Mobile Games Recap #120: Defense Derby, Disney Speedstorm Mobile...

In this issue 120, we talk about gameplay leaks for Assassin's Creed Jade, the new PvP tower defense Defense Derby and its release, a dark MMORPG called Darkness Saga and lots of other mobile gaming news. Discover a maximum of Android and iOS gaming news in a single summary every week.

Assassin's Creed Jade beta begins and so do the gameplay leaks

We kick off this review in earnest with news from the Assassin's Creed Jade beta. It was only a few hours before the first gameplay leaks, but in defense of the players, there was no real NDA. There were only the modos of the Discord server, who recommended not sharing images and simply talking about the game when posting on social networks.

From the images, everything seems to be in line with our first impressions of the game. Codename Jade looks like a complete open-world version of Assassin's Creed on mobile, with infiltration, parkour, a dose of slaughter, a bunch of side quests and plenty of loot and treasure hidden around the map. The game has no official release date yet, but you can sign up now to take part in future phases of test.

Release of Defense Derby, a tower defense by Krafton

We continue with the release of Defense Derby, a brand-new tower defense from Krafton-affiliated studio Rising Wings. The real-time strategy title builds on the PvP success of famous mobile games in the mobile tower defense niche. On your little castle, you have 9 squares to dynamically place units collected in gacha mode. In the main PvP Derby mode, you take on three other players with a unit bidding system and a healthy dose of mind games.

It's pure pocket pleasure if you don't get too hung up on the store, which will be more accessible than Clash Mini for casual players. After 2 years in development, Defense Derby makes its mobile debut, combining PvE, PvP and original challenges in a classic but refreshing formula. I recommend this free-to-play title on Android and iOS without hesitation.

Pre-registration opens for Darkness Saga MMO

The MMO Darkness Saga is now available for pre-registration on Android. Like games such as New World and Black Desert, Darkness Saga takes a dark turn in fantasy, with a very classic MMORPG formula. The package includes dungeons, PvE, PvP, bosses, inter-server battles, vengeful dragons and a mix of single- and multiplayer adventures.

You know the drill: create your character and embark on an adventure between fantasy and steampunk, with a class switch to freely vary your play style. Darkness Saga doesn't yet have a release date, but we'll keep you posted in future reviews.

Soft launch of Disney Speedstorm mobile, Mario Kart à la sauce Disney

Hyper-speed entry with Disney Speedstorm mobile, Walt Disney's racing game that's finally going to hit Android and iOS. The title is currently undergoing a gradual release in Spain and Romania before its full release in September.

I don't think you've missed the game's release on other media, with its beautiful tracks, childhood characters and Mario Kart-inspired game mechanics, plus character skills. You can find out all about Disney Speedstorm on the official website, or wait for our September update to find out!

Cut the Rope Daily now available on mobile

So here's a little nostalgia for the recap. Netflix Games continues to make its mark in the field of mobile casual games. After the stylish platformer Poinpy, Cut the Rope Daily joins the SVOD subscription catalog. Available via your normal Netflix subscription on Android and iOS, this new Cut the Rope game does everything the original did: you cut ropes and blow up balloons to bring sweets to Om Nom, the hungry green monster.

With a bit of physics on this 2D playground, you'll be able to complete one challenge a day in Cut the Rope Daily. It's an opportunity to add a new title to your daily routine to test your neurons and your skill. It has to be said that it's all the rage these days, and good titles such as Daily Dadish and Hover League continue to enrich the one challenge a day model.

Release of Ghost Master: Survival, an Asian MMO

After opening its pre-registrations recently, the Asian MMORPG Ghost Master: Survival is finally out on Android and iOS. Based on oriental folklore, this free-to-play title invites you to destroy demons populating the 20th century. As a celestial master, it's your duty to beat them in a series of epic battles to save the world.

Using your Taoist magic, you'll have to purify the continent, in dungeons, game modes and missions. I haven't tested Ghost Master: Survival yet, but if you give it a chance, please share your opinion in the comments so we can meet in-game.

Hololive Tournament Pokémon UNITE World 2023 on August 10

Do you know Hololive? It's a Japanese idol and v-tuber agency. This week, we learn the details of the Hololive Pokémon UNITE tournament, filled with 15 v-tubers from this agency, as a pre-tournament to the worlds. The tournament will take place from August 10 to 14 at the Pacifico Center in Yokohama, and will follow a whole host of similar events since February. I'm not used to v-tubers yet, but at Pokémon they're really involved in theesport of Pokémon UNITE and I figure why not!

Operation Delta action-shooter to hit PC, mobile and consoles (teaser for now)

A shadow from China looms over the mobile release calendar. The shooter and action game Operation Delta from Chinese studio iDreamSky reveals a 12-second teaser to kick-start the hype. The game is also called Delta Action, but as you know if you follow the channel, names in mobile gaming are a mess.

Aside from the 12-second teaser unveiled on the game's Weibo page, Operation Delta stands out on the mobile industry radar for its presence on the list of 88 games approved for release in China by the NPPA. The game looks a bit like Area F2. But we hope it doesn't look too much like it, because Area F2 was brought down by a lawsuit from Ubisoft, which accused it of being a big fat plagiarism of Rainbow Six. With Rainbow coming to mobile, it would be a rather odd move onOperation Delta's part, but we'll see what happens next.

Marvel Snap roadmap for 2023 and 2024

Nuverse's TCG updates its roadmap for the coming months. My Marvel Snap-optimized crystal ball tells me that PC launch, twitch drops, map enhancement updates, Conquest mode refinements, seasonal audio and matchmaking will soon appear from the far reaches of the galaxy. In the longer term, I see collectible emotes, a custom store, guilds, controller support and a new game mode. But after that, it's all a bit hazy. Send clairvoyance to 8 12 12 for more info on your favorite games. Just kidding, of course.

Strategy game War of the Giant enters early access in selected regions

The strategy game War of the Giant is entering its early access phase in selected regions. In this medieval fantasy universe, you'll need to build your civilization, conduct research, establish your elven army and develop different types of buildings. Your progress will enable you to become a PvE and PvP threat on your server's map.

You'll also be able to dive into dungeons, develop your strategies and raise your own dragon, all in a fairly classic game with well-crafted art direction. If you're not afraid of the millions of resource points and dozens of hours you'll need to feed him, your dragon awaits you in War of the Giant in the USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Indonesia or the UK with your best VPN.

Gravity announces three new Ragnarok games for the 2nd half of 2023

Gravity Co, owner of the Ragnarok license, has announced no less than 3 new mobile games for its universe to be released by the end of the year. We start with Ragnarok 20 Heroes, a retro hack n slash style game with 20 character classes, hence the name. The title will offer gacha and a varied gameplay between PvE and PvP. You'll be able to try it out if you're selected during a potential closed beta in August. Then there's Ragnarok Begins, a side-scrolling MMORPG with all the kawai aspects of the license. Ragnarok Begins is currently in the test phase on the American and Canadian markets, so get your VPNs ready. And finally, Ragnarok V Resurrection, another MMORPG that follows on from Valkyrie's Rebellion, is also due to enter the test phase this summer.

And if you're not afraid of overdoses, you can also contemplate EA's cumulative soccer projects, another tsunami of games.

Pre-registration launched for Demigod Idle: Rise of a Legend

If you're still looking for games to add to your pre-registration list, there's already the list of pre-registered mobile games on Mobi.gg for Android and iOS players, which is updated every week, and then there's the upcoming launch of Demigod Idle: Rise of a Legend.

The title presents itself as a 2.5D idle RPG with a successful track record in South Korea. All in pixel art, Super Planet 's new project will take you on a quest for the most powerful stuff to dominate your enemies in Demigod Idle: Rise of a Legend, currently in pre-registration.

Thieves of Honor strategy game enters early access

Next up is Thieves of Honor, which not only has a nonsensical title, but also brings its pirate-style strategy game formula to Android. According to news reports, Thieves of Honor should be available in early access. But I contacted them on Discord to confirm the regions available and got no response, so I can't promise anything.

Release of Pre Master on Android

This week's worst translation award goes to Pre Master, which has just launched on Android. I thought I'd come across a little martial arts game focusing on combat, but I wasn't expecting any big bonuses in the description.

In fact, in-game you'll be treated to a complete kickboxing system, apprentices for your sensei spirit, missions, different fighting styles and even little orgasms. Now that's a real plus. So we thank yanstudios for his services and press F. Or Alt F4, as the case may be. Actually, it's a failed translation of "climax", which was supposed to describe the climax or major denouement of the plot. But orgasms are fine too, sorry kids, I hope you've plugged your ears.

Monster Hunter Now to be released on September 14, Niantic's augmented reality hunting game

Get out your calendars and mark September 14th with your best poison dart, as Monster Hunter Now arrives shortly after the start of the new school year on Android and iOS. After a test phase last June which included 10,000 participants, the game is finally releasing some news. For those who haven't been following along, here's what you need to know about Monster Hunter Now:

• Niantic's collaboration with Capcom continues the classic geolocated game model offered by Niantic since Pokémon GO;
• Your Palico will accompany you on your adventure;
• You can explore your city and add action to your daily commute;
• The novelty of the game lies in its system of tagging monsters called paintball, which allows you to track them down later when you have time for combat, in single-player or multiplayer ;
• Combat itself does not benefit from augmented reality;
• On the other hand, confrontations seem more complete than the basic Pokémon GO formula, with direct references to Monster Hunter's fighting style, combining trap laying, dodging swipes and other techniques;
• Outside of combat, you'll be able to collect resources in augmented reality as soon as the game is released.

We've seen recently that a big license isn't everything for Niantic, which has had one failure after another despite the hype, and continues to lay off employees to make up for its investment mistakes since covid. With the discontinuation of NBA All-World, Marvel World of Heroes and the half-hearted arrival of Peridot, we can only hope that Niantic will rise from its ashes with the release of Monster Hunter Now on September 14.

Super Snail idle game released

Do you like things that drool and leave tracks? Perfect, it's time for the snail of the week: the brand-new Super Snail, an idle RPG that's just come out of its shell. This unusual adventure RPG features a resourceful snail in charge of destroying the demons of the modern world. To do so, he must carefully select his skills, his Super Snail mutations and his interactions with the various characters in the story.

Packed with memes and approximate references, Super Snail is a brand new cartoon title developed by Qcplay Limited and released on Android and iOS for you to try out right now, if you can get online. For some, it's a process as slow as a snail.

China continues to reduce screen time among young people

Gaming doesn't have the same aura around the world. In China, a new series of regulations reinforces the limit on screen time for young people. Children under the age of 8 will now be allowed a maximum of 40 minutes screen time on smartphones, and 16 to 17 year-olds will be limited to a maximum of 2 hours' use, with a proportional increase in screen time for all ages in between. In addition to these general restrictions on phone screens, all individuals under the age of 18 residing in China will lose access to the Internet from 10pm to 6am. No more stuffing your gachas in the middle of the night.

The country has already seen several phases of restrictions on smartphone use after 8 a.m. to curb gaming addiction. And China intends to reinforce them by applying these new measures from September 2. At the same time, local institutions are working on other stricter rules and an Internet mode for teenagers, to protect and control them.

News zapping

Several major news items didn't get a full segment in the recap, but I'm going to take a look at a few of them in a quick zap.

• Bandai Namco's Taiko no Tatsujin Rhythm Connect phenomenon to be released in Asia, although we hope for a global version
• Asymmetrical game Identity V partners with Danganronpa
• FIFA Mobile attracts 65 million new players in the first quarter of 2023 and is delighted with this, although it remains to be seen whether EA Sports FC Mobile will maintain this level of activity.
• Danmachi Battle Chronicle exceeds 500,000 pre-registrations ahead of August 24 release
• Omniheroes strategy game to be released next week
• LifeAfter gets a snowy update
• Monkeyland Battleground now available on Android
• Hello Kitty Island Adventure released on Apple Arcade
• My Talking Tom signs a collab with youtuber Mr Beast
• Monster-collecting game Digimon: Source Code reveals new gameplay footage at ChinaJoy 2023, with no global launch yet announced
• The RPG Ares Rise of the Guardians from publisher Kakao Games has just been released on PC and mobile in South Korea.
• The rhythm game Rytmos is out on Android after making its debut on iOS in May in free-to-try with a full version at 5.50 euros.
• The Random Dice game series expands with the release of a new opus entitled Random Dice: Tower Defense on Android and iOS
• And the strategy game xTactics, based on the successful Xcom game in a cyberpunk universe, is coming to Android and iOS.

That's the end of review number 120, so we'll see you next week for new adventures on mobile!