The best from January 2024

January is never the biggest month for gaming, but we nevertheless saw some great new Android games in January 2024. From the arcade space shooter Phoenix 2 to the bizarre puzzle game Ponpu, a wide variety of genres were represented this month. If you’re keen to stay up to date on the best Android games, read on to discover the latest titles from the Play Store.

We’ve collected the biggest new games of January, so you don’t have to scroll through the Play Store to find your next favorite. Many of these games support the top Android controllers, so make sure to grab yours for the best experience.

1 Phoenix 2

Randomly generated bullet hell action

Phoenix 2

In-app purchases

$0.99 – $100.00 per item

Genre

Arcade

Subscription

❌ No

Controller support

❌ No

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

Publish date

December 30, 2023

Publisher

Firi Games

On the surface, Phoenix 2 looks like every other bullet-hell shooter on the Play Store, but it’s got a nifty mechanic, which means you’ll want to return every day. A new level is randomly generated daily; you’ll have 24 hours to get the highest score possible. As the level stays the same over the day, you can replay it as many times as you want to get the highest score. If a level’s too hard, leave it and return the next day.

Beyond its daily mission structure, Phoenix 2 has various ships to play with. These are purchasable via earnable in-game currency or in-app purchases. This means the game is a touch pay-to-win, but not egregiously so. Overall, it’s a brilliantly fun bullet-hell game that provides enough incentive to keep coming back for more.

2 RPG Alphadia I & II

A charming retro-inspired RPG

RPG Alphadia I & II

In-app purchases

$0.99 – $49.99 per item

Price

$9 .99

Subscription

❌ No

Controller support

✅ Yes

ChromeOS support

✅ Yes

Publish date

January 10, 2024

Publisher

KEMCO

The first two games in the Alphadia series were released on mobile devices in 2007 and 2008, respectively. These pixel-art RPG games have now been remastered for modern devices in a unified package that adds new narrative events and brand-new visuals. For $10, you’ll get a fully fleshed-out RPG that flew under many people’s radar’s when it was initially released.

Alphadia may not have the cult following of similar fantastic RPGs like Final Fantasy or Chrono Trigger, but it’s got all the elements that made those games great. There are many characters to add to your party, a unique magical ring crafting system, and non-linear dungeons. In-app purchases can help you speed up the adventure but aren’t necessary to play.

A fantastic remaster of a classic shooter

Metal Slug X is the latest of the many great ACA NEOGEO games to find their way to our phones. Technically a remaster in itself of Metal Slug 2, Metal Slug X is, for many, the definitive Metal Slug game, as it boasts a larger variety of enemies and weapons compared to earlier games in the series. It’s a powerful, action-packed shooter that is a great pick-up-and-play title.

While this is the best way to experience Metal Slug X in 2024, we highly recommend a controller. This is a common problem with the ACA NEOGEO games on Android, as the precision inputs required for most don’t translate well to touch screens. However, it’s still a fantastic game for its price. There are no microtransactions or ads, just good old-fashioned retro fun. We recommend trying out the other Metal Slug games on the Play Store, too; keep an eye out for the ACA NEOGEO tag, as there are unoptimized versions of the same games floating around from a decade ago.

4 Grift: Scam Tycoon

A bizarre adventure of online scamming

Grift: Scam Tycoon puts you in the shoes (or hooves?) of a goat named Henry Horns who’s just been scammed out of a hefty chunk of cash right when they thought they were going to meet their soulmate. To get revenge, you’ll turn Henry Horns into a scammer himself, lifting money from people online as you get closer to your mark. You’ll do this by creating a variety of online personas, which is where the tycoon element comes into play.

As you play, you’ll build up a crowd of fake profiles, which you’ll use to build trust with unsuspecting people online. The more money you make from scams, the more elaborate profiles you can create, leading to more advanced scams and so on. It’s a delightfully devilish game, one of the most original tycoon games we’ve seen.

5 Lunar Silver Star Story Touch

A retro RPG with modern tweaks

Lunar Silver Star Story Touch was launched on iOS devices in 2012 in a rather sorry state. But while it took twelve more years for the venerable RPG to make its way to Android, it has all the updates that the iOS version received over the years, making 2024 the best time ever to jump into this classic RPG. Originally released on Sega Saturn, PC, and PlayStation, this RPG stood out thanks to its tighter focus on character development than many other games.

Buying Lunar Silver Star Story Touch on mobile gets you access to the full game without any in-app purchases or ads. You also get full controller support, quality-of-life features, remastered visuals and audio, and a UI designed for mobile devices (although we recommend using a controller for this one). It’s a fantastic RPG that is well worth your time.

Start 2024 off strong with these great games

These games show that 2024 is already off to a strong start for new Android games. But why not take a moment and revisit the titles that made 2023 great?