10 amazing games you might not have heard of
With so many releases across the mobile gaming space, it's only natural that some have slipped through the cracks. Whether you are looking for something new from Apple Arcade or something to play with your family, there are actually a lot of options. We've found ten games that we want to highlight, ranging from action platformers to silly mobile racers to sports games, to share with you.
These games, though covering a variety of different genres and graphic styles are all very fun - and all of them have been nominated for the Pocket Gamer Awards 2023, making them the best of the best! We have spent some time with them and want to tell you why each and every one of them is worth some space on your mobile device of choice.
Let's get into the ten games from the Pocket Gamer Awards that you may not have heard of before, and introduce you to each and every one.
1
Hill Climb Racing+
If you grew up in the era of flash games, you might see Hill Climb Racing+ and think it's something you've played before. Hill Climb Racing+ is a remake of a classic; a physics-based car driving game where you need to collect petrol, grab coins, and make sure your car doesn't topple over. Now on Apple Arcade, you can play as Bill, an uphill racer who is looking to get further than he has ever before. This version has new cars, ways to upgrade, and tons of extra content for you to explore.
2
TMNT Splintered Fate
Maybe it's the release of a new Teenager Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, or maybe it's just another bunch of heroes making its way to mobile - either way, TMNT Splintered Fate is a fantastic game you may have missed. It allows you to become Ninja Turtles yourself, saving New York City from The Foot Clan after Splinter has been kidnapped. There is a lot of action and adventure, with lots of rogue-like action to take on. It's a well-made, fast-paced action game well worth a download.
3
What The Car?
From the creators of What The Golf?, obviously, What The Car? is a funny, chaotic game where you drive a car around strange worlds... most of the time. Though this may look like a racer, it's not. You are a car, often with legs, that is able to jump, swim, climb, deliver packages... and generally do loads of things cars just don't normally do. It's absurd and strange and will make you smile. You never know what is coming next either, especially when you find yourself - a car - cooking burgers and fishing!
4
Samba De Amigo: Party-To-Go
If you are looking for a rhythm game to bring some spice to your phone, Samba De Amigo: Party-To-Go is really fun, and colourful, and has a bunch of tracks from popular music artists like Lady Gaga, PSY and many more. There are even a few exclusive tracks that you can only find here. There is also a Story mode that brings you on a quest to return lost music to the world, visiting your home town, meeting new characters, and taking on a variety of quests to get the music flowing.
5
Rugby Nations 24
If you are looking for a more realistic, sports game for mobile, Rugby Nations 24 has you covered. Rugby Nations 24, as the name might suggest, puts you into a bunch of rugby matches, allowing you to become a part of the action without actually going outside. You can explore new stadiums in Argentina, South Africa and Italy! In this game, you can also find yourself chaining together kicks and chasing loose balls so that you can gain even more points. It's a realistic and well-designed sports sim.
6
Coffee Golf
Continuing our sports kick, Coffee Golf is aimed at being a little, daily game that you play to start your morning off right. Picture this; you have your morning coffee and maybe a pastry. Now, it's time to play the quickest round of golf! Each day, Coffee Golf has a new, 5-hole course for you to take on. You can challenge your friends and see how few strokes they can get with the daily course. It's a simple-looking game that can end up as a big part of your daily routine.
7
Company of Heroes Collection
A more serious and less relaxing entry on this list; the Company of Heroes Collection combines the base game with the expansion packs, giving a full strategy, war-time experience. You can immerse yourself in World War II, battling on either side of the Battle for Normandy or leading the US army in their D-Day Landings. There is a lot of content in this complete package, giving you plenty of opportunity to show off your tactical genius.
8
Tiny Minies
If you've got a child who likes using your phone or has a tablet of their own, Tiny Minies might be one you missed but is well worth downloading and having on hand. This learning game has research backing it, giving you the peace of mind that your child will enjoy safe, meaningful mini-games that allow them to learn maths, memory, language, and work on their social skills. Tiny Minies has a lot of different mini-games to keep children ages 2 to 6 entertained.
9
Lego Duplo World
Following the child-friendly nature of the previous entry, Lego Duplo World is a cute, child-focused game that brings your Duplo to life. With less focus on learning, Lego Duplo World is an open-play game where you can build, interact with animals, and create little worlds that you want to tinker with and enjoy. Unlike real-life Duplo, these scenes move and come to life, bringing out your child's imagination and creativity.
10
Pine Tar Poker
Rounding out this list, we have Pine Tar Poker, a rustic take on Poker, where you are looking to get to know some people from your town and work your way through Poker. You can spend your money on new tools to help you, or just get drunk. It's really up to how you want to play and when you want to move deeper into the game - and someday unlock the secrets of the universe. Who knows.
