OVERApotris 4.2.0: the free block-stacker built for the Game Boy Advance now has a native Android port and online crossplay
Apotris is a free, open-source block-stacking game by Apostolos Kouzoukos (akouzoukos). It started as a Game Boy Advance homebrew and has since spread to PC, Linux, macOS, Switch homebrew, the 3DS and Linux handhelds through PortMaster. Version 4.2.0, released October 19, adds a native Android app, so you can install it straight onto an Android handheld instead of running the GBA version in an emulator.
What's new in 4.2.0
- Android port with customizable on-screen controls. Physical buttons on a handheld work too, and you can also install it through Obtainium.
- Online multiplayer on PC, PortMaster, 3DS and Android, with crossplay, so you can play friends or strangers on other platforms.
- 5-player lobbies, even on real GBA hardware with link cables or the wireless adapter, plus first-to-3, 5 or 7 match rounds.
- New Cascade and Tower submodes for Marathon and Zen, and a Zone submode for Zen.
- Longer, more reliable replays, custom skin import and export, more music formats and an in-game battery indicator on devices with batteries.
The developer says online play will get more modes, a ranked queue and better social features in a future update. With 14 modes in total, from Sprint and Dig to the brutal Master and Death, there's a lot here for a game that costs nothing.
Why it matters for handheld players
This is the kind of game that suits a handheld: quick sessions, very responsive controls and no setup. Because it's a free original game, there's nothing to buy, dump or import. Grab the APK from the official downloads page, play online against PC and 3DS players, and use the GBA build if you'd like to try it on original hardware. Back up your save before updating from an older version, as the developer recommends.