Editor's Pick: The best games on Apple Arcade

Apple Arcade - Apple's video game subscription service - now features access to over 180 games ranging from blockbuster originals like Fantasian to remasters of classics like Angry Birds. Not bad at all for $7.99 per month. But the size of the library can also be a little intimidating - how do you pick what to play? To help, we've picked out a few of our favourite games on Apple Arcade.

Fantasian

Made by the creator of Final Fantasy, Fantasian is a filthy gorgeous take on a JRPG featuring over 150 handmade dioramas that were photographed to create the game's world. Not only is Fantasian unlike any other game aesthetically, it's far more accessible than most JRPGs thanks to a mechanic that lets you stockpile random enemy encounters for later. The story is your fairly typical fantasy fair with your requisite amnesiac hero, but Fantasian is nonetheless a charming experience that's easy to pick up and play in short bursts.

Grindstone

Grindstone boldly asks the question "what if a colour matching game was violent?". Instead of comboing jewels, gems, or tiles, the game sees you chain together strings of coloured monsters and vanquish them with your sword. Now featuring over 200 individual levels and a daily challenge mode, Grindstone is the kind of game that can keep you hooked for yonks.

Alto's Odyssey: The Lost City

Alto's Odyssey is a visually stunning endless runner which sees you sandboarding across the desert. While the original Alto's Odyssey isn't exclusive to Apple Arcade (you can buy the base game on the App Store), this updated version featuring a new biome and additional challenges. One of those games that's hard to put down.

Threes!+

Threes! is not only the original number sliding game that went on to inspire titles like 2048, but the best. It's now also available as part of Apple Arcade's Timeless Classics collection and is a must-play for anyone into puzzles.

Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beat

Inspired by the classic Japanese taiko drumming arcade game, Pop Tap Beat trades in mallets for finger taps as you play your way through songs. While tapping out a beat on your screen may seem simple, Pop Tap Beat can get surprisingly tricky - especially on harder difficulty levels. If you're into rhythm games, give it a tap.

SP!NG

SP!NG is a one-button puzzle game where you have to navigate a small swinging star through a level, collecting gems and avoiding obstacles. As with most puzzlers, it starts simple but expands on its core mechanics quickly to add complexity. Mercifully, each level is very short so you never feel like you lose too much progress if you fall into some spikes. A fun little time killer that should resonate with Super Meat Boy et al fans.

Cozy Grove

Cozy Grove is a chilled out slice of life simulator similar to Animal Crossing with two key differences. The first is Cozy Grove is a lot more structured - you get clear goals to accomplish each day rather than a nearly limitless amount of tasks to do. The second is ghosts. The island that makes your home is inhabited by all sorts of adorable spirits, and frankly I'm here for it. More games need ghosts. Thanks to its clear structure, Cozy Grove is the kind of game you can easily play for about 20 minutes a day and put down without leaving you feeling like you need to play more. It's a cute little way to kill time.

Nuts

Nuts is a super stylised first-person mystery adventure where you're sent out into the wilds to figure out what exactly the native squirrels are up to. A great pick for any fan of Firewatch or Pokémon Snap.

Reigns+

Reigns is like Tinder, but for regicide. Swipe left and right to make decisions that affect your kingdom, while balancing your people, your finances, your army, and the church. Give anyone too much power or too little influence, and your reign will be meet a swift end. The aim is to rule for as long as possible, but achievements and events tie multiple playthroughs together. As with Threes!, Reigns is available as part of Apple Arcade's Timeless Classics collection but can also be purchased as a standalone game.

Necrobarista

More of a visual novel than a game, Necrobarista is an Aussie-made gem set in a Melbourne café where the dead can have one last night on earth. Even if it might not be what you'd expect from a typical game, Necrobarista tells a story worth experiencing and looks great while doing so.

What The Golf?

What The Golf? is perhaps best described as a surreal golf game for people who don't like golf. While the mechanics are loosely golf based, you're really solving silly physics puzzles where every level features new twists.

What devices does Apple Arcade work on?

Apple Arcade works on iPhones, iPads, and iPod touches running iOS 13 or later. It is also compatible with Apple TVs running tvOS 13 or better, and on macOS. You can pair an Xbox or PlayStation controller to your iPhone or iPad if you want to beyond a touch screen gaming experience.

How much does Apple Arcade cost in Australia?

Apple Arcade is $7.99 per month in Australia, with a free one-month trial available to subscribers. An Apple Arcade subscription will cover an entire family - up to six people. The five other members must be part of your Family Sharing group.

Alternatively, Apple Aracde can be bundled with other Apple services as part of an Apple One subscription.

An individual Apple One subscription will set you back $19.95 per month and gets you Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple Music, and 50GB of iCloud Storage.

If you want to share Apple services with others, an Apple One Family plan will set you back $25.95 per month and gets you Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple Music, and 200GB of iCloud Storage. It can be shared with up to five other users.

If you want every service Apple has to offer, a Premier Apple One plan will set you back $39.95 per month and gets you Apple Arcade, Apple TV+, Apple Music, Apple News+, Apple Fitness+, and 2TB of iCloud Storage. Once again, this can be shared with up to five other users.

Apple One tends to represent a solid discount on buying the services individually, but you can read more about whether Apple One is a good deal here.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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