Welcome to the roundup of the best 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 arrival of a fresh version of PUBG, a straightforward yet enthralling skateboarding game, and Sega’s latest Football Manager sim. So without further ado, here are the new and notable Android games released during the last week.
Best Games
Titles that offer fair pricing, enjoyable gameplay, polished interfaces, or are intriguing
PUBG: New State
Android Police coverage: PUBG: New State is finally available for Android, off to a pretty rough start
It’s been a banger of a week, with tons of quality releases, so I figured I’d start today’s roundup with the most popular game to drop this week (10-million installs already). That game is PUBG: New State, and it hardly needs an introduction. This is the latest version of PUBG, and it comes from Krafton. It is not an offshoot, but it’s not a sequel either. It’s more or less PUBG with a new engine and some slight gameplay tweaks. This means it is a skill-based game, and since there is no way to pay to win, the competition is balanced well. Sure, the cosmetic store is still here, and it does get pricey, but you can also ignore it if you just want to shoot some fools. There is no controller support, you will have to play with the touchscreen, and the game can be demanding for low-end phones. But beyond that, it looks great and runs fine on high-end hardware. While the launch was a little rough, Krafton has been busy squashing bugs.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $99.99
The Ramp
Android Police coverage: I’ve found the best skateboarding game on Android and you have to try it
Hands-down, The Ramp is my favorite skateboarding game on Android, and it was just released. First of all, this is a premium title that anyone can try. The first stage is free, and you can unlock the other three stages for $2.99 if you like what you see. The Ramp is a relaxing game. There are no timers, no high scores, no goals to speak of, just a bunch of skating. The touch controls work well, and controllers are supported, which is my preferred way to play. All around, it’s clear this is a game created with love, a passion for skateboarding even, and it comes across every second you spend in the game. Don’t miss out on this one, folks. It’s a surefire hit.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $2.99 apiece (single unlock)
Android Police coverage: Football Manager 2022 Mobile launches with a fresh set of mechanics to jump into matches faster
Sega has clearly found a niche with its Football Manager franchise, with yearly releases across a multitude of platforms. The latest version for mobile is now available, offering new mechanics to help people get into matches faster, along with new leagues and scouting tools. Oddly enough, the Mobile version used to land with a Touch version in tow, but it would appear the Touch version is now relegated to the Nintendo Switch only. Luckily Football Manager 2022 Mobile offers support across a wide range of hardware, including tablets and Chromebooks.
Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $16.99
Sparklite
Android Police coverage: Sparklite is a gorgeous Zelda-inspired roguelike, and it’s 30% off in celebration of its mobile launch
Sparklite is the latest port published by Playdigious, and it’s an adventure roguelike styled after Zelda’s early games. There’s a sense of whimsy throughout the in-game world, with 2D pixel art graphics that would fit with any game from the SNES library. The gameplay consists of fighting enemies and solving puzzles, a typical Zelda setup, but since this is a roguelike, death is a constant, though it’s hardly punishing, making for a breezy game. Controllers are supported, and the touch controls work well. Plus, the game is currently on sale in celebration of its release, so now is the best time to snag a copy. Luckily you can try before you buy since there’s a free trial up to the first titan. All around, Sparklite is a fantastic port, and since it’s a shorter roguelike, it suits bite-sized mobile play well.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $4.99 apiece (single unlock)
QB Planets
If you’ve ever dreamed of playing a game that offers the fun of a Rubix Cube while also offering a cute story and exceptional graphics, then look no further than QB Planets. Your goal is to find a safe route to your ship. And to get there, you’ll twist the blocks in the puzzle to line things up. At first, this is easy, but things grow challenging fast, but this is what keeps the gameplay exciting. Plus, there’s an AR mode for those that want to show off their puzzle-solving skills to their friends and family in a real-world setting.
Monetization: $4.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Wingspan: The Board Game
If you’re big into board games or birding, then you should probably check out Wingspan: The Board Game. This is a strategy card game for one to five players, and it’s a hoot. The goal, of course, is to attract the best birds around by chaining card combinations in your habitats. Like most strategy games, familiarity is the key to success, so those who have played the physical version will have a leg up over those playing for their first time. Luckily you can play solo to brush up on your skills before you take on a round with live players.
Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Multiplication Kingdom
Multiplication Kingdom is a math game for kids, and it’s monetized appropriately for this target audience. The gameplay is built around improving the player’s multiplication table skills, where cute stories will play out as you help Akilan the Dino find all kinds of treasures in the Kingdom’s castle. The tables from 0-10 are free so that you can get a feel for the game and whether your child will enjoy it, and if you like what you see, you can unlock the rest of the title through a single in-app purchase.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs $4.99 apiece (single unlock)
Average Games
Titles that may not be the best-of-the-best, but still offer fun and interesting mechanics
Final Fantasy V
Android Police coverage: Final Fantasy V pixel remaster hits Android with a fresh new 2D look
Square Enix has released the fifth pixel remaster for its Final Fantasy titles, and just like the last four entries, the game is overpriced and missing standard features. There’s no controller support, none, it was removed from the mobile version, and yet the game is $18. While the new pixel graphics are nice, and the touch controls are fine enough, Square’s track record on mobile is awful, to the point that it removed the old Final Fantasy titles when releasing these remasters, which were mostly abandoned, to begin with. So it’s hard to excuse the price for yet another port from Square Enix when history has proven the company simply does not care to offer adequate support to keep its games working after we buy them. So even though this port runs fine and offers enjoyable gameplay, it’s hard to excuse the high price when support and features are nowhere to be found. In order to sell a premium game, people expect a premium experience. Too bad Square has yet to learn this lesson and instead relies on abusing the nostalgia of an ever-shrinking fanbase.
Monetization: $17.99 / no ads / no IAPs
Casting Away
I’m a big fan of fishing games, and since Casting Away is a new fishing game, I just had to check it out. While the act of fishing is fine enough, things move at a snail’s pace, and there are ads everywhere. Timers are also a problem, though at least the dev allows users to skip the tutorial. You can pay to remove the game’s ads, but this will cost you $7.99, which is simply too high for a grindy fishing game filled with timers. Sure the graphics and presentation are excellent, but the uninteresting town-building mechanic shows this game was designed to keep people coming back instead of being designed around enjoyable gameplay. Sure, it’s not all a wash, especially if you don’t mind the typical inconveniences of mobile games, which is why this title is in the average section.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $7.99
Joy Tracks
Joy Tracks is a cute collection and decoration game from HyperBeard, a studio that has certainly found its niche as it pumps out kawaii games. The goal is to build out your train while also decorating its interiors. You’ll travel from station to station meeting interesting characters, which helps you earn the currencies you can use to expand your train. It’s a simple loop that can be fun in short bursts, but I worry that the monetization will worsen as the game moves from early access to the official release.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $7.99
Mudoku: Chinese Woodcraft
As much as I want to like Mudoku: Chinese Woodcraft, the game is excruciatingly slow, but not in a relaxing way, just super slow to transition its screens, which is annoying. Once you get beyond the lengthy and wordy intro, you can start wood-crafting. The graphics in the wood-crafting section are pretty good, where the gameplay revolves around removing sections of wood to fit pieces together in order to build your target object. This can be fun, and the controls work well. So here’s hoping the developer speeds up the rest of the game’s content so that we aren’t constantly staring at transitional screens and animations when we aren’t solving wood-based puzzles. Oh, and even though the Play Store listing doesn’t list the game’s in-app purchases, there are a couple, but they are for purchasing extra content, and the prices aren’t bad.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $2.99
Taboo – Official Party Game
Taboo is a word game under the Hasbro brand, and since Marmalade is the studio that digitizes the games for mobile play, it makes sense that this is the publisher behind Taboo – Official Party Game. Much like the physical word game, the goal is to have your teammates guess your word without using taboo words to guess, which is where the challenge comes in. Since we are living in a pandemic, the game offers video chat so that everyone playing can properly communicate without the need to play in person. There’s even a two-player mode if you don’t happen to have a large group of friends to play with.
Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 – $11.99
Downhill Legend
Downhill Legend is a simple downhill game where the goal is to make it to the bottom of the hill. It’s a bit like an auto-runner, as you’ll collect coins as you roll down the hill, which can be used…
The best, worst, and everything in between (11/7/21 -11/14/21)