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NBA Playgrounds comes to Android under a new name, courtesy of Sabre Interactive
But is it any good?
Saber Interactive offers a varied catalog across PC, consoles, and mobile, including the NBA Playgrounds series; even though its mobile catalog doesn't offer the best Android games, Saber is a well-respected publisher in all other matters. Well, after years of testing, it would appear that the mobile interpretation of NBA Playgrounds is finally available in the US as an early access release. It's called Basketball Playgrounds, and it has been in beta under the names NBA 2K Playgrounds (2K published the second entry in the Playgrounds series on PC and consoles) and Basketball Playgrounds: Clash of Dunks over the last three years. I'm not sure why the game has taken this long to reach early access in the US, but perhaps Embracer Group's 2020 acquisition of Saber Interactive delayed things a bit.
Here's the fix if you can't play Rocket League Sideswipe on the Pixel 6
Don't worry, it's an easy solution
Earlier in the month, we learned that Psyonix was planning to release its mobile sidescrolling interpretation of Rocket League on mobile across the globe. This rollout started with a few territories and has finally expanded to the US and EU, completing the worldwide launch for Rocket League Sideswipe. Amazingly, the game is great. I went hands-on with the title back in March when it was still in testing and came away pretty impressed, and I'm a diehard Rocket League player that plays on PC every night, so I'm not easily swayed. Not only does the core gameplay of hitting giant soccer balls into goals with cars hold up in its sidescrolling form, there's no monetization yet, which means the only way to earn in-game cosmetics is by playing the game. No matter how you slice it, Psyonix has hit this one out of the park.
Back in March, Psyonix announced a mobile version of Rocket League, known as Rocket League Sideswipe (not to be confused with the mainline version rumored to be coming to Android). It's a 2D affair that plays better than you'd think, and it just started rolling out in Oceania today. This launch marks the start of a Pre-Season, with a wider rollout for the globe planned soon, though there's no word specifically when this will happen. For now, we'll all have to envy those living in Oceania who can jump directly into this competitive car-based soccer game.
I've found the best skateboarding game on Android and you have to try it
The Ramp is an absolute joy, don't miss out
Paul Schnepf is the person behind the indie skateboarding game The Ramp, otherwise known as the developer Hyperparadise. This developer released the game on PC in August, and over the last three months, The Ramp has received a lot of praise, and for a good reason, it's a chill game with spot-on physics where you can pull off some nifty tricks with the flick of your thumb. The mobile port has officially launched today, and you can trial the first stage for free. If you like what you see, you can pay $3 to unlock the rest of the game's content. There's no high score, no leaderboard, no missions, no bosses, this is a game solely about having fun, and it succeeds in this endeavor.
Football Manager 2022 Mobile launches with a fresh set of mechanics to jump into matches faster
Though it looks like the Touch version is now a dedicated Nintendo Switch release
It's that time of year again. Sega has just launched its latest entry in its Football Manager simulation franchise, with Football Manager 2022 Mobile now available on the Google Play Store. Typically the Mobile version would launch with a separate streamlined Touch version on mobile, but it would appear that Football Manager 2022 Touch will only be available on the Nintendo Switch moving forward, which means the Touch version will no longer see a mobile release. Luckily Football Manager 2022 Mobile supports Chromebooks and Android tablets, alleviating any concerns that those with large screens would be left out. So if you've been eager to start your new season, as of this morning, you can grab Football Manager 2022 Mobile for $9.99 on both Android and iOS.
Madden and FIFA were the two hotly anticipated releases for Stadia this year, thanks to Electronic Arts announced that both games would come to the platform back in April of 2020. Madden arrived last week, and today EA has confirmed that FIFA 21 will come to Stadia on March 17. This news comes hot off the heels of yesterday's announcement from Google that it's shutting down its internal development studios, so the fact we've learned today that FIFA is indeed coming soon feels a little bittersweet.
Madden NFL 21 is officially coming to Stadia this week
This release also signals a free weekend for Madden 21 across all platforms
Last April, we learned that Electronics Arts would be bringing its games to Stadia, such as Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. At the time of this announcement, EA also stated that the Madden NFL series would be coming to the platform but never stipulated which entry in the series would be Stadia's first. Well, EA has finally decided to announce that this entry will be Madden NFL 21 and that it will be available on Stadia starting on January 28th. Even better, this launch will signal a free weekend that will end on the 31st, which should ideally allow any interested parties a lengthy look at the game without going out of pocket.
Football Manager 2021 Touch lands on Android as a streamlined version of the simulation game
As promised, the Touch edition is finally available
The Football Manager series sees yearly releases, and so it's that time of year again, which means Football Manager 2021 Mobile is now available on Android. Typically this annual release comes with a separate Touch version in tow for those that prefer to play on tablets, but it looks like the Touch version has been pushed back to December 1st. Still, if you don't require a tablet interface for your Football Manager needs, you can grab the standard version of Football Manager 2021 Mobile from the Play Store starting today.
Motorball is an enjoyable competitive game that plays similarly to Rocket League
Noodlecake may very well have a hit on its hands
I recently received an early access notification for Noodlecake's 2D Rocket League clone Motorball. Seeing that I'm an avid Rocket League player, I had to take the game for a spin. Thus, I'm glad to report that I came away impressed. Hands-down, Motorball is an enjoyable competitive game that's already working smoothly, and even though its official release isn't until tomorrow (August 6th), the title is already available for all to enjoy. So if you'd like to work your way up the Motorball leaderboard a little early, now's your chance.
It would appear that Gamevil has centered its sights on American sports, what with the release of MLB Perfect Inning 2019 earlier this year, and today's launch of NBA Now, a free-to-play professional basketball game. Gamevil has indeed secured an official NBA licensed for this release, which means all of your favorite NBA teams and players are available. So if you'd like to build a championship team from the comfort of your phone, NBA Now is here to stir up some competition in the mobile sports gaming world.
Back in the beginning of December 2018, Tony Hawk's Skate Jam arrived on the Play Store as a pre-registration release. A week later the title was officially released on iOS, which means the game's devs have had some time to receive player feedback and address a few notable issues. Recently added features like controls to match the old console Tony Hawk Pro Skater games and bluetooth controller support are included with today's release. So for once, a late arrival on Android actually pays off.
On October 3rd 2K released NBA 2K19 for iOS, and it brought with it an online match play mode that's entirely new to the mobile series. As you can imagine, online play is a big addition for a game centered around a competitive sport. Well, 2K has finally gotten around to releasing the Android version, and what do you know, it is oddly missing the new online mode that iOS users received. Past that glaring omission, you can expect the regular yearly improvements, such as simplified controls, a new soundtrack, and a couple of new gameplay modes.
Another year, another 2K companion app slash collectible NBA themed card game. That's right, the console and PC release of NBA 2K19 is just around the corner, so in preparation for the release, 2K has published the MyNBA2K19 companion app on the Play Store. The thing is, it's not just a companion app for an AAA sports game, as it also offers a collectible card battling game that you can play on any compatible Android device. So get ready to collect your favorite NBA superstars from the past and present.
Another year, another NBA 2K release. This time around there are a few notable changes to the mobile version of NBA 2K18. You can expect a couple of additional gameplay controls, an eclectic mix of tunes from around the world, an expanded script in the career mode, and a new multi-season mode that gives you the opportunity to control a franchise’s future and become the next NBA dynasty.
2K just released NHL SuperCard 2K18 on the Play Store as a continuation of their free-to-play SuperCard series of games. Much like the popular WWE SuperCard, you will be collecting over 450 different cards in order to battle opponents in real-time through its PVP focused gameplay.
2K is back again with this year's version of MyNBA2K. As always, this collectible NBA themed card game is available as a companion app to the ever popular console version of NBA 2K18. You can expect an all new redesign to the app, along with 300 new cards for the NBA’s 2017-2018 season.
Virtua Tennis Challenge is the latest Sega game to be added to the Sega Forever classic games collection. Like all Sega Forever games, Virtua Tennis Challenge is free-to-play with advertisements and contains a single in-app purchase of $1.99 that removes said ads. This gives players a way to try the game without going out of pocket. What is funny is this appears to be biting Sega in the butt, as the reviews so far have not been kind at all.
Every year console sports fans get a new NBA-branded basketball game from mega-publisher 2K. And for the last several years running, Android has been blessed with an official companion app. Sort of. See, MyNBA2K isn't just a companion app that tells you when your buddies are ready to play, et cetera. It's also a free-to-play mobile game that, oddly, depicts computer-controlled battles between digital playing cards. Oh, and there's a big currency system behind it all, driving $100 in-app purchases. Of course.
Baseball games tend to veer on the side of "simulator" sports titles - they've been getting progressively more complex, and more technically taxing, since the 16-bit days when players stopped looking like a collection of squares. The latest high-profile game to hit NVIDIA's SHIELD Android TV device bucks that trend with a setup tuned for quick play that emphasizes fun over everything else. Super Mega Baseball: Extra Innings combines cartoony visuals and an unlicensed feel with surprisingly deep physics and a ton of options. It's available on the Play Store now for the high price of $20, and unfortunately, it's only compatible with the SHIELD TV.
As a die-hard and stubborn football fan, I know nothing about basketball except that you have to bounce the round thing on the floor at regular intervals. But I do know quite a bit about Android gaming, like the fact that a $7.99 game that includes up to twenty bucks in in-app currency purchases will be dismissed out of hand by both frugal free-to-play gamers and traditionalists who prefer to pay once for the full experience. So prolific publisher 2K Games is getting the worst of both worlds with the pricing structure of NBA 2K16.