Tilt-based controls are back in The Big Journey! [Game of the Week]

What are the latest games worth checking out in the Google Play Store?

Update January 26, 2018: Check out The Big Journey, another finalist in Google's Indie Game Contest. Then, rig the election for your side in Gerrymander!

The Big Journey

We're continuing to play some of the finalists for Google's 2017 Indie Game Contest and this week we're looking at a really fun adventure game, The Big Journey.

Developed by Armor Games, The Big Journey follows Mr. Whiskers, a roly-poly cat who one day discovers that the local dumpling master Mr. Cho has disappeared. Mr. Whiskers practically lives off of those dumplings, and wouldn't you know it but there's a trail of dumplings leading into the forest. Can Mr. Whiskers solve the mystery of where his friend went?

This kid-friendly is so cute it hurts and will first draw you in with its beautiful and colorful world, then keep you playing with its masterful use of tilt-controls to play and great humor. There's a bunch of secret areas and animal friends to discover as you play through the 25 levels presented here. The only issue is that the game ends too soon, but here's hoping the developers get a good response from the community and continue to develop adventures for Mr. Whiskers.

Download: The Big Journey ($1.99)

Gerrymander: Rig the Election

The issue of gerrymandering electoral districts in the United States is an issue that finally seems to be receiving the attention that it deserves, but it's also a somewhat complex issue that can be complicated and abstract to explain. One effective method for explaining and educating the public is to gamify the process.

While Gerrymander: Rig the Election isn't the first game to attempt to turn gerrymandering into an accessible puzzle game, it's the most polished and stylish game that you'll find. And it plays great, but will likely leave you feeling a little icky when you realize the real-life implications. Oh, and it was developed by Australians so there's no true political bias here — only pointing out the absurdity of the series.

Gerrymandering is all about drawing district borders in such a way that you can group common voters together to maximize one party's odds to win in future elections. In Gerrymander, this is accomplished by using your finger to split the people into districts with a set number of people in each one. Split the districts fast enough to win medals and money, which help to unlock the other 75 levels. Better still, levels are always randomly generated so you can keep playing and getting new challenges.

Download: Gerrymander (Free w/ads, $2.99)