Recap #252: What’s new this week in mobile gaming?

In this recap #252, we take a look at this week’s must-play mobile games, the latest mobile news, and pre-registrations and beta tests you won’t want to miss.

Sit back, we’ve got a round-up of all the week’s news for mobile games! On the agenda: we’re getting the creeps on board the train that takes your life as collateral (SNCF), we’re testing our skills with Astro Arena, Balatro becomes a pool game, and we’ve got loads more news to share with you.

This week’s mobile games releases

This week has seen a flurry of release announcements, with numerous games now available on the app stores:

• Choo Choo Charles Mobile is out now: at the controls of your custom train, you have just one goal: to take on Charles, that half-train, half-spider monster. Constantly on the move, you naturally explore a strange island where your survival depends on your wits and your crafting skills.
• Among the Sleep is available on Android and iOS: in-game, you play as a two-year-old child exploring their surroundings, with childhood fears lurking around every corner.
• Soul Land: Awakening World has arrived in the app stores: this first official 3D open-world MMORPG under the Soul World licence faithfully recreates the anime and the original novel.
• Star Blaster Offline Roguelike has been released on mobile: as a lone astronaut, you explore each biome ever further, battle bosses and unlock weapons and upgrades in this roguelite.

Meanwhile, Skeletor: Until Next Time, the Temple Run-style game, is also available on the app stores. We round off this section with the Epic Games Store’s free game of the week, Guild of Dungeoneering.

Pre-registrations, announcements, updates and testing phases

Here’s a round-up of the pre-registrations and betas that made the news this week on Android and iOS.

• Don’t Starve Together mobile arrives on 21 July: it’s a survival game based on a fairly significant day/night cycle. In addition to the usual hunger and temperature gauges, you also have a sanity gauge to maintain throughout your expeditions in this strange world.
• Aniimo launches its global closed beta on mobile and PC: in-game, you choose your companions to take on their appearance and skills as you explore the world of Idyll on water, in the air and on land, solve puzzles and make friends.
• Blue Fire for Android has been announced: it’s a 3D Metroidvania that takes you to the fallen kingdom of Penumbra. Jump on platforms, explore and learn to master your skills without wasting time on complex sequence of moves.
• Astro Arena is set to launch on 9 July: this title invites you to select a tank, ranger, support or even warrior hero to win and climb the leaderboards. The game features 3-minute PvP battles in solo, duo or 3v3 battle royale modes.

Next up is the announcement of the puzzle game Lost Twins 2. Pokémon Champions is now open for pre-registration ahead of its 17 June release. One Piece Grand Gourmet launches on 23 October. The gacha game BATTLE IN HELL’S PARADISE arrives on 1 July. The roguelite Suika Game Dogpile is coming to mobile.

Meanwhile, Ultrapool is coming soon to Android and iOS. Apple Arcade is set to welcome Dungeon Clawler+, Creatures of the Deep+, Pocket City 2+ and Draw It+. Meanwhile, Gungrave G.O.R.E. is coming to the Crunchyroll subscription service.

The motor racing team simulation game Golden Lap is coming on 8 July. Cookie Run Classic is now open for pre-registration. And finally, Tomb of the Mask is coming to the Netflix subscription service.

See you next week for a recap of mobile games news!