As it turns out, the Advent season is already upon us, and many of us are preparing for the wonderfully hectic stretch of year-end festivities. Between navigating questionable sweater choices from well-meaning but overzealous relatives and sorting out where everyone falls on our personal naughty-or-nice list, it’s no surprise if you’re feeling a little drained. If your mental batteries could use a recharge, why not unwind with this week’s selection of the top five apps and games—perfect for keeping you entertained and pleasantly distracted for at least a little while longer?

Much like our roundup last week, we’re delighted to present another carefully curated collection of exceptional mobile apps and games for both Android and iOS users. After browsing the endless offerings on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store, we’ve selected five standout titles that truly impressed us. Whether you’re craving a captivating gaming escape or looking for practical tools to sharpen your productivity, this week’s picks promise a little something delightful for everyone.

Magic Chess: Go Go

Magic Chess: Go Go is one of those titles that immediately piqued my curiosity, and after spending time with it, I found it to be a surprisingly charming blend of light entertainment and tactical thinking—perfect for short breaks or those evenings when I want something engaging without being overwhelming.

From the moment I launched the game, the colourful visuals and lively animations set a cheerful tone. The art style isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel, but it has a friendly appeal that makes each match feel warm and inviting. What stood out to me most, though, was how easy it was to jump right in. The game manages to simplify the auto-chess genre enough for newcomers to understand, yet still retains enough depth to keep things interesting. I appreciated how the mechanics allowed me to experiment with different unit combinations without feeling punished for not being a seasoned strategist.

As I progressed, I found the pacing refreshingly accessible. Matches never dragged on for too long, making it ideal for filling those five- or ten-minute pockets of free time in the day. While the game does occasionally nudge players towards in-app purchases—a familiar trope in mobile gaming—I never felt strong-armed into opening my wallet just to enjoy the experience. The progression system felt fair enough, and with a bit of patience, I still managed to unlock new characters and abilities at a satisfying pace.

One aspect I particularly enjoyed was the sense of incremental mastery. Each round subtly encouraged me to refine my strategy: when to combine units, when to level up, and when to take a risk. It’s the kind of game where a quick match can turn into a pleasant mental diversion, and before I knew it, I’d spent far more time than expected tinkering with my lineup for “just one more round.” Definitely not the deepest title to figure out, but it does its job well.

• Price: Free / Advertising: None / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$99.99) / Account required: No
• Download Magic Chess: Go Go (Android) / Download Magic Chess: Go Go (iOS)

Cat Legends: Idle RPG Games

I approached Cat Legends with a bit of skepticism — idle-RPGs featuring “cute cat warriors” can easily lean too much into fluff. But after spending some time with it, I discovered that Cat Legends balanced charm and casual gameplay in a surprisingly enjoyable manner, making it a solid pick for light gaming sessions or a relaxing unwind after a long day.

The game’s 2D visuals and character designs stood out to me. The cats were drawn with a delightful blend of whimsy and fantasy-style heroic flair — armor, weapons, and accessories gave them personality beyond mere cuteness. The backgrounds and environment art complemented the character design nicely, giving the world a colourful, inviting vibe that made exploration pleasant.

Gameplay-wise, Cat Legends leaned into the idle-RPG formula in an easy manner. I assemble a team of cat-heroes, each with unique skills, then let them auto-battle through dungeons or campaigns. For me, this made the game ideal as a “pick-up-and-play” option — I could jump in for a quick session, let the cats do their thing, then come back later to collect rewards and see progress. However, the curse of such games arrived fast—progression outside of early levels tends to slow down unless I engage with in-game purchases.

Cat Legends may not be the deepest RPG out there, nor the most generous to cheapskates like me who refuse to spend money. But it knows exactly what it wants to be: a light, approachable, and visually pleasing idle-RPG for those who like their gaming with a dash of cuteness, minimal effort, and a decent dose of casual fun.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$19.99) / Account required: No
• Download Cat Legends (Android) / Download Cat Legends (iOS)

Ragnarok Crush: Match & Merge

I still remember Ragnarok all those years ago when it first came out, so I looked at Ragnarok Crush with more than a little curiosity and more caution. After all, any mobile game that tries to blend nostalgia, puzzle-play, and RPG elements in my book tends to walk a fine line between clever and cluttered. After spending several sessions with it, I have a fairly mixed but overall intrigued take on what works and what might yet need tuning.

Ragnarok Crush offers a match-3/merge/puzzle-plus-RPG hybrid set in the familiar world of Ragnarok Online. I assemble a team drawn from classic Ragnarok classes — swordsmen, mages, thieves, and more — and engage in a unique system where I merge units (or resources) on a board to power them up and send them into battle. This is a fresh concept compared with the usual auto-battlers or purely idle RPGs; there’s a tactile, puzzle-game feel that demands a bit of thought.

While the start is always easy (to hook me!), Ragnarok Crush has its fair share of flaws. As with many hybrid or “gacha-adjacent” games, the balance between free-to-play enjoyment and premium monetization got uneasy for me—fast! Resource-gathering slowed down considerably after a while, unless I spend or grind intensively, which I do not have the money or the time to do so.

Guess this is more a walk down memory lane for me than anything else. There were moments that shone enough to keep me coming back for more. There’s a satisfying rhythm to merging my roster, thinking through my team composition, and watching those decisions play out in combat. For fans of Ragnarok lore who don’t want to commit to a full-blown MMORPG, or for puzzle lovers open to a bit of RPG flavour, Ragnarok Crush offers a genuinely interesting compromise: a casual, strategic, and — at its best — engaging mobile experience.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($0.99-$49.99) / Account required: Yes
• Download Ragnarok Crush (Android) / Download Ragnarok Crush (iOS)

Wiser

Just like the rest of the world, my time and attention are being pulled in so many directions, so much so, it can be challenging to really make time for the important stuff in life. I love reading, but as adulting took over, I found it tough to actually sit down and read books. Thank the heavens for audiobooks! Wiser is an app that condenses full-length non-fiction into bite-sized audio summaries, offering real potential as a time-saving learning tool, albeit being imperfect.

The concept is simple: the app promises to help me absorb key ideas from a book in around 15 minutes, which can feel like a “cheat sheet” for personal growth. When the app worked as intended, the audio narration proved clear and understandable, and the interface was fairly clean and simple to navigate. I found that on days when time is tight — during commutes, chores, or brief breaks — Wiser could slot neatly into spare moments, letting me “read” something I otherwise wouldn’t have had time for.

However, I felt frustrated at times when I encountered technical hiccups: audio failing to start, playback stalling between chapters, or the app failing to remember where I left off on multiple occasions. There were times when I closed the app, only to find that I’d have to restart the audio from the beginning, which defeated the convenience that Wiser promises. These bugs undermine the core value of the service.

I also felt the summaries gave a useful high-level overview but were oversimplified at times — especially for complex, idea-dense books that required a deeper dive to truly appreciate the nuance. I would say Wiser’s condensed format may come across as reductive, and this is more a convenience tool than an actual full book replacement in their entirety.

• Price: Free / Advertising: No / In-app purchases: Yes ($12.99-$89.99) / Account required: Yes
• Download Wiser (Android) / Download Wiser (iOS)

Luminar Photo Editor

I found Luminar to boast a polished and friendly user interface, sporting a design that leaned on smooth gestures, spinning dials, and sliders, responding intuitively to touch. Which is a good thing, since it made me, a novice in photography, feel smart enough to use the app. I like its AI-powered features, such as “Enhance AI,” “Sky AI,” “Relight AI,” and other automatic adjustments that claim to improve lighting, tone, clarity, or even swap skies for dramatic effect.

I would say Luminar Mobile was very convenient when I’m on the move — editing a photo directly on my phone without needing a laptop definitely appeals to someone like me who often shoots spur-of-the-moment snaps (travel, food, street scenes) on a phone camera. The AI enhancements made many photos “pop” with minimal effort. I’d say this is a great tool to tidy up a photo before sharing it on social media without having to commit to hours of manual editing.

Do note that all the praises I’ve sung so far don’t mean the app is perfect. While the AI features were handy for quick results, they sometimes felt oversimplified or too “automatic”, especially when I care about subtlety or precise control. In some cases, I found that sky replacements looked a bit unnatural, or that lighting adjustments flattened parts of a scene in ways I didn’t expect. For serious editing purposes, or for photos where nuance matters (such as portraits, fine art, or professional work), I’d say having fully refined manual controls like those found on a desktop editor works better.

Do note that this is not a full substitute for desktop-class photo editing, but it does offer a convenient, capable, and often impressive toolkit for on-the-go photography. I would say it is ideal for quick edits, travel shots, social media posts, and casual creative work.

• Price: Free / Advertising: Yes / In-app purchases: Yes ($4.99-$59.99) / Account required: Yes
• Download Luminar (Android) / Download Luminar (iOS)