Recap #255: this week’s news for mobile games

In this recap #255, 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 and relax – we’ve summarised all the news about mobile games from the week for you! On the agenda: we’ll be exploring the gothic world of Moonlight Peaks, pre-registering for Com2US’s upcoming futuristic RPG , tidying up our bookshelf with Tiny Bookshop, 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:

• Tiny Bookshop has launched on mobile: take on the role of a bookseller in their little travelling bookshop and set off to explore charming little villages. Your aim: to recommend books to your customers based on their tastes, decorate your bookshop and enjoy this cosy game.
• Moonlight Peaks has been released on the app stores: it’s Stardew Valley in 3D, but with vampires. Other creatures such as werewolves, witches and mermaids round out the bestiary of this farm management game (or rather, haunted manor game), which incorporates all the hallmarks of the genre but with a gothic twist.
• Metal Slug Rush is available on Android and iOS: released under licence from SNK, this new Metal Slug title embraces the current trend for roguelite survival games. Survive as long as possible, die, upgrade your character and start again. All set against the retro backdrop of the Metal Slug franchise.
• The Big Con has arrived on the app stores: this puzzle game, wrapped up in a super-colourful art style, puts you in the shoes of Ali, a teenager who’s half-artist, half-pickpocket, as he embarks on a road trip across the US to save his family’s VHS rental shop.

We round off this section with Princess Farmer, which is this week’s free game on the Epic Games Store.

Pre-registrations, announcements, updates and beta tests

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

• Hololive Dreams is due for release on 23 July: it’s an RPG-style rhythm game set in an amusement park. The game combines park management with upgrading your rides and rhythm-based gameplay sections.
• Digimon Up has a release date: the game will be out on 15 July and features the franchise’s classic mechanics, including training, feeding and the Digivolution of Digimon partners up to the Mega stage.
• Pigeon: A Love Story is coming on 6 August: you play as a pigeon and fly over life-size cities to… find your pigeon soulmate amongst hundreds of thousands of other birds.
• Club Soko is now open for pre-registration: it’s a musical puzzle game based on the Sokoban concept. You play as a graffiti enthusiast who must fight their way through the crowd to tag as many clubs as possible.

Next up is Case Solved, the detective game due for release on 29 July. Rust Mobile is launching its second global beta, whilst Ares: The Iron Vanguard is now open for pre-registration. Meanwhile, Aniimo is launching its global beta, and the auto-chess game Honor of Kings is back in the news, having filed for a trademark in Europe.

The port of Sultan’s Game is scheduled for 24 July, Never Grave has been announced for mobile, and Marblebound has opened pre-registration.

Other news and updates from the mobile gaming industry

The mobile gaming industry has more news for you this week:

• FINAL FANTASY VII EVER CRISIS is set to shut down on 6 October: released in 2023, the game let you relive some of FF7’s epic moments and delve deeper into Sephiroth’s story, all in co-op mode. Mario Kart Tour is also set to shut down in September.

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