New release roundup: Dawnfolk, My Hero Academia United Survival, Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition, and more

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.

So here’s a collection of the most exciting new mobile games right now, the developers and publishers behind them, and why, exactly, they've made the cut.

My Hero Academia United Survival

After hitting one million global pre-registrations, KLab’s My Hero Academia United Survival has launched worldwide with plenty of milestone rewards to be picked up by players.

In this latest mobile game adaptation of the My Hero Academia IP, fans can get in on the action and face off against hordes of enemies with flashy moves, powerful combos and a team of three characters.

Familiar heroes and villains make appearances in this roguelite, building on a brand with more than 100m manga sales to its name.

Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition

Almost immediately after EA’s acquisition by a consortium of PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, the sports games maker has brought American Football to Apple Arcade.

Madden NFL 27 Arcade Edition is a brand-new title developed for Apple’s subscription service, sporting Franchise and Quick Play modes, full seasons to play through and the chance to lead a team from week one through to the Super Bowl.

The game has been built for NFL fans and newcomers, with approachable mechanics waiting to be mastered on mobile. We spoke with EA Tiburon head of live services and mobile Ryan Ferwerda about adapting Madden for Apple Arcade and why this route was taken over the traditional free-to-play format.

Dawnfolk

Short Circuit Studios and solo developer Darenn Keller have launched minimalist city builder Dawnfolk on iOS and Android, expanding the acclaimed title to a fresh mobile audience.

Combining strategy gameplay, survival mechanics and pixel art, this game gives players the challenge of rebuilding civilisation after darkness has struck, exploring mysteries and expanding bases along the way.

Association Match 4 Emoji Game

Tripledot’s latest puzzler Association Match 4 Emoji Game is, as its name implies, all about matching emojis.

Each board contains an array of faces, animals and other emoji-based objects, and the goal of the game is to match them into groups of four based on a hidden theme.

Puppykaku

Logic puzzle game Puppykaku is the latest addition to TapNation’s lineup, offering cosy vibes where every puzzle contains puppies to rescue.

By drawing a rectangle around numbered pups, players can fill the board, add some colour and set those animals free. The challenge comes in avoiding overlapping any rectangles.

Cluckmech Oasis

A roguelike tower defence and top-down shooter, Cluckmech Oasis is packed with pixel graphics and animal warriors ready to take on every enemy around.

BaclLight has also included titular Cluckmechs with over 300 upgrade options and a range of builds offering strategic variety.

Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse

After launching in Steam early access this year, Never Grave: The Witch and the Curse is now available on Google Play. The title is described as a Metroidvania x Roguelite 2D action game where you journey across the world with the aid of a cursed hat - supporting up to four players. The game is published by Palworld developer Pocketpair.