GAMES OF THE WEEK - The 5 best new games for iOS and Android - September 5th
Another week, another amazing batch of games launching freshly onto mobile marketplaces. While we've already long established that there's rarely a quiet week for mobile, this week is a fantastic highlight of the amazing variety and strength that we see in our weekly selection - from lunchbox puzzler to banana-republic builder
Quite a mix, I'm sure you'd agree. Add to that an isometric brawler, turn-based adventure title and more... well, they do say that variety is the spice of life.
Naturally there's plenty more out there too. We can - after all - only fit five of this week's releases into a single post. Keep an eye on the site over the coming days to learn about some of the rest.
Remember, if you're looking to check through some of our previous selections then you can always do that at our Games of The Week Hub, it's a great way to find games to fill out that empty storage space on your phone. Or, if you like your news in bitesize chunks, delivered straight to your palm then maybe follow us on Twitter.
So, without any more delay, click on through the big blue button below to find out what we think are the 5 best new games for mobile this week.
1
inbento
Just take a look at Afterburn Games' inbento. It's an absolutely adorable fusion of packing-puzzle meets cute cats. A deadly combination if you ask me.
It might be incredibly easy to explain, or indeed sell, but the sliding, stacking and overlapping of its puzzle pieces rapidly escalates into quite a challenging little puzzler all about picking the right pieces in the right rotations as to match the required design. It's cunning, clever, and all incredibly cute.
Take a peek at the video below and deny its visual purity.
inbento is available now over on the App Store and Play Store.
2
Tropico
'El Presidente the people are revolting.' 'I know, tell them to wash. ''But my ruler, you have cut off the water.'
Tropico has finally made its way to the Android storefront, and it is about time too. Feral Interactive's fantastic adaptation originally release on iOS last year when we stated that it 'feels right at home on iPad', and it is about time that it reached the rest of us.
For those of you unfamiliar with the long-running strategy series. It has players take on the role of the newly elected (seems unlikely) dictator. In many ways it is similar to city building games, but the nation you control is a carribean island in a cold-war esque era. You'll build up the residential, commerical and industrial sectors of the island all while trying to keep other ideological parties week as you navigate the tricky geopolitical balancing act of running a country.
It's got an amazing soundtrack, and it doesn't take itself too seriously considering how the subject matter could be handled.
Tropico is available now on the Play Store.
3
Widower's Sky
Widower's Sky is an absolutely breath-taking adventure game which combines massive sweeping landscapes with deadly enemies. Few games can claim that they deliver the scale and perspective of this absolutely stunnning little experience.
You'll take on the role of a lone-parent father who must feed and protect his son, all while surviving against both nature and the starkly contrasting mechanical creations which walk the land. But, regardless of the story, just take a look at the trailer below and see what you think.
Widower's Sky is available now on the App Store, it's £4.99, which is an absolute bargain.
4
Stranger Things 3: The Game
Fans of the series rejoice. Stranger Things 3: The Game has finally made its way onto mobile devices, and it's actually pretty good.
You'll take control of 12 different playable heroes, running around the town of Hawkins while fighting off monsters and more. It's visually reminiscent of Zombies Ate My Neighbours, however includes a crafting system and a few other modern twists and tweaks.
Back when the Nintendo Switch version released back in July our reviewer surmised that it was "...made for fans of the show, and if you think the show is great, you'll like this too. Just don't expect anything too incredible, grab a friend for co-op, and you'll have a good time". The most prominent negative was that the game did not hold up well to longer play sessions, which isn't nessecarily something which will be much of a problem for mobile-first players.
Stragner Things 3: The Game is available on the App Store and Play Store.
5
Hoppia Tale
Hoppia Tale is bloody brilliant, and I can't believe that I stumbled upon it by accident. It's a brightly coloured adventure game which combines the grid-based, turn-based movements of conventional roguelite with the cheerful aesthetic of Nintendo's first-party SNES era titles. As a matter of fact, anybody who only played through the earlier worlds would probably be sitting there shaking their head and muttering about Legend of Zelda: Link to the Past and little more.
However, Hoppia Tale becomes much more than that. There is a massive amount of customisation at play courtesy of the town you end up calling home. You can decorate your home, buy and equip new items, and much more.
Add to that a hard mode and a time trial mode and, frankly, I'm surprised that Hoppia Tale didn't launch as a premium title.
Hoppia Tale is available now for the App Store and Play Store.
