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.

Featured App

Boulder Dash®-XL™

Today's roundup is brought to you by Boulder Dash XL from Herocraft. Boulder Dash wasn't considered the greatest game of the bygone 8-bit era, but it had its share of fans thanks to interesting "Dig-Dug meets Tetris" gameplay. The franchise has been revived as a modern puzzle game, and while there are a ton of new tools and variables, the 2D soul of the title remains. New types of gravity-laden terrain await inside, along with two new characters and a handful of special robot moves. Just want a nostalgia trip? Boulder Dash XL includes the original Boulder Dash in Retro Mode.

--

HeroCraft and co-publisher First Star Software, Inc. are very excited to announce that Boulder Dash-XL is available to all. Now Android users can enjoy the latest sequel in the legendary Boulder Dash® series. An exciting and challenging action-puzzle-dexterity game, Boulder Dash® made its debut in the early 80s and has continued to fascinate its enormous fan base. Today it is recognized as one of the best loved retro games of all time. The core gameplay of this multi-million selling hit remains unchanged over the decades: in a race against time players must collect sparkling diamonds while besting hordes of enemies and avoiding numerous traps! Best of all you don't have to dig deep because Boulder Dash-XL is only $2.99/ £1.99.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yB7MSQKmm5M

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

Games

TETRIS® Blitz

Android Police coverage: EA Soft Launches Tetris Blitz On The Play Store, Not Available In The U.S. Just Yet

Not many could reboot the tried and tested Tetris formula, but EA aims to give it a go. While the mother of all block games is there at the core, you can also set off explosions and chain reactions when you hit certain point levels. Good old-fashioned multiplayer is augmented by some interesting new modes, including one where single blocks fall randomly. Unfortunately the game is soft-launched at the moment, and not available in the US (here's the Rest Of World version so our international readers can try their luck).

--

Race against the clock in a two-minute blitz to clear lines and rack up as many points as possible before time runs out. With all-new features, stunning visuals, and innovative controls, this twist on the world-famous puzzle game is a must-have on your Android phone or tablet. Supercharge your game and trigger point-boosting reactions with Power-ups, like Magnet, Laser, and Time Shift. With a new Power-up released every week, the strategic combinations are endless. Experience explosive effects and earn double points when you trigger the elusive Frenzy mode. Clear lines back-to-back to stay in Frenzy and get blown away by stunning cascades that keep the points rolling in.

House of the Dead Overkill: LR

Android Police coverage: SEGA's House Of The Dead Overkill: The Lost Reels Hits The Play Store, Is The Most Fun You Can Have Shooting Undead Strippers

After a brief hiatus from the Play Store, House of the Dead Overkill is back and deader than ever. This pseudo-sequel to the original Wii game has made the transition to Android, and while a lightgun game might seem a little easy in a touch-based medium, the over-the-top grindhouse style of this title might be worth the $5 price tag all by itself. The Play Store description includes the words "goregasmic" and "fingerblast," which lets you know just about everything you need to about House of the Dead.

--

You thought it was over but we've found the Lost Reels. Join the original cast and blast your way through remixed worlds from The House of the Dead Overkill™. Play in Survival or Story Mode and mow down waves of infected, blood-thirsty mutants in this b-style arcade shooter. Experience 3 goregasmic worlds full of carnage in Story Mode. In Papa’s Palace of Pain, Ballistic Trauma, and Naked Terror, you’ll be screaming ‘til your last breath. Enjoy non-stop shooting action as you blow apart mutants for high-score thrills. See how long you can hold off the swarms of undead in Survival Mode.

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

Iron Man 3 - The Official Game

Android Police coverage: Time To Suit Up: Official Iron Man 3 Game From Gameloft Hits Google Play

An Iron Man 3 game was inevitable, and it was more than likely that it would come from Gameloft. It's just too bad that they picked the endless runner format. Really, guys? A swaggering alcoholic superhero with a suit of supersonic flying armor, and the best you can do with the IP is remake Temple Run? At least it looks good, with big 3D versions of the suits seen in the third movie.

--

Become billionaire Tony Stark as Iron Man in this free, fast-paced, endless runner, the official game of the upcoming movie. After the events of Iron Man 3, Tony has become a peacekeeper, but new threats emerge regularly all around the globe and Iron Man is the only one who can take care of them. Get ready for intense action in this free, addictive, endless 3D runner.

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

Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno

Android Police coverage: [New Game] SEGA's Hell Yeah! Pocket Inferno Is The Best Runner Game Starring An Undead Gun-Toting Rabbit On A Rocket Drill You'll Play Today

An endless runner adaptation of a Steam and XBLA favorite, Hell Yeah features an adorable rabbit. Skeleton. Demon. Also, he rides a rocket-powered drill and shoots other demons. What's not to love? The fact that the 2D art is fantastic doesn't hurt, though you'll need a macabre sense of humor to appreciate it. This pretty piece of software is just a buck.

--

The devilish creator of the award winning console game, Hell Yeah. Wrath of the dead Rabbit, winner of best download game and best indie game in Destructoid’s ‘Best of E3 2012’ awards – brings you Hell Yeah. Pocket Inferno. You are Ash, a devil rabbit and the prince of Hell .Tool up with the meanest weapons, the scariest masks and craziest wheels to defeat the ugliest monsters. Hell Yeah. is a crazy action-adventure side-scroller set in Hell.

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

Planets Defense

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Planets Defense Lands On The Play Store, Reminds You Of How Much We Want StarCraft

Planets Defense is somewhere between a tower defense game and real-time strategy - an admirable combination. Naturally you'll fortify your own territory with turrets and other defenses, but you'll also build ships to raid nearby planets, expanding your influence across the solar system. Graphics are an interesting mix of 3D for the planetary view and 2D for space. The standard game is a reasonable two bucks, with a free demo to try it out.

--

Planets Defense is a 3d space strategy game where you create, develop and command your space fleet, research new technology and acquire new resources. Invest into planet mining or debris scavenging and form habitable atmosphere, deploy on new planets and build defence structures - protecting mankind from ruthless invasion. This is a 3d / OpenGL game, not sure if your device will run it OK? Try free DEMO version first.

Shiny The Firefly

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Headup Games Releases The Bugtastic Shiny The Firefly

The fact that Android Police writer Nathaniel Hoffelder wrote an entire story about Shiny the Firefly without once mentioning Serenity, Cap'n Tightpants, or Big Damn Heroes is an offense that will not go unpunished. That said, Shiny is a good-looking sidescroller that's more about exploration and puzzle solving than twitch skills, and its 3D characters and environments look pretty good to boot. You can try the free demo here.

--

This adorable game, set in the middle of a picturesque garden, has you helping Shiny, the cute little firefly, to find his babies. You’ll have to fly, run, hide and defend yourself against a legion of enemies. Stubborn mosquitoes, hungry toads, mischievous plants, sneaky wasps, endlessly long centipedes and lots of other little, dangerous garden dwellers are going to get in your way and make your life difficult.

RE-VOLT Classic (Premium)

Android Police coverage: [New Game] Official Port Of RE-VOLT - The R/C Racing Classic - Comes To Android, And It's Fantastic

While it wasn't groundbreaking by any means, plenty of racing fans have fond memories of Acclaim's Re-Volt on the PS1, N64 and Dreamcast. This RC racer features pint-sized cars with floaty physics to match, and tracks based on a kid's room, a cruise ship, and other unlikely racing venues. The mobile re-release includes the impressive menu system where you "unbox" your RC car, and memorable music from the original. Too bad multiplayer is limited to a leaderboard.

--

The legend of RC Racing game, “RE-VOLT Classic”, back to Android. Race radio-controlled cars through the neighborhood and beyond in the classic arcade racer RE-VOLT. Fast paced, exciting driving, with explosive weapons and unique track designs deliver a larger than life racing experience like no other. RE-VOLT Classic brings the original PC and Dreamcast kart racer back to life with retina visuals, control methods tailored for touch devices and all the great gameplay that made the title such a fan favorite when it was originally released.

Zombie HQ

Android Police coverage: iOS Hit Zombie HQ Makes Its Way To Android, All The Zombies You Can Shoot For The Low, Low Price Of Free*

And the unbroken streak of game roundups with zombies continues. But this one's actually notable, thanks to some tight top-down shooter gameplay and impressive graphics for the genre. Multiple characters and weapons keep the action fresh, as do some varied environments. Beware of the IAP drag - currency-based leveling seems odd in a post-apocalyptic setting.

--

“The city seems strange these days. All the bars shut down, nowhere to get a drink and relax. And these damn zombies everywhere you turn. Already killed so many of ‘em but they just keep on coming. Only good zombie is a dead zombie. Good thing there’s plenty of guns around. Still, wish there was some place to take it easy for a while. Some place up high where a fella could catch a break from bashing zombie skulls. You know, a “Zombie HQ” of sorts ” The ZOMBIE INFESTATION in the city is seriously getting in the way of your down time. Take back your city and reclaim what is yours.

MAYDAY! Emergency Landing

One of the more stressful movie clichés is the emergency airliner landing, usually accompanied by a somewhat shaky impromptu pilot ("I only flew crop dusters before!"). If that sort of thing really gets your blood pumping, MAYDAY will indulge your adrenaline rush: the smoother your landing, the more passengers survive. The graphics aren't much to speak of and it's got the typical IAP currency model, but an impressive array of quasi-realistic weather and environmental variables keep each level interesting.

--

The number 1 Flight Simulation experience on iOS lands finally on Android. More than 3.5 million pilots all around the world can't be wrong. Join today the most exciting flight sim experience and land your airplane saving all the passengers. Emergency Landing makes you feel like a real aircraft pilot. Face the most dangerous weather conditions and aircraft failures and fly your passengers safely home. You have just one objective: to land safely – easy to play, difficult to master. Will you make it?

Talisman Prologue HD

Believe it or not, people in ancient times managed to play games without dual-core processors, gigabytes of storage, or even screens. Talisman is a dinosaur from the age of board games, reconstituted with the frog DNA of digital distribution. You play as a lone adventurer (multiplayer is not included) making his way through a fantasy land. Think of it as Dungeons and Dragons meets Monopoly, with polygons.

--

30 years young, the prologue to the seminal fantasy adventure board game now available. The legend begins with a single-player series of adventures designed to invite both veterans and newcomers to explore the land of Talisman. While multiplayer gameplay will be available in upcoming expansions, Talisman Prologue focuses on creating narrative depth through its single-player campaigns. The story unfolds as the player rolls dice to move around the outer, middle, and inner regions of the board. Each space will require the player to draw a card or resolve a special effect, leading your hero to encounter monsters, discover friendly followers, and gather treasure.

MONOPOLY Hotels

Speak of the devil. In their quest to remake every successful mobile game out there with a licensed theme, EA takes Tiny Tower and drops it right smack dab in the middle of Park Place. The standard tropes of this genre are present: building up your hotel, attracting guests, earning money, repeat. It doesn't have much to do with Monopoly beyond the names of the buildings themselves, and remember to keep an eye out for EA's ever-present IAP upsell.

--

ARE YOU A HOTEL MOGUL? Buy, build, and manage MONOPOLY’s iconic hotels in this all-new MONOPOLY experience. Check into MONOPOLY Hotels – FREE on your smartphone and tablet. LET THE MONEY ROLL IN – ONE ROOM AT A TIME – AS YOU

• Take control of MONOPOLY’s luxurious 5-star hotels and create your own hotel empire

• Upgrade hotel rooms and attract V.I.P. guests like MR. POTATO HEAD

• Customize your hotel with fun attractions like cupcake shops, movie theaters, and bowling alleys

• Expand your property empire with a Museum, Zoo, Aquarium, and more.

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

The Legend of Holy Archer (EN)

Android Police coverage: [New Game] The Legend Of Holy Archer Has Very Little To Do With Real Archery (But It's Still Fun)

Lone archers killing gigantic monsters is the stuff of Tolkien-grade fantasy, but it makes for pretty good gameplay in this unique title. You're a warrior shooting magic arrows that can be controlled after they're shot, like Snake's Nikita rocket launcher. Go for the kill, or aim for rare treasures or powerups, but be careful - the arrows only go so far, and you've got a limited number of them. The awful English translation is good for a few yuks as well.

--

Summer Time Studio Co., ltd in Okinawa, Japan have released the latest game “Holy Archer”. You would fly freely and shoot holy arrows with the beautiful world as your stage which is included console game skills. You can control this game by only one finger. Suddenly a dark hole appeared in this beautiful world. The hole has been told as a very old story by a kingdom. From the hole there are old horrible devils. YOU are only one as a holy archer who can shoot holy arrows. Soon you have grated a kingdom. Fortunately, the devils’ bodied did not appear on the ground. You have to destroy them before they appear their whole bodies in the world.

Survival Race HD

The story behind this game is a little hokey: genetically modified plants were supposed to reverse global warming, but they decided to snack on tasty humans instead. You're driving a souped-up SUV to escape them in this endless runner. While the gameplay is pretty standard, the 2.5D graphics are interesting, and the backgrounds (featuring gigantic plants tearing through landmarks) are stunning. Check the video below for some indie animation... just try to ignore the writing.

--

This is it. Humankind’s last fight. And it doesn’t come simple-packaged. Race against time, outsmart path options, challenge your driving skills and slaughter flesh eating monsters. The world has put its last ultimatum in your hands: Life or Power Plants? You decide. After continuous attempts were being made for the protection of human life from climate change and environmental destruction, doomsday theories were on the rise. The modification of plants physiology became a desperate measure - a last resort to saving what’s left of the world, as we know it. The co-habitation between man and plant suddenly became a thing of the past as the once-upon-a-time life enablers turned into flesh-eating Power Plants.

GRIDD 2

GRIDD 2 has a simple premise: steer your Day-Glo spaceship through an endless tunnel, avoiding everything you can and shooting what you can't. The Tron-inspired graphics are impressive, and shouldn't put too much of a strain on your system at that. Some reviewers are claiming that the tilt-based controls are difficult to get used to, but the complete game is a bargain at $1.31.

--

GRIDD 2 is the sequel of the Windows Phone award winner game GRIDD. Play endlessly and set your best score in this neon looking old fashioned Shoot Em Up.

Fester Mudd: Episode 1

Rest in peace, LucasArts. We shall miss your classic adventure games (your mediocre Star Wars tie-ins, not so much), but at least there are plenty of alternatives on mobile to satiate us. The latest is Fester Mudd, an Old West tale told in the style of adventure games long past, when life was cheap and gold was everywhere. Our hero searches for riches to enable his life of leisure, in a tale told point-and-click style. Have you tried using all your inventory items with all your other inventory items?

--

Set in Wild West, FESTER MUDD: CURSE OF THE GOLD is a three-part comic saga of exploration, reunion, and redemption...and a love letter to the classic adventure games of the 90s. Roused from a life of sloth to reunite with his long-lost brother in search of unimaginable riches, reluctant hero Fester Mudd somehow manages to be intrepid but cowardly, ambitious yet lazy, dimwitted but brilliant. In Episode 1, Fester hits the trail to join his brother, Bud, in the downtrodden town of Loamsmouth. But when Bud is found to have mysteriously vanished, Fester realizes that the journey will be far longer and more treacherous than he bargained for...and he must enlist the aid of an experienced gunslinger to help him make his way through Indian territory to track down both his missing brother and the gold that awaits them both.

Big Win MLB

How do you make baseball even slower? By turning it into a card game. Hothead's Big Win series of sports games have earned its share of fans, despite the fact that they aren't technically sports games - they're more like trading card games a la Magic the Gathering. The MLB looked at Big Win Baseball and liked what they saw, so now there's an officially licensed version. Collect your players and set a roster fantasy-style, and pit them against your opponents for some incredibly static victories.

--

Welcome to the Big Show. Enter the big leagues with Big Win™ MLB, the officially-licensed Major League Baseball game from Hothead Games’ BIG WIN Sports™ series. Licensed by MLB.com and the MLBPA. Build your fantasy MLB team and create the ultimate line up from the best MLB superstars. Go head to head against the world or challenge your friends to battle it out on the diamond. Fill your dugout with real MLB players from the 2013 roster, customize your players with MLB uniforms, boost your pro players’ pitching, hitting and fielding skills and enter special daily Amateur and Pro Pennants to win huge prizes. It’s always a guaranteed home run with Big Win MLB.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=io-tI-FWfyg

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

Captain Oil

This one’s on the weird side, sloppy English translation notwithstanding. Just how a drop of oil came to be sentient, let alone design, build, and fly its own spaceship, is not explained. But the good Captain has a single-shot laser, a master’s degree in trigonometry, and a burning desire to free his fellow blobs, so help him out by finding the perfect angle to break all the glass enclosures.

--

Yeeeeeep. Captain Oil is here. Long long time ago, in early 2013, Oileys were trapped inside glass cages everywhere, they cried for the rescue. It was one of those days where a superhero comes and saves the day. And yeeeeee, Captain Oil came in his custom made spaceship to free his beloved Oileys. Captain Oil is a new Puzzle/Adventure game that challenges the user to find the right angle and speed to shoot his ball and free the trapped Oileys. Amazing physics, lots of different obstacles and material that makes the player glued to his device.

Tennis in the Face

If Roger Federer became a lone vigilante with the sole aim of giving SWAT cops, clowns, and mad scientists a bad day, he'd make a game like Tennis in the Face. Shoot a ballistic tennis ball to knock various bad guys to the ground using the power of math, then watch their strangely acrobatic ragdolls fly around the screen. It's like Breakout. With donuts.

--

This is no Wimbledon, this is Tennis in the Face. Get ready for some hilarious ragdoll-smashing ball-bouncing action. Help Pete Pagassi to save the city from an evil energy drink corporation Explodz. Knock out creepy clowns, evil riot police and other Explodz-addicted maniacs with a tennis ball in the face. Bounce the ball off walls to reach targets lurking in cover and watch them tumble hilariously. Trigger masterful chain reactions and watch the chaos unfold. Finally enjoy the level finale in slow motion.

2Fuse

This game is stupidly simple: see two squares with both the same number and color, and tap them one after the other. Rinse, repeat. The challenge comes from performing this as fast as you can, racking up multipliers for the biggest score in one minute. Time-based modifiers help you to maximize points. It's more engaging than it sounds, and an easy enough way to kill a few minutes with white-knuckle speed play.

--

The brand new version of the arcade action finger busting game 2FUSE has arrived... 2FUSE is here to challenge your finger dexterity with better graphics, gameplay and social elements. 2FUSE is a fast and furious arcade-styled game which pits players against the clock to match and fuse as many similar icons as they possibly can within 60 seconds. Every completed cycle bestows special boosts such as 'Time Freeze', 'Tile Burn' and 'Tile Growth' to enhance the player's gameplay and score.

0

Grumpy Bears

The right to bear arms is one of the most sacred tenants of American freedom. Someone seems to have gotten a bit confused. More's the pity for the poor fool who drove his honey truck through the woods. Toss standard projectiles like hay bales with one thumb and more explosive weapons with the other to shake them off your tail. Beware of judicious in-app purchases - the game setup is very similar to Fort Courage, for better and worse.

--

There be some grumpy teddy bears in the woods, and they be wantin' your honey. Now you must defend your barrels of honey at all cost. Luckily you have a wide variety of weapons and defense systems to do just that. Being a honey delivery truck has never been so dangerous and SO FUN. Fight off the teddy bears and put up your best defenses to keep those grumpy teddies at bay. Huge, family fun with tons of fur and explosions. Things you can throw at them grumpy teddy bears include:

Vector Full

We featured Vector before, but this "full" version of the running, jumping, good-lookin' parkour platformer features no ads, and the in-game currency is easier to come by. Too bad it's still got in-app purchases to contend with.

--

Vector is an exciting, arcade-style game featuring you as the exceptional free runner who won’t be held down by the system. The game opens with a view into a totalitarian world where freedom and individually is nothing more than a distant dream. But the heart of a freerunner is strong, and you soon break free. Run, vault, slide and climb using extraordinary techniques based on the urban ninja sport of Parkour all while being chased by “Big Brother” who’s sole purpose is to capture you and bring you back.

Amiga Forever Essentials

Android Police coverage: Cloanto Releases Amiga Forever Essentials For Android - Will Allow Licensed Emulation Of Multiple Amiga OS Versions

This isn't a game, or even an emulator, but it will enable you to use both if you're a fan of the classic Amiga computer/consoles. This $1 app allows you to legally download and use system ROMs for various Amiga software and hardware, legitimizing many of the Amiga emulators currently on the Play Store. Note that it's still technically illegal to play ROM games if you don't own the original.

--

Amiga Forever Essentials unlocks the potential of different Amiga emulation apps designed for Android, making it possible to play thousands of Amiga titles. We worked together with the developers of UAE4All2, UAE4Droid, AnUAE4All, Omega 500 and other apps to make sure that Amiga Forever Essentials system content is autodetected (no manual file copying or configuration needed). At least one of these apps is required to start an Amiga emulation session. After installation, run Amiga Forever Essentials to copy or update the Amiga system files.

WTF Game(s) Of The Week

Flight Lander

I can’t even tell what’s going on in these screenshots. A paper airplane exploding out of a pile of Spaghetti-Os? Another plane shooting a laser at its fellow, with floating wrenches on top? A monkey doing his best King Kong impression in a 3DO-quality cityscape? And a fellow named Francisco conspicuously appearing in the app reviews and screenshots, plus our Tips inbox. Strange.

--

Guide your planes to safety. And become the greatest Flight Lander. Enjoy incredible graphics, 10 awesome new levels and new hazards that will blow your mind. Play a new level every three days. NEW GAME PLAY – play on the islands level with no runways and find out if you can fill with gas or fix the airplanes before they crash. Land aircrafts next to volcanoes, falling meteors and crazy giant monkey that will try to give you a hard time.

World Torch Challenge

The running of the [COPYRIGHTED TERM REDACTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE] Torch is a noble and ancient tradition. But nowhere in either modern or antique record have polar bears, double-decker buses, and Greek gods tried to actively kill a torch runner. And if the runner is going around the world, why does it look like he never leaves the track?

--

The event the world has been waiting for has arrived again, the World games. And what better way to celebrate the event and support your countries competitors than by holding aloft the torch for them. According to legend, the torch's flame has been kept burning ever since the first competition almost 3000 years ago and now you can keep it burning to. This App is double the fun., featuring the World Torch Challenge Game and celebratory Virtual World Torch that allows you to show your support for the competitors of all sports as they strive for their dream of winning and being number one.

Taint Wrangler

Google has since removed this WTF-worthy game from the Play Store, and it's not hard to see why. You play as a living phallus who, for some reason, stars in a side-scrolling shooter populated with free-floating vaginas. And in case you're wondering, yes, my writing career has reached a new low. The screenshots are decidedly NSFW, but you can see them here if you really must.

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.