Summary

• Apple Arcade offers over 200 ad-free games with no in-app purchases, catering to mobile devices and other Apple platforms.
• Subscribers often have exclusive access to popular new games before they release on other platforms.
• The subscription service features a wide range of game genres, including JRPGs, sports games, and family-friendly brawlers.

The Apple Arcade subscription service includes over 200 games that can enjoy without any ads or in-app purchases. These games are designed to be compatible with mobile devices such as phones or tablets, and will often also work with Apple TV or Mac computers. The catalog of options includes every genre from sports to RPGs. For a fee, its subscribers get access to many new releases of App Store favorites without the ads, and it frequently features titles that are not available on other platforms, at least for a time.

Popular new games that are on Apple Arcade may eventually come to other platforms, such as Grindstone releasing on Nintendo Switch after Apple Arcade exclusivity, but oftentimes not until a year or more after its initial release. This means that subscribers get exclusive access to these games for quite a while before others get a chance to try them. In addition to exclusive new games, the subscription service also includes mobile versions of many well-known franchises in the gaming world, such as Stardew Valley, Disney properties, and even Hello Kitty.

10 Stitch. (2022)

Embroidery Puzzle Game

For a truly relaxing, cozy gameplay experience, the Apple Arcade game Stitch. is a simple and beautiful game based on doing embroidery, but without all the extra mess of snagging yarn. Though the period at the end of the game title can cause a bit of confusion, the game itself is as charming as one would imagine, with cute designs and a colorful palette of thread to choose from. Solutions for managing to fill the hoops without any gaps can, at times, be challenging, offering a puzzle mechanic as players balance colors and designs.

There are many complex challenges and tiers to compete for, or players can simply enter the Free Stitch mode and play at a relaxed pace, picking whatever colors they wish. While it was originally an Apple Arcade exclusive title, Stitch. is also available as a paid title on the Nintendo Switch.

9 Disney Melee Mania (2021)

Arena Brawler

Adorable classic Disney and Pixar characters fill the screen for the 3v3 brawler game, Disney Melee Mania. This family-friendly battle arena game is exclusive to Apple Arcade. The game includes several champions to choose from within the Disney and Pixar universes and each has its own distinct moves and abilities. Multiple game modes are available, with battle arena matches lasting five minutes while players try to score the most points as possible to win.

The game also features regular events to keep things exciting, often featuring new characters and costumes available through Star Journeys, which lets things be unlocked through playing the game and winning matches. Though it does not have a Metacritic score yet, the game is among the highest rated titles on the Apple Arcade store.

8 Oceanhorn 2: Knights Of The Lost Realm (2019)

RPG Adventure

Oceanhorn 2 is an open-world action-adventure game that was released exclusively on Apple Arcade and has since come to other platforms as well. The game is heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda franchise and is a wonderful way for Apple Arcade subscribers to enjoy a mobile version of that familiar-feeling series. Featuring an intriguing story, clever puzzles, and dangerous dungeons, this RPG provides over 20 hours of content to enjoy.

The game has a Metacritic score of 71, and although it is a sequel, players do not need to have experienced the first game in order to enjoy this title. Oceanhorn 2 is actually a prequel of Oceanhorn, so if players enjoy this second game, they can easily go back to try the first one without confusion.

7 Bloons TD 6+ (2022)

Tower Defense

The tower defense genre has many games in the mobile gaming world, but Bloons TD 6 is often referenced as being one of the best, not only among the mobile platforms of tower defense, but for the genre as a whole. Its vibrant colors, creative character upgrades, and absolute chaos that can fill the screen while playing give it an entertaining and addictive quality.

Ultimately, players try to prevent the Bloons (balloons) from reaching the end goal, often by placing ridiculous monkey characters, bombs, and more to stop them in their path. Bloons TD 6 is available for purchase on many platforms, including PC, but is free to play for anyone who is already a subscriber of the Apple Arcade service.

6 Sneaky Sasquatch (2019)

Adventure

Sneaky Sasquatch is rated as one of the most popular Apple Arcade games, and won Apple Arcade Game Of The Year when it debuted. The game allows players to take on the role of a Sasquatch at a campground and sneak around the campsites stealing food from campers, dres in human clothing, and then essentially doing anything they can get away with. As long as they don't get caught by the park ranger, the Sasquatch can work as a doctor, diagnosing patients, drive vehicles, and even get a team of ducks to do construction.

Essentially, this silly and chaotic game will allow players to do anything that they can manage to do without being found out, even eventually running for mayor. Despite its popularity, Sneaky Sasquatch remains exclusive to the Apple Arcade service, with no announced plans to bring it to any other platforms.

5 Sonic Dream Team (2023)

Platformer

Classic Sonic the Hedgehog is back with the exciting platform game Sonic Dream Team, which takes Sonic and his friends into an original story of dreams, ultimately having to face off against the infamous Eggman once again. Players will dash, climb, and fly through the levels, collecting golden rings just like in the original Sonic games. There are six playable characters in Sonic Dream Team, and each has unique abilities to set them apart.

Sonic Dream Team has a Metacritic score of 75, with a favorable 8.9 rating as well. Currently, it is only available as an exclusive title to the Apple Arcade service, but rumors state that the game will also be made more widely available in the future, meaning that Apple Arcade get an early look at this exciting game.

4 Stardew Valley+ (2016)

Farming & Life Simulator

Stardew Valley is certainly not exclusive to Apple Arcade, and in fact, the popular indie farming simulator is available on nearly every gaming platform there is. For anyone wanting to experience the game on a mobile device, however, an Apple Arcade subscription is the perfect way to go. The cozy game is a perfect respite from the real world, and this edition of the game has been optimized for mobile devices, and includes auto-save features to keep the game safe even if the app is closed suddenly.

There has been a large resurgence in the popularity of Stardew Valley after the massive patch 1.6 dropped and breathed new life into the experience. Unfortunately, at the time of writing, this update has not been made available for mobile or consoles yet, but the developer assures it is on the way. While the mobile Stardew Valley+ has not been given a Metacritic rating, the standard version of the game has a Metacritic score of 89.

3 Fantasian (2021)

RPG Adventure

Fantasian is a JRPG on Apple Arcade that was developed for the service by Final Fantasy creator Hironobu Sakaguchi. The artistic quality of the game sets it apart as it is designed to take place within about 160 handmade dioramas that were photographed and used as the backdrop for 3D models to interact. The premise and storyline are not entirely unique, featuring a young hero with amnesia who has entered an alternate universe, but it is a charming JRPG that has a lot of nostalgic feeling to its gameplay and graphic style.

This mobile RPG adventure has a Metacritic score of 80, and is exclusive to Apple Arcade subscribers. It is a long game, much longer than would often be expected from a mobile game, with the average time to beat hovering around 52 hours, depending on player skill level.

2 Hello Kitty Island Adventure (2023)

Narrative-Driven Life Simulator

Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a cozy game inspired by Animal Crossing: New Horizons but using the Sanrio characters. It is exclusive to Apple Arcade and offers a lot of character customization, decorating, and relaxing island adventures to enjoy. Its vibrant graphics and beautiful tropical island setting are a perfect fit for the cheerful Sanrio friends, with plenty to keep players occupied. In some ways, it expands on Animal Crossing's game mechanics, with more of an emphasis on questing and exploration of the island.

Similar to other cozy games of this style, NPCs on the island can offer easy quests and players can level up their friendships with them, which then unlock new cooking and crafting recipes and more. Hello Kitty Island Adventure has a Metacritic score of 83, and the peaceful and wholesome life sim game is currently only available to Apple Arcade subscribers.

1 What The Golf (2019)

Physics-Based Sports Parody Game

Despite the name and appearance, What The Golf is not really a golf game and even includes a disclaimer on the App Store: "This game is made by people who know nothing about golf." Instead, it is filled with humor, puns, and random silliness while letting players attempt to play a physics-based parody of golf that can include anything from flying houses to fax machines. At first glance, it might start with the appearance of a golf game, but quickly evolves into utter chaos that always leaves players on their toes.

What The Golf has a Metacritic score of 84 and was originally designed for and published by Apple Arcade. It is free to play for anyone who is an active subscriber of that service, although the game is now also on PC, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch for a cost.

Source: Metacritic (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), Apple App Store