May 06, 2024
GameCentral's monthly roundup of the top new gaming apps for Android and iPhone includes an extremely brutal potato and one of the finest puzzle games of the year.
Whether users are looking for the chaotic sugar rush of Super Monsters Ate My Condo+, the calm and eccentric tale of Strange Horticulture, or the steady roguelite build of Loop Hero, this month's mobile releases have got it all.
Shift 2
Shift 2's match-four puzzles take place on a 4x4 grid, where the user may drag any row or column to construct matching lines and upgrade individual tiles.
Moreover, each matching user blends four squares into a single new one, and, like with Scenic Routes previous game Generations, there is a lot more going on than meets the eye.
However, each matching line the user builds raises their multiplier, which is reset every time the user makes a move that does not result in a match, and its three play modes dramatically alter the game.
Calm is turn-based, Frantic is timed, and Tactical mode terminated shortly as the user makes a move that does not trigger at least one match, making it far more difficult to navigate the user’s way through its stages in this superbly designed and psychologically hard puzzler.
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Vroomies
Vroomies is a simple top-down racing game in which users swipe to turn corners and press to speed up squares. When timed correctly, users gain control points, which boost their speed and allow users to take shortcuts.
In addition, racing against a field of computer-controlled rivals, users win temporary power-ups that last the length of the championship the user has entered. Users will also have to keep an eye on tyre wear, strategically pitting in when it's time for a replacement.
Whereas, users have to unlock additional vehicles while they go through the game's competitions, which are completely free to download and have no microtransactions.
Super Monsters Ate My Condo+
Monsters stand on each side of a teetering tower of flats, forcing the user to flick levels into their jaws in an attempt to stack three adjacent floors of the same colour, which will instantly merge into an enhanced condominium.
However, feeding enhanced floors to your monsters activates their particular superpowers in a game with quick, violent, and highly hilarious action.
This version originally launched in 2012, has somewhat improved visuals but otherwise looks to be comparable to its aged forebear. There is a paid version for Android.
Loop Hero
Loop Hero, is a bizarre combination of roguelite, idle game, and role-player in which the user’s small dungeoneer circles a dynamically created looping hallway, automatically defeating creatures he encounters.
In addition, encounters drop loot in the form of new weapons, armour, and equipment, along with cards that allow the user to extend the geography around the loop by adding foes, power-ups, and treasure chests, making each loop more difficult as the user level it up.
Moreover, in this immensely addicting and touchscreen-friendly game, deciding whether to flee for base camp with the user’s riches is an exercise in risk-taking.
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Lost Potato
On a single screen, the user’s potato protagonist is unable to hit foes and must instead smash them into spikes or missiles to defeat them.
The adorable, uncomplicated artwork, along with the smorgasbord of power-ups and many methods to murder your adversaries make it an easy game to comprehend and enjoy.
Whereas it’s main aim is to get users to watch gaudy and overlong advertisements, but once users have paid to remove them, they’re left with a cleanly designed, stripped-down roguelite about a violent potato.
Strange Horticulture
In this gorgeously drawn herbalist simulation, the user owns a flower shop. Customers arrive, and the user gives them the herbs they require, turning to the user’s Strange Book of Plants to find the perfect one for each job.
Moreover, users will also need to consult letters and other clues, cross-referencing them with a map, to scout out and pick additional blossoms for the order.
In addition, its slow pace, wonderful graphic style, and distinct personality transition well to the touchscreen, with page flipping and clue sorting complementing the tactile environment.
