Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. This week I have so many games that it's difficult to pick my favorites. FRACTER is a definite standout if you enjoy light-based puzzle games. Of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the new beta listing for PUBG Mobile, so make sure to check that out if you are a battle royale fan. But hey, who cares what I think. So before this section gets a little too long-winded, let's just jump right into it.

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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Games

BETA PUBG MOBILE

Android Police coverage: PUBG Mobile now has a beta version available on the Play Store

There is no doubt that PUBG Mobile has been a massive success on Android, though it's clear it's still missing enough polished content to be called a finished product. That's why this Beta PUBG Mobile release is so relevant. It provides an easy way to test new features with the player base without having to worry about introducing bugs to the production release. So if you would like to see what's next for PUBG Mobile, just give this beta a look to see what the latest updates may bring.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

FRACTER

Android Police coverage: Monochromatic puzzler 'FRACTER' is available a day early

4L Games have come up with a beautiful puzzler that takes advantage of a monochromatic theme for both its unique look and as a very useful game mechanic. Your job is to restore the light to the bleak world that makes up Fracter. To do this, you will have to traverse many stages as you solve one puzzle after another. Just make sure you go about this carefully, as there are plenty of scary creatures that would like to stop you dead in your tracks.

Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs

FRACTER Developer: 4L GAMES LTD.
Price: 3.99
4
Download

STAR OCEAN: ANAMNESIS

Android Police coverage: Star Ocean: Anamnesis makes its English-language Play Store debut

Star Ocean: Anamnesis is a gacha RPG that was initially released in Japan in 2016. Now that an English version has made its way stateside, you may be asking yourself if it's any good. Well, to tell the truth, it offers a mixed bag. The graphics nicely represent the long-running property, and the gameplay can be amusing for a while, but eventually, the grind kicks in and things start to turn into a slog. So if you are not the type of person who enjoys endlessly grinding, you may want to skip this.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $79.99

The Walking Dead: Our World

Android Police coverage: The Walking Dead: Our World shambles its way onto the Play Store

Forget Pokémon GO, that's so 2016. Augmented reality games are now fully grown, as we can see with the recent releases of Jurassic World Alive and today's listing of The Walking Dead: Our World. So instead of tracking down cute little creatures that you will enslave as your muscle, you will be tasked with tracking down zombies that deserve a bullet to the head. The more you kill, the more equipment and upgrades you can afford.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Hotel Transylvania Crazy Cruise

Hotel Transylvania Crazy Cruise is a tie-in release for the Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation movie that was released in theatres yesterday. This is an augmented reality game. You and your kids can work together to restore magical relics in monster-inhabited islands. The are five mini-games to explore, and plenty of AR moments that will allow you to play along with the events of the recent feature film.

Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Fighting Fantasy Legends Portal

Gamebook adventures are one of my favorite genres when gaming on Android. They tend to have great stories as well as longer play times over the majority of casual games found on the Play Store. This is why I was happy to see this week's release of Asmodee Digital's Fighting Fantasy Legends Portal. It's based around the popular Fighting Fantasy gamebooks and features card-based role-playing mechanics mixed in with roguelike elements. Best of all, it contains three separate adventures written by author Ian Livingstone.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Deathtrap Dungeon Trilogy Developer: Nomad Games
Price: 3.49
3.9
Download

LEGO® BrickHeadz Builder AR

LEGO has a fantastic habit of releasing quality games on the Play store that are entirely free to play as a way to sway consumers into a love of all things LEGO. I have to say it is working. The company's latest release is called LEGO BrickHeadz Builder AR, and obviously it is an augmented reality game that ties into the BrickHeadz line of toys. It's a casual puzzler at its core, but the fact that you can build virtual LEGO models and toy around with crazy LEGO BrickHeadz characters makes up for the casual elements.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Portal Drop

Portal Drop is a deceptively tricky arcade game from ArmNomads. It is your job to remove the blocks your hexagon is sitting on by tapping on them one by one. The thing is, you want your hexagon to fall into the many portals scattered on the side of the column of blocks you are systematically removing. This takes a lot of careful planning if you want to fall into every portal you see, but it's also what makes the game so fun.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Dawn Break -Origin-

Dawn Break -Origin- is a slightly older release clocking in at six weeks, but since it hasn't been covered yet, I wanted to include it in today's roundup. It's an action RPG, and unlike the majority of free-to-play options in this genre, you can actually play offline. There is, of course, a strong anime aesthetic, so make sure that you expect a little fan service to be mixed in.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Outrace

ArmNomads' Outrace isn't your typical endless runner, oh no. While you will still want to race as far as you possibly can, instead of avoiding enemies, you are going to want to smack right into them. The more cars you push off the road, the better. Competing for the high score is going to prove to be tough, but I'm sure plenty of you out there have what it takes to reach the top ranks.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Outrace Developer: ArmNomads LLC
Price: Free
4
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Minion Wire

Minion Wire is the third game from ArmNomads this week, and it too is a tricky arcade game worth spending some time with. Your task is to create the longest line possible by connecting one blob to the next. The thing is you have to do this while avoiding the rotating spikes on those blobs. If you are too eager and pull the trigger too early, you'll wind up hitting those spikes and losing half of your life. One more mistake and it's game over.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Minion Wire Developer: ArmNomads LLC
Price: Free
4.6
Download

Speed Boaty - The Ocean is a dangerous place!

As a child of the '80s, the time period holds a special place in my heart. Cigarette boats and drug smuggling were all the rage in Florida at the time, not to mention tons of neon and horrible haircuts. Speed Boaty - The Ocean is a dangerous place!, captures this '80s aesthetic perfectly with its simple pixel graphics, which is what makes the experience so enjoyable. Sure, the endless running gameplay can be fun too, but the quirky feel is what really makes this title shine.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece

Jumpy

HeroCraft's Jumpy is a game that does not explain itself well. You will have to figure out the controls on your own, especially the jump mechanics. Apparently, if you jump against the edge of the screen, you will double jump. The same works when you jump on a platform. The problem is, you need to double jump in almost every stage in order to grab every piece of meat you are tasked with collecting. Luckily, Jumpy is still a work in progress, so hopefully, the inadequate explanation of the gameplay will be fixed in later versions.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $0.99 a piece

Rock of Destruction

At this point VOODOO is a developer best known for its shovelware. The company releases a constant stream of low-quality ad-filled titles to the Play Store, and the majority of those games should probably be avoided. But this doesn't mean VOODOO hasn't released a few quality hits too. At first, Rock of Destruction may look like yet another subpar release, but the gameplay is actually pretty fun. If you are a Katamari fan, you'll definitely want to check this out.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.49 a piece

Snake Bricks

ZPLAY Games' Snake Bricks combines two classic arcade games into one. Just as you would in Snake, you want to grow your length so that you can reach max power, and just like in Breakout, you will want to destroy all the blocks at the top of your screen before they make their way to the bottom, or else it's game over. The combo works better than you would think, so if you enjoy classic arcade games, you should probably give this a look.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece

Uncharted Ocean

Uncharted Ocean: Explore the Age of Discovery is a seafaring strategy game that plays a lot like the MMO Uncharted Waters Online. Ultimately you will want to build up your fleet of ships as you explore and chart the seas. But you have to be careful as you go about your day to day because there are plenty of pirates out there who would like to plunder your loot.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $5.99

Space Wall

ZPLAY Games' Space Wall is a round peg in a round hole type of game. Your job is to fit each shape through an ever-encroaching plate with a particular shape cut out of its middle section. You can move your shape around so that you can find the correct position to get it through the plate. If you don't perform this action fast enough to fit through the hole, then it's game over.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $28.99

Bungo Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost

Bungo Stray Dogs: Tales of the Lost is a gacha RPG through and through, so if you don't enjoy hero collection games, you may want to skip this. The gameplay is actually a little different than your standard collection-based RPG as you aren't pulling off specific moves in battle but playing an arcade game that's all about using a slingshot mechanic to break crystals. I also wouldn't be surprised to find that fans of the anime series enjoy the story. After all, it's the first game ever made using the Bungo Stray Dogs series.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $48.99

Bungo Stray Dogs: TotL Developer: Ambition Co Ltd
Price: Free
4.7
Download

GALAK-Z: Variant Mobile

GALAK-Z: Variant Mobile combines frantic space-shooting gameplay with quite a few RPG mechanics to create something pretty original in the mobile free-to-play RPG space. The shoot 'em up sections are a blast, and the RPG mechanics of collecting heroes and incrementally upgrading your equipment aren't all that bad either. I mean, who doesn't want to collect a bunch of cool robots? I know I do.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99

Super Awesome Hyper Freakin Zombie Run

It doesn't take a genius to guess what Super Awesome Hyper Freakin Zombie Run is all about. Obviously, it is an endless runner that contains zombies. What the title doesn't tell you is that this game also includes plenty of gear to collect and upgrade. The graphics are akin to a classic pixel-based sidescroller, and the controls are intuitive. Also, the performance is excellent on just about any device no matter its specs.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99

Boxing Star

FourThirtyThree's Boxing Star is a slick looking boxing game with great controls. If you are at all a boxing fan, or simply enjoy quality boxing games, then you will want to give Boxing Star a look. It's probably the best option available on the Play Store right now. Sure, there are plenty of in-app purchases, and sure there may be some lag when playing online, but for the most part, the basic gameplay is a joy. If only more FTP games would concentrate on an enjoyable experience, we'd all be better off.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $89.99

Boxing Star Developer: FourThirtyThree Inc.
Price: Free
4.5
Download

Identity V

I took Identity V for a spin back when it was still in beta testing, and I have to say the asymmetrical horror gameplay was pretty fun. One thing that bugged me was that there were more than a few bots in the rotation, which is understandable since a massive amount of people would be necessary to match everyone up appropriately. Now that Identity V has officially released I can't say the bots have gotten any better. Still, if you enjoy unique asymmetrical horror games where you are constantly running from a baddie with a group of your friends, this is most definitely the best option you are going to get on Android.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Identity V Developer: NetEase Games
Price: Free
3.6
Download

Wizard’s Words

It seems like very few quality word games are released on the Play Store lately. As a fan of the genre, this bums me out. Luckily I recently came across Wizard’s Words. It plays a bit like Boggle, but more like a single player version. You are given a layered grid of letters, and it is up to you to figure out the specific words contained within. This can be pretty tricky as the letters you need may be buried below what you can see. So because of that, there is a bit of a crossword aspect to the gameplay as well.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

FRAG Pro Shooter

FRAG Pro Shooter is a new hero-based FPS for Android that aims to be perfect for mobile play. In order to achieve this goal features such as short real-time matches, card-based MOBA gameplay, and optional clubs to create your own player teams are included. The graphics are very bright and colorful and give off an Overwatch vibe, and the controls work well on the touchscreen. If you enjoy first-person shooters, you'll probably want to check this out posthaste.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

FRAG Pro Shooter Developer: Oh BiBi
Price: Free
4.2
Download

Mayhem Combat - Fighting Game

Vivid Games' Mayhem Combat is a multiplayer-focused sidescrolling fighting game. You can collect tons of powerful weapons to customize your character's loadout to best suit your particular play style. The controls are dead simple to pick up thanks to a three-button layout. Oh, and if you don't enjoy multiplayer gameplay, there is a single-player mode included that is great for practice.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Trade Island

Trade Island is a new city building game from Game Insight, the creators of Guns of Boom. You can expand your island by producing goods and making lucrative deals, plus you'll get to experience what a living city feels like thanks to the 24-hour clock that the simulated residents live by. Each person in the city lives their own independent life, and it's up to you to keep them all happy as they go about their day to day business.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99

Trade Island Developer: Game Insight
Price: Free
4.4
Download

Big Company: Skytopia | Sky City Simulation

Goodgame Studios' Big Company: Skytopia is a simulation game all about building a city in the sky. Its steampunk roots are definitely visible, and the historical characters you get to meet as you play add a level of reality to the mix that gives an enjoyable feeling of alt-history. Like most free-to-play simulation games, you will spend the majority of your time slowly improving each facet of the city with the materials you can produce at the time.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99

Notorious 99: Battle Royale

Notorious 99 is a top-down battle royale game with 20, 50, and 100-player PvP arenas. There are over 11 mercenaries to collect, and you can equip each with a slew of different weapons. This means there are plenty of varying fighting strategies that you can try out. It also means you have plenty of options at your disposal that should fit just about any situation you run into.

Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $104.99

Super Idle Cats - Tap Farm

Idle, farming, and cat-themed games are very popular among the casual mobile gaming crowd, so it makes sense that someone would combine these things into one title. Codigames' Super Idle Cats is the result of that combination, and it offers an idle tapping experience that is not only easy to pick up, but features some adorable cats and fruit-filled farms.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $114.99

Booster Raiders

Halfbrick Studios may have fired half of its workforce back in March, but that doesn't mean the studio has thrown in the towel just yet. As part of its restructuring, it was decided that an emphasis on existing characters from its previous games would be the best idea going forward. This is why Booster Raiders contains quite a few familiar faces. The gameplay consists of racing against three other players in a 2D side-scrolling view, and just like most free-to-play games you can level up your favorite characters as you progress. Think 2D Mario Kart, and you get the picture.

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $119.99

Battle Racing Stars Developer: Halfbrick Studios
Price: Free
4.6
Download

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