Now that people have a lot of time to sit around with their phone or tablet, it isn’t the worst idea to look into game subscription services. Apple Arcade is especially worth a look if people have a device that can handle it. Especially since there are over 100 Apple Arcade games already available and all of them are 100% free with no microtransactions and pay to win.
To get started, people should head over and begin their free one-month trial. Remember to take note of the day you start it, so you can cancel it if you aren’t enjoying it. (I recommend taking a screenshot of the day you begin it, so you have the exact date saved permanently.) After that one month long grace period, it costs $4.99 per month.
Folks should then make sure they have a lot of space, because Apple Arcade games can be a commitment. There are a lot of large games in the library, and you want to have a few GB free to play and update them all.
10 of the best Apple Arcade games to test out.
ChuChu Rocket! Universe: This is the sort of ChuChu Rocket! experience you’d expect. There are over 100 solo levels and the ability to play against up to four actual people (or CPUs) online.
Cat Quest II: While it is available on multiple platforms, including ones where it is easier to enjoy multiplayer, Cat Quest II is an endearing action-RPG where its point and tap interface is especially well-suited to a touchscreen device.
Frogger in Toy Town: This is essentially a Konami approach to treating Frogger like a Crossy Road sort of game, and it works. It is easy to play and there are some fun physics elements when traversing sections littered with toys.
Grindstone: This is a matching RPG where you send a big lug careening through enemies of the same color and style. As long as they match or you plot routes through items that let you switch colors mid-combo, it can be possible to meet every challenge and proceed further through each locations’ depths. It is also continually updated with new content.
Oceanhorn 2: The original Oceanhorn was a love letter to The Legend of Zelda, as is the sequel. However, there are some new elements to help you explore and enjoy the world and its challenges. The prequel doesn’t force someone to fight a warlock and his dark army alone, as you’ll also have the strong daughter of an established leader and a samurai robot as AI allies who help you fight and have extra hands for puzzles.
Roundguard: Did you play Peggle? Roundguard is Peggle, except the little balls are instead warriors careening off of enemies of all sorts, potions, jars, and other incidental items. RPG elements are included, as you gain equipment and spells that help you deal more damage or survive longer in this roguelike action/puzzle Plinko game.
Sayonara Wild Hearts: While it is a little fiddly on a device with touch-based controls, this music game is too much fun. Think of it as the sort of title someone who played Elite Beat Agents/Ouendan night enjoy, as it involves context-cues and has levels with actual storylines to them. (Though, I mean, it doesn’t exactly play like Ouendan and really, we could use another one of those games.)
Shantae and the Seven Sirens: While it won’t launch on consoles until the end of May 2020, Shantae is ret-2-go on Apple Arcade. People can already see what happens when the half-genie meets other half-genies, now that part two is immediately available on Apple iOS devices. It’s cute and plays rather well on a phone or tablet!
Shinsekai: Into the Depths: Before it waded onto the Nintendo Switch, the underwater Metroidvania from Capcom dove onto Apple devices. While it is best played with an actual controller, it’s a lot of fun here too.
What the Golf?: What the Golf? both is and isn’t golf. While I don’t want to spoil too much for people going in blind, it is a physics puzzle game that involves attempting to reach a hole, though the exact item you are getting down the green and the situations surrounding it will usually never be what you expect.
How to cancel an Apple Arcade subscription.
Let’s say you start Apple Arcade, play through those ten games or one of the others available on the service, and you have had your fill within or before 30 days are up. First, you need to head to your Apple device’s Settings section. At the very top, you should see your account name and Apple ID information. There is a Subscriptions section there. If you click that, you can see both your active and expired subscriptions. Selecting Apple Arcade will give you the option to cancel. Or, if you have iTunes on your PC, you can visit this page and should be able to manage things.
