Finity() from Seabaa is this week’s new Apple Arcade release. The handcrafted minimalist puzzler aims to bring in the best of iconic puzzle games with infinite replay value. Check it out here on the App Store. It is an Apple Arcade Original, so it is available on iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and tvOS. Alongside Finity, a few notable games have been updated. Shaun already wrote about the major update for Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
Jetpack Joyride 2 brings in arcade medals, new events, a new powerup, arcade mode, and more today. Stitch. has added in ranked rewards, the Next Hoop feature, new hoops, and more with today’s 1.13 update. Zookeeper World 5.0.0 out now adds in a weekly Team Puzzle Event, 12 new stages, and more with the first one arriving on September 3rd. Team17’s Farmside brings in the Restaurant feature with side quests, special quests, and more. This is a part of the Cook’s Closet limited event. The final notable update is SP!NG adding in 10 new chapters of Rush, 4 new chapters of Play Perfect, new content for The Lost Levels, and more.
With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Finityhere, Jetpack Joyride 2here, Stitch.here, Zookeeper Worldhere, Farmsidehere, and SP!NGhere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of this month’s games and updates so far?
Kingdoms: Merge and Build() was announced for Apple Arcade release alongside a few other notable games for August 2023. The match-two meets kingdom builder has been developed by Cherrypick Games, and it is out next week on Apple Arcade. Today, Apple released Nekograms+ on the service as an App Store Great. Kingdoms: Merge and Build, will be the newest Apple Arcade Original, and it features story-driven gameplay across different chapters to unlock new characters, landmarks, buildings, and more. Your aim is to restore the broken down kingdom to its glory. Watch the new Kingdoms: Merge and Build short gameplay showcase trailer from Cherrypick Games below:
If you’d like to try it out, you can sign up here on the App Store to have Kingdoms: Merge and Build download when it launches on‘‘ August 18th worldwide. This is going to be another one of those Apple Arcade games that likely will keep getting updated often. The developers say it will have events and some form of working with others towards global goals for special rewards. I’m not a fan of the aesthetic at all, but I hope those looking forward to Kingdoms: Merge and Build enjoy it and the gameplay is good. What do you think of the gameplay and will you be trying Kingdoms: Merge and Build next week?
This week, Apple Arcade has no new release, but there are a few notable updates. If you missed Apple’s announcement for August, we are getting four games this month from next Friday with the likes of Samba de Amigo and more. Team17’s Farmside() begins the Fun in the Sun and Camping Chic limited time events alongside the addition of memoirs, social greetings, and in-game mail as new features. Gear Club Stradale has a new Golf Rush feature today bringing in multiple challenges with unique prizes. As with prior updates, this one adds in the Super Carta Stradale car.
Zookeeper World has its space 2023 event with special stages and rewards today. Outlanders has its first update in over half a year bringing in Volume III of the Life of Yolotli Outlanders chronicles. This includes six new challenging levels. LEGO Star Wars: Castaways has monthly evenrs based on The Book of Boba Fett and Solo movie. There are also new daily rewards and event tiers with tutorial improvements. The final notable update is Disney Coloring World+ bringing in a coloring pack from The Aristocats. With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Gear Club Stradalehere, Zookeeper Worldhere, Outlandershere, LEGO Star Wars: Castawayshere, and Farmsidehere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of this month’s releases so far?
What a journey this one is. A title first dropped as a joke in South Park to make Butters look uncool becomes an Apple Arcade game and somehow against all odds is actually fantastic. Hello Kitty Island Adventure() might look like Animal Crossing in screenshots, but that’s really just one facet of the game. There’s a bit of The Legend of Zelda in here, and it even reminded me of A Short Hike at times. How is a game based on Sanrio characters as clever and fun as this? Really a well-done effort all-around. Let’s look at exactly what it is.
The first thing you’re presented with is a fairly limited character creator, after which you will find yourself on a plane with various Sanrio characters. You have the chance to talk to everyone, after which Kitty causes a mess, Badtz-maru drops a movie reference that everyone who has played this game has taken a screenshot of, and everyone is forced to parachute down to the island below. It once played host to a theme park, and you’re all there to… you know, I don’t remember? Visit it? Get it up and running again? The important thing is that it’s a pretty big area and not all of the passengers landed in the same place. Most of you luckily ended up in a central seaside area that is perfect for learning how to play the game. What luck!
The various characters will give you quests to complete. Some of them are fetch quests. Lots of them are, really. Completing them will of course give you some rewards, and might increase your friendship level with that character. Leveling up your friendships will give you access to more quests and more rewards, some of which are tools you can use to explore more of the world around you. You can actually explore a surprisingly large area from the start, but your inability to swim will keep you from going too far. Eventually you’ll get items that allow you explore more thoroughly, and the world opens up to a shockingly big degree. There are some overarching goals that you’ll stumble upon before long, plus tons of smaller ones that may or may not lead to something important. There is also an absolute bucket load of side activities to do like fishing and bug collecting. There are even little mini-races that award you with trophies of various levels based on your time.
You’ll also sometimes find yourself exploring underground, in buildings, and around other structures. There are honest-to-goodness puzzles in these places, often variations on switch problems but often something else entirely. It’s never excessively difficult, likely in deference to the idea that young kids might be playing, but some of them do require a bit of creative thought. Speaking of difficulty, there’s no real way to get hurt or die in the game. At most, you can end up falling off the screen or into the water before you have the right items, at which point you’ll just respawn at the last safe place your feet were touching.
It’s interesting because while there is a lot of Animal Crossing in this game, there’s also a lot more structure to send you off on linear threads if that’s what you want. Go solve the mysteries of the islands and track down the other characters. Get all of the tools so you can explore fully. Or just hang around and try to bake every single thing possible. Go fishing for a bit. Decorate houses with furniture that you buy, find, or craft. Invite guests and complete the quests they issue. Design some new threads for your character. Wear silly costumes. Take selfies with all of the hidden Gudetamas. See if you can improve your island’s Vibe score. It’s amazing how much this game checks off the life simulation boxes while also giving you more traditional gamey bits like exploration and puzzle-solving.
The controls are very simple, with a virtual stick for moving your character around and a few buttons on the other side for using your collected tools or talking to people. Pressing on the right side anywhere but the button spaces makes you jump, and you can press it again to float with your balloons. The platforming is a bit clunky at times and you can easily get stuck in places, but the game will always get you out of any messes you get into. Various menus allow you to change your tools or check your items, and a robust map and quest log ensure you’re never stranded about what to do. You can also easily see how much of each collection you’ve finished.
Simply put, Hello Kitty Island Adventure is a game you can really get stuck into for hours. I ran down my battery practically without noticing the time go by on multiple occasions while playing the game for this review. I was expecting a simple Animal Crossing clone because that is really all it had to be. You don’t have to flex that hard when you’re using characters as familiar as Kitty and My Melody, after all. It’s just a game for little kids, right? But developer Sunblink went and made a game that I think just about anyone can enjoy, regardless of age or familiarity with games. I also appreciate how cleverly written it is. That is one of the secret strengths of Animal Crossing that so many of the games inspired by it don’t get right.
Apart from some weirdness with the platforming and clipping, the only real knock I have on this game is that the multiplayer didn’t work properly for me during the whole time I was playing the game. I bet it would be fun, but for now it just doesn’t seem to connect. I’ve been informed the developer is working on a fix, but right now it is what it is. Luckily the game is immensely enjoyable in single player, so it’s not going to hurt things too badly.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think Hello Kitty Island Adventure is one of my favorite mobile games of this year so far. It’s so much more than I expected it to be, so much more than it needed to be, and I genuinely appreciate just how compelling it is from head to toe. I’ve been vocal amongst my peers about how Apple Arcade needs more reasons to subscribe these days. Well, here’s one extremely good reason. Butters was right the whole time.
Cozy life sim Hello Kitty Island Adventure() is this week’s new Apple Arcade release out now. Hello Kitty Island Adventure is the final addition to Apple Arcade for July. Hello Kitty Island Adventure feels like a blend of Sanrio and Animal Crossing with support for multiplayer. The developers have confirmed that it will get new events, friends, and more with game updates as well. Check it out here on Apple Arcade. Watch the Hello Kitty Island Adventure trailer below:
Alongside Hello Kitty Island Adventure, notable games on the service have gotten updates this week. We already had the major updates hit for JellyCar Worlds, Mini Metro, and Mini Motorways. Read about those here and here. Subway Surfers Tag brings in summer outfits today with the 1.8 update. SMG Studio’s SP!NG adds in the Play Perfect mode to the game following many updates bringing in new levels. Warped Kart Racers has its major August episode update arrive with Pirate Month, new modifiers, elimination mode, and more. Team 17’s Summon Quest has a huge update bring in the PvP arena for all, summon updates, tuning updates, and more. This is the biggest update for Summon Quest since launch. Stitch. brings in new Hoops across many parts and also improvements to the menu to find unsolved Hoops.
The final notable update of the week is Cityscapes: Sim Builder with its controller support improvements, City Pass progress on the home menu, daily login rewards through the year, and the unlock for the Chinatown and Carnival districts in campaign mode. With the updates done, head over to our forum threads for Hello Kitty Island Adventurehere, Subway Surfers Taghere, SP!NGhere, Warped Kart Racershere, Summon Questhere, Stitch.here, and Cityscapes: Sim Builderhere. Check out Shaun’s top 10 Apple Arcade games list here. What do you think of the new additions to the service this month?
Mini Motorways on Apple Arcade, Nintendo Switch, and Steam and Mini Metro on multiple platforms have both added three maps to celebrate the 10-year “Miniversary”. The two updates feature six new maps in total (three per game) and new features. As a part of the updates, Mini Metro is bringing in Tokyo, Warsaw, and Lisbon today alongside the Mini Metro photo mode. You can export screenshots with new frames inspired by Mini Motorways. Mini Motorways on the other hand is adding London, Mumbai, and New York City beginning today. These Mini Motorways maps also have new building types in train stations. Mini Motorways continues to get updated regularly, and it is one of our favorite Apple Arcade games as well. Watch the Miniversary update launch trailer below:
If you’ve not played Mini Motorways yet and subscribe to Apple Arcade, you can grab it here on the service, on Steam here, and on Nintendo Switch here. Check out Mini Metrohere on the App Store and here if you have Apple Arcade. Head over to our forum thread for Mini Motorwayshere for more discussion around it. For all other Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of today’s major Miniversary update in both Mini Metro and Mini Motorways?
Following its reveal, Stardew Valley+() is now available on Apple Arcade as an App Store Great. Stardew Valley is sublime on mobile, and it is definitely one of the best additions to Apple Arcade in its Stardew Valley+ form. Stardew Valley+ on Apple Arcade arrives with the big 1.5 update and more recent updates included. It is likely that Stardew Valley 1.6 will hit Apple Arcade the week it arrives on mobile which is hopefully soon after the PC and console version. If you’ve not gotten Stardew Valley on any platform yet, this is an absolute essential. Check it out here on Apple Arcade.
Alongside today’s new release, a few notable updates have released for games on the service. Charrua Soccer brings in the revamped Women’s Global Cup as a celebration of the biggest women’s soccer event of 2023. Garden Tails has brought in the Persian garden, home to the white peacock and Lilac’s story here. It includes 120 new levels. MasterChef: Let’s Cook! has been renamed to MasterChef: Learn to Cook! with 2.0.0 which adds a new game mode, all recipes unlocked for all players, new gameplay variations, new achievements, and a lot more. This is definitely the biggest update yet for MasterChef on Apple Arcade.
Squiggle Drop from Noodlecake has added in 20 new levels today. The final notable update is Angry Birds Reloaded which was updated a few days ago with the Cold Cuts episode of 30 new levels, the addition of the Ice Bird, and more. With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Stardew Valley+here, Charrua Soccerhere, Garden Tailshere, MasterChef: Learn to Cook!here, Angry Birds Reloadedhere, and Squiggle Drophere. Check out Shaun’s top 10 Apple Arcade games list here. What do you think of the new additions to the service this month so far?
Well, let’s give this a try, shall we? Apple Arcade was a game changer (heh) for the sorts of folks who read this site, providing a one-stop shop for games without any free-to-play shenanigans for an extremely fair monthly price. The service launched like a rocket, but it has certainly had its ups and downs since. Some amazing games have been added, other amazing games have left, some months are dry as a bone, others are like a typhoon. But one thing has been true from the get-go: there are a heck of a lot of games on there, and it’s hard to know which ones are worth your time. To that end, we’ve put together this list of what we consider the best Apple Arcade games at the time of writing. They’re in no particular order, and we’re not including “+” games but will consider remasters/remakes. With all that said, let’s get to the games.
Fantasian isn’t going to be for everyone, but it is certainly a powerful monument to what possibilities Apple Arcade held. A full-on proper RPG from the creator of Final Fantasy, packed with gorgeous sights and challenging battles, Fantasian was so big it had to be delivered in two parts. Composer Nobuo Uematsu did his magic with a very unusual but cool soundtrack, and the presence of a number of Final Fantasy veterans could be felt all throughout the gameplay systems. Handily the best RPG on Apple Arcade, and one of the finest original mobile games in the genre.
I love playing pinball games on my iPhone, but the catch is that the cost of buying a fleet of tables can add up in a real hurry. Zen Pinball Party is a great solution to that problem. You get the usual Zen Studios quality experience and a roster of more than twenty tables including brand new ones based on popular licenses, classic Williams tables, and well-loved Zen originals. It’s full-featured and a real blast for newcomers and pinball wizards alike.
Sure, Ridiculous Fishing EX just came out, but I’m more than comfortable putting it on this list. The original Ridiculous Fishing was already one of the best mobile games ever, and this remade and juiced up release just piles more goodies on top. It’s always nice to see games that understand the strengths of a platform and the ways its users like to play on it, and Ridiculous Fishing EX completely gets it as far as mobile is concerned. You’ll probably burn through the main story quickly, but this EX game has plenty more for you to enjoy after that.
Sneaky Sasquatch was a somewhat thin game when it launched, but this is a fine example of just how much a game can grow over time. The developer must be bonkers here, because there has been a constant stream of cool new stuff hitting this game. At its core, this is a game about the titular sasquatch and his daily life. At first he was just sneaking around swiping food, but now he does everything from taxi driving to politics. If you like open-ended life sim style games, give this one a shot. Its scope is positively admirable.
As a big fan of Mini Metro, I was extremely excited to see a follow-up arrive in the form of Mini Motorways. Would it be able to maintain the same appeal despite the shift in theme? Could it be different enough to justify its existence? Would it hook me the way its predecessor did? The answer to all of those questions is an emphatic yes. A terrific fast-paced puzzle game that sees you trying to run roads all over the map until everything gets way out of hand, Mini Motorways is tense and fun in all the right ways. It looks and sounds great, too.
The people at Game Freak aren’t just about Pokemon, and if you need proof of that then look no further than Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On!, a unique hybrid of solitaire and horse racing. It isn’t something that should work at all, but it’s somehow completely sublime. Pick your horse, train them up, and then play solitaire during the races to push them to victory. Use some special skills at the right moment and you can turn the tides of any race. Cute, clever, and hard to put down, Pocket Card Jockey is a great way to spend a lazy afternoon or wait in a line-up alike.
Well, it is called Apple Arcade, right? It doesn’t get more arcade than a gorgeous blue-skies racing game, and that’s what you’ll get with the amazing Horizon Chase 2. Featuring tons of tracks, tons of events, lots of cool cars, and an amazing presentation that throws back to the golden age of arcade racing, this game will have you out running your car all day long.
Some of the best mobile games are the ones that offer up fairly simple mechanics with a strong narrative, and dress it all up in some of the most stylish sights and sounds a screen can deliver. Sayonara Wild Hearts is one of those games. It’s a rhythm game, but between its dazzling visuals, amazing soundtrack, and confident story-telling, it’s quite unlike any game in that genre you’ve likely played. Developer Simogo and publisher Annapurna Interactive individually have an amazing track record on mobile, and this collaboration easily lives up to the reputations of both.
If you want a more standard rhythm game experience, you can’t go wrong with Bandai Namco’s Taiko no Tatsujin Pop Tap Beat. Tap your fingers to the beat of a list of songs that includes everything from the Indiana Jones Theme to the Sesame Street song. It’s always getting new tracks added across a variety of genres, and while there are bound to be a lot of songs you don’t know here, they’re all worth playing. A great version of a genre classic, this has been one of my quiet favorites of the Apple Arcade line-up since the minute it was added.
If there’s a poster child for Apple Arcade originals, Grindstone just might be the best choice. This is a terrific puzzler packed with things to do, the sort that normally cajoles you to buy IAP or watch ads on mobile. Yet here, the game is blissfully free of such things, allowing you to enjoy the pleasures of the matching puzzler genre in a very pure form. It’s enjoyable to play and has charm to burn, making it a perfect fit for those little pockets of time you need to fill.
And that’s the list! It might look different from yours, and that’s okay. I encourage you to comment with some of your favorite Apple Arcade games so that we can all find something new to play. I might swing back around sometime to do a list with the “+” games, because that is increasingly becoming one of the better parts of the service. But that’s a job for another day. For now, I’ll simply leave it at “thanks for reading”!
It has been over a year since I reviewed the last paid DLC for Dead Cells. Since then, Dead Cells on mobile has gotten multiple major free updates and recently got the superlative Return to Castlevania DLC. With Dead Cells($8.99)Return to Castlevania out now on iOS and Android, I wanted to revisit the state of the game on mobile and how it compares to the PC and console versions. One more thing to keep in mind is Dead Cells+ on Apple Arcade offers all the game’s paid DLC for free if you have an active subscription through the Apple Arcade release. This review feature only covers the premium release, but everything also applies to the Apple Arcade version.
On mobile, Dead Cells is currently missing the Clean Cut Update, but has all prior updates and paid DLC available. We are closer than ever before at feature parity, and I hope we eventually get cross platform save syncing for mobile and PC at least. As with my other reviews of multiplatform games, I’m also going to compare the mobile release with the console and PC versions I have access to. With Dead Cells, I own the game on Xbox, Switch, PC, and iOS so will be discussing how it plays on Nintendo Switch (OLED model), Steam Deck, iPad Pro, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone 11, and Xbox Series X.
The Dead CellsReturn to Castlevania DLC, priced at $6.99 on mobile, brings in two new biomes (Dracula’s Castle and the outskirts), 14 new weapons from Castlevania, 3 new bosses, 20 new outfits, a new story featuring Alucard and Richter Belmont, secrets, and more. This DLC even has a new soundtrack option you can enable which is superb featuring 51 original tracks from Castlevania and 12 songs from there reimagined to fit into Dead Cells. Despite the high (compared to prior DLC) asking price, the Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC gets my highest possible recommendation if you enjoy Dead Cells. If you don’t, this DLC will not change anything though. I do love how the story in this DLC perfectly fits into Dead Cells.
So far, every DLC pack for Dead Cells has been worth it with some over delivering in value. I’ve been just blindly buying them on Steam because the support Dead Cells gets is incredible. With Dead CellsReturn to Castlevania, I’m still floored at how much care and attention went into bringing the world of Castlevania into Dead Cells. The bosses, new music tracks, visuals, and all the weapons make this superb. This might be one of my favorite DLC packs ever, and is essential for every Dead Cells owner.
I wasn’t playing anything on holiday last week barring the new PowerWash Simulator DLC, but I did test out my new Final Fantasy XVI DualSense controller with Dead Cells on my iPad. In its current state, I’d say Dead Cells on Steam Deck remains my favorite way to play it, but the iOS version is definitely the next best option. While the Switch version isn’t a mess like it was at launch, I’d still play Dead Cells on iOS over Switch. I’m looking forward to seeing how the new native PS5 version feels because I wasn’t happy with how Dead Cells performance was on Xbox either.
If you’ve not played Dead Cells on mobile in over a year, you’ve missed out on huge updates like the Boss Rush Mode and Everyone is Here 2 updates. These updates added in an alternative game mode, characters from amazing indie games, new cosmetics, enhanced bosses, and a lot more. Both of these updates were also free continuing the trend of Dead Cells getting even better for every owner of the game.
Dead CellsReturn to Castlevania DLC was a perfect expansion on consoles and PC when it debuted, and it is still essential with its mobile release. Dead Cells on mobile is a superb version of the game, and I hope it eventually gets cross platform save syncing. That’s really the only feature I want to see added. If you have Apple Arcade, you get Dead Cells and all prior DLC including the Return to Castlevania expansion in Dead Cells+ making it one of the best games on the service. If you like Dead Cells and Castlevania, why are you even reading reviews? Just buy the DLC and enjoy one of the best expansions we’ve seen for any game in a while.
Dead CellsReturn to Castlevania DLC iOS review score: 5/5
Following last week’s release of Slay the Spire+ and more, Ridiculous Fishing EX(), a remake of the classic, is out now on Apple Arcade as a new Apple Arcade Original. Ridiculous Fishing EX is playable on not only iOS, but also macOS and tvOS. My early impressions of it are very positive, but it does need a bit of optimization on older devices. It definitely feels great to be back and Ridiculous Fishing EX is a superb version of a classic brought to modern devices. Alongside Ridiculous Fishing EX, a few notable games have gotten updates on the service.
Ballistic Baseball from Gameloft adds enhanced gameplay controls, new perks, and new rising star athletes with today’s update. Jetpack Joyride 2 brings in a boss rush mode, a new skin, a new jetpack, a new avatar, and many adjustments and fixes today. Simon’s Cat – Story Time has added over 100 gnomes to find in side stories, 25 new levels coming each week, and visual improvements in today’s update. Red Games Co’s Solitaire Stories brings in The Traveler story, Arcade Shuffle event, Cards Beneath the Stars event, and Carnival Cards Contest event today. The final notable update is Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beat bringing in new songs including the Sesame Street theme, Enter the Dragon theme song, and more.
With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Ridiculous Fishing Exhere, Solitaire Storieshere, Simon’s Cat – Story Timehere, Jetpack Joyride 2here, Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beathere, and Ballistic Baseballhere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of Apple’s releases so far this month?
Uken Games’ Millionaire Trivia: TV Game+() is now available on Apple Arcade as an App Store Great. The standalone version of the game on the App Store is a free to play release with many in app purchases of gems. The Apple Arcade version has none of those in app purchases, and supports offline play and unlimited rounds. Alongside this week’s new release, many notable games on the service have gotten updates. Dead Cells+ saw the massive Return to Castlevania DLC hit Apple Arcade a day later than the standalone premium release. Details for that update and DLC are here.
Cooking Mama: Cuisine! has begun its summer event until July 23rd with special summer-themed items and a new present daily for logging in. Dear Reader has gotten its first update in a few months bringing in four new books: The Development of Metaphysics in Persia, “The Vanishing American,” Rubaiyat Of Omar Khayyam, and for you songbirds, How to Sing by the famous soprano Lilli Lehmann. Gear Club Stradale has added new achievements, six daily objectives, and the Super Carta Stradale car. What The Golf? overhauls its menu to make new content easier to access, adds the ability to play the daily courses every single day, and more with today’s update. Doodle God Universe celebrates Independence Day in America with a new quest in today’s update. The final notable update is Castle Crumble bringing in 60 new levels in a new world. the mischievous Mages mechanic, zoom feature, and more.
With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Dead Cells+here, the original Dead Cellshere, Cooking Mama: Cuisine!here, Dear Readerhere, Gear Club Stradalehere, What The Golf?here, Doodle God Universehere, and Castle Crumblehere. Head over to our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the new additions and updates this month?
Apple has revealed (via GodisaGeek.com) the new Apple Arcade games for July 2023. Next month, two Apple Arcade Originals including one big surprise, will arrive alongside three App Store Greats. Two of the App Store Greats are excellent additions to the service as well. Ridiculous Fishing EX , a remake of the classic, arrives on the service as an Apple Arcade Original which means it will be playable on iOS, macOS, tvOS, and iPadOS. I’m looking forward to seeing how this feels on modern screens after all these years. The second original game is Hello Kitty Island Adventures coming later in the month as a new simulation adventure game with puzzles and more. Check it out here on Apple Arcade.
For the App Store Greats, Stardew Valley+ arrives on July 21st. This is a huge get for the service, and while I already own it, it is immediately one of the best games on the service. Check it out here on Apple Arcade. The other addition of note is Slay the Spire+ arriving on July 7th. I hope this means we will finally get proper support for the mobile game. Check it out here on Apple Arcade. The final addition of the month is LEGO Duplo World+ which will not have any in app purchases when it launches as with other App Store Greats. I haven’t played the original, but will check out the + version. When more information is available, I’ll update this. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the Apple Arcade announcements for July?
Note: The App Store links in this story will not be live until later today when the App Store refreshes.
This week, two App Store Greats join Apple Arcade. New Star Games’ Retro Bowl+() and Retro Goal+() are both available on Apple Arcade with all features unlocked from the start. This includes the 12 man roster, full team editing, unlimited feature set, and more for Retro Bowl+ while Retro Goal+ has different difficulty options, weather effects, international Soccer tournament challenge, and more. Both of these games have joined the service today alongside some notable updates. While a lot of the updates are from games regularly getting new content, it is good to see a few names we don’t see often in weekly Apple Arcade update features. Crayola Create and Play+ is ready for the 4th of July with fireworks coloring pages, a new challenge each day of the newly added Camp, and more.
Disney SpellStruck has added in a Dictionary feature to check out any definitions on the game board with today’s 1.2.0 update. Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Patty Pursuit has been updated to let you play as Mr Krabs for the first time in a new Tale of the Deep. What The Car? has added in a new Amy Sedaris collaboration. This update brings in the Amy Sedaris Dream Level featuring rabbits, flowers, cheese balls, and more. Team17’s Summon Quest brings in the Graveyard region, Nefara summon, and various improvements and enhancements to combat and the UI. With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Crayola Create and Play+here, Disney SpellStruckhere, SpongeBob Patty Pursuithere, What The Car?here and Summon Questhere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the Apple Arcade updates and releases of the month so far?
I noticed that when news about Jet Dragon() started popping up, its developer Grezzo was mentioned as having worked on things like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D and the remake of The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening on the Switch. Which, hey, they did. But I think that to properly understand Jet Dragon, it’s more instructive to look at some of the original games made by Grezzo; games like Ever Oasis and Line Attack Heroes. Because like those games, while Jet Dragon is a pretty cool game, it takes more than a little patience to bring out its finer qualities.
I’ll cut to the chase. Jet Dragon is a horse racing simulator, more or less. You might look at the screenshots and think you’re in for some thrilling aerial races, but let me assure you that the racing in this game is patterned after the usual horse racing games that were really popular in Japan back in the day. Your main job while racing is to tap the screen to make your dragon boost. This uses some of their stamina, and if you’re out of stamina you won’t be able to boost anymore until you replenish it by passing through rings along the course. Frankly, you’ve either got the stats to win or you don’t, but knowing when to boost and when to chill is also of some importance. You can also use abilities if your dragon has them and you’ve got the stamina, though again they’re a matter of knowing when to use them to maximize their value.
So yes, mainly about those stats. Your dragon and rider have levels and stats, and you’re going to have to increase those stats if you want to compete. Participating in races will help them level up, but you can also do training and make use of facilities to increase some stats. Training raises fatigue and consumes your money, so there’s a limit to how much you can do at a time. Time, money, fatigue. I’m not explaining things well, am I? I have a feeling the Monster Rancher fans out there are picking up on it, but I suppose I should come at this from a different angle for the rest of you.
Alright, so Jet Dragon. It’s about dragon racing, but your job is mainly managing a dragon racing team. You start with basic facilities, one rider, and one dragon. By the time you’re out of the tutorial you’ll have another rider and dragon. The game generally follows a calendar of events, and you can choose how you want to spend each week on it. Upkeep costs money, and so does entering races. That means you have to actually get off your duff and win some races or else you’ll end up living in a cardboard box or something, and a dragon is definitely not going to fit in there. As you win races, you’ll gain sponsors and fans, bringing in more resources and unlocking other features. The story, such as it is, will also unfurl.
Outside of the racing, the main challenge comes from managing your finances. Of course it would be great to train a bunch between every race, but that costs money. Upgrading your facilities is of great benefit in the long term, but it costs money now. Expanding your team is awesome, but it also costs more money. Money, money, money is all you need. And the only real way you’ll earn it is by racing, because even sponsors aren’t going to throw their money at you for leaning on a fence post. Every new feature that opens up presents a new way to spend money, so you have to keep it coming in.
As mentioned earlier, your racing performance is largely dependent on your stats. Your actual input during race could best be seen as intervention at key moments. You won’t be doing any steering, just deciding when you want to expend stamina on boosting or using your abilities. Training will raise those stats, to a point. But the effectiveness of training depends on the mood of the dragon and/or rider, and also on how tired they are. A refreshed, perky dragon has a higher chance of seeing better gains from the training sessions, and since they cost money you’ll want to get the most out of them.
Still, even leveling up and training can only take a dragon so far. They will eventually hit their limits, and at that point you’ll want to look into breeding. Breeding your dragons is a nice way of getting a new steed that has higher potential and better abilities, and it’s a key tool in your box for keeping those wins rolling in. Indeed, it’s the only way you’ll be able to stay competitive because Jet Dragon really doesn’t pull its punches when it’s time to race. If you haven’t been doing things right on the management side, it won’t take long before you’re eating dragon dust.
There’s a lot of depth here waiting to be discovered, and Grezzo has clearly done its homework again when it comes to making a game with upfront charms and a surprising amount of complexity hiding behind the veneer. It’s very well-made for what it is, and if you’ve ever enjoyed a horse racing sim or Monster Rancher game, I think you’ll find a lot to like in Jet Dragon. The striking visuals certainly help with the initial attraction. One happy side effect of not needing to be quite so hands-on during races is that you can enjoy the sights of each track. It’s not going to knock you out of your seat or anything, but riding a dragon through pretty locations is a no-lose proposition as far as I’m concerned.
Jet Dragon isn’t going to be for everyone, but those with an open mind and a love of simulation games will likely be pleasantly surprised with what they find here. Those looking for a slick dragon racing game with dragon drifting and such are going to be less pleased, since that aspect of the game aims more at the strategic than the action-packed. If you’re looking for something different that has a lot of meat on its bones and you have an Apple Arcade subscription, I recommend giving this a look.
Dragon racing game Jet Dragon() from The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening remake developer Grezzo is this week’s new Apple Arcade release and it is out now worldwide. When Apple revealed the June 2023 games, this was the most unexpected addition for sure. I’m looking forward to playing Jet Dragon later today. If you want to try it on Apple Arcade, get it here. A few notable games have gotten updates today as well. Cooking Mama: Cuisine! begins its colorful event until June 29th featuring a new ingredient, special dishes, a daily present for logging in, and more.
Simon’s Cat – Story Time gets its Midnight Feast update with new animations, 25 new levels, and more. LEGO Brawls gets one of its biggest updates since launching, and this one is out on all platforms in addition to Apple Arcade. LEGO Brawls brings in the NINJAGO: Dragons Rising inspired level, 16 new minifigures, 4 new emotes, and a lot more. More details are in the trailer above. Red Games Co’s Solitaire Stories brings in three new events and one new story with the Summer update. Goat Simulator+ has added in the Payday DLC with today’s update in addition to four new main goats, the Pranknet database, 14 new mutators to unlock, and more. The final update of the week is NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition bringing in the Greatest Sneaker of All-Time inspired by the greatest NBA players of all time.
With the updates done, check out our forum threads for Cooking Mama: Cuisine!here, Simon’s Cat – Story Timehere, LEGO Brawlshere, Solitaire Storieshere, Goat Simulator+here, and NBA 2K23 Arcade Editionhere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of this month’s releases on Apple Arcade so far?
Bold Moves+ from Red Games Co is this week’s new Apple Arcade release rolling out now worldwide. This is the first addition to Apple Arcade for June. Read about the other games here. The match 3 game aims to deliver messages of positivity and personal growth. It is an App Store Great, so it is available without any in app purchases within like the regular free game on the App Store. Alongside Bold Moves+, a few notable games have gotten content updates this week. Both Jetpack Joyride 2 and Jetpack Joyride+ have gotten new events, missions, and more between the games. As revealed recently, Kimono Cats gets its big update bringing in the Mossy Ruins, new music, an extended map, mini-games, a new quest system, and a lot more.
Game Freak pushed out a new update for Pocket Card Jockey: Ride On bringing in the Blazing Kid horse in addition to adding support for Arabic. Squiggle Drop from Noodlecake Games has added in 20 new levels today. The final notable update of the day is Subway Surfers Tag with its new onboarding experience, tag site game mode, new enemies, a reworked wave system, and more. Check out our forum threads for Jetpack Joyride 2here, Pocket Card Jockey: Ride Onhere, Squiggle Drophere, and Kimono Catshere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of the current state of Apple Arcade and the schedule for June 2023?
I was surprised to not see new Apple Arcade games announced for June, but maybe Apple is waiting for WWDC 2023. This week, we get over half a dozen notable updates for games on the service. Episode XOXO brings in the new original story: Gilded Love as its first new content update in about a month. Fruit Ninja Classic+ gets its Summer Splash update with the Water Blade and Seaside Dojo available in-game. This event is available from now until June 18th. Horizon Chase 2 also celebrates summer with three new paints added to the Playground rewards. A few visual and sound fixes have also been made today. Borderleap’s two Apple Arcade games, Patterned and illustrated have added Share Play to play with friends in real-time over FaceTime. Illustrated also brings in new galleries and the Van Gogh Later Years puzzles.
Stitch. brings in new Hoops today with new ones coming each Wednesday. The final notable update is Zookeeper World bringing in the usual new puzzles and events alongside a new Zoo Area to expand once you hit rank 27. With the updates out of the way, check out our forum threads for Episode XOXOhere, Zookeeper Worldhere, Horizon Chase 2here, Illustratedhere, Patternedhere, Stitch.here, and Fruit Ninja Classic+here. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of last month’s Apple Arcade lineup and updates?
Back in November 2021, Apple Arcade added Red Games Co’s PvP brawler Transformers: Tactical Arena(Free) to the service. The real time PvP brawler has seen many updates since launching, but it recently left Apple Arcade, and was confirmed to return as a free to play title. Transformers Tactical Arena has now launched on the App Store as a free to play universal game on iOS, iPadOS, and macOS worldwide. While many games that leave Apple Arcade hit other platforms as well, the announcement from Red Games Co confirms that Transformers: Tactical Arena is available exclusively on the App Store. Watch the Transformers: Tactical Arena launch trailer below:
If you’d like to play Transformers: Tactical Arena now, you can grab it on the App Store here. The free version out now includes different tiers of Shanx as in app purchases. The game already felt like a free to play game retooled for Apple Arcade, so this standalone free release of Transformers: Tactical Arena isn’t surprising. Check out our original forum thread for the Apple Arcade version of Transformers: Tactical Arenahere. Have you played Transformers: Tactical Arena before on Apple Arcade or will you be checking it out for the first time today on the App Store?
This week, many notable games on Apple Arcade have gotten updates. If you’re wondering why there is no new game this week, Apple pushed out a few Apple Arcade Originals and App Store Greats together earlier this month. Read about that here. Today’s updates include a few games I enjoy quite a bit as well. Let’s get into them. Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beat 1.13.0 brings in five new songs today including Mayonakano DOA-Stay With Me, Stone Ocean, Rare Hero, Nainainai, and Jojo Sono Chi no Sadame. Garden Tails brings in five new animals, one new garden, one new story, and 120 levels with today’s update. Simon’s Cat – Story Time House Story Chapter 2 arrives today with 25 new levels coming each week. Jetpack Joyride 2 now has Prestige letting you partially reset your progress for exclusive rewards, new story levels, a new avatar, and more today.
Red Games Co’s Solitaire Stories brings in the Locally Grown story, Lavender Dreams event, Bells of Quasimodo event, The Card Catalogue event, and new accessibility options including quick game launch modes for offline play. Temple Run: Puzzle Adventure Mirror Story continues with 60 new puzzles and tournaments. An iPad rotation bug has also been fixed with today’s update. Sneaky Sasquatch adds in VR goggles, three new virtual characters, a new kind of virtual food, and more today with the developers confirming more updates coming soon. The final notable content update of the week is Castle Crumble bringing in a new weapon, 60 new levels in a new kingdom, and Amethyst King Challenges. Check out our forum threads for Solitaire Storieshere, Garden Tailshere, Simon’s Cat – Story Timehere, Jetpack Joyride 2here, Taiko no Tatsujin: Pop Tap Beathere, Temple Run: Puzzle Adventurehere, Sneaky Sasquatchhere, and Castle Crumblehere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of Apple’s updates this week?
Following the recent drop of 20 games on Apple Arcade, this week sees a few notable games get big updates on the service. The Iconfactory’s Frenzic: Overtime gets its first update in a while bringing in 30 new levels, new mini-goals, unique puzzles, and more. This is the third chapter of Frenzic: Overtime Unplugged. Doctor Who: An Unlikely Heist gets its first big update since launch bringing in two standalone stories in addition to balance adjustments for item variety and difficulty. Zookeeper World brings in 12 new stages today alongside a new ‘Hedge’ puzzle gimmick. The developers have confirmed that the next content drop is on may 21st as well.
My Little Pony: Mane Merge 1.2.0 out now adds the Dragon Drama book, new mini-games, a set of new features, weekly challenges, 20 new stickers and a lot more. This is the game’s biggest update since launch. Cut the Rope Remastered heads to space with today’s update bring in the space board game with new levels, a new postcard, and more. The final notable update of the week is Asphalt 8+ adding in the Bugatti La Voiture Noire, Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4, and a lot more in addition to a gift for all players, and new decals. With the updates done, head over to our forum threads for Asphalt 8+here, Cut the Rope Remasteredhere, My Little Pony: Mane Mergehere, Zookeeper Worldhere, Frenzic: Overtimehere, and Doctor Who: An Unlikely Heisthere. For all Apple Arcade related things, check out our dedicated Apple Arcade forum for discussion on the service and every game included here. What do you think of last week’s set of 20 releases and what do you want to see next month?
