In September 2019, Apple added a new member to its growing family. Meet Apple Arcade, the tech giant’s very own gaming subscription service. Think of it as Netflix, which lets you access an entire library of movies and TV shows and download them for offline access. Apple Arcade is exactly like that, but with games. For a monthly fee of $4.99, you can get your hands on their entire selection of games. All you need is an Apple device — be it an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Apple TV — and you’re good to go.
Apple Arcade currently has over 180 games, and they’ll be adding more to their library soon. With a wide range of options, it can be pretty hard to try every single one and choose which ones to shove aside. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the best games Apple Arcade has on offer.
Inside This Article
- 20 Best Apple Arcade Games
- Sayonara Wild Hearts
- WHAT THE GOLF?
- Butter Royale
- Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows
- Grindstone
- Mutazione
- Roundguard
- South of the Circle
- Neo Cab
- Assemble with Care
- Populus Run
- Pac-Man Party Royale
- Hitchhiker
- Creaks
- Next Stop Nowhere
- Survival Z
- Crossy Road Castle
- Little Orpheus
- EarthNight
- Jenny LeClue – Detectivu
- Where Can You Download Apple Arcade Games?
- Can You Share Your Apple Arcade Subscription With Another Device?
- Apple Arcade vs. Google Stadia
20 Best Apple Arcade Games
Apple Arcade has a pretty diverse selection of games. Whether you’re into mystery, adventure, platformer, automatic runner, or other genres of games, Apple Arcade will surely have something you’ll enjoy. What’s more, it’s pushing for more indie games to be available on their platform. Thus, it’s perfect if you’re more into niche games.
So without further ado, here are the top 20 Apple Arcade games you can download right now.
1. Sayonara Wild Hearts
Sayonara Wild Hearts is no doubt one of the best Apple Arcade games there is. Simogo, the game’s developer, described it as a “pop album video game,” in which every level is set to a different song that matches the game’s vibrant landscape.
It follows the story of a young, heartbroken woman journeying through a pink and purple alternate universe as she tries to restore harmony to the world. Your goal is to guide her through this universe while collecting hearts, avoiding obstacles, and surviving boss encounter at each level. Throughout the game, you’ll be transported to different worlds and meet different characters. With rich visuals, a superb soundtrack, and, of course, great gameplay, Sayonara Wild Hearts is, indeed, the whole package.
2. WHAT THE GOLF?
WHAT THE GOLF? is not your run-of-the-mill golf game; it’s barely even a golf game. But the essence of the sport remains: get an object (whatever it may be) from point A to point B.
The game starts off simple enough with a golf ball that you have to get into a hole. As it progresses, the objects and the goals become more and more outlandish. In this game, you’ll get to hurl a couch into a hole, a hole into another hole, an egg into a frying pan, a horse across the roof of a train, and so many other more ridiculous objects. Whether or not you’re a fan of golf, you’ll surely get a kick out of this game.
3. Butter Royale
Another one of the best Apple Arcade games you can play is Butter Royale, which is an adorable take on classic food fights. The goal of this game is pretty simple: defeat your enemies and be the last player standing. To knock your opponents out, you’ll have to shoot them with food; you’ll get fire sauce shooters, Breadzookas, and creamy milkshakes to help you out. In addition to sneaky opponents, you’ll have to run as fast as you can and get yourself to a safe area before you get engulfed by a sea of hot butter.
One thing to take note of about this game is that each battle is fairly quick, lasting only about five minutes. This is great if you’re looking to sneak in a few minutes of fun throughout your day before diving into work or school tasks again.
4. Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows
If you’re a fan of the HBO hit series and are looking for something idle and soothing, then Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows is the Apple Arcade game for you. The game’s story takes place in Westeros, 8,000 years before Jon Snow entered the picture. This is a text-based strategy game, and your mission is to oversee and manage the Night’s Watch. In this game, you’ll have to make tough decisions, send your troops out into the far North, and help out kingdoms from across Westeros.
Whatever decision you make will play out in real-time, which means it will take hours before you see results. While waiting to see the fruits of your decision, you can exit the game and check back later to see how the story has unfolded. You can also turn on notifications so you’re alerted when something happens.
5. Grindstone
Grindstone is a fun, new take on a match-three puzzle game. It’s just like Candy Crush, only that you match monsters that try to bite you sometimes. The goal is to connect a chain of same-colored creeps as big as you can and get grindstones in exchange. But that’s not all because you’ll also have to look out for aggressive Creeps and Jerks. When you end up next to one, it may attack you and lose one of your three hearts. You’ll also have to face giant bosses that’ll test your strategy skills throughout the game. Plus, you get to discover treasure chests, where different weapons, potions, and outfits are hidden. Collect enough of these and you’ll definitely crush the game.
6. Mutazione
Mutazione is a melancholic adventure game that follows the story of Kai, a girl who goes to an otherworldly island to visit her dying grandfather. You get to explore this island, interact with the environment, and have conversations with its residents.
In this game, you’re also tasked to grow gardens and tend to them. You can go around the island to look for seeds and then plant them in your garden. Their needs depend on what type of plant they are, so you need to keep in mind how much space and the type of soil they need to grow. Each plant creates its own sound and when your garden has started blooming, these plants will create serene music together.
7. Roundguard
Roundguard is a reinvention of Peggle, the beloved PopCap puzzle game that was released in 2007. It has the same amount of bouncy fun, except it takes place in a dungeon and has a few twists and turns. In Roundguard, you’ll still clear out each level, but this time, you’ll need to do it while casting spells and fending off monsters.
You get to choose from four different characters to play as; there’s the Warrior, the Rouge, and the Wizard, and they each bring something unique to the table. The dungeons are also randomized, so you get to play somewhere different each time. On top of that, you can also collect special trinkets, go on side quests, and compete on the leaderboards.
8. South of the Circle
South of the Circle is perfect for you if you like games that have rich narratives and great aesthetics. BAFTA Award-winning game developer State of Play created this, so it’s no doubt that it’s one of the best Apple Arcade games to try out.
It’s set in Antarctica in 1964, right smack in the middle of the Cold War. As the game opens, you are greeted by Peter and his co-pilot, whose plane crashed in the snow. They assess their injuries, and Peter gets out of the wreckage to search for help. As he does this, he slips in and out of the present and into the past. You get glimpses of his life with Clara, his past love, as well as his childhood memories.
There really isn’t much action needed, as you’ll mostly just control how Peter reacts in conversations. But if you’re into games like that and enjoy great visuals, then South of the Circle is definitely worth checking out.
9. Neo Cab
Neo Cab is another Arcade Apple game that you should definitely give a try. In this game, you play as Lina, the only human driver-for-hire left in the city of Los Ojos and whose friend, Savy, has recently gone missing. You’ll have to navigate the streets of Los Ojos and pick up and interact with passengers while uncovering the truth behind Savy’s disappearance.
You drive the game forward by making choices during conversations that Lina has with her passengers. The flow of these conversations then affects Lina’s mood, which you can monitor through the Feelgrid, and whether she wants to pick up another passenger. You’ll have to be careful not to get a bad rating as a driver to ensure that Lina stays on the road and keeps her job. Ultimately, you’ll have to strike a balance between Lina’s emotional wellbeing and her survival.
10. Assemble With Care
Assemble With Care gives a more meaningful spin to puzzle-solving games. It follows the story of Maria, an antique restorer who finds herself in Bellariva during one of her globe-trotting adventures. The residents of this town come to her for help with restoring their most prized possessions. Essentially, your task is to take apart these objects — be it a camera, an old vinyl player, or a phone — and figure out how to repair them. Each task is preceded by a story of the object’s significance to its owner. With meaningful puzzles, moving stories, and a charming art style, Assemble With Care is rightfully one of the best Apple Arcade games.
11. Populus Run
By now, you’ve probably already seen every auto-runner game there is; there’s Temple Run, Alto’s Odyssey, Subway Surfers, and many others just like them. All of these games ask you to do the same thing: stay on course for as long as possible by dodging obstacles. In some ways, Populus Run is just like those games, but in this game, you’ll have to control a crowd of people.
Gather your runner pals throughout the course and dodge giant macarons, doughnuts, and other fast food obstacles. At each level, there’s also a boss rapper that you need to outsmart — steal their crown and you move on to the next course. There are also secret characters that you need to bring to the finish line with you. And throughout the game, a fun, upbeat soundtrack accompanies you and cheers you on as you run each course.
12. Pac-Man Party Royale
Pac-Man Party Royale is one of the best Apple Arcade games you can play with your friends. It puts a twist on the classic Pac-Man game we’ve all grown to love. In this game, you still need to munch on dots and avoid ghosts to win. But this time, you’ve got competition.
The goal is to be the last Pac-Man standing. To help you out with that, catch Pac-Dots to gain speed, Super Pellets, and other power-ups. You can also eat other Pac-Man players, but you have to be careful not to eat too many. The Pac-Man players you eat become ghosts, and the more ghosts there are, the harder it will be to win. But it isn’t game over for you yet if you turn into a ghost. Eat another Pac-Man, and you can return to the battlefield.
13. Hitchhiker
Hitchhiker is a mystery adventure game that will surely get you hooked. In it, you play a hitchhiker who has no destination and no grasp of his past. Someone close to you has just disappeared mysteriously and you’re trying to piece things back together in your journey. You go on five rides with five different strangers, who each have a story to tell. During these rides, your task is to solve strange environmental puzzles and find clues to unveil your past. You also control how you respond in conversations with drivers, which will help you discover secrets about yourself. Hitchhiker is equal parts strange and exciting, and for that, it deserves a spot on this list.
14. Creaks
Here’s another strange Apple Arcade game you should try out: Creaks, a puzzle adventure game brought to you by Czech developer Amanita Design. The game begins and you see a boy reading a book in his bedroom. Then, the light starts to flicker and one strip of wallpaper starts to unravel, revealing a small door. At this point, your descent into a strange world begins.
In this game, you get to explore an enormous, creepy mansion with a seemingly endless number of rooms. You move along the mansion by solving tons of intricate puzzles, investigating paintings, and fending off furniture monsters. Ready your headphones and your controller, and dive into the eerily magnificent world of Creaks.
15. Next Stop Nowhere
Next Stop Nowhere is the outer space adventure you never thought you needed. In this game, you play as Beckett, a courier who crosses paths with Serra, a former bounty hunter. Her son Eddy ends up in big trouble with some criminals and she asks for your help to go and save him. You agree, and now you’re thrust into an unexpected and dangerous rescue mission.
In Next Stop Nowhere, you’ll get to journey into a colorfully rendered version of outer space. Your task in this game is to control every decision Beckett makes: his responses in conversations, his actions, and the relationships he ends up building. You’ll encounter a lot of obstacles along the way, either in the form of dodgy gangsters or dangerous outer galactic objects. Survive these obstacles, and get to Eddy before the criminals do.
16. Survival Z
From that name, you probably already know what this game is all about. And yes, you’re right: it’s another survival game set in the zombie apocalypse. You know how these games go — fight off zombies and survive. But Survival Z offers more than that. In this game, you don’t have to go into battle alone. There are lots of other survivors like you roaming the area. Find them, and you can annihilate the living dead together.
Besides shooting zombies, you also get to solve puzzles, work out other obstacles, as well as collect weapons, gear, and other characters. Strategically place forts, traps, and obstacles so you can fend off zombies more effectively. Be careful, though, because there are different types of zombies lurking around, and some are rowdier than others. Also, routes change every time you play, so there’s no way to memorize the area. But this does mean that every run brings with it something different and exciting.
17. Crossy Road Castle
You’ve probably seen the game Crossy Road before. It’s a clever take on the classic joke, “Why did the chicken cross the road?” Only in that game, there are fast cars and trains you’ll have to dodge, and there doesn’t seem to be an “other side” to get to. Crossy Road Castle is a total deviation from the original game, but it retains its art style and its overall charm.
In Crossy Road Castle, you still control a pixelated creature and avoid obstacles. But this time, you’ll have to traverse upwards a very tall castle instead of across an endless road. And instead of dodging vehicles, you’ll have to avoid touching dungeon spikes and being crushed by bookshelves, among other things. Those might be some major changes, but Crossy Road Castle is just as fun and unpredictable as the original game.
18. Little Orpheus
Little Orpheus is definitely one of the best Apple Arcade games that you can download right now. Here, you follow the story of Ivan Ivanovitch, a Soviet cosmonaut in 1962. He is tasked to explore the center of the earth to see if it’s suitable for colonization. He gets dropped into an extinct volcano aboard Little Orpheus and his exploration capsule. For three years, he vanished.
When he re-emerged, he tells the general of his explorations and battles, and these experiences are what you see throughout the game. You’ll go through nine commute-friendly episodes. And in each episode, you’ll help Ivan explore kingdoms—both on land and under the sea—and fight subterranean creatures and tribes. The world of Little Orpheus is stunningly rendered and beautifully scored, and you definitely won’t want to miss out on it.
19. EarthNight
EarthNight is another fish in the sea of auto-runner games, but what makes this truly special is its unique hand-painted art style and smooth motion. Plus, it’s accompanied by vibrant music as well.
The game is set in a world that’s been overtaken by dragons and which humans have evacuated from. Your goal is to help the game’s protagonists, Sydney and Stanley, return to and reclaim earth by speeding across the backs of dragons, dodging and slaying monsters, and gaining power-ups. You’re going to play through a completely different run every time you launch the game, so you’re sure to never get bored of it.
Aside from Apple Arcade, EarthNight is also available for Nintendo Switch, Steam, and PlayStation.
20. Jenny LeClue – Detectivu
Last on our list, but surely still one of the best Apple Arcade games currently, is Jenny LeClue. It’s like Sherlock but rendered in a cute and colorful aesthetic. In this game, you guide Jenny, a young detective, as she searches for the truth after her mother is accused of murder.
She conducts her investigation in Arthurton, a seemingly perfect town that bears a lot of secrets. You’ll need to interview suspects and witnesses, search crime scenes, and basically be as nosy as possible to get to the truth of who the real killer is. It has everything that gets you hooked on a game: complex characters, a thrilling narrative, a unique art style, and so much more. It’s well worth subscribing to Apple Arcade just for this game.
Where Can You Download Apple Arcade Games?
To download Apple Arcade Games, simply go to the Apple App Store and go to the Arcade tab. Or, if you already have a specific game in mind, just type it in the App Store search bar, hit enter, and tap on “Get” to download it. Apple Arcade games work just like any other app you download from the App Store (as long as you have a subscription, of course). So once the game’s downloaded, you’ll find it on your device right away.
If you’re wondering if there’s a limit to how many games you can download, there isn’t. As long as your device’s storage can handle it, download as many Apple Arcade Games as you want.
Can You Share Your Apple Arcade Subscription With Another Device?
Yes, you can use your Apple Arcade subscription on other devices, as long as you’re logged in to the same iCloud and Game Center accounts on those devices. And if you’re a member of Family Sharing, you can share your subscription with up to five other members of your family.
Apple Arcade vs. Google Stadia
Apple’s biggest competitor, Google, has its own subscription-based gaming service as well: Google Stadia. But how does it compare to Apple Arcade? Let’s take a look at some key points of comparison between the two services.
Price
When it comes to price, Apple Arcade is the better option. It only costs $4.99 a month, and you already get full access to their entire game library. On the other hand, Google Stadia has two options you can choose from: Base and Pro. Google Stadia Base comes at no cost, but you will have to individually purchase games, which can cost anywhere between $10 and $120. Moreover, Stadia Base users can only stream games in 1080p quality. They also won’t have access to free games when Google Stadia releases them.
You get Google Stadia Pro for free for a month. Afterward, it’s $9.99 a month. With the Pro version, you get up to 4K Ultra-HD when you stream games. Plus, you get access to Stadia Pro’s free game library.
Games
Apple Arcade offers over 180 games in its library. On the contrary, Google Stadia only has a little over 100 games, but it offers more widely known games, such as Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Final Fantasy XV, and Marvel’s Avengers. Apple Arcade’s library, meanwhile, is composed of more niche games.
Also Read: 10 Best Google Stadia Games You Should Ever Play
Availability
Apple Arcade is available in more than 150 countries. In contrast, Google Stadia is only available in the US, UK, Europe, and Canada.
Final Thoughts
Apple Arcade games are something you should try out if you want to widen your horizons when it comes to gaming. They have an impressive selection of well-designed games that will keep you entertained whether you’re on your commute or you just want to sneak some fun in between your busy hours. We hope this guide helped you decide which Apple Arcade games are worth trying out. Let us know which ones you’ve tried out and which ones you like so far in the comments!
