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.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Strategy & Tactics:USSR vs USA

Today's roundup is presented by Strategy & Tactics:USSR vs USA from HeroCraft. Ah, the memories of the wonderful Cold War, when the whole family would warm themselves from the heat of an irradiated chunk of masonry and hide from Soviet troops marching down Main Street. Herocraft gets novelty points for setting their latest Risk-style strategy game in an alternate history. It's the same gameplay you've come to expect from this series, but this time played out across Europe and North America with new weaponry and vehicles. The game includes online multiplayer for some extra challenge.

--

USSR vs USA is an add-on for Strategy & Tactics: World War II. The Generals, having gone through the trials of the recent war, now lead armies on the battlefields of an alternate reality. A nuclear attack on Beijing was the turning point to set history off at a tangent and create the course of events in the game world. The two Titans entered into a deadly fight. The Soviet army is to put an end to the capitalist system. The Americans have to drive the enemy out and uphold the democratic ideals at all costs.

• 2 alternative history campaigns (17 missions)

• 3 maps in scenario mode

• Global multiplayer across different smartphones and tablets

• Endlessly replayble Skirmish mode

• Juggle military, economic and scientific development

Games

Rayman Fiesta Run

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Ubisoft Spices Up The Running Game Formula With Rayman Fiesta Run

The original Rayman Jungle Run is still one of the best examples of how to make a fantastic runner game, not to mention top-notch 2D graphics, crazy-addictive music, and all those other things you thought were gone from gaming in the Halo era. The sequel adds a ton of levels, new powers for our limbless hero, and boss fights, which were sorely missing from the first game. At three bucks, this thing is a steal, and you should run to buy it now... if it's compatible with your device.

Join legendary platforming hero Rayman for a new adventure on your favorite mobile device. If you enjoyed Rayman Jungle Run, you will love Rayman Fiesta Run and its new wacky Fiesta world. Lunge for cocktail umbrellas, leap on limes and punch those piñatas the sky’s the limit.

* More than 75 levels welcome you for the Fiesta.

* Bounce on sausages and make your way through 4 new festive worlds

* Beat all 3 new epic bosses to reach the dreaded Land of the Livid Dead Island.

* Rayman could jump, fly, punch and run up the walls

* he can now slide, swim or shrink on the fly into a tiny hero

* Unleash the power of the Super Punch.

Principia

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Principia From Bithack (Of Apparatus Fame) Is A Physics Puzzler With Everything From Simple Machines To Advanced Electronics

You've seen physics games that task you with creating vehicles, but Principia does a lot more than that. You build the vehicles, you build the environments, you build the weapons, the electronics, and you can even create your own games. This title has the heart and soul of a sandbox game with a nigh-infinite toolset. The adventure mode puts away the objectives and lets you duke it out a la Little Big Planet. Graphics are surprisingly good, if simple, taking advantage of the stark backgrounds to let you play around with the materials and tools.

Welcome to the world of Principia - the successor to the Android hit Apparatus, played by over 3 million players. Solve puzzles using the laws of physics. Help the robot get to the goal by building contraptions, bridges and vehicles. Open up the sandbox editor and use over 150 unique objects to create anything from a simple teeter totter to a working calculator. Use the advanced electronics system to create your own games. Upload your creations to the community website or download creations by others.

Tank Battles

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Gameloft Releases Tank Battles – Customize Your Tank And Start Blowing Stuff Up

Just about every Gameloft title is an excuse to make fun of the company's lack of originality (in fact, I'm getting rather unoriginal in my put-downs), but Tank Battles is actually pretty unique. It's a four-player battle game that's sort of like a top-down version of Battlezone, only with modern upgradeable weapons, armor, and vehicles. 80 single-player levels and a handful of multiplayer arenas are available, but watch out for the typical Gameloft in-app purchases. (P.S. The song in the trailer is a rip-off of Jet's "Are You Gonna Be My Girl" - old habits die hard, I suppose.)

Get ready for Tank Battles. This is General McTankerson, the greatest tank commander in the world, speaking. Many have come to my island for the Tank Battles Tournament, but only one can be crowned the Tank King. Will it be you? Roll out and let the Tank Battles begin. Customize your tank, enter the battlefield and destroy your opponents. Tank Battles delivers one of the most exciting multiplayer experiences ever, as well as challenging solo missions – for FREE. The tanks are fast and easy to maneuver, so you’ll become a master tank commander in no time.

Thor: TDW - The Official Game

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Gameloft Releases Thor: The Dark World, A Movie Tie-In With An Uncanny Resemblance To Dungeon Hunter

The Thor sequel is pretty great by Marvel film standards: even as it incorporates familiar characters and settings, it's surprisingly original. I wish I could say the same about Gameloft's mobile tie-in, which is undeniably a re-skinned version of the company's Dungeon Hunter game. At least comics fans will recognize a few of the top-down environments while they're hammering endless waves of bad guys, and the game includes various costumes including Odin and Beta Ray Bill. F*** YEAH BETA RAY BILL.

Become Thor, the God of Thunder, in this official action-adventure game based on Marvel’s Thor: The Dark World theatrical film. Malekith, the lord of the Dark Elves and ancient enemy of Asgard, leads a revolt to destroy the Nine Worlds. Thor must race to free the universe from the Dark Elves’ evil. Hack and slash your way through this epic action game with Asgard’s greatest warriors and avengers. You are the only man who can stand against Malekith’s dark ambitions, and the last defense for the Nine Worlds.

Pocket Harvest

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Kairosoft's Pocket Harvest Gives You A Pair Of Overalls, Your Very Own Farm, And Plenty Of Mouths To Feed

The latest pixelated offering from Kairosoft takes things in the direction of Harvest Moon (which, for you youngsters, is like Farmville without the threat of an invasion from your 13-year-old cousin). Pocket Harvest follows the familiar formula, minus battles or any real kind of tension: raise your crops, cultivate your fields, raise better crops, sell 'em for money, and attract tourists. Apparently the agricultural tourism industry is booming. $5 unlocks the full game.

Leave the rat race behind and reap the joys of life on your very own farm in Pocket Harvest. Cultivate crops with love, ranging from crisp lettuce to succulent strawberries, and refine them into prizewinning produce to bring orders from the local grocers flooding in. Adorable animal friends will lend a helping hoof too, providing milk, wool, eggs, and more. Feeling more ambitious? Boost your income and your image through tourism. From hot air balloons to sports facilities, you can build attractions in countless combinations to draw in high-spending city slickers.

Pocket Harvest Developer: Kairosoft
Price: 5.99
3.7
Download

Meltdown©

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Bulkypix Launches Meltdown, A Free Top-Down Shooter With Nifty Point-And-Click Controls And Online Co-Op

If a marine from Warhammer 40K decided to ignore orders and go on a one-man killing spree, it would end up looking quite a lot like Meltdown. This top-down isometric shooter includes a unique control scheme (for the genre, anyway) that's more like the point-and-click controls on a desktop dungeon crawler than a twin-stick action game. Graphics look pretty great, so give it a try if you're a fan of the 2.5D style.

Become the most skilled soldier and get the best upgrades. Choose your weapons, buckle up and start your mission. You need to get rid of all the different robots. Enemies have different combat styles and gear. Each enemy has it’s own special AI, adapt to them. Meltdown is an intense arcade-shooter game. Clear all the levels and survive in the Arenas.

Skylanders Battlegrounds™

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Dig Out Your Plastic Monster Toys: Activision Unleashes Skylanders Battlegrounds Onto The Google Play Store

The fist Skylanders game for Android was basically just a rail shooter, and it left a lot to be desired. This one has a lot more in common with the console games, i.e., you can actually fight with your collectible monsters. Yes, it still lets you import the plastic toys to use as in-game characters. But since this game is a whopping $7 (with in-app purchases!) and the toys ain't exactly free, you're quickly looking at a lot of dough if you're not already invested in the franchise.

Leap into battle with the brand new Skylanders SWAP Force™ characters. Bring the Skylanders to Life™ and free the war-torn Battlegrounds. Choose your favorite Skylanders and face off against Kaos’ evil Warlord Army. Explore never before seen areas of Skylands, meet new friends and battle fierce enemies. Skylanders Battlegrounds™ is an action packed adventure where you can play with two Skylanders at the same time. Unlock new powers and weapons to help you in the battle against Kaos and his warlords.

Ittle Dew

I'll give you three guesses as to what mega gaming franchise Ittle Dew is riffing on, but you're only going to need one. Yup, it's a tongue-in-cheek Zelda spoof, but it looks like it gets the soul of the old 2D games down - exploration, sneaky puzzles, slowly-building game mechanics. The trailer shows off some pretty spot-on humor as well, and the 2d graphics look fantastic. Give it a shot if you're a Zelda fan, because it's probably the only version of Hyrule you'll get without an emulator.

--

Adventuress Ittle Dew and her sidekick Tippsie crash onto a strange island, filled with loot and mysterious inhabitants. It quickly dawns on the duo that this might become their biggest adventure yet. Ittle Dew boils down the classic adventure formula until there is only fun left. Experience devious puzzles, timeless gameplay and lots of exploration!

Ittle Dew Developer: Ludosity
Price: 1.99
4.3
Download

Mech Conquest

There has been an inordinate amount of mech and robot games in the roundups lately, but this one might be the one I'm most interested in. Technically this is a card-collecting game (with all the F2P baggage that the genre implies), but the battle system has so many variables in your customizable mech and spaceship that Mech Conquest fits right in with more traditional strategy games. The early releases are having a few bugs (especially with the Facebook element), but the developer is responding quickly.

--

Join the intergalactic online war on an epic scale in this adrenaline-fueled game of decisive battles, addictive strategy and explosive Mech-based combat. Mech Conquest places you in the heat of the action as you gather resources to expand your fleet, recruit the hottest pilots and build a formidable army of fully customizable 3D battle Mechs to fight it out against real opponents for ultimate galactic supremacy.

Monster Loves You!

An adventure game where you play as a bloodthirsty monster? I am so in! Okay, technically you can be benevolent (if you've ever wanted to role play as Grover from Sesame Street, I guess), but when the central point of the game is a conflict between monsters and humans, who's going to pick the one where you're not eating helpless townspeople? The art is interesting and quirky, but at the end of the day Monster Loves You probably could have been played as a text-only game.

--

Devour Hansel and Gretel. Save Little Red Riding Hood. Eat the Three Little Pigs. Monster Loves You! is an interactive story where you live the life of a Monster, making decisions about what to eat and how to steer the future of Monsterkind. What do you do when three angry bears discover a child in their cabin? Or when you spy a wolf hunting down a young woman? As a Monsterling, your choices are simple ones. But all youngins must grow up and make tougher decisions.

CHARIOT WARS

I do believe this is the first chariot racing game I've ever seen. The technical presentation is pretty good (even if the textures leave a little to be desired), and Chariot Wars will let you get your Ben Hur on in both the single-player campaign mode and online multiplayer. There's even an attempt at historical accuracy, at least in terms of location and art style... though I doubt any of the charioteers in ancient Rome could hit 70 miles an hour with just two horsepower.

--

Chariot Wars is a AAA quality story-driven racing game set in Ancient Rome. Featuring stunning visuals, the game features both singleplayer and multiplayer modes.

• Singleplayer arcade racing including Championship and Time Trial modes

• 4 player multiplayer

• Game levels set in Ancient Greece, Egypt, Helvetia and Gaul

• Day and night levels

• Pushing the limits of current mobile 3D graphics hardware,

• Exciting singleplayer story told via a digital graphic novel

• Achievements & Global leaderboard

• Challenge your Facebook, Google+, Twitter, Game Circle friends to multiplayer racing matches

• Record your gameplay videos and upload to YouTube, Facebook

• Eight different chariot models

• Male and female charioteer avatars

• Multiple horse types

Steam Punks

Steampunk has been done to death, as have pixelated platformers, but the clear inspirations of Metroid, Mega Man and Contra are enough to make Steam Punks (ugh) worth a look at the very least. There's also a surprisingly in-depth story, much more robust than you might expect from a mobile platformer game. With simple controls and attractive 16-bit visuals, the game justifies its $2 price tag and then some.

Steam Punks is a action platformer RPG inspired by classics SNES games like Mega man X. Elite Enforcer Dunns Calhan is on his mission to take on the Bowler Gang and get back a stolen invention.

  • Loads to explore and secrets to uncover
  • Check Point auto save system for easy pick up and play levels
  • Awesome weapons
  • Cool Masks with unique powers
  • Tons of Hidden power ups and upgrades
  • Speed boots *Crash Helmet *Gun upgrades, bullet sp. bullet Pow
  • 8 Hidden coins in each level
  • Bestiary: view all the beautifully pixelated enemies you encounter
  • Mini Card game

Battle Command!

Battle Command looks like someone's best attempt to bring Starcraft into the world of mobile gaming, warts and all. That means simplified tower defense-style tactics and easy touch play, but it also means free-to-play shenanigans, pay-to-win tactics, and multiplayer that's heavily focused on social networking. But the graphics look good, and developer Spacetime (Pocket Legends, Battle Dragons) knows how to juggle all these elements effectively. Give it a try if you're looking for strategy.

Atten-TION! Battle Command! is a military strategy game set in the not-too-distant future. You’ll take command of a rag-tag fighting force with potential, but in desperate need of your leadership. Build your base, raise your army and go to war against other players in an epic quest for domination. Do you have the skills to become the world’s next great commander?

Romans From Mars

There are so many questions to be answered in this game. Why does the ancient god of war live on Mars if the proto-deity pre-dates his association with the planet? Why would his armies, after traveling the gulfs of space, wear period-style armor and use short swords? If Martians are green, why is Mars/Aries a white dude in a beard - wouldn't he make them in his own image? I suppose these questions will have to remain unanswered, leaving only a whimsical free-to-play turret shooter in its wake.

--

You are a Roman soldier, and you and your crossbow are all that stands in the way of the God of War, Mars, and his invading Martian army. Luckily, Jupiter has endowed you with awesome and terrifying elemental powers of Fire, Ice, Earth, and Lightning. You must hold the line and defend your castle walls or risk Earth being overrun by these Romans… from Mars!

• Battle endless waves of Martians determined to take over Earth

• Upgrade your crossbow ballista to create the ultimate weapon of destruction

• Unleash your godly elemental powers of Fire, Ice, Earth, and Lightning

• Defend your castle against 10 different types of alien enemies including the powerful Centurion Mech

• Hours of gameplay with 30 achievements to earn!

Burn The Lot

I don't know what this game has against carnival folk - perhaps the producer had some bad experiences in a shopping mall parking lot. Whatever the reason, Burn The Lot tasks you with beating the ever-loving crap out of some creepy roving entertainers, which for some reason are contained on tiny Mario Galaxy-style planetoids. Weapons come in both projectile and melee flavors, and the aesthetic is pleasantly kooky, even if the graphics themselves aren't going to wow you.

--

Carnies: they hypnotize…they steal…they leave. They call it “burning the lot.” But something else is going on. Something that reeks of a plan and carnies don’t plan. Now’s the time to put the hurt on ‘em, before things get out of hand. Stopping interstellar carnies from taking over the galaxy is your job. That means finding the weapons and tactics you’ll need to get the job done. Fight your way around three different planets. Collect coins that lead to better gear. Better gear leads to bigger bangs. You get the idea.

Stack Rabbit

What's this? A Disney game not based on an existing property? Indeed it is. At the core it's a simple match-3 game, with the interesting addition that you'll have to carefully plan out your pilfering route to keep from overloading the cuboid rabbit. If you get the combination wrong the stack will tumble, possibly waking the guard dog to further complicate your day. Graphics are simple but enjoyable, and the game looks well-polished in both concept and content.

--

Stack Rabbit is here! Hop in and play a wild new puzzle adventure from Disney and the creators of Where’s My Water! Download now and stack your way to puzzle success! Ben the Rabbit’s peaceful, veggie-thieving life is turned upside down when his sister goes on vacation leaving him to babysit her restless bunny children. With a bounty of bouncing bunnies to feed, Ben must sneak into the nearby farm and steal enough veggies to feed the kids! But watch out – Max the guard dog is always keeping a watchful eye on the farm’s veggies!

Decromancer

Oh, I get it. "Decromancer." Like magic card game. Of course all modern card battle games owe at least some inspiration to Wizards of the Coast, but this one is more like a tactical game than the one-on-one slugfests that a lot of TCG titles turn into. Art is a bit on the low-rent side, but those who enjoy turn-based combat should find some interestingly fresh mechanics inside.

What would happen if all species were as intelligent as humanity? Find out in Decromancer, the tactical battle card game that puts you at the core of a whirlwind adventure across an epic single player campaign. Help a friendly Diplomat return to her people by battling your way through enemy territory. Build your deck and find the best formation to earn yourself victory in these troubling times.

Super Tinboy

At first Super Tinboy looks like a not-so-subtle take on the Cordy platforming games, but the element of color and black-and-white worlds (explored by more than a few console games) is relatively novel in the mobile space. This one definitely skews younger than most Android games, so check it out as something for your kids to play after they get out of their Halloween-induced sugar comas.

--

Use powerups to run super fast and jump high like a bird over angry monsters as you make your way through dangerous obstacles. Watch out for flying zeppelins, angry Korean death fans, giant smashing blocks, and traps! Test your speed in this fast paced, fun and friendly magical adventure. The game is 2.5D, this means that the map layouts are 2D but all of the models and animations are 3D, similar to Super New Mario Bros.

Sketchman

You know the drill: run! Jump! Shoot all the things! This endless runner with a pen-and-paper aesthetic actually looks better than most of the games that use the style - it's Sketchman, not Stickman, after all. And Miniclip is known for solid titles, including the Gravity Guy series. This is still a very basic concept, but the two-button gameplay is simple and the visuals are nice. As with most endless runners these days, it's pretty heavy on the in-app purchase push for upgrades and weapons.

--

Lookout evil doers, Sketchman is here! Jump, double jump, glide and shoot your way through hordes of enemies and hazards in this new exciting runner!

• Crazy doodle art!

• 6 weapons with more to come on future updates

• Fast paced gameplay

• Loads of missions to complete and earn coins

• Classic boss fights

Be the man! Be the Sketchman!

Star Arena

Star Arena takes a lot of the ideas that are a core part of the tower defense genre... then removes the towers. You control a base and continually create autonomous units, which you can vaguely guide along paths to the opposite base (but not directly control). The game is definitely on the indie side in terms of production, but there's a huge focus on multiplayer, and the developers get extra points for eschewing the usual F2P pitfalls - no ads, no in-app purchases.

--

Suit up, Commander! Humanity is in disarray and alien invaders have taken control of earth. You are the only remaining hope for humanity's survival, get into the battle! Star Arena is a fast paced 3D game that blends RTS elements with Tug of War into a seamless enjoyable mobile experience for hours on end.

  • Ad Free, and no pay to win aspects. When you buy the game, you own the entire game, period.
  • Online Multiplayer
  • Full 3D HD Graphics, scales to any resolution, tablet or phone!
  • Single Player modes (Skirmish and Campaign)
  • Fast Paced, Fun, Competitive Gameplay

Luxuria Superbia

This game makes me feel dirty and I don't know why. There's nothing in the content that overtly declares any kind of adult intent... but the whole is greater than the sum of its (ahem) parts. If you want to feel mildly uncomfortable while playing with yourself, or extremely awkward while playing around others, Luxuria Superbia is the game for you.

--

There’s twelve flower-like tunnels and a garden with a temple.

In the garden, you select a flower by turning the dial.

When you complete a flower the next one is unlocked.

A flower always starts out colorless.

But when you touch it, color fills the tunnel.

Stay in the glowing flower as long as possible!

Play slowly and gently to get a high score.

Just pushing through as fast as you can will result in failure.

The game wants you to take it easy and be playful.

Luxuria Superbia Developer: Tale of Tales
Price: 2.99
4.4
Download

Rocket Ranger

This game is basically a 2D platformer/shooter with an unofficial Rocketeer skin. That's the Rocketeer comics, not the movie - the original Amiga game was released way back in 1988, which explains a lot of the decidedly old-school art and game mechanics. Rocket Ranger is split between side-scrolling beat-em-up segments and Space Harrier-style aerial battles, though I can't say how well the on-screen controls have been translated for the mobile port.

A Master Race from Outer Space Threatens the Free World. Rocket Ranger brings all the action, romance, thrills, and spills of the Saturday morning serial. The action begins with an urgent message from the future. . . a future that saw the National Socialists win Word War II. An underground group of scientists in the 21st century risk their lives to send you a jet propelled rocket suit, ray gun and secret decoder wheel.

Assassin’s Creed® IV Companion

Android Police coverage: [New App] Ubisoft Releases Companion App To Coincide With The Launch Of Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag

Another AAA Ubisoft release, another Android companion app. This one follows the latest in the increasingly ancillary Assassin's Creed franchise, and allows console and PC players to access world maps, cargo manifests, fleet formations, and your stabby kindergarten of hired assassin apprentices. The app is designed more as a secondary menu screen while playing than as a hub for the hour a day you're away from your 360. Sadly, it does not include a Pirates & Traders minigame.

Elevate your Assassin’s Creed 4 Black Flag experience with this unique companion app. Turn your tablet device into a second screen that provides you with features that further immerse you into this Caribbean world. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag’s Companion is an indispensable tool for all would-be pirate captains. It acts like your very own quartermaster, so that you will never need to break the immersion and flow of gameplay by pausing the game to navigate through certain menus. You are now free to fully concentrate on the job at hand - to gain wealth and infamy on the high seas and in exotic cities.

Call of Duty®

Android Police coverage: [New App] Activision Releases Call Of Duty: Ghosts Companion App On Day One, But It's Suffering From Compatibility Issues

Activision is abandoning the older Call Of Duty Elite app for a new version (simply titled "Call of Duty") which will serve as the companion for supported games going forward. It includes all the standard multiplayer shooter stuff: customizing your loadout, a few extra goodies for in-game, clan management, that sort of thing. There's also a meta-game that pits your clan against others, though there's no direct gameplay - the better individual players do in-game, the better the clan does on the map.

Battle for territory against multiple Clans with locations on the Call of Duty® Clan Wars map tied directly to Call of Duty®: Ghosts multiplayer game modes. Earn exclusive in-game bonuses by dominating your opponents, including additional soldier customization options and bonus multiplayer XP. Each Clan War takes place over a set period of time, giving you multiple opportunities for your Clan to win.

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.

1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) - please contact us for details.