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5 Android apps you shouldn't miss this week - Android Apps Weekly
Welcome to the 386th edition of Android Apps Weekly. Here are the big headlines from the last week:
- Stadia continued its rollout this week. It’s now available on Chromecast on devices with Android TV and Google TV. This comes just a few weeks after it officially launched for those platforms as a whole. The rollout fills in a lot of gaps for Stadia support as the company continues to try and make this work. Hit the link to see the full list of compatible devices.
- PUBG Mobile made a comeback to India again after another government ban. The new version of the game includes green blood, a warning to tell people the game isn’t real, and the data servers no longer reside in China. India’s government likely banned the game due to the data server thing. In any case, the game is available in the country again. Click here to see it on Google Play.
- Apple continued its movement against sideloading apps this week. The company posted a guide on why they don’t allow sideloading. Part of the guide explains how sideloading would also mess with parental controls. Most of our readers don’t agree with Apple’s stance on sideloading anyway, so we don’t think Apple is finding any converts here.
- That said, Apple has a really good idea with its crowd-sourced Find My Phone network. In fact, it’s so good that Google might copy it. Some of the people over at XDA-Developers found a mention of such a network in the latest Google Play Services version. You can read more about it at the link. However, if Apple and Tile can do it, we think Google can too.
- Microsoft formally announced Windows 11 this week. Some of the new features include a new look for multitasking, new virtual desktop features, and more. Perhaps the biggest part of the announcement is the inclusion of Android app support. It’ll use the Amazon App Store instead of Google Play for distribution, but it’s still a pretty big step. Hit the links to learn more details.
Crypt of the NecroDancer
Price: $4.99
Crypt of the NecroDancer is a unique blend of a rhythm game and a roguelike dungeon crawler. Players move around dungeons and beat up bad guys. However, they do it to the beat of the music. The game has music for players to use. Alternatively, you can include your own MP3 collection as well. That makes the game one of the more unique ones we’ve seen in recent months. It’s a premium game with a $4.99 price tag. There are no additional in-app purchases or ads.
Rocksmith+ Connect
Price: Free
Rocksmith+ Connect is a music app from Ubisoft. It has a couple of functions. The first is a chromatic tuner that lets you tune various stringed instruments. It includes 32 tuning presets. There are also some guides and lessons for beginner musicians. The lessons part links to the PC version of Rocksmith and its 5 million customers. The app is just okay for right now. A lot of the functions are pretty buggy and the developers have some polishing to do. Keep this one in mind for when the developers finish fixing it because it has a lot of potential.
Match Block
Price: Free to play
Match Block is a simple matching game. Players get a giant cloud of various objects. The goal is to match up objects and remove them from the cloud. The levels are also timed so there is an element of rushing. There are various collectibles to unlock and the game progresses with higher difficulty as you go. You also get hints to help you if you get stuck. The game is quite enjoyable and it’s safe to play for all ages. There is a free to play element, but you don’t necessarily need it to progress through the game.
Spotify Greenroom
Price: Free (with Spotify account)
Spotify Greenroom is Spotify’s competitor to apps like Clubhouse. People can host talks and other people can join in and listen. The app lets you browse topics so you only find stuff you actually might like. People can also create their own rooms and host talks as well. It obviously aims to cash in on the popularity of Clubhouse, which might be hard since Clubhouse now has an Android app. Still, the more competitors, the better. This app is in open access beta so you can expect bugs until its stable release.
Baba Is Yout
Price: $6.99
Baba Is You is one of the more unique puzzle games we’ve seen. The game’s rules are represented by blocks in every level. You can move and change things in order to change the rules of the game. Each block push and rearrangement can change different things about the player or the level. One example the developer gives is turning yourself into a rock. It’s one of those experiences that gets more entertaining the more you let yourself think outside the box. It’s a premium game with a single price tag. To be honest, we think it’s worth it. It’s a pretty good game.
If we missed any big Android apps or games releases, tell us about it in the comments or at contact@androidauthority.com.
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