Welcome to the roundup of the best Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. Today's list is broken into several segments, ranging from best, average, to mediocre. So whether you're looking for the best games of quality or are simply looking for the latest free-to-play gacha titles, you're covered. This week I have the arrival of Square Enix's latest Mana port, a new title in the popular Pako car racing series, and a delightful strategy game where you'll manage a village of cave dwellers. So without further ado, here are the new and notable Android games released during the last week.
If you're looking for older posts, here's where you can find our previous game roundups.
Best Games
Titles that offer fair pricing, enjoyable gameplay, polished interfaces, or are intriguing
Legend of Mana
Android Police coverage: Legend of Mana is a quality (and pricey) remaster finally available for Android and iOS
It's been a while since I've been able to add a Square Enix release to my Best section, but thankfully the mobile port for Legend of Mana is really solid. Controllers are supported out of the box, and the game retains its two-player functionality, which means you can use two controllers if you wish. While the touchscreen controls are serviceable, this is a challenging action RPG, so a controller is definitely recommended. The price is high, and there is no guarantee Square will continue to support the game on mobile, but the classic ARPG gameplay still holds up, and the remastered graphics look superb. Just keep in mind the game will be pillarboxed on non 16:9 screens.
Monetization: $21.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Pako 3
The Pako racing series from Tree Men Games has been trucking along since 2014, with five titles released over the years, all equally fun little racing games. Well, not all of these titles were numbered, some were offshoots exploring different twists on the gameplay formula, and so only this week has the third Pako title landed on the Play Store. This is, of course, a direct sequel to the second game, and this time you can expect a slew of levels to race through, along with some awesome boss fights to break things up. The game is in early access, so it's still a little rough around the edges, but it's still a hoot to play, so if you'd like to take the beta for a spin, now's your chance.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Welcome to My Cave
Welcome to My Cave is a solid strategy game where you'll build up a caveman village by micromanaging your tribe. How you build is up to you, and there are many buildings to unlock, so you always have something to work towards. If you do beat the game, some content will carry over, creating an incentive to play again and again. So if you enjoy simulation town-building games, city-builders, or civilization micromanagement, then you'll probably want to take a look at Welcome to My Cave. The monetization is fair, and since the game doesn't take itself too seriously, it's a lighthearted affair that is easy to jump into throughout the day.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $3.99
Eerie
Eerie is an enjoyable little spot-the-difference game. This is a simple black and white game where a group of odd creatures walks around your screen. As they shuffle about, it will be your job to pick the odd-man-out. So if you have keen eyes and enjoy hunting down oddities to pass the time, Eerie is an enjoyable title that's cheap, fun, and pleasant to look at.
Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Average Games
Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics
Police Sim 2022
Ovidiu Pop offers driving games, a wide selection of them. Some are good, some less so, but unlike the many asset flips that clog the store, there is some polish and fun to be found in Ovidiu Pop releases. Police Sim 2022 is, of course, the latest title from the studio, and as you can see, this is a sim where you'll get to tool around in police cars. You'll have missions at your disposal if driving around without a goal doesn't do it for you, and new missions are coming in 2022 to further flesh out the game. Crashing and high temps can be an issue, as the open world can be demanding, but the developer is actively working on these things with updates, which is nice to see.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Touchgrind Scooter
Touchgrind Scooter is the latest game from Illusion Labs, a scooter entry in its Touchgrind series. As you can guess, you'll get to tool around on a scooter in this release. The controls feel cumbersome since you have to use two fingers in the forced portrait view. Once you have the controls down, you'll unlock new tracks by leveling up as you play, though the cash shop leaves a lot to be desired. At the very least, the shop only contains cosmetics, so it's not like you have to buy anything. While some users have complained about spotty performance, the game runs smoothly on the ROG 5, so a high-end device is recommended, at least until the game is optimized better.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.49 - $27.99
Ubisoft Nano
Apparently, Ubisoft launched a web-based game site called Ubisoft Nano, and the studio packed it with mini-games staring familiar Ubisoft characters. Well, seeing that Ubisoft acquired Ketchap in 2016, it makes sense that Ubisoft would have Ketchap publish an app-based version of the website, which is precisely what Ubisoft Nano on Android is. This means you can play through an assortment of mini-games, and they are multiplayer-focused, and since the website exists, the app doesn't have to rely on its own popularity for you to find people to play with. Keep in mind most games are casual affairs and that this is an ad-supported release. But hey, if that's the cost to play a Rayman-themed version of Bomberman, so be it.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
LEGO DUPLO MARVEL
Yep, that's one heck of a name for a game, three brands, two of which are competitors. Disregarding the patent-filled name, this is a mini-game collection, but you only get a few games for free, the rest you'll have to purchase piecemeal, or you can subscribe to all of the content for a year for $19.99. The thing is, most of this content isn't available yet, so you'll be stuck with two chapters until more content is released. At the very least, each chapter is open-ended, so you play in their worlds as long as you like. So it's an odd mix of content aimed at kids with monetization that isn't outright awful but is still pricey for the content you get.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $4.99 - $19.99
Mediocre Games
Titles that are buggy, unpolished, or offer aggressive monetization
Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage!
In October, Hatsune Miku: Colorful Stage! went into testing on the Play Store, and so I covered the game in a roundup. Well, this week is the official worldwide launch, and as expected, the game is filled with monetization. While this monetization revolves around buying new music, it's hard to ignore how expensive things can grow if you keep buying new tracks. Still, the rhythm gameplay can be fun, and while the anime theme might not appeal to everyone, I'm sure this title will find a dedicated audience regardless.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $79.99
Red Ball Super Run
Red Ball Super Run is a casual auto-runner that offers kid-friendly graphics and a simple gameplay loop. Auto-running is the name of the game, and seeing that this is the fifth entry in the series, there are boss fights in the mix to break up the monotony of running. There are four locations at your disposal and tons of special skills to collect and use. While the meat of the game is familiar, it can be fun, though the monetization stinks, which is why this game is so grindy. It's a shame too. With better monetization, this could have been a much better game. Instead, the grind is slow and annoying to push people into paying.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $94.99
Fantasy Life Online
It is very surprising to see Boltrend Games launching Fantasy Life Online in the West since the game is soon closing in Japan. This situation mirrors how many F2P Korean MMOs are handled, where they reach their end of life in their homeland, receive a quick English translation, and then the game is released in the West to eke out a few more dollars before it enters into maintenance mode. I don't know why anyone would ever believe a dead game from Japan won't see the same fate in the West, but clearly bothering to play, or worse, investing in Fantasy Life Online is a fool's errand. And if the obvious launch of a soon-to-be-dead game isn't a red flag, perhaps the $100 in-app purchases, loot boxes, and wait-timers will better illustrate what this RPG is all about.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Adventure Chef: Merge Explorer
It appears that merge games are making a resurgence, and Adventure Chef: Merge Explorer is the latest merge game to land on Android. As you can guess, it will be your job to solve puzzles by merging items, and these items can be sold in your food truck, with the goal to merge more and more items so that you can sell the most expensive stuff, growing your food truck business. Sadly the balancing is off since this is a game filled with in-app purchases, so it's grindy to push people towards those IAPs. The game is also a little buggy, though I'm sure the developer will address performance soon enough. Sadly I doubt anything will change with the greedy monetization.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Haydos 380
I don't know why sports games insist on offering awful monetization, but it would appear even Cricket isn't free from this greed. Sadly the game is filled with questionable animations and art. It would seem as little money as possible was spent to create this title, and yet it's ridiculously money-hungry despite this lack of polish. It's also highly buggy, which sure doesn't help. Perhaps if the developer was more interested in creating a game for fun instead of a sloppy cash grab, they'd see better reviews. But who am I kidding? Good reviews are easily bought after the fact.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Mystic Gunner PV: Shooting RPG
Mystic Gunner PV is some sort of offshoot of Mystic Guardian, but this isn't an RPG. It's a top-down shooter. Sadly the developer has gotten extra greedy, and so the $89.99 in-app purchases from the first game have now jumped to $299.99 in Mystic Gunner PV. Last I looked, there isn't a shooter on this planet that's worth such an expense, and yet here we are. Buff Studio should be ashamed of itself, but somehow I doubt anyone working there cares, and so the lackluster casual garbage the studio pumps out will continue. I would personally recommend skipping this lazy casual garbage with a vengeance. It's a cash grab and then some.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $299.99
WTF Game Of The Week
Titles that make you say "WTF"
Botox Run!
The screens below show exactly why I chose this title as a WTF listing. Sure, the game stinks, it's just another lazy asset flip, but boy-howdy are the graphics frightening. I mean, look at the chin on the NPC, but I guess that's the point. The monster we are shooting syringes at is hideous because of constant botox injections. While the gameplay works like a simple auto-runner, where you'll move through gates to multiply your syringes, the entire thing is incredibly unpolished, with janky animations and poorly explained mechanics. It's amazing to me that awful games like this are published every day, but it's the theme that really sets this apart. Yes, the gameplay stinks, but you gotta admit shooting needles at horrific faces is pretty WTF. Enjoy!
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
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