Mid-week iOS releases: Sonic The Hedgehog 4: Episode II, Scotland Yard, Extinction Squad, and more

Welcome back to Pocket Gamer's round-up of the latest iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad mid-week releases.

As you all probably know by now, we produce this article each week because we're simply too busy to bring you a story on every single new game that hits the App Store.

These games have recently hit Apple's New Zealand outlet, meaning they should be available to download in the UK and US from around midnight this evening.

Empire of the Eclipse sees you traverse dynamically generated worlds and establish a profitable interstellar empire before your opponents using either brute force, economic superiority, or exploration.

This title is an MMO, and you can chat to your fellow players using an in-game chat and mail system.

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Master of Maya is a free-to-play card battling game in which you face off against a variety of opponents in a fierce battle for supremacy.

You're given a free starter pack to get you up and running and ready to battle, but you can also purchase hundreds of other character cards should you wish to boost your collection.

Scotland Yard is a digital version of the award-winning boardgame of the same name. In it, you set off as one of five agents on the hunt for the legendary Mister X, who's disappeared in the heart of London's nightlife.

Or if you want, you can step into the shoes of the infamous criminal.

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This latest Sonic adventure follows Sega's blue protagonist and his buddy Tails as they battle it out across four all-new zones against Dr Robotnik and Metal Sonic.

If you already own Episode 1 and choose to download this one, too, you'll gain access to Episode Metal - an exclusive scenario featuring Metal Sonic.

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Your aim in this title is to destroy hordes of menacing orange balloons, which have been scattered throughout four worlds and 80 challenging levels by an evil viking gorilla.

You do this using your trusty warplane and a whole bunch of explosives.

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In Extinction Squad, you follow daredevil scientist Chuck Darwin and his elite team of zoological defenders as they embark on adventures across the globe to rescue endangered animals.

Basically, you have to use your special trampoline to bounce the threatened animals to safety.

Boomlings is a match-four puzzler in which you, well, attempt to match four or more colourful critters in order to remove them from play, earn a high score, and unlock achievements.

You can spend the coins you nab as you play on power-ups, which allow you to freeze time, blow stuff up, and tip the odds in your favour.

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Circus Atari charges you with firing a colourful clown into the air and guiding him through the big top by tilting your device from side to side.

Popping balloons and nabbing power-ups will propel your red-nosed protagonist higher into the air, and the coins you collect can be spent on items.

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