Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

VERY disturbing video of the guy addicted to computer duster, watch at your own risk!

Matthew Struggles With Addiction to Inhaling Air Duster | Intervention | A&E [YouTube]

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

• Introducing Orion, Our First True Augmented Reality Glasses [Meta]
• Amazon Echo Frames Store Page [Amazon]
• ‘Piss Bandit’ Keeps Leaving Big Bottles of Piss Around Pasadena [Vice]
• Google must crack open Android for third-party stores, rules Epic judge [The Verge]
• Roblox: Inflated Key Metrics For Wall Street And A Pedophile Hellscape For Kids [Hindenburg Research]

Oh yeah, and the podcast. This week’s show is episode 603 and we talk about Hurricane Helene, Eli’s Homekit woes (and resolution!), the new iPhone 16 Pro which is now in Eli’s hot little hands, the usefulness of the weird new side button, new phone cases, listener emails, and more. It’s a jam-packed XL episode clocking in at almost 90 minutes, enjoy!

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Many of you who have followed TouchArcade for a long time are well aware that we’ve had financial troubles for many years now, and to be frank I think it’s a miracle that we’ve been able to last as long as we have. The truth of the matter is that a website like ours just doesn’t make money anymore. To our own detriment we’ve resisted things like obnoxious in-your-face advertising, egregious clickbait headlines, or ethically questionable sponsorships, which sadly are the types of things that actually still make money in the internet of today.

There are a number of other reasons that have contributed to us reaching this point, but I’d rather not get into all that right now. TouchArcade was an institution for many millions of people over the past 16 years, and it was my full-time job for the last 14+ years. A solid third of my life. In many ways it is like one of my children, and having to say goodbye to it is very difficult to do. I’d really rather focus on all the great times we had than dwell on the things which we cannot change.

Also, as a man with a wife and two young children, and a mortgage, and all that other fun adult stuff, this is the end of my livelihood, and despite them being “freelancers" in a technical sense that is true for the other two people who have been the beating heart of TouchArcade, Shaun Musgrave and Mikhail Madnani. Which brings me to my next point…

PLEASE HIRE US!

The job market is not great anywhere, and finding new work is tough, especially in the games industry. If you are reading this and you have a need for very capable game industry veterans such as ourselves, please reach out.

Jared Nelson – That’s me! Obviously I have more than 14 years of experience working right in the very thick of the mobile gaming boom here at TouchArcade. Writing, editing, managing staff, traveling to conventions. I’ve pretty much done it all. I also have a pretty varied work history previous to TouchArcade, including in management roles, that I think gives me a really well-rounded set of skills. You can contact me on LinkedIn or by email at jared [at] toucharcade [dot] com.

Shaun Musgrave – Shaun has been with TouchArcade for a bit over 11 years, but has been in professional games media for more than 25 years overall. He is hands down one of the most gifted writers I have ever encountered, and if we needed a review for a big, important game and needed it by a very tight deadline Shaun was always dependable. He also uses his vast, almost uncanny knowledge of video game history to find interesting angles to write about games that only he could find. Shaun lives in Japan and is fluent in both Japanese and English, making him a great candidate for localization work as well. Please reach out to him at muzkind [at] hotmail [dot] com.

Mikhail Madnani – As part of TouchArcade for more than 7 years, Mikhail has been the workhorse of our staff. Posting the bulk of what you would see on a day to day basis, there is no possible way our website could have kept running for so long without Mikhail’s contributions. An expert at sniffing out interesting news stories and then posting them in a timely fashion, but also able to put together huge features like in-depth interviews and multi-platform reviews. His coffee-laden header images are legendary as well. If you need someone who can reliably and consistently post video game-related content, then I cannot recommend Mikhail highly enough. Reach out to him at hello [at] failgunner [dot] com.

So What Happens Now?

If there is some sort of silver lining to all of this, it’s that for the foreseeable future all of the content that has ever been posted to TouchArcade will remain online and accessible to all. More than 33,000 published articles, including more than 4,000 game reviews, not to mention all of our yearly Best Of content and Game of the Year picks. These should hopefully all continue living on into the future for reference purposes and just to look back and see how drastically the mobile gaming landscape changed over the last decade and a half.

We are also hoping to continue with our Podcast, The TouchArcade Show, which very recently just celebrated its 600th(!) episode. There are a couple co-hosts who have come and gone during the course of the podcast (shout out to Brand and Mike!) but myself and Eli Hodapp have been a constant presence on the show since the very beginning, and it’s really crazy that we’ve both spent 13+ years of our lives putting out hour-long podcasts on a (nearly) weekly basis.

Related to that, you may be wondering about our Patreon. The support from our Patreon has far and away been the biggest contributor to TouchArcade continuing to exist since we launched it in June of 2015, almost a decade ago. Our thoughts are to pivot the Patreon contributions towards keeping the podcast going, and perhaps occasional posts or special features written by the staff here. Perhaps a random “SwitchArcade" or a review about a particularly high-profile mobile game launch. Maybe we could even squeeze in a Game of the Year for this year? It’s just a nugget of an idea right now, but it would be pretty cool to see TouchArcade be able to live on even in that small way.

Whatever the case ends up being, I will explicitly change the verbiage of our Patreon to state that it’s no longer about supporting the website, and if people choose to stop contributing then that is totally understandable. If people are giving us money monthly I want to be absolutely transparent about what it’s going towards. Anyway, look for more news about this in the coming weeks, and at the very least be sure to follow along as a free member on our Patreon to stay in the loop. Also if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me at tips [at] toucharcade [dot] com or leave a comment below.

Well, that about does it, I think. I speak for all of us who have contributed to running TouchArcade over the past 16 years–from the co-founders Arnold Kim and Blake Patterson, to the first full-time hire and future Editor in Chief Eli Hodapp, and to the dozens of other writers and freelancers who have helped make TouchArcade what it is–we just want to give a sincere thank you for ever reading our site, listening to our podcast, or attending one of our events. It has been an absolute pleasure to have such a wonderful audience who appreciated what we did so much and we will all forever be grateful for the time that we were able to spend together.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

The basic gist of Ocean Keeper is that you’ve crashed onto a strange underwater planet in your big cool mech. You’ll need to dive down into underwater caves to harvest resources, but you can’t spend too long down there because waves of enemies are approaching and you’ll need to man your mech to defend against them. The mining portions play out from a side-view and involve digging out rocks to unearth various types of resources or special artifacts. Mining also earns you coins, for some reason. As mentioned you only have a short window to mine before enemies show up. Once you’re back in your mech things turn into a top-down twin-stick shooter with light tower defense elements as you attempt to fend off multiple waves of all types of crazy underwater creatures.

All your resources go towards upgrading both your miner and your mech, and there is no shortage of branching skill trees to work your way through for both. This is a roguelike so if you die during the enemy encounter portion your game is over and you’ll lose any upgrades or abilities you unlocked during that particular run. However, there are also persistent upgrades and customizations you can unlock in between runs so this is the type of game you always feel like you’re making progress in even if you have a bad run or two. You can also expect the layouts of the overworld and the caves to be different each time you play.

This is probably a good time to mention that Ocean Keeper starts off kind of slow, and you definitely will have some real clunker runs in the beginning. Just power your way through and before you know it the upgrades start flowing, your skills begin to improve, you start to get a better grip on the flow of the game, and before long you’ll be a whirling underwater mech of destruction. The synergies between the weapons and upgrades are really the heart of the game and it’s endlessly fun to try different builds or different tactics as you progress. I wasn’t quite sure about Ocean Keeper when I first started since things do start out so slow, but man once things pick up it’s been hard to want to play anything else.

Death Travelers (Free)

iTunes Description

The Afterworld needs your help to stop it from collapsing! Travel the Afterworld’s various realms to save lost souls. Dodge and destroy obstacles along the way while stabilizing it with the resonance of music. Build your base, upgrade your car, unlock various abilities, play new music, and above all have some fun!
Can you save the lost souls and stabilize the Afterworld?

Forum Thread: Death Travelers (by Death Travelers LLC)

Dusk of Dragons: Survivors (Free)

iTunes Description

Survive in a Medieval Fantasy World with Dusk of Dragons: Survivors!

Immerse yourself in a thrilling survival sandbox where you’ll face extreme weather, hunger, traps, and hordes of zombies. As a true survivor, you’ll need to master the wilderness and outwit the undead.

Forum Thread: Dusk of Dragons: Survivors (by COREGAMES)

Harvest Moon Home Sweet Home ($17.99)

iTunes Description

Head back to your roots and leave the city life for your childhood village of Alba in Harvest Moon: Home Sweet Home, where the freshest fish and tastiest veggies are grown and caught by the local farmers and anglers!

However, with its population getting older and younger villagers leaving for the big city, Alba Village has seen better days, so can you help turn it from a village on the decline to one of prosperity? With its beautiful surroundings, Alba definitely has the potential, so work hard to bring tourists and even new residents to this sprawling green village! Reunite with your childhood friend and other familiar faces to help put Alba on the map!

Forum Thread: Harvest Moon Home Sweet Home (by Natsume Inc)

MMC KENKEN Math (Free)

iTunes Description

Stretching the ability to make fun becomes academic ability – Solving puzzles in a fun way improves academic ability

The hit teaching material that has sold over 2.5 million copies has been turned into game software as “Daizen"! A total of 3,000 math puzzles for children and adults to learn while having fun.

Forum Thread: MMC KENKEN Math (by Tetsuya Miyamoto / KenKen Puzzle LLC / Gakken / MAGES.)

Ocean Keeper Mobile (Free)

iTunes Description

A roguelike shooter with a top-down view where you play as a Miner whose spaceship has crashed on a planet, filled with underwater monsters! Use the time between each attack to power up your diver, mech, or weapon. Build automatic turrets, use drones to gather resources and improve your skills to increase your chances of survival. Discover mysterious locations and fantastic undersea deep biomes. EACH time you explore the underwater worlds, the layout changes, making every journey unique. You never play the same scenario twice in this drill dungeon core roguelite.

Forum Thread: Ocean Keeper Mobile (by RetroStyle Games)

Ogu and the Secret Forest (Free)

iTunes Description

Explore the wonderful world with baby Ogu!
‘Ogu and the Secret Forest’ is a 2D adventure game with hand-drawn characters and various types of puzzles.
Befriend bouncy characters and defeat strange creatures to unravel the mystery of the charming world.

Forum Thread: Ogu and the Secret Forest (by Sinkhole Studio Inc.)

RWBY: Arrowfell (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into an explosive new RWBY action-adventure! Instantly switch between all four members of Team RWBY — Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long — and use their signature weapons and Semblances to battle the Creatures of Grimm and other foes in this in-canon story set during RWBY Volume 7. Featuring voiceovers from RWBY’s original cast, all-new cutscenes from the team behind the show, and a brand-new theme song by Jeff Williams and Casey Lee Williams, RWBY: Arrowfell lets you explore Atlas and the surrounding areas to solve environmental puzzles, slay massive bosses, power up with Skill Points, and interact with characters such as Penny, Winter, and General Ironwood, as well as the enigmatic new team of Huntresses, Team BRIR! Only Team RWBY can protect Remnant from a mysterious new threat in RWBY: Arrowfell!

Forum Thread: RWBY: Arrowfell (by Crunchyroll)

SlidewayZ: A Musical Journey (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome to SlidewayZ, a new kind of sliding block puzzle! Slide adorable character pieces through fun worlds to collect soothing classical music. Easy to learn and fun to play, SlidewayZ adds a new twist to sliding block puzzles with moves from games like chess and other classic board games. A gentle soundtrack of Classical music helps you unwind from the stresses of the day. Perfect for commuting or a quick brain break, no internet connection required! Filled with collectables, beautiful art and engaging gameplay, SlidewayZ will provide hours of low-key puzzling fun!

Forum Thread: SlidewayZ: A Musical Journey (by DiG-iT Games)

Snake.io (Free)

iTunes Description

It’s a snake-eat-snake world: Slither around the screen to collect energy, grow bigger and devour your competition in this fast-paced arcade game.

You’ll start out as a small snake in each round. Eat energy pellets to expand your size, and surround or cut in front of other snakes to explode them into (edible) segments. But watch out — because they’ll be trying to do the same to you. In this reptilian battle royale, how long can you stay in one piece?

Forum Thread: Snake.io (by Kooapps)

Spidersaurs (Free)

iTunes Description

Alert! Alert! The nightmarish dinosaur-spider hybrids known as Spidersaurs have run amok and only you (and a friend in co-op mode) can stop them! Created by InGest Corp to provide the meat and muscle that humanity needs to end world hunger, the Spidersaurs are now on the loose, leaving it to two former taste-testers – officer-in-training Adrian and punk-rocker Victoria – to use their awesome firepower to overcome six stages of ferocious run-‘n’-gun action. Blast through a sweltering jungle, an infested laboratory, the heart of a live volcano, and more! The tangy food source with a bite is biting back, but by grabbing power-ups, gaining new abilities, and obliterating everything in sight, you can send these mutant monstrosities back to the stone age.

Forum Thread: Spidersaurs (by WayForward)

That red background and big ‘ol Switch logo with the familiar finger snapping sound is an indication that this time around this new Dungeons of Dreadrock game is targeting Nintendo’s platform first, and according to the game’s website it’ll be launching on the Switch’s eShop on November 28th of this year. Fear not though! A PC version is also planned, and in fact can be wishlisted on Steam as we speak, and iOS and Android versions are also in the cards. It’s not super clear exactly when we’ll be getting Dungeons of Dreadrock 2 on mobile, but it makes me happy just knowing that it’s coming. Once more news on release dates for other platforms materializes we’ll be sure to update you.

Anyway, I love the idea of a farming sim turned up to 11, and this week LemonChili has announced a more specific roadmap for the release of Super Farming Boy and have even put the iOS version up for pre-order on the App Store. The launch isn’t exactly close, and the plan as of now is to release in Early Access in Q2 of next year with a full launch to follow afterwards. That’s definitely a while away, but if you’re really sure this is the type of game that’s up your alley then pre-ordering the mobile version now will net you a 20% discount off the price, so there’s some incentive. You can also check out how the game is shaping up thanks to a playable Windows demo on both Steam and Itch.io. Whether you feel like taking the plunge on the pre-order or not, Super Farming Boy is definitely one you’ll want to keep your eye out for next year.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

So as the story goes, you’re an apprentice wizard who is tasked with finding the runaway cat of your mentor wizard, and you graduating to become a full-blown wizard hinges on you completing this mission. Just when you think you’ve cornered the adorable little feline you find yourself transported to a dungeon labyrinth filled with traps and enemies. You also spot the kitty roaming around and so your mission now becomes more difficult as you try to make your way through this dungeon alive as well as rescue your boss’s pesky little cat.

Now, Labyrinth: The Wizard’s Cat isn’t a highly complex game by any means. There’s some light RPG elements in the form of leveling up and finding cool new weapons and gear, but there’s no party system or any extensive character progression. It reminds me a lot of Questlord in that it’s a pretty simple affair mechanically but the story, the visuals, and the personality of the game compel you to keep moving forward. Also, just because this game is bright and colorful and has a fairly straightforward design don’t think it’s some pushover. The game actually gets rather difficult rather quickly, but thankfully you can save anytime and anywhere, which is something you should practice doing often.

The really neat feature here is the control scheme. You can choose between virtual arrows or swipe gestures for directional movement, which is pretty par for the course. But if you lay a second thumb down on the screen you can free look in any direction. It takes a little getting used to but the swipe gesture movement coupled with the free look gesture combines to make for a very satisfying touchscreen control scheme. It almost feels like you’re playing a first-person shooter at times, once you get comfortable and start zipping around to and fro, but you’re actually still playing a game with grid-based movement.

My small nitpicks are that I really wish this game had an option to play in portrait, and the swipe detection for movement is a bit finicky. It recognizes short, fast swipes as opposed to longer ones, and before I figured that out I was having a really frustrating time thinking the game wasn’t detecting my inputs. Probably something that can be smoothed out in an update. Overall though, despite being a bit basic overall and having some rough edges, Labyrinth: The Wizard’s Cat is a very enjoyable retro dungeon crawler, which is something we don’t get too many of nowadays. If that’s not worth a couple of bucks then I’m not sure what is.

Auto Pirates: Captains Cup (Free)

iTunes Description

Auto Pirates is a competitive player vs world strategy game where you choose your crew, equip your ship and battle, earning plunder based on your global rank. Earn plunder and collect trophies for your exploits on the seas and create the perfect pirate hideout for your crew.

Combine pirates from four fantasy factions with magical relics and a multitude of ships to optimize your strategy or create crazy hijinks. You can shoot, board, blast, burn, sink or push your opponents to get the upper hand and go for the top 1% prize.

Forum Thread: Auto Pirates: Captains Cup (by Featherweight Games)

Baron of Blood (Free)

iTunes Description

Baron of Blood is a 2D pixelart platformer game in which you have to fight your way through numerous levels and defeat different monsters. Collect coins to buy powerful items. 24 different levels in 5 different zones and boss fights await you and offer an exciting and varied gameplay. Hidden diamonds and various achievements will keep you busy even longer after you finish the game.

Forum Thread: Baron of Blood (by Castle Village Games)

Cube Farm (Free)

iTunes Description

-no ads or pay-to-win mechanics
-quick sessions, break from scrolling
-endless progression with prestige bonuses
-time slows at higher layers, with larger harvests
-dynamic produce market with supply and demand
-pets to collect, feed, train, and battle

Forum Thread: Cube Farm (by Tarot Focus)

Dadish Collection ($8.99)

iTunes Description

Three great games in one!

He’s a dad AND a radish! Join Dadish on his quest to rescue his missing kids in three classic platforming adventures. Dadish Collection combines Dadish, Dadish 2 and Dadish 3 in one rad package.

Forum Thread: Dadish Collection (by Tomas Young)

Demon Squad (Free)

iTunes Description

A long time ago, the demons had lost the war and scattered away.
“Now, they shall gather for the revival of the Demon Lord and the demon race"

1. Team idle RPG that takes strategy to new levels
Train 3 demons to form the ultimate squad!
Auto or manual control. Utilize both options to conquer the battlefield!

Forum Thread: Demon Squad (by SuperPlanet)

Fish Hero! (Free)

iTunes Description

Discover a world as a fish outta water!

A physics, parkour adventure! Launch yourself up a collection of biomes as a lonely fish to become Fish Hero! Explore a unique world as a fish out of water. Good Luck!

Forum Thread: Fish Hero! (by Henry Mead)

Going Up ($1.99)

iTunes Description

Going Up is a strategy game where you control groups of lifts in a skyscraper to deliver passengers before they lose their patience. Optimise elevator movement as you deal with a fussy cast of passengers—impatient CEOs, mean soldiers and confused tourists. There is no one solution to elevator optimisation: every stage will have its unique bottlenecks, passengers and problems.

Forum Thread: Going Up (by Dylan Kwok)

Jenny LeClue – Detectivu ($6.99)

iTunes Description

Jenny LeClue is a thrilling story of mystery, adventure and growing up. Set in the sleepy town of Arthurton, the game is filled with memorable, complex characters and rendered in a unique aesthetic.

Embrace the choosiness and shape the metanarrative. You are not the only guiding hand shaping Jenny’s destiny, but your choices will help her unravel the tangled mystery and become the detective she was born to be.

Forum Thread: Jenny LeClue (by Mografi)

Labyrinth: The Wizard’s Cat ($1.99)

iTunes Description

Enter the dungeon and help the master wizard to find his missing cat in this oldschool dungeon crawler game with nice retro pixel art graphics.
Make your way deep into the dungeon. You will explore levels filled with challenging enemies and various traps & puzzles.
Discover powerful magical items and weapons and fight your way through hordes of enemies in this real time combat dungeon crawler.

Forum Thread: Labyrinth: The Wizard’s Cat (by Anders Gustavsson)

LEVELS II (Free)

iTunes Description

This is a dungeon where treasures slumber.
Level up and strengthen adventurers, defeat monsters blocking your path, and gather treasures.

# New Feature: Tile Appearance Rules
In previous LEVELS, the color and level of appearing tiles were determined randomly.
However, in this game, the next appearing tile is determined based on how the player moves the tiles.

Forum Thread: LEVELS II (by flow Incorporated)

Lyra 2 (Free)

iTunes Description

Lyra 2 is the sequel to a simple, relaxing, minimalist puzzle game that offers endless levels. The only goal is to clear the level, there are no timers, no achievements, no distractions, just the number of cleared levels going up.

Are you looking for a game that you can just relax and play without thinking too much, a game that you can play anytime, anywhere? Lyra 2 is here for you.

Forum Thread: Lyra 2 (by Cold Hours)

Overboss ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Become a villain in this retro-inspired board game. Draft terrain tiles, recruit monsters, build your dungeon, and become the OVERBOSS!

Forum Thread: Overboss (by Goblinz Studio)

Phantom Rose 2 Sapphire (Free)

iTunes Description

Unique roguelike deckbuilding adventure. Explore, fight, and collect powerful cards.

◆ A Special Card Adventure
Phantom Rose is an indie game by solo developer & artist makaroll. Craft your deck with cards obtained by defeating Phantoms. There’s no random card draw during battle. Instead, manage your card’s cooldown to defeat your foe swiftly and efficiently.

Forum Thread: Phantom Rose 2 Sapphire (by Studio Maka)

Punch Club 2: Fast Forward (Free)

iTunes Description

You’ve spent your whole life living in the confines of your overbearing mothers garage, your father mysteriously vanished before you were born. But hey, you had plenty of time to work out and dream about the wonders of the world. Sucks to be you though, people eat slime, corruption is rife and everyone wants to fight you… But maybe you can find your father and become the ‘dark fist’ people whisper about, somehow you could actually be humanity’s savior, the one who uncovers the super secret secrets of the Goodness Corporation… Or not. It’s a choose your own adventure, stay in the garage if you want.

Forum Thread: Punch Club 2: Fast Forward (by TinyBuild)

TENSEI ($2.99)

iTunes Description

An experience of self-discovery set in soothing Zen landscapes.

“Tensei" is an ultra-casual endless action game.
Leap and fall over and over in the style of a brush flowing across paper,
and go on a relaxed journey into the sky. Leave the hectic routine of life behind
for a chance to enjoy this deeply immersive experience.

Forum Thread: TENSEI (by NEURON AGE)

Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York ($4.99)

iTunes Description

**Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York** is a visual novel set in the rich universe of Vampire: The Masquerade, and is the continuation of the story started in **Coteries of New York.** You don’t need to have played **Coteries** to appreciate and understand the story behind **Shadows of New York.** While Coteries was a general introduction to the world depicted in the 5th Edition of the hit tabletop role-playing game, Shadows presents a more personal and unique tale.

Forum Thread: Vampire: The Masquerade – Shadows of New York (by Plug In Digital)

The Another Bout event really leans into its fighting game crossover by providing a new battle arena where you can pick a team of 3 fighters and fight against another team of 3. Skills have been replaced with actual fighting game-style input combos, and you’ll need to learn to chain your moves together in order to unleash your Special Moves. At the end of it all you’ll face off against Rugal, longtime King of Fighters boss and tournament mastermind. The Another Bout crossover event in Another Eden officially kicks off this Thursday, August 22nd across PC, iOS, and Android, so be sure to check it out.

As you can see, it’s not just Monument Valley 3 that’s heading to Netflix Game, but the previous two entries will also be making their way to the service. The original Monument Valley will hit Netflix next month on September 19th with the sequel Monument Valley 2 making its way to Netflix on October 29th. It’s been clear for a while now that Netflix Games is not messing around when it comes to bringing high profile titles to their mobile library, and Monument Valley 3 is certainly another one to add to the list. The trailer also says to expect more news about the game during the Netflix Geeked Week which is set to take place from September 16-19th, so look for some more about Monument Valley 3 then.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

• Fortnite Is Back on iOS, but Only in the EU Alongside the Epic Games Store and Fall Guys Mobile
• ‘Sword & Poker’-Inspired ‘The Golden Caravan’ Gets Playable Browser Demo, Coming to Mobile and PC
• TouchArcade Game of the Week: ‘Dungeon Tracer’

Well the latest title from AppSir is called Spooky Pixel Hero, and in true AppSir fashion, there’s all sorts of meta stuff going on with this one. Technically this is a single screen platforming game that was, storyline-wise, created in 1976. So when it comes to visuals expect something more along the lines of an Atari 2600 or the early personal computers of the late ’70s and early ’80s. It’s very meat and potatoes too. You can move left or right, and you can jump. That’s it. There are various puzzle-like elements like moveable boxes or keys to unlock the exit that you’ll need contend with along with running and jumping along platforms and over a variety of hazards. The platforming is actually excellent and a great challenge, due in part to the often wacky physics of the game (another hallmark of AppSir platformers).

Of course, this isn’t JUST a platforming game. Occasionally cut-scenes will pop up and you’ll discover that you’re actually a young programmer who has been tasked with debugging and finishing this game from 1976. In fact you play as a programmer named Darius and you’re hoping that this work will help you in developing your own video game which you’re currently working on. That game is… DERE EXE! The developer behind AppSir Games is… Darius Guerrero! Goodbye fourth wall! Have you ever seen the movie Adaptation? That is the vibe I get from Spooky Pixel Hero. The dang developer wrote himself into his own game. I love it! This also serves as basically the origin story for DERE EXE and provides some context on why all the AppSir games are so… haunted.

As with the other AppSir games, all the story bits and lore building are just icing on what is already a very good platforming game. You don’t have to care about all that other stuff if you just want to test your platforming prowess, but the beauty here is that if you DO care about that other stuff, and if you venture out into the rest of the AppSir Games Universe titles, it’s just so much more rewarding. In fact, AppSir just recently released a video which tells you the order in which to play the different games in their library if you’re looking to do things chronologically according to their timeline. And you SHOULD play them! Heck they’re all free with ads and ad-removal options so there’s no reason not to dive into this strange interconnected world, and conveniently Spooky Pixel Hero is the one to play if you’re wanting to start at the very beginning.

Then in 2014 it all came crashing down. Konami bought the Sword & Poker IP and released a new entry titled Sword & Poker Adventures. In many ways it brought some welcome modern flourishes to the original 2010 formula, but it also opted for a pretty unappealing free-to-play pay model as opposed to the buy-once games that came before it, and it really never reached the level of acclaim that its older siblings did. Nowadays, more than a decade later, and none of the Sword & Poker games appear to be available anymore. And in cases like these sometimes you have to rely on an indie developer to dust off a long-gone idea like Sword & Poker and take their own stab at recreating it. Enter developer Bigfoot Gaming with their own “stab" called The Golden Caravan.

The core gameplay is straight out of Sword & Poker. A 5×5 grid with the interior 9 squares filled in with random cards, and 4 cards dealt to each player. You take turns placing cards around the outside edge to create a Poker hand either vertically, horizontally, or diagonally. The type of hand you make determines the amount of damage you’ll deal. There’s also special weapons you can collect and equip that will augment some aspects of your play, like how much damage a particular hand deals or giving you shielding against certain hands dealt by your opponent. If you’ve played any of the Sword & Poker games before then things will feel very similar in The Golden Caravan.

The biggest departure here is thematically. The Golden Caravan has a 1930s-era gangster vibe and Art Deco-inspired visuals. Your grandfather is kidnapped by a local mob boss and you set out to rescue him, Poker-battling all manner of street toughs as you work your way up floor by floor in the Golden Caravan casino, making your way towards the boss. It’s a theme that works, and you can see it in action for yourself with a new playable demo available on the game’s Itch.io page. The demo is not mobile-friendly, so you’ll need a desktop or laptop browser, but The Golden Caravan is planned for release on mobile devices in addition to PC and in the meantime you can talk about this one over in our forums.

Anti-Hack ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Travel through the underbelly of a compromised computer system by solving binary logic puzzles, restoring your way from the port to the heart of the system

Forum Thread: Anti-Hack (by Eric McConnell)

The Darkside Detective ($6.99)

iTunes Description

Point at everything in sight, click around mysterious and eerie locations, and use your wits (or borrow a friend’s) to lay these cases to rest!

Grab your trench coat, tune your sixth sense and join the Darkside Division as they investigate the outright bizarre, the downright dangerous and the confusing cases of Twin Lakes. Flesh-hungry tentacles, mafian zombies, and the occasional missing sock are no match for The Darkside Detective.

Forum Thread: The Darkside Detective (by Akupara Games)

The Darkside Detective 2: A Fumble in the Dark ($6.99)

iTunes Description

Delouse your room with sage and pack up your travel-sized ouija board, it’s time to re-enter Twin Lakes – America’s 34th most haunted city. Join Detective McQueen as he puzzles his way through 7 chilling cases, risking life and pixelated limb to solve the macabre mysteries that plague the poor town.

Forum Thread: The Darkside Detective 2: A Fumble in the Dark (by Akupara Games)

Divide by Sheep 2 (Free)

iTunes Description

In this colorful cartoon world, you will never think that math can be boring! Solve ever-changing puzzles with our fluffy sheep, divide like never before and get the most of an adventure full of riddles! Can you conquer the evil grim reaper from flooding the sheep and become the ultimate math hero? You can count on a ‘shear’ good time in this fun puzzle and math game!

Forum Thread: Divide by Sheep 2 (by Tiny Build LLC)

Exploding Kittens 2 ($4.99)

iTunes Description

The ultimate card game with friends is back with a bang, people! EXPLODING KITTENS® 2 has it all – customisable avatars, emojis, oodles of game modes and cards full of quirky humour and animations sleeker than an oiled kitty with catnip-fuelled zoomies!

Plus, the official EXPLODING KITTENS® 2 game brings the most-requested mechanic of all…the Nope card! Stuff a glorious Nope Sandwich right into the horrified faces of your friends – with extra Nopesauce, of course.

Forum Thread: Exploding Kittens 2 (by Marmalade Game Studios)

The Godfeather ($2.99)

iTunes Description

The Godfeather is a mafia pigeon roguelike combining elements of stealth, open world exploration and poop… lots of poop!

Used to be an honest boid could make a living… now your enemies have moved in and flocked up the whole operation. The Godfeather tasks you with taking back the old neighborhood- one borough at a time. It’s time to send a message… FROM ABOVE!

Forum Thread: The Godfeather (by Hojo Studio)

Hidden Through Time: Discovery ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Hidden Through Time: Discovery is a cozy hidden object game that has you searching for hidden objects in hand-drawn, interactive landscapes.

THREE ERAS TO DISCOVER
Dive into three captivating eras: Victorian elegance, Noir mystery, and Sci-fi wonder. Test your keen eye and unravel the mysteries hidden within each intricate scene. Can you uncover every secret the past (and future) holds?

Forum Thread: Hidden Through Time: Discovery (by Rogueside NV)

Honey Bear Merge (Free)

iTunes Description

Honey Bear Merge is a cozy merging game with fun illustrations and casual gameplay.
Inspired by 2048 & Tetris, this game requires a bit of strategy and puzzling.
See if you can hit a high score or merge up to a Honey Bear!

Forum Thread: Honey Bear Merge (by Emily Wu)

iDOS 3 ($2.99)

iTunes Description

iDOS turns your device right into a powerful DOS gaming PC, with modern game control to make your old favorites as playable as possible.

You can also use iDOS for non-gaming purposes, such as word processing, casual programming. Apps in the DOS days are often simpler and surprisingly productive.

Forum Thread: iDOS 3 (by litchie)

K-Pop Academy (Free)

iTunes Description

Get ready to embark on a dazzling journey in the world of K-Pop Academy, where your dream of building the ultimate K-pop sensation comes true! Immerse yourself in the charming world of adorable idols, where you take charge of their daily lives and guide them to stardom.

Build Your Dream K-Pop Supergroup: Create your very own K-pop music group by customizing every aspect of your idols, from their clothing and hairstyles to the trendiest accessories. Create your own idols or recreate your favorite, and watch as your idols transform into the next big K-pop sensation right in the palm of your hand!

Forum Thread: K-Pop Academy (by HyperBeard Inc.)

Ludo King (Free)

iTunes Description

Ludo is based on the ancient Indian game Pachisi, which has entertained players of all ages for centuries. Today, it’s a perfect casual board game to enjoy with friends and family. With “Ludo King," you can play online with friends, start a party with pass-and-play multiplayer mode, practice against the computer during your daily commute or enter epic online multiplayer tournaments.

Forum Thread: Ludo King (by Gametion)

Nepa: Saga (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into the mystical realm of Nepa: Saga, a visually stunning offline RPG that brings ancient Nepa to life on your iOS device. As Ekaa, a humble blacksmith turned legendary warrior, you’ll embark on an unforgettable journey filled with action, mystery, and destiny.

Forum Thread: Nepa: Saga (by Bajra Technologies)

Nobodies: Silent Blood (Free)

iTunes Description

In this puzzle adventure, you are Asset 1080, the legendary ‘cleaner’ tasked with concealing all evidence of government-sanctioned assassinations—including your presence at the scene.

The year is 2010. The intelligence agency is cracking down on a wave of criminal activity funded by cryptocurrency technology. Follow the money and dismantle the network, bit by bit.

Forum Thread: Nobodies: Silent Blood (by Blyts)

Ouros ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Ouros is a calming puzzle game about forming beautiful curves in a serene space. Find your flow as you nudge, bend, and stretch curves into pleasing shapes.

The goal is simple. Align the curve with the targets, then watch the orb gracefully glide through them.

With over 120 handcrafted puzzles to solve, Ouros invites you to discover the inherent mathematical beauty of its world.

Forum Thread: Ouros (by Michael Kamm)

Phantolex (Free)

iTunes Description

Phantolex combines the classic word game Ghost with a roguelike adventure. Test your vocabulary, unlock powerful upgrades, and journey through endless levels of word-based challenges.

Forum Thread: Phantolex (by Green Tea Gaming)

The Pinball Wizard (Free)

iTunes Description

The Pinball Wizard is an arcade adventure game where the main character is propelled into action by a set of flippers, like the ball in a pinball machine. Each level of the game is a contained area inside a tower. The goal of the game is to survive and get to the top of the tower.

Forum Thread: The Pinball Wizard (by Frosty Pop)

RP Grand (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into an amazing open world of new possibilities.
Choose a unique role and reach the top in this world.
You have every opportunity to become the most influential person among thousands of players.

Forum Thread: RP Grand (by Grand Games AM SP)

Secret Puzzle Society (Free)

iTunes Description

Expose a secret society of puzzle-loving villains! Your best friend, Brooke, has stumbled upon the Secret Puzzle Society and is in over her head. Win a challenging match 3 levels, and search beautiful rooms full of secrets!

Forum Thread: Secret Puzzle Society (by Wildlife Studios)

The Seven Deadly Sins: Idle (Free)

iTunes Description

Supremely Exciting One-Tap Draw!
Tap, tap, tap your way to a big win to make massive gains!
Getting stronger is as easy as tapping the Card Draw button!

Forum Thread: The Seven Deadly Sins: Idle (by Netmarble)

Spooky Pixel Hero (Free)

iTunes Description

You play the role of a game developer tasked by a secret organization to repair a lost platformer game from 1976 that seems way too advanced for its time. But is it really just a game?

A chilling homage to retro gaming – Rediscover the magic of classic games and retro platformers with a terrifying twist. SPOOKY PIXEL HORROR combines the beloved aesthetics of vintage 2D pixel games with a deeply immersive horror narrative that will keep you on edge.

Forum Thread: Spooky Pixel Hero (by AppSir/Darius Immanuel Guerrero)

VirtualFriend (Free)

iTunes Description

VirtualFriend: A new, open source Nintendo Virtual Boy emulator

Relive the unique red-and-black world of Nintendo’s most ambitious ’90s console. Whether you’re experiencing these classics for the first time or revisiting fond memories, VirtualFriend delivers the definitive Virtual Boy experience on Apple Vision Pro and iOS devices.

Forum Thread: VirtualFriend – Virtual Boy Emulator (by Adam Gastineau)

Zoeti ($7.99)

iTunes Description

Zoeti is a turn-based roguelike that features a deck of playing cards used to create card combos and activate skills in the heat of battle. Bolster your arsenal of skills through battles, discoverable upgrades, or aid from the locals which enhance your plays to overcome the evil plaguing your land.

Forum Thread: Zoeti (by Akupara Games)

This game is a VIBE. The mobile version of El Paso, Elsewhere will launch as a free-to-try model with the ability to play a portion of the game for free and then unlock the full game through a one-time IAP. If you’re the pre-ordering type, then you can do just that over on the App Store here, and the expected release date is September 17th. I remember all the buzz around this one from last year but have yet to play it myself, so I’ll be first in line to give the iOS version a shot when it launches next month.

Well, if you want a game like Papers, Please without (as many) heavy overtones, Bad Credit? No Problem! is pretty much that. You play as a newly hired loan officer at a fairly scummy company called Title 4 Cash that will give people loans using their vehicle as collateral. Each day you’ll meet with a new set of applicants and then go over their paperwork to determine if they’re eligible for a loan from you or not. Things start out fairly easy with you simply needing to make sure names match and dates are correct, but with each new day there are more things you’ll need to check on before deciding to approve or reject an applicant. You have limited time with each applicant too, so you can’t take forever poring over every little detail.

Since you’re a new hire you’re on a 14 day probation trial period, and your goal is to simply get through those 14 days. It is much easier said than done. Bad Credit? No Problem! gets quite challenging the further you go, but if you can complete that probation period you’ll unlock a sweet Survival mode where you can try to play for as long as possible. The game also features special items and abilities to unlock along the way that will hopefully make your job more manageable. These are presented as software that’s available through the app store on your company’s computer and you’ll spend the money you earn to purchase them, though you really shouldn’t be downloading unauthorized apps onto your company computer.

While the vibe in Bad Credit? No Problem! is much lighter than Papers, Please on initial impression, there actually is quite a lot of depth to the characters and the environment in the game. You’ll slowly find out why certain applicants are taking an obviously bad deal for a quick cash loan, and it’s hard not to feel bad for their various situations. You’ll also start to realize how crummy your company, especially your boss, and the other companies that come into your peripheral really are. It’s like a commentary on society, work culture, and capitalism, but also peppered with a ton of personality and lots of amusing little details that help to take the load off your shoulders. It feels like the kind of game Mike Judge would make. And if you were a fan of Papers, Please in any way and want something similar, Bad Credit? No Problem! will totally fit that bill.

Bad Credit? No Problem! (Free)

iTunes Description

You are now a part-time title loan agent at Title 4 Cash. With only 14 days to secure a full-time position, your task is to review applications, make crucial decisions, and assist clients under the watchful eye of your demanding boss. Every choice you make could mean the difference between keeping a family in their home or pushing them further into hardship.

Survive your probation, and you’ll unlock Endless Shift, a grueling survival mode where the number of applicants increases daily. How long can you endure in a world where ethics and survival collide?

Forum Thread: Bad Credit? No Problem! (by Foorbytes)

Ballpins (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome to Ballpins, the ultimate Zen-inspired Plinko game that promises a relaxing yet thrilling experience for all gamers.

Immerse yourself in a world where each drop is a step towards serenity, blending the unpredictability of a roguelike game with the tranquility of a Zen garden.

Forum Thread: Ballpins (by Lakerda Studios)

Bogey Royale (Free)

iTunes Description

Play a full eighteen holes in under four minutes! Fast, fun, addictive top-down 2d golf game. Play different courses. Compete for your best scores. Multiplayer tournaments, 1v1 matches and battle royale mode.

Forum Thread: Bogey Royale (by 93bases, LLC)

BTS Cooking On: TinyTAN Restaurant (Free)

iTunes Description

Embark on a culinary journey around the world with TinyTAN, characters by BTS!

Spread joy all over the world through the magic of food and fill the world in a vibrant purple happiness.
You, as the chef, are about to go on a journey to learn new skills while making friends all across the world.

Forum Thread: BTS Cooking On: TinyTAN Restaurant (by Com2uS)

Monolith ($6.99)

iTunes Description

A classical science fiction point and click adventure which takes you into a deep story and murky atmosphere, while solving logical puzzles. Accompany Tessa Carter and her talking robot as she finds out about herself and searches for a way to survive.

Forum Thread: Monolith (by Animation Arts Creative)

Power Rangers Mighty Force (Free)

iTunes Description

The original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are back, but now they’re joined by Rangers from the future to take on Rita and repair the Morphin Grid! Power Rangers Mighty Force features a brand new, original Power Rangers story. Enjoy a nostalgic trip back to the 90’s and the original Power Rangers team, mixed with nods and references to classic moments from across Power Rangers’ history. The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers are about to face their biggest threat yet! Rita Repulsa’s ancient magic has broken the Morphin Grid, sending the Rangers’ powers haywire, and allowing Rita to summon monsters from across time and space to early 90s Angel Grove. Join now!

Forum Thread: Power Rangers Mighty Force (by Eastside Games)

Step Safari (Free)

iTunes Description

Step Safari is the addictive bird walking simulator game that will put your skills to the test as you navigate the beautiful yet dangerous river on an epic adventure!

Are you ready for the ultimate challenge?

Your expedition up the river will require a keen balance and timing as you dodge wildlife and avoid falling into the treacherous river below. Use your environment to help you – rocks, lily pads, and other surprises await!

Forum Thread: Step Safari (by Locodolo)

TapFast! (Free)

iTunes Description

Tap Fast is a free-to-play, fast-paced arcade game with a stylish retrowave design. Your goal? Replicate patterns as quickly and accurately as possible!

Will you be able to compete against the fastest in the world?

Forum Thread: TapFast! (by: I Made a Bug)

World’s End Club ($9.99)

iTunes Description

Twelve 12-year old kids go on a 1,200 km journey.

A new type of action-adventure game that fuses a thrilling story with 2D side-scrolling action.

A “dream team" adventure game with scenario written by Zero Escape series creator, Kotaro Uchikoshi, and Danganronpa’s Kazutaka Kodaka as creative director.

Forum Thread: World’s End Club (by Izanagigames)

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Neo Geo History Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laFY-8vD9ig

The game features 12 different events covering most of what you’d expect from a game like this, including track and field, swimming, shooting, archery, and weightlifting, with more events planned to come in the future. Events are largely based around rapid-tapping and good timing, and I think Sports Sports does a good job in providing touchscreen mechanics that emulate whatever real life event you’re playing. A nice bonus is there’s no physical joysticks or buttons to break! (although you certainly will still get arm cramps).

The mini-games are fun, but it’s the progression system and the excellent production values that really stood out to me. There’s an overall experience and leveling system built in so that no matter what you do in the game you’re always earning a little more progress and this helps make each session feel worthwhile even if you totally flub an event. You can try out each event in the Quick Play mode as a one-off, or as a “playlist" of multiple events of your choosing strung together, and you can do this across any of the game’s 3 difficulty settings. This is a good place to practice and familiarize yourself with each event.

Beyond that is the Tournament Mode which is where the real meat and potatoes are. Here you can enter themed tournaments comprised of multiple of the same style events, like running or jumping. Or you can enter the Summer Games tournament which features a multiple cup progression culminating in a full-blown Olympics-style tournament. As mentioned, everything you do goes towards your overall progression system, so it always feels meaningful, and there’s even an online Multiplayer component and online leaderboards which I haven’t delved too much into yet but should add more spice if you’re competitive.

The one thing I will say is that Sports Sports is NO pushover. This game is hard as nails. Some of it feels very natural, like you can feel yourself improve as you practice and play more events and your techniques get better, making once difficult areas feel easier the more you play. But some parts I think are just plain imbalanced. If you’re familiar with the rubber-banding of the Mario Kart series, well, expect to see similar here. And sometimes an event just feels too tough to place decently in even if you’re positive you’re performing well and have a flawless run.

It can be frustrating, but it’s also not a dealbreaker, and it’s the type of thing that can be massaged out through updates. The core experience of Sports Sports is fantastic and I think it will only get better if new events and features are added down the line. The presentation in the game is so wonderful, with expressive characters and lots of fun little details. It feels like–dare I say–it could be a Nintendo game. I’m still blown away by how much I’m enjoying Sports Sports after going into it not expecting much, and if you have Netflix this will be a fun one to add to your device, especially with all the Olympics hullabaloo going on at the moment.

Alter Age ($7.99)

iTunes Description

Alter your team in turn-based battles between adult and child states to alternate between attack or support types! Utilize a wide range of formations and elements, including equipment and passive skills, to strategically navigate battles.

Explore a vast expanding world depicted in beautiful pixels, from puzzle dungeons to detour dungeons! Collect ingredients while walking around to cook meals, take on special quests limited to the child state, and fully enjoy every corner of the world of Alter Age!

Forum Thread: Alter Age (by KEMCO/EXE-CREATE)

Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure (Free)

iTunes Description

Solve your way through a charming world packed with clever tactical tile puzzles on a quest to find somewhere you fit in, and connect the quirky communities you discover.

Explore a different kind of RPG: a “role-puzzling" game. The story unfolds through a unique, interconnected grid that spans the entire world. When you move, the colorful environment moves with you — creating a playful sense of chaos and a regular stream of small, thoughtful puzzles that twist and play with the central mechanic.

Jump into the adventure as Jemma, a small-town misfit on a journey of self-discovery. Travel beyond your stiflingly cozy confines to find an inspiring world — yet one that’s ruled by fear and a strange, immovable static force. Can you shake up a culture of stagnation and find a place to belong?

Forum Thread: Arranger (by Furniture & Mattress)

Dragon Prince: Xadia (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome to Xadia. Become a legendary hero and team up to take on epic missions and magical quests in this action RPG adventure based on Netflix’s hit fantasy series “The Dragon Prince.”

Developed in-house by Wonderstorm, creators of the Emmy-winning Netflix series “The Dragon Prince," this cooperative, hero-based action role-playing game (ARPG) is set in the same epic fantasy world and has all the humor, charm and high stakes fans have come to expect. This action-packed adventure introduces new characters and stories to expand the “Dragon Prince" universe along with countless hours of fun co-op multiplayer action gameplay and satisfying RPG progression.

Forum Thread: Dragon Prince: Xadia (by Wonderstorm)

Dungeon Core: Nuclear Abyss (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into the depths of a failed weapons program as a radiation liquidator in Dungeon Core, an intense and rewarding roguelite dungeon crawler. Navigate through procedurally generated levels filled with numerous rooms to explore, powerful items to discover, and formidable enemies to battle. Permanent upgrades will enhance your abilities, staying with you throughout your journey. Venture through diverse environments as you delve deeper underground, facing mutants and epic bosses. Your ultimate mission: to destroy the core from within. Are you ready to conquer the challenge?

Forum Thread: Dungeon Core: Nuclear Abyss (by Talismanic Entertainment)

Garou: Mark of the Wolves ACA NEO GEO ($3.99)

iTunes Description

GAROU: MARK OF THE WOLVES is a fighting game released by SNK in 1999.

The son of Geese Howard, Rock Howard, who has been raised by Terry Bogard is the main character in this first episode of a new generation in the “FATAL FURY” Series.

Numerous new game mechanics such as the “Breaking” feature have been introduced in this acclaimed fighting masterpiece resulting in a game with a variety of deep strategies available to players.

Forum Thread: Garou: Mark of the Wolves ACA NEO GEO (by SNK)

GenZD ($1.99)

iTunes Description

GenZD supports running games using the open-source idTech 1 game engine for iOS, and supports running its “WAD" game files as well as community-developed “MOD" files, all rendered natively using modern technology. It supports several capabilities beyond the original engine, such as modern 3D rendering, widescreen graphics, dynamic lighting, a fully scriptable environment, and much much more.

Forum Thread: GenZD (by Infinite Evolution Technologies)

Kings of the Castle (Free)

iTunes Description

The dragon Zantorian locked Prince Rupert away in a castle tower on a dangerous and mysterious island. Lord Baldor dispatches the princess to investigate the hostile and unfamiliar territory and save the prince.

Playing as the princess, you must use your speed, courage, and savvy sense of direction to save the prince. Avoid traps, battle enemies, jump over obstacles, and collect gems along your journey to pay a ransom for the prince’s safe return. But do it fast. The dragon is hungry!

Forum Thread: Kings of the Castle (by Frosty Pop)

Legend of the Skyfish 2 ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Dive into a world inhabited by abyssal monsters, and face them using your Combat Fishing Pole.

Help the warriors of the Red Hook clan save the kingdom from the reign of the enigmatic Skyfish, lord of the deep seas.

Forum Thread: Legend of the Skyfish 2 (by Crescent Moon Games)

Metro Blossom: Choice and Dice (Free)

iTunes Description

One day, Seoul becomes full of unknown pollen. People who consumed the pollen transformed into flower-like zombies called “Bloomer," and survivors took refuge in the subway. Our protagonist, Jin, a high school student, survives with his only family, Mary. However, due to an unexpected tragedy, Jin gets lost in the subway, and Mary is lost. Will Jin be able to find Mary safely?

Forum Thread: Metro Blossom: Choice and Dice (by SaneNutsStudio)

Sport King (Free)

iTunes Description

Olympic games for Apple Watch

Athletes around the word have gathered to compete for medals. It’s time for your to join and fight for your federation. Only you can bring the wins to your territory and people. There are many sport games to play. Starting with Archery, Tennis and Soccer.

Forum Thread: Sport King: collect gold medal (by Gosiha)

Sports Sports (Free)

iTunes Description

Sprint, swim, throw, lift and leap to the top of the worldwide leaderboard in this arcade-style athletic competition. Can you beat the best of the best?

Chase the sweet taste of victory in an array of minigames that test your skill and recreate the thrill of your favorite sports — on the track, in the pool and more. Choose your own way to play, from quick practice matches to multi-event championships and multiplayer showdowns. Every time you compete, you’ll earn points that help you climb the global rankings as you strive to be the very best.

Forum Thread: Sports Sports (by BroxCorp)

Sudoku Frenzy (Free)

iTunes Description

Sudoku Frenzy: The Ultimate Puzzle Experience
Dive into Sudoku Frenzy, the ultimate puzzle game designed for both beginners and experts alike. With its simple interface and engaging features, Sudoku Frenzy brings the classic Sudoku experience to your fingertips.

Forum Thread: Sudoku Frenzy (by Ashok Kumar)

Superliminal (Free)

iTunes Description

Falling asleep at 3AM, you close your eyes to the cheesy commercial of Dr. Pierce’s dream therapy program. You wake up in an unfamiliar enviornment, only to realize that you’re stuck in a dream – a dream where perception is reality. Welcome to Superliminal.

Superliminal is a first-person puzzle game inspired perspective and optical illusions. Players tackle impossible puzzles by thinking outside the box and learning to expect the unexpected.

This game features a wonderfully subdued world, an intriguingly voiced narrative, and things that are really weird.

Forum Thread: Superliminal (by Noodlecake)

Sword of Convallaria (Free)

iTunes Description

Sword of Convallaria revitalizes the beloved Japanese turn-based & pixel art genre! Immerse yourself in a world of strategic victories, breathtaking visuals, and epic soundtracks, all tied together by a captivating storyline. Your story, your move!

Forum Thread: Sword of Convallaria (by XD Entertainment)

Towerful Defense: A Rogue TD (Free)

iTunes Description

Towerful Defense: A Rogue TD is a tower defense action roguelike where you control a single tower to fight against hordes of aliens coming from all directions. Pick your tower, equip up to 4 skills, and choose from a variety of traits and items to craft powerful builds that lead you to victory.

Forum Thread: Towerful Defense: A Rogue TD (by Fine Monkeys)

Zombie Warriors (Free)

iTunes Description

Command an army of zombies spanning across the ages – from prehistoric beasts to Spartan warriors, and even futuristic cyborgs. Strategize to conquer your foes as you upgrade and evolve your undead horde.

Picture a battlefield where zombies from different epochs clash in a chaotic spectacle. Can primitive clubs and swords overcome modern firearms? Will advanced technology prove decisive against sheer numbers?

Test your skill, tactical prowess, and mastery of troop deployment in Age of Zombie Warriors. Are you ready to lead your army to victory and evolution? Join the battle now!

Forum Thread: Zombie Warriors (by Genix Lab)

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

So what is the main hook in Arranger? Well you play a young orphan named Jemma who is stricken with a very odd ability. Every step you take moves the area around you as well, both horizontally and vertically. The game is laid out on one big grid, so say if there’s a potted plant two squares in front of you and you move towards it, the pot will move in lockstep with you. In areas of the map that are connected sections you can also wrap objects and yourself around that area, kind of like when Pac-Man takes that little shortcut in one side of the screen and appears on the other side.

There are also objects that can’t be moved when you move, which will play a big role in puzzling your way through the game. You’ll often need to figure out how to move an object onto a switch to activate a path forward, or even “battle" against enemies by finding a way to push weapons into them to defeat them and clear the way. Arranger is the type of game where you come up against something blocking your path, and you’re just CERTAIN the game is broken and there’s no possible solution to your situation. But then you futz around with it for a bit, have that “Aha!" moment, and continue moving forward. It’s an immensely satisfying experience, to say the least.

Much of this is covered in our full review of Arranger, so do check that out. Like I said previously, the mechanics themselves are super interesting and the game as a whole is rather challenging, though there are plenty of options to cater to how much of a workout you want to give your brain. But it’s really the entire package that elevates this to one of my favorite releases of the year. It’s the kind of game that has oodles of heart that you can feel pouring through the screen. If you have a Netflix account this is a no-brainer, and even if you don’t I’d make a point to check out Arranger on one of the other platforms it’s on because this one is really special.

The game in question is titled Primrows and that original version launched way back in 2010 before finally succumbing to its injuries in 2017. Tursiops figured that instead of trying to patch up the old game with toothpicks and scotch tape in order to pass the bare minimum of technical requirements, they’d take the opportunity to start over from scratch on a brand new version of Primrows, using knowledge gained over the past decade-plus to make the game even better than it originally was.

The core concept of the game remains the same, as described on the game’s website: “The goal of Primrows is to ensure each garden has no two of the same flower in any row, column, or quadrant. Prune flowers that don’t fit the pattern, water and grow new flowers in your garden. Flowers grow at random, so you’ll have to consider risk and reward as you ponder your strategy." With revamped artwork, multiple new game modes, and numerous other new features, if you were part of the small but passionate fanbase of the original Primrows then this new version should feel essentially like an entirely new game.

As far as modes go, there will be a Quick Play which sounds like more of a bite-sized high-scoring affair, and a Journal Mode which has you trying to reach specific goals from your journal over a more extended gameplay period. There will also be Weekly Challenges which, funnily enough, will offer new challenges weekly. Although no release window has been revealed just yet, we do know that Primrows will be coming to PC in addition to iOS and Android devices, and if you so desire you can go Wishlist the game on its Steam page right here. This should be a hoot on the Steam Deck. Once a release date or any further information is revealed we’ll be sure to let you know.

We really enjoyed the original Machinika Museum when it came out, choosing it as our Game of the Week back then, and it even received additional content post-release that kept the good times rolling, so I’m pretty psyched to see what the sequel will do. While Machinika: Atlas does tie into the original game story-wise, it’s not required that you’ve played the first game in order to fully enjoy this sequel, but I think those that have will get a kick out of seeing how the narrative evolves. Machinika: Atlas is available for pre-order on iOS on the App Store here, and available for pre-registration for Android on the Google Play Store here. You can also Wishlist the PC version over on Steam or on the Epic Games Store. The pre-order pages for mobile show October 7th as the expected release date, with the PC versions set to arrive on September 3rd.

CD2: TrapMaster ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Craft a unique deck of traps and powers, discover treasure of surprise effects, and guard a different base each time until you are ready for the unforgiving boss.

Face off against 40+ types of enemies and defend over 100 bases. Shoot, scorch, slice. Punch, pierce, poison. Bounce monsters into water to drown them. Summon warriors to fight them. So many traps and tricks to exterminate waves of incoming enemies!

Forum Thread: CD2: TrapMaster (by Ace Entertainment)

Circle Survive (Free)

iTunes Description

Calm and focus yourself quick with this simple brain snack!

It challenges you softly to clear each level with the help of a one-finger on screen control. With automatic aiming mechanics, allowing you to focus on maneuvering through the unique levels and eliminating formation of enemies.

You will find an experience that is perfect for players of all skill levels. If you are looking for an engaging challenge or a quick way to rest and focus your brain, try and you will love it!

Forum Thread: Circle Survive (by Chronac Software)

Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance ($6.99)

iTunes Description

With greater power and menace than ever before, Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance brings forth a fresh, exhilarating experience, building upon the lightning-paced and captivating gameplay that propelled its predecessors to award-winning status.

While a formidable evil emerges, an unexpected alliance is taking shape! It will take the finest warriors of Linirea and the relentless Dark Army to stop it. Beware! Though they may journey side by side the ever-changing winds of fate could swiftly alter their course.

Forum Thread: Kingdom Rush 5: Alliance (by Ironhide Game Studio)

Metal Slug: Awakening (Free)

iTunes Description

Metal Slug: Awakening continues the classic gameplay loved by fans, with exciting new features like World Adventure, 3-player Team-up, and Roguelike challenges. Join forces with your friends online to take on powerful bosses anytime, anywhere!

Experience high-quality graphics and a fresh retro aesthetic design. Embark on an entertaining gaming journey with a wide variety of weapons, diverse battlefields, and stylish vehicles.

Forum Thread: Metal Slug: Awakening (by Haoplay Limited)

Sonority ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Sonority is an innovative puzzle adventure set in a lovingly designed, fascinating world. Play as Esther and discover the rockery, a place full of music and unique puzzle mechanics.

A unique puzzle mechanic using melodies
In Sonority the players explore a lost world in which music is magic and with whose help you can progress through the game.
The puzzles are solved by the correct arrangement of notes. The solution is deduced acoustically or using symbols. No previous musical knowledge necessary.

Forum Thread: Sonority (by ASH Software)

Too Hot To Handle 3 (Free)

iTunes Description

This time, you’re the bombshell! Crash the retreat and start drama among paired-up singles in this season of “Too Hot to Handle," the beloved dating game based on the series. More customization! Fewer inhibitions! Will you find love and romance or go for casual hookups in this dating game?

Flirt with glittering singles, get tangled up in love triangles and make fateful decisions that could have lasting consequences for your dating life. Can you abstain from getting frisky and build a true romance? Or will you succumb to infatuation? The story is in your hands. Based on the hit Netflix reality series “Too Hot to Handle."

Forum Thread: Too Hot To Handle 3 (by Netflix)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Purgatory ($9.99)

iTunes Description

Immerse in a choice-driven RPG thriller in the World of Darkness. Guide Samira, a young werewolf refugee in Poland, battling dark forces and loneliness. Shape your fate!

Battle monsters, investigate insidious conspiracies and explore the dark side of (in)human nature in Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory, a unique blend of dark fantasy thriller, visual novel and tabletop RPG set in the World of Darkness universe.

Forum Thread: Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Purgatory (by Different Tales)

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Well, Dungeon Tracer is here to try its hand at wooing Dungeon Raid fans, and I have to say it is doing a very good job of it. All the elements you want are here. Drag-to-match (i.e. trace) mechanics that let you set up absolutely massive matches, plenty of challenging enemies to battle, special abilities to unlock and upgrade during your run, and more. This is for all intents and purposes Dungeon Raid with a new coat of paint and some extra new features, like new unlockable classes, added in. It even sounds like Dungeon Raid, and games even go on WAY too long for a mobile game but for whatever reason that doesn’t matter because you have an inexplicable need to just keep going and going and going. It’s that Dungeon Raid fizz, baby!

So why am I conflicted about Dungeon Tracer? Well, it’s perhaps a little TOO similar to Dungeon Raid, and it even appears that up to a few weeks ago it was going by the title Dungeon Raid: Resurrection which… yeah, that’s not cool. I’m glad they DID change the title before release, but still. Then there’s the fact that Dungeon Tracer is a bit… janky, for lack of a better term. It’s not full screen so there’s black bars at the top and bottom, the game’s name on the homescreen of your device is not in English for some reason, and there is no Universal iPad support. It just seems a little disappointing to have these rough edges when so much of the rest of the game is so well done.

I guess the point is that there’s a fine line between “homage" by someone who is a massive fan of the original, and “clone" of something popular that’s not really adding anything that novel or unique to the formula, and Dungeon Tracer comes right up to that line, but in my opinion does not cross it. The unlockable Classes are very cool, even if they don’t seem to drastically change how the game is played, and also Dungeon Raid is no longer available or playable, so I’m thankful that someone has stepped in to provide that type of experience once again. At the end of the day I definitely feel like this falls in the “homage" category and not the “clone" one, but I’d still love to see the fit and finish of Dungeon Tracer improved through updates. All that said… did you love Dungeon Raid? Then yeah, drop your three bucks and go to town on Dungeon Tracer.

That trailer also gives you an idea of the excellent minimalist visuals and soothing sounds that accompany the gameplay in Ouros as you work your way through its 120+ handcrafted levels spread across 11 chapters. There are no timers, scores, or any other reason not to just plop down and chew on each puzzle at your own pace. Ouros has been well-received in its PC launch back in May, and mobile players will be able to get in on the fun when the game launches on August 14th. It’ll be priced at a very reasonable $2.99 and you can pre-order the iOS version on the App Store here and Android players can pre-register on the Google Play Store here ahead of its launch next month.

So there’s no way around this: I am a massive Metal Slug fan for decades now, and I’m incredibly nervous about Metal Slug: Awakening because it’s free to play. Like super free to play. I’ve gone through the first couple of missions and so far it’s definitely fun to play, but eventually you do get to a point where you hit “that screen" that we all know from every free to play game; the screen that has a bunch of menu icons and there’s all sorts of avenues to upgrade or unlock this or that, or collect mission rewards, or hop into social events, etc. As much as I’m loving the visuals in Metal Slug: Awakening which respect the original games well while bringing things into 3D (or 2.5D I guess), and as much as I’m loving all the wacky weaponry and run ‘n gun gameplay, I’m just… nervous.

Sure, the first impression is pretty great, and perhaps everything continues to be great and all the free to play stuff is nice and unobtrusive. Only time will tell, and I certainly hope my nervousness isn’t scaring you off because I think everyone should give Metal Slug: Awakening a download and try it for themselves. Maybe this is the dawning of a new era with a Metal Slug game that will get constant new content for years to come, and all my worrying about one of my all-time favorite franchises getting ruined by modern gaming practices is all for naught. Maybe. My fingers are crossed.

Asphalt Legends Unite (Free)

iTunes Description

Ignite your competitive spirit with Asphalt Legends Unite and immerse yourself in this heart-pounding car racing world. Collaborate with fellow drivers to blaze through thrilling online multiplayer races, execute jaw-dropping drifts and stunts, and charge towards victory in the most exquisite cars!

Forum Thread: Asphalt Legends Unite (by Gameloft)

The Detractor (Free)

iTunes Description

In a world consumed by darkness and ruled by the malevolent King of Hatred, you are “The Detractor," an exiled soul on a quest for vengeance and redemption. Immerse yourself in this gripping rogue-like adventure spanning three epic chapters as you defy the odds and challenge the tyrant who cast you aside.

Forum Thread: The Detractor (by Happii Gamer Studios)

Dungeon Tracer ($0.99)

iTunes Description

Dungeon Tracer is a puzzle RPG that combines puzzle game mechanics with role-playing elements. Players match tiles to trace paths and aim to collect as much gold and experience as possible throughout the game. As the game progresses, enemies grow stronger, requiring careful strategy.

Forum Thread: Dungeon Tracer (by sang wook Jang)

Heian City Story ($6.99)

iTunes Description

Travel back to olden times and become Director of your own city!

Attract new residents and try to become the greatest city in the land! Add buildings like restaurants and teahouses to make your town a place where samurai and commoners alike will want to live.

This is the past, so don’t forget to add some touches of traditional culture! Features like temples and gaming halls can give your city a lot of personality, especially when arranged in harmony with the surrounding environment. You might end up attracting tourists to the town, who will move in if they like it enough.

Forum Thread: Heian City Story (by Kairosoft)

Laser Tanks ($1.99)

iTunes Description

“Aliens from a Dark Magical World have stolen a Gigantic Chip upon which fate of humanity depends.

Laser Tanks is a Pixel Action Roguelike RPG where your objective is to revive our Earth. Survive wave after wave in the Dungeon, Full of Adventures. Pick your weapon and let the brawl begin. It’s a combination of Action with Survival.

Forum Thread: Laser Tanks: Pixel RPG (by Felicity Games)

Pochemeow ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Pochemeow is a simple economic strategy game about trade war. Develop your city, reshape the economic landscape and bankrupt your opponents. I respect the players, so I did not add advertising or microtransactions to the game.

Forum Thread: Pochemeow (by Ivan Yakovliev)

Roia ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Embark on a marvelous adventure as you follow a river from its humble beginnings to the vastness of the sea in Roia. Sculpt the terrain according to your imagination, guiding the water’s descent. Along the way, a bird will be your companion, leading you through rugged mountains, dark forests, and sun-drenched meadows. Step into Roia’s world and be enveloped by the unmatched serenity of nature, where every moment is a profound journey into the depths of wonder and discovery.

Forum Thread: Roia (by Tobias Sturn)

Slay the Poker (Free)

iTunes Description

Embark on an epic journey in Pokemaster, the ultimate mobile game where you can capture, train, and battle a wide variety of mystical creatures! Immerse yourself in a world filled with adventure, strategic battles, and a vibrant community of fellow trainers.

Use the power of poker! Engage in real-time battles where you defeat creatures using the power of poker hands. Build the best combinations to outsmart and overpower your foes.

Forum Thread: Slay the Poker (by Starpixel Studio)

Spirit of the Island ($4.99)

iTunes Description

There’s an old tradition running in your homeland: to become an adult and complete the coming of age ritual, you must go on a journey of discovery. Your adventure begins on a distant island, deep in a tropical Archipelago. What was once a prosperous tourist destination is now a shade of its former glory: and it’s your job to bring it back to life! Explore the Archipelago, meet the locals, and lend them a hand to restore the tourist paradise… while you try to uncover the mysteries of your past!

Forum Thread: Spirit of the Island (by Plug In Digital)

Tilt ‘n’ Tumble (Free)

iTunes Description

Inspired by the classic arcade spirit, Tilt ‘n’ Tumble helps players relax and concentrate without the need for extensive tutorials. Control the game using your device’s accelerometer or joystick, guiding the bat/paddle with precision to keep the ball in play and score points. Enjoy dynamic music, unlock various bats/paddles, and compete on the global leaderboard. Tilt ‘n’ Tumble is designed to reduce stress, enhance focus, and provide a satisfying gaming experience.

Forum Thread: Tilt ‘n’ Tumble (by Vikas Pawar)

Toast Diver (Free)

iTunes Description

Escape the killer toasters with Toasty. Toast Diver is designed to be played quickly while waiting for the bus or in line at the checkout. The game starts immediately with no distraction, providing instant action.
A super simple gameplay concept that remains consistently motivating: jump short or long and clean the dishes.
Beat your high score, get better, and unlock new characters.

Forum Thread: Toast Diver (by Rafael Bielen)

Twilight Survivors (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome, all survivors to Bonder Continent in its ever-present darkness!

A time-limited survival game infused with rogue-lite elements and an adorable art style! The world has plunged into darkness, and you are its sole beacon of hope. Will you endure until dawn, or succumb to multiple deaths in your quest? Fear not, for it is possible to collect more coins to enhance yourself!

Forum Thread: Twilight Survivors (by Sakura)

UTM SE: Retro PC emulator (Free)

iTunes Description

UTM SE is a PC emulator that allows you to run classic software and old-school games.

* Supports both VGA mode for graphics and terminal mode for text-only operating systems
* Emulates x86, PPC, and RISC-V architectures
* Run pre-built machines or create your own configuration from scratch
* Built from QEMU, a powerful and widely used emulator

Forum Thread: UTM SE: Retro PC emulator (by Turing Software)

Accompanying you on your journey is a tiny bird who will fly along with you and land at key areas, letting out a tweet to let you know where in the terrain you should be aiming to guide the water. The whole experience is set to an absolutely beautiful piano score, and while the actual gameplay in Roia is surprisingly challenging (water and physics don’t always want to cooperate with you!), the whole atmosphere of the game is so chill and there’s never any pressure or anything like that. It’s super relaxing, actually. If you dig this sort of meditative gaming experience, and enjoy water physics and cool terrain manipulation, I wouldn’t hesitate to toss a few bucks at Roia and see what it’s all about.

A few months after that iOS version dropped, a port of ARK arrived for the Nintendo Switch and… well, that version was just a downright mess. A game like this running on mobile devices of the time was an impressive feat, and given that the Switch’s hardware was well behind then-modern mobile devices, it’s not too surprising the game struggled so hard on Nintendo’s hybrid handheld. To their credit Studio Wildcard set out to right that wrong, and partnered with Grove Street Games to create a more lightweight version of the game, which ended up being called ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition. Here’s the trailer for the Switch version of that game.

It may have taken several years, but ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition on Switch was a proper make good for the messy version that was originally released, and best of all it was released as a free update to owners of the original Switch version. In fact, the new Switch version is so much better we recently chose it as one of the 10 best survival games on the Switch. I guess all’s well that ends well! But it doesn’t end there, because today Studio Wildcard and Grove Street Games have announced that ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition is also heading to iOS and Android devices later this year.

Not only is ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition a more performant version of the game designed to run well on a broader range of hardware, but it will also includes the many expansions that have released for the base game over the years, including Scorched Earth, Aberration, Extinction, Genesis Parts 1 & 2, the fan-favorite Ragnarok community-created map, and more. The game is slated for launch on iOS and Android “holiday 2024" and will initially include the ARK Island and Scorched Earth expansion, with later expansions releasing for the game throughout 2025. Seeing as the original mobile version of ARK: Survival Evolved is still on the App Store and even updated as recently as a couple years ago, I’m not sure if this will be an update to that existing version or a separate new release, but either way I’m excited to give ARK: Ultimate Survivor Edition a go on mobile later this year.

Since that remake endeavor got underway, however, the developer quickly realized with how ambitiously they were changing and adding new things that it would make more sense to just create a full-blown sequel. Thus Castle Doombad Remake has now spun off into two separate projects. One is that full-blown sequel, titled Castle Doombad 2: Muahaha!, which will feature “new content, a surprising new gameplay direction, 2-Player Co-Op Mode, and a brand new story." That game doesn’t have a release date just yet, and it is only targeting PC and Switch platforms at the moment (fingers crossed for mobile!). In addition Grumpyface is also working on Castle Doombad Classic, which will be more like what they were originally setting out to do, an updated preservation of the original game, but with some new content and ideas that they weren’t able to put into the game back when it released a decade ago. Here’s Grumpyface’s Chris Graham dressed up like Dr. Lord Evilstein to explain all the nitty gritty.

As you just heard from Dr. Lord Evilstein himself, Castle Doombad Classic will be launching this year on Steam, Switch, iOS, and Android. For mobile it will be a special version called Castle Doombad: Free to Slay, and if you remember the original Castle Doombad release from 2014 you also likely remember that about six months after that they released a game called Castle Doombad: Free to Slay that was essentially a very tastefully done free to play version of the premium game. I imagine something very similar will be in store with the PC and Switch versions of Castle Doombad Classic being paid and the mobile versions being free. I adore Grumpyface Studios with so many amazing titles under their belt, like the Steven Universe Attack the Light/Unleash the Light games, Teeny Titans, Bring Me Sandwiches!!, and even the very first game I ever played from them Wispin way back in 2010. But I sure do have a soft spot for Castle Doombad and cannot wait to see it resurrected sometime later this year.

Ok, so the rules. Take a standard deck of playing cards, pull out all the face cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) put them into 3 equal piles of 4. All the remaining cards are yours to play, dealt face-up 3 at a time. Your goal is to defeat all of the face cards using the number cards and Aces. Each face card has a set amount of health and the number on each card that you play is how much damage you’ll deal that face card when you play it.

The wrinkle is that you MUST use the same suit as the face card you’re attacking in order to deal the final blow. So, for example, if a King of Hearts is down to 2 health, you’ll need to use at least the 2 of Hearts, or a larger Hearts card, to actually defeat the King. For such a simplistic game this wrinkle actually makes things very challenging and strategic.

Adding to this, Aces behave in a special way. Playing an Ace will automatically drain a face card’s health down to 1, and if a face card is already at 1 health and you play a same-suited Ace to destroy it, you’ll actually get to keep that Ace in your hand. This is VERY important from a strategic standpoint, and is one of those little details that makes a game like Royal Card Clash much more tactical than it appears at first glance.

There is also a discard pile that also acts as a “hold" for a card in your hand. Kind of like holding and saving that certain piece in Tetris because you know you can better utilize it later. The catch here is that you can only play the top card in that pile, and if you put a card in the discard pile when there’s already a card on there, that bottom card now becomes unusable for the rest of the game. This should really be a last ditch effort type of move since every single card in your deck is important for knocking down the health of the face cards.

Rounding things out are two special abilities. One is the ability to add a fourth card to your hand, and the second is the ability to shuffle your hand back into the deck and redraw new cards. Both can be extremely helpful if used in the right circumstances. There are multiple difficulty levels in Royal Card Clash too, with the base health of the face cards increasing with the higher difficulty. The Extreme difficulty is just that, extreme, and you’ll need to make careful and strategic use of every card in your deck if you hope to be successful here.

I can’t stop playing Royal Card Clash. It plays perfectly with one hand in portrait which means I’m constantly pulling out my phone and diving into a game whenever I have a free moment. It also supports landscape and switches on the fly for those that find that more convenient or comfortable. The music is also awesome, though maybe a bit repetitive, and the animations and overall production values are top-notch.

Royal Card Clash is free to download and play, with intermittent ads as well as the ability to watch ads for the special abilities. If you enjoy the game then you can purchase an IAP for $2.99 that will remove ads and give you the use of those special abilities every game without having to watch any ads. So go ahead, try this one out for yourself, I think you’ll like it.

I personally never really got into the whole auto-battling sensation that crept up a number of years back, but I can’t deny that this type of game is absolutely perfect for mobile. I’m also digging the theme, I mean who doesn’t like pirates? But Auto Pirates takes things a step further by having four distinct fantasy factions to source your pirates from, meaning that magic and other fantastical elements can also come into play alongside your typical pirate shenanigans. The global release date for Auto Pirates: Captains Cup is set for August 22nd, though you can grab it right now in Early Access over on Google Play for Android or check out the iOS soft launch version if you’re in Australia, New Zealand or the Philippines.

If this looks familiar to you, then you’ve possible come across Dawnfolk at some point over the past couple of years under its previous title Lueur and the Dim Settlers. Lueur is your literal guiding light in the game, and dim settlers are, well, the people settling in this dim world, so the old title makes a lot of sense but Dawnfolk is far catchier in my opinion. Anyway, the game has been in the works since it first found life as a game jam project back in August of 2022, and the plan is for it to release in early 2025. The new demo is available on Steam right now and lets you experience what the gameplay is like through the early Story chapters, as well as unlock a taste of the Puzzle and Challenge modes that will be in the full game. It’s designed to be a lovely experience on Steam Deck specifically, but also plays just fine on my laptop. But OH BOY would it be an awesome iPhone game. I highly encourage you to check out the demo and please join me in crossing your fingers that Dawnfolk will end up on mobile devices at some point following its early 2025 release on PC.

ChikenUp! (Free)

iTunes Description

Chikoro wants to fly up and reach the Sun, but how far will Chikoro get?
Beware of Musheye and other Chikoro’s enemies!!!
They will chase Chikoro through the endless space…

Forum Thread: ChikenUp! (by DeadPixelLab)

DADOO (Free)

iTunes Description

Dadoo is an online multiplayer party board game with superpowers and lots of mischief!

Change the course of the game with various skill cards. Push your enemy to their demise. Set your trap and give your opponent the last laugh. Don’t be nice while playing this game!

Forum Thread: DADOO (by Algorocks)

Disney Speedstorm (Free)

iTunes Description

Drift into the ultimate hero-based combat racing game, set on high-speed circuits inspired by Disney and Pixar worlds. Master each character’s unique Skills on the racetrack and claim victory in this thrilling arcade racing experience from the creators of the Asphalt series!

Forum Thread: Disney Speedstorm (by Gameloft)

Dodgy Cars (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into the mesmerising world of Dodgy Cars, the ultimate arcade game where reflexes and strategy meet in a neon-lit paradise!

Forum Thread: Dodgy Cars (by MJGames)

Numito (Free)

iTunes Description

Numito is a minimal puzzle with numbers to love math again.

Change the color for every tile creating an operation in the middle line which result is the target number, easy.

Forum Thread: Numito (by Juanma Altamirano)

Railbreak ($4.99)

iTunes Description

This version of Railbreak is designed to be a next-gen experience pushing the limits! Check out Railbreak Pocket Edition if you’re using other hardware and want to play!

It’s Saturday night in Cypress Ridge which means the city is in ruins, hordes of flesh eating undead are on the prowl, and you have the arcade all to yourself! Select your survivor, and blast your way to safety as the city burns around you in this on-rails survival horror shooter. Oh, and did we mention the arcade cabinet has a touch screen this time around!?

Forum Thread: Railbreak (by Dead Drop Studios)

Railbreak Pocket Edition ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Railbreak Pocket Edition is custom built to look and play great on tons of modern devices so everyone can enjoy their trip to Cypress Ridge!

It’s Saturday night in Cypress Ridge which means the city is in ruins, hordes of flesh eating undead are on the prowl, and you have the arcade all to yourself! Select your survivor, and blast your way to safety as the city burns around you in this on-rails survival horror shooter. Oh, and did we mention the arcade cabinet has a touch screen this time around!?

Forum Thread: Railbreak (by Dead Drop Studios)

Royal Card Clash (Free)

iTunes Description

Royal Card Clash is a total reimagining of classic card games like Solitaire, with just you and a deck of playing cards. The number cards serve as your attack cards against the royal cards. Be as efficient as possible to break you enemies. You will have to think carefully and play your cards right to achieve victory.

Forum Thread: Royal Card Clash (by Gearhead Games ApS)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory takes place in the Werewolf: The Apocalypse universe, from the Classic World of Darkness game series, and follows Samira, an Afghan werewolf and refugee, as she flees her homeland and gets caught up in Poland during a border crisis. There are two main story branches to pursue, one where you’re helping to solve a supernatural murder and one where you’re investigating a heinous pack of murderous werewolves. Every decision you make will impact the story and uncover details about Samira and her own problems and inner demons. This is the second Werewolf: The Apocalypse game Different Tales has released following Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest just a few weeks ago, and while Purgatory is its own standalone story fans who have played through Heart of the Forest will see some familiar characters and locations. Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory is set to launch on July 23rd at a price of $9.99 on iOS and $14.99 on PC and consoles, and is available for pre-order on the App Store right now.

I was a MAJOR fan of Genshin Impact back in 2020, even choosing it as our Game of the Year for that year, and I still feel like it absolutely deserves that award. However, I did hit a point in the game where I was just overwhelmed with things to upgrade or improve before I could move any further, and it just kind of… crushed my spirit, I guess. I mean hey, I can’t really complain. I spent well over 100 hours in that beautiful world and never paid a dime. It seems pretty likely that I’ll end up in a similar situation with Zenless Zone Zero given its huge roster of unlockable characters and nearly endless things to upgrade.

Until I hit a point like that though? It’s game on, baby! Zenless Zone Zero is majorly fun. The combat mechanics are really interesting while still being approachable, and the overall style of the game is much more appealing to me than the fantasy setting of Genshin Impact. There’s still lots of waifu fantasy stuff here, but the more cyberpunk setting is a lot more interesting and I’m actually finding the story really intriguing. The characters’ personalities and their voice acting is top notch as well, and there’s a lot of actual laugh out loud humor peppered throughout the game’s dialogue that I’m enjoying a lot.

Zenless Zone Zero is free, and normally that makes it easy to say “Hey this game is cool, but just go ahead and try it and see for yourself!" That’s a little harder to do here though since this particular game clocks in at a whopping 25 GB. Make some room! However, the initial download is a much more reasonable 3.6 GB and you can indeed hop in and play the prologue to basically see what you’re in for before deciding to download the rest of the game from within the app. So I guess I CAN just say… go check this one out for yourself! Zippy combat, style for miles, an eclectic cast of characters and a really interesting universe to explore, there’s tons to enjoy here.

Antstream Arcade (Free)

iTunes Description

Discover a lifetime of gaming, the ultimate retro gaming experience with Antstream Arcade. Dive into a vast collection of over 1300 classic games, with new titles added every week. Travel through countless genres and eras, from arcade legends to cherished console classics, all streamed directly to your phone or tablet without messing around with ROMs or emulators.

Forum Thread: Antstream Arcade (by Antstream Ltd)

Arm Arena (Free)

iTunes Description

Most worry about the day the machines take over. But nobody considers how they will entertain themselves afterward. In a future where machines reign supreme, the ultimate spectacle is arena combat. Not content with mere simulations, they’ve scoured the world’s databases to form the most thrilling combatants. From revered robotic ancestors to the fiercest fantasy warriors. All to challenge the Arena’s central defender.

Forum Thread: Arm Arena (by BP3D)

Battle Crush (Free)

iTunes Description

BATTLE CRUSH is a 30-Player Action Brawl genre game.
Thrilling gameplay set on crumbling terrain.

■ A 30-Player Battle On A Crumbling Field!
30 players compete against each other to be the last one standing! You only have 8 minutes tops! Join the fray that takes place on a crumbling field and quench your thirst for action!

Forum Thread: Battle Crush (by NCSOFT)

Bloobi (Free)

iTunes Description

Unscramble 8 letters and build as many words as possible. Play coop or battle mode with friends!

You have 10 minutes to unscramble a set of 8 unique letters and build as many words as possible. There is always 1 letter that is required to be in the word.

Forum Thread: Bloobi (by For One Red)

Dabble (Free)

iTunes Description

Dabble is a fun word game that teases your vocabulary and strategy skills. Using a spin board to create new word possibilities, you hardly get stuck in Dabble. The game is designed to strengthen focus and relax your mind at the same time, what we proudly call word therapy!

Our vision is to connect and bond generations through shared and satisfying interest in crafting words — relaxed minds are primed for togetherness. Dabble in, our journey starts here.

Forum Thread: Dabble – Word Games + Spin (by Parosa)

Game of Splash! (Free)

iTunes Description

Game of Splash! is simple. Tap the drops and all the drops on the board to get to the next level before running out of taps. Get more taps by creating chain reactions.

Forum Thread: Game of Splash! (by Appera)

HOT37 ($4.99)

iTunes Description

An isometric, low-poly, sideways side-scroller tower game inspired by sim games of the nineties.

Running a hotel is easy! Add floors and hotel rooms. As rooms are reserved, income increases. Use income to redecorate, add more floors, and add amenities.
Of course, all this construction costs money. Run out of money, and the game is over.

Forum Thread: HOT37 (by Blake Harris)

Lost Mastery ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Lost Mastery: Roguelike Deckbuilding Meets Memory Game

Dive into Lost Mastery, the unique card battler where your memory is your greatest weapon. Navigate through diverse landscapes, engage in strategic battles, and collect powerful cards and items to enhance your journey. Test your skills and uncover the secrets of your Lost Mastery. Are you ready to rise to the challenge?

Forum Thread: Lost Mastery (by RIINA PAULIINA KUJALA)

Minesweeper (Free)

iTunes Description

Run the numbers and reveal each square with care. Travel the world clearing undersea mines in this fresh spin on the classic logic puzzle game.

Which tiles on the board hide dangerous explosives? Use numeric clues and your powers of deduction to find out, clearing mines in harbors and ports. Complete puzzles to unlock landmarks around the globe. Collect stickers and posters in the retro style of a bygone era as you travel to each beautiful location.

Forum Thread: Minesweeper (by Smoking Gun Interactive)

Otherworld Three Kingdoms (Free)

iTunes Description

A girl obsessed with the Three Kingdoms. One day, she finds herself in the Three Kingdoms era…!

“How about I just reunite the kingdoms myself?"

An average girl joins the generals of the Three Kingdoms to embark on a thrilling idle RPG journey.

Forum Thread: Otherworld Three Kingdoms (by SuperPlanet)

The Pathless ($9.99)

iTunes Description

From the creators of ABZÛ, The Pathless is the mythic adventure of an archer and an eagle in a vast forest.

Become the Hunter, a master of archery who travels to a mystical island to dispel a curse of darkness that grips the world. Forge a connection with your eagle companion and soar through the air. Perform fluid acrobatics and execute awesome trick shots with a unique archery system that allows effortless shooting while moving at high speeds.

Forum Thread: The Pathless (by Giant Squid/Annapurna Interactive)

Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (Free)

iTunes Description

Fear and isolation seep through the walls of an abandoned southern farmhouse. ‘7’ marks a new beginning for survival horror with the “Isolated View” of the visceral new first-person perspective. Powered by RE ENGINE, horror reaches incredible heights of immersion as players enter a terrifyingly new world of fear as they fight to survive.

Forum Thread: Resident Evil 7 Biohazard (by CAPCOM)

VENARI – Escape Room Adventure ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Embark on an epic adventure to an ancient, mysterious island where your escape room puzzle skills will be put to the test!

After a surprising encounter with an old friend, you are handed a secret map revealing the location of a long-lost, mystical object known as the Venari artefact. Intrigued by the mystery and driven by curiosity, you charter a sea plane to an uncharted island shrouded in mystery.

As you touch down at the island’s shore, you quickly realise that this journey will demand every ounce of your puzzle-solving prowess. The island is a labyrinth of ancient ruins, hidden chambers, and intricate puzzles, each guarding clues and secrets that inch you closer to the artefact.

Forum Thread: VENARI – Escape Room Adventure (M9 Games)

Warlock TetroPuzzle (Free)

iTunes Description

Discover innovative block puzzle, unique mix of dungeon solitaire, tile match and board game! Combine tile matching with Tetris-style challenges.

Would you like to become a warlock who controls tetromino magic?
Or you’re a fan of block puzzles and want unique innovative mechanics?

Forum Thread: Warlock TetroPuzzle (by Maksym Matiushenko)

Waven (Free)

iTunes Description

Forge Your Own Destiny! Choose a character, equip your best spells, and sail from island to island in your quest for fame and fortune. Level up and improve your strategy in this cross-platform online RPG with unique and vibrant artistic direction.

Forum Thread: Waven (by Ankama)

Zenless Zone Zero (Free)

iTunes Description

Zenless Zone Zero is an all-new 3D action game from HoYoverse that takes place in a near future, with the world plagued by a mysterious disaster known as “Hollows."

Dual Identities, a Singular Experience
In the near future, a mysterious natural disaster known as “Hollows" has occurred. A new kind of city has emerged in this disaster-ridden world — New Eridu. This last oasis has mastered the technology to co-exist with Hollows and is home to a whole host of chaotic, boisterous, dangerous, and very active factions. As a professional Proxy, you play a crucial role in linking the city and the Hollows. Your story awaits.

Forum Thread: Zenless Zone Zero (by HoYoverse)

What you’ll be getting with Spooky Pixel Hero is 120 levels of hardcore platforming action, all presented in portrait orientation for the first time for an AppSir game. You’ll also be working to solve puzzles and uncover the secrets inside the game’s “code" as you “repair" it, and this of course leads to all sorts of shocking and horrific discoveries. While lots of games pay homage to the 8-bit and 16-bit eras, not all that many elect to dive even deeper into the late ’70s and early ’80s aesthetic of video games, so it’s cool to see Spooky Pixel Hero doing just that. The release date is set for August 12th and ahead of that time you can pre-order the iOS version on the App Store here or pre-register for the Android version over on the Google Play Store here.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Right off the bat Guncho has a pretty different look from most other Tinytouchtales games. It’s an Old Western themed game, which is kind of a departure from their more medieval-ish fantasy stuff. It’s also a 3D game, which as far as I can tell is a first for Tinytouchtales. However, when you get down to the mechanical stuff, this is a Tinytouchtales game through and through. A hex-based tactical turn-based roguelike? Yeah that checks out.

The unique element in Guncho that sets it apart from similar games is its revolver mechanic. Being a Western game, your main weapon is a six-shooter. You can see the cylinder and bullets at the bottom of the screen. Those six bullets correspond to the six sides of each hexagon tile you’re standing on, meaning you can shoot at enemies that are facing any of those six sides and are within 3 spaces from you (at least for standard bullets).

The tricky part is that each time you move or perform an action, the cylinder rotates one position. You can change whether it rotates clockwise or counterclockwise on the fly, which has tactical uses. Also, once you’ve fired a bullet it’s gone from the cylinder, and so as enemies pop up around the board you need to make sure that you’re moving and using your bullets in such a way that you’re setting yourself up for future turns. You might be moving yourself into a spot that lines up with an enemy only for the cylinder to rotate to an empty bullet for that direction, which means you might be hosed.

You CAN reload your entire cylinder, but you need to either have fired off all your bullets or manually discharged the ones you haven’t used, which sort of acts like a “wait" command and essentially costs you a turn. There are also enviornmental hazards that need to be avoided to keep yourself out of harm, but can also be used to your advantage by luring enemies into them. After each round you can choose between an ammunition upgrade or a new special ability to help equip yourself for the rest of your run.

The goal is to play through six rounds and then fight a boss at the end, all without dying, and if you’re successful you have basically won the game. You can play on Normal or Expert difficulty and there’s also a Daily mode to play. I adore the revolver mechanic in Guncho and feel like the game has a ton of potential to be expanded upon should the developers choose to. As is it feels a little bare bones, but that also makes it a really easy game to just dive into for a quick round here and there. Guncho is free to try with a full game unlock IAP, so why not give it a “shot" for yourself? Get it? Shot like in shooting a gun? Wocka wocka.

Anyway, The Pathless was truly one of the great games on Apple Arcade, and despite being available on other platforms it was a bummer to lose the only way to play the game on mobile devices. Thankfully Annapurna wasn’t going to leave us hanging and today they’ve released a standalone premium version of The Pathless as a regular old App Store release. The game is priced at $9.99 which is cheaper than its regular price on other platforms, but also matches the current sale price of the game on Steam. So if you missed out on The Pathless when it was an Apple Arcade title now is your chance to buy the game the old-fashioned way and see what you’ve been missing.

ArcEmu ($1.99)

iTunes Description

ArcEmu is the first emulator for Apple Watch.
It also works seamlessly on iPhone and iPad, providing a comprehensive gaming experience across all your Apple devices.

Forum Thread: ArcEmu (by Raffaele D’Amato)

Art Inc. 2 (Free)

iTunes Description

Step into the fascinating world of art and history with Art Inc 2! As the Buffalo Museum’s Director, it’s your mission to shape the growth and development of your establishment. This idle game allows you to dive deep into the experience of running a museum and collecting artifacts from all over the world while you enjoy a full-length story filled with plot twists and surprises.

Forum Thread: Art Inc. 2 (by PIXIO)

CookieRun: Tower of Adventures (Free)

iTunes Description

The seal on the oven has broken. Join GingerBrave and his friends on their epic journey to save the Pancake Tower from evil!

Enjoy exploring every corner of the Pancake Tower with friends in a 3D Cookie action adventure! Work together to defeat challenging bosses!

Clear stages to earn sweet equipment and join the Cookies on their adventure as they learn the secrets of what threatens the peace inside the magical tower!

Forum Thread: CookieRun: Tower of Adventures (by Devsisters)

Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit (Free)

iTunes Description

Attention, Spirit Scouts! Something spooky is afoot: A bus crash has left you stranded alone on a mysterious (yet delightfully cute) island. Explore the unique island, meet and befriend cute, ghostly spirit bears who need your help to remember their pasts and find peace. Customize a bustling, beautiful campsite — crafting, decorating, and building furniture to bring life and color back to this cute island — and hopefully reunite with your lost scout troop as you gradually repair your bus.

Forum Thread: Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit (by Spry Fox)

Guncho (Free)

iTunes Description

Guncho is a single player turn based tactical wild west shooter-roguelike. Engage in a unique positional shooting mechanic and fight your way through a series of randomly generated levels. Ride your donkey and use a variety of skills and bullet upgrades to become the ultimate gun slinger.

Forum Thread: Guncho (by Arnold Rauers)

Knight Lancer (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome to KNIGHT LANCER, an arcade jousting game where your skill is rewarded with epic ragdoll physics!

Your lands have been taken, your family name bismirched. But you have your lance and a horse – what more does a knight need?
Set off on a journey to regain your honour! Toss caution (and your ragdoll enemies) to the wind and become: a Knight!

Forum Thread: Knight Lancer (by ToweringTower)

Letterbox – Daily Word Games (Free)

iTunes Description

Get ready to keep your mind sharp with a collection of unique daily word games! Enjoy new puzzles to solve every day!
Climb the leaderboards, track your progress, and enjoy an ad-free gaming experience.

Forum Thread: Letterbox – Daily Word Games (by AZIO Labs)

Monster Hunter Puzzles (Free)

iTunes Description

The Felyne Isles may seem like a peaceful corner of the Monster Hunter universe, but all is not well… Monsters are rampaging, making life miserable for the residents.

– Solve puzzles and help Felynes get back on their paws!
All of the “Catizens" have their own stories. Listen to what they need and solve their problems to bring the island back to life! There’s drama waiting to unfold on every corner of these isles. Come join these cute Felynes on their soon-to-be island paradise!

Forum Thread: Monster Hunter Puzzles (by Capcom)

New Nobunaga’s Ambition (Free)

iTunes Description

Authorized by KOEI TECMO GAMES, this new SLG game is themed on the Sengoku Period of Japan.

Travel through time into Sengoku. Partner with famous Sengoku Warlords of different classes like Samurai and Ninja, and realize your ambition on the battlefield!

Forum Thread: New Nobunaga’s Ambition (by Hong Kong Black Beard Game Limited)

purple (game) (Free)

iTunes Description

A purple puzzle game for you!

Can you make the screen purple in 50 levels?
Each level has its own logic.

It’s here, the next part of my colour puzzle series! After ‘yellow’, ‘red’, ‘black, ‘blue’, ‘green’, ‘pink’ and ‘orange’ it’s time to solve 50 new conundrums!

Forum Thread: purple (game) (by Bart BONTE)

Retroman – NES Emulator ($0.99)

iTunes Description

Experience the golden age of gaming by playing your favorite NES classics right on your iPhone or iPad!

Retroman features an advanced emulation engine that delivers ultimate performance, ensuring smooth gameplay with minimal lag, while optimized rendering and audio deliver an authentic NES experience.

Forum Thread: Retroman – NES Emulator (by Konstantinos Papadakis)

Space Gladiators ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Space Gladiators is a 2D hand-drawn roguelite platformer following a bunch of captives fighting their way out of a planet prison. Defeat hordes of aliens in the gladiatorial arenas and earn your freedom!

You’ve been captured and sent to entertain aliens as a gladiator in a faraway planet called Tartarus. You will have to advance through randomly generated biomes with deadly traps and monsters blocking your path. Choose your opponents in the arenas, beat them for items and coins and you might be able to earn your freedom!

Forum Thread: Space Gladiators (by Erabit Studios)

Space Spree (Free)

iTunes Description

In Space Spree, the stakes are high, and the action is intense. Aliens from distant galaxies rush toward you, leaving you with two choices: eliminate them or avoid them at all costs. One wrong move, and they’ll end your mission instantly. The aliens’ health points are displayed, providing crucial information and helping you decide which targets you can eliminate in the limited time you have. Make every shot count!

Forum Thread: Space Spree (by TNTC Studio)

Tarisland (Free)

iTunes Description

The Blight Dragon is here! Tarisland, a new cross-platform game that brings back the fun of iconic MMORPGs, will launch soon. Recreating the challenging dungeons and immersive exploration experience with a classic fantasy art style, Tarisland will be available on both PC and mobile with data-sharing enabled. You may choose from 9 classes and 18 specializations to customize your own builds. Raid with your group and take down epic bosses!

Forum Thread: Tarisland (by Level Infinite)

Welcome to Everdell ($7.99)

iTunes Description

Build your perfect make-believe city in the digital adaptation of the beloved family-friendly board game!

Hear ye, hear ye!
The parade is about to begin! I will give lots of shiny points to the critter with the best things that I like the most!

Join Chip, Sweep, and the kids of Everdell to build the most spectacular make-believe city ever!

Forum Thread: Welcome to Everdell (by Dire Wolf Digital)

As you can see from that trailer, there’s a heavy Portal vibe going on as you work your way through and eventually outside the approved confines of this mysterious dream therapy facility, and all the while a computer-voiced narrator is admonishing your actions. I’m digging it. Superliminal will be free to try with a one-time full game unlock IAP that will set you back $7.99, but for the first two weeks of launch you can get that full unlock at a discounted price of just $5.99. You can pre-order the iOS version on the App Store here, or pre-register for the Android version on the Google Play Store here. I’ll be looking forward to getting lost in Superliminal when it arrives on mobile July 30th.

We really loved the concept of Terra Nil when we reviewed the Netflix and PC versions upon release last year, as well as the Switch version in December, and most of our negative remarks were in regards to the somewhat poor technical performance and numerous glitches we encountered. Without all that the underlying game seemed really solid and enjoyable. Well there have been several updates to the game since that aimed squarely at addressing those issues, and with today’s big content update and overhaul to the wildlife system I’m hopeful that Terra Nil is finally where we wished it would have been when it first came out. The concept and relaxing nature of the game are too good to be spoiled by things like bugs and performance issues, so if you had this one previously and were turned off by such things maybe give this new version a spin, and if this is your first time encountering Terra Nil then let this big update be your reason to check it out.

This is a game that has a very old-school feel, but it’s actually not a whole lot like the point-and-clicks you might be remembering from the ’90s. There’s no inventory or items to muck about with, as all the puzzles are built around the objects and environments in each room of a gigantic tower. You also will come across a small companion creature before too long, and you’ll be able to swap between your main character and this companion at will in order to solve puzzles. Alluding to the game’s title, light and shadows play a key part in this world and there’s some elements of a room that only exist as shadows which your companion can interact with but you cannot.

The puzzles run right up to the edge of being obtuse sometimes, but never really cross that line. Some of the solutions are actually really clever and even help flesh out the world and its lore. There’s no dialogue written or voiced, and everything story-wise in LUNA The Shadow Dust is explained by absolutely gorgeous animated cutscenes or within the game world itself. Some things are well-explained and some left fairly vague, purposely I think, but overall this is a game world that definitely sucks you in and has you wanting to learn more. This is especially true of your character and that cute little companion of yours.

LUNA The Shadow Dust is a very slow-paced game, and there’s not a whole lot of hand-holding when it comes to puzzles or exactly what you’re supposed to do next. It’s a game that you can poke around with and explore and make your way through bit by bit as you enjoy the environments and the world-building. That said the puzzles are very satisfying to solve, so if you for some reason don’t give a lick about aesthetics or story there’s still plenty for your brain to chew on, but really this is a game that should be appreciated for all its parts as an interactive piece of art. If that sort of thing is jam you should be well-served adding LUNA The Shadow Dust to your collection.

21 Letters (Free)

iTunes Description

21 Letters every day.

Build connecting words and score as high as you can. Once you run out of letters, or can’t make any more words, your daily round is over.

Share your score with your friends and family – since everyone has the same letters for any given day, every day is a competition!

Forum Thread: 21 Letters (by Shallot Games)

A Fragile Mind ($1.99)

iTunes Description

A Fragile Mind is a compact first-person point and click mystery adventure game chock-full of puzzles, secrets, and questions.

Waking up in a courtyard to the sound of an unnervingly familiar voice, you have no memory of how you got there.

You know the drill by now.

Solve puzzles, take photos, read strategically placed notes, press buttons, unlock doors, use items, escape!

Forum Thread: A Fragile Mind (by Glitch Games)

Astral Survivor (Free)

iTunes Description

The latest installment in the “Astral Stairways" series by Firedog Studio! This survival-type game emphasizes diverse combat styles and responsive gameplay, providing an exhilarating and seamless battle experience.

Explore richly detailed maps and utilize the skill tree upgrade system to create the most powerful character builds!

Embark on a brand-new storyline within the “Astral Stairways" universe. As a player, your mission is to save the goddess who was separated from the Starblade hero. Summon powerful followers to annihilate countless void monsters and prevent the world from being consumed!

Forum Thread: Astral Survivor (by Firedog Creative)

Fighters Legacy (Free)

iTunes Description

Unleash your fighting spirit and dominate in Fighters Legacy. A real relaxing fighting …

Game Features
Upon deploying fighters, they will fight for you. The auto-battle mode, skip and smash functions, are to free your hands to kill your time. If you are looking for an idle game, do not miss it. Finish daily quests within 10 minutes, and then focus on improving yourself tactically.

Forum Thread: Fighters Legacy (by PARKER-HANNIFIN HONG KONG, LIMITED)

HexGods: Arena of Destiny (Free)

iTunes Description

Strategize, battle, and ascend in HexGods! Craft your deck, conquer dynamic battles, and rise through ranks. Your legacy awaits in the HexArena!

Dive into “HexGods," a riveting strategy board game that challenges your tactical prowess and card management skills. With over 200 unique cards, from the common Silver to the rare Legendary, build your ultimate deck to dominate the HexArena. Start your journey with 48 unlocked cards, customizing your deck to suit your strategic preferences.

Forum Thread: HexGods: Arena of Destiny (by Tomaz Jerman)

Honor of Kings (Free)

iTunes Description

Honor of Kings International Edition, developed by Tencent Timi Studio and published by Level Infinite, is the world’s most popular mobile MOBA game. Dive into the classic MOBA excitement with 5V5 hero’s gorge, fair matchups; numerous battle modes and a vast selection of heroes allow you to demonstrate your dominance with first blood, pentakills, and legendary feats, crushing all competition! Localized hero voiceovers, skins, and smooth server performance ensure quick matchmaking, teaming up with friends for ranking battles, and enjoying all the fun of PC MOBAs and action games as you ascend to the pinnacle of honor! The enemy is nearing the battlefield—players, rally your allies for team battles in Honor of Kings!

Forum Thread: Honor of Kings (by Level Infinite)

Looped Interactive ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Guide Him and Her through the chapters of their story by solving peaceful mini-puzzles and find a way out of the loop.

Looped is a short interactive story in which you solve mini-puzzles to progress a peaceful story about love, rockets, and time travel.

This is a story of a love-at-first-sight so powerful it creates a wormhole in time. From the end to the beginning and back again, you follow Him and Her and help them with tasks along their way.

Forum Thread: Looped Interactive (by Studio Hamlin)

LUNA The Shadow Dust ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Inspired by the adventure games of old, LUNA The Shadow Dust is a moving tale of two playable companions drawn together in a hand-animated puzzle adventure, featuring a breathtaking original soundtrack and beautiful 2D cinematics.

To light a candle is to cast a shadow
Behind the shadow of reality, an enchanted world awaits illumination. Experience the magical journey of a young boy and his companion as they solve puzzles and trace back the memories of old, brought to life with visually stunning, wordless cinematics.
Enter the ancient tower that stands at the edge of the world and discover the hand-drawn cinematics, intricate puzzles and haunting music of this indie gem.

Forum Thread: LUNA The Shadow Dust (by ASH Software)

Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist (Free)

iTunes Description

Help the town with… art!

Take your art on the go with your handy foldable easel. Explore the charming puppet town of Phénix, get to know its residents and what makes them tick. Help them out with commissions, like drawing a new ad for Steve’s restaurant! Or why not buy a studio so you can work from home, just like the good old days?

Forum Thread: Passpartout 2: The Lost Artist (by Flamebait Games)

Shaporama (Free)

iTunes Description

Tilt your phone and explore unknown shapes.
Take a sip of water, coffee, beer or milk and let it flow.
Type the correct answer and solve the mystery.

Forum Thread: Shaporama (by Tim Kretz)

Subliminal Football Quiz ($0.99)

iTunes Description

Words and faces magically blend into pictures.

Football isn’t just about the words ‘PENALTY’ and ‘GOAL’, or the players ‘MESSI’ and ‘RONALDO’. There’s a whole lot more to it. Explore the lingo and history for a deeper understanding.

Bring your carrots! Super sight needed because there are 100 football terms to find.
Got your chocolate? Excellent memory needed to identify 100 football personalities.

Forum Thread: Subliminal Football Quiz (by Indest)

Vault of the Void ($6.99)

iTunes Description

Vault of the Void is a single-player, low-RNG roguelike deckbuilder designed to put the power into your hands. Continuously build, transform and iterate on your deck as you progress through your run – or even before each battle. Preview which enemies you’ll be battling before each encounter, giving you a chance to carefully plan your strategy. With no random events, your success is in your hands – and your creativity and skill define your chances of victory!

Forum Thread: Vault of the Void (Spider Nest Games)

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest ($9.99)

iTunes Description

The forest beckons, will you answer its call? Choose wisely in this narrative adventure inspired by the legendary tabletop RPG set in the World of Darkness universe.

Transform into a Werewolf in this Narrative RPG Adventure

Dive into the secrets of Europe’s last wilderness in “Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest., a narrative-driven indie RPG that brings the classic tabletop experience to your screen. Play as Maia, explore your ancestry in the mysterious Białowieża Forest, and let your choices guide this adventure of dark secrets and fantasy within the World of Darkness universe.

Forum Thread: Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Heart of the Forest (by Different Tales)

Fantastico Studio goes on to add: “Thanks to the valuable feedback from our community of players, we have worked hard to enrich the gaming experience both graphically and in terms of gameplay. The pixel art has been completely overhauled, making every detail pop with vibrant color and clarity. The gameplay has been meticulously rebalanced, and the new synthwave tracks are electrifying, setting the perfect mood as you blast through waves of enemies. One of the standout additions is the hardcore boss rush mode – a true test for any seasoned player." Sounds pretty fantastico to me! See what I did there? Black Paradox Reloaded will launch on Steam in October and can be wishlisted now, with console and mobile versions to follow sometime afterward. No dates just yet for the mobile version but it’s something I’ll be keeping a keen eye out for.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

And in a lot of ways it IS that, but it’s also so much more, and it’s hard to understand that just from screenshots or trailers alone. Perhaps that’s why this game still seems so under the radar despite originally releasing almost two years ago and having nothing but gushing praise from those who have played it, as well as critical acclaim from reviewer-types. Well, let this game’s arrival on Netflix be your catalyst to get this one directly on your radar screen. Not under it.

What’s most surprising to me about The Case of the Golden Idol, at least in my early time with it, is that this is really a puzzle game first and foremost, but dressed up in classic adventure game attire. The logic-based deduction is done so perfectly as you start sussing out the clues and info surrounding a dozen separate murder scenes, and it’s almost unbelievable how well working through the puzzles really burns an impressive amount of information into your brain without you even realizing it. I kind of wish this game was secretly teaching me a second language or something with how well it imparts information.

At the end of the day this is a game that truly makes you feel like a detective, and the way it leans into its absurdity, and silliness, and even darkness as a complex narrative is formed is ultra satisfying. The Case of the Golden Idol is a really unique game and one that will hopefully find a greatly expanded audience now that it’s essentially “free" for Netflix subscribers.

The Case of the Golden Idol (Free)

iTunes Description

Mayhem, magic and murder most foul! Examine clues and use your powers of deduction to solve a series of grisly murders and the twisted mystery of a family’s cursed heirloom in this point-and-click detective adventure game.

In 1742, a gold figurine imbued with supernatural powers passes into the hands of an explorer by way of a dastardly act. Decades later, the treasure continues to cast a spell over his descendants. Step into the shoes of an 18th-century detective to uncover the dark truth behind a series of strange — and somehow connected — deaths that seem to follow in the idol’s wake.

Forum Thread: The Case of the Golden Idol (by Netflix, Inc.)

Delusion: Tactical Idle RPG (Free)

iTunes Description

“The fallen sorcerer’s curse spread around the world… And the spire was covered in darkness."

The greatest heroes of the era set out to conquer the spire, but their fate was unclear…
Now, it is time for you to step in!
Set out on a journey with your party to conquer the spire!

Forum Thread: Delusion: Tactical Idle RPG (by SuperPlanet)

Disney Frozen Royal Castle (Free)

iTunes Description

The world of Disney Frozen comes to life in this fun-filled doll house game, Disney Frozen Royal Castle!
Parents can have fun with kids while playing with Anna, Elsa, Kristoff and other Frozen dolls, as they dress up, cook, and explore!

Featuring content from the beloved films, kids can customize and play in their very own royal doll house, allowing them to express their creativity and imagination.

Forum Thread: Disney Frozen Royal Castle (by Budge Studios)

Heroes of Crown: Legends (Free)

iTunes Description

Open Beta in full swing! Join now to get Light-Dark Exclusive Selection 100%, and log in everyday to get a total of 1000 summons!

“When the Chosen One is born, they will find the lost seven ancient crowns, ensuring that darkness will never encroach upon the homeland."

Heroes of Crown: Legends is a 3D Next-gen idle adventure RPG. The game utilizes next-generation modeling, vivid scenes, GPU particle effects, and PBR rendering to create high-quality artistic design. The easy and casual idle gameplay that contains a fantasy adventure merging multiple civilizations and legendary Heroes from Netherworld allows you to embark on your own legendary journey.

Forum Thread: Heroes of Crown: Legends (by Ujoy Games)

Kaiju Attack 2 ($2.99)

iTunes Description

To wash away the shame of defeat two years ago, Chaos has gathered an alien coalition, attacking Earth once more, citing humanity’s sins as justification.
Even the once-defending superhero now turns against us. As the commander, how will you resolve this crisis? What lies ahead for humanity and Earth?

Forum Thread: Kaiju Attack 2 (by Game Stew)

The Legend of Jaffa Brownie (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into the whimsical world of Jaffa cakes and uncover the mysteries within!

“The Legend of Jaffa Brownie" is a 3D action-adventure where you play as Jaffa Brownie on a quest to find the Heart of the Factory and uncover the truth about your existence.

Explore every corner of the Jaffa factory:
Step into the colourful world of Jaffa sweet creations. Experience the peaceful life on the factory farm, the fast-paced urban cityscape, as well as some darker and colder parts of the factory.

Forum Thread: The Legend of Jaffa Brownie (by Shosha Games)

Legends of Heropolis DX ($6.99)

iTunes Description

The town of Heropolis has been destroyed! Can you rebuild it to be the center of justice once more?
Grow your heroes, gather your friends, and battle evil in this superhero simulation game.

In a town devastated by the nefarious Evilcorp, all hope seems lost… yet the flames of justice aren’t so easily quenched. One gallant hero won’t rest until their town is restored to its former glory.
Construct a secret base, gather heroes from far and wide, and bring peace back to Heropolis!

Forum Thread: Legends of Heropolis DX (by Kairosoft)

Olympics Go! Paris 2024 (Free)

iTunes Description

Build your dream city around Olympic venues and boost attendance while achieving athletic excellence in 12 sports mini-games!

BUILD, COMPETE, CELEBRATE!
Immerse yourself in the Olympic Games and train like a champion in 12 crowd-roaring mini-games. Dominate the swimming pool, master archery, and push your limits in track and field. Unleash your inner architect and build up your dream city around Olympic venues with iconic landmarks. Feel the thrill of competition, the joy of victory, and the satisfaction of creating something unique with Olympics GO! Paris 2024.

Forum Thread: Olympics Go! Paris 2024 (by nWay Inc.)

Warzone of Destiny 95 ($1.99)

iTunes Description

Destiny is decided… in the Warzone. In 1995.

Warzone of Destiny 95 is a quick and casual turn-based strategy game with retro graphics. Explore the map, collect resources, find hidden special units, build an army, and defeat the enemy.

Play against an AI opponent on procedurally generated maps. Explore the map and capture villages to generate revenue that you can use to build buildings and units in your city. Across the map you can also find hidden special units, such as the God of Thunder, a Samurai Clan or a gang of Militant Vegans. March your army against the enemy and raze their city to win the game!

Forum Thread: Warzone of Destiny 95 (by Alfakrull)

LUNA The Shadow Dust is published by Application Systems Heidelberg Software, who most recently brought a mobile version of The Longing to the App Store back in December. LUNA has garnered positive reaction from its PC and console releases, and of course point & click adventures are a really great fit for touchscreen devices, so I imagine it will feel right at home on iOS and Android. The game is currently available for pre-order on the iOS App Store here, and for Android devices it’s available for pre-registration on the Google Play Store here. It’ll set you back a very reasonable $4.99 and its release date is all set for June 20th, so keep an eye out for this one next week.

While talking about the new version of MacOS, which is dubbed Sequoia, Apple welcomed Ubisoft’s Vice President & Executive Producer of the Assassin’s Creed franchise Marc-Alexis Côté to present during the keynote video. Here Côté announced that the newest upcoming Assassin’s Creed game, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, will be launching simultaneously on Mac alongside its console and PC launch on November 15th. They also announced that the game will be coming to iPad devices, and while there was no mention of iPhone, my personal theory is that they’re waiting until the new iPhone announcement this fall to make that official. Especially since Assassin’s Creed Mirage, our Game of the Week last week, JUST launched on both the iPhone 15 and M1 iPads so I can’t imagine them keeping this upcoming title iPad only, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

Finishing off the gaming news from WWDC is the announcement of the new Games Porting Toolkit 2. Apple unveiled the first Games Porting Toolkit during last year’s WWDC, and it’s more or less a fork of the CrossOver software by CodeWeavers which for many years now has allowed Mac users to run tons of software titles even when they don’t have a Mac version. The new Games Porting Toolkit 2 will include better Windows compatibility, new shader debugging tools, and more. It will also allow for a much easier transition when making a Mac version of a game to continue on and make it for the iPhone and iPad as well. Apple doesn’t exactly have the best reputation for being serious about gaming, but they do seem like they’ve shown a much greater interest in it over the past couple years on both Mac and iOS devices. Whether that ends up mattering to a significant portion of the gaming audience remains to be seen, but I’m still always very happy to see Apple talking about gaming in any capacity.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Well, some iOS devices. You’re going to need to be rocking an iPhone 15 Pro or its Max variant to play this bad boy on iPhone, and over on the iPad side of things you’ll need an M1 chip or higher device. This really is the big pants version of the game with seemingly very little compromise running on tiny little handheld computer devices. It’s remarkable. We’re finally at a point where we don’t have to settle for a “mobile-ized" version of a beloved series, and can instead simply enjoy the same experience on our mobile devices that we’d have on our TVs or monitors. What a time to be alive. This trailer is from the console/PC version but it should give you an idea of what the game is like.

I’m not going to go into the nitty gritty of what exactly Assassin’s Creed Mirage is as there are no shortage of reviews out there from the console and PC release last year, and as to how it performs on the iOS devices capable of running them our pal MrMacRight on Youtube has done an in-depth analysis of that already. Plus, the game is free to download and try with a full game unlock IAP so really the best thing to do if you have a device capable of running the game is to simply download it and try it yourself. You’ll need to make sure you have some device space freed up since it’s a biggie, but it’s really the best way to see if you like the game.

What I will say however is that I am absolutely here for games like this being released on iOS. Just from the opening moments of Assassin’s Creed Mirage where you’re parkouring your way across rooftops in an open and effortless fashion, it’s hard not to have a big grin on your face knowing this is running on a little iOS device. Sure the visuals are dumbed down a tad but it’s not really noticeable on such a small, high resolution screen anyway. For SO LONG we’ve been banging the drum that iOS devices are powerful enough to hang with other platforms, and it feels like in the past year we’re finally starting to see that be the reality. So do yourself a favor and check out the free portion of Assassin’s Creed Mirage on an iOS device, and if you’re digging it then be sure to grab the full game unlock before June 20th while it’s on sale for half off.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage (Free)

iTunes Description

In Assassin’s Creed® Mirage, you are Basim, a cunning street thief with nightmarish visions, seeking answers and justice. After an act of deadly retribution, Basim flees Baghdad and joins an ancient organization – The Hidden Ones. As he learns their mysterious rituals and powerful tenets, he will hone his unique abilities, discover his true nature, and come to understand a new Creed – one that will change his fate in ways he never could have imagined.

Forum Thread: Assassin’s Creed Mirage (by Ubisoft)

Chess Twist ($6.99)

iTunes Description

Classic rules, twisted boards

A game of chess set on procedurally generated boards, where straight lines bend and diagonals fork. Same rules, different battlefield. Opportunities for new strategies are hidden in plain sight. Will you see them before your opponent does?

Forum Thread: Chess Twist (by Polygonjs)

Folium ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Folium has just been released with support for Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS emulation

Folium is a beautifully designed, high performing multi-system emulator that allows you to play video games from retro consoles and handhelds, currently including cores for the Game Boy Advance, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS

Forum Thread: Folium (by Jarrod Norwell)

Magus Tower (Free)

iTunes Description

Embark on a thrilling adventure as a wizard trapped in a perilous tower in our captivating hack n’ slash game! Use your magical prowess to cast spells and escape, but beware of the lurking enemy spiders! With intuitive swipe controls, unleash powerful combos of diverse magics to overcome challenges and claim victory. Immerse yourself in stunning visuals, enchanting soundtracks, and dynamic gameplay that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Download now from the Apple Store and experience the magic firsthand!

Forum Thread: Magus Tower (by Felipe Elsner Silva)

MAZAICA (Free)

iTunes Description

Draw the lines & expand numbers – brain relaxing flow connect puzzle game.

Draw the line from a number to extend the line and merge the blocks in this fun puzzle game. Expand all numbers to pass the level, connecting the dots with colorful lines in this engaging block puzzle. Use clues, deduction, anticipation, and logical analytical thinking to master the number games and connect all the numbers.

Forum Thread: MAZAICA – Lines and Numbers (by Hamster On Coke Games)

Metaverse Keeper ($2.99)

iTunes Description

“Metaverse Keeper" is a multiplayer adventure game that combines roguelike elements. Players and their teammates not only battle a variety of monsters, but also delve deep into the demon lord’s fortress, collecting various resources, developing character’s talents, and strengthening their own abilities. As the game progresses, the challenges become more diverse and intense, with limited resource allocation, environmental pressures, and even more ferocious monsters, making every adventure thrilling and intense!

Forum Thread: Metaverse Keeper (by Electronic Soul)

Pocket Kickball (Free)

iTunes Description

Unlock dozens of new fields, game modes, kickballs, characters skin, hats, and customizations for your room! Help us build the first and best kickball mobile game ever!

Forum Thread: Pocket Kickball (by Snow Day Software)

Quetzal – Card Battle TCG (Free)

iTunes Description

Quetzal is the ultimate card battle game based on Aztec mythology. Experience the unique turn-based dueling system with lots of strategic depth and various play styles. Bring ancient Mesoamerica to life by summoning fearsome Aztec deities and legendary creatures onto the battlefield. Upgrade your cards to increase their potency. Upgrade your base to get more loot and unlock more game modes.

Can be played offline. If you like old-school trading card games like Pokémon and Yu Gi Oh, this game will definitely appeal to you!

Forum Thread: Quetzal – Card Battle TCG (by Sandbag Games)

Skul: The Hero Slayer ($7.99)

iTunes Description

Skul is a fast-paced action rogue-lite where losing your head is encouraged.

Featuring 100 playable characters each with their own unique abilities and a ton of items that can create wild synergies, the battles are as electrifying as they are challenging.

Forum Thread: Skul: The Hero Slayer (by Playdigious)

Star Wars: Hunters (Free)

iTunes Description

After the fall of the Galactic Empire, the bright lights of the Grand Arena on Vespaara burst into life and offered survivors and new heroes a platform to shine across the galaxy. Equal parts battle and spectacle, Star Wars: Hunters is where legends are made. Love shooter games and arena combat games? Then get ready to dominate your opponents!

Forum Thread: Star Wars: Hunters (by Zynga)

TAT Rumble (Free)

iTunes Description

TAT Rumble is a 2D fighting game with nostalgic retro 90s pixel art and a unique battle system.
After two years of inactivity, the famous no-rule martial arts tournament, “TWELVE ANONYMOUS TOURNAMENT" (TAT), was suddenly announced to be held in 2023. Join the tournament and aim for the top by collecting “Martial Byte", a new technology allowing one to archive and transfer existing fighters’ techniques to another.

Forum Thread: TAT Rumble (by Kreation Verse)

If you are familiar with Emoak’s previous titles, then you might remember the lengths they go to to achieve a certain level of realism in their games. For Machinaero they studied aerodynamics and physics at length to ensure that each flying machine a player created would properly to things like wind friction, lift, drag, pressure, temperature and fluids. In Lyxo, every light source is made up of thousands of individual light rays that all reflect and refract correctly and independently from one another in order to provide the most realistic virtual lighting possible. I have no doubt that the terrain manipulation and the way that the water flows in Roia will be equally in-depth and impressive. Look for it to launch on iOS and Android on July 16th at a price of $2.99.

For those of us in the US the game will likely go live when our group of time zones rolls over to tomorrow, which for people on the East Coast happens at 11pm ET and then 8PM PT for people like me on the West Coast. One pleasant surprise to the game becoming available is that we learned Ubisoft is running a launch sale on the game, so from now until June 20th you can actually buy that full unlock for $24.99 which is 50% off of its regular price. As our pal Mikhail is finding out too, since it’s out in his territory, it appears that Apple has upped the download size limit for games (or at least for this game) as the initial download clocks in at a whopping 10.51 GB and there’s likely some downloading to happen post-install as well. Make some space! Assassin’s Creed Mirage is limited to A17 Pro chipped iPhones, so iPhone Pro 15 and iPhone Pro 15 Max only, as well as iPads that are M1 chip or higher. I’m excited to see how this one fares on iOS devices and we’ll have more on Assassin’s Creed Mirage in the coming days following its full global release.

I did have some fun with Brawl Stars when that first came out, probably because it was a little more “actiony" than their other games and that’s more my style. Well, perhaps that’s what is speaking to me about Squad Busters, Supercell’s new game that just launched globally this week after getting quite the positive reception during its various soft launch phases. Is this the Supercell game that will finally stick with me, or am I just hung up in this honeymoon phase?

I can’t answer that, as I’ve only spent a very short amount of time with Squad Busters so far, but I can say a couple of things for certain. One is that Supercell is known for very aggressively testing and iterating a game for sometimes years before finally releasing it to the world, and as such their library of actually released games is somewhat small, but all the games they do end up releasing have always felt like they were at the top tier of polish and production values. Squad Busters absolutely fits that bill.

The second thing is that whatever the heck this blend of genres is called, it’s incredibly fun and makes for a really tight game loop. I guess Squad Busters is kind of MOBA-ish? Sort of, I don’t know, I’m not expert. Basically your goal is to roam around a map fighting enemies, destroying objects, and opening chests in order to collect various riches. Gems are the main thing you’ll need, as whoever has the most gems at the end of a round will be the winning team, and there’s other teams on the map alongside you who are all battling to collect treasures just as you are. There are also coins which allow you to open the chests around the map and thus add a new member to your squad.

Rounds are only a few minutes each, and for the first couple of those minutes you’re doing as I described above: Building up your squad and collecting resources. You’re also likely coming across other teams and trying to diminish their numbers a bit if you can. For the last minute of the round though, a giant mine in the middle of the map starts spewing out gems, and from that point it becomes something of a territory battle as your squad tries to collect as many of those gems as you can while preventing other squads from doing the same.

It’s frantic, strategic, and a whole lot of fun. There are loads of unit types, all with evolution paths as you level them up, and which units you have unlocked and who you add to your squad during games adds a key element of strategy to the mix. There’s also a bunch of modifier items that can spice up a round, and more things to unlock and upgrade in the game than you can shake a stick at. You know how these things go, yeah? So it’s hard at this point to tell how things will play out long term, as right now I’m still enamored with the bright lights and happy sounds of being an early player as new items and unlocks flow like wine.

Perhaps that all changes down the road. Even if that’s the case, though, Squad Busters is well worth giving some time to as I think it’s an incredibly clever blend of genres that works super well on mobile. There’s also seemingly a huge player base already as I haven’t had any trouble finding matches in just a few seconds, and it’s fun to go up against teams that you can tell have formulated some good strategies or built up some impressive squads. For free, even if it doesn’t end up being something that sticks around long term, Squad Busters has provided me with plenty of entertainment so far and hopefully this is one that will continue being entertaining for some time to come.

Construction Simulator 4 ($4.99)

iTunes Description

This time, your work will take you to the scenic woods and bays of a fictional map inspired by the Canadian landscape.

Explore three large areas within a map never before seen in the Construction Simulator series! Experience an extensive campaign unique to the individual locations, featuring special challenges you must overcome with your growing construction empire.

Forum Thread: Construction Simulator 4 (by astragon Entertainment)

Daft Trek ($1.99)

iTunes Description

Asteroids meets space invaders inspired retro style game with RPG thrown in. Pilot a fighter ship to save Humanity from an evil rogue zombie AI pirate army.

Defense Against Foreign Threats (D.A.F.T.) Report. In the year 2666 humanity is under threat from an insidious rogue AI, it’s infected minions are deep in the asteroid fields & building an army to attack Earth. You must embark on a D.A.F.T. Trek to save earth! Remote pilot your ship through the asteroid fields to seek & destroy the AI and all their minions!

Forum Thread: Daft Trek (by Thomas Doran)

EigenGauge (Free)

iTunes Description

Hectic and unforgiving. Explore a star system with dozens of locations. Unlock and master a variety of abilities. Choose from one of six vehicles. Compete in races to unlock new challenges.

Forum Thread: EigenGauge (by Blastodisk Labs)

Everbound (Free)

iTunes Description

Battle hostiles, conquer bosses, collect loot, meet NPCs, and more!

This is a turn-based strategy RPG roguelike. Traverse the expansive map and defeat all 6 bosses to claim victory!

Every game is unique with a generated map layout, custom bosses and loot, different hostile types, and tonnes of unique items, armor, weapons, accessories, and potions to discover.

Forum Thread: Everbound (by ANDRE K PHAM)

Geneforge 2 – Infestation HD ($9.99)

iTunes Description

Geneforge 2 – Infestation is a truly open-ended fantasy adventure in a unique world of alien fantasy. You are one of the Shapers, wizards with the awesome power to create life. Want a tool, a trap, an army? You summon it into existence. You create mighty beasts, and they totally obey you. Usually.

But your people have grown lazy and complacent, and a threat has appeared. Your creations are no longer content to serve you. You are lost in a wild, savage mountain range. A rebellion is growing there, and it offers you awesome power if you join. Will you use your powers to destroy the rebels or aid them? Bring peace or lead them to war? The choices are all yours!

Forum Thread: Geneforge 2 – Infestation HD (by Spiderweb Software)

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War (Free)

iTunes Description

Embark on an Epic Adventure with The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War! Set between Trails of Cold Steel II and Trails of Cold Steel III, this story follows the journey of Lavi, member of the Northern Jaegers, born and raised in the North Ambria. Tasked with a daunting mission alongside her teammates Martin, Iseria, and Talion, they must infiltrate the Erebonian Empire to gather intel on a mysterious threat endangering the security of North Ambria.

Forum Thread: The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel – Northern War (by Nihon Falcom/Userjoy Technology)

LEGO Hill Climb Adventures (Free)

iTunes Description

Set off on a grand adventure as you brave the hills in LEGO® Hill Climb Adventures, a single-player exploration game where iconic LEGO® worlds and Hill Climb Racing collide!

Select from a variety of Hill Climb Racing and LEGO vehicles and climb the classic Climb Canyon hills! Using the familiar, fun gameplay of Hill Climb Racing, this brand new game adds twists and extra depth to the beloved gameplay formula with the addition of exploration, adventures and stories for you to discover!

Forum Thread: LEGO Hill Climb Adventures (by Fingersoft)

SameBoy (Free)

iTunes Description

A friendly and powerful Game Boy and Game Boy Color emulator.

SameBoy is a user friendly, powerful and open source Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Super Game Boy emulator.

Forum Thread: SameBoy (by Lior Halphon)

Scoopy Cereal (Free)

iTunes Description

Cerealiously addictive!

Scoopy Cereal is the ultimate breakfast eating simulator that brings fun to your fingertips. Dive into a casual one-touch experience where you test your timing and concentration to become the top cereal muncher!

Forum Thread: Scoopy Cereal (by Spud Spicer)

Songs of Travel (Free)

iTunes Description

An animated graphic novel exploring the unique stories of five migrants seeking new beginnings in Europe. Together, these stories paint a mosaic of themes such as our hopes, dreams, and identities and the things we treasure most.

The aim of Songs of Travel is to bring the personal stories of migrants to a wider audience and paint a vivid picture of the topic of migration. The narratives are tied together by the experiences of the Syrian artist Jack Gutmann, who co-developed the award-winning game “Path Out" with the game’s developer, Causa Creations.

Forum Thread: Songs of Travel (by Causa Creations)

Squad Busters (Free)

iTunes Description

Every match is busting with unique, unpredictable fun! Grow your Squad, loot bosses, bust your friends, collect & Evolve all-star Supercell characters from Clash of Clans, Brawl Stars, Hay Day, Clash Royale, and Boom Beach.

Play endless combinations of Maps with crazy twists and fresh gameplay in every epic 10-player match. Hold on to the most Gems if you can!

Forum Thread: Squad Busters (by Supercell)

Timeswipe.fun (Free)

iTunes Description

Guess the year of historical events, inventions, and more!

Do you know when …?
.. was invented the telephone?
.. World War I ended?
.. was released The Lion King in cinema?

Test your historical knowledge by guessing whether these events occurred before or after a given year!

Forum Thread: Timeswipe.fun (by Pink Bean Studio)

Vampire: The Masquerade – Coteries of New York ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Navigate the shadowy streets of the Big Apple as a newly turned vampire, grappling with the challenges of unlife under the veil of the Masquerade. Forge alliances, uncover secrets, and delve into the intricate web of vampire politics that threatens to consume you.

Make friends and allies, learn more about them and witness your own understanding of the world grow, slowly building a vertiginous big picture. Are you going to be swallowed whole by the constant political struggles between Camarilla and Anarchs or will you rise among your blood-thirsty brethren?

Forum Thread: Vampire: The Masquerade – CoNY (by Plug in Digital)

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

First, I need to admit, I read MAD Magazine a lot growing up and I absolutely adored the “MAD Fold-In" on the back cover of each issue. It would show an image, typically with a caption or comment, that when folded in just the right way would reveal a second hidden image making some sort of satirical comment about the first image. Here’s a nice collection of some in case you’re not familiar. Anyway, the point is that I really admired how the artist was able to create these “hidden" images that would appear if you manipulated the page the right way. Sometimes it was pretty obvious what the folded image would be, but other times I’d stare at the original image for a long time trying to figure out “where are they going with this one?" Good times.

Anyway, Paper Trail has a very similar intrigue for me. The levels are made up of these different pages with terrain on them. Hold two fingers on the screen and you can quickly see the back of each page which also has terrain and environments illustrated on them. By grabbing the edges or corners of the page and folding them into the image on the front, you can use what’s on the back to create new terrain for your character to traverse. It might sound simple, and it certainly starts very basic and straightforward, but pretty quickly things ramp up and all of a sudden you’re coming across these absolute brain-busting puzzles that require you to think about how the front and rear images work in harmony with each other in order to open a path forward.

Needless to say, the touchscreen feels the most well-suited for touching and dragging these pieces of paper around, and it makes me so happy to see that Paper Trail has launched on mobile alongside other platforms because in my opinion mobile is the lead platform for a game like this. The puzzles and how you need to wrap your brain around them, along with the excellent visuals, music, and world-building all give me heavy Monument Valley vibes, so if you’re into games like that then you should be well-served here. And if you don’t have Netflix, well, play it somewhere else by all means, but honestly with Netflix continuing to knock it out of the park week in and week out it might just be time to bite the bullet and start subscribing.

Basic Biking (Free)

iTunes Description

FEATURES:
-Fine-tuned physics-based pedaling
-Hard to master two-button controls: one button for each leg
-7 challenging tracks and an endless track to keep you riding forever
-Bonus features: Mini Bike, E-Scooter, Courier Mode, Spoke Card & Big Helmet
-Totally free: no ads, no IAPs, no data tracking

Forum Thread: Basic Biking (by Otto Ojala)

Capybara Friends (Free)

iTunes Description

Capybara Friends is the ultimate capybara plush toy merging game! A merging game with a twist. Here you merge plush toy capybaras. The soft plushies make the game more engaging. Dive into a world of cuddly fun where your mission is to merge adorable capybara plushies and create the cutest, most unique capybaras.

Discover unique combinations like the buzzing bee capybara, the delicious donut capybara, the cool capybara with sunglasses, capybara with turtle, capybara and the pelican, capybara and the crocodile. The more you merge, the cuter they get!

Forum Thread: Capybara Friends (by TapMen)

Catlists (Free)

iTunes Description

• Give an answer for each question that starts with the round letter on the dice
• Score bonus points for alliteration
• Watch out for Modifiers! They could double your points for a question or restrict what letters your answer starts with
• If you are playing with friends, your answer for a question must be unique within the room. If two players have the same answer, you both score 0 points
• There is 3 minutes on the clock! Get your answers in fast

Forum Thread: Catlists (by Burkus)

Katana ZERO (Free)

iTunes Description

Kill your enemies or face instant death. Slow down time as you slash and dash through a dystopian city to unravel past secrets in this retro adventure.

In this stylish pixel art neo-noir platformer, you’re a samurai assassin facing breakneck action and instant-death combat. Attack enemies with your sword — or whatever else is at your disposal — and avoid obstacles to progress to the next level. Choose how you respond in conversations that drive the story forward between levels.

Forum Thread: Katana ZERO (by Askiisoft)

Knight & Dragon III ($3.99)

iTunes Description

“Knight and Dragon 3" is the third installment in the hack-and-slash RPG series set in a medieval fantasy world.

One morning, after receiving a certificate from an elderly gentleman, proving you as a full-fledged guild member, you are sent to a small village in the Republic of Gringard. This is where the story begins. Various incidents occurring in the Republic, the conflicts with the neighboring Lindahl Empire, and the story of knights and dragons will eventually involve you in a grand destiny revolving around the stars.

Forum Thread: Knight & Dragon III (by dgjam studio)

Magic Research 2 ($4.69)

iTunes Description

Experience the long-awaited sequel to Magic Research!

In Magic Research 2, you are a rookie wizard with a single ambition: to find or create the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary magical item that is said to be able to cure any illness. As you do so, you will learn more than you ever imagined about Magic and about the world around you. What kinds of adventures await you?

Forum Thread: Magic Research 2 (by Matias Ezequiel Colotto)

Nerd Survivors ($2.99)

iTunes Description

The ordinary gaming night among four friends takes a chaotic turn when they find themselves transported to a preposterous fantasy realm teeming with thousands of wacky monsters!

Equip yourself with pizza frag-grenades, enchanted fidget spinners, unleash preposterous magic spells, or even fling your very own friends into the fray to repel the relentless hordes of monsters determined to obliterate you.

Forum Thread: Nerd Survivors (by HeartBit Interactive S.r.l.)

Paper Trail (Free)

iTunes Description

Solve puzzles and explore cozy places around a foldable paper world in this enchanting game about growing up. Long-lost secrets and other wonders await.

This cozy top-down puzzle adventure is set in a foldable paper world where you play as Paige, a budding academic who’s leaving home for the first time to pursue her studies. On this journey, you’ll uncover secrets, explore new areas, meet characters with memorable stories and solve puzzles by folding the environment and merging the two sides into one.

Forum Thread: Paper Trail (by Newfangled Games)

Playing Kafka (Free)

iTunes Description

Although you did nothing wrong, you were arrested one morning. You arrived for work, but you don’t recognize your assistants. And your upbringing left you with a pervasive sense of guilt. Welcome to Playing Kafka, an adventure about the alienation of modern society as well as unresolved family issues. The game adapts three works of the famously absurdist writer and was created with leading Kafka experts.

Can you manage to win an unfair trial? Is the job even real? Can you escape your father’s crushing presence? How do you move forward, when all solutions are obfuscated by a web of unclear rules and machinations…

Forum Thread: Playing Kafka (by Charles Games)

Sevenns (Free)

iTunes Description

Sevenns is a game of bite-sized puzzles for your brain to chew on. Combining the essential ingredients of crossword clues, anagrams and Venn diagrams, Sevenns provides your mind with all the essential nutrients for a full, fun and fresh day. No ads, no additional preservatives or sweeteners, and free – get stuck into Sevenns!

Forum Thread: Sevenns (by Commuter Games Limited)

TemporalCode ($0.99)

iTunes Description

Welcome to TemporalCode, a world where the future hangs in the balance, and only you can rewrite destiny. Dive into an immersive experience unlike any other, where your puzzle solving skills will decide the fate of the future.

Embark on a journey through time as you receive a dire warning from the future: a world decimated by the very app you’re about to install. It’s up to you to take down the powerful TemporalCode corporation who will develop an app that has the power to end the world as we know it.

Forum Thread: TemporalCode (by Owens Applications)

Wuthering Waves (Free)

iTunes Description

Wuthering Waves is a story-rich open-world action RPG with a high degree of freedom. You wake from your slumber as Rover, joined by a vibrant cast of Resonators on a journey to reclaim your lost memories and surmount the Lament.

Forum Thread: Wuthering Waves (by KURO GAMES)

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Setting aside Braid’s historical value, it’s also just an absolute masterpiece in game design. Mechanically it does things with time manipulation that melted my late-20s brain back in the day, and playing through the game again with the release of Anniversary Edition has been like experiencing the game for the first time all over again. It plays well on the touchscreen as there aren’t too many areas in the game that demand precision, but I am finding I’m favoring playing it with my Backbone controller. Also, the most dramatic new element in this release is the completely repainted graphics done up in stunning 4K. I LOVE when remastered games allow you to switch between new visuals and the original visuals on the fly, and that is the case here. What’s funny though is that the original visuals in no way look bad, and really are pretty timeless, but it’s hard to argue against the gorgeous new high resolution artwork and especially the improved animations. I imagine the difference between the old and new art would be a lot more dramatic on screen larger than my iPhone 15 Pro’s.

While that new artwork is great, the real treat in this release is the new content. This is largely centered around the more than 15 hours of behind the scenes audio commentary from developer Jonathan Blow, artist David Hellman, and others who all had a hand in creating Braid nearly two decades ago. There is an entire new overworld to explore where all this commentary is broken up into various categories and topics, and there’s even brand new levels to play through as well as alternate versions of existing levels to let you see how the game might have turned out had different design choices been made. You can also listen to an accompanying commentary track as you play through the game normally, similar to how other games have done this sort of thing, but the way the developers have created almost like an entire second game out of the bonus content in Braid, Anniversary Edition is truly remarkable.

Playing through Braid all over again, all these years later, has been an absolute treat for this old gamer. I can’t wait to carve out some time to really dive into all the commentary and additional content, and this entire package feels like a love letter from the developers to the fans of Braid. So often “remaster" just means taking an old game and giving it a modern facelift, but I far prefer when instead it’s more of a celebration of said game, and that’s exactly what Braid, Anniversary Edition is. If you have Netflix it’s a no-brainer to download this one onto your device of choice, and if you don’t have Netflix, well, I’d suggest picking this one up on any of the available platforms it’s on. For a second opinion as well as impressions on multiple platforms, please check out our review of Braid, Anniversary Edition from earlier this week.

Athenian Rhapsody (Free)

iTunes Description

Athenian Rhapsody is a fresh comedic RPG game in which you’ll explore the World of Athens! Your goal is to build your very own Rhapsody, the story of you (the player) and your epic tale in this world. Your story will unfold based on your decisions, to the degree of which cannot be replicated by any other player.

16 Potential party members for you to interact with! – Each of these characters has a bold personality, and a large amount of depth for you to discover. You can choose to adventure with whoever you’d like! There truly is a favorite for everyone to bond with, I promise.

Forum Thread: Athenian Rhapsody (by Top Hat Studios, Inc.)

Braid, Anniversary Edition (Free)

iTunes Description

Bend time to solve subtle platform puzzles in this update of the indie classic “Braid," featuring refreshed artwork and seriously in-depth creator commentary.

Travel from a city house through a series of interconnected worlds where time behaves strangely, searching for an elusive Princess. Along the way you’ll explore memories and regrets that still haunt you. This Anniversary Edition remaster of the award-winning platformer contains fully repainted high-resolution graphics, new sound effects and extensive audio commentary.

Forum Thread: Braid, Anniversary Edition (by Thekla, Inc.)

Evergreen: The Board Game ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Evergreen is a tree-growing abstract strategy game where your goal is to build a lush ecosystem, planting seeds, growing trees, and placing other natural elements on your planet, trying to make it the greenest and most fertile of all. Play solo or compete against other players in multiplayer matches.

Forum Thread: Evergreen: The Board Game (by Horrible Guild)

Gamma Game Emulator (Free)

iTunes Description

Play station emulation is here!

ZodTTD is back and this time they’ve brought you classic PS 1 gaming!
Gamma is the fully featured video game console emulator that you’ve come to expect.

Forum Thread: Gamma Game Emulator (by ZodTTD)

Guild of Guardians (Free)

iTunes Description

Embark on an extraordinary adventure with Guild of Guardians, the ultimate Fantasy Idle RPG. Immerse yourself in a captivating fantasy world, where you can assemble an unstoppable team of mighty Guardians, strategize your battles, collect extraordinary loot and runes, enhance the abilities of your Guardians, and carve your own legendary path.

Forum Thread: Guild of Guardians (by Immutable Games)

Japan Postman Moto Simulator (Free)

iTunes Description

Japan Postman Moto Simulator: Nagasaki Express is an open-world motorcycle simulation game set against the vibrant streets and historic landmarks of Nagasaki Shinchi Chinatown in Nagasaki, Japan. Players take on the role of a postal worker, navigating a 1:1 scale meticulously replicated city, delivering mail by motorcycle. This car game combines realistic driving experiences with urban exploration, immersing players not only in delivery missions but also in the rich atmosphere and culture of Nagasaki.

Forum Thread: Japan Postman Moto Simulator (by ChiGames)

Omega Knockout (Free)

iTunes Description

Step into the ring with Omega Knockout, a retro arcade boxing experience that packs a punch! With its nostalgic 16-bit art style and gameplay-driven animations, Omega Knockout brings the golden era of arcade games into the palms of your hands, offering precision and excitement in every match.

Forum Thread: Omega Knockout (by Pixel Dynamite)

Oxytone (Free)

iTunes Description

Are you ready for a unique adventure like no other? Oxytone invites you to explore the depths of your mind while offering a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life for those seeking relaxation. For more determined players, there are 99 challenges, colorful themes to unlock, and 12 meticulously designed maps. Oxytone is the ultimate puzzle game, equally easy to learn and challenging to master.

Forum Thread: Oxytone (by Wdowczyk Kamil)

PPSSPP – PSP Emulator (Free)

iTunes Description

Play PSP games on your iOS device, in high definition with extra features!

PPSSPP is the original and only PSP emulator for mobile devices. It can run nearly all PSP games with great performance on iOS.

Forum Thread: PPSSPP – PSP Emulator (by Henrik Rydgård)

Pixel Cup Soccer – Ultimate Edition ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Pixel Cup Soccer is a retro-style arcade game, with fast-paced gameplay, is just the fun part of soccer and a great evolution from its predecessor!
Play friendly matches, tournaments, or create your team and lead it to glory in career mode!
You can enjoy it solo or team up with a friend locally for some competitive or cooperative action!

Forum Thread: Pixel Cup Soccer – Ultimate Edition (by BATOVI Games Studio)

RetroArch (Free)

iTunes Description

Always free, always ad-free, always open source.

RetroArch is a free, ad-free, open source, and cross platform frontend/framework for emulators, game engines, video games, media players, and other applications. Supported systems come in the form of libretro cores. The following cores are included:

Forum Thread: RetroArch (Daniel Se Matteis)

Anyway! Game of the Week! It’s Warbits Plus! It’s great! It saved my sanity during my travel nightmare, which earns it bonus points, but it was already winning my heart before all that. Technically it won my heart the better part of a decade ago when the original version launched in 2016, as I chose it as the Game of the Week back then as well. Unfortunately that original version fell into disrepair over the years, and due to the nature of the technology used to build it, it required a complete rewrite from the ground up. Hence the “plus" in Warbits Plus.

However, if you were familiar with the original game then Warbits Plus feels like returning to your childhood home. I haven’t played the original in many years, and it’s hard for me to pinpoint exactly what’s different or new content-wise, but it’s been so long that this has felt like experiencing Warbits for the first time all over again, which has been a joy. When so many players back in the day were pining for an Advance Wars-like on mobile, Warbits was the one that truly delivered, but it did so with its own personality and style and also felt perfectly suited to the touchscreen.

If you have no previous experience with Warbits, well, then you’re really in for a treat with Warbits Plus. A meaty single-player Campaign and a Challenge mode featuring skirmish and puzzle levels will keep you occupied for a good long time, but it’s the game’s map editor as well as its robust suite of local, AI, and online multiplayer options that might keep this around on your device for many years to come. Oh, and the game is also set to launch on Steam soon and all its online stuff should work cross-platform with the mobile versions. Just an incredible package all around, and for a very reasonable one-time cost of five bucks with no IAP shenanigans. Truly a deserving Game of the Week, even if it is a few days late.

Caracoles (Free)

iTunes Description

Hilarious like a fart… but longer! In Caracoles you compete against your pals in the fastest outrageously slow racing multiplayer battles ever.

Compete against your pals in outrageously slow racing battles. Deploy your best slugs and slide your way to slimy triumph! Earn coins while you race, and you’ll unlock brand-new slugs and levels, all up for grabs and ready to play!

Forum Thread: Caracoles (by Rednoy s.r.l.)

Cheech & Chong’s: Kush Kingdom (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome to Cheech & Chong’s Kush Kingdom! Solve match-3 puzzles and help the stoners build a paradise. A primo adventure is calling you!

On this far out journey you’ll solve exciting puzzles, unlock dope new areas, play weekly events and score groovy prizes to decorate Cheech and Chong’s pad. There are thousands of reefer fueled levels just waiting for you to explore! Join now!

Forum Thread: Cheech & Chong’s: Kush Kingdom (by Eastside Games)

CrimeBot 2: Unsolved Cold Case (Free)

iTunes Description

Unsolved mysteries and cold cases await in CrimeBot 2: Unsolved Cold Case, where every unsolved file beckons your detective skills. Dive into a gripping story where unsolved cases and cold crime scenes await your keen eye. This sequel to the acclaimed CrimeBot game introduces a captivating new gameplay mode, challenging you to sift through dossiers filled with clues, photographs, testimonies, and suspects.

Forum Thread: CrimeBot 2: Unsolved Cold Case (by RoboBot Studio)

Earn to Die Rogue (Free)

iTunes Description

Drive cars through the zombie apocalypse and loot infested buildings in this action-packed spin-off to the chart-topping Earn to Die series!

The zombie apocalypse is more dangerous than ever. New zombie and enemy threats have emerged and will do anything to hunt you down. Loot for supplies, find and upgrade cars, and do whatever it takes to survive.

Forum Thread: Earn to Die Rogue (by Not Doppler)

The Enchanted World (Free)

iTunes Description

The Enchanted World is a captivating tile sliding puzzle-adventure set in a magical world torn asunder by dark forces. Embark on a journey with a valiant fairy, navigating through a series of beautiful environments, solving intricate puzzles, and meeting strange characters on her quest to piece the world back together.

Venture through enchanted forests and mysterious meadows, visit desolate deserts and descend into shadowy caverns. Leap across magical marshes, explore a forsaken factory, and traverse a surreal futuristic landscape.

Forum Thread: The Enchanted World (by Noodlecake)

Golden Soul (Free)

iTunes Description

As a result of a tragic accident, you fall into a magical abyss closed by time. After half a century in it, your soul dies, leaving your emotionless shell to pointless wander through the abyss. But fate still has plans for you.

You meet a mysterious magician who grants you a Golden Soul and saves you from eternal oblivion. The real soul is your personality, your memories and emotions. The Golden Soul is a magical fake that allows you to extend your life, but you have no emotions, no blood, and no morals. Find out how you ended up on the edge of the abyss and how you are related to the magical cataclysm that is slowly consuming the world.

Forum Thread: Golden Soul (by NewPubCo)

Office Cat Tycoon (Free)

iTunes Description

Welcome to the World of Office Cat Tycoon!

Embark on a unique entrepreneurial journey in a world ruled by cats! In “Office Cat Tycoon: Idle Games," you are the boss of a burgeoning business empire, where adorable kitties lead the charge.

Prepare to build, expand, and manage your way to riches in this delightful simulation game.

Forum Thread: Office Cat Tycoon: Idle Games (by treeplla Inc.)

PiKuBo (Free)

iTunes Description

Discover shapes and unwind with PiKuBo, your next puzzle obsession. Perfect for quick breaks or leisurely play, enhanced with soothing music.

Dive into the delightful world of PiKuBo, a captivating puzzle game that brings the excitement of cubic nonograms to your iOS device. With a unique twist on a beloved classic, PiKuBo challenges you to carve out shapes from a larger cube by removing unnecessary blocks.

Forum Thread: PiKuBo (by Daniel Benito)

Skel and Defense ($1.99)

iTunes Description

Expand your dungeon and strategically place traps to fend off the invading heroes!

◆ Dive into the ultimate dungeon defense experience with ‘Skel&Defense! ◆

◆ Command Your Dungeon, Defend Your Territory!
Ever dreamed of being the mastermind behind a formidable dungeon? Now’s your chance! Strategically fend off relentless waves of heroes by day and unleash your devious trap layouts by night. It’s your dungeon, your rules!

Forum Thread: Skel and Defense (by Buff Studio Co.Ltd.)

Solo Leveling: Arise (Free)

iTunes Description

The legendary webtoon with 14.3 global billion views has been adapted into an action game for the first time and has finally officially launched globally!

Players can check out S-Rank Hunter Cha Hae-In, The Dancer, who was added with the launch!

From content that perfectly embodies the original work to original stories of hunters that cannot be found in it.
Check it out in Solo Leveling:ARISE now!

Forum Thread: Solo Leveling: Arise (by Netmarble)

Sonic Mania Plus (Free)

iTunes Description

Run, jump and collect gold rings as Sonic, Tails or Knuckles in this speedy homage made by and for fans of the beloved franchise. ’90s nostalgia and epic new boss fights await!

Experience the ultimate celebration of the world’s fastest blue hedgehog in this remixed retro platformer filled with callbacks and Easter eggs from past Sonic games. Perfect for longtime fans and newcomers alike.

Forum Thread: Sonic Mania Plus (by SEGA)

THUMB-WAR (Free)

iTunes Description

“Welcome to THUMB-WAR, the ultimate 1v1 mobile gaming experience! Engage in fast-paced battles on a grid-based arena, using swipe controls and tactical maneuvers to outwit your opponent. Charge up power shots, reflect attacks with your shield, and aim for victory before time runs out. With multiplayer excitement and strategic gameplay, THUMB-WAR is the perfect choice for gamers seeking thrilling challenges on the go!"

Forum Thread: THUMB-WAR (by Planetary Games)

Warbits Plus ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Warbits Plus is a charming turn-based strategy game where victory is achieved through tactics and determination. Compete with your friends locally and online, hone your skills with single-player missions, or battle for glory against other commanders on the community hub.

Forum Thread: Warbits Plus (by Risky Lab Inc)

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

• Apple Announces ‘Let Loose’ Event on May 7 Amid Rumors of New iPads [Macrumors]
• Assassin’s Creed Mirage iPhone 15 Pro and iPad Release Date Announced, Price Confirmed With Pre-Orders Now Live
• Amanita Design 2024 Interview – Jakub Dvorský on his career,Phonopolis, Vinyl soundtracks, Pilgrims, Apple Arcade, Coffee, and More
• ‘Dumb Ways To Survive’ Is a New ‘Dumb Ways To Die’ Spin-Off Game Available for iOS and Android Through Netflix
• Team-Based Hero Shooter ‘Star Wars Hunters’ Launches June 4th on iOS, Android, and Nintendo Switch

Well, despite it being posted about publicly by developer Gamesoul, I had absolutely no idea that a sequel was in the works until it hit the App Store this week. Surprised and delighted are just a couple of the words I’d use to describe how it felt seeing Backflip Madness 2 in the App Store. And holy moly, this isn’t just some simple follow-up, this is a full-blown sequel that adds to the core mechanics of the game in a major way. First and foremost is the fact that you now have direct control of your backflipper, with the ability to walk or run left or right through a level and even jump or climb up parts of the environment. Effectively this makes Backflip Madness 2 more of a full parkour simulator compared to the original, which automatically led you through a series of pre-determined stationary backflip challenges.

This new freedom of movement leads to the next big change which is the ability to string jumps together into a combo. When tapping to stick the landing of a flip, whether stationary or while moving, you can hold a direction on the analog stick to immediately launch yourself back into the air upon landing, only much higher this time, for a second backflip. Do it again on that second flip for a third, and so on. Nail all the flips in a combo and you’ll get a score multiplier for your troubles. This opens up all sorts of possibilities across the game’s levels in terms of the types of cool tricks you can land as well as the scores you can earn. It might sound like a weird comparison but this game is giving me major Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater vibes as I get more comfortable with the mechanics and then continue to try and push the limits of what sort of tricks and combos I can pull of without landing on my face in painful fashion.

Backflip Madness 2 is in many ways a very different game from the original, which was one of my favorite one-handed portrait games. The new free movement and virtual joystick make this a landscape-only affair, but the more time I spend with this one the more I think that sacrifice is well worth it for how greatly expanded the gameplay is in this sequel. The learning curve is pretty steep, and it’s especially tricky getting the hang of pulling off combos, but once you do it is exceedingly satisfying stringing together a big beefy combo worth tons of points. Again, it feels very much like a THPS game. There’s a lot of stuff I haven’t touched on yet too, like local and online multiplayer where the addition of a second backflipper can open up even more possibilities for craziness. If you had a good time with the original, or you’re just a fan of challenging but satisfying wacky physics-based games, you should certainly have Backflip Madness 2 in your sights.

All of You ($3.99)

iTunes Description

From the creators of Love You to Bits and Bring You Home, Alike Studio presents All of You.

All of You is a cute, purely visual, accessible, family-friendly puzzle adventure with unique gameplay. Play and pause time in every part of the level to unveil the right path for the main character.

You will follow the journey of a clumsy chicken traversing all kinds of places in search of her lost chicks.

Explore strange places filled with fun characters, exciting surprises, and many treacherous dangers – all to find every one of your chicks.

Forum Thread: All of You (by Alike Studio)

The Apocalypse Sacrifice ($5.99)

iTunes Description

The Apocalypse Sacrifice is a point and click adventure game with multiple endings. You take on the role of an adventurer who has lost his memory, with the only clue being a note found in his mouth. As you meticulously unravel the layers to recover your memories, you also unexpectedly uncover chilling secrets hidden within the town.

Will you choose to be a hero, rescuing the villagers, or will you sacrifice them to accomplish your own adventurous feats?
It’s all up to you to decide…

Forum Thread: The Apocalypse Sacrifice (by Keyuan Cheng)

Backflip Madness 2 ($1.99)

iTunes Description

The long-awaited sequel to the over 3 million copies sold worldwide, Backflip Madness, has finally arrived! Backflip Madness 2 brings more thrills with enhanced graphics, realistic physics, and new features like fully explorable levels, character customization, multiplayer mode, and combo tricks. Dive into the ultimate parkour experience now and join the flipping revolution that captivated millions.
Jump into the action with Backflip Madness 2 – the ultimate parkour sandbox! Fast-paced, parkour-flavored extreme sports game. Your goal is simple – make tons of spectacular tricks and stunts. Take it to the extreme!

Forum Thread: Backflip Madness 2 (by Gamesoul Studio)

Beyond – Exo-Solar Strategy (Free)

iTunes Description

Beyond is a Turn-Based Exo-Solar Strategy Game. Explore: Survey the solar system to maximize development and discover where your foes have already established operations. Expand: Build structures, manufacture ships, and develop technologies to surpass enemy factions in your expansion. Exploit: Utilize enemy structures and developments to turn the tables against them in combat and resource acquisition. Exterminate: Drive opposing factions from the solar system until only the most dominant remains. Play As Five Unique Species: Gaian, Botica, Sistren, Manta, or Solanum. Featuring: Orbital Dynamics, Visibility, Enemy Structure Capture, Resource Gathering, Technology Trees, Black Holes, and more.

Forum Thread: Beyond – Exo-Solar Strategy (by Quixotic Voyage)

Blue Wednesday ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Enter the enchanting world of Blue Wednesday, an interactive game that takes you to the vibrant city of Evans. As jazz pianist Morris, you’ll explore the city, interact with other characters, play amazing piano, and much more. Join in and have fun in this picturesque world!

See life through Morris’s eyes and fall in love with failure, love and jazz.

Forum Thread: Blue Wednesday (by Buff Studio)

Dice Flight (Free)

iTunes Description

Create your own fleet and annihilate enemies!
Upgrade your rank to control more dice!
Challenge strategic placements in boss battles!

Forum Thread: Dice Flight (by DEAR META)

Dumb Ways to Survive (Free)

iTunes Description

Collect, harvest and hunt your way through the wilderness as a bumbling bean trying to stay alive. Will you die a dummy or use your smarts to survive?

You’ll work hard as cute, hapless explorer Noob in this silly and satisfying roguelike survival adventure, a fresh addition to the smash hit “Dumb Ways to Die" series. After taking a wrong turn, you’re lost in the wild with nothing but your wits (or lack thereof) to rely on.

Gather resources as you explore interactive environments full of dangerous and delicious wildlife, crafting or cooking everything you need to survive, and navigate home to Beanland. If you find a dumb way to die, pick yourself up and start your adventure again!

Forum Thread: Dumb Ways to Survive (by PlaySide)

I Like ABC (Free)

iTunes Description

Drop the alphabet from the top and merge matching letters to make progress.

Who will make it to Z? Probably no one.

Forum Thread: I Like ABC (by Tim Kretz)

Loop Hero (Free)

iTunes Description

The Lich has thrown the world into a timeless loop and plunged its inhabitants into never ending chaos.
In this roguelike RPG, wield an expanding deck of mystical cards to place enemies, buildings, and terrain along each unique expedition loop for the brave hero.
Recover and equip powerful loot for each class of hero for their battles and expand the survivors’ camp to reinforce each adventure through the loop.
Unlock new classes, new cards, and devious guardians on your quest to shatter the endless cycle of despair.

Forum Thread: Loop Hero (by Playdigious)

Methods 2: Secrets and Death ($2.99)

iTunes Description

Methods is a visual novel with simple crime investigation gameplay where you examine evidence and answer multiple-choice questions about the solution.

And the whole game has been split into five apps for the mobile release, with ‘Methods2: Secrets and Death’ being the second part, and containing Chapters 21-42.

Forum Thread: Methods 2: Secrets and Death (by Erabit Studios)

Oaken ($5.99)

iTunes Description

Oaken, a turn-based tactical roguelike set in the spirit inhabited world. Explore the Great Oak, gather allies and trinkets, learn to use the positioning for your advantage, choose how to upgrade your cards. Wake the spirits and save the Oak!

Forum Thread: Oaken (by Goblinz Studio SAS)

Orbit Ore (Free)

iTunes Description

Blast off on a thrilling space adventure with Orbit Ore! As a daring space miner, your mission is to tap your way through the cosmos, mining asteroids, battling cosmic beasts, and uncovering interstellar secrets.

Forum Thread: Orbit Ore (by Weston Ruths)

SaGa Emerald Beyond ($49.99)

iTunes Description

The latest standalone entry in the SaGa franchise, SaGa Emerald Beyond, brings together the very best elements of the beloved series to offer each player their own unique gameplay experience.

Make use of glimmers and combos in battle; meet a diverse cast of races, including monsters, mechs, and vampires; and experience your very own story, created through your choices and actions.

Forum Thread: SaGa Emerald Beyond (by SQUARE ENIX)

Sigma-18 (Free)

iTunes Description

Hack, solve, and save marines in Sigma18’s thrilling adventure!

Step into the captivating world of Sigma18, an award-winning hacker simulator where strategy meets survival in the deep void of space. As the sole hope for a stranded squad of marines on the desolate space station Sigma18, your mission is to utilize your superior hacking abilities to repair their ship and carve a path to safety.

Forum Thread: Sigma-18 (by Krzysztof Jamroz)

Slash Quest! (Free)

iTunes Description

The Queen’s evergrowing talking sword is lost in a faraway land. Luckily you showed up to wield it back to the castle. You do know how to swing a sword, right? Right?!

Forget your power fantasy. Slash Quest’s simple yet unfamiliar controls will put you in the shoes of an unlikely knight with a big heart, an even bigger weapon, and absolutely zero skills. But worry not! Just like Shep and Swordie’s friendship, before you know it everything will feel right and everyone will be counting on you to save the Queendom.

Forum Thread: Slash Quest! (by Noodlecake)

Super Dragon Punch Force 3 (Free)

iTunes Description

Become mythic in Super Dragon Punch Force 3, a stylish, free-to-play fighter that puts you in the action faster than a raging fireball. Whether you’re a fighting game rookie or a seasoned lab monster, fast and fluid combat awaits in spectacular 1-v-1 fights. Select a fighter from an always expanding roster of unique characters and snatch victory from your opponent to climb the leaderboard.

Forum Thread: Super Dragon Punch Force 3 (by Talent 10 Digital Arts)

Ultimate Racing 2D 2! (Free)

iTunes Description

2D racing game which includes 44 racing classes and more than 100 tracks!

Ultimate Racing 2D 2 is a top-down racing game which includes 44 racing classes, more than 100 tracks, online multiplayer, time-trial challenges, career mode and championship mode.

Forum Thread: Ultimate Racing 2D 2! (by Applimazing)

Werewolf: Book of Hungry Names ($19.99)

iTunes Description

“Werewolf: The Apocalypse — The Book of Hungry Names" is an interactive novel by Kyle Marquis set in the World of Darkness. It’s entirely text-based—1.6 million words, without graphics or sound effects—and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination.

Shapeshifter. Mystic. Hero. Monster. You are a werewolf, and you are all these things. Werewolves are the living earth’s last guardians, created by Gaia, given the gift of shifting between human and wolf forms, and called to stop humanity from destroying the world.

Forum Thread: Werewolf: Book of Hungry Names (by Choice of Games)

Yolky Unbound (Free)

iTunes Description

A physics based platformer infused with puzzle elements and bossa-nova music.

You are unwillingly entrusted with the divine mission of clearing the dangers and finding a safe path
for your fellow brothers and sisters on their journey to The Beloved Mother.

Forum Thread: Yolky Unbound (by Hopasha)

Zombie State (Free)

iTunes Description

Experience the intensity of a brand-new post-apocalyptic zombie shooter adventure. Step into an infested world and brace yourself for heart-pounding zombie battles!

UNIQUE FUSION OF FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER AND ROGUELIKE
Unleash characters’ special abilities and talents that perfectly complement each hero’s skillset. Use different combinations of abilities to get stronger with each battle and turn the tide against the zombie hordes.

Forum Thread: Zombie State (by MY.GAMES)

Seems kind of weird they wouldn’t push to finish things up in time to launch a month earlier on May 4th, given that that’s Star Wars Day and all, but June 4th is also a very good day and personally I’d argue it’s an even better day than Star Wars Day since June 4th is my birthday. Yes, mark that on your calendars. It’s good to know that Star Wars Hunters is still a thing and is actually launching, since often we will see a big splashy announcement for a game that goes on to spend years and years in development only to quietly die on the vine. Will this be the “Overwatch but for mobile" that people have been hoping for for the past decade? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. In the meantime you can pre-register over on the game’s official website for rewards and such, and all eyes will be on Star Wars Hunters when it arrives on iOS, Android and Switch June 4th. May (June) the 4th be with you!

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

• Can the A30 beat the Miyoo Mini? [Retro Game Corp. on YouTube]
• Remastered ‘Advance Wars’-like Turn-Based Strategy Title ‘Warbits Plus’ is Launching on May 7th, Pre-Orders Live Now
• ‘Cassette Beasts’ Mobile Release Up for Pre-Order on the App Store, June 4th Release Date Listed
• ‘9th Dawn Remake’ Is a Complete Re-Imagining of the Original Game From Valorware, Hopefully Will Launch on Mobile As Well
• ‘Squad Busters’ Is a New Party Action Game From Supercell Featuring Characters From ‘Clash of Clans’, ‘Hay Day’, and More Coming May 29th Worldwide

There’s not really much to say that you wouldn’t already know from playing previous Dadish games. Running, jumping, avoiding enemies, light puzzle solving, and rescuing an adorable but mischievous adolescent radish at the end of each level is the order of the day in basically all the Dadish games, and that’s true here as well. In fact, the simplicity and purity of Dadish 3D is what I like so much about it. There are lots of cleverly designed levels here, 50 all told, and for as cute and simple as things may seem on the surface this is a game that will really test your platforming abilities.

Thankfully it’s low-stakes enough to never be annoying if you have trouble nailing a particular section. You have unlimited lives and will merely need to start the level over again upon failure, and since the levels are nicely bite-sized without being overly tiny that’s not too much of a punishment. And the feeling of satisfaction from successfully making your way through a gauntlet of enemies and hazards and moving platforms makes all the retries worth it in the end.

Don’t just take my word for it though. ALL the Dadish games are completely free to play with ads, and all have a one-time IAP you can purchase to remove those ads and make it a full blown premium experience. It’s the best pay model in my opinion, and if you have yet to try a Dadish game then you need to remedy that as soon as humanly possible. There just aren’t that many 3D platformers on mobile, so Dadish 3D’s arrival is a welcome one, and it makes things all that much sweeter that it’s a fun and challenging game to boot.

AeroMayhem PvP: Air Combat Ace (Free)

iTunes Description

Join the ranks of fighter jet pilots in a high-octane PvP modern air combat extravaganza. Become a topgun, and dominate the sky to rule the land!

Welcome to AeroMayhem PvP, the ultimate multiplayer air combat game. Engage in intense dogfights and showcase your ace pilot skills in the world’s most advanced fighter jets.

Forum Thread: AeroMayhem PvP: Air Combat Ace (by TeaPOT Games)

Atomic Escape ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Uncover a profound secret conspiracy solving puzzles and cracking codes to access the confidential files from a secret space travel project in this first person point and click adventure game set in a beautiful mid century atomic age ranch.

Forum Thread: Atomic Escape (by MediaCity Games)

Aurora Hills: Chapter 1 (Free)

iTunes Description

Nestled deep within the Appalachian Mountains, Aurora Hills was known for its thriving industry and its picturesque landscape. Owing to the region’s natural resources, Aurora Hills was looking to become one of the most prosperous towns in the state.

All is not how it seems, however. A series of disappearances of residents and tourists alike have plagued the region over the past few years, sparking a mass exodus from the small town. Now, in October 1981, the town is a shell of its former self. The prosperity that once blessed Aurora Hills has all but evaporated.

Forum Thread: Aurora Hills: Chapter 1 (by NovaSoft Interactive)

Bad Roads (Free)

iTunes Description

Test your driving skill and anticipation in “Bad Roads"

Meet Ted and embark with him in his truck to help him transport cages of ducks. The trouble is that the roads ahead are very, very bad. Also, you need to arm yourself with patience, dexterity and luck to safely climb hills, descend on steep slopes and overcome all the obstacles you encounter on your way.

Forum Thread: Bad Roads (by Laurent Bakowski)

Cool Cat’s Block Slide (Free)

iTunes Description

Join Cool Cat on a mesmerizing journey of block-sliding fun in this addictive puzzle game! Welcome to the world of “Cool Cat’s Block Slide," where your quick thinking and strategic moves are the keys to success.

Embark on an endless adventure as you slide colorful blocks to create lines and watch them disappear in a burst of excitement. The rules are simple: match blocks of the same color to clear them from the board. But don’t be fooled by the simplicity – as you progress, the challenge intensifies, demanding lightning-fast reflexes and cunning tactics.

Forum Thread: Cool Cat’s Block Slide (by Volkan Kutlubay)

Dadish 3D (Free)

iTunes Description

He’s a dad AND a radish. Dadish’s kids are missing and he needs your help to find them!

After his children are lured away by dubious pop-up advertising, Dadish sets out to find them in his craziest adventure yet. Explore an exciting world, face off with fast-food themed foes, and reunite Dadish with his missing children in this challenging 3D platforming adventure.

Forum Thread: Dadish 3D (by Thomas Young)

Dragon POW! (Free)

iTunes Description

An audacious demon aims to conquer the world, but your Dragon is ready to fight back! Gifted with the ability to devour monsters and evolve continuously, your Dragon is the world’s last hope. Take control of your Dragon and stand against the oncoming waves of monsters!

Forum Thread: Dragon POW! (by Boltray Games)

Eyka ($0.99)

iTunes Description

Eyka is a casual puzzle game with a colorful, minimalistic design, ideal for anyone seeking a serene yet engaging brain workout. Its unique puzzle mechanics not only challenge your cognitive skills but also provide a tranquil escape, complemented by ambient soundscapes. Perfect for players of all ages looking for a calming puzzle experience.

Forum Thread: Eyka (by Jason Walters)

Hockey Blitz 2 (Free)

iTunes Description

Become a Champion in 2 minutes.

Ultrafast sport arcade game. Get your team to the gold. Can you become a champion your nation needs?

World championship in your hands. Play with one of 58 nations and bring the cup to your home.

Forum Thread: Hockey Blitz 2 (by Tomasz Soroka)

MultiGuys (Free)

iTunes Description

Read for a great rush ?!

Run, jump, shoot, fly, dive, surf and go as far as possible with this fun and very addictive game !
Give it a try and you won’t want to leave this colorful environment which is full of action and crazy characters !

Forum Thread: MultiGuys (by Laurent Bakowski)

Rumble Club (Free)

iTunes Description

First rule of Rumble Club: TELL EVERYONE about Rumble Club. Fall into a physics based massive multiplayer battle! Join up to 20 clumsy players in epic knockout madness and punch, push, throw, and trick everyone else out of the arena!

Fly in on Captain Punch’s Sky Yacht, get bopped into the arena, find silly gadgets to battle with, and survive the dropping floor and shrinking battlefield to be the last player standing! Are you ready to punch your way to victory and reach a win as an ultimate champion?

Forum Thread: Rumble Club (by Lightfox Games)

Space Force Hero (Free)

iTunes Description

The princess has been abducted by aliens. Be a HERO and save her. Your spacesuit comes equipped with rocket powered flight boots, an energy defense shield, and a plasma weapon.

Play Tip: Do nothing to travel down past pipes and press down to land on a pipe.

Includes two games that represent 40+ years of game technology change . Present & Past … a video game history experience. Maybe you will experience nostalgia or perhaps discover a new kind of fun.

Forum Thread: Space Force Hero (by RESETgame)

WW2 Battlefields Sim (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into the simplified WW2 experience with “WW2 Battlefields Sim Lite" – a dynamic simulator for history buffs and strategy enthusiasts alike. Craft the battlefield of your dreams using authentic WW2 tanks and military units, and dive deep into tactics and strategy to emerge victorious in the most pivotal war in history.

Forum Thread: WW2 Battlefields Sim Lite

Obviously rebuilding a game is no small undertaking, and Risky Lab has been at it for a few years now, most recently running a large scale beta test in the fall of last year. Now it looks like the light is finally at the end of the tunnel as today Risky Lab has announced a May 7th release date for Warbits Plus. Yes, it’s finally happening! The game will be just five dollarydoos, just like the original, and you can pre-order the iOS version on the App Store here or pre-register for the Android version over on the Google Play Store here. I’m not historically a big turn-based strategy person, but loved the Advance Wars games back in the day and also loved the original Warbits when it arrived 8 years ago. I’m really looking forward to revisiting and discovering all the new stuff when Warbits Plus launches in a couple of weeks.

Well, the original plan was to launch Dadish 3D on the 23rd, but one of those naughty children of his must have snuck away and pressed the release button a bit ahead of schedule as the game became available earlier this morning. You won’t hear any complaints from me! Dadish 3D feels very much like a throwback to N64-era 3D platformers while still feeling every bit as “Dadish" as the other games. The levels are short and to the point, but still filled with challenging platforming tasks and wacky enemies, now in 3D! And once again Dadish has fallen asleep and allowed his children to wander off on their own, so you’ll be making your way through 50 new levels trying to track them all down… again. Shouldn’t somebody call the authorities or something at this point? I think that qualifies as child neglect. Ah whatever, they’re all so cute, who could stay mad at them?

Dadish 3D is a lot of fun so far. It plays well with touch controls, though one criticism is that camera movement is tied to a virtual right analog stick rather than just being the whole right side of the screen. Hopefully this can be addressed in an update. When playing with a controller the camera is controlled with the actual right analog stick, so everything feels fine. Other than that I’m getting a real kick out of exploring the world of Dadish in this bold new dimension. Like the other games in the series it’s totally free to download and try yourself with a one-time ad-removal IAP available for those that like to make their games fully premium, so I suggest checking out Dadish 3D for yourself right this minute and hopping into the game’s forum thread to share your thoughts about it.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

• Official Version of ‘Delta’ Emulator, the Successor to ‘GBA4iOS’, is Now Available in the App Store
• Big EmuDeck Update! Sega Model 2/3 and more [Retro Game Corps on YouTube]
• How to make Fallout 3 on steam deck truly “Playable” [TheAnnoyingFruit on YouTube]
• How to make Fallout New Vegas on steam deck truly “Playable” [TheAnnoyingFruit on YouTube]
• ‘World of Goo 2’ for Switch and PC Delayed to August, No Word on Mobile Yet
• ‘Card Thief’ Developer’s Wild West Tactical Roguelike Shooter ‘GUNCHO’ Launching on Mobile and PC June 25th
• The AI Companion Summary of this week’s show: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Make no mistake though, this isn’t just some emulator. Delta is like a masterclass in design and functionality. Many years ago we’d be thankful if we got some janky half-working emulator snuck in through an equally janky calculator app or something, it was the early App Store’s version of walking to school in the snow uphill both ways. Delta on the other hand feels like every square inch was designed for mobile touchscreen devices, because it was. It uses all the gestures and features we know and love on touchscreen to make using the app feel natural. One of our favorite YouTubers, Retro Game Corps, has a great overview and “how to" video of Delta that is well worth a watch.

One of the more surprising things about Delta for me is that it actually plays surprisingly well using just the touchscreen. I kind of imagined myself only ever bothering when I have my Backbone controller handy, but with how well the haptic feedback is implemented in Delta, and with the range of awesome skins and the ability to import new skins giving users a very clear and nostalgia-filled set of virtual buttons to use, I find that touchscreen alone is fine like 99% of the time. Yes, there will be certain games I’ll want to bust out a controller for, but since that’s not something I carry on me at all times I love that I can confidently play such a vast number of games even if all I have with me is my iPhone.

This is such a weird time for me. I was heavy into the jailbreaking scene in the early iPhone days, mostly for customization reasons, but running emulators was a big part of it too. Having practically the entire history of video games in my pocket at all times was a huge draw for me. However, nowadays my Miyoo Mini and my Steam Deck cover just about all of my emulation desires, and I’ve come to appreciate having dedicated devices for that rather than something that’s tied to my phone. It’s kind of ironic that Apple is now allowing emulators at a time that it’s least exciting to me. That said, having the entire history of video games (or at least a large chunk of it) ALSO on my device that never leaves my side will no doubt come in handy, and that the experience is so fantastic thanks to Delta makes it all the sweeter.

You might be thinking “Tile-sliding puzzles? Pffftt, those are so LAME" but let me tell you little sonny Jim, this is a game that does not hesitate to ramp things up to a high degree of difficulty as the game progresses. Yes, you are going to have your behind handed to you by a tile-sliding puzzler, and by gosh you are going to like it. The Enchanted World is available for pre-order on the iOS App Store here, and pre-registration for Android on the Google Play Store here. It’s free to download and try with a one-time full game unlock IAP priced at $3.99, but for those who pre-order you can score the game at a discounted price of just $2.99 during its first two weeks of launch. The launch date is set for May 7th.

The Bear (Free)

iTunes Description

The Bear is an interactive bedtime experience for everyone.

Lead the bear and the little one through a friendship-forming adventure as they travel across the atmospheric universe of the World of Gra. Relax and stargaze with these weird little characters, as they tell you stories of togetherness, of letting go and of the longing to find a place you belong.

Forum Thread: The Bear (by Mucks Games)

Block Passing (Free)

iTunes Description

A pollen avoidance game that uses physical calculations to prevent pollen from entering the nose.

-— Rules -—
– The game is over when a certain amount of pollen enters the nose.
– Move the cursor to push the pollen out of the screen to score points.
– Successfully pushing pollen out of the screen in succession results in a combo, adding to the score.
– Squirting nasal fluid can protect the nose from approaching pollen.

Forum Thread: Block Passing (by ChiikT)

Delta – Game Emulator (Free)

iTunes Description

Delta is an all-in-one emulator for iOS. Delta builds upon the strengths of its predecessor, GBA4iOS, while expanding to include support for more game systems such as NES, SNES, N64, and DS.

Forum Thread: Delta – Game Emulator (by Testut Tech)

Formula Bwoah: Online Racing (Free)

iTunes Description

Formula Bwoah is racing game with pit stops, engine modes and changing weather. Experience a game that rewards skillful play and risk taking in online multiplayer!

Drive, not just manage
Decide your racing style and see if you have what it takes to come out on top.

Forum Thread: Formula Bwoah: Online Racing (by HarthLabs)

Goetz ($3.99)

iTunes Description

Goetz is a narratively driven, picture book style puzzle game. Dive into a joyfully designed medieval universe and immerse in a lovely story about overcoming self doubt and finding one’s place in a changing world. Join knight Goetz and his friends on their fantastic journey across a land that is underminded by sinister forces. Solve tricky puzzles and be rewarded with fully voiced and visualized narrative pieces that drive the story forward.

Forum Thread: Goetz (by Sleepy Seed)

Hamster Inn (Free)

iTunes Description

Hotel management when you’re an adorable, tiny hamster is no easy task. But somebody’s gotta squeak’n do it! Open the world’s very first Hamster Inn and serve all sorts of cute animal guests. Upgrade and decorate your hotel as you provide 5-star service! With each new room, a flurry of whiskered guests eagerly await your service. Ensure their comfort, upgrade your inn, and witness a cascade of delightful moments in this vibrant inn kawaii game & management sim!

Forum Thread: Hamster Inn (by HyperBeard)

Isekai Dispatcher: He’s the Boss? (Free)

iTunes Description

Pixel art characters are reincarnated in Isekai!?

The latest release from IGNITION M!
A new sensation, " Board game x Auto Battle RPG"!

Forum Thread: Isekai Dispatcher: He’s the Boss? (by IGNITION M)

Mystery of Woolley Mountain ($7.99)

iTunes Description

Funded on Kickstarter with backers including legend of the genre Ron Gilbert, The Mystery of Woolley Mountain is an otherworldly adventure game filled with strange beasts, evil witches, confused automatons and wacky ropemen.

Join a renegade crew of time-travelling audio scientists on a hilarious and fantastical quest. A malevolent witch has captured a group of children, and it’s up to you to save them from the mysterious island of Woolley Mountain!

Forum Thread: Mystery of Woolley Mountain (by James Richard Lightfoot)

Packed?! (Free)

iTunes Description

Packed!? is a charming puzzle game which has you guiding two punctual little friends on their journey to escape the depot one box at a time.

Each box offers a fun, increasingly challenging puzzle to solve in as few moves as possible, as you push, slide and outsmart obstacles that stand between our friends and their path to freedom. They’re great listeners and will follow your direction in unison – for better or worse…

Forum Thread: Packed?! (by Shortbread Games)

Phone Escape: Hopeless ($1.99)

iTunes Description

Phone Escape is a unique and immersive story-driven escape room game. Explore and interact with the 3D environment, use the enigmatic phone to solve a variety of puzzles and unravel the mystery.
Can you escape?

Forum Thread: Phone Escape: Hopeless (by ENIGMATICON)

Pilgrims (Free)

iTunes Description

Pilgrims is a playful adventure game, created by the team behind Machinarium and Samorost. Roam the land as you please and make new friends, share a laugh with your fellow travelers and help them complete their little stories, your way. How many different solutions can you find?

Forum Thread: Pilgrims (by Amanita Design s.r.o.)

Quest and Arena (Free)

iTunes Description

It’s a simple-to-control, flashy action and graphics-free retro 8-bit RPG that feels familiar!

Defeat charming monsters depicted in pixel art.

The ultimate goal is to defeat the boss who aims for world domination.

Forum Thread: QUEST AND ARENA (by Takashi Shigenaga)

Quetzi (Free)

iTunes Description

What would happen if the game of the Snake was mixed with the legend of Quetzalcoatl? Well, that is QUETZI. Quetzi is the remake of a classic game mixed with millenary mythology and stunning art. Based on the Teotihuacan imagery, Quetzi will challenge you to complete the body of the Feathered Serpent through different worlds, sorting all kinds of obstacles and defeating mighty gods.

Forum Thread: Quetzi (by Capital Digital SAPI de CV)

Terror Trivia (Free)

iTunes Description

Dive into the ultimate horror trivia experience with Terror Trivia on iOS! Unleash your inner horror aficionado as you test your knowledge across movies, TV, novels, and video games.

From iconic horror films to spine-chilling TV series, immerse yourself in the darkest corners of entertainment history. Explore the twisted tales of terrifying novels and unravel the mysteries of haunting video games.

Forum Thread: Terror Trivia (by James Nickerson)

Word Dungeons ($4.99)

iTunes Description

Word Dungeons features classic word game fun with an immersive twist. Grab the letters you’re given and try to find as many words as you can. Discover the power of the runes – an ancient power that can aid you in your journey through the Dungeon. Acquire loot and use it to grow your power and discover the secrets hidden within the dungeon. Escape and flaunt your glory to the world on the leaderboard. Try a harder difficulty, find more secret treasure or go for a higher score in a fresh run. Each playthrough is randomized for endless replay-ability!

Forum Thread: Word Dungeons (by BlueRift Studios)

Well, the first couple that have popped up haven’t gone so well. Over the weekend iGBA was released in the App Store, but it turns out it was just a fork of Riley Testut’s GBA4iOS, which longtime readers of TouchArcade should be very familiar with. It was filled with ads and tracking, and was removed by Apple after spending a couple of days at the top of the charts. Then Bimmy, an NES emulator, was released earlier this week, but was taken down shortly after by the developer himself due to feeling uneasy about the whole situation.

So it seemed that Apple was quite serious about allowing emulators in the App Store now, and all that was left was to wait for an actual quality one by a seasoned developer. Which brings us to today. The aforementioned Riley Testut has now released Delta, the successor emulator to his previous GBA4iOS, into the App Store. Like GBA4iOS, Delta emulates Game Boy Advance, Game Boy, and Game Boy Color, and also emulates NES, SNES, Nintendo 64, and Nintendo DS. It has the benefit of more than a decade of work behind it, so the whole experience is extremely polished. Our sister site Macrumors has a great overview video of the Delta emulator on iPhones.

It was definitely kind of jarring to go digging up old stories about GBA4iOS and realize that it was an entire decade ago that Riley Testut was pushing the boundaries of what we thought was possible with emulating classic systems on iOS devices. And that was while still a senior in high school, no less. So today’s official launch of Delta complete with Apple’s blessing is really a milestone I never thought I’d see. I’m not sure if they had a pizza party or not, though. I’m not sure if Delta is available for everybody globally or not, but I will note that anyone in the EU will need to download it through the new AltStore which also launched today, as opposed to through the actual App Store. By whatever means, do grab Delta while you can as it’s an excellent emulator in every regard and, well, you never really know when Apple might change its mind about all this, so get while the getting’s good.

As you can see, this takes place on a hexagonal playfield, and the mechanics are built around positioning as well as the slots in your revolver’s cylinder. Expectedly this will open up all sorts of tactical decision making as you play through randomly generated scenarios, and additionally environmental elements will come into play to either help or hinder your strategy for taking out enemies. After each level you’ll get to choose a new upgrade or ability, and you’ll get to ride a donkey! If that’s not motivation for beating a level I don’t know what is. As announced over the weekend, GUNCHO will be launching on mobile and PC on June 25th. In the meantime you can Wishlist that PC version over on Steam, play an early version in your browser over on Itch.io, or check out the mobile beta over on the game’s official website.

Don’t forget to shoot us emails with any questions, feedback, or anything else relevant or irrelevant to podcast@toucharcade.com. We read ’em all, and love decoding messages written entirely in emoji. As always, you can listen to us with the links below… And if you like what you hear, please subscribe and/or drop us a review in iTunes. Much appreciated!

As a companion to this audio podcast, we also do a video version of the same show that is exclusive to Patreon which allows you to see us playing the games we’re talking about. Backers can view the most recent video episodes of the TouchArcade show by clicking here. Be sure you’re logged in to see the latest content. For everyone else who is curious, you can check out our public patreon posts to see older episodes of the video podcast. If you like what you see, consider becoming a TouchArcade Patreon backer.

Show Notes:

• Apple Updates App Store Guidelines to Permit Game Emulators, Website Links in EU Music Apps [Macrumors]
• PC games on the Miyoo Mini! // April Fools 2024! [TechDweeb on YouTube]
• Studio_Tour_Outtake_DONOTPUBLISH.mp4 [MKBHD on YouTube]

Wildfrost is a card battler, and has you playing cards into a two-lane field of play. You have a “leader" card and then a variety of support units. You must protect the leader at all costs as if they end up dying that’s the end of the game. Positioning plays a huge, HUGE role in the strategy in Wildfrost, which I think is one of its most unique traits. Where you place your cards and their position in relation to enemy cards is crucial. Every card has a countdown timer that ticks down with each move made, and when it’s up that card will trigger its attack or modifier or ability or what have you. This brief video explains it all well.

These countdown and positioning mechanics mean you need to be able to plan many steps ahead in Wildfrost. In this way the game reminds me a lot of those programming-based games like Human Resource Machine or even something like Factorio as you’re sort of planning out a chain of events based on your hand and the enemies you’re encountering. This isn’t the first or only game where positioning of your cards matters, but it certainly feels on a much different level than similar games and is one of the elements that makes this stand out from other roguelike deckbuilders.

As for the shortcomings mentioned earlier? Well, this game is capital H Hard, and often in a somewhat unfair, out-of-nowhere manner. There’s also a lot of instances where it feels like the game was designed around you having a specific set of cards to utilize for a certain battle or boss fight, and if the RNG doesn’t grant you those cards then you’re SOL. These are things that are par for the course in a game inspired by Rogue, but understandably not everyone’s cup of tea.

I think part of the difficulty concerns stem from players not fully exploring the options available to them by way of card upgrading and customization as well as specific synergies between cards played. Things that might feel like an unfair difficult spike or an unfair battle might actually just be expecting you to utilize some of the functionality of your units beyond their face value. This is where I think the game really finds its legs and gives you something to really learn and explore, and then use that knowledge in a very satisfying manner.

Of course, I’m just some guy who has only been playing Wildfrost for a couple of days, so my impressions could certainly change. Right now though I think this is a very strong option for those who enjoy games like Slay the Spire and its many contemporaries. I’ll also add that this port feels like a native mobile game in terms of UI and controls, an area where other mobile ports have felt lacking. It’s also totally free to try for yourself, and you can play up through the first boss before springing for a full game unlock. That means there’s really no good reason not to try out Wildfrost and see if its particular brand of roguelike deckbuilding tickles your fancy or not.