Launchpad: Check out these six new and upcoming games ahead of Pocket Gamer Connects London 2024

We shine a spotlight on a select few games that have recently launched or are set to release in the not too distant future

• New Star GP

  Developer: New Star Games
  Platform: PC and console
  Release date: Out now in Early Access
  Website: www.newstargames.com

  From a team whose credits include New Star Soccer and Retro Bowl (as well as veterans from Team17, Activision and Rockstar), comes retro arcade racer New Star GP. The title puts you in the driving seat as you take control of your own motorsport team and compete at thrilling and iconic racing circuits around the world from the 1980s to the present day.

  New Star Games describes it as similar to its other titles, in that it “condenses the action of a sport into bite-sized chunks, full GPs that are distilled into a five to six minute experience, with all the drama of race strategies, pitting, tyre blowouts and crashes squeezed into a time frame that leaves players wanting ‘just one more go’”.

  The game features classic retro visuals, complete with a retro soundtrack that promises to bring back fond memories of the iconic racing games of the 1990s.

  It includes a single-player career mode that couples racing with an RPG element, with players able to compete in GPs, Elimination Races, Time Trials, Checkpoint Races and one-on-one Rival Races.

  Players can also upgrade their car, choose staff perks for bonuses, and ultimately race across 176 events across five decades.

  There’s also a multiplayer mode for split-screen fun in Championship Mode, enabling up to four players to compete in single races or one of 17 multi-race championships.

  
  

• Dobble Go!

  Developer: Amuzo Games
  Platforms: Mobile
  Release date: Out now on the App Store and Google Play
  Website: www.amuzo.com

  Amuzo Games has been developing games for 22 years. Starting with Flash and then moving to Unity, the company has worked with the LEGO and Playmobil IPs, as well as having two Netflix launch games: Card Blast and Rival Pirates.

  The team is now working on Dobble Go! (known as Spot it! Go! In the US), based on the wildly successful family card game that has sold more than 36 million units worldwide.

  The game has players compete to find the matching symbols on the Dobble card. It features a fast-paced Story Mode for single-player games, boss battles and new card decks to unlock. It also includes online and local multiplayer. The title is free to download and play, with extended game time and features unlocked through purchasing tickets.

  New Dobble card decks are included for seasonal featuring, and the team is also working on licensing IP for new decks throughout 2024.

  Check out the trailer below:

  Sound fun? You can download and play Dobble Go! (also known as Spot it! Go!) right now on the App Store and Google Play.

  
  

• Kevin Toms Football Game 2

  Developer: Kevin Toms
  Platforms: Mobile
  Release date: Coming soon
  Website: kevintoms.games

  If anyone knows football games, it’s Kevin Toms, who is the designer behind the original Football Manager - now stewarded by Sports Interactive as one of the UK’s most successful titles.

  A few years ago, Toms brought the nostalgia back with Football Star Manager, intended to be a recreation of the old classic. But after requests for new features, work began on Kevin Toms Football Game, with version 2, set to launch imminently on the App Store and Google Play.

  The title is described as a simple yet subtle football management game, designed especially for mobile, and aims to provide that ‘just one more match’ feeling, just like the classic Football Manager game he is known for.

  Players deal with the responsibilities of any manager - they need to build a successful squad on the pitch, deal with financial pressures, and ultimately try to win trophies. Players can play in a league of their choice, with the ability to customise the game to any league.

  Kevin Toms Football Game 2 will continue to evolve with new functionality after each update.

  Toms plans to work with the community on the title, with open discussions with fans on which features they'd like to see added.

  

  

• Popcorn

  Developer:Minis Studio
  Platform: Mobile
  Release date: Out now on the App Store and Google Play
  Website: minis.dev/games/popcorn/

  With over 10 years in the mobile apps industry, Minis Studio co-founders have a rich background in development. The team launched a word guessing game in Iran in 2013, generating four million downloads - and its other apps have now collectively surpassed 15 million installs.

  Not just that, they co-founded mobile ads network Adivery. Last year, they pivoted their focus solely on game development for the international market, heading to new pastures in Hamburg.

  Their latest title is Popcorn, a unique word guessing game where players must figure out the correct words based on the images. Mini Studio is taking a unique approach to the title by utilising AI to create the images.

  Popcorn is currently available in English and German, while the team is currently working on adding Spanish, French and Arabic. As with the best mobile games, Minis Studio is always updating the title with new levels and fresh content every month.

  You can play Popcore on the App store and Google Play.

  
  

• Touchgrind X

  Developer: Illusion Labs
  Platform: Mobile
  Release date: Early 2024
  Website: illusionlabs.com

  Illusion Labs started creating mobile games even before the App Store was launched and has continued to do so successfully ever since. At the start of the smartphone era, Steve Jobs himself presented their game Labyrinth in one of his keynotes.

  The team has worked on numerous games, including the aforementioned Labyrinth and its sequel, as well as Mr. Crab, Mr. Crab 2, Way of the Turtle, Rocket Cars, the Touchgrind series and more.

  Its new title is Touchgrind X, a mid-core mountain bike game that builds upon the success of Touchgrind BMX 2 and Touchgrind Skate 2.

  Players must navigate challenging courses, perform incredible tricks, and ultimate abilities, and compete in various multiplayer game modes.

  With even more intuitive controls - this time around featuring one-finger controls - stunning visuals, and a rich progression system, Touchgrind X promises to deliver an immersive and thrilling gaming experience.

  The main game mode is the team’s take on battle royale, pitting 12 players against each other over three rounds. Those with the highest scores qualify for the next round, with the chance of becoming the winner.

  Touchgrind X is set to launch in early 2024.

  
  

• Last Spartan: Glory Over Madness

  Developer: BAD Spiele Studio
  Platform: PC (Also coming to Mac / Linux / Nintendo Switch / PlayStation / Xbox / iOS)
  Release date: Coming soon
  Website: www.badspiele.studio

  Berlin-based developer BAD Spiele Studio specialises in delving into the shadowy realms of Lovecraftian lore, meticulously crafting strategy games that merge haunting atmospheres with intricate storytelling, all brought to life by a team immersed in the dark romanticism that defines its titles.

  Its latest game is Last Spartan: Glory Over Madness, an epic, ambitious, single-player strategy game with rogue-like deck-building gameplay built around custom dice-building mechanics.

  Players must choose their allegiance, build their dice set and dive into intense turn-based battles, all while exploring a dark, randomly generated world with random encounters.

  The title is described as a lovechild of Darkest Dungeon and Slay the Spire, and explores an alternate history storyline with branching paths, following Leonidas, the last surviving spartan.