Andy Walker / Android Authority

Keeping up with the latest and greatest apps and games is a difficult task, but I’m here to help. Each month, I detail a list of the best new Android apps and games, and this month’s edition is packed with loads of great Android games and a few utilities to boot.

Let’s jump right in. Here are the best new Android apps and games you should try in June 2026.

Last month, I kicked off my roundup with an Android launcher, and this month, I’m doing the same. While Key Launcher is certainly one of the most comprehensive home screens I’ve used this year, Mako deliberately skews the other way.

Mako isn’t particularly new, but I’ve seen very little buzz (or croak?) surrounding it. In a word, it’s a minimalist launcher with a retro aesthetic, designed to reduce distractions and provide simple organizational tools. The app lists all installed apps on the home screen, which can then be grouped. Groups can be rearranged and collapsed, or completely hidden.

Yes, this is a roundup of the best new Android apps and games, but let me reminisce about Windows for a moment. WinDirStat remains one of the best apps for combing through a Windows machine’s drives, specifically to see which file types are occupying the most gigs. I wanted something similar for Android for ages, and recently I discovered a potential candidate.

My dad and I used to spend hours playing chess, which would inevitably end with me ragequitting. I was a very sore loser as a kid. Regardless, I think back on those times now with a smile. Needless to say, I’ve been wanting to rekindle my enjoyment of the game, and Lichess has helped plenty.

Perhaps better known as an internet chess server, there’s also an Android app of the same name, which lets me play against other users online. More importantly, though, I’ve been slowly working my way up the difficulty ladder versus computers. The app is brilliant for learning moves and strategies, and after the game, I can review my and the computer’s moves. For more experienced users, there are multiple tournaments and lobbies accessible from the home screen, and plenty of other chess-oriented entertainment.

If chess somehow isn’t strategic or Nordic-themed enough for you, try Northgard. This survival-strategy game is set on a newly Viking-discovered continent, and, naturally, because sharing is boring, you’ll carve out a piece of that land pie using smart planning, resource use, and aggression. The game offers various play modes, including multiplayer and a story/adventure mode, with multiple potential playthroughs given the sheer number of clans, campaigns, and strategies.

Finally, let’s end this month’s roundup with the third Android game.

Publisher Playdigious is on a roll with its mobile releases, and Slime Rancher is the latest port to arrive on Android.

As its name suggests, you play as a novice slime wrangler named Bea who loves exploring the world, collecting slimes, upgrading the ranch and equipment by trading slimes and other items, and enjoying the ranch life on a distant planet. The game is cute, it’s cozy, it’s colorful, and it’s a great slow-play summer title.