In the world of gaming, we often get caught up in the business side of things – the investments, deals, and statistics. But it’s equally important to focus on the games themselves. After years of research, funding, and development, these games are the fruits of labor that deserve recognition. In this article, we will highlight five exciting mobile games that have made a splash this week. We’ll discuss the developers and publishers behind them and explore why they have caught our attention.
Top Troops
One of the standout releases this week is “Top Troops” from the creators of Dragon City, Socialpoint. This medieval fantasy RPG focuses on strategy and merge mechanics. Players can merge and level up troops to create their own customized army, featuring exciting characters like Ninja Moles and Imperial Elves. With both a campaign mode and PvP mode, “Top Troops” offers plenty of gameplay options. Merge mechanics have become a popular aspect of casual mobile games, as they prioritize high quality over gimmicky practices. Socialpoint, with a portfolio of eight titles, has already gained over 700 million downloads on AppGallery. “Top Troops” is now available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, published by Zynga, a well-established company in the mobile gaming industry.
Storyteller
A new game developed by Daniel Benmergui, “Storyteller” is an intriguing puzzle game available on iOS, Android, and Steam. This game takes players on a journey of solving puzzles and immersing themselves in captivating storylines of love, revenge, and betrayal. What sets “Storyteller” apart is its collaboration with Annapurna Interactive and Netflix, resulting in an ad-free experience with no in-app purchases. Netflix also provides unique chapters, themes, and a new character to enhance the gameplay. Although “Storyteller” initially launched on the Nintendo Switch, the puzzle genre’s success on mobile platforms made its migration a logical next step. Puzzle games alone have generated an astonishing $42 billion in revenue on mobile to date.
Puzzup Amitoi
Developer NCSoft enters the puzzle game arena with “Puzzup Amitoi,” aiming to capitalize on the match3 game trend. What makes this title stand out is its unique ability to let players change the direction of incoming blocks. Additionally, it features social aspects like a clan system with language translation options, aligning with NCSoft’s commitment to fostering online connections through their Purple platform. NCSoft is no stranger to success, as their first mobile game in the Lineage franchise, “Lineage M,” ranks among the top 10 biggest mobile titles of all time. With the popularity of puzzle games skyrocketing, more and more companies are expected to dive into this genre following the triumph of “Royal Match” that dethroned “Candy Crush.” “Puzzup Amitoi” is now available on iOS and Android.
Elderand
“Elderand” is another cross-platform game, previously released on the Nintendo Switch earlier this year and now available on iOS and Android. This Lovecraftian action title takes players back to the nostalgia of pixel graphics and Metroidvania platformer gameplay. As an RPG, “Elderand” falls into one of the most lucrative mobile genres of 2023. The game has already been recognized with Best Game and Best Game Design awards at the Brazilian Gamepolitan awards. It follows the growing trend of console games making their way onto mobile platforms while maintaining console-quality standards. Unlike most modern mobile games that utilize in-app purchases, “Elderand” utilizes an upfront payment model. PID Games, the developer of “Elderand,” has several other titles that also require upfront payment, while others incorporate in-app purchases, which have seen a revenue increase of over 20% this year.
Mortal Kombat: Onslaught
“We saved the best for last with “Mortal Kombat: Onslaught,” a new action cRPG set in the legendary Mortal Kombat universe. While the game isn’t officially released until October 17, it is already available for pre-install. Taking a page out of the successful playbook of “Monster Hunter Now,” “Onslaught” is incentivizing pre-installs with exclusive rewards. The game boasts AAA-quality graphics that rival console games, and it will be free to download with in-app purchases available. Developed by NetherRealm Studios, known for their previous Mortal Kombat games and DC-licenced mobile titles, and published by Warner Bros. Games, “Mortal Kombat: Onslaught” promises an immersive mobile-exclusive story alongside iconic fighting characters from the series. With over 500,000 players already registered, this release is eagerly anticipated.