21 best new Android games released this week including Monster Hunter Stories, Layton: Curious Village in HD, and Harvest Moon: Light of Hope
Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous week or so. This week had more than a few quality titles land on Android. Monster Hunter Stories is, of course, a huge release with a fair price, but then Layton: Curious Village in HD and Harvest Moon: Light of Hope are also hugely popular titles that are worth their asking prices. But that's not all, Nintendo had a new release this week, which is big news. So without further ado, here are the most notable games released in the last week.
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Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.
Games
Monster Hunter Stories
Android Police coverage: Monster Hunter Stories by Capcom is available for Android
Monster Hunter Stories is a port of the Nintendo 3DS monster collection RPG. It serves as an offshoot title in the Monster Hunter franchise, and the gameplay is a little different than what you would normally expect. Instead of hunting down terrifying monsters, you are tasked with hunting monster eggs. These eggs can be hatched, and you can use the monsters that come out of them as your companion in battle. Think Monster Hunter mixed with Pokémon. This is a premium release, and there's even a free demo available for all of you who would like to test it out before you purchase.
Monetization: $19.99 / no ads / no IAPs
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Layton: Curious Village in HD
Android Police coverage: Professor Layton and the Curious Village brings its mind-bending puzzles to Android
Monster Hunter isn't the only high-profile port to come to Android this week. Layton: Curious Village in HD is a re-release of the original Professor Layton and the Curious Village Nintendo DS title. The graphics have been improved for HD devices, and tweaks have been made to the controls to better suit touchscreen devices without physical buttons. The puzzle-based gameplay is just as great as ever, and since this is actually the first entry in the series, it makes for a great introduction.
Monetization: $9.99 / no ads / no IAPs
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Harvest Moon: Light of Hope
Android Police coverage: Harvest Moon: Light of Hope is out on Android
Harvest Moon: Light of Hope is a port of the console and PC version of the game. It's a farming simulator with a dose of life sim mixed in. You can choose to play as a boy or girl, and as you farm to earn money to improve your village, you can also chat up the town residents in search of a significant other. The graphics are plain, and the gameplay is a little too simplified when compared to its competitors Story of Seasons or Stardew Valley, but it's still plenty good enough for a mobile release.
Monetization: $14.99 / no ads / no IAPs
AntVentor
Android Police coverage: [Update: Now available for more devices] AntVentor is a gorgeous point and click adventure game for the Shield TV
AntVentor is a gorgeous photo-realistic point and click adventure game, and you won't even need an Android TV device to play it any longer. The version released this week is designed to run on smartphones, tablets, and Chromebooks. You get to play the part of an ant who is trying to make a mistake right anyway he can. Like most adventure games there are plenty of humorous conversations to take part in, and you can even skip the longer dialogs if you'd like to get on with the gameplay. This release serves as the first short chapter in a trilogy, so expect two more titles sometime in the future.
Monetization: $1.99 / no ads / no IAPs
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Dragalia Lost
Android Police coverage: Dragalia Lost by Nintendo is available for Android
Dragalia Lost is the latest mobile game from Nintendo, and it's an action RPG with a heavy emphasis on gacha mechanics. It contains some of the best music found in any Android game, but sadly the gameplay is on the boring side. All you do is go from one level to the next defeating groups of enemies until you reach an end-level boss. Once you beat the boss, you can move on to the next level to perform the same actions over again. It's a great looking game, but it plays like every other gacha currently on the Play Store.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $79.99
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BLACK COMMAND
Android Police coverage: Capcom's military sim Black Command is out on Android
Oh boy, where do I begin? The graphics in Capcom's Black Command are pretty much non-existent. Colors and shapes represent all troops, and the maps are even less detailed than that. The gameplay is abysmal thank to a heavy reliance on pay to win mechanics that shake you down at every turn. Almost all of the reviews on the Play Store point out the same. Stay far away from this release.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $89.99
Krikey
Krikey serves as a social media-oriented app that makes it easy to find and launch a wide selection of AR games, not that you would know that from the one-line description on the Play Store. If the lack of a description isn't enough of a roadblock, wait until you get to the start screen that forces you to make an account with the service instead of tying into your Google sign-in.
Monetization: free / no ads / no IAPs
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Delivery Star
Lots of casual games this week, and Delivery Star fits in with this category perfectly. The gameplay is easy to pick up. All you have to do is deliver packages by tapping on the screen. Timing your movement is key, as there's plenty of traffic in the street that's perfectly willing to run you over.
Monetization: free / contains ads / no IAPs
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Hooky Crook
Hooky Crook is a silly physics-based action game that stars a literal cat burglar. As in the burglar in this game is an actual cat. The controls are easy to pick up thanks to the one-touch design. You'll spend the majority of your time swinging from ropes, and it's up to you to tap on the screen with precise timing so that your rope grabs onto the next hook and you can advance forward. This is how you'll traverse each stage, and it's actually a satisfying mechanic. There's a total of 84 levels to explore, and you don't even need a wifi connection to play.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece
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Mr. Mustachio : #100 Rounds
Mr. Mustachio is an interesting math game that changes the rules in each and every level. There's a total of 100 levels to work your way through, and the rules get crazier the further you make progress. The goal is to of course make it to the end, but that is easier said than done.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $2.99 a piece
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Knock Balls
Who wouldn't want to shoot cannonballs at stacks of blocks? I know I would, which is probably why I got such a kick out of VOODOO's latest game Knock Balls. Sure, the advertisements are displayed a little too often, but at least you can pay to remove them. The gameplay isn't deep by any means, but it makes for a great casual title to play in short bursts. After all, who doesn't enjoy knocking over towers of blocks?
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs $3.99 a piece
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Animus - Harbinger
TENBIRDS already has a couple of Souls-like games on Android, and Animus - Harbinger is the latest. If you are a souls-like fan, then you'll be happy to hear the gameplay is very challenging, though the world barely compares to its obvious inspiration. In order to make a mobile game that works well in short bursts, the levels are somewhat condensed and mainly focus on fighting a large boss with only a few enemies scattered about. Think of this more like a boss run mode, and you get the picture.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $9.99
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Tomb Survivor
Tomb Survivor is a top-down dungeon crawler filled with deadly puzzles and plenty of hidden paths. Choices play a big part in how events unfold. So maybe you'll run across a stranger you'd like to help, only to discover at a later point that they willingly stabbed you in the back. Nothing in the game's world is ever quite what it seems, which makes for a heck of a lot of replayability for the player.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $24.99
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Premium RPG Marenian Tavern Story
RPG Marenian Tavern Story is the latest RPG from KEMCO to receive an English translation. This is a premium title, though there is also a free-to play version available for those that don't want to spend any money to check the game out. The story revolves around Patty, and it's her job to pay off her family's debts by opening up a pub, gathering ingredients, and cooking tons of recipes.
Monetization: $7.99 / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99
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GarbageDay - New Basketball
GarbageDay - New Basketball is a casual flinging game with colorful graphics that look great on OLED screens. The deep blacks and bright colors pop. The gameplay is on the simpler side. All you have to do is fling random objects into waste paper baskets. Rest assured this can get difficult, especially once you make it to the later stages.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99
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Thor : War of Tapnarok
Okay, I'm not too sure how long this release will get to keep its current name, since it's a little too close the movie title Thor: Ragnarok, but I have to give credit to the dev for such a clever title. Obviously, the game is an idle tapper based around the story and lore of Norse Mythology, all with a very heavy Marvel bend, not to mention some sly keyword stuffing in the Play Store synopsis. So yeah, if this gets popular, it won't be around for long in its current form. Might as well give it a try while you can.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $49.99
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SEGA POCKET CLUB MANAGER
This is the first time Sega Pocket Club Manager has been translated to English for Western players. It's a casual soccer RPG with a management bend. You get to build your club from the ground up. To do this you'll have to select your players, level them up, and then coach them as they play. Your end goal is to expand your clubhouse and stadium as much as you can so that you can become the best club manager around.
Monetization: free / no ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
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Jump Arena - PvP Online Battle
NEOWIZ's Jump Arena is an online arena battle game. Much like Doodle Jump, you can jump from platform to platform slowly getting higher and higher. The arena battle gameplay added on top means you are facing off against a foe as you jump around to new heights. The controls are simple, and you'll have a few skills at your disposal, and of course, there are a bunch of skins and accessories to collect that can be used to deck out your character.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $0.99 - $99.99
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Millionaire Trivia: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?
Millionaire Trivia: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire is a mobile app that contains the basic gameplay formula from the ABC TV show Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. Honestly, I had no idea this show was still around, but I guess it makes sense to release an app that ties into it. After all, trivia apps are pretty hot right now with the rise of actual cash prizes in mobile games, but of course, there are no prizes to win here. This is a traditional trivia game.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $69.99
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Steam Cats - Idle RPG
Pixel Federation's Steam Cats is an idle RPG with adorable cat-themed graphics, and it has over 60 felines that you can collect. Like most idle games, if you close the app you will still earn towards your goal. As you level up your team of cats, you can expect to battle through many different stages within the primary campaign. And if that's not enough content for you, just wait until the dev adds in some new events that will really spice things up.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $1.99 - $99.99
Swipe Brick Breaker: The Blast
Swipe Brick Breaker is a Breakout clone with a simple swipe mechanic. Just swipe to launch your balls, and watch as the numbers drop on the bricks that your balls hit. Your goal is to remove every brick from each stage, so make sure your swiping skills are up to snuff. Eliminating those bricks won't be easy.
Monetization: free / contains ads / IAPs from $2.99 - $99.99
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Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!
If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.
Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.
- the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
- it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop
Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: [email protected].
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