Welcome to the weekly roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Market or were spotted by us in the previous 3 weeks or so.

This edition focuses only on new games. The app roundup is coming up soon, and you can find the tablet app roundup here.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the AppBrain widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.

Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Today's roundup is sponsored by HeroCraft's latest game - Musaic Box. Our own Liam Spradlin reviewed this game a few weeks back and found it to be excellent for both lovers of puzzle/hidden object games and music. In HeroCraft's own words:

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Musaic Box is an unusual combination of musical puzzle and a detective quest. Its scenario offers you a riddle: to find the old organ master who has vanished.

Solving various quests and gathering the clues just like in other classic hidden object games you'll find outlines of musical scores for your music box and reveal exclusive puzzles where you have to recreate masterpieces of classical and modern music out of smaller pieces.

Unlike other puzzles, Musaic requires not just logic but a sense of musicality. Correctly composed melodies will lead you to the mystery's revelation and unlock new game mode.

A free Lite and a $1.49 paid versions are available in the Market.

Games

Minecraft - finally no longer locked down to the Xperia Play.

Minecraft - Pocket Edition allows you to build on the go. Use blocks to create masterpieces as you travel, hangout with friends, sit at the park, the possibilities are endless. Move beyond the limits of your computer and play Minecraft everywhere you go. *Xperia PLAY optimized*

The gangs want you dead. They don’t know what they’re in for. Now you can play 9mm for Android and become John "Loose" Kannon, the leader of a special team of hardened cops that aren't afraid to bend the law to clean up the streets. But when they kill a local drug lord's brother and steal millions in cash, the theft makes Kannon's whole team the target of every gangster in the city. Now Kannon has only one option: Take down the gang leader that's hunting them, legally or not, before his team gets taken out first.

Guns'n'Glory WW2

Enter the battle and lead your troops to glory. Explosive defense action in World War II. Grab your bazookas and ready your grenades in the thrilling successor to the award-winning action-strategy game Guns’n’Glory. Order your tanks into combat and march your troops to the frontlines of World War II. Axis or Allies - the battle will be decided by YOU.

- Thrilling defence-action strategy during WW2

- Successor to the popular Guns’n’Glory Wild West game

- 2 factions to choose from: US Forces, Axis Germany

- 4 different units to recruit on each side

- 12 challenging maps with 3 different difficulty modes

- RPG-like skill system to upgrade your units

- Powerful items to use for tactical advantages

- Earn Glory Coins and spend them on troop and battlefield improvements

- Earth-shattering explosions and awesome effects

- Pounding battle tunes

* Xperia PLAY optimized *

Guns'n'Glory WW2 Developer: HandyGames
Price: Free
4.4
Download

Skip the description unless you want to see some fine Engrish. Here's pretty much all you need to know: "Just move the birds freely. That’s all. Move your fingers really fast. Then, you could be the number one." But seriously, the game looks great.

NaturalMotion Games, the makers of the million-selling hit Backbreaker Football, are proud to present: ICEBREAKER HOCKEY. Crushing checks, slick moves, and super-addictive gameplay combine to create an experience that redefines action on the rink. Deke and spin your way towards the goal, dodging and skating past players on a mission to take you down. If you make it through, it's time to face the GOALTENDER: taunt him with your SHOWBOATING skills, and charge up a SUPER-SHOT to show him who's boss.

Magic Defenders HD was released as a Honeycomb exclusive, but is no longer limited to it. Watch the video to experience all its glory.

Ready for magic circles, spells and an endless army of orcs? Be the hero and defend your village from the evil orcs in three different invasion episodes. You will fight in the forest, near the walls and inside the town to defend the town’s last resort, the castle. Compete with people around the world for the highest score in an endless battle to defend everyone in an arcade style gameplay.

- Beautiful scenarios fully optimized for Android tablets

- Fluid and amazing character animations

- Unique spell animation art

- 3 engaging scenarios with unique art

- Endless hours of rewarding intense action

- Multiple ways to specialize your characters evolution

- Next level gameplay

- Simple and intuitive yet deep and powerful

- A great number of achievements to unlock

- Worldwide competition through OpenFeint

- New heroes added on a regular basis

Explosions, sweet graphics and an awesome description - you have my attention.

So, what did you do today? Really? Well that's interesting. GUESS WHAT I DID? I F#*ING SAVED THE WORLD FROM A HORDE OF ADVANCE BIOMECHANICAL CREATURES! This Space Shooter is full of action, be ready for explosions and crazy enemies on this arcade.

Invade your neighbours, spread mayhem and destruction, drink a little tea. GLWG is the hit 3D turn-based strategy game that everyone's talking about. With a unique comical style and plenty of laughs and excitement, you'll keep coming back again and again for "just one more go." Take command of your army and battle the foe on land, sea and air but be sure to make wise decisions as you go. You want to deploy your soldiers to take full advantage of the higher terrain, natural choke points, ambush spots and defensive walls. Get it right and the bad guys will lose to your superior strategy skills.

❋ Four difficulty settings

❋ Full 3D terrain affects gameplay

❋ Simple control method

❋ Lots of units

❋ Lots of terrain types

❋ Tons of humour

❋ Absolutely no birds or zombies

You are as a battle-hardened mercenary to fight enemies using a variety of weapons. Totally 15 weapons, grenade and 3 armors can be bought in store. To make money by completing more tasks to buy better equipment. There are 60 levels in 6 maps and 2 extra funny games. And a number of game achievements and online leaderboards, players can join with the global rivalry.

Gun Strike Developer: PALADIN DIGITAL CO., LTD.
Price: Free
4.6
Download

Fun, brain-teasing and quirky. Kaptilo is a unique and charming puzzle game. Guide Kaptilo, the friendly robot, around a series of mazes. Get him to the exit but remember to turn off all the lights as you go. Four different characters, each with different effects on the puzzle, will challenge your skill. Each puzzle is carefully crafted to provide a new engaging test. With 40+ levels and more released all the time there is plenty of puzzling to be had.

The world’s most exciting golf odyssey returns with more great new features that you’ve been waiting for! Everyone can join in this fun and exciting golf adventure. Create your avatar and challenge friends and opponents from across the globe in golf tournaments that are unlike anything you’ve seen before.

  • WHERE NO ONE HAS GOLFED BEFORE • Travel to six of the most far-out locations you’ve ever played, from the Great Wall of China to Outer Space! • Each course is created in 3D so you’ll see every beautiful waterfall, lush forest and distant green as if you were immersed in an adventure.
  • • Up to 4 golfers can compete in fun matches online and locally (via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth). By popular request, you can also play on the same device! • Your friends are not online? Challenge them to beat your score and see who will win the top prize. • Chat live during your online games. • Invite all your friends to join the Golf Club via Facebook, Gameloft LIVE!, email and more. • Watch your opponent’s turn during a match! (Feature only available for certain devices.)
  • BE YOUR OWN GOLFER • Create your unique golfing avatar from thousands of combinations of clothes, hair, gear and more to match your style, no matter how colorful or down-to-Earth. • Purchase special skills (like increased range or accuracy for your shots) or balls with special powers (like Tornado, Luck, etc.) using virtual coins you can earn in-game.
  • Progressively unlock new modes: Stroke Play, Match Play, Shootout, and Close to Pin. Need a change of pace? Play some challenging mini-games like Catch the Star, Target Range and Putting Master to hone specific skills and become a champion of the links.

Enclosure is a twist on the classic Tower Defense game in which you not only place guns, but also build walls and doors to keep the attackers at bay. Enemies come from all sides and have several potential exit points, all of which must be protected using a combination of force fields and heavy weaponry. The force fields are shaped into passages, rooms and obstacles, to slow the attackers down long enough for the weapons to kill them.

Space isn’t big enough for this much fun. Take part in the comical escapades of a cold-war superpower’s attempt at galactic domination. Or challenge your friends to epic space battles featuring unique spaceships and devastating weapons.

Key features of Cosmonauts include:

  • Single-Player Campaign and Multiplayer Modes
  • Turn-based Space Combat
  • Free to Download

No clubs. No rules. Just flick, spin and curve your shots to try and sink that perfect hole in one. Watch out for the usual hazards: bunkers, trees, sand... and of course the wind.

★ Try to shoot the perfect score in Quickshot mode.

★ Play World Tour, from the USA’s West Coast to Japan in the Far East.

★ Varying wind from the lightest breeze, to full on gales!

★ Incredibly accurate in-flight spin control.

★ Stunningly realized 3D environments.

Can you own the game? Can you control the pitch with one touch? Use your vision and destroy a defense with one pass? Can you earn the ultimate respect from Nani and Van Persie on your way to the final? Gear up. Take the new adipower Predator from the pitch to your smartphone and master every curve, every lob, to deliver that killer pass to your striker. It won't be easy, you'll have to take on defenders, ignore the pressure and find the space. In the new game by the creators of the legendary Flick Kick you rule the midfield:

  • Show what a Predator can do, with an arsenal of passes, assists and counter-attacks.
  • Split defenses in two with amazing curls and lob shots.
  • Go one-touch genius and do your magic to set the goal.
  • Master the 12 levels, from practice to full football action.
  • Upload your score, share on Facebook and follow the leader board to see who owns the game in the end. NFL Rivals is an intense arcade football experience like no other. Choose your NFL team and support them throughout the 2011 season. Every time you play, your score gets uploaded to your team’s global ranking. Can you drive them to the top?
    • Gameplay NFL Rivals is football for everyone. Charge down the field to score touchdowns for your team, juking, trucking, jumping and spinning past ever-tougher rival opponents. Or, on Defense, chase down that running back and tackle him in style.
    • Authentic NFL Teams Featuring all 32 NFL teams, NFL Rivals is a fan’s dream. Unite with fellow fans to help your favorite team dominate its rivalries and rise to the top of NFL Rivals.
    • Introducing NFL Points – Your Chance to Represent your Team By scoring NFL Points, fans from all over the world unite to move their team up the NFL Rivals rankings. Every amazing touchdown and every tackle; every jump, every drive, every juke and every spin counts towards your team’s ranking in the Rivals leaderboards. Make sure to get your swagger on and execute your play with style to earn bonus points in the game.
    • Gameday – Play Your Team’s Schedule All Season Long During the NFL season, the awesome new Gameday feature lets you play alongside your favorite team's weekly schedule. Real life rivalries become your challenge. Giants and Eagles – prepare to meet in Week 3. Steelers and Ravens fans – get bonus points for taking each other on in Week 1 and Week 9 when your teams meet in primetime.
    • NaturalMotion Games ups the ante again with jaw-dropping player and stadium visuals. Featuring our most detailed graphics yet, NFL Rivals is a console game in your hands. Smooth animations and crushing tackles combine with advanced lighting and shadows to produce the most engaging mobile football experience to date.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p7YngXtMoo Clouds & Sheep is a charming sandbox game featuring, well, clouds and sheep. Excessively cute sheep. The laid-back pace, mellow gameplay and adorable graphics make Clouds & Sheep an ideal game for casual gamers, as well as more serious gamers who want to take a break from the wanton slaughter and crushing challenges of more hardcore game titles. - Innovative casual gameplay - Interact with adorable sheep - Manipulate clouds and weather - More than 20 bonus items, toys and gadgets - Heart-meltingly cute graphics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPblIq6Nbz0 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.hg.cloudsandsheepfree Jump, fly and dodge through Antarctica. All you need to know is how to tilt. Way, way back, the Empire of Gadalia, a mighty state, controlled the lands in which the game is set, and the islands around those lands. That empire was ruled by mechanical beings in the form of men, and the humans were under their control. It is unclear from what period humans fell under the control of the machines. There is the legend that robots came down from the heavens, but so long has passed now that to be certain of how things began is nigh on impossible. 'Why must humans be subject to those with no blood in their veins?'- Finally, this ill-feeling led to the humans raising the flag of revolt against the machines. The clashes between humans and machines developed into a huge war that engulfed each and every land, with no victory in sight. Into this stalemate the machines introduced the strongest killing machine of all, designed to achieve ultimate victory: the Eve of Zero... Now, 2000 years later… https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=kemco.wws.eog.hd “Overload” is an action-arcade-style game set in a steampunk world, featuring fast paced action, explosions and a pack of toasters, radio sets and kettles turned evil. Destroy pirates in this missile command style tactical naval combat game. The near future. A pirate conglomeration equipped with the latest military hardware wages an unopposed war of plunder within the vital trade routes of the world. A naval force of modern warships drawn from a unified community of free nations is assembled to meet this growing threat. You are their commander. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0P0B9ThYrlA https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.BaneGames.BattleGroup While Muffin Knight came out in the beginning of September, the free version only decided to show up recently. If you need a refresher, all I need to mention is Sir Poopsalot, a unicorn that poops rainbows. Brought to you by the creators of Guerrilla Bob. Fertilize the forest with the unicorn, cover the sky with black holes, flood the world with candy, but just get the muffins back. Muffin Knight is an action-packed platformer with stunning visuals and a myriad of fairytale characters, each with their own unique abilities, which gain strength as you advance. This is the story of a little boy, on his journey to return the old fairy’s magical muffins. A strange curse was set on him: with each muffin he touches, he turns into a different creature. The old fairy promises to turn him back into a boy when he gets all the muffins back. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SUifZ-H4wI https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.angrymobgames.muffinknightfree Finally something worth defending. Join the Jelly forces now and lead them to glory in this uneven and fierce fight against the invaders. Use your tactical skills and wisdom to tip the scales of victory in your favor in order to save the Diploglobe and the Jelly nation from the agressors. That's right, you are their only hope - the one they call the liberator, the true leader, the Jelly savior. You are the hero they deserve. Just look at these poor little creatures. They trust you, they believe in you, they rely on you. Can you refuse those big faithfull eyes (or eye)? You're really their only hope. Get Jelly Defense now and lose yourself in an amazing, unique and beautiful world. Build powerful towers and lead your army to battle against fantastic and demanding enemies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0lbthbJ1ko https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=pl.idreams.jellydefense Try your hand at investigating a murder and bring the killer to justice. Detectives Turino and Lamonte have been assigned to a new investigative unit: Special Enquiry Detail. Their first case is the shocking death of the daughter of two charity fundraisers. So the list of suspects is growing. With pressure from the captain and the mayor to solve the case quickly, the two detectives must uncover the trail that leads to the murderer. You will help with forensics, investigate the clues and suspects to find the murderer and unveil the secrets and deceptions of those involved! Dive into Special Enquiry Detail: The Hand That Feeds and become a New York City detective pursuing justice. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cD-PC_cAWY https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.g5e.specialenquiry Champions aren't born. They're made. Real Steel is an underworld fighting game set in the near-future, where 2,000 pound robots fight in a no-holds barred battle to the death. Featuring two play modes, you can either fight a roster of Robots (Tournament Mode), each more challenging than the last, or fight in a quick sparring match against your favorite opponents (Free Sparring Mode). Your primary objective: defeat Midas and unlock all 8 unique Robots. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcMB8P2iLjU https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jumpgames.RealSteel Save the remnants of humanity by slaughtering every zombie in your path. You have killed more criminals than you can count. Now it's time to face the apocalypse and blow the crap out of thousands of zombies! From the team that brought you Contract Killer comes CONTRACT KILLER: ZOMBIES. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M3fe79dF50 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.glu.android.zombsniper Roll up, roll up, the circus is in town. Here is everyone's favourite act, clowns! With a variety of novelty contraptions and toys, can you help the clowns with their act and get each and every one of them soaked by dunking them in a barrel of freezing cold water. Brrr. Blast the clowns around with cannons, tilt them on seesaws, bounce them off trampolines and teleport them with the assistance of the magicians hats to get all of the clowns in the barrels. With 75 levels, 5 different acts and 3 different game modes including timed and arcade mode, the fun doesn't stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw5HpioVEEU Not since road rash has gaming been this fun. Race, stunt and fight your way across America on your motorcycle. Play as a Sport Bike Rider, Cop or Chopper rider as you gain points completing stunts and finishing first. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISc7dsKZVZ8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=Adrenaline.Crew Take your magic paper and start drawing. Imagine anything and make your doodles come alive. Make the ball reach the star avoiding the black stars. Enjoy this game with nice textures and amazing physics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-x3Fa_SzRoA The woodpeckers are attacking your tree and your role is to defend your home and your pig family from the invading force of enemies. Using a real time line drawing game mechanic, you must protect the pig’s tree nest by shooting down enemy woodpeckers with an air force made of pigs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lv_QLSS8Rok Everything you love about Club Penguin’s Puffle Launch game is now available anywhere you go. Launch your extreme pet puffle and find the fiery prize in each of the 24 high speed levels. Dodge crazy obstacles, battle the cranky crab who has stolen all your snacks, and discover amazing surprises! Collect Puffle O’s, unlock Time Trial, Turbo and Slo-Mo Modes, and earn tons of virtual coins to transfer to clubpenguin.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmJMU1E3wWs Bugs... splat 'em, flick 'em or explode 'em. Create awesome chain reactions and watch your score grow. Bugged lets you splat bugs all day long without ever feeling a single pang of remorse or the need to sanitize your hands. Go on, you know you want to. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoCqd8wX_4M Rock the Vegas is a fascinating symbiosis of tycoon, city builder, gambling and social game. Users build not just a simple city, but a real Las Vegas prototype. That is why the city is alive not only at day but also at night, which is the main time Vegas is active: casinos are flashing with bright lights, cars are rushing through the dark roads. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp1bAHp85M8 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.seventeenbullets.android.vegas&hl=en Take on all comers, avoid collisions and score MILLIONS of points in this stunning game of skill and quick reflexes. Guide our plucky underdog hero Lionel in his epic task to KILL ALL LINES, pick up lovely GLOWY THINGS, fight for survival (in SPAAAAAACE!) and most importantly DON'T CRASH! This is literally the funniest game you will ever play that has a glowing yellow line as the main character. Presented with full HD graphics for this Android version for both phones and tablets. On tablets, play in the specially crafted EXTREME mode for 4x the challenge. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L6PPOlvRuIM https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jakyl.hardlineshd Trial Xtreme 2 is the sequel to multi-million selling hit Trial Xtreme, packed with more levels, amazing new graphics and more blistering motorcycle stunt action than ever. Crank up the throttle, rev your engine and negotiate your way across 32 new action-packed levels. Trial Xtreme 2 uses the cutting edge NVIDIA® PhysX® engine to give you the most realistic ride of your life, demanding skill and concentration to take to take your bike riding skills to the max. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMNMDzx7R2g https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.galapagossoft.trialx2_gl2_demo Enter the warped and kooky world of Ghost Chicken; a high-octane action game full of chills and thrills! Stretch the chicken’s neck to gobble up all the corn before time runs out. Release the chicken’s head to snap the neck back in. Be careful– creepy crawly bugs lurk in the dirt, so don’t let them bite. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bluefroggaming.ghost_chicken Constant C is a new action puzzle game, played by controlling time and gravity. In a distant future, a dark force gained control of the universe. Everything stopped moving – the time is frozen and gravity is gone. The only hope of recovering the universe relies on “Constant C,” a robot gifted with a small circle of power, allowing Constant C to move and to revive the time and gravity within the circle. When Constant C approaches an object, the object becomes “alive” and when Constant C leaves, the object becomes frozen again. By making good use of Constant C’s power, your mission is to remove obstacles ahead and find a way for Constant C to reach the control center of the dark force. There are 29 levels. To solve the puzzles, you need to be intelligent and creative. Each puzzle gives you a new experience, and along the way, your will learn important skills that can help you solve the puzzles. The unique feature of Constant C will give you a mind blowing experience. So, be quick! The universe is waiting for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwZF5C8H8Co This game is slightly older, but we've never heard of it before, and it looks pretty cool for a dungeon crawler. Destroy monsters, with traps. TRAP HUNTER -LOST GEAR- is a turn-based dungeon crawler RPG (roguelike style). You are not strong like a hero, but you have an artifact of trapping, called as 'Trap Gear'. Explore dungeon, confront monsters, and accomplish missions. Even though boss monsters are hard to win with direct combat, but lots of traps will help you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRK3IpRE938 https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.ash.TrapHunter_LITE

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    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 cropNow, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: oh.no.its.the@androidpolice.com. 1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) - please contact us for details.