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Marc Saltzman

Thumbing around with a pair of free mobile games

Marc Saltzman, Special for USA TODAY
Tight on cash but want new games? Consider these two freebies from Apple's App Store and Google Play for Android devices.
  • Rail Rush is %27one part Temple Run%2C one part Indiana Jones%27
  • Rise of the Blobs follows Marsh Mal into a blob invasion
  • Connect with friends via Facebook or Game Center

If you're looking for something new to play on your smartphone or tablet — but don't have a lot of cash to spend — a number of free yet high-quality games have debuted for Android and Apple iOS devices.

In this week's column, we tap, flick and shake through an action-heavy mine cart racer and a head-scratching puzzle game.

Both family-friendly games are available for free at the App Store and Google Play store (formerly Android Market).

Rail Rush takes users through a maze of underground mines.

Rail Rush (Miniclip.com; 3.5 stars out of 4)

One part Temple Run and one part Indiana Jones, this new action game has you riding in a cart through twisting, underground mines.

In Rail Rush, you simply tilt your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Android device to lean to one side — in order to avoid obstacles or pick up gold nuggets and other goodies — while also swiping left and right to switch rails, or up or down to jump or duck, respectively.

Similar to "chase" games like Temple Run, you'll find new paths to explore, unlock new characters, collect gems and power-ups, and try to survive the ride as long as you can (with distance measured in meters). If you manage to pick up a mystery egg while on your adventures, you can tap it at the end of the game to reveal a bonus that can be used in the following game.

Rail Rush also has missions to accomplish, such as "Jump over 30 lower obstacles," "Run on the central track for 500 meters in a game" and "Enter secret level 1 time in a game."

Be aware, however, the game offers optional in-app purchases, such as $1.99 for 15,000 gold nuggets or $4.99 to buy the playable characters Julie Braveheart or Twinblade San.

Other extraordinarily fun and free "chase" games to consider for Apple's iOS and Android: Kiloo's Subway Surfers and Imangi Studios' Temple Run 2.

Rise of the Blobs is a good pick if you love puzzle games.

Rise of the Blobs (Robot Invader; 3 stars out of 4)

If puzzlers are more your pace, Rise of the Blobs is one of those games that's easy to pick up but difficult to put down.

Your task is to help your stranded marshmallow hero, Marsh Mal, survive a blob invasion. He helplessly sits on top of a cylindrical tower. You must spin it around to assist Marsh Mal in dropping fruit over the side — matching the same color as the fruit below — and then popping them with your fingertip to explode the surrounding blobs. Similar to Tetris, if the blobs reach the top, it's game over.

The strategy is figuring out when to drop the colored fruit (and if you should swipe down to drop it faster), where to drop and when to pop it to maximize the blast. Once you've racked up enough points and survived a number of blob attacks, you'll unlock new game modes, including a challenging timed one.

Along with earning a number of achievements, completing missions helps you earn rewards including upgradeable power-ups that can help you defeat the blobs — beginning with a coconut bomb that explodes all fruits of the same color. You can also have fun changing the animated background or adding silly outfits to the hapless Marsh Mal.

While optional, Rise of the Blobs allows you to connect with friends via Facebook or Game Center to compare scores and compete in the weekly leaderboard.

Just like Rail Rush, Rise of the Blobs offers in-app purchases, such as buying 2,500 coins for $0.99 cents, to spend in the game store.

Other excellent puzzle games that won't cost you a dime: King.com's Candy Crush Saga and Revolutionary Concepts' Gesundheit!

Contact Saltzman at techcomments@usatoday.com. Follow him on Twitter: @marc_saltzman.

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