Android Central: Best New Games for Android

Friday, February 24, 2017

Best New Games for Android

What are the latest games worth checking out in the Google Play Store?

There are thousands and thousands of games available in the Google Play Store, with more being added every month. With so much content hitting the app store, it can be damn near impossible to keep up on the latest releases and determine which games are worth your time.

Here at Android Central, we want to help. We'll be using this space to let you know about the latest gaming releases for Android that we think deserve your attention. We'll be checking in and updating this page weekly as new games are released, so refresh often!

Update February 24: Archer Dash 2, Rogue Castle, and Island Delta are three new games for Android that are very worthy of your attention!

Archer Dash 2 - Retro Runner

This week's releases feature two retro-style games, and we'll start with the most retro of them all, Archer Dash 2. This game takes the endless runner format found in games like Ancestor and adds its own wrinkles to the gameplay by allowing you to slow down time and shoot down enemies and snag out-of-reach diamonds with your mighty bow as you run.

This game is downright tough, and doesn't even let up after you lose — expect to be taunted mercilessly. The game plays smoothly even when you're slowing down time to target enemies with your bow, but it will take some time to get used to the controls. Once you've got them down, however, you'll be able to collect diamonds and take down enemies with one well-launched arrow

There are several bosses you'll face as you go, or you can challenge them directly by spending diamonds. This game features in-app purchases to buy more diamonds, but there's a ton of diamonds scattered throughout each run if you're down for the grind. There are 15 unique retro archers to unlock, along with a bunch of different color palettes to choose from in the settings menu. Oh, and we just have to mention the 8-bit soundtrack, which is absolutely glorious.

Download: Archer Dash 2 (Free w/IAPs)

Rogue Castle: Roguelike Action

What do you get when you combine a knight with a ninja? A kick ass rogue-like platformer called Rogue Castle.

This fast-paced action game offers up a real challenge as you explore two castles filled with nasty monsters and bosses. As you progress through your journey, the game ups the difficulty level, so you'll need to collect as much loot as possible to upgrade your ninja knight to keep up. Prepare use all your skills to shoot, double-jump and dodge deadly obstacles as you work through each level.

Featuring retro graphics and smooth platformer gameplay, this is a great choice for anyone who loves some nostalgia with their gaming. Rogue Castle is a free download from the Google Play Store.

Download: Rogue Castle: Roguelike Action (Free)

Island Delta

Island Delta is the latest game published by the fine folks at Noodlecake Studios, which means it's definitely worth checking out. Developed by Mantisbite out of Finland and released for iOS in late 2016, Island Delta brings its top-down action-adventure-puzzler fun to Android. You're tasked with exploring a mysterious retro-futuristic island with your heros, Zoe and Baxter, as you try to take down the evil Doctor Gunderson and his army of henchmen.

Using your anti-gravity gun, you must work your way past mechanical minions, traps, and guards as you solve puzzles to make it through to the end of each level. At times Island Delta feels like a stripped down, third-person version Portal, which is something I wasn't aware I needed in my life. The cartoony graphics and outstanding level design will immediately draw you in, though like with some newer releases, the game is not without the occasional bug you might run into. Fortunately, the game is fairly forgiving with checkpoints, so even if the game glitches out, you won't lose any of your progress. It's available for $2.99 from the Google Play Store.

Download: Island Delta ($2.99)