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 a unique deck-building game themed around rats protecting their enclave, a trippy point and click adventure game that offers interesting art, and a quirky adventure game that's perfect for Halloween. 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

Ratropolis

Ratropolis is described as a fusion of roguelite, tower defense, city-building, and deck-building gameplay, so it's a perfect release for mobile. The game has been available on Steam since 2020, and it just made its way to Android this week. This is a polished title, but the gameplay won't appeal to everyone, thanks to an in-game timer. You see, you have to play your cards as fast as possible, which is pretty difficult when you're starting out. Basically, the early game is fun, but the late game can be frustratingly difficult. More or less, Ratropolis is an acquired taste, but it's still a solid effort that offers a lot of fun if you're willing to put in the time.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 apiece

Magnus Failure

Magnus Failure is a trippy point-and-click adventure game that offers an intriguing atmosphere, unique black and white art, and an interesting philosophical story. It's a short game, and the ending is abrupt, but it's free with ads, so anyone can take a look to see if it floats their boat. The touchscreen controls work fine, though the player movement is slow. It's art over function, but it's pleasant art that's worth experiencing.

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Unholy Adventure 3: point and click story game

It must be adventure game week, as Unholy Adventure 3 is another point-and-click adventure game in today's roundup. As you can guess, Unholy Adventure 3 is the third game in the Unholy Adventure series, and it's a solid follow-up that plays similarly to the last two titles. You'll work your way through the story by solving puzzles, and thanks to the creepy atmosphere, this is a perfect game to get in the mood for Halloween. It's an adventure game that's appropriate for the upcoming fall season, and since the pricing is fair, this is an easy title to recommend.

Monetization: $2.99 / contains ads / no IAPs

LOVE - A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories

LOVE - A Puzzle Box Filled with Stories is a fresh port. It's a narrative experience about the lives of those living in an apartment building, the typical artsy narrative you'd expect from an indie game. You'll solve puzzles by rotating apartments through time, though the story is clearly the focus. Thankfully the game looks great, and if you're into urban stories, it's worth a playthrough, but it will cost you, and the campaign is short, under 40-minutes.

Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / no IAPs

MechCube: Dark Stories

MechCube: Dark Stories is the second MechCube game from OGUREC APPS, a developer of point-and-click adventure games. As you would expect, Dark Stories is also an adventure game set in a dark sci-fi world filled with puzzles. More or less, if you enjoy escape room games like The Room, then you'll probably dig MechCube: Dark Stories, and if you'd like to start with the first game, you can find it here.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $2.99

Mr Rumble - Stealth Action

If you couldn't tell by the name, Mr Rumble - Stealth Action is indeed a stealth game, and it's a rather simple one. Despite the casual underpinnings, there's fun to be had. Each stage plays like a puzzle, where you have to avoid traps and guards to steal diamonds. Thankfully Mr Rumble is monetized appropriately despite its simple design, and you can try it for free with ads, or you can remove those ads to enjoy a premium experience if you like what you see.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 apiece

Aircrafter

Aircrafter is a fun little game where you can assemble aircraft to then fly them through the game's levels. You'll unlock new levels and plane parts through gameplay, where new parts will help you traverse the new levels, creating the gameplay loop. Aircrafter is currently a work in progress, so it's a little rough around its edges, so it can be challenging to figure out which combination of plane parts can fly, but it's also a free game, and there are no ads.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Aircrafter Developer: Jesper Stocklassa
Price: Free
3.2
Download

Average Games

Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics

Shell Shockers

Shell Shockers is a simple first-person shooter where eggs battle it out in themed arenas. You can choose to play solo or on teams, though like all online multiplayer games, a userbase is required for matches against real people, and since this is a fresh release, you're going to have trouble matching with other actual players. In-app purchases are included, though they appear to be primarily cosmetic, so they can be easily ignored. Keep in mind this is an early access release, so it's currently a little rough around the edges.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $4.99 - $19.99

Rails of Fury: Post Apocalyptic PvE Train Survival

Rails of Fury is described as a survival game, but really it's a tower defense game. You'll equip a train with a few turrets helpful in taking down the train's attackers. The more powerful your turrets, the better, and so you'll slowly unlock new train sections that offer better armor and weapons. Rails of Fury is fun in short bursts, through the grindy gameplay and monetization leave a lot to be desired.

Monetization: Free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $19.99

Snail Bob 1: Arcade Adventure In The Puzzle World

Last week I covered a new release from HeroCraft that offered dated graphics that look like they belong in 2008, and Snail Bob 1 is another title that offers a similar look. This art style is not appealing, but at least the puzzle-based platforming gameplay can be fun. It's also worth noting this is a long-running series from a different publisher, though the $15 in-app purchases sure give me pause. Perhaps one of these days HeroCraft will go back to releasing quality games. Until then, I guess we're stuck with average content like this.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $14.99

Safari Cannon

Safari Cannon is the latest distance shooting game on Android. Much like the rest, you'll shoot your character out of a cannon to see how far they go, and of course, you can utilize the game's environment to push the limits of your distance. The game is themed around an African Safari, and so you'll duck and dodge many different African species in an effort to set a high score. Sure, it's nothing we haven't seen a hundred times before, but at least the game is priced appropriately and is absent of in-app purchases.

Monetization: $0.99 / no ads / no IAPs

Safari Cannon Developer: Lighthouse Games Studio
Price: Free
Download

EndeavorRx® - ADHD

EndeavorRx - ADHD is an extremely odd release, which is why I've highlighted it in today's roundup. I'm not kidding when I say you need a prescription from your doctor to play this game, and that's because it's an ADHD treatment for kids 8-12. That's right, there are now prescription apps out there, which seems pretty freaking crazy that a game requires a prescription. Somehow I doubt there's actually anything within this game that would require a consult with a doctor, but then again, it's not like the medical field is shy about monetizing whatever it can excuse, which is how I'm guessing something like this gets made. Still, a demo is available for the curious to take a look, but if you like what you see you'll still have to get a prescription.

Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs

Mediocre Games

Titles that are buggy, unpolished, or offer aggressive monetization

Undestroyed : Roguelike ARPG

Ever since Limbo gave indie devs the bright idea that they could forgo assets to just make everything black, we've seen hundreds of similar games, and Undestroyed is the latest to take advantage of this cheapskate loophole. Oddly enough, this game is monetized to the hilt, and yet the developer could not afford actual assets, pointing squarely at a release that's a blatant cash grab. One quick look at the publisher's catalog also proves they have the funds to release better games, so it would seem Undestroyed was made on the cheap to soak up money through its IAPs, making this generic roguelike platformer an easy title to skip.

Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99

My School Simulator

My School Simulator is precisely that, sporting an anime theme. The graphics are superb, though the gameplay is janky, the story is lackluster, and in-game characters are a snooze. Servers also struggle, so constant disconnects can happen. All around, this game needs a lot more polish, which it may get, though the monetization is pretty bad, which means longevity will be tied to your wallet or your patience.

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

Doomsday: Last Survivors

Doomsday: Last Survivors is a survival game, and there's a reason why the Play Store listing doesn't offer a trailer, which is also why the game's screenshots are primarily uninformative mockups. As expected, this is a simple kingdom builder with a survival theme, and not only does the gameplay stink, the art is awful too. Sure, the character screens are highly detailed. But the world map, the place where actual gameplay takes place, well, it's a stiffly animated world of sparse low-quality assets. As I said, there's a reason there's no trailer.

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

Doomsday: Last Survivors Developer: IGG.COM
Price: Free
4.5
Download

Code Atma

Code Atma is a typical generic gacha RPG. The art is stiff, the gameplay is a snooze, and the story stinks. And yet, the title is absolutely stuffed with in-app purchases, almost as if the monetization was much more important than making an enjoyable game. After all, you don't stuff $350 IAPs into a title unless you plan to collect. Yet another lazy cash grab. Don't you just love what's become of the mobile game market?

Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $349.99

WTF Game Of The Week

Titles that make you say "WTF"

Light Switch Simulator 2021

Light Switch Simulator 2021 is a sequel, a follow-up to Bohdan Taraba's original Light Switch Simulator from 2019. This time around, fans can expect photo-realistic graphics, which really helps with the believability that you're actually flipping a light switch. Just as before, ever-growing stats are the goal. It's a perfect WTF game that's especially WTF since it's a sequel. Nobody asked for it, but when has that stopped previous WTF titles? This one's not only ridiculous, but it's also a huge step forward for all light switch simulators. Enjoy!

Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs

Light Switch Simulator 2021 Developer: Bohdan Taraba
Price: Free
4.2
Download

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