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The best Android games this week - Powerpuff Girls, Qvadriga, and Castle of Illusion

A Roman mouse with special powers

The best Android games this week - Powerpuff Girls, Qvadriga, and Castle of Illusion

Every Friday, Pocket Gamer offers hands-on impressions of the week's three best new Android games.

Powerpuff Girls: Defenders of Townsville
By Radiangames - buy on Android (£2.49 / $3.99)

Powerpuff

I'm no big Powerpuff Girls fan, so the prospect of a PPG game for Android doesn't get me too excited. But a button-bashing Metroidvania from the terrific Radiangames?

Now that's something I can get behind.

In Defenders of Townsville, Mojo Jojo uses an amnesia ray to wipe Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup's memory. So, they have to hunt through levels and beat up robots to get their special powers back one by one.

It's got tasty physics; massive boss battles; loads of fun powers with which to play; and the ability to switch between modern and classic Powerpuff style.

Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse
By Disney - buy on Android (£6.99 / $9.99)

Mickey Mouse

Do you remember when getting a new Disney game meant getting a cracking new platformer and not some lazy match-three puzzler that's been dipped in movie promo art?

Mega Drive re-imagining Castle of Illusion reminds us of those good old days. Why? Because it's a huge, imaginative, and refreshingly tough platformer.

But it's not just some old 16-bit port. The game has been given a complete makeover, with fancy visuals, three-dimensional worlds, and even some rejiggered stages.

And while controller support would have been fantastic, the touchscreen controls do an admirable job of letting you bounce through these fantasy worlds without tossing your Android down a flight of stairs in a fit of rage.

Damien gave the iOS edition a Gold Award. He said that "Castle of Illusion combines old school challenge with impeccable presentation to create a fitting tribute to one of the 16-bit era's finest platforming classics."

Qvadriga
By Slitherine - buy on Android (£6.99 / $9.99)

Qvadriga

When I first played Qvadriga, my chariot fell to pieces on the first turn. Then, after being dragged along on my face for 100 metres, I stumbled across the track, got trampled by a horse, and immediately died.

This bizarre mix of ancient Roman chariot race and turn-based strategy game is certainly not an easy game to pick up. And that's not to mention the dense instruction screen, the complex campaign meta-game, or the $10 price tag.

But if you can get past all that, you'll find "an exciting, unusual, and richly detailed game of timing and strategy". (Those are PG reviewer Matt's words, by the way). Plus, it's made by Slitherine. Those guys know what they're doing.

Mark Brown
Mark Brown
Mark Brown is editor at large of Pocket Gamer