The Pocket Gamer Podcast

The Pocket Gamer Podcast Episode 78 - Gambonanza, Monopoly, and the Pocket Gamer People's Choice Award 2026

Would you love to get a crash course on chess? Let Iwan enlighten you in this week's (New and Improved!) Pocket Gamer Podcast [https://www.pocketgamer.com/podcast/], as we talk about why pawns should be sacrificed and what happens when Cthulhu tries to save the seas.  Before anything else, it's worth noting that our sibling site PocketGamer.biz [http://pocketgamer.biz] has just opened nominations for the Mobile Gaming Awards' People's Choice Award [https://www.mobilegamesawards.com/] this year, where nominations [https://www.pocketgamer.com/peoples-choice-award/2026/nominate/]will stay open until June 29th! Only games released between June 2025 and May 2026 are eligible, so choose wisely. Then begins Iwan's very brief thoughts on Gambonanza [https://www.pocketgamer.com/gambonanza/review/], where we learn everything about chess and jokers and gambits and life. All kidding aside though, he does offer a lot of interesting thoughts on the Balatro-like, and if you're interested in how it all plays out, Iwan's review breaks it down pretty thoroughly (and so does his Gambonanza beginner's guide [https://www.pocketgamer.com/gambonanza/beginners-guide/]!). To keep things moving, I jump into the upcoming release of Nekomancer [https://www.pocketgamer.com/nekomancer/coming-soon-to-mobile/], which is slated for release on May 31st for all your roguelike tower-defending pleasure. Will is a little spiteful that I snagged this topic from him - as he is the Number One Tower Defence Fan over at PG Towers - but it's all good because the title is very pun-ny and we love it. Defences and dolphins segue into Cthulhu and the cosmic horror's appearance in Monopoly [https://www.pocketgamer.com/monopoly/return-of-cthulhu/], where it's all about the WDC (Whale & Dolphin Conservation Center) and its efforts to save the whales. 20% of each purchase of the collaboration bundles will go directly to the WDC, so if you've always wanted to do your part to conserve nature (with the help of some eldritch friends), now's your chance. Lending others a helping hand is also the central theme in Spirit Crossing [https://www.pocketgamer.com/spirit-crossing/out-now/], this cosy new multiplayer adventure that's out now on Netflix. You help fulfil quests for cute spirits here and build bonds with them along the way, and while it doesn't have the most original concept, its Ghibli-esque vibes make it pretty distinct as it is. Finally, Will caps it all off with Dead Be The Fallen [https://www.pocketgamer.com/dead-be-the-fallen/coming-to-mobile/], where, while it does seem like it's got some pretty obvious AI-generated visuals, it might be your cup of tea if you're looking for a stylised monochrome FPS horror on your phone.

The Pocket Gamer Podcast Episode 77 - Meg's Monster, Fruit Ninja Adventures, and Cookie Run: Kingdom

Did you grow up slicing away at virtual fruit in Fruit Ninja? And have you seen the latest Resident Evil trailer? This week's (New and Improved!) Pocket Gamer Podcast [https://www.pocketgamer.com/podcast/] is once again sponsored by the lovely folks who love some tennis-related fun, so we dabble in a little bit of fun (and cringe) ourselves. To kick things off, we dive right into the epic return of the sponsored segment brought to you by Roland Garros eSeries 2026 by Renault - the world’s biggest and most thrilling eTennis competition, endorsed by the French Tennis Federation! If you don't want to miss out on all the action, be sure to tune in to the finals on May 23rd on YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/c/RolandGarros]. What you might want to miss out on is Iwan's cringey tennis pun…but he makes up for it by segueing professionally into Racing Master [https://www.pocketgamer.com/racing-master/out-now-worldwide/], which is out now on iOS and Android. I fail to come up with any kind of commentary for that, given I know nothing about cars, so it's Felix the Reaper [https://www.pocketgamer.com/felix-the-reaper/coming-soon-android/] that I talk about instead! This is actually near and dear to my heart because it's the very first game I reviewed for Pocket Gamer back in 2020, so it's a big throwback to the good ol' days for me. It's in pre-registration on Android right now, where you play as a lovestruck reaper manipulating shadows to make sure mortals meet their ultimate demise. All this darkness inspires Will to segue into Meg's Monster [https://www.pocketgamer.com/megs-monster/out-now/], which is a heartwarming pixel-art RPG where you try your best to keep a little girl from crying - because when she does, the world ends (as it should). The mobile version is out now with plenty of warm and fuzzy feelings in its narrative too. Iwan then leaps into fruit-slicing with Fruit Ninja Adventures [https://www.pocketgamer.com/fruit-ninja-adventures/pre-registration-open-on-ios-and-android/] and its pre-registration phase, but not before making us feel old once again by recounting just how young he is. I can't complain, though, because Diablo Immortal [https://www.pocketgamer.com/diablo-immortal/starcraft-crossover/] is collaborating with my beloved StarCraft until June 10th - and it's nice to see Blizzard still giving Kerrigan some love after all this time. And speaking of time, Will walks us through Cookie Run: Kingdom’s Timeline of Fate update [https://www.pocketgamer.com/cookie-run-kingdom/timeline-of-fate-update/] and the two new Cookies that go along with it - including our guide on the best Timekeeper Cookie Toppings [https://www.pocketgamer.com/cookie-run-kingdom/timekeeper-cookie-toppings-beascuits/] and Beascuits! Before we wrap up, though, we gush about the new Resident Evil trailer [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJPu1spHqfk] that's just come out - have a look yourself and let us know what you think!

The Pocket Gamer Podcast Episode 76 - Gamescom LatAm, Hello Kitty Island Adventure, and MapleStory: Idle RPG

Do you have multiple shirts of your favourite fandom to prove you're not a fake fan? Which game character lives in your head rent-free? This week's (New and Improved!) Pocket Gamer Podcast [https://www.pocketgamer.com/podcast/] sees the epic return of Iwan the Newshound to the airwaves, with plenty of gamescom LatAm news upon his triumphant comeback. And because he wants us out of the way to give the people what they want, I kick things off with Streets of Rage 4 [https://www.pocketgamer.com/epic-games-store/streets-of-rage-4/] as the freebie of the week for the Epic Games Store on mobile. Will then claims copyright on the idea of bears scuffling out on the streets before segueing into MapleStory: Idle RPG [https://www.pocketgamer.com/maplestory-idle-rpg/half-anniversary/]'s half-anniversary, in which we ponder the ins and outs of half-year celebrations and the omnipresent laser of doom some mobile games fall victim to. And speaking of the laser of doom, Will himself becomes its latest victim as his literal microphone gives out, leaving Iwan the perfect opportunity to grab the figurative mic to talk about where he's been the past few days - and that's at gamescom Latin America [https://www.pocketgamer.com/gamescom-latam/game-preview-roundup-2026/]! There's a lot to run through, and you'll be able to read more about Iwan's coverage in the next few days, but he does mention Alan Mandujano from Pokémon Go [https://www.pocketgamer.com/pokemon-go/alan-mandujano-gamescom-latam-interview/], along with Airdorf [https://www.pocketgamer.com/gamescom-latam/devs-tell-us-what-makes-gaming-so-special-2026/] and just how vibrant the mobile games scene over there is (which may or may not include haze in the air from grilled burgers). One of the projects of note is Rogue Reigns [https://www.pocketgamer.com/rogue-reigns/tiago-laffer-interview/], which is an upcoming roguelike deckbuilder that Iwan talks about in more detail in his interview with the devs. Iwan also gives us a few recommendations of things to have on our radar, which include Sunny Trails [https://www.pocketgamer.com/gamescom-latam/game-preview-roundup-2026/], where you play as the goddess Amaterasu (Okami vibes, anyone?). Before I'm able to silence Iwan to keep him from spoiling his own previews, Will offers a lovely way to end the episode with the Month of Meh in Hello Kitty Island Adventure [https://www.pocketgamer.com/hello-kitty-island-adventure/meh-may-2026/], which means I get to talk about my love for Gudetama for free (I do wish I did silence Iwan and cut him off from the episode entirely only because he intentionally mispronounces Gudetama's name just to spite me).

The Pocket Gamer Podcast Episode 75 - Inmost, Dicero, and Pokemon TCG Pocket

How random do you want your randomised runs to go? Who is your poster Pokemon for Fighting-types, and would you prefer to subscribe to your games rather than buy them outright? This week's (New and Improved!) Pocket Gamer Podcast [https://www.pocketgamer.com/podcast/] is a tad more professional as Iwan's away and dead to us (kidding - he's off to gamescom and we miss him), but Will and I have lots of news to share too because mobile is always where it's at! Since it's just the two of us, we waste no time in diving right in with Dicero [https://www.pocketgamer.com/dicero/out-on-android-arriving-soon-on-ios/], which is Habby's latest project that's out now on iOS and Android. It's a roguelike adventure made even more random with its dice-based attacks, where you roll to determine how your turns will go. We talk a bit about how procedurally generated elements make us feel, before Will tells me just how punny the title of "Dicero" actually is (because it completely goes over my head). That leads us to Battle Fate [https://www.pocketgamer.com/battle-fate/launch/] and its impressive strategic depth, which is also out now on iOS and Android for all your turn-based tactical pleasure. The solo-developed passion project is built for mobile and supposedly features an impressive amount of content for its reasonable price tag - Will's going to be making a review for this too, so do keep that on your radar if you're curious! We discuss the ins and outs of indies versus mega-hits for a bit before I move on to Pokemon TCG Pocket's latest expansion [https://www.pocketgamer.com/pokemon-trading-card-game-pocket/pulsing-aura-launch-date-and-announce/], and because I've been away from this for far too long, I now have no idea how I'm supposed to catch up. Pulsing Aura is headlining Fighting-type Pokemon (without Machamp, it seems), and Will offers his hot take about how he just doesn't understand why Lucario is so popular. Finally, Will segues into the launch of Inmost [https://www.pocketgamer.com/inmost/free-on-google-play-pass/]on Google Play Pass, which brings us to the question of whether or not subscription services are actually effective in this day and age. Before we end, though, we have to plug our upcoming coverage of gamescom, as Iwan's got his boots on the ground to bring you all the latest happenings over there! Stay tuned!

The Pocket Gamer Podcast Episode 74 - Dragon Quest Smash/Grow, Petit Planet, and Tiles Survive

Would you rather defend yourself against brain-eating zombies or inherently evil penguins? And are you smart enough to draft a legally binding contract when making a deal with the devil? We are incredibly professional in this week's (New and Improved!) Pocket Gamer Podcast [https://www.pocketgamer.com/podcast/], where we discuss the ins and outs of embargoed news with the least waffles possible. Iwan the Yellow takes a step back for the first half of the episode as I start the recording with a bang - and that's with Petit Planet and its Stardrift Test [https://www.pocketgamer.com/petit-planet/preview/] that's launching today. The cosy life sim from HoYoverse gave me a lot of The Little Prince vibes when I played the media access, and it's exactly as advertised.  Meanwhile, Will takes things into a darker turn with hordes of the undead in Tiles Survive [https://www.pocketgamer.com/tiles-survive/20-million-players/], which is celebrating a whopping 20 million players - that's how many people have been trying to fend off the zombie apocalypse all these years. This brings us to a quick discussion on what other horrors out there we should be defending ourselves against, whether that's sloth-based invasions or seemingly innocent penguins. What's definitely something we should be wary of is the darkness of the unknown, which is what you'll be up against in Among the Sleep [https://www.pocketgamer.com/among-the-sleep/opens-pre-registration/]. The first-person horror lets you step into the wobbly feet of a helpless two-year-old, and if that's the kind of vulnerability you want in your horror games, then you'd best sign up during its pre-registration phase right now. Will segues into making demonic pacts somehow within Old School RuneScape [https://www.pocketgamer.com/old-school-runescape/leagues-six-launch/], where he goes into great detail about the Leagues VI event that runs until June 10th. And finally, Iwan ends the episode with his big news of the week, which is the launch of Dragon Quest Smash/Grow [https://www.pocketgamer.com/dragon-quest-smash-grow/review/].  It doesn't take long for him to express how he truly feels about it, which is a combination of many different kinds of emotions only Iwan knows best (we've got a handy beginner's guide [https://www.pocketgamer.com/dragon-quest-smash-grow/beginners-guide-and-tips/] up if you're keen!).