Tulfie

This is the perfect app for sharing your favorite moments and memories with your friends, family and business associates. It is designed to capture and share your special moments through images and events.

With the Tulfie app, you have full control on what you share and with whom. You have the ability to categorize your connections and images and have full control of who can access your profile. Obtain Star status when you reach more than 100,000 views within 30 days.

Organizing an event is easier than ever! Simply create an event through Tulfie, send invites to your connections and within five seconds you will have an awesome photo album of your birthday party!

• Create a personal or business event in a few seconds
• Promote your event
• Invite connections and friends
• Define privacy rules; allowing access to images
• Get notified when images are viewed, wowed and commented

Download Tulfie on the Google Play Store
Visit Developers Website

9 Boxes

9 Boxes, get ready for this challenging tiny puzzle game. Move the groups of puzzle boxes around to set the overlapped boxes free.

Features

• Amazing minimalistic graphics
• Easy to pick up and play, hard to master
• Over 60 tiny puzzles
• Compete for the puzzle crown on Game Center leaderboard

Download 9 Boxes on the App Store
Visit Developers Website

[Deal Alert] Save up to $250 on unlocked, carrier, and dual SIM models of the Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge

If you closely follow smartphone deals, you know that the US unlocked models of Samsung's Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge don't often go on sale. However, for Black Friday, several retailers are handing some pretty nice discounts and freebies out for them. We're also seeing some discounts on American carrier and international dual SIM models.

Let's start with the US unlocked Galaxy S7 (SM-G930U). Samsung.com is not only taking $120 off the S7's MSRP of $669.99, making the price $549.99, but is also throwing in a free Gear VR gift pack (it's not clear what exactly the gift pack includes, although it's likely free Oculus content) and a white wireless charging pad (not of the fast charging variety). It's worth noting that the Gear VR being included is the improved, darker-colored 2016 model. Black Onyx appears to be the only color available, and the offer ends today (11/26).

B&H has also discounted the Black Onyx US unlocked S7 by $120 to $549.99 and is including the same Gear VR gift pack, but is throwing in some different free things - a black Samsung fast wireless charging pad, the black (mostly useless) OEM keyboard case, and a transparent OEM case with gold accents - in place of the standard white wireless charging pad. This deal ends tomorrow (11/27), although the Gear VR gift pack will continue to be included until the 28th.

Like Samsung.com and B&H, Best Buy is offering the US unlocked Galaxy S7 for $549.99, but has the Gold color available in addition to Black Onyx. However, there are no freebies included. If you're okay with a refurbished unit, you can save an additional $50 and get one for $499.99.

Interestingly, Samsung.com has some pretty intriguing offers for Galaxy S7 and S7 edge carrier models. AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon models (all of which have slightly different prices) of the S7 and S7 edge aren't technically discounted, but they're all eligible for $250 eCertificates towards future purchases on Samsung.com and the Gear VR gift packs that have been mentioned a few times now. It's worth noting that the new Blue Coral color is available on all four carrier models of the S7 edge. These promos all end on November 28th.

Lastly, B&H has some pretty substantial price cuts for the international, dual SIM unlocked models of the S7 (SM-G930FD) and S7 edge (SM-G935FD). The S7 Duos is being discounted $200, from $699.99 to $499.99, and the S7 edge Duos is being discounted $250, from $799.99 to $549.99. A free Samsung fast charger (QC2.0-capable) is included with both devices.

• Source:
• B&H (1),
• (2),
• (3),
• Best Buy (1),
• (2),
• Samsung (1),
• (2)

[Deal Alert] Huawei's new MediaPad M3 tablet is already $60 off, down to $239 on Amazon

The MediaPad M3, Huawei's latest attempt to compete with mid-sized tablets in the iPad Mini niche, has only been officially available in the US for a week. But the tablet is already on sale, and by an impressive 20% no less. Amazon is selling the MediaPad M3 for $239, $60 off the retail price. That's not bad at all for a device with its specs, especially since competition in the premium Android tablet space (and in this smaller form factor) seems to be so thin these days.

The MediaPad M3 uses an 8.4-inch, 2560x1600 LCD screen, a full aluminum body that's appreciably thin at 7.3mm, and dual stereo speakers. The CPU is Huawei's own Kirin design with an octacore big-little architecture topping out at 2.3GHz, paired to 4GB of RAM, which should be enough to handle just about any Android task even on the high-res screen. The tablet comes with a generous 5100mAh battery, 32GB of storage (there's a MicroSD card slot according to Huawei's spec page, but it's not mentioned on Amazon) and 8MP cameras on both the front and the back. Though LTE versions of the tablet are sold internationally, the US only has access to the Wi-Fi model at the moment. Oh, and yes, it has a headphone jack.

The software is Android 6.0 plus Huawei's "Emotion UI," and the model sold on Amazon does not appear to include the Harman Kardon headphones packaged with the MediaPad M3 in some other regions. Though the tablet is made in silver and gold colors, only the former seems to be on sale today. It's not clear how long this promotional price will last, but I wouldn't count on it staying so low past this weekend.

• Source:
• Amazon

[Deal Alert] Multiple Huawei Watch models are up to $200 off on Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, and Walmart

The Huawei Watch is easily one of the best Android Wear watches on the market right now, especially when it comes to design. There are a few different styles to choose from, some costing more than others. The Jewel/Pearl model, shown above with a gold finish tiny jewels circling the display, is down to $349.99 on Amazon, B&H, and Walmart. That's a whopping $200 off the original price, by far the lowest it has ever been (the last lowest price was $470).

If you're thinking to yourself, "What's the catch," there really isn't one. We gave the watch solid marks in our review, and with it being one of two watches with the Android Wear 2.0 preview, it's safe to say it will receive the finished update. If you think the Gold/Jewel design is too flashy, several other models are heavily discounted as well.

Huawei Watch - Jewel/Pearl

• Amazon - $349 ($200 off)
• Walmart - $349 ($200 off, only four left in stock at time of writing)
• B&H - $349 ($200 off)

Huawei Watch - Stainless Steel

• Amazon - $249.99 ($100 off)
• B&H - $269.99 ($80 off)
• Best Buy - $269.99 ($80 off)

Huawei Watch - Stainless Steel with black leather strap

• Amazon - $199.99 ($100 off)
• B&H - $199.99 ($100 off)
• Best Buy - $199.99 ($100 off)
• Walmart - $199.95 ($100 off)

Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals roundup [Updated continuously]

Ah, the Black Friday/Cyber Monday weekend - that time in November when people trample each other in stores just to get the best possible prices for electronics that they likely don't really need. However, with so many deals floating around, it's hard to keep track of all of them. Not to worry, though; our list of discounts aims to help consolidate all of the cool tech that you might want to spend your hard-earned money on in one place.

You can find Ryan's list of app-related deals here.

Last updated at 9:30PM ET on 11/26.

Android Devices

ASUS ZenFone Zoom: $199 from $439, plus a free leather case and screen protector (November 23-25)

Google Pixel (Verizon): $240 ($10/month for 24 months) from $649.99 (November 24-25)

Google Pixel XL (Verizon): $360 ($15/month for 24 months) from $769.99 (November 24-25)

Google Pixel (Quite Black): $649.99, plus a $25 Newegg gift card (November 21-26)

Honor 8 (32GB): $289.99 from $399.99 at Amazon (November 25-28) and Newegg (plus $25 Newegg gift card, case, Honor earphones, Dr. Strange case, selfie stick, USB-C cable, wall brick, and microUSB to USB-C converter, November 21-26)

Honor 8 (64GB): $339.99 from $449.99 at Amazon (November 25-28) and Newegg (plus $25 Newegg gift card, case, Honor earphones, Dr. Strange case, selfie stick, USB-C cable, wall brick, and microUSB to USB-C converter, November 21-26)

HTC 10 (unlocked, Sprint, Verizon, T-Mobile): $499.99 from $699.99 (live now)

HTC One A9 (unlocked, AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile): $275 (live now)

HTC One M9 (unlocked, developer, all 4 carriers): $300 from $649 (live now)

Huawei MediaPad M3: $249.99 from $299.99 (November 25-28) (update 11/26 1PM ET: $239.99 now)

LeEco EcoWheel: Get additional Black Friday discounts such as an extra $20 off the Le S3 and $50 off the Le Pro3

LeEco Le Pro3: $299 from $399 (November 25-27)

LeEco Le S3: $149 from $249 (November 25-27)

LG V20 (T-Mobile): free to $200 after bill credits with select trade-ins (November 24-27)

Motorola: 10% off Moto Maker when you register as a student with UNIDAYS

Motorola Moto Z: $250 off with a Z, Z Droid, Z Force Droid, Z Play, and Z Play Droid bundle with Hasselblad True Zoom or Moto Insta-Share Projector (November 20-25)

Samsung Galaxy S devices (US Cellular): any two, plus a free 58-inch Samsung Smart HDTV

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge (AT&T, VZW, Sprint): free $250 Best Buy gift card and Gear VR if purchased on installment plans (November 24-27)

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge (T-Mobile): free to $200 after bill credits with select trade-ins, plus free Gear VR and $50 Oculus credit (November 24-27)

Samsung Galaxy S7 (unlocked, SM-G930U): $669.99, plus a $250 eCertificate for Samsung.com (November 20-23) (update 11/25 1PM ET: $549.99 from $669.99, plus free Gear VR gift pack and wireless charger, November 25-26)

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge (unlocked, SM-G935U): $769.99, plus a $250 eCertificate for Samsung.com (November 20-23) (update 11/25 1PM ET: $769.99, plus free Gear VR gift pack, November 25-28)

Sony Xperia XZ: $581.98-599.99 from $699.99 in black, blue, and white (live now)

US Cellular: 50% off with smartphone trade-in, cracked screens are OK (November 21 to December 31)

Verizon: $200 off any smartphone $400 or higher for new customers, $100 off for existing customers (November 24-27)

ZTE Axon 7: $349.98 from $399.98 at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H (plus free JBL Bluetooth headphones [update 11/25 1PM ET: $50 B&H gift card too]), Fry's, Newegg (plus free Monster Bluetooth headphones), and ZTEUSA.com (plus free case and USB-C cable) (live now for most, officially November 28 to December 4)

ZTE Axon 7 mini: $199.98 from $299.98 for Ion Gold color at Best Buy, $249.98 from $299.98 for Platinum Gray at Amazon, Best Buy, B&H, Fry's, Newegg (plus free Hamilton Beach coffee maker [I'm as confused as you]), and ZTEUSA.com (live now for most, officially November 25-27)

Update: 11/24 at 1PM ET

Samsung Galaxy S7 (Verizon): $240 ($10/month for 24 months) from $672 (November 24-25)

Update: 11/24 at 5PM ET

LG G5 (unlocked): $399.99 from $649.99, plus get a free battery, charging cradle, and CAM Plus (November 24) (update 11/25 1PM ET: $25 Newegg gift card included now too)

Sony Xperia X (unlocked): $299.99 from $399.99

Update: 11/24 at 8:30PM ET

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge (Sprint and Verizon): free $400 Best Buy gift card and Gear VR, new/upgrade for Verizon and new only for Sprint

Update: 11/25 at 1PM ET

HTC Bolt (Sprint): $372 ($12.50/month for 24 months) with monthly installment plan

Motorola: up to $90 off on Amazon, see below

Motorola Moto G4: $179.99 from $199.99 for 16GB, $189.99 from $229.99 for 64GB at Amazon and Motorola

Motorola Moto G4 (Amazon): $129.99 from $149.99

Motorola Moto G4 Play: $129.99 from $149.99 at Amazon and Motorola

Motorola Moto G4 Plus: $199.99 from $249.99 for 16GB, $229.99 from $299.99 for 64GB at Amazon and Motorola

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition (64GB, 2015): $269.95 from $449.95 (November 25-26) (update 11/25 5:30PM ET: Amazon too)

Nextbit Robin: $149.99 from $299.99

Update: 11/26 at 1PM ET

BlackBerry PRIV (unlocked): $299 from $649

Update: 11/26 at 9:30PM ET

Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge: up to $250 in savings, plus assorted freebies

Other Gadgets and Gizmos

Amazon: Black Friday promo page

Amazon Echo: $139.99 from $179.99 (update 11/24 1PM ET: live)

Amazon Echo Dot: $39.99 from $49.99 (update 11/24 1PM ET: live)

Amazon Fire tablet: $33.33 from $49.99 (update 11/24 1PM ET: live)

Amazon Fire TV: $74.99 from $89.99 (update 11/24 1PM ET: live)

Amazon Kindle: $49.99 from $79.99 (update 11/24 1PM ET: live)

Amazon Tap: $89.99 from $129.99 (update 11/24 1PM ET: live)

Anki Overdrive Starter Kit: $119.99 from $149.99 (live now)

Arlo Wire-Free: 2-pack for $249.87 (update 11/24 5PM ET: $199.99) from $349.99, 3-pack for $323.94, and 4-pack for $456.40 (update 11/24 5PM ET: $349.99) (live now) (update 11/24 5PM ET: 1-pack for $99.99)

ASUS Chromebook C200: $159.99 from $225 (November 23-25)

ASUS OnHub: $116.49 from $199.99 (live now)

Beats Solo 2 Wireless: $119.99 from $299.99 (November 23-25)

Blue Yeti: $89.99 from $127.99 (update 11/24 5PM ET: live)

Bose SoundSport In-Ear Headphones: $39.99 from $99.99

Canary (2-pack): $289 from $399 at Amazon and Canary (November 23-28)

DJI Phantom 3: $399.99 from $499.99 (November 24-27)

eero: 1-pack for $149 from $199 (Amazon, Best Buy, eero), 2-pack for $299 from $349 (Amazon, Best Buy, eero), 3-pack for $399 from $499 (Amazon, Best Buy, eero) (not live yet, officially November 23-28)

Google Chromecast Ultra: $69, plus 3 free months of HBO Now

Google Home: $99 from $129 at Best Buy, Google Store, and Verizon (November 23-28) (update 11/24 1PM ET: Walmart too)

Google Play Music All Access & YouTube Red: free 4-month trial for new and some previous customers

GoPro HERO5 Black: $399.99 at Best Buy (plus free $35 Best Buy gift card and 64GB microSD card, November 24-27) and Target (plus free $60 Target gift card, November 23-24)

HTC RE: $75 from $129 (live now)

HTC Vive: $699.99 from $799.99 at Amazon, Fry's, GameStop, MicroCenter, Newegg, and Vive.com (November 24 11:59PM PT to November 28 11:59PM PT)

HTC Viveport: 50% off over 20 titles, plus $10 back on purchases of $30+ (November 24 11:59PM PT to November 28 11:59PM PT)

Huawei Watch: up to $200 off from Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, Google Store, and Newegg (November 21 to December 2) (update 11/26 1PM ET: more detailed list)

LeEco EcoWheel: Get additional Black Friday discounts such as an extra $100 off the Super4 X43 Pro, $100 off the X55, and $200 off the X65

LeEco Super4 X55: $699, plus a free Le S3 (November 25-27)

LeEco Super4 X65: $1199, plus a free Le S3 (November 25-27)

Logi Circle: $129.99 from $199.99

mophie powerstation mini: $9.99 from $59.99 (November 24-27)

Motorola Moto 360 46mm (2nd Gen): $249.99 from $349.99 (November 18-25)

Nest Cam Indoor: $149 from $199 at Amazon, Google Store, and Nest (update 11/24 1PM ET: Verizon too) (update 11/24 5PM ET: also at B&H, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Newegg, Target, and Walmart)

Nest Learning Thermostat, 3rd Generation: $199 from $249 at Amazon, Google Store, and Nest (update 11/24 1PM ET: also at eBay and Verizon) (update 11/24 5PM ET: also at B&H, Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, Newegg, Target, and Walmart)

NVIDIA games: up to 75% off select Android and GeForce titles (November 22-28)

Samsung Gear S3 frontier: $299.99 from $349.99 (November 20-28)

Samsung Gear S3 classic: $299.99 from $349.99 (November 20-28)

SONOS: $30 off PLAY:1, PLAY:3, and PLAY:5; $50 off PLAYBAR and SUB (November 29 - December 31)

SONOS PLAY:1: $149 from $199 (November 24-28) (update 11/26 12AM ET: Amazon too)

Sphero Star Wars BB-8 Droid: $99.99 from $127.99 (update 11/24 8:30PM ET: live now)

Spotify Premium (3 months): $0.99 from $29.97 for new users, $9.99 from $29.97 for previous users (November 23 to January 1, 2017)

TP-Link OnHub: $124.89 from $199.99 (live now)

UE Boom 2: $129.99 from $199.99 (November 24-27) (update 11/24 8:30PM ET: Amazon, B&H, Best Buy, Newegg, Staples, and Target too, but Verizon has it for $30 cheaper)

Xbox One S (500GB Battlefield 1 or Minecraft bundle): $249.99 from $299.99, plus a free $40 Target gift card (November 23-24)

Update: 11/24 at 1PM ET

Google Chromecast: $25 from $35, plus 3 free months of HBO NOW at eBay, Google Store, and Walmart (update 11/24 5PM ET: more stores)

Google Chromecast Audio: $25 from $35, plus 3 free months of HBO NOW at eBay and Google Store (update 11/24 5PM ET: more stores)

UE Boom 2: $99.99 from $199.99

Update: 11/24 at 5PM ET

Cambridge SoundWorks OontZ Angle 3XL: $74.99 from $249.99 (November 24)

CYBERPOWERPC GXiVR8020A and Oculus combo: $999 from $1299.98 (November 24)

Withings: up to 50% off, such as Activité Steel for $69.99 from $149.95, Activité Pop for $59.99 from $129.95, and Body for $74.99 from $129.95 (November 24)

Update: 11/24 at 8:30PM ET

Blink (3 cameras): $199 from $229 with code 3BF2016 (November 24-25)

Blink (5 cameras): $299 from $349 with code 5BF2016 (November 24-25)

DJI Phantom 3 Standard: $399 from $799 (November 24-28)

DJI Phantom 3 Professional: $799 from $1259 (November 24-28)

DJI Phantom 4: $999 from $1399 (November 24-28)

DJI Osmo: $299, plus a free "intelligent battery" (November 24-28)

Samsung EVO 256GB microSD card: $179.99 from $199.99 (update 11/25 5:30PM ET: 128GB model for $29.99 from $39.99)

Update: 11/25 at 1PM ET

Amazon: $10 gift card when you use an Amazon device to order one of "Alexa's Best Deals", such as Echo Dot, Fire tablet, and more

dbrand: 30% off site-wide, plus an entry to win $50,000 for every $50 you spend

GoPro HERO (1st gen): $89.99 from $129.99 (November 25)

Invoxia Smart Portable Speaker with Amazon Alexa: $134.98 from $209 (update 11/25 7:30PM ET: gray is $101.61, ~$33 less than blue)

Motorola Moto Mods: buy one, get one free

Rachio: $195-199.99 for 8 zone, $227.67-249.99 for 16 zone, plus $50 gift card from Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe's (November 24-28)

Recon Jet: $349 from $499 (November 25-28)

Sennheiser HD598 Cs: $99.99 from $249.99 (November 25)

WeMo: assorted discounts on Amazon (November 25)

YI 4K Action Camera: $199.99 from $249.99

Update: 11/25 at 7:30PM ET

SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick: 32GB for $19.99 from $39.99, 64GB for $29.99 from ~$36, 128GB for $49.99 from ~$75

SanDisk Ultra Plus microSD (64GB): $14.99 from $29.99 at Amazon (non-Plus), Best Buy, Costco, and Walmart

SanDisk Ultra Plus microSD (128GB): $29.99 from $39.99 at Amazon and Best Buy

SanDisk Ultra Plus microSD (200GB): $49.99 from ~$75 at Amazon

Update: 11/26 at 12AM ET

AUKEY QC3.0 dual-port wall charger: $14.99 from $19.99 with code AUKEYBF1 (November 24-29)

AUKEY QC3.0 6-port charging station: $22 from $27.99 with code AUKEYBF2 (November 24-29)

AUKEY QC3.0 dual-port car charger: $10.31 from $11.99 with code AUKEYBF3 (November 24-29)

AUKEY USB 3.0 7-port USB hub: $19.99 from $24.99 with code AUKEYBF4 (November 24-29)

AUKEY QC3.0 20,000mAh power bank: $29.99 from $39.99 with code NLD526NB (November 24-29)

Dropbox Pro (1TB): $59.99 from $99.99, plus a $25 Dell gift card

Update: 11/26 at 1PM ET

ecobee3 (2nd gen): $199.99 from $249.99

Fitbit: up to $70 off

harman/kardon Onyx mini (Bluetooth speaker): $99.99 from $199.99

illumi LED bulbs: up to $20 off

Jawbone MINI JAMBOX (Bluetooth speaker): $44.99 from $129.99

Marshall Stanmore (Bluetooth speaker): $199.99 from $349.99

Marshall Woburn (Bluetooth speaker): $399.99 from $499.99

Philips hue white LED bulb: $12.99 from $14.99

Philips hue Starter Kit: $119.99 from $179.99

PowerUp 3.0 (paper airplane): $27.99 from $41.49

Ring Doorbells: $50 off

Roku Streaming Stick (2016): $34.99 from $49.99

Samsung Gear IconX: $179.99 from $199.99

Samsung SmartThings Hub: $49.99 from $99.99

Samsung SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit: $149.99 from $249.99

Skybell HD WiFi Video Doorbell: $139 from $199

UE MEGABOOM: $209.99 from $299.99

Update: 11/26 at 9:30PM ET

Microsoft Mobile Keyboard: $29.99 from $79.99

Black Friday app and game sales roundup [Updated Continuously]

It's getting to be the time of year when retailers lower their prices in hopes of luring in consumers to splurge for the holidays. It's not just physical items on sale, though. __apps and games are on sale for Black Friday as well. This roundup is your one-stop-shop for all the discounted __apps and games fit for purchase. We'll keep this post updated throughout the holiday weekend, so check back on occasion.

Apps

Business Calendar Pro: $2.49 from $4.99

VideoShow Pro: $1.99 from $3.99

Cameringo+ Effects Camera: $1.49 from $2.99

Runtastic PRO; $2.49 from $4.99

Swiftly switch: $0.99 from $1.99

Perfectly Clear: $0.99 from $2.99

Calculator Plus: $1.49 from $2.99

7 Minute Workout Pro: $1.49 from $2.99

Maps & Navigation — OsmAnd+: $3.49 from $6.99

Update 11/23 9PM PT

VSCO: 25-50% off select in-app purchases

tinyCam Monitor PRO: $1.99 from $3.99

GoneMAD Music Player Unlocker: $0.99 from $3.99

Cross DJ Pro: $2.49 from $4.99

franco Kernel updater 2: $1.99 from $3.99

Focus: 30% off upgrade via in-app purchase

Update 11/24 9PM PT

SunVox: $2.99 from $5.99

Solid Explorer File Manager: $0.99 from $1.99

ezPDF Reader PDF Annotate Form: $0.99 from $3.99

ISS Detector Pro: $1.49 from $2.49

ArtRage: Draw, Paint, Create: $2.99 from $4.99

DigiCal+ Calendar: $3.49 from $4.99

iMuscle 2: $0.99 from $2.49

Essential Anatomy 3: $4.99 from $9.99

WeatherPro: $0.99 from $2.99

BeyondPod Unlock Key: $2.99 from $6.99

Update 11/26 2PM PT

n7player Music Player Unlocker: $0.99 from $3.99

Jump Desktop: $4.99 from $9.99

Poweramp Full Version Unlocker: $0.99 from $3.99

Games

This War of Mine: $2.99 from $14.99

LIMBO: $0.99 from $4.99

Snowboard Party: $0.99 from $1.99

Snowboard Party 2: $0.99 from $1.99

Skateboard Party 3 Greg Lutzka: $0.99 from $1.99

Groundskeeper2: $0.99 from $2.49

Gunslugs: $0.99 from $1.49

Gunslugs 2: $0.99 from $2.49

Heroes of Loot: $0.99 from $3.99

Heroes of Loot 2: $0.99 from $4.49

Space Grunts: $0.99 from $3.99

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4: $0.49 from $4.99

Let's Create! Pottery: $0.99 from $4.99

Rayman Fiesta Run: $0.99 from $2.99

Star Wars: KOTOR: $2.99 from $9.99

Monument Valley: $0.99 from $3.99

Pumped BMX 3: $0.99 from $3.99

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: $6.99 from $14.99

Borderlands 2: $6.99 from $14.99

Portal: $4.99 from $9.99

Half-Life 2: Episode Two: $3.99 from $7.99

Half-Life 2: Episode One: $3.99 from $7.99

Half-Life 2: $4.99 from $9.99

Doom 3 : BFG Edition: $4.99 from $9.99

Q.U.B.E.: Director's Cut: $2.99 from $5.99

PAC-MAN CE DX: $2.99 from $4.99

LEGO Jurassic World: $0.99 from $4.99

Riptide GP: Renegade: $0.99 from $2.99

Battlefleet Gothic: Leviathan: $3.99 from $5.99

Oddworld: Stranger's Wrath; $0.99 from $1.99

Oddworld: Munch's Oddysee: $0.99 from $1.99

Need for Speed Most Wanted: $0.99 from $4.99

FINAL FANTASY TACTICS : WotL: $3.99 from $13.99

Never Alone: Ki Edition: $0.99 from $4.99

République: $0.99 from $2.99

Lifeline: Flatline: $1.99 from $2.99

Lifeline: Crisis Line: $0.99 from $2.99

Botanicula: $2.49 from $4.99

Door Kickers: $0.99 from $3.99

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour: $0.99 from $6.99

Machinarium: $2.49 from $4.99

The Room Three: $0.99 from $4.99

Cosmonautica: $1.99 from $4.49

Update 11/23 9PM PT

Fallout Shelter: 50-60% off in-app purchase bundles

SimCity BuildIt: 75% off select in-app purchases

Tallowmere: $0.99 from $3.99

Ghosts of Memories: $0.99 from $2.99

Day R Premium: $0.99 from $4.99

Talisman: $1.49 from $2.99

Talisman: The Horus Heresy: $2.49 from $5.49

Kingdom Rush Origins: $0.99 from $2.99

Update 11/24 9PM PT

Templar Battleforce RPG: $4.99 from $9.99

Out There: Ω Edition: $0.99 from $5.49

Out There Chronicles - Ep. 1: $0.99 from $2.99

Don't Starve: Pocket Edition: $2.99 from $4.99

Samurai II: Vengeance: $0.99 from $2.99

SHADOWGUN: $0.99 from $4.99

Splendor: $2.99 from $6.99

Small World 2: $2.99 from $6.99

Ticket to Ride: $2.99 from $6.99

Pandemic: The Board Game: $2.99 from $6.99

Carcassonne: $1.99 from $4.99

Spirit HD: $0.99 from $2.99

Kiwanuka: $0.99 from $2.99

Steam: Rails to Riches: $1.99 from $4.99

Punch Club: $1.99 from $4.99

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7: $0.49 from $4.99

Update 11/26 2PM PT

RPG Alphadia Genesis: $0.99 from $4.99

RPG Illusion of L'Phalcia: $0.99 from $3.99

RPG Chronus Arc: $0.99 from $3.99

RPG Bonds of the Skies: $0.99 from $3.99

RPG Covenant of Solitude: $0.99 from $3.99

RPG Soul Historica: $0.99 from $3.99

RPG Destiny Fantasia: $0.99 from $3.99

RPG Fortuna Magus: $0.99 from $3.99

Devil's Attorney: $0.99 from $2.99

INDY 500 Arcade Racing: $1.99 from $4.49

RPG Spectral Souls: $5.49 from $10.99

Kingdom Builder: $0.99 from $2.99

FINAL FANTASY V: $7.99 from $15.99

Strategy&Tactics:Medieval Wars: $0.99 from $2.99

Ice Rage: Hockey: $0.99 from $1.99

FootLOL: Crazy Soccer: $0.99 from $2.99

Plancon: Space Conflict: $0.99 from $2.99

Faif: $0.99 from $1.99

Rayman Classic: Free from $4.49

Goat Simulator: $0.99 from $4.99

Kathy Rain brings an original detective story wrapped in an old-school adventure game format

There are a lot of point-and-click adventure games on the Play Store, some of them ports of classics from decades ago, some of them original games spurred on by the genre's mobile renaissance. But none seem so downright dedicated to the classic format as Kathy Rain, the rookie effort from independent developer Clifftop Games. Equal parts Agatha Christie and Broken Sword, the game's graphics, setting, and sound design are all crafted to call back to the golden age of 90s adventures with an original story.

The titular Kathy Rain is a journalism student coming home to investigate the death of her grandfather. And since it wouldn't be much of a "detective" story (according to the subtitle) without a little mystery, things soon take a turn for the ominous. The game was originally published in May of this year on the PC, but comes to Android with full touch controls and a sizeable discount. $5 grants access to the whole game with no in-app purchases. Oh, and it's coming to Android at the same time as iOS, which is a nice change of pace.

  

  

The game's pixelated visuals are limited to a 4:3 aspect ratio and just 240x320 resolution, an intentional choice to harken back to classic adventure titles from LucasArts and Sierra. Even the font that the character dialog appears in is matched up to the old games. it's best experienced on a tablet, if at all possible, but unfortunately Android TV is not supported. Kathy Rain does indulge in full voice acting for all characters, which is a thankful inclusion for the sake of giving the characters a little more life. If you'd like a stroll down memory lane while still getting a fresh story, give it a try.

Kathy Rain (Playboard) | Kathy Rain (Play Store)

The Best Survivalist Apps To Get You Out of Tight Situations

Image: Screenshots

Your phone can entertain you, inform you, and keep you connected to the people that matter the most—but it can also be a help in times of emergency. Whether you find yourself in a genuine life-and-death situation or just an awkward social encounter, your phone can help you escape. These are the __apps you should keep installed in case of emergency.

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Red Panic Button

Image: Screenshots

It’s important to note right out of the gate that without an in-app purchase you’re limited to a rather meaningless text and one contact when you hit the button, but if you can forgive the developers for upselling, then this is actually a useful app to have downloaded.

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It works exactly as its name might suggest. You hit the panic button and a message goes out to the emergency contacts you’ve specified in advance, together with a link to your current location. The paid upgrade also enables emergency services calling capability.

Red Panic Button (freemium) for Android and iOS

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First Aid by American Red Cross

Image: Screenshots

If you or someone you’re with needs medical attention, then this First Aid app can help, giving detailed guidance for all kinds of problems, from asthma to a heart attack, and you can also call up the address of the closest medical center from inside the app itself.

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There’s a quiz mode integrated into the app so you can testing your knowledge and get prepared ahead of time, and the video clips and step-by-step guides are all easy to follow. You can call 911 from inside the app as well and access various other handy resources.

First Aid by American Red Cross (free) for Android and iOS

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SafeTrek

Image: Screenshots

There’s a very simple but very effective idea behind SafeTrek. You hold down the blue button if you feel vulnerable, then let go and enter a PIN when you’ve reached safety. If the PIN isn’t entered when the software button is released, then the app sends out an alert.

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The alert is sent to the local police who will be on their way using the location info provided by your phone—you don’t need to do anything else. The only downside is there’s a monthly subscription fee of $2.99 (or $29.99/year), but you can try it for free for 30 days.

SafeTrek ($2.99/month) for Android and iOS

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FEMA

Image: Screenshots

The official app from the US Federal Emergency Management Agency comes packed with information about how you can prepare for a natural disaster event as well as up-to-date help for what to do afterwards, including locations for shelter and meeting points.

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Over 20 different types of disaster are covered, with resources for before, after, and during the incident. If you’re outside of the US then see if any __apps are available from your own government—and if you’re off traveling you might want to stock up on them in advance.

FEMA (free) for Android and iOS

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Life360 Family Locator

Image: Screenshots

Life360 is essentially a one-stop shop for all kinds of family-friendly utilities, from managing shared to do lists to tracking where everyone is on a map. While you might not appreciate your parents spying on you all day, there could be times when it’s invaluable.

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There’s a Panic Alert feature built into the app that will take care of messaging the friends and family you choose via voicemail, email and notifications if you should get into trouble. The people you alert will also be able to see your last known location on a map.

Life360 Family Locator (free) for Android and iOS

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SAS Survival Guide

Image: Screenshots

No matter what life throws at you, this app can help. Adapted from the book written by a British SAS instructor, it covers just about every scenario imaginable when it comes to survival, from the berries you can eat to the knots you need to tie to the dangers to look out for.

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There are videos included too for some of the topics, but aside from those clips everything works offline, should you find yourself in the middle of nowhere without signal. There’s a detailed first aid section here too and some helpful advice on self-defense techniques.

SAS Survival Guide ($5.99) for Android and iOS

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Fake Call

Image: Screenshots

We’re not saying that being stuck on a bad date is equivalent to having a heart attack or being stranded out in the wilderness, we’re just trying to be thorough... and if you do need to make a quick getaway from somewhere then Fake Call fits the bill pretty well.

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You can set up the app to call you with a caller ID of your choice, and there’s a timed option too if you want to make it as surreptitious as possible. The app is exclusive to Android but there are alternatives for iPhone users, including the simple Fake Call Free.

Fake Call (free) for Android, Fake Call Free (free) for iOS

Catholic Leaders Attempt to Tantalize Millennials With Sexy New App Nicknamed 'Sindr'

Image via Getty

Of the many things I find absurd about the Catholic Church, my alma mater, one of the most unfathomable is that they expect us to go into a dark, usually too-hot booth with an adult dude we don’t even know and tell him everything we’ve done wrong. Confession is a little bit like therapy, but without the benefit of actually helping you avoid future wrongdoings; there’s no analysis, and penance is usually some variation of praying ten Hail Marys or, for the particular baddies, the whole dang rosary.

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This week, though, a technologically savvy Archbishop in Scotland figured out a way to help Catholics find a better confessional booth and help the Church cater to millennials, a group it’s been bleeding like the stigmata on a Sunday. Time reports that Edinburgh Archbishop Leo Cushley invented an app which “lets users search for the nearest Holy Mass, confessional or diocesanal statistics”and “guide the faithful from their current location to the nearest Catholic Church.” It is called “The Catholic App,” which is deeply unfortunate. Cleverer people on the internet and in the media have been calling it “Sindr,” though that implies it allows you to confess to your sins, receive your penance, and be absolved all via your phone—frankly, a much better idea and one they should consider implementing. (Confession: who has time for it? Plus sometimes there are lines.)

While the Catholic App seems basically like a religious combo of Google Maps, Yelp, and Push Notifications, it does at least bring the institution into the 21st Century, something it’s been needing to do for literal ages (literal ages), particularly if it’s going to compete with all the casj and chill newfangled party churches and also Pentacostalism. Archbishop Cushley attempted to sweeten the deal to Vatican Radio, calling his invention “a little bit of smart technology that could make a big impact on how the Catholic Church brings the mercy of God and the joy of the Gospel to our contemporary world.” Deus ex machina, little lambs.

What Neural Networks, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning Actually Do In Your Apps

When an app claims to be powered by “artificial intelligence” it feels like you’re in the future. What does that really mean, though? We’re taking a look at what buzzwords like AI, machine learning, and neural networks really mean and whether they actually help improve your apps.

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Just recently, Google and Microsoft both added neural network learning to their translation apps. Google said it’s using machine learning to suggest playlists. Todoist says it’s using AI to suggest when you should finish a task. Any.do claims its AI-powered bot can do some tasks for you. All that’s just from last week. Some of it is marketing fluff to make new features sound impressive, but sometimes the changes are legitimately useful. “Artificial intelligence,” “machine learning,” and “neural networks” all describe ways for computers to do more advanced tasks and learn from their environment. While you may hear them used interchangeably by app developers, they can be very different in practice.

Neural Networks Analyze Complex Data By Simulating the Human Brain

Artificial neural networks (ANNs or simply “neural networks” for short) refer to a specific type of learning model that emulates the way synapses work in your brain. Traditional computing uses a series of logic statements to perform a task. Neural networks, on the other hand, use a network of nodes (which act like neurons) and edges (which act like synapses) to process data. Inputs are then run through the system and a series of outputs are generated.

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That output is then compared to known data. For example, say you want to train a computer to recognize a picture of a dog. You’d run millions of pictures of a dog through the network to see what images it decided looked like dogs. A human would then confirm which images are actually dogs. The system then favors the pathways through the neural network that led to the correct answer. Over time and millions of iterations, the network will eventually improve the accuracy of its results.

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To see how this works in action, you can try out Google’s Quick, Draw! experiment here. In this case, Google is training a network to recognize doodles. It compares the doodle you draw to examples drawn by other people. The network is told what the doodles are and then trained to recognize future doodles based on what the past ones look like. Even if your drawing skills suck (like mine do), the network is pretty good at recognizing basic shapes like submarines, house plants, and ducks.

Neural networks aren’t the right solution for everything, but they excel at dealing with complex data. Google and Microsoft using neural networks to power their translation __apps is legitimately exciting because translating languages is hard. We’ve all seen broken translations, but neural network learning could let the system learn from correct translations to get better over time. We’ve seen a similar thing happen with voice transcription. After introducing neural network learning to Google Voice, transcription errors were reduced by 49%. You may not notice it right away and it won’t be perfect, but this type of learning genuinely makes complex data analysis better which can lead to more natural features in your apps.

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Machine Learning Teaches Computers to Improve With Practice

Machine learning is a broad term that encompasses anything where you teach a machine to improve at a task on its own. More specifically, it refers to any system where a machine’s performance at completing a task gets better solely through more experience performing that task. Neural networks are an example of machine learning, but they are not the only way a machine can learn.

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For example, one alternative method of machine learning is called reinforcement learning. In this method, a computer performs a task and then it’s graded on the result. The video above from Android Authority uses a chess game as an example. A computer plays a complete game of chess and then it either wins or loses. If it wins, then it assigns a winning value to the series of moves it used during that game. After playing millions of games, the system can determine which moves are most likely to win based on the results of those games.

While neural networks are good for things like pattern recognition in images, other types of machine learning may be more useful for different tasks like determining what kind of music you like. To wit, Google says its music app will find you the music you want when you want it. It does this by selecting playlists for you based on your past behavior. If you ignore its suggestions, that would (presumably) be labeled as a failure. However, if you choose one of the suggestions, the process it used to give that suggestion is labeled as a success, so it reinforces the process that led to that suggestion.

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In cases like this, you might not get the full benefit of machine learning if you don’t use the feature a lot. The first time you open Google’s music app, your recommendations will probably be pretty scattershot. The more you use it, the better the suggestions get. In theory, anyway. Machine learning isn’t a silver bullet, so you could still get junk recommendations. However, you’ll definitely get junk recommendations if you only open the music app once every six months. Without regular use to help it learn, machine learning suggestions aren’t much better than regular “smart” suggestions. As a buzzword, “machine learning” is vaguer than neural networks, but it still implies that the software you’re using will use your feedback to improve its performance.

Artificial Intelligence Just Means Anything That’s “Smart”

Just like neural networks are a form of machine learning, machine learning is a form of artificial intelligence. However, the category of what else counts as “artificial intelligence” is so poorly defined that it’s almost meaningless. While it conjures the mental image of futuristic sci-fi, in reality, we’ve already reached milestones that were previously considered the realm of future AI. For example, optical character recognition was once considered too complex for a machine, but now an app on your phone can scan documents and turn them into text. Describing such a now-basic task as AI would make it sound more impressive than it is.

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The reason that basic phone tasks can be considered AI is because there are actually two very different categories of artificial intelligence. Weak or narrow AI describes any system that’s designed for a narrow task or set of tasks. For example, Google Assistant and Siri—while powerful—are designed to do a very narrow set of tasks. Namely, take specifics series of voice commands and return answers or launch apps. Research into artificial intelligence powers those features, but it’s still considered “weak.”

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In contrast, strong AI—otherwise known as artificial general intelligence or “full aI”—is a system that can perform any task that a human can. It also doesn’t exist. If you were hoping that your to-do list app would be powered by a cute robot voiced by Alan Tudyk, that’s a long way off. Since virtually any AI you’d actually use is considered weak AI, the phrase “artificial intelligence” in an app description really just means “it’s a smart app.” You might get some cool suggestions, but don’t expect it to rival the intelligence of a human.

While the semantics may be muddy, the practical research in AI fields is so useful you’ve probably already incorporated it into your daily life. Every time your phone automatically remembers where you parked, recognizes faces in your photos, get search suggestions, or automatically groups all your vacation pictures together, you’re benefitting either directly or indirectly from AI research. To a certain extent, “artificial intelligence” really just means apps getting smarter, which is what you’d expect anyway. However, machine learning and neural networks are uniquely suited to improving certain kinds of tasks. If an app just says it’s using “AI” it’s less meaningful than any type of machine learning.

It’s also worth pointing out that neural networks and machine learning are not all created equal. Saying that an app uses machine learning to do something better is a bit like saying a camera is better because it’s “digital.” Yes, digital cameras can do some things that film cameras can’t, but that doesn’t mean that every digital photograph is better than every film photograph. It’s all in how you use it. Some companies will be able to develop powerful neural networks that do really complicated things that make your life better. Others will slap a machine learning label on a feature that already offered “smart” suggestions and you’ll ignore it just the same.

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From a behind-the-scenes standpoint, machine learning and neural networks are very exciting. However, if you’re reading an app description that uses these phrases, you can just read it as “This feature is slightly smarter, probably” and continue doing what you’ve always done: judging apps by how useful they are to you.

Illustration by Sam Woolley.

Article Contents

• 1 Games
  • 1.1 Party Hard Go
  • 1.2 RunGunJumpGun
  • 1.3 Jade Empire: Special Edition
  • 1.4 Frecce Tricolori Flight Sim
  • 1.5 Toon Shooters 2: Freelancers
  • 1.6 Caveman HD ( Lemmings way )
  • 1.7 Carbon Warfare
  • 1.8 Cubed Rally World
  • 1.9 Super Cat Bros
  • 1.10 Bowmasters
  • 1.11 Tennis Champs Returns
  • 1.12 Cubecat
  • 1.13 RPG Astral Frontier
  • 1.14 YANKAI'S TRIANGLE
  • 1.15 Football Manager Mobile 2017
  • 1.16 Time Bomb Race
  • 1.17 Legends TD - None Shall Pass!
  • 1.18 Battlestar Galactica:Squadrons
  • 1.19 Thief Princess Free
• 2 Daydream Games
  • 2.1 Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes
  • 2.2 Mekorama VR
  • 2.3 Hunters Gate
  • 2.4 EarthShape
• 3 Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!

Welcome to the roundup of the best new Android games that went live in the Play Store or were spotted by us in the previous 2 weeks or so.

Please wait for this page to load in full in order to see the widgets, which include ratings and pricing info.

Looking for the previous roundup editions? Find them here.

Games

Party Hard Go

Android Police coverage: Dispatch unruly neighbors with pixelated ultra-violence in Party Hard Go

Party Hard mixes the neon-soaked ultraviolence of postmodern games like Hotline Miami with sneaky stealth action a la the original 2D Metal Gear. You're a psychopath who's tired of his neighbor's loud house parties, so you've decided that the solution to your problem is a liberal application of murder. Killing all the partiers without alerting the police or getting yourself killed in the process is a tall order. The game has some interesting Twitch integration as well, if you're into that sort of thing. $7 with no in-app purchases.

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In Party Hard, you play as someone who is really tired of the neighbors having loud parties. Instead of calling the police, you decide it’s a better idea to kill everyone – using your faithful knife and the environment. The tactical strategy follows a series of killings at parties through-ought the USA. The developers used to work mostly on casual, family-friendly games - until they participated in a game jam, creating the first prototype for Party Hard.

Party Hard Go (Playboard) | Party Hard Go (Play Store)

RunGunJumpGun

Android Police coverage: RunGunJumpGun, a fast-paced platformer with unique gameplay, is now available for Android

RunJumpGun looks a lot like an old 8-bit Metroid or Mega Man game in the screenshots: lots of enemies to kill in a side-scrolling shooter. But watch the video below and you'll see why it warrants a bit more excitement. The breathless pace of the game mixes something like Flappy Bird with shooter elements, forcing players to stay in the air and shoot alternately. Difficulty is on the insane edge of the curve, so only masochists need apply. The game is $3 with no IAP.

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RunGunJumpGun is a tough as nails game that puts a gravity-defying weapon in your hands. One button lets you fly, the other blasts obstacles out of the way. With a cast of crazed characters, challenging gameplay, and a pulsing musical score, it delivers twitchy platforming goodness.

• Beautifully Difficult: Every second counts, and the game will test your reflexes to the fullest
• Nonstop Action: Merciful respawns let you die fast and keep you constantly in the action
• Two button gameplay: One button lets you fly, the other blasts obstacles into heaps of rubble.
• Three Unique Game Worlds: Each world presents its own distinct challenges which require players to change their playstyles
• Over 120 levels of Mayhem: Each level is meticulously crafted to hone and test the player’s speed and tenacity.

RunGunJumpGun (Playboard) | RunGunJumpGun (Play Store)

Jade Empire: Special Edition

Android Police coverage: Bioware's classic action RPG Jade Empire comes to Android for $10

Jade Empire first debuted on the original Xbox way back in 2005. It's a rare Bioware game that wasn't connected to an existing franchise and didn't go on to become one, but it's remembered fondly for its fantasy kung fu setting and action-RPG mechanics. The full Xbox game has been ported to Android for a long and satisfying experience that justifies the $10 price tag, without any need for in-app purchases.

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Experience an epic story and journey with fascinating characters across a graphically beautiful, fantastic new world inspired by the myths and legends of ancient China. Sinister events upset the peaceful harmony of an isolated martial arts school, drawing you into a story that unfolds with drama, action, and adventure. Detailed followers and other non-player characters enrich the adventure by providing comic relief, rivalries, flirtations, and hostility.

Jade Empire: Special Edition (Playboard) | Jade Empire: Special Edition (Play Store)

Frecce Tricolori Flight Sim

Apparently the Frecce Tricolori is sort of like the Italian version of the Blue Angels: death-defying formation stunts in jet planes, but with a bit more old-world charm. The latest flight sim from Rortos (who are getting really good at them by now) focuses on the formation maneuvers that the group is famous for, tasking the player with laying out routines and planning air shows before the actual flying part of the game. $5.49 get you in, with extra IAP up to $7.49 for more missions and upgrades.

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Fly like a real pilot on the Italian aerobatic team FRECCE TRICOLORI. Try the aerobatic simulator of the officially licensed ITALIAN AIR FORCE AEROBATIC TEAM. Thanks to an innovative piloting system, you can try all the stunts that made the FRECCE TRICOLORI famous around the world. With three game modes, you can experience the thrill of a real military pilot according to your skill. You think you're really an expert? Try the simulation mode and push your reflexes to the maximum.

Frecce Tricolori Flight Sim (Playboard) | Frecce Tricolori Flight Sim (Play Store)

Toon Shooters 2: Freelancers

This fairly standard side-scrolling shooter has two things going for it: one, an art style that looks like someone made the entire Star Wars universe out of Duplo blocks. Two, a co-op mode that allows you to shoot everything on the screen with the help of up to three friends. The mechanics are all out of relatively ancient examples of the genre, but the bright graphics and multiplayer setup is definitely worth a look. Free with IAP that tops out at just $5.

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Sequel to the hit game 'Toon Shooters: Rise of the Fleet' featured in the US & Canada. Five years after the fall of the Fleet, the Toons are back in action to wreck threats old and new... it was a massacre, on both sides. Toon Shooters 2 is an arcade side-scrolling shooter 'shmup' inspired by the golden era of Gradius/R-Type and more... Co-Op play available (Lifeforce/Salamander), different characters with various roles and abilities.

Toon Shooters 2: Freelancers (Playboard) | Toon Shooters 2: Freelancers (Play Store)

Caveman HD ( Lemmings way )

Caveman is a clone of Lemmings, the classic game about guiding a bunch of dumb units around a perilous stage with some basic tools. The shift t o a prehistoric perspective is appealingly done on the same basic style as the original, though the old-fashioned button controls might not be the best idea for a touchscreen. If you'd like a perilous walk down memory lane, this one is free with no in-app purchases.

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LETS GO. ... OH NO. (or.. YIPEE.) Just like the original classic Lemmings game, cavemen enter the level through an open hatch and walk aimlessly to their death or around in circles following the path outlined - specific skills can be assigned to Cavemen to create a new path and help guide the others to the designated exit. The following skill sets are available.

Caveman HD ( Lemmings way ) (Playboard) | Caveman HD ( Lemmings way ) (Play Store)

Carbon Warfare

Carbon Warfare is an educational environmental game in the most mean-spirited and cynical way possible... so it's right up my alley. The core gameplay is sort of pseudo-strategy, but instead of trying to manage environment and industry you're simply trying to release as much waste into the atmosphere as possible. Basically, it's the perfect escapist video game for a Captain Planet villain. The game is $3 with IAP that goes up to five bucks.

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Can you drive mankind to destroy the Earth? Spread carbon emissions throughout the world in this shockingly realistic simulation and discover the terrible price of global warming. Push humanity to generate massive amounts of carbon emissions. Raise global temperatures. Unleash disasters. Turn the Earth into a burning hell-scape. Don’t let anything stand in your way. Plan your strategy carefully, invest in carbon heavy industries, use propaganda and adapt to political and environmental changes until destruction reigns.

Carbon Warfare (Playboard) | Carbon Warfare (Play Store)

Cubed Rally World

Here's a minimalistic auto-runner/racing game that takes the rare isometric view. It's more intuitive than it sounds: the stages wind and twist around whimsical environments, and the only real progression is unlocking new themed vehicles. A track builder mode unlocks at the same time, allowing for some Hot Wheels-style construction gameplay when you tire of drifting through the curves. Cubed Rally World is free with $10 of in-app purchases.

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Push it to the limit in this sequel to the micro hit game Cubed Rally Redline. Unique combo gameplay gives you a new section of track for every vehicle. Build a super track by unlocking all 33 vehicles. Just how far can you make it down before smashing into an obstacle? Get on the leaderboard today.

• 33 vehicles
• 12 unique environments
• 5 music tracks by 8 Bit Weapon & Computeher.
• unique vehicle/track combo gameplay
• randomly generated tracks
• high score leaderboard
• drifting.!.

Cubed Rally World (Playboard) | Cubed Rally World (Play Store)

Super Cat Bros

Super Cat Bros is... well, it's Super Mario with cats. The game isn't trying at all to hide its inspiration, but that's okay - it's not as if Nintendo is hurrying to bring its properties to mobile, right? Big stages, tight controls, and pixelated graphics should be familiar territory for any fan of 16-bit-style platformers, even if the $5 in-app purchases (for things like coin doublers and ad removal) are a little jarring.

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Six cats are the new Jump'n'Fur stars. Reunite Alex the Cat with his siblings and explore a mysterious island. Control 24 paws with just 2 thumbs tapping the left or right side of the screen. You'll be surprised how easy it is to climb, swim, jump and run. Just don't forget to bring the right cat for the job. Super Cat Bros is tailor made for the touch screen. It has never been so easy and satisfying to play platformers on your phone.

 

Super Cat Bros (Playboard) | Super Cat Bros (Play Store)

Bowmasters

Bowmasters takes the parabolic multiplayer gameplay of titles like Scorched Earth and Worms and whittles it down to the simplest possible elements. It's just you and the computer (or a pass-the-tablet opponent) with a selection of suitably whimsical avatars and weapons. The levels are rapid and a few extra modes allow players to hone their skills. It's free with in-app purchases that top out at $7.

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A hotsy-totsy aim and shoot game, Bowmasters has lots in store for you:

• 30 INSANE CHARACTERS from all dimensions absolutely for free.
• 31 DIFFERENT WEAPONS for total mayhem, awesome fatalities with rag-doll physics.
• EPIC DUELS WITH YOUR FRIENDS. Grab your mates and show them what you’re worth.
• MULTIPLE GAME MODES. Shoоt birds or fruits down, defeat the enemies in duels and get money for that.
• ENDLESS REWARDS FOR YOUR SKILLS.

Bowmasters (Playboard) | Bowmasters (Play Store)

Tennis Champs Returns

Here's a mobile port of a tennis game that had some legs on the original Commodore Amiga. The description says that the game has been remade from the ground up for mobile... which isn't saying much, considering that games back then were about the size of a JPG wallpaper. Still, the two-button interface works well for basic play, and there are new extras like daily challenges and leaderboards, all for just a dollar.

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An Amiga classic reborn, Tennis Champs Returns. 20 years after the original Tennis Champs and Super Tennis Champs hit the Amiga, this is the "King of Tennis Games" brought nicely up to date. Remade completely by the original Amiga version programmer, using the original characters and retouched animation, combined with all new physics, AI, new controls, Daily Challenges, and a great new Career mode.

 

Tennis Champs Returns (Playboard) | Tennis Champs Returns (Play Store)

Cubecat

This maddeningly quirky game is about cats of both cubical and spheroid varieties. If you can get past the demented aesthetics, you'll discover something between Breakout and Space Invaders: players bounce a cat around the stage at differing vectors to take down static bad guys. The mechanics are pretty simple, but get spiced up with moving enemies, special ammunition, and a "fever mode" with extra damage. Free with $10 in-app purchases.

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Build your army of CubeCats and join the fight against an intergalactic fleet of evil alien cats to save the world. Use your CatBalls to smash your enemies, bounce off walls, and block bullets. Develop and hone your CatSkills to strategically defeat your feline foes. They will offer a wide range of tactics from Pyro Strikes and Absolute Zero Attacks to an Electromagnetic Vortex in your pinball brawls. Switch between different CatBalls mid-play, but be careful how you use these powerful skills as they can and will backfire if not used correctly.

Cubecat (Playboard) | Cubecat (Play Store)

RPG Astral Frontier

Kemco still isn't stretching far from its familiar stomping grounds, but at least the setting in Astral Frontier is a bit novel: it's a spacefaring sci-fi RPG, a la Phantasy Star. The story is still fairly close to the anime inspiration of previous entries, and graphics are still stylistically pixelated (though a portrait layout for more comfy extended play sessions is nice). The game is free-to-play, but the $3 premium version offers extra goodies at the start of the story. Most previous Kemco games have in-app purchases, but this one isn't showing them on the Play Store - I'm betting it's some sort of formatting error.

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The tiny village of Japina is one of the last human settlements in a world where environmental degradation has pushed humanity to the brink of extinction. Our fifteen year old hero who lives there has already lost his parents, siblings, and childhood friend, Leneria. Consumed by sadness, he agrees to an arranged marriage to save his village on the very same day that a chance encounter will alter the fates of him, his village, and all of humanity...

RPG Astral Frontier (Playboard) | RPG Astral Frontier (Play Store)

YANKAI'S TRIANGLE

If a Rubik's cube was a triangle, and also two dimensional instead of physical, then it would look a lot like this puzzle game. The point is to spin the kaleidoscope stages around until the corresponding edges fit. There's not a lot of complexity to be had, but if you like to compulsively spin stuff around until it fits, have a ball. The game is $3 with no in-app purchases.

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YANKAI'S TRIANGLE is a love letter to TRIANGLES. A puzzling puzzle game about the beauty and joy of infinitely tapping on TRIANGLES for some reason. With an elegant innovative revolutionary TRIANGLE-first approach to interface, YANKAI'S TRIANGLE lets you tap on TRIANGLES to spin them and stuff. Colors play a part in gameplay too I think. Bring TRIANGLES to a forgotten TRIANGLE, and uncover a TRIANGLE hidden deep beneath the YANKAI.

 

YANKAI'S TRIANGLE (Playboard) | YANKAI'S TRIANGLE (Play Store)

Football Manager Mobile 2017

Another year, another interchangeable set of Football Manager games. The 2017 entry has the usual crop of new teams and interface adjustments, but I can't imagine that even the most ardent fans of the series are lining up to pay nine bucks plus up to $13 in in-app purchases for the latest round of tiny changes to the formula. Or maybe they are - SEGA keeps making these games after all, so what do I know?

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Football Manager Mobile 2017 is the quickest way to manage your chosen club to glory. With compatibility across the majority of smartphones and tablets, FM Mobile 2017 is designed to be played on the go. Take charge of any club from 15 countries across the world, including all the big European leagues. You decide on transfers, tactics, who plays and who sits on the bench. It’s down to you to keep the players, the board and the fans happy and lead your club to victory.

Football Manager Mobile 2017 (Playboard) | Football Manager Mobile 2017 (Play Store)

Time Bomb Race

Time Bomb Race uses the standard Trials model of physics-based, rotation-focused 2D racing, but with a different motivation. See, there's a bomb on your car that will explode if you 1) run out of time or 2) make a bad landing. There isn't much of a progress system except for new stages and cars, though some of the more wacky obstacles and car upgrades might hold your attention. IAP for currency goes up to $55, which seems pretty steep for such a simple title.

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Help Tiny Wheels and its friends to survive as long as they can. Imagine waking up with a bomb on your head and knowing only you have to run as fast as they can. Put the wings to your wheels. Travel through many landscapes: from the nice calm country, to bumpy canyons, slippery icebergs and many more.

• HAND-DRAWN GRAPHICS: immerse yourself in a colored and beautiful world, playing with many funny and unique cars, each one with different strenghts and weak points.
• AROUND THE WORLD: race on many beautiful tracks, travel around different world locations and give your best to reach the end of the circuit.
• REALISTIC PHYSICS: power up your cars by upgrading components and have fun jumping between hills and doing flips.

Time Bomb Race (Playboard) | Time Bomb Race (Play Store)

Legends TD - None Shall Pass!

Legends TD is, naturally, a tower defense game. It does offer a few heroes to sprinkle around the battlefield, but most of the fantasy-themed ground has been trod before, years ago. The art style has a whimsical quality to it, but it can't make up for the tired gameplay elements and (wait for it) $100 in-app purchases.

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Finally, the tower defense game fans have been waiting for. Rapid-fire archers, magic beams that slice up the board, cannons that roar as they blast enemies to bits -- Legends TD is packed with fantasy fire-power. Command a powerful team of heroes, all with unique abilities. Overcome incredible challenges with strategy and wit. Rescue helpless villagers and rid the kingdom of foul creatures. Build the ultimate defense against evil.

Legends TD - None Shall Pass! (Playboard) | Legends TD - None Shall Pass! (Play Store)

Battlestar Galactica:Squadrons

How nice would it have been to get a decent Battlestar Galactica game back when the SyFy series was actually running? Or indeed, how nice would that be now? Fans of the series might hope for an action-packed space shooter or a tense adventure game focusing on spacefaring drama. But no, this is the same tired RPG you've seen assigned to a ton of pop culture properties, with themed units hitting each other in unconvincing turn-based battles. It's all a grind for $105 in-app purchases - what a waste. So say we all.

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If the world as you knew it was destroyed, how far would you go to get it back? The Cylons have returned to the Twelve Colonies after a forty-year absence. Bent on revenge, they unleash nuclear weapons powerful enough to destroy human civilization... and nearly succeed. The only survivors of the Cylon assault are a ragtag fleet of civilian ships and the last remaining Colonial Battlestar: Galactica.

Battlestar Galactica:Squadrons (Playboard) | Battlestar Galactica:Squadrons (Play Store)

Thief Princess Free

Here's a free, ad-supported version of a pixelated roguelike we've already covered in a previous roundup. To be clear, it's a top-down action game about a princess who is also a thief, not a thief who specializes in stealing princesses. That would be kind of weird.

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You are a damsel in distress, but there is no hero coming for you. It is up to you to save yourself . Steal enough treasure for your hag master and she will set you free, or will she go back on her word? In this cutthroat stealth rogue-like. Warning this game is impossible to be beaten. If you die you lose all of your items and talents.

Thief Princess Free (Playboard) | Thief Princess Free (Play Store)

Daydream Games

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

Android Police coverage: Steam multiplayer favorite Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes comes to Daydream VR

Remember the tense bomb diffusing scene from every action movie? Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is that scene made into a video game. One player wears a VR headset and tries to follow the instructions of the other players who have the manual for diffusing the bomb. Things get insanely complex and stressful in later levels. It's a shame that this one is only for Daydream, since the Steam version works fine in 2D. The game is $10 with no in-app purchases.

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Requires Daydream to play. In Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes, one player is trapped in a virtual room with a ticking time bomb they must defuse. The other players are the “Experts” who must give the instructions to defuse the bomb by deciphering the information found in the bomb defusal manual. But there’s a catch: the experts can’t see the bomb, so everyone will need to talk it out – fast.

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes (Playboard) | Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes (Play Store)

Mekorama VR

The standard version of Mekorama came out for Android in May, but here's a Daydream-enabled VR version. The game owes a lot to stylish puzzlers like Monument Valley, but the 3D interface allows for some more interesting perspective tricks and a stage building mode with an online gallery. The latter should be especially interesting on Daydream, thanks to the virtual tools and controller. The game is $4 with no in-app purchases.

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Meet an endearing little robot, named B for its bumbling movements and yellow black paint job. A mechanical failure leaves B stranded in a world of puzzling dioramas. Can you help the tiny robot find its way home? In addition to the game's 50 levels, there are thousands more online. Use Mekorama's built-in QR code scanner to collect new levels made by other players. Their creativity is simply amazing.

 

Mekorama VR (Playboard) | Mekorama VR (Play Store)

Hunters Gate

Hunters Gate (not Hunter's Gate, apparently) is an interesting entry for Daydream, if only because it's the rare VR game that plays out in third person. The gameplay is somewhere between a hack-and-slash dungeon crawler with a gothic theme and a bullet hell shooter. It also has local co-op play, assuming you have two Pixel phones and two Daydream headsets handy. $6 with no in-app purchases.

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The classic shooter has been reinvented for a completely new arcade Daydream View VR experience. Blast your way through the town of Hunters Gate as either Forge (a lucky gunslinger) or Payne (a revenge driven mage) as you defend it from demon invasion - then take the fight to the demons by invading their home world. Unlock and upgrade powerful weaponry, spells and Hunter Skills as you invade the demon world to destroy its overlord, Cephalos.

Hunters Gate (Playboard) | Hunters Gate (Play Store)

EarthShape

Initially it isn't really clear why EarthShape needs to be in virtual reality. The mechanics are somewhere between puzzle and twitch, with a cross-stitch motion that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the space horticulture theme (and would probably work better on a touchscreen anyway). The graphics and zen atmosphere look nice, but this $5 title is more confusing than anything else.

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Sow the stars. EarthShape is a point-and-bounce VR game of universal puzzle gardening. Using the latest technology, bounce your way around obstacles or maneuver for extra points, all to grow the brightest flowers for better worlds. Dig into the game’s 25 levels of campaign challenges or bounce around in free play mode to hone your green thumb. Discover millions of gene combinations (with more to come) and shape strange new worlds, your way.

EarthShape (Playboard) | EarthShape (Play Store)

Know A Worthy New App? Let Us Know!

If you have an application in mind for the next issue of the roundup, feel free to send us an email and let us know.

Important: there are 2 requirements in order for the app to be considered, listed below.

• the app's launch date has to be no longer than 2 weeks ago
• it has to be original, ground-breaking, well-reviewed, interesting, fun, etc - the cream of the crop

Now, if and only if the above requirements have been satisfied, fire up an email to this address: [email protected].

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