Welcome to the latest entry in our Bonus Round series, wherein we tell you all about the new Android games of the day that we couldn't get to during our regular news rounds. Consider this a quick update for the dedicated gamers who can't wait for our weekly roundups, and don't want to wade through a whole day's worth of news just to get their pixelated fix. Today we've got a couple of minimal puzzle games, an enjoyable tilt-control arcade game, a gorgeous pixel-based 2D platformer, a puzzle game themed around a calculator, and a side-scrolling battle royale shooter. Without further ado:
Powernode
Powernode is a minimal puzzle game that requires careful planning and quality organizational skills. The goal of the game is to reach the highest score possible by creating energy through different number combinations. As circles appear on the playfield you'll have to combine the numbers of the diamond shapes by drawing lines in between them to come up with the combination necessary to satisfy those circles I mentioned.
Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbGspQ1diNs
Tiltagon Turbo
Games that use tilt controls are nothing new, but I have to admit it's been a while since I've played one. Tiltagon Turbo is one such game, and in order to navigate through an assortment of challenging stages, you'll have to put your tilt control skills to the test. There are eighteen levels to work your way through as well as an endless arcade mode, which should keep players busy for a long while. Leaderboards and achievements are also included.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEw3P3_EWX4
Cure Hunters
Cure Hunters is a new pixel-based 2D platformer from Lucky Kat Studios that's still in testing. Don't let this fact deter you because the game plays wonderfully. There's a wide selection of collectible characters, and each brings along their own skills and weapon sets, plus there are tons of guns to collect, which means there's a lot of different possibilities when choosing your favorite setup to blast enemies in the face.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WoCcX-KjvU
Calculator 2: The Game
Math-based games can often be hit or miss, but luckily Simple Machine's Calculator 2: The Game is a sequel to a successful calculator-themed game, so you shouldn't have to worry about lackluster gameplay in this release. This time around you'll have to use your math skills to stop a virus that's taking over the world. While the story and reason to play this sequel are much dire than the first entry in the series, the majority of gameplay still revolves around solving puzzles through simple arithmetic, which is pretty dang fun.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece
.Connect.
Connect is a minimal puzzle game that will test your color matching skills. Grouping colors together by sliding tiles on a board are the chief mechanic, but rest assured solutions to these puzzles won't come easy. Luckily there are two modes to choose from, a brain mode that limits the number of moves available, and a relaxed mode that affords the player as many moves as they need to solve each puzzle.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfq0Fx3vRFk
Bullet League
Combining genres to create something new and original is a necessity in this day and age, which is probably how games like Bullet League come about. It's a side-scrolling battle royale shooter, which is an odd mix, but it works well. The last person standing is obviously going to be the winner, so you'll have to ensure that your weaponry suits your particular playstyle. Luckily there's a wide range of selectable weapons to be found in the game, which means everyone should be able to come up with a strategy that works best for them.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $3.49 - $29.99
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC6zl2kwrXA
Be sure to check out our gaming coverage from earlier this week: