our selection of ten crazy new mobile games

Cowboys made of gelatin, killer cookies or jumping earthworms … games for smartphones and tablets do not take themselves seriously. Among the new features and ports released in recent months, here are ten favorites to brighten up the containment, on Apple (iOS) or Android devices.

If you love candy: “Gumslinger”

Put on your cowboy hat and arm your collar: the mechanics of Gumslinger is that of the duel. The character is static and, at the start of a round, your right thumb allows you to aim at the opponent, then a pressure on the left starts the shooting. The goal is to survive the five duels of an online tournament. The gelatinous consistency of the characters spices up the game and makes it hilarious. For example, if you aim at your opponent’s foot, he will collapse softly on the ground while continuing to shoot. Unpredictable and addictive, despite in-app purchases.

Available on Android and iOS. Free with in-app purchases.

If you prefer vegetables: “Dadish”

The radish is a vegetable underrepresented in the gaming world. In Dadish, he is the hero of an 8-bit aesthetic platform game. Vegetables are forced to cross chasms or avoid being cut into rounds by metal saws or junk food to find their children. With its omnipresent humor and its not insignificant difficulty, this track is like the best radishes: under their harmless appearance, they can prove to be very spicy.

Available for free on Android and iOS.

If you are responsible for taking out the trash: “Scrappers”

On a planet Earth free of humans, robots have taken power and our objects are their most precious goods. In Scrappers, waste must therefore be picked up as quickly as possible and disposed of in a dump truck. Then you have to defend yourself. In the pure tradition of the genre of “Beat them all” ((“Beat them all”), the metal hero must cross paths with hostile robot gangs. With its wacky postapocalyptic universe, its character enhancement possibilities and its multiplayer mode, Scrappers is one of the best vintages of 2020 on Apple’s subscription gaming service.

Available with Apple Arcade subscription.

If you like “Where’s Charlie?” “:” Hidden Through Time “

In 2017, we loved Hidden Folks, which proposed a video re-reading of books Where is Charlie ? created by Martin Handford, Hidden through time takes the concept and deepens it. Remember the principle: each level is an animated table and at the bottom of the screen are displayed objects or characters that must be found. As its name suggests (hidden by time), this title offers a journey through the ages that begins in prehistoric times and ends in the Wild West. It’s dense, it’s beautiful and it’s relaxing. In addition, a level editor allows you to make the pleasure last by creating your own paintings.

Available on Android and IOS for 2.99 euros; 7.99 euros on Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox and Steam.

If you are learning another language: “Sticky Terms”

In this game, the puzzles ask to reconstruct words whose letters have been pulverized. Reduced to fragments of lines and curves, they must be turned in all directions to reconstruct them. The small difficulty is that the words, chosen in a wide variety of languages, are untranslatable. It is only once the level is finished that we discover its definition … We thus discover the existence of the thrumari, an Icelandic bread that causes flatulence, or age-otori, a Japanese word that describes the feeling of having a horrible haircut when leaving the hairdresser. An absurd but instructive game.

Available for free on iOS.

If you like to play with cakes: “Cookies Must Die”

In the cartoony world of Must Die Cookies, a cookie factory starts producing killer cakes for men. The Savior of Humanity is a super-warrior that the player propels on his sweet enemies with a single tap of the screen. Alternating between dodging and attacking, this title offers frenzied action above all. The wacky bosses who come to conclude each chapter also require a little patience and strategy. It’s a bit repetitive, but it lets off steam.

Available on Android and iOS. Free with in-app purchases.

If you miss earthworms: “Early Worm”

Normally, you would never be recommended to catapult earthworms into the air. But in Early worm, we love to propel earthworms with elastic bodies in all directions. Each level is a path full of pitfalls that must be overcome by showing dexterity. Zealous players will complicate the task by respecting a minimum number of movements to complete the levels as clever as they are varied. We hope thatEarly worm reconcile with earthworms those who no longer dared to pick them up.

Available on iOS. Free with in-app purchases.

If you are targeting a Nobel Prize: “Dish Life”

Dish Life is both proof that scientists are interested in video games and that they are great characters. This laboratory simulation is inspired by the daily life of the Stem Cell Institute, one of the prestigious laboratories of the University of Cambridge. And this rereading of Sims, white blouse version, is as fun as it is educational. We immerse ourselves in the daily lives of researchers working on stem cells. Between administrative, managerial tasks or purchasing equipment … the timetable is overflowing. The player would almost forget to keep an eye on his cells, which require almost as much attention as a Tamagotchi.

Available for free on Android and iOS; also 3.29 euros on Steam.

If you still believe in summer: “Summer Catchers”

The heroine of Summer wrestlers have never seen summer. A wolf bear therefore offers him to go in pursuit of summer aboard a kind of wooden kart. Unlike a racing game, the car is launched at an invariable speed. You just have to successfully trigger the vehicle’s actions in time to avoid the snowdrifts, ditches or totems that constantly threaten to throw you into the background. This title, previously released on Steam, is distinguished by its very rich pixelated universe, its endearing characters and its numerous quests. What we took at first for a simple reflex game turned out to be a poetic road trip.

Available on Android and iOS for 4.39 euros; 9.99 euros on Steam.

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