Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android applications, games, and live wallpapers that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.

This edition focuses only on new games. The app roundup is coming up soon.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the AppBrain widgets, which include ratings and pricing info. Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Games

Asphalt 8: Airborne

Android Police review: Asphalt 8 Airborne Review: You'll Believe A Car Can Fly

Gameloft's photocopier development cycle continues, and their sights were set squarely on Burnout for the latest installment of the Asphalt series. Number eight has whiz-bang graphics, Hot Wheels physics, some fantastic online play, and the usual trappings of in-app purchases all over the single-player mode. But to the game's credit, it's entirely optional - you can get every car and event in the game without spending more than the $1 purchase price, and there's no annoying waiting system. (Yes, EA, I'm looking at you.)

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The best Android arcade racing game series reaches a new turning point. Perform dynamic, high-speed aerial stunts in an intense driving experience powered by a brand-new physics engine.

LUXURY DREAM CARS

• 47 high-performance cars (80% of them NEW.)

• Top licensed manufacturers and models such as Lamborghini Veneno, Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari FXX and Pagani Zonda R

• Newly recorded high-fidelity car motor sounds for realistic audio immersion

GET AIRBORNE

• Hit the ramps and take the race above the track

• Perform barrel rolls and wild 360º jumps

• Maneuver through the air and pull stunts while racing

Simon The Sorcerer

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Classic 90's Point-And-Click Adventure Game Simon The Sorcerer Magically Appears On Android

Another week, another classic point-and-click adventure game for the Play Store. Simon The Sorcerer is exactly twenty years old, staring the titular Simon as a fish out of water discovering magic in a Narnia-style hidden world. The game wasn't quite the hit that the Monkey Island series was, but it gained quite a following and spawned plenty of sequels. The original is now available for a reasonable $4, complete with the classic graphics and user interface.

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There are some things that kids just shouldn't have to put up with. Being transported to some weird dimension full of goblins, dwarves, swamplings, stupid wizards and sleeping giants is definitely one of them. After escaping a "welcoming party", Simon discovers that he has been brought on a quest to rescue the wizard Calypso from the evil sorcerer Sordid. In the last 20 years, the 'Simon the Sorcerer' game series has made millions of players fall in love with Simon. Now you can relive the renowned original adventure in a whole new way, exclusively on Android.

The Last Express

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Calling All Passengers For 'The Last Express,' The Latest Classic Game Port For Android

Another classic adventure game? Good grief, we're brimming with them this week. The Last Express is a swashbuckling mystery set on The Orient Express in 1914. While the mix of low-budget animation and rotoscope action hasn't aged well, the puzzles and voice acting are as good as ever, and developer DotEmu is well-known for their faithful ports. If you dig the cinematics, you can unlock and re-match them after you beat the game.

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Step aboard the 1914 Orient Express in this award-winning mystery adventure from Prince of Persia creator Jordan Mechner, now for the first time on Android. JULY, 1914. With Europe on the brink of war, the luxurious Orient Express departs Paris for Constantinople, plunging American doctor Robert Cath into a maelstrom of treachery, romance, and international intrigue. The Last Express is a complete, faithful Android version of the internationally-acclaimed 1997 PC classic.

Siegecraft Defender

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Siegecraft Defender Is A Beautiful Tower Defense Game With A Cool Multiplayer Twist

Remember Siegecraft, the catapult enthusiast game from almost two years ago? Apparently the creators thought that the intellectual property was strong enough to support its own tower defense spinoff, so here we are. The interval has given Crescent Moon Games plenty of time to make it even more gorgeous, and a claimed 10 hours of campaign play over 30 levels is jolly good value for TD fans, even before the multiplayer mode kicks in. Unfortunately the online component is via rankings - you'll have to find some flesh-and-blood friends to play locally.

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Build your own castle defense and protect the Knights from the evil Lizardmen. It’s Siegecraft built from the ground up for TD fans. After nearly 2 years of peace from the great wars of Siegecraft, the usually reclusive Lizardmen have risen up against the Knights of Freemoi. What is the reason behind this uprising? Where are your allies, the Vikings and Samurai of Freemoi? Discover the answers to these questions and more in SIEGECRAFT DEFENDER.

Contra: Evolution

Android Police review: Contra: Evolution Review: Just As Frustrating As The Original, But For Different Reasons

What's this? An Android game in a classic series that isn't a port or a remake? Indeed, Contra: Evolution is a brand-new entry in Konami's run-and-gun platform shooter, and fans of the series should be well-served by the graphics, gameplay, and signature boss fights. Everyone else may be put off by the somewhat frustrating controls and egregious in-app purchases, which have been weaved in to just about every aspect of the game.

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Contra: Evolution is the first official Contra game for Google Play, bringing all of the run-and-gun action of the 1988 original with 21st century graphics and controls to the palm of your hands. Bill “Mad Dog” Rizer and Lance “Scorpion” Bean are back to business fighting aliens in the jungles of South America--but can you survive one of the hardest games ever? Collect power-ups, unlock new levels and characters, and take on challenges in this arcade blast from the past.

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

SC Blacklist: Spider-Bot

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Ubisoft Releases Spider-Bot, Official Companion App For Splinter Cell Blacklist

Ubisoft sure does love their companion apps. This one is for the much-advertised Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist, A Tom Clancy game featuring Tom Clancy. In addition to unlocking goodies for the main game, you can play a mini-game starring three of the stealth-themed drones from the console and PC release. It's basically a set of top-down shooter/stealth games that takes a lot of inspiration from the 8-bit Metal Gear Solid titles... which seems appropriate.

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Official companion for Ubisoft’s: Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell Blacklist. Control Spider-Bot, Sam Fisher’s most advanced infiltration gadget ever engineered. Play an OPSAT mini-game created by Charlie Cole as a stress reliever for Fourth Echelon operatives. Spider-Bot has infiltrated an enemy bot factory. Equipped with state of the art weaponry, Spider-Bot has become Strike-Bot. Battle through waves of enemies and reach the top of the 4E Leaderboards.

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

BRAVOMAN: Binja Bash!

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Bravoman: Binja Bash Arrives In Google Play With Stretchy Arms Flailing Wildly

This game looks like a barely-concealed rip-off of Mega Man, but in fact it's the latest in a series that goes all the way back to 1988. You play Bravoman, a Mister Fantastic-esque stretchy hero who fights ninja robots. (Did I mention this game was Japanese?) It's part of a revival for Namco's franchise, so there are also links for the relevant comics and cartoons. Unfortunately, Bravoman: Binja Bash requires a sizeable non-market download. Bad Namco, bad!

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Celebrating the BRAVOMAN 25th anniversary, BRAVOMAN: Binja Bash. is a new side-scrolling game for your Android device that has classic arcade game sensibilities never before seen on the go. Packed with loads more than just basic jumps and attacks, BRAVOMAN: Binja Bash. is ready to awaken your inner gamer by letting you parry enemy attacks, perform super moves, find hidden levels, and even unlock secret characters. Are you ready for the challenge?

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

THE KING OF FIGHTERS-A 2012

Android Police coverage: [New Game] SNK Playmore Republishes 2D Favorite The King Of Fighters 2012... For Some Reason

The first version of this classic 2D fighter to hit Android was released in early 2012, but now it's back in the hands of SNK Playmore. The updated game features 34 playable characters, a handful of single-player modes, concept art and trading cards, and a revised combo system that should make super moves easier to perform on a touchscreen. And you'll need it, since the game doesn't support external controllers. Multiplayer is also sadly missing.

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34 playable characters.! 6 different game modes available in SINGLE MODE to enjoy the game for hours and hours even alone. Simple Commands allow to easily perform any type of combo. The 2D versus fighting game “KOF-Android” returns on Android with tons of new content like never before. In addition to the characters from he previous installment, the 4 new “ART OF FIGHTING”, “PSYCHO SOLDIER”, “KIM”, and “IKARI” teams , “NESTS-Style KYO” and “IORI with the Power of Flames”(14 new characters), join the cast of "KOF-Android".

LEGO® DUPLO® Train

Android Police coverage: [New Game] LEGO DUPLO Train Offers Kid-Friendly Construction With No Ads, External Links, Or In-App Purchases

This kid-friendly game has a lot of physics puzzles and very basic construction elements aimed at preschoolers. The train-themed graphics are bright and friendly, but I'm most impressed by LEGO's restraint: the title has no in-app purchases, external links, or advertising. Parents should love this, because it means the only possible trouble their tykes could get into is smashing Mom's tablet on the counter.

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Driving the colorful LEGO® DUPLO® Train from station to station is a toddler’s dream. Your child will play the role of the train driver - choosing and loading wagons, building bridges, stopping at crossings, refueling and laying new tracks around pesky rocks. Copying grownups and their activities is important to your 2-year-old toddler’s development - and few things are quite as ‘grownup’ as driving a huge steam train around the the bright and friendly LEGO® countryside, horns tooting.

He-Man: The Most Powerful Game

Normally we're a bit skeptical of licensed games, but this revival of the famous kid's cartoon comes from Chillingo, a developer with a few decent games under its belt. Plus, it's freakin' He-Man - there's no property in the universe that's better suited to an over-the-top side-scrolling brawler. Fight as He-Man and She-Ra through 27 stages lovingly inspired from the original Masters of the Universe. The game seems to be having some initial trouble related to the recent Package File Invalid issues, but it's gotten a great reception on iOS, so I hope they'll fix it up quickly.

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Play as He-Man, the man so manly they had to name him twice! Defend the secrets of Castle Grayskull against the evil forces of Skeletor! Featuring epic battles, awesome attacks, and all your favorite heroic Masters of the Universe, He-Man: The Most Powerful Game in the Universe™ brings He-Man, the Most Powerful Man in the Universe from planet Eternia to Android. Finally, By the Power of Grayskull, I have the Power!

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

Mecho Wars

If Nintendo decided to make Advance Wars for Android and put Tim Burton in the director's chair, it might look a lot like Mecho Wars. Old-school turn-based strategy is mixed in with some outlandish character and environment design to make a game that's quite unlike anything available on the platform at the moment. It's also another game that relies on an old-fashioned play style but uses high-resolution sprites instead of "8-bit" visuals. Bravo. Single player and multiplayer is included.

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Mecho Wars is a turn-based strategy game set in a fantastic world created by Luc Bernard. Two factions are at war: the Winged Crusade and the Landians. Take control of either side in story-driven campaigns across multiple episodes. Or, take the fight online and face-off against other players!

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

Hex Boyfriends

Tin Man is back with another one of its signature games, mixing tabletop RPG and Choose Your Own Adventure elements. Never let it be said that this developer lacks variety: the story in Hex Boyfriends is a sort of mix between Twilight and Sabrina the Teenage Witch. It's definitely a niche product, but those who love Tin Man's unique style will be happy for the new title. This is a sequel to the original game, Vampire Boyfriends, which is now just $.99 in the Play Store.

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Strange Loves 2: Hex Boyfriends is a funny, romantic, supernatural interactive novel full of spells, grellings, warlocks, demons, graveyards, magical hipsters, tortured artists, a dangerous reverend, and one pretty amazing book that may or may not destroy the world. Return to Mountain State College in an all new supernatural adventure. This time you’ve got magical fingers, and you know how to use them. Learn spells, use magic, fight demons or become one, summon spirit animals, and fall in love all in one gamebook.

Containment The Zombie Puzzler

Here's a challenge, dedicated gamers: find one single, solitary genre that hasn't at one point been invaded by a pasted-on zombie theme. If you said puzzle games, then both you and the developer of this game are wrong, as demonstrated in the surprisingly awesome Zombie Minesweeper. Containment could be thought of as a sort of Zombie Bejeweled: swap your units around to try and surround zombies with guys who like to color-coordinate both jackets and weapons. But do it quickly, because zombies will bite and infect the adjacent jewels units.

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You don't match 3 of anything. There are no abstract objects that you have to put together. You surround zombies with 4 of the same unit, and destroy them. The zombies, not the units. Actually, most of the time the zombies end up just getting shot. But they get shot in brutal ways by shotguns, M-16s, and handguns, depending on what type of unit you surround them with. If they still don't learn their lesson (and let's be honest, zombies usually don't learn lessons) a nice bonesaw might do the trick.

Little Galaxy

Little Galaxy answers the eternal, burning question faced by the literary world: what would happen if the Little Prince had rocket boots? The answer is fairly obvious. This stylish take on fantastic space physics is part Angry Birds: Space, part Mario Galaxy. You've got to get to the end of each stage with carefully-timed jumps, making cunning use of the gravity from stars and local planetoids.

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Little Galaxy is a game inspired by a real story of a young scientist, who reached out for his dream to find a new home. We have met this boy and were touched by his story as he lost everyone and everything, we are trying to help him to build functional prototype of jumping space boots so he can start his journey. We ran out of money and because we are definitely better at making games than building strange space travel prototypes, we have made this game. We want to use it to get the necessary funding to help him. Please help the boy and please help us to spread the idea of space jumping!

Kairo

Not to be confused with developer Kairosoft, Kairo is a freeform adventure game that's heavy on atmosphere and light on story, dialogue, combat, and just about everything else. You explore a strange world solving minimalistic puzzles as you travel around a series of abandoned megalithic buildings. Kairo is definitely not for everyone, but if you spend hours searching for new indie adventures on XBLA, it might be right up your dark alley.

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Enter the lost world of Kairo. Explore vast abandoned monuments. Bring strange and ancient machinery back to life. Slowly uncover the true purpose of Kairo and fulfill a great destiny. Kairo is an atmospheric 3D exploration and puzzle solving game. Developed by Richard Perrin the creator of the white chamber with music by Wounds (Bartosz Szturgiewicz).

Link the Slug

This game purports to feature slugs, which are apparently genetically engineered horrors (in an adorable sort of way), rather than slightly gooey garden pests. The homeowner player character doesn't want them in his house, so it's your job to get rid of them via some color-coded Go/Reversi gameplay. Stages are laid out in different parts of the house with different obstacles. 70 levels and some fetching 2D sprite design in the vein of Jelly Defense helps keep things interesting.

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Sticky, nasty, weird and INVADING! Dr. Steven Schrodinstein, a crazy scientist did a daring experiment which went out of control, and so he created the “Slugs”. Help him getting rid of them before they infest his entire house! Link the slugs by pairs (greens with greens, blues with blues …) to pop them in 75 levels of wits testing.

CastleMine

Have you ever played a tower defense game only to be insulted that it doesn't cater to your insane need for Dig Dug nostalgia? Then CastleMine is for you. You're the owner of a shiny and pristine castle whose thick walls are suddenly made moot because you found an invading army of demons while renovating your cellar. As you do the standard tower defense tango, you'll have to adapt your strategy to a mix of baddies and environments marching single file into your basement while still grabbing enough treasure for upgrades.

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Defend your castle from the evils that lurk below in this unique strategy game! You will need to dig deep into the earth to uncover treasures and destroy the enemies threatening your castle. Your foes will follow the path you dig so you must decide… Will you dig long and winding paths to slow your enemies down? Will you dig in search of treasure to help improve your defenses? Or will you dig up the cursed skulls that increase the power of your enemies but grant you greater rewards? These are the decisions you must make as both you and your castle grow in power!

Who Wants To Be A Millionaire

This official version of the once-popular quiz game has been available in Canada for some time, but it's just become playable for Americans on the Play Store. You know how it goes: basic questions, multiple-choice answers, and lifelines. This version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire adds question categories and (of course) a social in-app purchase system a la Draw Something.

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Is This Your Final Answer? Play Who Wants To Be A Millionaire With Your Friends. Based on the exciting and unpredictable “shuffle” format of randomized questions seen on the hit TV game show, you can now enjoy the Millionaire experience with friends and other Millionaire fans across North America. Compete against your friends to correctly answer multiple choice trivia questions from various categories, with the ability to use one of the famous lifelines: Double Dip, Ask the Audience or Jump The Question.

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

Flick Kick Field Goal 2014

Football is finally here, so I can stop pretending to care about soccer games. To help cash in on the American craze, PikPok is releasing an updated version of their casual field goal game. This one includes realistic weather effects, 60 college teams, power-ups, and a "daily debate" that will let you pick sides in a recurring grudge match. Unfortunately it seems to be saddled with the usual social promotion mechanics.

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Put your finger flicking skills to the ultimate test and kick for glory in the all new Flick Kick Field Goal 2014. Show team spirit by choosing your favorite College, City and side in the Daily Debate and compete in the daily head to head matchups. Flick Kick Field Goal 2014 is an easy-to-learn sports arcade game that allows you to recruit and compete alongside or against your friends, family, and the whole country for top goal-kicking honors.

Billy's Nightmare

Billy is a little boy with a freakish overbite. When he goes to bed, horrible creatures from a knockoff Tim Burton film attack him, but can be inexplicably repelled by playing games of Simon Says on his face. This creep-tastic game demonstrates some pretty good 2D art if you're into the Nightmare Before Christmas aesthetic, but the gameplay seems a little on the simple side. It's a good thing that the free title includes 54 levels.

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Billy's Nightmare is a fun, addictive and eye-candy game. Your mission is to help Billy wake up from different bad dreams, all caused by endless hours of frantic gaming. Test your memory skills and enjoy hours of this graphically-delight entertainment. For you and your children. Although simple and easy-to-learn, Billy's Nightmare is not the typical repeat-the-sequence game, since it counts with different multi-touch and challenge features.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKNKQb0qHNc

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

Skylanders Cloud Patrol

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Activision Brings Skylanders Cloud Patrol To Android, Complete With NFC Figure Integration

Parents, protect your wallets: the inexorable advance of the video game-toy hybrids has only just begun. The original toy-game, Skylanders, has finally jumped to Android via this lackluster turret shooter. Cloud Patrol lets you buy the titular Skylanders with in-app currency or real money, but if you happen to have the corresponding Skylanders toy, you can scan it in and play with the character immediately. Pity poor Spyro the Dragon: once a king among 3D platformers, he's now reduced to slinging Happy Meal toys for Activision.

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JOIN IN THE BATTLE TO DEFEAT THE TROLLS. Join TRIGGER HAPPY and the rest of the SKYLANDERS as they patrol the Skylands for escaped trolls. Grab your favorite Skylander and take to the skies in your flying gunship to put those troublesome trolls in their place – Skylanders style. Not familiar with Skylanders? No problem. Cloud Patrol is an easy to learn, action-packed game that everyone can enjoy.

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

Pulse

Pulse is yet another game that's finally come to the Play Store after a debut in the Humble Bundle. It's also another zen puzzle game, wherein you tap a single circle and let the expanding ripple burst others in combination. Timing and strategy are necessary to get the best score. It helps if you've got a sense of rhythm - the circles generally correspond to the notes in the background music.

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Enter an absorbing world where players become part conductor, part note-captor, part multi-touch master. Tap speeding notes as they cross the radiant pulse to conduct gorgeous original melodies.

Nearly an hour of original music plus free updates with brand new levels and music!

Gameplay featuring an intuitive and original use of multi-touch!

Sleek, engaging design created specifically for touchscreens!

Easy to play, hard to master!

Whimsical particles in awe-inspiring palettes!

Eclectic soundtrack of varying genres!

ExZeus 2 - free to play

ExZues 2 was one of the first games on Android to use full 3D in a way that emulated console games. It's not much compared to the triple-A releases coming out this year, which is probably why it's being republished as a free title. Have fun.

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Hyperdevbox is proud to introduce "ExZeus2 - free to play "edition featuring the full game, no ads, no items but the old school Arcade Instant Continue token . ExZeus2, sequel of the acclaimed fast paced 3D Shooting Game "ExZeus", does support external USB controller and has been designed for HD 720P display so.. better enjoyed on BIG screen TV ^^. Are you ready to beat the game ?

WTF Game(s) Of The Week

Hero of Shaolin: Fighting Game

Ah, the full-motion video game. A favorite genre in the land of Laserdisc and out-of-work actors, these games fell by the wayside once development of full 3D graphics became cheap enough. Hero of Shaolin is a tongue-in-cheek throwback to both FMV games and horrible martial arts movies, complete with cringe-worthy voice-over dialog. Gameplay is insanely simple: follow the taps as instructed to "play" through the short video clips.

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Android's first live-action cinema martial arts fighting game. A kung fu movie starring...YOU. In this fast-paced interactive movie, you play the legendary fighter, Tuta Shen, in his epic confrontation with the infamous kung fu master, Mr Lui. Can you defeat Mr. Lui and become the Hero of Shaolin? A thrilling gameplay experience awaits. Only through lightning-fast reflexes and masterful cool-headedness will you prevail against your opponent. But beware: this is an intensely challenging game. Then again, nobody ever said being a kung fu master would be easy.

The app was not found in the store. :-( Go to store Google websearch

Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!

If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.

Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.

the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago

it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop

Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: [email protected].

1 sponsored placement per week is available (your app would be featured at the top and marked as sponsored) - please contact us for details.