New game releases.
© 2018 Valve Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of their respective owners in the US and other countries.
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© 2018 Valve Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of their respective owners in the US and other countries.
View mobile website
© 2018 Valve Corporation. All rights reserved. All trademarks are property of their respective owners in the US and other countries.
View mobile website
28 Aug 2018
As Hearthstone continues to dominate the digital CCG market, new and interesting variations on the formula are slowly starting to emerge. Faeria, despite abandoning mobile development, tried to change the game by adding a physical board. The Elder Scrolls: Legends iterated in a subtler way by providing more tactical depth.
The Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game is the latest contender for the throne, but it represents an interesting quandary – for one, it’s an adaptation of an existing, and highly successful physical card game of the same name. Secondly, it’s co-op, not PvP, so you’re playing against an AI opponent who uses slightly different rules and the whole design is bent towards a more bespoke, story-driven experience.
When it first announced last year, it was generally accepted that Lord of the Rings LCG will be coming to mobile. Sadly we’ve heard no further news on that score, but since the game’s out in Steam Early Access today and I’m sure some of you are interested in seeing how it plays, can’t hurt to highlight the on-going gameplay stream over on Asmodee’s Twitch account:
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The stream started at 4pm UTC / 5PM GMT, so you may have missed the beginning, but the archive will probably be made available tomorrow if you want to catch up.
I’ve been playing it myself, and so far it’s proved a fascinating experience – the narrative-driven nature of the game throws up some very interesting and unique mechanics you won’t find in more PvP games. On top of that though, I’m having conflicting emotions over how differently the digital game has evolved from the physical one – the physical game is a very good co-operative card game, and I’m surprised by how much the team at Fantasy Flight Interactive have decided to distil the game’s core tenets and try to mould into Hearthstone’s template.
We’ll probably do a full write-up over on Strategy Gamer since this isn’t officially a mobile thing yet, so keep an eye out over there for more impressions. Otherwise, enjoy the stream!
The Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game is Now Available on Steam Early Access!
Build your deck and face Sauron in The Lord of the Rings: Living Card Game, a digital-only experience inspired by the tabletop LCG®. Lead your fellowship through quests that will test your Leadership, Tactics, Lore, and Spirit. Ready your weapons, gather your heroes, and create your own story.
The Golf Club™ 2019 featuring PGA TOUR is Now Available on Steam!
Do you have what it takes to win PGA TOUR’s FedExCup? Compete in the all new officially licensed PGA TOUR Career mode. Play on famous courses like TPC Boston, TPC Sawgrass and more.
MU Legend is Now Available on Steam!
Following the footsteps of the successful titles MU Online and MU Origin, MU Legend offers an authentic alternative to the dungeon crawler gaming experience.
A game with its own unique signature, MU Legend blends the dark fantasy world of an MMO with the richness of hack ‘n’ slash gaming.
Starting in September, Nintendo is launching a series of bundles, controllers and “starter pack” versions of games for Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems. These items, which range from a Special Edition of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to a New Nintendo 2DS XL bundle in a chic new color, are great for every type of player … and all conveniently fit inside the average-size holiday stocking.
“We want to give people a variety of options and price points when shopping for themselves or the Nintendo fans in their lives,” said Nintendo of America President and COO Reggie Fils-Aime. “Whether looking for a portable system for a first-time gamer or a cool controller to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Nintendo has great gifts for all ages this holiday season.”
Some of the new Nintendo products that will launch between September and this holiday season include:
This is just a sneak peek at what fans can look forward to this holiday season, with many other great games for Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems slated for release. Three of Nintendo’s longest running and most popular series are coming to Nintendo Switch with Super Mario Party (Oct. 5),Pokémon: Let’s Go, Pikachu!, Pokémon: Let’s Go, Eevee! (both on Nov. 16) and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Dec. 7). In addition to the recently launched WarioWare Gold game, some notable upcoming releases on the Nintendo 3DS family of systems include YO-KAI WATCH BLASTERS (Sept. 7) and Luigi’s Mansion (Oct. 12).
Remember that Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems feature parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/ or https://www.nintendo.com/3ds/.
Games Shown:
Over the next several months, Nintendo Switch will see its already deep game library grow even more with the release of a diverse lineup of games from independent developers. During a Nindies Showcase video presentation, Nintendo highlighted just a slice of this varied lineup of indie games, which includes indie hits like Into the Breach, Hyper Light Drifter – Special Edition and TowerFall, as well as first-time releases like Zarvot and Bullet Age.
“The ever-growing community of talented independent developers sees the benefit of releasing creative games on the versatile Nintendo Switch, a system that can be played at home or on the go,” said Steve Singer, Vice President for Nintendo of America’s Publisher & Developer Relations team. “We are happy to support their work and contributions on our platform as we further grow our strong relationship.”
To view the Nindies Showcase video in its entirety, visit https://live.nintendo.com/. Highlights of the presentation include:
In addition to all these games, the Nindies Showcase video also detailed a new channel on the Nintendo Switch system that will entirely focus on indie games. Featuring updates and announcements about indie games, the Indie Channel is live starting today, and can be found by searching in “Find Channels” in the handy News app.
Additional indie games that are coming to Nintendo Switch this year include the following:
Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.
The summer of sport may be drawing to a close, but for many of us the season will start anew on our favourite handheld device. There seems to be no better time to check out the best sports manager games that mobile gaming has to offer.
Not a sports person? Perhaps you’ll enjoy this list of great puzzle games instead!
Better still, armchair sports fans can chill out and enjoy this cerebral selection of sporting simulations without breaking into a sweat. Whether you’r on iOS or Android, a Soccer sycophantic or a Motorsport maniac, we’ve got you covered.
Developer: SEGA
Platforms: iPad, Android
Price: $19.99
There is no shortage of mobile football management games clamouring for attention, but the pedigree of the Football Manager series is difficult to argue with. The games predate Arsène Wenger’s appointment as Arsenal manager and have even been recognised by professional football clubs as a valuable source for scouting new players. The Touch games offer a more accessible take on the PC version, with an interface specially designed for tablet devices.
However, this is still a rich and complex simulation with masses of information and options at your fingertips. If you find this just too overwhelming then you can delegate duties, such as training, to your assistant. As well as the obligatory player roster updates, the latest version has further refined the interface to ensure that information is presented in a more streamlined fashion. There is also a cheaper and even more pared down mobile version for those that prefer to play on their phone rather than tablet.
Developer: Playsport Games
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: $3.99
This series scores an easy pole position in the motorsport management genre, and the latest instalment is the best looking and most feature-rich yet. For a sport game on mobile devices, this is achingly beautiful, especially the dioramic race tracks which are just so pretty. But the game has lots of substance as well as style with plenty to keep you busy as the principal of a motorsport team, including recruiting drivers, developing the best cars and investing in your facilities. Once the action switches to the track during qualifying and races you’ll still have plenty of decisions to make on race strategy, car set-up and tyres.
For the third game in the series Playsport Games has added six new championships across GT and endurance races, making it deeper than ever before. As our four-star review suggested, MM3 does a great job of getting players emotionally invested in their teams, with a fine line between winning and losing “A game made up of so many small decisions and menus allows for a surprising amount of excitement. Watching those small dots speed around the screen may not give the surge of pleasure a standard racing game would, but watching your team secure a win, leading to a championship is genuinely wonderful.”
Developer: Childish Things Ltd
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: £8.99
This series has been around on mobile devices for several years, but without much fanfare, despite being well received by players. Perhaps cricket is more of a niche interest than other sports, particularly among European or American gamers, but this is a must-buy if you are fan of hearing leather on willow.
Cricket management is a very narrow genre, but this game is unrivalled in it with its deep, accurate and comprehensive simulation. Very much the Football Manager of cricket games with its attention to detail, this is packed with features, stats and tactical options that should keep virtual cricket captains happy for many hours.
Developer: Underground Creative
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: £2.99
Not so much Championship Manager as Chairmanship Manager. This simple but satisfying simulation puts you at the head of the table in the boardroom rather than being in the manager’s office or dugout. Instead of being the football manager going to the chairman asking for extra funds or more time to build you squad, you are the chairman who makes the decision on the hiring and firing of your club’s manager. If you get that decision right, along with sponsorship deals, stadium development, transfers, contracts and more, you’ll be able to turn your little non-league football team into a major force.
It’s a more basic, quick-playing game than, say, Football Manager but its fast pace allows you to whizz through seasons in minutes and hours rather than days and months, making it great for short sessions on the commute. Despite the simplicity and less detail, it’s still got plenty of choices for you to make as the big boss, and enough addictive power to keep you coming back.
Developer: Peter Kossits
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: $3.99
As its name suggests this clever card came condenses baseball matches into short bite-sized 10-minute matches. If you are looking for realism then I suggest you move on as this futuristic take on America’s favourite sport has a player roster that includes robotic and cybernetic players. An entire game consists of each player only playing a total six cards, but it still manages to pack in a lot of tough decisions and tension. On your way to the World Series you get to draft new players into your hand, which gives the whole experience a pleasing bubble-gum card collecting nostalgia.
Developer: tinyBuild
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: $4.99
This may not be a sports sim in the strictest sense of the word, but if you are interested in a boxing-themed game with lashings of 1980’s nostalgia then Punch Club rings all the right bells. You embark on a Rocky-style quest of vengeance by setting up fights, whilst juggling your work and social life. It is a game that takes more than its graphical sensibilities from the 1980’s, being tougher than Apollo Creed. This means that you will be doing more grinding than a dirty dancing barista. However, it is still a fine game that is well worth checking out.
Developer: New Star Games
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: Free, Offers In-App Purchases
A cricketing themed follow up to New Star Football that is perfect for those who prefer the thwack of willow on leather. You begin your career with a lowly club in your favourite cricketing nation. Each season you will compete in both 20 and 50 over competitions. Perform well and famous clubs will be queuing up for your signature, you may even get an international call-up. The game does not stray too far from the winning formula of its forbearer. A series of mini-games enable you to improve your skills and have an impact on matches at key points. Gameplay is as equally satisfying in bite-sized spells as it is in marathon sessions, which makes for an ideal mobile game that will have you padding up and heading out to the middle time and time again.
Developer: OOTP Developments
Platforms: iOS Universal, Android
Price: $4.99
A realistic management simulation that is based on the well–established Out of The Park Baseball Series. You can choose to either guide your favourite team through the 2018 season onwards, play in a fictional baseball world, populated with fresh players and clubs or even re-enact an historical season from days gone by. Management options are extensive; you set line-ups and call the shots as the game unfolds, negotiate contract, trades and drafts. The mobile version is not as complex as its big brother but still rather demanding. The latest version includes updated rosters and improved AI.
While we realise our recent review may throw into doubt MLB’s place on this list, to be honest there aren’t many decent Baseball apps out there, so for now at least MLB Manager retains its place here. OOTP’s main sin seems to be releasing the same game every time with little innovation, so make sure you do your research before deciding whether or not to buy this.
Developer: R&R Games
Platforms: iOS Universal
Price: $4.99
Based on a popular board game, 1st & Goal uses a combination of dice and cards to simulate the rough and tumble of American football. Opponents play cards to determine their offensive and defensive strategies and then dice are rolled to determine the outcome. The dice used will depend on the strategies selected. For instance, if the offensive team chooses a rushing play and their opponents choose a passing defence, then the offensive team will have a big advantage. You can play a one-off exhibition match, compete in the play-offs or embark on a full season. Whatever you decide you will get a game that sticks closely to its board game roots, with straightforward rules, together with tense bluff and double bluff gameplay.
Developer: Kerry Batts
Platforms: iOS Universal
Price: £4.99
Considering its popularity, football of the American variety feels very under-represented in games. There are a few arcade-y options and of course EA is present with the usual free-to-play butchering of a great game in the absurdly titled Madden NFL Overdrive Football, but quality management games are few and far between.
The one serious choice is the Pro Strategy Football series, which once again delivered a very solid offering in its 2018 edition and is about to evolve into PSF 2019. It’s a fun and playable coaching game but also accurate and realistic depending how deep you want to dive in. One of the best things about PSF is how flexible it is, so you can have a quick single match or a multi-season career and then on the field you play in beginner mode just choosing the type of play or expert mode in which you can micromanage every player’s role.
It’s a great game for novices who want to learn more about the complexities of gridiron and hardcore players who want to control every aspect of their team.
What would your list of the best sports strategy/management games on mobile look like? Let us know in the comments!
