Produced alongside our friends at PocketGamer.fun - THE place to discover your next favourite mobile games - here's our pick of the best fresh-this-week titles.
While the deals and the stats of the gaming world are important, nothing would happen without the research, funding and, of course, development that goes into making a great game. PocketGamer.fun brings you latest games, lets you see them in action and download right from the page.
So here are the most exciting new mobile games right now, the developers and publishers behind them, and why, exactly, they've made the cut.
The Battle of Polyopia+
Midjiwan’s award-winning 4X strategy game The Battle of Polytopia has landed on Apple Arcade with the full game and all DLC included for subscribers, making every cartoony tribe available from the get-go, be they the fruit fanatics in Imperius or the frosty folks in Polaris.
This Apple Arcade version, known as The Battle of Polytopia+, will offer new players a distinct twist on the game compared to those who began in 2016 when there were only five tribes; now there are 16, DLC included, plus 12 cosmetic skins.
Midjiwan’s unique low poly, colourful approach to strategy gaming has helped the original version reach over 20 million downloads in its lifetime, and its playerbase is only going up with the extension to Apple Arcade. Not only that, but its lax, good-faith approach to monetisation has helped Midjiwan invest six figures into solar power projects in Africa.
Extreme Crazy Bowling
If you ever wanted to get some more bowling practice while only lifting a single finger, Yu-Rin-Chan is providing just that opportunity with Extreme Crazy Bowling. Although, you do have to watch out for neighbours launching their balls and pins into your lane. Oh, and sometimes you’ll be using a basketball, not a bowling ball. Either that or a goat.
Because this wacky title is about more than just bowling; its about letting loose and ruining everyone else’s games, knocking over pins that aren’t yours to target, and messing up other people’s throws.
Yu-Rin-Chan describes Extreme Crazy Bowling as "full-on realistic", but if this describes your real-world bowling experience, you may want to consider switching lanes and reserving the chaos for on mobile…
Stray Cat Doors 3
The third instalment in the cute and cuddly Stray Cat Doors franchise is out now on iOS, Android and Switch, tasking feline fans with solving mysteries, clearing traps and powering through puzzles in a brand-new adventure.
Stray Cat Doors 3 is a game full of vibrant visuals and comforting kittens that respond when tapped on-screen, designed to create a gentle experience that needs no in-app purchases despite its gacha system; instead, developer Pulsmo is monetising this title with ads that can be watched to unlock extra medals - a consumable item used on the gacha.
Stray Cat Doors 3 is a challenging but approachable puzzle game, giving hints where needed and offering plenty to entertain younger audiences, like a homescreen with plenty of animals - not just cats - to summon by dishing out food.
Garuda Saga
PUBG maker Krafton has unveiled a new India-themed mobile game this week and pre-registrations are open now in India. Titled Garuda Saga, this title was developed in a collaborative effort with Alchemist Games from South Korea.
The rogue-like romp is an adventure game inspired by Indian tapestry and it empowers players to take their own path through a choice-driven experience. The devs have hopes that Garuda Saga will appeal to “both hardcore and casual gamers", forging the titular Garuda’s path as he seeks to reclaim his mentor's kingdom.
Opening games for pre-registration is becoming an increasingly prevalent tactic in the mobile games industry, not too dissimilar from the concept of pre-ordering. Devs often offer rewards to players who pre-install, as this helps bolster download stats at release and in theory helps new games to reach a wider audience. In Garuda Saga’s case, Indian users who pre-register will receive exclusive rewards and a unique starter pack when the game launches.
Night Crows
South Korean games developer Wemade has launched its latest in Web3, the MMORPG Night Crows, globally. The fantasy title features multi-chain technology integrating six different blockchains, Wemade’s native gaming network Wemix 3.0 included, and spans multiple platforms with a release on mobile and PC.
The title was quick to rise through the mobile charts after its launch in South Korea and has generated in-game revenue of over $150 million in only seven months in the region, already among Wemade’s most lucrative games as a result.
Night Crows' potential beyond this already impressive start has just expanded significantly, with its global launch boosting accessibility across 170 countries speaking nine different languages. Realistic graphics further bridge the gap between mobile and other platforms as hardware continues to advance, while the scene it sets is one of medieval Europe where all opposites collide: light and dark; chaos and order; fantasy and reality.
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