Welcome to the roundup of the new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. Today I have a fantastic adventure game that's perfect for Christmas, a relaxing puzzler that contains a winter theme, and a planet-orbiting arcade game that's perfect for a relaxing experience. So without further ado, here are the more notable Android games released during the week of December 16th, 2019.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Games
Snowman Story
Android Police coverage: Snowman Story is a delightful adventure game that offers a heartfelt story perfect for Christmas
Now that Christmas is only a few days away, it's only appropriate that we cover at least one worthwhile Christmas-themed game for the holiday, and that's precisely what Snowman Story offers. At its core, this is a heartwarming adventure game that contains a few puzzles, but if you'd prefer to skip these puzzles to race through the story, you can, since they are all optional. While the game does contain more than a few in-app purchases, you can easily unlock the entirety of the title while removing its advertisements for $2.99, which is an excellent deal for such an enjoyable release.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $10.99
My Winter Album
My Winter Album is a relaxing puzzle game themed around winter and family, which makes this a great title to explore during the holidays. The game offers a heartwarming story where you'll explore excerpts out of your grandmother's journal, with each account containing a puzzle where you'll have to assemble 3D pieces into one of your grandmother's memories. The controls can be a little frustrating at times, though the game is definitely worth playing if you enjoy a good story and challenging puzzles.
Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Little White Rocket - Relax & calm down in space
Little White Rocket is a game designed to offer a relaxing experience, but mainly it plays like any other orbiting puzzle game. It will be your job to jump from one orbit to the next in your ship, but if your aim is a little off, then it's game over. While I have to say that this release delivers on a relaxing atmosphere, thanks to it ambient music and pleasing graphics, the puzzle-filled gameplay can grow stale after repeat sessions.
Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Bad Run - Turbo Edition
Bad Run - Turbo Edition is a 2D auto-runner, and it's procedurally generated, which means each playthrough is slightly different. For the most part, this release plays like any other 2D auto-runner, so if you enjoy collecting in-game currency and upgrades while tapping on the screen to avoid obstacles and enemies, this is the game for you. And hey, at the very least, this is a premium release, so you won't have to worry about any pesky IAPs or ads.
Monetization: $2.99 / no ads / no IAPs
British Gangsters
British Gangsters plays like a classic light gun game, but instead of using a plastic gun to shoot at your screen, you'll tap your finger on the glass to defeat your enemies. As you would expect, this title is themed around British gangsters, and so it will be your job to go face to face against an endless assault of gangs that range from the Chinese to robots.
Monetization: $3.49 / no ads / no IAPs
End of The Universe
End of The Universe is an early access top-down shooter that takes place in space, and of course, it contains a few roguelike elements, because what doesn't these days. It will be up to you to build out a competent starfighter at the beginning of each run, and as you survive the horrors of space, you'll unlock new equipment so that you can progress further through your adventure.
Monetization: $3.99 / no ads / no IAPs
WitchSpring4
WitchSpring 4 is the latest release in the WitchSpring series of mobile RPGs. Much like the previous three entries, WitchSpring 4 offers a heartwarming story, exceptional graphics, and an enjoyable combat system. For the price, you could hardly ask for more, especially since this series always brings more to the table than you would expect. So if you're looking for a solid RPG to play through this week, WitchSpring 4 is it.
Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Esports Life Tycoon
Esports Life Tycoon is one of a few different idle games released this week, but at the very least, this is a premium title, so you can easily enjoy the gameplay without having to worry about a ridiculous monetization system. Unsurprisingly, this is an idle game themed around eSports, and so it will be your job to assemble and coach a successful eSports team on their path to worldwide domination.
Monetization: $7.99 / no ads / no IAPs
AI Dungeon
AI Dungeon is a text-based adventure game that offers unlimited stories through the use of AI. The beauty of this release is that you can choose any action you can think of to start playing, and the story will evolve out of the text you type. More or less, this game delivers on what it promises, which is actually pretty amazing. So if you're a fan of text-based adventure games, you're going to want to check out AI Dungeon post-haste.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
AR Hahnenkamm Ski Experience
For some reason, Mastercard has released a winter-themed augmented reality game, and it's completely free to play. The title's gameplay will allow users to experience what it's like to ski down the Streif, the world's most notorious and challenging downhill ski race in Kitzbühel, Austria. There are three levels in the game, with seventeen separate points of interest to explore, which should keep players busy for a few hours.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
Sticklings Deluxe
Sticklings Deluxe is a Djinnworks title, the same devs that created a successful series of Stickman games. In this release, you'll have to lead a herd of Stickmen to their goals, much in the same way you would in the classic Lemmings series, or Mario vs. Donkey Kong, or ChuChu Rocket. Essentially Sticklings Deluxe is a Lemmings clone, but at the very least, the game is enjoyable, and its puzzles are challenging.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $1.99 a piece
Hoop League Tactics
Hoop League Tactics is a sports management game, and so it will be your job to manage a basketball team through turn-based tactical action. This means you'll manage your players in between games, and when you jump into a match, you can either choose to watch as it plays out from the sidelines or you can micromanage your team's every move.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece
Forgotton Anne
Forgotton Anne is a delightful adventure game that offers platforming, puzzles, and a cinematic story, but of course, its hand-drawn art is what really stands out above the crowd. While the puzzles and platforming are on point, the story falls a little flat, but if you're like me, and are a giant graphics whore, then this is indeed a game worthy of its $9.99 price tag. Luckily you can explore the beginning of the title without spending a dime, so at the very least, you can check this game out before you decide to buy.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $9.99 a piece
Taxi Sim 2020
Taxi Sim 2020 comes from Ovidiu Pop, one of the better vehicular simulation developers on the Play Store. As you would expect, Taxi Sim 2020 will allow players to experience what it is like to live the life of a cabbie by completing different types of driving missions. There's a total of 30 different cars to select from, and you'll be able to drive around areas such as New York, Miami, Rome, and Los Angeles.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $48.99
Battle Prime
Battle Prime is the latest third-person shooter to arrive on the Play Store, and it offers 6v6 multiplayer battles where each team will have to shoot their way to success. Character movement feels a little off, and the game's graphics could use some work in spots, which means this generic shooter contains more than a few rough edges, which is hardly a surprise. Maybe one day people will actually release finished products again, but I sure won't be holding my breath.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Knights of Ages (Early Access)
Knights of Ages is an early access release that plays much like a strategy RPG. The setting is reminiscent of the medieval Arthurian period in Europe, and you can cultivate a variety of successors in order to maintain the legend of your family throughout the ages. More or less, this title plays like any other SRPG out there, since it's a turn-based affair where you'll move from title to tile to take down your foes.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Machinal Instinct
Machinal Instinct is yet another early access release, because why ever publish a finished product when you can earn money as you develop a game. As you can see, this is yet another generic arena battle game, because we surely don't have enough of these yet. So if you'd like to check out the latest free-to-play battle game before it's finished, that just so happens to be filled with working in-app purchases, here you go.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Concert Kings Idle Music Tycoon
Concert Kings Idle Music Tycoon is an idle clicking game that's clearly themed around the edgy edge of rock and roll. It will be your job to fill the role of a pro band manager to eventually build a sprawling music empire, all by tapping on your screen and micromanaging an endless assault of upgrades. So yeah, this title plays just like every other idle game out there, but of course, it offers a unique rock and roll theme.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Griddie Islands
Griddie Islands is a casual merge game, where the goal is to merge and level up, all while trying to keep your islands filled so that you can generate lots of money, and that's really all there is. Also, since this is an early-access release, bugs are expected, so it may be best to wait for an official release before you jump in, unless you'd like to take an early look.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
MIXMSTR - DJ Game
MIXMSTR - DJ Game is a slightly older release, but since I've yet to cover its arrival, I figured it was about time. This is a rhythm game at its core, with business sim mechanics added on top to keep players busy with a long grind. The rhythm-based gameplay works just like any other rhythm game, where you have to tap on the screen to the beat of the music. So really, the gameplay doesn't offer anything that resembles what it would like to be a DJ, though the surrounding story is clearly designed around this theme.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.49 - $104.99
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