Ahead of the Game - Hatch Dragons lets you, well, hatch dragons across a lovely enchanted forest

• Hatch dragons and add them to your collection
• Merge and grow at your own pace
• Expand your forest of critters

It's all about adorable dragons and calming vibes in this week's Ahead of the Game series, where we tell you all about a new mobile endeavour that's playable in one form or another despite its unofficial launch. 

The weather's got me feeling pretty glum lately, so when I saw that Hatch Dragons was available to try on my Google Play store, I hit "Install" in an instant.

And oh my goodness - it didn't disappoint.

I could feel all the cosy vibes the moment I stepped into its enchanted world, but before I go on with all this gushing, let me explain what it's all about. 

Essentially, all you really need to do is - as the title suggests - hatch dragons, building your own little dragon sanctuary within a magical forest at your own pace. You help the glowing Summoner Elf add more dragons to your collection, each one more colourful and adorable than the last.

Eventually, growing your dragons turns into a chill tap-tap affair where you touch dragons to collect coins and use these to expand your cosy haven. You'll also need to feed newly hatched babies, merge similar dragons, and produce fruit trees to level them up. 

Then, you can marvel at your album as it gets filled up with all sorts of majestic beasts - all presented with soft visuals and a totally meditative soundscape.

Every so often, you'll come across shy little critters popping up here and there, and if you tap them in time, they'll also gift you with a few coins.

Suffice it to say the whole experience is calming, relaxing, and delightfully soothing - the perfect salve for stressed brain cells and weather-induced blues on a gloomy day.

So, how do you play Hatch Dragons?

Download now!

Hatch Dragons