New release roundup: Heartopia, Cozy Caravan, Ichinome Monsters, and more

Happy New Year! 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 to kick off 2026.

Ichinome Monsters

Beginning 2026 with a pixel-art RPG, Ichinome Monsters sends players out into a sprite-based world to collect elemental monsters.

Clearly inspired by classics of the genre, TY Maze has packed Ichinome Monsters with over 100 creatures to find, with players registering each as seen or captured as they go. There are multiple regions to travel and some revisiting is required to find every rare encounter.

Heartopia

Following its final closed beta in December, XD Games’ Heartopia has launched globally giving iOS and Android owners everywhere the chance to play in 2026.

Heartopia offers players an escape from the January blues by diving into a simulated world, building their dream house and exploring a colourful town full of characters. Players can adjust their online settings to share the experience with up to 12 others, or stick to solo play if they prefer bird watching, gardening, and caring for cats by themselves.

A collaboration with My Little Pony has already been teased for February.

Shotgun Joe: Love & Monsters

Greek studio Gameaki has launched its fifth game Shotgun Joe: Love & Monsters on the Play Store, delivering gun-slinging action exclusively to Android users.

The 2D platformer blends challenging level design and an important mission, sending shotgun-wielding Joee out to save his fiancé from monsters.

Cozy Caravan

Another escape from the dreariness of January, there are cosy vibes abound to be found in 5 Live Studios’ Cozy Caravan.

The game gives players a range of tasks to complete like crafting handmade items, baking cakes and making clothes. It also features a range of cute animal characters to meet and help solve their problems together with best friend Bubba.

On mobile, Cozy Caravan is only available via Apple Arcade, among the year’s first exclusives on the subscription service.

Lost Oasis: Monster War

Part monster tamer, part idle strategy game, Peraspera's Lost Oasis: Monster War is all about surviving in the desert with a band of loyal creatures.

Players can catch wild monsters and use their skills to help rebuild and expand their desert village, where every drop of water is a question of survival. Brave gamers can also go exploring beyond the village in search of new water sources, taking their monster friends along for backup.

Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game

Transmedia tie-in and social deduction title Dead Man’s Party: A Knives Out Game is available to all Netflix subscribers, giving groups of four to eight players a mystery to solve.

Following a murder, innocent players must try to crack the case while the murderer tries to get away with their crime.

True Skate+

Physics-based True Skate+ is the new Apple Arcade edition of True Axis’ skateboarding title, with gameplay options including touchscreen controls and gamepad support.

There are six characters to play as, eight parks to unlock, and over 50 DIY objects to choose from as skateboarders build the park they’ve always wanted.

Potion Punch 2+

Apple has come out swinging in 2026, with another Apple Arcade release in Potion Punch 2+.

This ad-free version of Monstronauts’ shopkeeping game features time management challenges, new levels and story content, and revamped gameplay while maintaining a familiar feel.