excellent vocabulary to win, but also some decent strategy, since it's possible to cut off your opponent from your base with careful positioning.

This player vs player word game is a brand-new experience that will push your vocabulary to its limits. Search the board and form words in this witty word game by tapping the letters. Protect your base while advancing toward your opponent’s by claiming as many letters on the board as possible. Don’t let your opponent get too close. One word spelled with one of the letters in your base, and you lose. Cut through their letter chains to stop them advancing. Use the power-ups on the board to gain an advantage, and find yourself one letter closer to the win.

Conquest of Elysium 3

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Conquest Of Elysium 3 Makes The Jump From Steam To Android, Keeps Its $10 Price Tag

Android isn't the only platform that's currently caught in a retro gaming fad. You can't swing a dead Koopa on Steam without hitting a dozen remakes or games "inspired by" classic titles from the 80s and 90s. Conquest of Elysium is one of them... and now the latest installment is available on Android. This is a turn-based strategy game that relies on guile and cunning to win. You play as one of 17 classes, each with their own unique abilities, stats, and units. Multiplayer is available in single-device "hot potato" form for this expensive title.

Conquest of Elysium 3 is an old school turn based fantasy strategy game. You start by choosing one of 17 different characters, e.g. Necromancer, Demonologist, Dwarf Queen, Troll King or maybe a High Priestess of Ba'al. The different character classes vary wildly in what special abilities they have and what parts of the world they should focus on conquering. E.g. the Demonologist needs sacrifices that you gain from towns and villages, but the Druid want special herbs that are found in forests.

Watch_Dogs Companion: ctOS

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Watch Dogs Pits Console And Mobile Gamers Against Each Other With New Companion App

UbiSoft's open world opus Watch Dogs is finally here, and according to the preponderance of reviews... meh. But if you really enjoy the hacking, shooting, driving gameplay, you can extend your sense of immersion with the ctOS companion app, which mimics the fictional pervasive network in the game. You are trying to stop other real-world players as they move around Chicago. This plays best with the full game, but amazingly, you don't need it to join in public games in the mobile app.

Connect and play LIVE with any Watch_Dogs player logged into their console or PC game. Control the city of Chicago from anywhere in the world with the Watch_Dogs Companion: ctOS Mobile app. As a ctOS Operative, you will have control of the Chicago Police and control of all ctOS devices across the city. The streets of the city become your ultimate battleground where your goal is to stop players and maintain order. Challenge and shut down other players with every tool available.

Racing Rivals

Android Police coverage: Popular iOS Racing Game 'Racing Rivals' Makes Its Way To Android, Available Now In Google Play

Racing Rivals is super-pretty, with a ton of customization, upgrading, and online racing action. Well, it says "racing" - this isn't a true racing game a la Gran Tursimo, it's another take on the mobile-friendly "drag racer," where two opponents drive in a straight line and the only real factors for winning are timing your NO2 boosts and choosing your upgrades. But it's pretty, right? If you hope to make it to the top of the leaderboards, you'll need to shell out some real cash for in-app purchases.

NOW ON ANDROID the hit game from Cie Games – Racing Rivals. True real-time racing at your fingertips. Racing Rivals lets you experience multiplayer racing as it was meant to be: live, fierce, and risky. Back your bets with skill unless you're prepared to lose cash - or your car. The stakes are high and the risk is real. Can you handle it? Does your team have what it takes to dominate the Racing Rivals globe? Race in weekly competitions to control cities, earn gems, and bonuses for your team.

Romans In My Carpet!

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Romans In My Carpet! Rides Into The Play Store On A Spider-Drawn Chariot For $2.99

What would happen if your carpet was infested with tiny legionnaires that constantly fought each other for supremacy in between the fibers? It's a question that no one's asked before, and that seems to be answered in Romans In My Carpet. The pixelated strategy game pits microscopic warriors against each other in turn-based combat. The game offers a singleplayer campaign and online multiplayer, and according to the app description, the IAP on offer is cosmetic only. Check the video for a not-so-subtle dig at Call of Duty.

Now for something completely different from the developers of the Ravenmark saga. We’ve got Romans In My Carpet. - an absurd MULTIPLAYER turn-based strategy game in vivid 16-bit pixel glory. Stare at a screenful of mite-sized Roman soldiers charge into battle on spider-powered chariots. This is lush 2D life, perfected to a retro-loving science. Engage in turn-based wargaming by way of Monty Python, and feel good about cutting up your foes while catching all of our smart, smart japes.

Defenders

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Prime World: Defenders Mixes Tower Defense With Collectable Cards

Trading cards seem to be a popular add-on element for games these days - you can even see it elsewhere in this list with Worms 3. Defenders is a slick little tower defense game that mixes the standard defense gameplay with a competitive collection mechanic, a la Magic: The Gathering and its legion of imitators. Defenders works with Android 4.0 and up, but it has extra graphical oomph on Tegra 3 and 4 devices. It's expensive at $5 plus in-app purchases for currency and card packs.

Meet the sensational Tower Defense Game Prime World: Defenders on Android. Enter the Prime’s World Universe and destroy countless enemies with towers and magic. Make your own unique cards collection and fuse your towers to get them even more powerful. Enhance your hero, your spells and your skills, be strategic and don’t forget to try Heroic Mode to become the greatest Defender.

Jolt

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Jolt Brings Fast-Paced Futuristic Dodgeball To Two Players On One Device

If you mixed Pong or Breakout with the twitchy versus gameplay of something like Unreal Tournament, you'd get Jolt. You play as techno-punk avatars trying to off each other across a 2D plane on a 3D playing field (yes it's 3D - watch the trailer, the screenshots don't show it well). Careful use of walls and power-ups will aid you on this post-futuristic battlefield, and two human players can go at it with a single tablet.

Two player competitive action on a single device – Welcome to Jolt, the cybersport of the future. In Jolt, two players battle for victory in several arenas, scoring points by hitting the other with the Icosahedron Omni-shot. However the sport will soon reveal that it has more tricks up its sleeve than simply throwing spheres at each other; make trick shots with the ricochet, activate force-fields and stay on the move. So grab your Android device, an opponent and get playing.

CYBERGON

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Cybergon Is A Dangerous Trip Through Cyberspace, From The Makers Of Wind-Up Knight

Cybergon is an "avoider" game. Think of it as a Tron-flavored take on Pac-Man, where there's only one food pellet at a time and the ghosts keep multiplying. The game comes from Robot Invader, developers of the popular Wind-Up Knight series of runners, and those folks know how to do a lot with a little in terms of graphics. Cybergon is a free download, but some Play Store reviews complain of annoying and unskippable ads.

The Year is Cyberpunk. Vast Cyberspace networks are ruled by malevolent mega CyberCorporations. Humanity's only hope is a team of CyberHackers, a scrappy crew of anti-establishment net running punks. Nobody else is deft enough to navigate the megacorp's killer ICE: CyberViruses that can kill you meatspace dead. Can you hack it in the Cybernet, or will you get your brain CyberFried?

CYBERGON Developer: Robot Invader
Price: Free
3.5
Download

Small&Furious

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Small&Furious Is A Physics-Based Racing Game That Lets Adorable Crash Test Dummies Do What They Do Best

Crash test dummies make great video game characters, since we're not obliged to feel any empathy towards them. (Check out the video below.) Small&Furious is a Toy Town take on the basic Trials formula, tasking players to get as far as they can across the 2D racetrack and pulling off as many stunts as possible before inevitably dying. The game is free with in-app purchases.

Join the race. The crash test dummies are Small&Furious. When they say they are doing the Crash Tests, they mean it. Race on the ground to see what’s under the chairs and how you can jump over the BBQ Grill to reach the pool.Remember: you can crash as hard as you want, you are made for that. Timed quest make the game fun and challenging, don’t forget to trigger Nitro to get to the checkpoints in time. Follow the challenges or test yourself in the endless mode.

Sky Force 2014

It never ceases to amaze me how good the old-school games can look when you give them a little modern polish. Sky Force isn't really that old, but its use of 3D graphics on the venerable 2D shoot-em-up gameplay is impressive. It's a pretty typical bullet hell game, but the execution and polish is undeniably eye-catching. There's no real multiplayer to speak of, but you do get to enter weekly tournaments, and you can see and rescue fallen pilots. IAP is offered to remove ads and upgrade your planes.

The mobile blaster legend is back to celebrate its 10-year anniversary in super-destructive style. Harnessing the intensity of classic arcade shoot-’em-ups combined with the hottest smartphone technology, Sky Force 2014 offers a stunning scrolling shooter experience with an incredible new social gameplay element. This 10th anniversary edition adds incredible depth to the series through stunning 3D graphics, intuitive touchscreen controls and a powerful upgrade system that’ll keep you blasting for hours on end.

Sky Force 2014 Developer: Infinite Dreams
Price: Free
4.5
Download

Record Run

Developer Harmonix has made a music game. That's probably not surprising, given their history, but they've also made an endless runner, which is. Record Run's levels are automatically generated from your local music collection, which runs in the background. You've got the music, now you need rhythm (there seems to be a severe lack of girls), and if you know it well, the two-lane system should be easy enough to navigate. Music might be free, and the game is too, but don't be surprised to find currency-based IAP inside.

From the makers of ROCK BAND and DANCE CENTRAL…This is RECORD RUN. Record Run is a free rhythm-runner that puts you in the middle of your music, chasing records and dodging obstacles to the beat in a crazy musical world. With gameplay levels created to play along with your music, this is a whole new way to run. Choose your runner from a fun cast of characters and jump, duck and dodge through the city on your way to high-scores.

Toxic Bunny HD

Toxic Bunny is what would happen if... HEY! This developer Bogarted my signature pop culture gaming patois for the real app description! Cartoon metaphors and 90s references go above the double-dash, mister! ...ahem. When I was putting this roundup together, I thought Toxic Bunny was a new platformer using the aesthetics from 16-bit games like Earthworm Jim or Toejam and Earl. Nope: turns out it's a re-release of a little-known DOS game. Over-the-top radioactive platforming, lots of guns, and controller support are included.

Semi Visible Chickens. Hamster launchers. triple strength espresso, Armoured sentient mucus. Just a day in the office for Toxic Bunny. Toxic Bunny is what would happen if the Looney Toons & Monty Python were heavily armed and thrown into a blender with the best (and worst) movies of the 90's and turned the results into a retro platform game. Find out what happens when an almost normal rabbit gets into a really bad mood. Follow Toxic as he tries to find the person responsible for interrupting his coffee break, brainwashing all his friends and covering the planet with decaffeinated goo.

MAGNETOID - Robo Runner

Do you like Day-Glo colors? Do you like unnecessarily pixelated game art? Do you like things moving incredibly fast in a single direction? Then Magnetoid is for you. More of an "endless riser" than a traditional running game, your tiny robo-ball avatar will continually speed up as he gets higher. There's not much point except to grab the shiny stuff and avoid everything else, but the game is free with no ads and no in-app purchases.

Your evil robot rises to the top, while humanity is going the hell down. What's that? Regular runners are not cool enough for you? Well, this one got freaking magnetic powers. Tap your screen to switch polarity and avoid obstacles in an ever accelerating danger zone and see how fit you are for world domination.

  • Magnetic powers (Seriously. We could stop this list right here)
  • One­Tap control
  • One bro of the Magnet­O­Bros
  • Retro pixel graphics
  • Sound by Awww Design
  • Achievements (I know, right?)
  • Guaranteed YOLO­free zone

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Random Heroes 2

After a notable absence, Noodlecake has returned to its 2D action roots. Random Heroes combines Contra-style platforming and shooting with the 8-bit style of the publisher's previous games like League of Evil. The sequel has bigger levels, more guns and upgrades, new heroes, and more player-friendly mechanics like a wall jump and diagonal shooting. Shoot things, die, collect your coins (or pay for them with real ones), then shoot things some more.

Sequel to the amazing Random Heroes; now with more guns, explosions and crazy characters. From the creators of the award winning platform game League of Evil comes Ravenous Games' newest game Random Heroes 2. A group of unlikely heroes are set out to save the world. Blast your way through these invaders in this action platformer. It's time to eradicate the alien threat once and for all in Random Heroes 2.

Hopeless: Football Cup

The adorable marshmallow minions from Hopeless are back for another timely cash-in. This time they don't have to worry about terrifying monsters or aliens eating them, just terrifying soccer balls flying at their oh-so-soft and pliant faces. It's the same gameplay as it used to be: tap at the right time to save the blobs, but be careful to avoid killing the incoming teammates. An upgrade/IAP system will let you add more blobs or get jerseys from your favorite World Cup competitor.

It’s time for the WORLD CUP. Some unlucky blobs find themselves in the middle of the field, trying to defend themselves against angry football fans. Will they survive the Hopeless trip to the Football Cup? Tap the screen to hit the incoming footballs. React quickly but be careful not to hit your friends. Don’t miss too many balls or it’s Game Over for the blobs.

Rival Knights

Rival Knights is a sort of medieval take on those popular drag racing games: lots and lots of pretty graphics, but winning the match comes down to timing and upgrades. The armor and mount visuals in this game are very pretty by mobile standards, complete with motion capture for horses and riders. The main draw is playing against online opponents, but players with better mounts and equipment have a distinct advantage, which tilts the game towards those who spend money on virtual currency.

Live the fantasy: Be a knight & joust your way to victory. Compete with thousands of other players in games of glory & adventure. This is the most intuitive, action-packed & visually stunning knight combat game on touch screens. Experience the thrill of fast-paced & highly addictive jousting for free. Sharpen your war skills with precision timing & aim. Battle ruthless foes & rival clans across 5 leagues to seize their castles & thrones. Embark on an adventure across the kingdom, become a champion & etch your name into history.

Count Tower : Brain Training

Count Tower is an interesting take on the puzzle genre. The basic goal is to create strings and combos to clear the board, but unlike Bejeweled or Candy Crush, you're not just matching up simple shapes. No, you have to drag your finger across adjoining tiles to make a mathematical equation... and what's more, it has to be correct. Those who struggled in Algebra 1 probably won't like it, but math nerds certainly will. Free with advertising.

CountTower is a logic game. There is only one goal: count. You earn points by building math equations. Sounds easy, right? Well, it is, provided that you can count and like to create epic stuff. If you have that in you, you will score bonus points and sit on the Math Throne of glory. There are three game modes to practice and test your math skills. So wear your Vulcan ears like a shield, download CountTower and try first mode: Table.

Knock-Knock

Good grief, the hand-drawn art in this 2.5D game is creepy. And if the art doesn't put you off, the Sims-style voices will - they sound like a spider trying to get out of a mason jar. At its core Knock-Knock is an adventure game, though there are some very light platforming and puzzle elements. You move through a disturbing cabin crawling with nightmare critters, trying to solve the mystery with the power of your unflinching stare.

An eerie, uncomfortable horror is creeping from PC over to Android. Three generations of Lodgers have occupied the cabin, but lately, the walls seem to undulate, skittering unknowns shift in the darkness, and an unruly growl seeps from the attic. Are they hallucinations pecking at the insomnia-afflicted Lodger, or the gnarled remnants of a darker secret?

  • A game of survival and troubling madness.
  • Hide from the invading creatures.
  • Fix the lights and keep the cabin rooms repaired to ward off evil.
  • Survive the night with your sanity intact.
  • Solve the mystery of the Lodgers nightmare.
Knock-Knock Developer: Ice-Pick Lodge Studio
Price: 1.49
3.8
Download

Sorcery! 2

The first episode of Sorcery made its way over to Android back in March, but you don't need to play it to get the gist of the sequel. (It probably couldn't hurt.) It's a mix of the branching game books we've seen so often and more traditional tabletop dice-driven RPGs, with each battle encounter determined by your statistics. That said, the sprawling story and complex spell system will probably be a draw for RPG fans of all types.

An epic adventure through Kharé: Cityport of Traps. Begin your story here. (Part 1 not required.) Dare you journey into Kharé, a town of thieves and murderers on the brink of destruction?

  • Fully interactive story written on fly around on your actions and choices
  • Plot your own path down every street of the hand-drawn 3D city map
  • Go down into the sewers, aboard ship, or inside buildings with new interior maps
  • 3D spell-casting system: cast over 48 spells, with weird and wonderful story-changing effects
  • New gambling game: can you outwit the citizens of Kharé at Swindlestones?
  • Over thirty different monsters to fight with our unique strategic combat
  • More than double the content of Part 1: over 300,000 words, with 10,000 choices, and every one is remembered
  • Play as a male or female hero
  • Start your adventure from here - or load your characters from Part 1
Sorcery! 2 Developer: inkle Ltd
Price: 5.99
4.5
Download

Ninja Toss

Half Angry Birds and half endless runner, Ninja Toss stars an extremely unlikely hero: a fat ninja. You fling him across the landscape with reckless disregard for local civilians and livestock, using sheep, rockets, hippity hops, and other strange tools to propel his rotund rear ever further. The usual additions of power-ups, costumes, and new worlds will keep you motivated, at least until the IAPs start to get you down.

Launch Nyam, the fat Ninja, from a catapult as far as you can through this funny and colorfull universe

Avoid traps, destroy donough collect rice and learn ancestral ninja skills to defeat your friends in this crazy high score competition in a pure Ninja style.

  • 2 different mode : Story and Survival
  • 6 differents bonus and 2 ninja skills to upgrade
  • 13 differents doughnuts to help you … or not ... during your trip
  • 3 alternative skins for the character
  • 5 landscape to enjoy your travel

Frederic - Evil Strikes Back

What's amazing isn't that this is a Guitar Hero-style rhythm game on the Play Store based on keytars. No, what's amazing is that this is the sequel to the original game, which apparently didn't get all the 80s retro jokes out of the developer's system. The second Frederic game has the great hand-drawn art and easy gameplay from the original, along with the over-the-top rock and roll story - think Scott Pilgrim by way of Journey.

Defeat famous opponents in musical duels. Immense yourself in fantastic story of Frederic's endeavors. Catch all the Easter Eggs and subtle parodies hidden in the background. Practice your skills until perfection and become the Master of the Piano. The world of music is once again threatened. The art of soulful music, the kind that touches your heart, is in grave danger of disappearance. The evil forces that you fought so bravely are back. And they are even more powerful and desperate.

Tiny World

Tiny World is an adorable little endless driving game, in the same vein as Snuggle Truck: just keep from spilling the luggage in the game's simple physics engine. It's incredibly cute, as your hippie-mo-bile travels a world full of static backdrops like Daffy in Duck Amuk. It's very simple, almost qualifying as a zen game. Tiny World is free with no in-app purchases.

Do you want a nice little game, colorful, easy to handle and that takes you away in a few seconds? Then, welcome in “Tiny World”. Test "Tiny World" and let you embark on the most international car game. Drive a van across the world and test your driving skill and anticipation. But beware, do not drop your luggages or you will have to return to the starting point in an attempt to set a new record…

RedShift

RedShift is a science fiction survival game that plays out in 2D. You're a scientist in a nuclear power plant who looks kind of like Gordon Freeman with a bucket on his head. The core is going into meltdown, so you'll have to navigate the randomly-generated power plant to find the manual overrides. Technically RedShift is a 2D platformer, but without any aliens or monsters to get in your way, you can focus on the slightly more realistic endgame.

Experience a suspenseful dynamic exploration race against the clock. Set in a power facility set to explode at any minute, as the last person alive can you prevent it from obliterating the city? Every play-through is a different encounter. As time passes the facility becomes more chaotic and unstable. Tough but fair gameplay. You might not win the first time, but when you finally do you'll feel it.

RedShift Developer: Belief Engine
Price: Free
3.9
Download

Leila and the Little Folk

Leila and the Little Folk (which probably doesn't contain a cameo from Darby O'Gill) is a super-simple adventure game starring the titular little girl. It probably won't hold the attention of adults, but the hand-drawn animation and simple tap controls are perfect for kids, as are the non-violent themes and lack of in-app purchases.

Leila and the Little Folk is an adventure game, in which you play the part of Leila. She's a little girl, who lives in an ordinary house, on an ordinary street, in an ordinary town. But when an unexpected visitor arrives one night, her life becomes a little less ordinary..You move Leila around her world by tapping where you want her to go, and you can interact with the people and objects she encounters simply by pressing on them.

Ninja Time Pirates

Oh look, a ninjas and pirates game. I'm going to assume that this game started production at least six years ago. It's basically a squad-based, top-down hack-and-slash (and shoot and stab and whack) title, with customizable heroes and weapons. You'll use ninjas and pirates to fight aliens, through I'm not sure why they're so exclusive - surely they could throw some samurai or merchant marines in there as well. Unlikely historical figures are in the mix as well, Bill and Ted-style.

The battle for Earth's future will be fought in its past. Time travel, uncover an epic conspiracy & save the planet. Fight off an alien invasion as famous historical characters using special powers and weapons. In Ninja Time Pirates, Play as Ben Franklin, Blackbeard, Cleopatra and more in a madcap battle to save Earth from time-hopping alien marauders. Relive history from Colonial New England, Ancient Egypt, the Viking era, the Roswell UFO crash and beyond.

Defense 39

Defense 39 is a bunker game, very much in the style of Missile Command. You play as Polish defenders fighting off the Nazi army in 1939 (no spoilers, please). It offers different types of units to attack and different types of weapons to attack them with, but at the end of the day, your only real goal is to kill all the bad guys, in the noblest video game tradition. Currency and stage unlocks are included in the IAPs of this free game.

On 1 September 1939 the Nazi Germany attacked Poland. With their overwhelming military advantage, they thought it would be a swift victory. They couldn't be more wrong. Defense '39 is wargame like none you have seen before. The Player takes control of a single bunker or similar defensive position (like an armored train or a trench) and has to stand against thousands upon thousands of approaching enemies.

Sound Ride

Despite more games than we've had in months, this roundup is surprisingly light on runners. Sound Ride is here to fill our quota, and while it's pretty low on original ideas, the punchy visuals and music make up for it. The simple character designs and bright colors remind me of a Sesame Street animated short... which is set to dubstep music, for some reason.

A game about running, jumping, bouncy physics and modular music. Join Kiwi on a colourful adventure, beating monsters and making music along the way.

  • Quick rides at high intensity
  • 30 adrenaline-fueled levels with playful physics
  • Make music on the fly as you play
  • Easy to control: tap to jump; double-tap and jump higher
  • Multiple routes to the finish line
  • Bold and colourful vector artwork
  • Beat your friends on the online leaderboards
  • Music from Simon Haines
  • Randomly generated challenges in Daily Race mode
Sound Ride Developer: OutOfTheBit Ltd
Price: Free
3.2
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Push Panic

Normally there's nothing new under the sun when it comes to puzzle games, but Push Panic includes a rather unique element: semi-realistic stacking physics. The core mechanic is the usual match-and-clear stuff, but the addition of tilting, leaning stacks of blocks means you'll have to adjust your tactics to deal with the unconventional game world. Bomb blocks and power-ups keep things interesting, and there are 75 levels with no in-app purchases at preset.

Tap the blocks to blast combinations off the screen before the pile of blocks reaches the red panic bar and topples over. Push Panic includes 75 intense levels. Each of the four exhilarating game modes introduces explosive new challenges. Randomly falling power-up blocks include chain-links to combine multiple color strings, point multipliers, time freezes, bombs, and a bar-raising block that gives you more wiggle room. Try to link as many colored blocks together as possible for massive combos and bonuses to earn numerous medals and outrank your friends.

GlowGrid

GlowGrid is another puzzler in the vein of "match stuff up and watch it disappear." It's not altogether inspiring, though the technically unlimited combo potential should make Bejeweled and Candy Crush fans happy. The Lite-Brite color scheme and synth soundtrack might be right up your alley. Try it for free, then spend a couple of bucks to advance past level 10.

GlowGrid is a hypnotic, retro puzzle game. Create groups of matching tiles to fill the power bar and move to the next level. But will you play it safe and go for small groups or try to build up massive power combos? Try before you buy: Play 10 levels for free, then unlock the full game with a single In-App Purchase.

GlowGrid Developer: Zut!
Price: Free
4.4
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The Ingenious Machine

Remember the physics puzzles in the old Gizmos & Gadgets game? This is basically a more stylish version of that. Build simple Goldberg machines on a stark blueprint background to accomplish basic tasks with difficulty and parameters that ramp up across levels. There's also a free version, but it has advertising and severe play restrictions.

The Ingenious Machine is a single-player physics-based puzzle game. Combine gadgets together in order to construct an elaborate machine that can solve puzzles. The gadgets include gears, conveyor belts, magnets, weights, explosives, and lasers. Points are awarded for creativity, but deducted for each attempt. Play twenty-five levels, presented in increasing order of difficulty.

Les Miserables - Jean Valjean

No. I know what you're thinking, and just NO. Do not start humming, like I know you did in the theater last Christmas. I will not tolerate it. This game has no singing, it's a straight-up adventure game adaptation of Hugo's novel told from the perspective of primary protagonist Jean Valjean. You'll move around revolution-era France rescuing unfortunates and evading capture. You will not sing like Wolverine in the shower. You. Will. Not.

Discover the story of Jean Valjean, the hero of the novel "Les Misérables". This game is a free adaptation of the novel 'Les Misérables', written by Victor Hugo in 1862. In 1815, Jean Valjean is freed from prison labor, and is an outcast filled with hate and a sense of injustice. He steals silverware from Monseigneur Bienvenu, who has provided him with food and shelter. However, the bishop's generosity teaches him what virtue and integrity are. When Jean Valjean arrives in Montreuil-sur-Mer, he becomes Monsieur Madeleine, the town mayor.

Tales of the Adventure Company

Equal parts minesweeper and "roguelike" RPG, Tales of the Adventure Company is for those who like their graphics simple and their battles simpler. Your collection of four semi-randomized heroes will face off against baddies on procedurally-generated levels, slowly clearing away terrain to advance. It's certainly an acquired taste, and you'll need to spend two bucks to acquire it, but there are no in-app purchases.

Join the Adventure Company on their dangerous quest to obtain riches and glory. You'll battle terrifying liches, horrific slimes and even the gods.

  • Unique blend of RPG, puzzle, and roguelike elements
  • Fight dangerous monsters and save brave heroes across five unique episodes
  • Over 25 unique monsters, each with different abilities
  • Nearly 10 unique heroes, allowing you to build your Adventure Company as you see fit
  • Leaderboards for each episode
  • Variety of achievements and heroes/abilities to unlock
  • Optimized to play in one hand/portrait mode, so you can play on the go. No need to fumble around with your phone's orientation
  • No hidden freemium/timers/IAP content - your purchase is a full, complete game, just like the old days

Die For Metal Again

When I was a kid, my dad told me that KISS was an acronym for "Knights In Service of Satan." The Die For Metal games probably wouldn't do anything to change his mind about the music in general. The sequel adds more blood-spattered platforming with buzzsaws and fire spouts in many an unlikely spot, just waiting to put an end to your head-banging hero. Here's the original, if you're interested. The soundtrack includes Authentic Metal Music.

What`s better than loud Heavy Metal, video-game violence and intense headbanging? Nothing. This game has it all. This is the sequel to Die For Metal, and it brings more brutal Heavy Metal music, dark atmospheres, oceans of blood, and 45 cruel levels to conquer in the name of Metal. The soundtrack contains music from the legendary Dark Metal band "Novembers Doom" and Death Metal band "These Are They", as well as a lot of Thrash Metal, Power Metal and Metalcore.

Die For Metal Again Developer: SinSquid Games
Price: 0.99
4.3
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GRAVL (FREE)

GRAVL is a basic platformer with some interesting environmental elements. Basically all the platforms on the ice planet are dull squares, but a few can reverse gravity, bounce you in the air, or warp you to the opposite side of the block. Grab fuel and get to the end of the level to escape your icy prison. The free game includes advertising, which you can skip in the premium version.

Solve puzzles with gravity, compete with your friends, and help a lonely astronaut find his way home. You get to manipulate the force of gravity... That's right. Newton's Laws don't apply here. In GRAVL, you compete with your friends to help Phil the Astronaut collect the most Fuel Cells, in the shortest amount of time, so he can refuel his spaceship and go back to his home planet.

CandyMeleon

A while back there was a video of someone's pet lizard trying to eat ants off of a game on a smartphone screen. That little guy would be really confused by this one. In CandyMeleon, your sweet-toothed reptile's only purpose is to eat candy, either by the good old-fashioned "dog catch" method or using his tongue. Watch out for the odd poisoned candy or venomous bug... and the pushes for IAPs and semi-useful interaction on social networks.

Introducing a new species of Chameleon: The CandyMeleon. Attracted by treats and sweets, the CandyMeleon can devour an unbelievable amount of candies thanks to his tongue and never gets sick of it. This malicious creature engaged in sabotage toward the nearby candy factory. In the explosion: thousands of sweets have been blown away in the sky. And what’s best than a CandyMeleon extensible tongue to eat them all down before they reach the ground?

Turbolab Pursuit

In the land of rolling jalopies, the man with fuel injection is king. (Man, that sounded a lot more profound in my head.) In Turbolab Pursuit, an enterprising scientist races to keep his awesome car out of the hands of people who would use it for evil. Somehow. It's a pretty typical endless runner plus some shooty bits, and there's not much point to progression besides upgrading your ride, weapons, and outfits. That said, the art and audio is surprisingly charming.

In a world that has only just discovered automobiles, a mad scientist has been busy atop his tower, putting the finishing touches to his all-new prototype vehicle. But the local mafia would love to get their hands on his revolutionary invention... Turbolab Pursuit is a 2D game featuring a subtle cross between a runner and a shoot 'em up. Use Professor West's wacky invention to rocket down the hills and escape the clutches of the enemies hot on your heels.

Skyline Skaters

Do you think the setting of this endless runner skateboarding game has anything to do with current events in Rio de Janeiro? Hmm. One of the main characters wears a soccer uniform and actually carries a ball on his skateboard. Nah, probably a coincidence. Kids at home: if you're going to go skateboarding in a densely-packed urban zone, doing so across city rooftops is not a good idea.

Skate across the rooftops of the world. Join the awesome Skyline Skaters in their flight from the authorities. Perform hazardous jumps from building to building with only your skateboard to save you. Choose between daring Skaters, each with their own unique abilities and tricks. Ollie off ramps as you avoid pitfalls and obstacles strewn about the rooftops. The vigilant rooftop police are always on your tail in their chopper and will stop at nothing to nab you. Get as far as you can before they catch you.

Football Kicks: Title Race

"Quick! The World Cup is coming!"

"Bust out some generic football-themed minigames, then load it up with management elements!"

"Why would football fans care about stadium management?"

"Because it's easy to cram it full of in-app purchases, you idiot! Now code!"

"Fine, fine, put the whip down."

Create the ultimate team, build your dream stadium and swipe your way to the top of the league. With official licensed kits, badges, stadiums and new bonus mode FREE PRACTICE. Take full charge of your team and push them to the top through intensive training, strategic player management and pumped-up match day performance. Showcase your top league status with elite facilities to attract the top talent and keep fans coming through the gates.

A Silent Wood

The text-only horror game is sort of the campfire ghost story of the gaming world. While games like A Silent Wood have their origins back in the days when full-graphic RPGs with branching story paths just weren't feasible, there are still a few who play and enjoy them. A Silent Wood is the labor of love of its developer, who has created a rough RPG that's played entirely through text exposition and prompts. Those without imagination need not apply.

the most awaited, trend setting, absolutely brilliant, text based RPG game. Up from slumber in A Dark Room, you fetch and light up lumber, as you unveil mysteries that surrounded you in a silent wood. Thank you all for all the positive reviews. You definitely have earned a good karma for making few souls very happy. :) If you want to get the full experience DO NOT read below. Contains SPOILERS.

Medication Meditation

Less of a game than a therapeutic art project, Medication Meditation attempts to show you the benefits of some basic health techniques on your body. Why it needs a decidedly antiquated art style to do so is beyond me - you could get the same information with a few minutes worth of reading.

Medication Meditation, developed by artist Kara Stone, is a game that examines the daily mundanities of life and health maintenance. Through activities like daily affirmations, sessions with a therapist, taking deep breaths and discovering just how hard it is to quiet the mind, Medication Meditation will both amuse and have you questioning self-care in equal measure.

Watch Dogs Dark Clouds

UbiSoft just couldn't resist putting out not just one, but two companion apps for Watch Dogs. That hype machine is redlining. Anyway, this is a novelization of a story that takes place after the main plot in the game (if you can call it a plot), fashioned into an app for a few token interactive elements.

//SPOILER ALERT: TO BE READ AFTER FINISHING THE GAME

Extend your Watch_Dogs experience with this digital novel which offers a new standalone story written by John Shirley, prolific author and pioneer of the cyberpunk movement. John Shirley effortlessly combines the world of hacking, in the backdrop of a dysfunctional Chicago, to deliver an action packed, high-tech crime thriller. This enhanced version of the novel features images, videos and interactive elements.

Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!

If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.

Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.

  • the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
  • it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop

Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: oh.no.its.the@androidpolice.com.

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