Lunar Lander, both the literal video game that goes by that name and the genre of similar titles it spawned, have always been a great fit for mobile. They typically only use two button inputs as you control each of a craft’s two thrusters navigating it through the environment and eventually making your way to a landing pad. There’s just something fun about battling the physics and deftly guiding a fragile spacecraft to a safe landing. But what if a developer took the idea of a Lunar Lander style game but modernized it? That’s the vibe I get from Dwarf Cavern’s Solar Explorer: New Dawn, which launched on Steam last fall and is heading to iOS in just a couple of weeks. This is a much more intense take on Lunar Lander as you’ll need to maintain your entry through the atmosphere, slow down on your approach towards the planet while avoiding crashing into debris, and finally adjust your thrusters so that you can gently land your craft on its target. Check out the trailer.

Solar Explorer: New Dawn plays out in 40 different missions across 6 worlds of the Inner Solar System: Moon, Mars, Phobos, Deimos, Mercury and Venus. Each planet comes with its own unique challenges due to the game using an “accurate physics simulation of the gravitational and atmospheric conditions that are imposed on the lander craft." So basically, science makes it better. Landing your craft isn’t the end of the journey though, as you’re actually trying to colonize these uninhabited planets and unlock a ton of customization options for your craft along the way. The game will set you back just $2.99 with no ads or IAP, and you can pre-order it on the App Store right now ahead of its planned launch on May 20th. I’m really looking forward to this modern spin on an established classic when Solar Explorer: New Dawn hits in a couple of weeks.