In the .biz realm, we often find ourselves wrapped up in the investments, deals and stats of the gaming world (and rightly so), but it’s also important to highlight the games themselves - the fruits of the labour that can only appear after years of research, funding and, of course, development.

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.

Goat Simulator 3

The sequel to the wacky and beloved Goat Simulator has finally rammed its way onto mobile after launching on consoles and PC in 2022. And since numerical consistency would have been too obvious for such a chaotic series, naturally the sequel to Goat Simulator 1 is Goat Simulator 3...

In this sandbox simulation game, players can now do whatever they please on mobile. Such goat-related antics may include joining a yoga class, driving a car - without a licence - and headbutting civilians. There’s even an "ok amount" of quests to play through and a multiplayer mode to double the mayhem.

The Goat Simulator series is developed and published by Coffee Stain Studios, with its games catalogue spanning every platform from the PlayStation 5 to Apple Arcade.

Puzzle & Dragons Story

After Apple Arcade claimed an exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog game last week, this week’s list features the exclusive Puzzle & Dragons Story. The match-3 mobile series has over a decade-long legacy already, dating back to 2012, and the new Apple Arcade exclusive acts as a spinoff set on the continent of Libra.

Staying true to its name, Puzzle & Dragons Story continues to fall in line with the puzzle genre with "puzzle power" being a necessity to defeating foes - dealing damage based on matching similarly coloured orbs.

GungHo Online Entertainment has remained the developer and publisher for this spinoff, being the original creator of the series and leading the first Puzzle and Dragons game beyond $4 billion in gross revenue by AppMagic’s reckoning.

Cat Fantasy

The idea of an RPG about cafés, cats and cat-people might be the most bizarre on this week’s list, but being combined with a cel-shaded anime aesthetic, somehow it just works. Fundoll’s Cat Fantasy sees coffee drinkers (or tea enjoyers - we won’t judge) saving the world from the luxury of a café, playing as an investigator who finds themselves in charge of the 'Cat of Baker Street'.

The game combines RPG elements with turn-based card games, and in classic mobile gaming form includes elements like running the café and assembling a team. Currently in soft launch in Southeast Asia, Cat Fantasy promises mysteries to unravel, emotional events to discover, and the power of cat justice.

According to AppMagic data, Australia is the biggest audience so far with 43% of downloads, while New Zealand players are trailing with 18% of installs but spending the most of anyone - contributing 38% of revenues.

Presumably Cat Fantasy will expand to a worldwide release post-soft launch, given the success of Fundoll’s other global titles Food Fantasy and Romantic Diary.

Shapez

The second puzzler of the week is Playdigious’ Shapez, previously launching on PC and now finally available on Apple and Android. This puzzle-come-simulation game is all about processing geometric shapes and automated creations on an infinite map, becoming increasingly complex as players progress.

Of course, coming from PC to mobile also means revamped visuals with a newly optimised interface, redesigned for touchscreen play and supporting cloud saves. It is important to note that only the first seven levels are available for free, and from there progression is gated by payment.

Playdigious is also known for publishing Fretless, Northgard and Dead Cell, the latter having launched on Netflix last month.

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Hybridising life simulation with adventure, Disney, and Pixar, has led to Gameloft Montreal’s Disney Dreamlight Valley. The game first launched on consoles in 2022 and has now finally migrated to Apple, landing on Apple Arcade with the A Rift in Time expansion along for the ride.

The adventure game brings beloved Disney and Pixar heroes and villains all into one location, with players deciding for themselves if they see someone as friend or foe. It also offers a multiplayer mode with up to four people able to play together, and a city builder mode in a quaint valley style that better suits the Disney aesthetic.

Despite an announced shift away from mobile, Gameloft’s Dungeon Hunter 6 marked a reboot for the classic franchise on mobile, and now with Disney Dreamlight Valley marking its appearance on Apple devices, perhaps that move away from mobile isn’t so certain after all.