5 Android apps you shouldn't miss this week - Android Apps Weekly

Welcome to the 412th edition of Android Apps Weekly and happy holidays from all of us at Android Authority! Here are the big headlines from the last week:

• Button mapping on an Android TV is something more people should look into doing. Our own Rita El Khoury talks about the benefits of using a button remapper for Android TV devices and several decent apps for doing it. Hit the link to learn more.
• The latest Wallpaper Wednesday is out and has a few different holiday-themed wallpapers along with a few other good ones submitted by readers. Hit the link to check them out if you’re looking to pad your wallpaper stock.
• Amazon had a serious problem with its app store. It didn’t work with Android 12. Some updates issued this week fixed the issue and Amazon Appstore customers have full access once again. Those still having issues should try updating the app to get the fixes.
• YouTube TV and Disney have come to a new agreement after the former lost 18 channels. Last week, Google lowered the price by $15 for YouTube TV customers until a new contract with Disney came about. With the new deal in place, the price goes back to $65 per month and all the channels are back. Hit the link to learn more.
• We’re already getting some news about Android 13. Some of it is even app related. One of the things is per-app language settings in Android 13. It doesn’t mean a lot to a lot of folks, but bilingual people may enjoy apps in the language most comfortable for them. Hit the link to learn more details.

Graffiti Smash

Price: Free to play

Graffiti Smash is a gacha game with a neat combat premise. Players sling characters around the screen to paint the battlefield. Painting the battlefield unlocks various effects to give you an edge in battle. It has an online PvP mode along with an online co-op mode so you can play with or against people. There is also an idle component to get loot while you’re offline. On the plus side, it’s definitely something a bit different. On the other hand, it does get a little repetitive after a while. It’s not a new game, but it is an English release.

eBooks: American Red Cross

Price: Free

eBooks: American Red Cross the latest app from the non-profit. It’s an on-the-go eBook reader with a variety of Red Cross training manuals. You can read the manuals and keep up to date with what to do in emergencies. The app also view videos, take quizzes, and do other activities to keep yourself engaged. Yes, it’s an educational app, but people who like being prepared in an emergency can find a lot of useful info here.

Nobodies: After Death

Price: Free / Up to $9.99

Nobodies: After Death is a puzzle game. You play the role of a cleaner for a government agency. Your job is to clean up sanctioned hits so nobody knows you or the other person were there. The puzzle is figuring out what needs to be cleaned up. There are multiple solutions to most problems, over 100 hand-drawn scenes across nine levels to play through, and an actual storyline to follow. It’s a bit short, but otherwise it’s fun.

L Launcher for Wear OS

Price: Free

L Launcher is something a little different for our weekly roundup. It’s a Wear OS launcher currently in alpha and it’s a pretty cool little piece of development. Wear OS isn’t open source like Android proper, so there is a deficit of good launchers for any smartwatch. It has some decent features, including root features if you go that route. It’s quite the list so we recommend checking out the official site linked below to learn more. It’s an alpha right now so those who try may wind up finding some bugs.

Cut the Rope: Blast

Price: Free to play

Cut the Rope Blast is the next game in the franchise that is, curiously, not published by ZeptoLab. In any case, this one features Om Nom but in a match-three puzzle game this time. The gameplay is very similar to what you would expect. You match shapes to clear the board. There are also a variety of power-ups to make things easier. Some other features include a co-op mode, daily rewards, and tons of levels to play through. It’s a time killer, but it’s a family-friendly one with decent execution.

If we missed any big Android app or game releases, tell us about it in the comments or tweet me @ThatJoeHindy on Twitter.
Thank you for reading. Try these out too:

• The best gacha games for Android
• The best emergency apps for Android
• The best puzzle games for Android
• The best Wear OS apps
• The best match-three games for Android