Mobile Game Roundup: Groove Planet, Speed Golf and More

Are you looking for a new mobile game to play this weekend? There are plenty of new options available, starting with Sniper Fury, a first-person shooter from Gameloft. The game’s single-player missions see users travel around the world to defeat enemies, while a multiplayer mode allows players to manage the defenses of their own base, and attack bases owned by other users.

Ubisoft also released its newest game this week: Rayman Adventures. The level-based side-scrolling platformer challenges players to collect creatures called Incrediballs in order to regrow a Sacred Tree.

Are you looking for something different to play? Here’s a look at some of the additional mobile games released this week.

Groove Planet (Free on iOS) – This rhythm-based ‘clicker’ or idle game from Animoca Brands allows players to build an alien planet by collecting and spending music notes, but instead of rapidly tapping to earn currency, the game encourages users to tap in time to the beat of the music (rapidly tapping is technically allowed, but players earn more notes by tapping to the beat). Gamers can play the game with music previewed from iTunes, or play the music on their device. As players collect music notes, these can be spent on upgrades to make each tap worth more notes, or on buildings which generate music notes automatically over time, even when gamers aren’t tapping or actively playing the game. Groove Planet will launch on Android next year.

TruckSimulation 16 ($2.99 on iOS, Android) – A truck driving simulation game from developer kunst-stoff and publisher astragon Entertainment, TruckSimulation 16 allows players to collect seven trucks and complete delivery orders by driving on roads across central and western Europe. Players have access to eight trailer types, which are designed to transport different objects (like bulk goods or hazardous liquids, as examples). The game allows players to travel to more than 20 cities, and players can hire AI drivers to complete additional delivery missions.

Pro Pinball ($2.99 on Android) – Following a successful Kickstarter campaign, Barnstorm Games has released Pro Pinball: Timeshock on Android devices. Based on the Pro Pinball series from the 1990s, the app features worldwide score leaderboards, as well as ambient lighting controls. For an additional $3.99, players can upgrade to the ‘Deluxe’ version of the app, which supports table customization via an Operator’s Menu, as well as a ‘Glass-Off Mode,’ which allows players to manually move the ball around the table.

Rush N Krush (Free on iOS, Android) – From Netmarble Games, this arcade-style racing game offers multiple gameplay modes, including an endless racing mode and a boss mode for taking down bosses using a vehicle’s weapons. The game also includes head-to-head, grand prix and friendly match multiplayer modes. While racing, players tap on buttons to steer and jump, and can drift behind other cars for a speed boost. While playing endless games, these games continue until players run out of gas (players earn extra gas as they reach checkpoints). Players can collect parts and upgrade their cars, and can also unlock new drivers over time.

Kash Karnival (Free on iOS) – Originally released on Facebook, Kash Karnival from Royal Wins is a skill-based casino game, allowing players to bet on their in-game performance, and redeem their winnings for real-world prizes including iPads and GoPro cameras, among others. The game offers both skill-based mini-games (like one similar to Flappy Bird, for instance), as well as traditional casino games (like a slot machine). Gamers level up as they play games, and will unlock new games to play over time.

Sequence: Connecting Numbers (Free on iOS) – This puzzle game from developer ZipZap Games and publisher Gameblyr challenges players to complete over 100 levels by connecting numbers to form chains based on patterns. Each level has a different goal, like removing enough numbers to add up to a specific total, or collecting objects by removing all of the numbers below them, as examples. Gamers can use power-ups to complete stages.

Monster Castle (Free on iOS, Android) – From Sixjoy Hong Kong Limited, Monster Castle is a tower defense game challenging players to build a castle for monsters and defend it from invaders in a campaign mode and multiplayer battles. The castle generates resources (currency) automatically over time, and players can upgrade rooms in the castle to increase their resource production. In addition to defending their own castle, players can recruit monsters and attack other players’ castles to earn extra resources.

Pocket Troops (Free on iOS) – Following a soft launch in limited territories, Heyworks has launched Pocket Troops worldwide on iOS. The strategy game challenges players to defeat enemy soldiers by creating an army with six classes of troops. During battle, players tap a button to begin each wave, which see units automatically attack the enemy until one side is defeated. Before each wave begins, players can complete actions like calling in air strikes or healing wounded soldiers, among others. Units will earn experience points after battles, and players can train their troops and upgrade their skills over time. Players can also collect new weapons for their troops, and can upgrade their base.

Mad Aces (Free on iOS) – From Carpazzzi Soft and BulkyPix, Mad Aces is a side-scrolling endless survival game challenging players to help their character survive as long as possible by moving up and down to avoid blocks covered in spikes. Players have three control options to choose from (on-screen buttons, swiping or tapping), and can fire a limited number of shots to eliminate obstacles in the path. Players can collect additional ammo, as well as coins, as they play. These coins are used to unlock new playable characters. Players will also receive free coins as prizes over time, and can earn additional coins by watching video ads when these opportunities are presented.

Speed Guess Something (Free on iOS, Android) – From Zynga, Speed Guess Something is the newest game in the Draw Something franchise. The game includes the same multiplayer drawing and guessing gameplay from Draw Something, and also introduces a new mode: Speed Guess. The Speed Guess mode allows two players to compete in real-time to guess drawings as quickly as possible. These drawings are presented by the app, so all users must do is guess. The faster players correctly identify each drawing, the more points they earn. The player with the most points at the end of the game wins. In Speed Guess, players can customize their games by choosing drawing categories, like Natural World or Films and TV, among others.

Easy: A Deluxe Brainteaser ($0.99 on Android) – Following the game’s release on iOS, this puzzle game from developer Jan Essig has launched on Android devices. The game challenges players to answer yes or no questions, and gives players three seconds to answer each one. For instance, players may be asked ‘Does candy taste sweet,’ or ‘Are tomatoes blue?’ Players earn a point for each correct answer, and after every five questions, the question theme changes. The game ends when players answer a question incorrectly, or fail to answer a question before time runs out.

Frontier Defense (Free on iOS) – From Pine Entertainment, this ‘clicker’ or idle game challenges players to defend their castle from waves of enemies by rapidly tapping on the screen to make their heroes attack. Players can upgrade their castle with automated defenses, and heroes themselves will also automatically attack enemies even if players aren’t tapping on the screen (though tapping makes them attack faster). Players receive coins as they defeat enemies, which can be spent on new defenses for their castle, upgrades for their defenses and heroes (which increase their damage) and upgrades for the castle itself (which increase its health points). Players will unlock new heroes as they complete battles.

Speed Golf (Free on iOS, Android) – From Manastick Games and Ketchapp, Speed Golf is an endless golfing game, challenging players to hit a golf ball into each hole in five seconds or less. In each game, the ball’s aiming trajectory line moves automatically, challenging players to wait until the right time to tap and hold to power up their shot, before letting go to ‘swing.’ Games end when players run out of time, or hit the ball off of the screen. Users can collect coins as they play, which are used to unlock new gameplay environments that change the game in a some way. For instance, the antarctic environment contains slippery ice, while the Mars environment has lower gravity, and so on. Players will also receive free coins as gifts over time, and can earn additional coins by watching video ads when these are available.