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Apple Arcade's launch in 2019 showed not all mobile games suffer from that "gacha" stereotype. The subscription service was packed from day one with great games across every genre, from sprawling adventures across dozens of hours to simple pick-up-and-play puzzlers. If you're looking for a new game to play but can't or don't want to drop top dollar on it, the $5 a month subscription to Apple Arcade may be the answer you're looking for. The iPhone is already in your pocket so you don't need a new device to play with, and the amount of quality unlocked makes that five bucks pay for itself quickly. If you don't believe us, here are 12 of the best games you'll find on Apple Arcade to give you an idea. And if you recently bought a new iOS device, Apple TV, or Mac, you may already have a free three-month trial for Apple Arcade waiting for you to take up. For more coverage of Apple Arcade games not on this list, check out our reviews of NBA 2K21: Arcade Edition, Platinum Games' World of Demons, and Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beat.
Fantasian
Hironobu Sakaguchi. Nobuo Uematsu. These two are titans of JRPGs from the early days of the Final Fantasy series, with Sakaguchi's powerful writing and Uematsu's incredible music creating some of the best gaming experiences ever. When the band gets back together, we always take heed--but when that new game is exclusive to iOS devices, our interest is piqued even further. Fantasian fits right into the Sakaguchi portfolio, which is to say it's a massive two-part adventure with an excellent and twisting story. Uematsu's soundtrack once again lifts the game to greater heights, and Fantasian features some of his best work so far. The most impressive thing, however, is the game's locales which were created using real-life dioramas, and makes the characters look like they're running through a real world. Fantasian is the JRPG you've been waiting for, and it's right on your phone.
Bleak Sword
Bleak Sword doesn't look like it's been made for a cutting-edge smartphone. The game looks like it belongs on the Atari 2600, with small arenas, randomly generated enemies, a hero made up of a few pixels, and everything is in black and white. However, that retro look belies a deep and compelling adventure that's easy to pick up and play. This little pixelated hero can roll, dodge, parry, and more as he fights through hordes in forests, swamps, and castles. The game offers a lot of surprising visual detail despite its retro appearance. Apple Arcade is filled with games that will surprise you upon the first try, and Bleak Sword is one of the best examples.
Grindstone
Grindstone looks like a typical match-3 puzzle game at first glance, but the more you look the more you'll realize how different it actually is. For one, the hero Jorj is in the middle of the colored monsters, not standing off to the side. Instead of matching colored monsters to make them disappear, you're charting a path of like-colored creatures for the hero to travel through. Then suddenly that hero starts slashing through every monster in the path, rendering them all a bloody mess. What the heck is happening here? Grindstone takes a simple premise and turns it on its head, combining a top-down adventure game with color matching mechanics with impressive results. Player freedom plays a big part in the experience, too, letting you decide if you want to finish every level as soon as possible or try to grab that last side item and risk being overrun. Capybara Games has created quite an addictive puzzler in Grindstone, and we highly recommend a run through this surprisingly solid slasher.
Overland
Overland is a survival game in a post-apocalyptic world where a band of travelers must make it across the United States while scavenging for supplies and fighting off untold horrors. Yes, we know it's an idea you've heard before. While the setting is a well-traveled trope in modern video games, Overland's turn-based grid system, dotted with small events that progress the story, is simply marvelous. Overland eschews explosive action for a more measured approach, leaning on tension and weighty choices instead of simply running from or mowing down hordes of enemies. Every new location offers equal amounts of hope and dread, with both accentuated by the game's minimalistic art style. It's like Oregon Trail--another game on this list, by the way--but replacing dysentery with desolation, and we can't get enough of it.
Mutazione
When you go to Apple Arcade and search for Mutazione, the first words you'll see below the game's title are "mutant soap opera." Those three words are enough to pique curiosity, and before long you'll find yourself invested in everyone in this isolated community and their persistent gossipy drama. Mutazione is an adventure and exploration game where the player must navigate a meteor-stricken resort inhabited by friendly mutants while establishing relationships and solving puzzles. It tells a terrific story through the eyes of its 15-year-old heroine, offering plenty of fun through its personal interactions and minigames. Whether you're keeping up one of the game's musical gardens or just hanging out with your favorite NPC, there's always something to keep you coming back. This is a game with a heart, even if that heart is slightly mutated.
Monument Valley+
Monument Valley is one of the first breakthrough mobile games, with its Escher-style puzzles challenging players since its debut back in 2014. Its concept is basic--moving a structure to find hidden paths in order to lead a princess to a goal--but its execution and aesthetic make it still one of the best mobile gaming has to offer. The Apple Arcade version of Monument Valley is the same as the original release, but it does come packaged with the downloadable extra chapter Ida's Dream, making it the complete Monument Valley experience. If you've subscribed to Apple Arcade and somehow haven't played Monument Valley yet, make it the next game you download to your iPhone.
Threes+
Threes+ is the epitome of the "just one more round" game, a puzzler that keeps you coming back for more. The concept of Threes+ is deceivingly simple: combine tiles of like numbers together, making tiles of exponentially-increasing numbers and scoring points for every tile on your board at the end. It sounds quick, but there is no such thing as playing one game of Threes+; before you know it an hour has flown by and you're still swiping tiles. While Threes has been available on the App Store since 2014, its inclusion in the Apple Arcade subscription makes it an essential play for anyone who signs up that hasn't already tried it out. Threes+ is the kind of game that will make you like numbers and math, a feat once thought impossible after four years of high school.
Spelltower+
Remember the Word Search you used to complete in the newspaper as a kid? The massive jumble of letters that asked you to find and circle hidden words? Take that idea and combine it with Tetris, and you have the basic concept of Spelltower+. This is a game that will test your brain, challenging even the most erudite among you to find the words hidden in this mess of letters before the tower hits the top. Like Threes+, it's one of those games where you think you'll only play one round, but then suddenly the sun has gone down and you've lost an entire afternoon. Spelltower+ is, to put it simply, spellbinding.
Spaceland
Smartphones have shown their ability to feature games from any genre, but one particularly suited for a touchscreen is the turn-based strategy game. The best example of this on Apple Arcade is Spaceland, an outer space adventure that brings the grid-based strategy combat of games like Fire Emblem and XCOM to the iPhone or iPad with incredible results. Each of the seven heroes has their own unique abilities, and you'll be using them to the fullest as you take on the hordes of hostile aliens on the planets you traverse. The beautiful hand-drawn maps appeal to the eye, and each battle on those maps only lasts about 10-15 minutes, making Spaceland a great option for quick sessions. The strategic minds among you should keep Spaceland on your radar, as it could be the turn-based good time you've been looking for.
The Oregon Trail
Dysentery has never looked better, as the classic PC adventure Oregon Trail has been completely reimagined on Apple Arcade. The adventure from Independence, Missouri to Oregon plays just like the old-school game, but with fleshed-out characters to follow and striking new visuals that give the frontier color and life. The best part of this new Oregon Trail, however, is the overarching story and its renewed historical accuracy. The development team at Gameloft sought out experts on the history of the time, specifically in the indigenous communities on the old trail, to make sure the story told was relevant and accurate. That care alone makes a trek on this Oregon Trail worth it, but it helps that everything else about the game has been enhanced too.
Oceanhorn 2: Knights of the Lost Realm
Oceanhorn 2 takes a lot of cues from The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, which for some might be a turn-off as fans may look at this and think it's a knockoff. Believe us when we say that while the tribute is certainly apparent, the game's quality makes it far more than a simple clone Knights of the Lost Realm introduces you to the world of Arcadia, then lets you adventure as you see fit. The main story carries the day, but the multiple side quests offer plenty of variety. Arcadia is a massive map with plenty to do and sea (spelling error intended), as the middle of the map is a vast ocean perfect for sailing exploration. We don't know when Breath of the Wild 2 will come to Switch, but Oceanhorn can hold you over in the meantime.
What The Golf?
Golf video games normally offer a respite from the bombastic tendencies of the medium, foregoing loud explosions and mayhem for a simple game of 18 holes on a quiet course. We say "usually", because What The Golf? follows none of these rules, turning the reserved sport into a wacky physics-based game that offers a ton of goofy fun. The game calls itself a "golf game for people who hate golf," and it shows in the wacky things you're able to do. Driving ranges allow for actual driving, holes can sometimes be found dotting an entire course, and even animals get in on the action from time to time. What the Golf? is far from a "pure" golf game, but it's a silly and enjoyable way to game on the go with your phone.
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