Many of the biggest upcoming iOS and Android games are further along in development than you might think. In fact, players in certain territories might even be playing them in soft launch right now. Keeping tabs on testbed regions is …
Many of the biggest upcoming iOS and Android games are further along in development than you might think. In fact, players in certain territories might even be playing them in soft launch right now.
Keeping tabs on testbed regions is a good way to stay abreast of the mobile titles that are about to land in your neck of the woods, as well as take a sneaky peek at their features, and here are some of the tentatively-released touchscreen wonders you need to know about.
Publisher: Glu Mobile
Available On: iOS (Philippines)
Glu Mobile’s new IP takes strategic turn-based battles to extreme proportions by having players pit their teams of heavily-armed titans against one another. Available in the Philippines now, Titan World challenges you to climb to the summit of the Titan League, futuristic warfare’s equivalent of football’s Premier League, where goalscoring and crunching challenges are replaced by mayhem and destruction.
Publisher: Rovio
Available On: iOS & Android (Hong Kong, Taiwan)
Rovio’s irate avians are no longer a dominant force in the world of mobile gaming, but the Scandanavia studio recaptured some of their early success with the block-matching puzzler Angry Birds Blast. The game’s sequel, Angry Birds Blast Island, offers more of the same and players are already flocking towards it in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Publisher:Â Frogmind Games
Available On: iOS (Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Sweden, Thailand, Vietnam)
Badland Brawl is a free-to-play PvP brawler which takes a page out of Angry Birds’ book. Players will attempt to bring down their opponent’s tower by pinging units at it using an oversized slingshot, and if you’re based in the Netherlands, Scandinavia or parts of Asia, you can take a stab at the tower toppling right now.
Publisher: Glu Mobile
Available On: iOS (New Zealand, Australia)
WWE World is wrestling its way onto iOS devices to give fans the chance to experience what it’s like to manage a wrestling company. Players will be responsible for their superstars’ training regime, become embroiled in drama outside of the ring and take down opponents using one-touch controls inside of it. Adding to the authenticity, the game is also fully licensed and feature real-life WWE stars including Ric Flair and AJ Styles.
Publisher: Jam City
Available On: iOS & Android (Argentina, New Zealand, Singapore)
Casual developer Jam City has branched out in interactive fiction with the soft launch of Twist, a portal which thrusts players into the thick of horror, romance, comedy and other literary genres, and lets them determine what happens from chapter to chapter. Here’s a twist you might not want: some of the multiple choice options are locked behind paywalls, though there are subscription models for those who decide this is for them.
Publisher: King
Available On: iOS & Android (Denmark, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Sweden)
Candy Crush studio King is back with a new game and this one sees the developer put its own colourful twist on the RPG. Legend of Solgard blends turn-based combat with match-three puzzling for those who prefer their role-playing accessible and streamlined.
Publisher: Glu Mobile
Available On:Â iOS (Canada)
Many successful sports sims dole out annual instalments and Glu Mobile’s MLB Tap Sports Baseball is set to be no exception. Once again, the developer has teamed up with the sport’s governing body to pitch up another helping of America’s favourite pastime, complete with new features including enhanced graphics and a player-management mode.
Publisher: Nexon
Available On: iOS & Android (Philippines, Singapore)
LEGO Quest & Collect is about to join a long list of games based on everyone’s favourite multi-coloured bricks. This one has players collecting pieces to enhance their army of Minifigs before sending them into battle. Many of the most popular LEGO brands, including Ninjago, LEGO City and LEGO Pirates are featured, and there’s a PvP mode for those who prefer building (and destroying) LEGO with others.
Publisher: Webzen
Available On: iOS & Android (New Zealand, Argentina)
If you want to sample a small piece of Las Vegas without the risk of losing any actual money, Webzen’s Hit the 5 Casino is a safe bet. This slot machine simulation is a mobile version of the Korean studio’s popular Facebook title of the same name, available now in soft launch territories New Zealand and Argentina.
Publisher: Epic Games
Available On:Â iOS & Android (Philippines, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden)
Gears of War studio Epic Games has launched a fresh assault on mobile with the soft launch of Battle Breakers, an RPG with an emphasis on tactical combat. Available in the Philippines, Australia, Finland, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden, the game tasks players with building up an army of super warriors so they can reclaim their enslaved planet.
Publisher:Â Av SOZAP
Available On: iOS (Sweden)
Overkill Software is unlikely to ever bring its Payday series to mobile, but that’s okay because Armed Heist is about to burst onto the iOS scene. It’s a third-person shooter based around cover mechanics and bank robberies. Missions come in bite-sized chunks ideal for mobile and levels are randomly generated. iOS users in Sweden are already doing their best impression of the Joker from the opening scene of The Dark Knight.
Publisher: Motorious Entertainment
Available On: iOS & Android (Finland, Netherlands)
If the devil hasn’t found work for your idle thumbs yet, Circle Breaker should do the trick. Motorious Entertainment has a firm grasp of what works on mobile, at least where simplistic puzzlers are concerned. There’s little to it beyond rotating circles and trying to catch the ball in the middle before it drops off screen, but its 700-plus levels should keep you busy for a good while.
Publisher:Â NetEase Games/LongE Play
Available On:Â iOS & Android (Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Singapore; Taiwan [Android only])
High-end, World of Warcraft-style MMORPG action is on its way to mobile devices in the shape of Crusaders of Light. NetEase’s latest offering boasts stellar 3D visuals, dynamic combat and fully-fledged raids, as well as social features designed specifically with iOS and Android devices in mind. You’ll find plenty of WoW factor here.
Publisher:Â Cheetah Games
Available On: iOS & Android (Australia, Germany, Great Britain, Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Indonesia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Singapore)
Raising cattle and tending to crops has never been easier than in Farm On, an agricultural simulation so accessible that it can be played with one hand. The casual smartphone title is in soft launch in numerous territories, including Britain, and it really is top of the crops.
Publisher: NetEase Games
Available On: iOS & Android (Philippines)
NetEase Games’ real-time space battler Galactic Frontline is now in soft launch on iOS and Android in the Philippines. Players are tasked with assembling an interstellar fleet capable of withstanding the heat in a galaxy at war. Whether you challenge other users online, take part in global tournaments or simply work you way through the campaign mode is up to you.
