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. Today's list is broken up into several segments, ranging from best, average, to mediocre. So whether you're looking for the best games of quality or are simply looking for the latest free-to-play gacha titles, you're covered. This week I have the long-awaited arrival of Final Fantasy VIII, a solid arcade racing game that's currently in open beta, and a Crash bandicoot auto-runner. So without further ado, here are the new and notable Android games released during the last week.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Best Games
Titles that offer fair pricing, enjoyable gameplay, polished interfaces, or are intriguing
FINAL FANTASY VIII Remastered
Android Police coverage: Final Fantasy VIII Remastered is finally available on Android
Final Fantasy VIII Remastered was released on the Play Store out of nowhere, which is odd since Square Enix held an event recently where they announced three new mobile games, but somehow never mentioned FF VIII. Now that the game is here, the Play store offers all Final Fantasy titles up to XI, so I'm sure there are more than a few people out there eager to complete their collection after all of these years. Still, the game is lacking controller support and cloud saves, though Square says it will add them at a later date. All in all, the game performs fine, so if you can forgo a few features, there's plenty of fun to be had with this release.
Monetization: $16.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Racing Master
Android Police coverage: Codemasters and NetEase will launch the first open beta for Racing Master tonight
Racing Master just hit open beta this week, and it's a real-time racer, unlike all of the CSR clones out there. The title is yet to be monetized, and so now is the best time to check out this racer even though it's still a work in progress. The racing is fun, and there are already more than a few modes to race through, plus the graphics are pretty good. While I'm very wary that NetEase will end up monetizing this title aggressively, for now, there's a good bit of enjoyment to be had during the open beta test.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Cats in Time - Relaxing Puzzle Game
Cats in Time - Relaxing Puzzle Game delivers on that promise. This is indeed a chill game. Basically, this is a hidden object title where you'll hunt down hidden cats lost in time, but the whole thing plays out like an escape room game. This is why you'll solve intricate puzzles in each of the game's environments as you hunt down these cats. This setup works well, the graphics are pleasant, and the puzzles are fun. So if you're a fan of escape room games, then you should check out Cats in Time.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $6.99
Scoop'n Birds
Scoop'n Birds is a cute game all about scooping up birds with shovels, and it offers an enjoyable sense of humor. This is a zany title with writing to match, and like most casual games, you'll work your way through this release by collecting currency that can be used to upgrade your scoops, resulting in even more scooped birds, which is the entire point of the game. So while the setup is simple, the gameplay is enjoyable.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $3.99 apiece
Jigsaw Video Party - play together
Sure, jigsaw puzzle games are a dime a dozen, but Jigsaw Video Party actually brings something interesting to the table. This puzzler includes a video streaming aspect where you can join up with friends and family to build puzzles together. This is perfect for those still quarantining, so if you've been itching to build a jigsaw with grandma but haven't actually seen her in over a year, here's the perfect app to visit with your gran with while you build a jigsaw together.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $2.49 - $13.99
Average Games
Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics
Escape Z: Casual Puzzle Game
Escape Z is labeled as a casual puzzler, and I'd say that description is apt. Sure, the 8-bit graphics might not look like much, but it's the gameplay here that shines. More or less, it will be your job to make it to each stage's goal by navigating your way around zombies, all while avoiding any other obstacles. It's a familiar and straightforward setup, but it works well, so there is some fun to be had.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $4.99 apiece
Block Woody Puzzle
Block Woody Puzzle is a simple block game where you'll fit pieces onto the board in order to fill it in. It's a simple game that anyone should be able to pick up, though it sure would be nice to see a way to remove the title's ads. Still, if you're looking for a simple timewaster, Block Woody Puzzle is a suitable game for such an endeavor.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
Mediocre Games
Titles that are buggy, unpolished, or offer aggressive monetization
Crash Bandicoot: On the Run!
Android Police coverage: Crash Bandicoot: On the Run is available on Android a day early
King surely took its time bringing Crash Bandicoot: On the Run to Android, and now that it's here, it's easy to see the wait wasn't worth it. We knew Crash Bandicoot: On the Run would be a free-to-play auto-runner, and sadly King has done what King does, so the game is filled with timers and all manner of false roadblocks to encourage people to spend money to alleviate these annoyances. Surprise, this is yet another branded cash grab from a smarmy developer, and worse yet, the game is also buggy. With years of testing such a simple game, you'd think this would have resulted in something stable upon release, but with King at the helm, that was always going to be unlikely.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Puzzle Quest 3 - Match 3 Battle RPG
Android Police coverage: Puzzle Quest 3 lands on Android in early access
Puzzle Quest 3 took more than a few years to get here, and sadly the wait wasn't worth it. Clearly, 505 Games is looking to cash in on the franchise, and so Puzzle Quest 3 is a blatant cash grab that plays just like every other horrible match-3 title on the Play Store. This is a genre we rarely cover in our roundups, and Puzzle Quest 3 is proof-positive why that is normally a standing rule at AP.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Project CARS GO
Android Police coverage: Project Cars Go speeds onto Android as a one-tap racer
Project CARS GO is the latest one-tap racer to clone CSR's gameplay. This means you can expect a drag racing game where you'll time your taps on the screen to ensure your car races as fast as possible. But really, this release is a cash-grab, which is why it's stuffed with in-app purchases. After all, actual fans of racing games aren't very keen on playing titles where they don't get to control the car. So if the lack of a gameplay video or the piles of 5-star reviews that poured in hours before the game's servers were actually live didn't tip you off, Project CARS GO is a steaming heap of garbage.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
Super Shift Racing
Super Shift Racing is yet another free-to-play racer released this week, and it's also a braindead drag racer like Project CARS GO. I suppose this sort of racer (if you can even call it that) suits mobile well since you barely control anything, but it's not like this setup is fun or requires any skill, which is why the developer's intentions are clear. There's a reason the game is stuffed with in-app purchases, and it's not for the player's benefit.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $5.49 - $99.99
Ragnarok: Labyrinth
For some reason, Ragnarok titles keep finding their way to the Play Store, and Ragnarok: Labyrinth is the latest entry in the varied series. As you would expect, the game is junk. It's basically an idle game that sports a few RPG mechanics. The graphics stink, the auto-battle gameplay is pointless, and the title is filled with bugs. Nothing new for a blatant cash grab just landing on the Play Store, though you'd think the creators of these child-targeted casinos could at least offer a stable product when charging ungodly sums for pointless bits of data.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $89.99
WTF Game Of The Week
Titles that make you say "WTF"
RUN GODZILLA
I'm gobsmacked by the release of Run Godzilla. Not only does it look incredibly cheap, but the premise also makes no sense whatsoever. Like seriously, go read the descriptions on the website. Nothing makes sense. Should you dare to actually install this pile of garbage, you'll quickly see those nonsensical descriptions don't do this game justice. It's even worse than you would expect. This is why it's in the WTF section of today's roundup, because I've been asking myself how in the world trash like this gets released. Seriously, WTF are the rights holders behind Godzilla thinking? They should have waited until April 1st to release this so-called game because its existence is a freaking joke.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
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