Gaming On-The-Go is a weekly series that explores the mobile gaming industry as well as uncovering current trends, with hands-on guides for the latest smartphone and tablet games.
This month brought lots of exciting news from the mobile gaming world. You can now pre-register for EA's Need For Speed in the Google Play Store, there's an augmented reality Pokémon game in the works, and of course, there were some big announcements by Apple.
There is so much to look forward to — but I'm impressed by the number of games already here that have piqued my interest. There is no better way to enjoyably kill some time when you're on your commute or in between classes – or sipping on that pumpkin spice latte to get in the mood for fall – than picking up a new game to play.
I am open to pretty much any genre, so it's a good thing that the App Store is releasing creative new games every day.
Here are some of September's best new mobile gaming apps.
UNKILLED
MADFINGER Games, the developer behind Dead Trigger 1 and 2, released a first-person shooter zombie game called UNKILLED on September 3. And it is honestly one of the most attractive zombie games I have played to date.
The story is set in NYC during a massive zombie outbreak, and you play as Joe, a member of a private military organization that is supposed to get rid of the undead. The controls are so smooth, and there is an auto-fire shooting system that is perfect for gamers like me, who can sometimes be awkward in aiming and firing while trying to navigate.
But the best part of this game is its graphics, which make you feel like you are literally in a zombie movie. The game has high polygon 3D characters and the world is really textured. The levels are short — so it's the perfect game to play while on-the-go.
UNKILLED is available for free with in-app purchases for iOS and Android.
FIFA 16 Ultimate Team
I am the type of FIFA gamer who sits back and watches my friends play on Xbox One. I pretty much lack any coordinating skills required to even remotely pretend that I know what I'm doing. But each new edition of the game has me even more impressed with EA Sports as I watch my friends' matches. So by the time FIFA 16 Ultimate Team rolled out on September 22, I just had to try it.
The controls are easy to use, allowing for smooth passes. But as a gamer who doesn't play lots of sports games, what impressed me most were the crystal-clear, high-quality graphics. And the players definitely look real.
It's a typical soccer match simulation with a card game aspect, which has you collecting the best players. That means you can make an all-star team with some of the best professional players.
It did take some time to install — but it's definitely worth it.
FIFA 16 Ultimate Team is free to download and comes with in-app purchase that real fans should probably consider in order to get the most out of their experience.
FIFA 16 Ultimate Team is available for free with in-app purchases for iOS and Android.
Land Sliders
Land Sliders is the highly anticipated first game from Prettygreat, a studio that was started by three developers who parted ways with Halfbrick (the studio responsible for Fruit Ninja) earlier this year to start their own venture.
The game was released in the App Store Thursday, September 24, and it's definitely a game you will want to download. Like the name suggests, Land Sliders has users guiding adorable animal characters around the magical world by swiping the screen. It's a high-scoring, looping game game that involves solving puzzles and completing quests as you explore and collect items along the way. And then there are enemies with unique attacks that keep things interesting.
If the characters don't already sell you on this game, then how about the fact that you can unlock Crossy Road characters?
Land Sliders is out now now for iOS.
Pop the Lock
Released for iOS on September 10 by Simple Machine, Pop the Lock is an addicting puzzle game in which the player must tap in sequence to crack the code to open the lock. If you make a mistake, you must start from the beginning, so make sure to pay attention.
The game is just an outline of a lock, the kind seen on high school lockers. A red horizontal line goes clockwise and counter clockwise as a small yellow dot moves around the circle. You must tap the screen when the dot and line meet. While this sounds easy, things get harder with each level and soon that darn yellow ball is moving back and forth. I find myself resisting to tap on the screen, but my reflexes often fail me.
Pop the Lock is available for free on iOS, and will be available for Android on September 24.
