July 2026 brings a diverse crop of new mobile games, including detective puzzles, auto battlers, and an Advance Wars clone. With scorching heat making indoor activities appealing, these touchscreen titles offer viable time sinks. Highlights include the free-to-play auto-battling tactics of Rift Wars: Merge Arena, the elegant minimalism of Sky Lobby, and Netflix's latest addition: Tomb Of The Mask.
Mini Murder Mysteries
iOS, £1.99 (Bunkworks) – Score: 6/10. This game presents nine cases solved by tapping evidence and dragging keywords into a statement. The interface is well-designed, but the 'reveal answer' button sits dangerously close to the check button, risking accidental spoilers. It provides a couple of hours of lightweight sleuthing.
Sky Lobby
iOS & Android, free – full game £4.99 (Moya Labs) – Score: 7/10. With a minimalist interface, players build and control lifts in tall buildings, transporting coloured shapes before their patience runs out. AI-controlled passengers add challenge. The game's understated music and elegant visuals evoke Mini Metro, though it becomes more hectic. Currently on sale for £1.99.
Tomb Of The Mask
iOS & Android, included with Netflix subscription – Score: 8/10. Players swipe through faux 8-bit mazes collecting dots and stars while avoiding hazards. Arcade Mode adds a rising water level for extra pressure. Despite touchscreen controls, rapid swipes feel precise and exciting, with fiendish traps and enemies.
Rift Wars: Merge Arena
iOS & Android, free (Reflection Games) – Score: 6/10. An auto battler where players set up combatants and watch them fight. It's easy to pick up but feels partially random due to complex bonuses and class interactions. It lacks the polish of Clash Royale's Merge Tactics but plays well without forced ads and offers diverse units to unlock.
Quack Quack Attack
iOS & Android, free (HaoPlay) – Score: 5/10. Subtitled Peggle Puzzle Shooter, this game involves firing eggs from ducks to ricochet off pins. Players recruit hero ducks via gacha pulls and level them up. The egg bouncing is engaging, but heavy monetisation and an endless grind compromise the experience.
Crownlings: Heroes & Conquests
iOS & Android, free (Angry Banana) – Score: 7/10. Inspired by Advance Wars, this game features square-grid maps, captured towns, terrain effects, and rock-paper-scissors combat. Units level up via cards and gold. Maps are small but challenging, with a 'coming soon' multiplayer button. On Android, it's titled Crownlings: Battle Strategy.
Zomline Survival
iOS & Android, free (Yoozoo) – Score: 2/10. This game starts with a polished village refurbishment but quickly devolves into a pay-to-win clan-based city invader identical to many others. It relies on wait timers and upgrades rather than skill. The article advises skipping this tedious clone.
