For anyone even remotely interested in gaming, Apple Arcade makes a pretty appealing value proposition. Nearly 100 new and (pretty much) exclusive games for $5/month, with no pesky ads or in-app purchases to dilute the experience. The quality on show is impressively high, too – these titles are, by and large, leagues better than your average App Store find.
That means the problem facing most subscribers is one of choice. How do you dig into such an overwhelming catalog of titles?
We’ve been exploring Apple Arcade since it hit beta release, with each of our five writers picking three of their personal favorites to tell you about. We’ll be slowly releasing their selections, or you can read about all fifteen right now in the Premium section of the app. (We’re currently running a one-week free trial of the Premium subscription.)
First up is three of lead contributor Craig Grannell‘s Arcade favorites. These are some of the best games out there, and certainly worth a try if you’re feeling frozen by choice!
Craig’s top three
Super Impossible Road
The original Impossible Road was a breakneck arcade thrill-ride that had you cling on for dear life as your ball-like craft blazed along a path threaded through the void. Super Impossible Road comes across like a big budget take on that indie hit – only without losing its soul.
The game finds you bombing along what now resembles an interstellar roller-coaster, your metal vehicle occasionally leaving the track to soar through space and rejoin later – a risky proposition, but often necessary to win multiplayer races or get to gates in the timer mode. It’s tricky, varied, engaging, and relentlessly exciting – you might even say it’s ‘super’.
Sayonara Wild Hearts
Described as a pop album video game, Sayonara Wild Hearts is a visually dazzling experience that finds you attempting to restore the harmony of the universe. No pressure. To achieve this, you fly through the air, ride motorcycles, and have one-on-one scraps, all while moving in time to the beat.
Collecting hearts is the key to a high score, but this is ultimately a game that wants to be played. Everyone comes along for the ride, but those who care most can aim for perfection. However, the latter may require you use a controller – Sayonara Wild Hearts isn’t quite so responsive when you’re swiping with a finger.
Assemble With Care
This narrative effort features globe-trotting antique restorer Maria. Estranged from her parents, she travels the world, repairing precious objects. Only when she arrives in Bellariva, it becomes clear objects aren’t the only things that need fixing.
What follows is a short, sweet, emotionally charged dive into the importance of possessions, and the fragility of relationships. The story is tight and beautifully illustrated. The puzzles are clever, tactile, and designed to give you a bit of a challenge, but without robbing the story of momentum.
Chances are, you’ll be done in an hour. But that hour will live with you for a long time.