Super Mario Run and Snailboy 2: this week’s top mobile games

Welcome to Gearburn’s Mobile Game Picks of the Week, a weekly series in which Hadlee takes a look at the latest, most entertaining, or time-consuming mobile games on portable screens.

We’re firmly in the grasp of the holiday season, but that isn’t stopping us from looking at the best mobile games of the week.

Our highlights this week? Why, locally developed title Snailboy 2 and Super Mario Run. Scroll down for the full Monty.

Hill Climb Racing 2 (free – Android, iOS)

The sequel to one of the most popular mobile games around, Hill Climb Racing 2 continues the physics-based escapades of the original.

There isn’t much of a difference between the two games, although the sequel offers upgraded visuals and multiplayer options.

Hill Climb Racing 2 is available for free, but it’s definitely not shy about in-app purchases.

Smashy Road: Arena (free – Android, iOS)

The first Smashy Road game saw hundreds of thousands of downloads, but Arena takes things to the online arena (heh).

The game goes for a Twisted Metal-style format, as you drive around a map, firing weapons at other vehicles. But you can also opt for a single-player mode, featuring the familiar Smashy Road cop chases (plus the aforementioned weapon usage).

Throw in a ton of vehicles and gifts and you’ve got a solid download on your hands.

Retro City Rampage DX (paid – Android, iOS)

One of the most notable indie games on PC, Retro City Rampage has appeared on a variety of platforms. But bizarrely enough, it’s only appeared on Android now.

This 8-bit action adventure brings to mind the 2D GTA titles, adding a healthy helping of Hotline Miami and chiptune music.

Retro City Rampage DX is available for R80 on iOS and R67 on Android.

Snailboy: Rise of Hermitron (free trial – iOS)

South African studio Thoopid achieved some level of fame after the release of Snailboy in 2013, being a super-polished puzzle/platformer for mobile devices.

Now, Touch Arcade has spotted a soft-launch for the sequel, dubbed Snailboy: Rise of Hermitron, in Ireland and South Africa. Expect improved visuals, a new underwater setting and a few special abilities in tow.

The first five levels are free to play but you’ll need to splash out to unlock the entire game — a fair deal, I think.

Super Mario Run (free trial – iOS)

Yes yes, we’re cheating because it’s only available later today (at the time of publication). But you know the first official Mario game on mobile devices is going to be a chart-topper.

It’s an endless-running title that has you collecting stars and avoiding enemies, but you do get a few mechanics to slow down or change your route. It makes for an interesting mix of old and new mechanics, at first glance.

Super Mario Run’s first few levels are free to play, but the entire game can be unlocked for US$10. It’s also worth noting that it’s all but guaranteed to come to Android, as Nintendo confirmed it was coming to iOS “first”.