GAMES OF THE WEEK - The 5 best new mobile games for iOS and Android - October 22nd 2020
It's that time again! Time for another entry into our long-running GAMES OF THE WEEK series.
If you're looking for the best 5 games which have hit the iPhone, iPad or Android stores this week then you've landed yourself at the exact right place at just the right time. Lucky, lucky you.
With this article, we skirt around the droves of subscription services (Apple Arcade, Google Play Pass, GameClub, Hatch, and all of their friends) which have launched onto mobile platforms over the years. We also don't factor in things like Steam Link or Google Stadia which allow streaming to handheld devices - and would open up this list to almost every game under the sun.
What that means is that our list is a finely curated list of brilliant, fresh titles which you can download and play without subscribing to, or installing, any third-party initiative. Of course, there are some great games on those services, but, let's focus on the stuff that you can grab right now.
This week you'll be fighting fiends with your squash skills, shutting down terrorist operations from the comfort of the skies, shooting enemies as they descend from the sky and exploring desolate wastelands in a variety of interesting vehicles.
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 or join our Discord.
Anyway, without any further delay, click on the big, blue button below to find out more about what we believe to be the top five of the games which released on mobile over the last week.
1
Far: Lone Sails
Far: Lone Sails is a truly interesting one, even if it does feel a bit glum at times. You'll upgrade and maintain your vehicle, scavenging for resources and supplies in order to keep moving on. It's tough, and sometimes things do feel dire, but there's a really fascinating experience to be found if you can keep pushing onward through the ruins and relics of the people who came before.
2
The Last Train - Final Ride
The Last Train - Final Ride is a very interesting take on the post-apocalyptic setting. You take on the role of a train driver (the last train driver), controlling a train (the last train) through the ruins of society after WWII (the last world war) escalated beyond its historic bounds. You're tasked with travelling along the rails and saving as many survivors as you can.
You'll have choices too, you can help the survivors return to their families, or you can just treat them - and what they bring - as resources to keep your train running. So, explore the ruins of America and decide whether it'll be greed or empathy that power your train.
3
Space Frog Intern
A simple-seeing vertical shooter, Space Frog Intern has you take on the role of the titular frog as they shoot waves upon waves of enemies bearing down on you. What makes it quite interesting is the inclusion of powerups and the stomping move - rather than just moving side-to-side and shooting you can instead launch yourself into the air and stomp down on enemies.
4
Counter Terrorist Agency
RTS meets global simulation in Counter Terrorist Agency, a game about running a... well, a counter terrorist agency. You'll co-ordinate your teams, collect intelligence and execute operations in order to try and keep the world safe from those who only want chaos. Well, those who only want violent chaos rather than those who want political chaos, that is.
It's definitely an interesting one, and if you've enjoyed games like This is the Police or DEFCON where you're playing through a lot of things in an map view then you'll likely feel more than at home here.
5
Spooky Squashers
It's definitely the season for Halloween games, so we'll wrap up this week's list with a fantastic arcade title with a spooky theme. Spooky Squashers has you bolting around an arena, smacking balls into enemies and bosses all while trying to avoid them. There's definitely a learning curve at play, but once you get into it it's incredibly fun and intuitive.
Frankly, I'm surprised we've not seen more games using squash as a mechanic, but with Spooky Squashers doing such a good job of it, maybe we will soon.
