Following its recent soft launch, Supergiant Games and Netflix have finally announced the Hades mobile release date with a new gameplay trailer. If you’ve not kept up with the game’s mobile release details, Netflix announced that Supergiant Games’ brilliant rogue-like Hades() would be coming to iOS through its new games initiative. This is a rare Netflix mobile game to be iOS-exclusive with no planned Android release. Given Supergiant Games’ prior mobile releases, this isn’t surprising though. Hades for iOS will be launching worldwide on March 19th through Netflix. Pre-registrations should now be available, and Netflix has showcased Hades iOS gameplay in a new trailer which you can watch below showcasing the touch controls and more:
Having adored Hades on Steam, Switch, PS5, and Xbox Series X since launch, I’m looking forward to playing and reviewing it on iOS through Netflix. Netflix’s announcement mentions 60fps performance, redesigned menus and interfaces, fully customizable controls, cloud saves, achievements, and offline play support. I hope the team can potentially add a higher frame rate cap if it is feasible for modern iOS devices. If you’d like to grab Hades on iOS, it is in soft launch in the Philippines, but you should be able to pre-order it on the App Store for iOS here. Check out our forum thread for it here. Hades is a stunner on the Steam Deck OLED, and I look forward to seeing how it feels on iOS this month. Have you played Hades on console or PC so far, and will you be trying it out on Netflix when it launches on March 19th worldwide?
Dead Cells is one of the best games of the last decade across platforms. Originally on PC, it made a huge splash on consoles before seeing a superb mobile release. Since launching, it has gotten multiple major free content updates and paid DLC packs. Today, Motion Twin and Evil Empire both announced that Dead Cells update 35 will be the final major update for the game as Evil Empire moves on. Motion Twin’s announcement confirmed that the Clean Cut Update that hit PC and consoles back in April 2023, will be coming to mobile later this year. I assume Update 35, the final major content update, will arrive in 2025 for mobile. Speaking of mobile, Dead Cells is available on iOS, Android, Netflix, and Apple Arcade. Watch the Dead Cells trailer below:
If you’ve not gotten Dead Cells yet, read my 2023 review update here covering the Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC, patches, state of the game, and more. Dead Cells was our Game of the Year in 2019 when it hit iOS as a premium release done by Playdigious. With update 35, the game will have had 4 DLC packs, 18 updates, and more across 5 years by Evil Empire. You can play Dead Cells on iOS, Android, Netflix for mobile, Apple Arcade, Steam, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PS4, and PS5 worldwide. My favorite versions are the Steam Deck and iOS releases. What do you think of Dead Cells if you play it regularly?
I almost gave up hope on Rockstar Games’ remake/remaster of the classic GTA trilogy ever making it to mobile after multiple delays. When it was confirmed for mobile through Netflix Games, I thought Netflix would finally have its killer app despite the release’s issues on PC and consoles. Fast forward to a few days ago, and Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition hit mobile as three individual games available through Netflix and also as premium standalone releases priced at $19.99 each. I’ve been playing them on iPhone 15 Pro, iPad Pro (2020), and I also redownloaded the games on Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X to see how this new release compares. I’m surprised by how much better Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition is on mobile despite a few annoyances. I’m going to be covering all three games, and this review will focus on GTA: Vice City – Definitive($19.99) and GTA: Vice City – NETFLIX(Free).
The original GTA: Vice City is one of my favorite games of all time. I’ve played it on everything, and own almost every version of it including multiple regional variants like the PS2 Japanese release I got a few months ago. I adored it when I played it years ago, and loved revisiting it on iPhone through its 10th anniversary edition. I still get chills with that trailer. I love the game so much that I even bought that awful PS2 on PS4 version they released when Sony was trying to get developers to bring PS2 classics to PS4 with trophy support. So when the trilogy was announced to get a remake, I was excited but nervous.
The collection hit PC and consoles including Nintendo Switch back in 2021, and it wasn’t great. Read my review of the trilogy on Switch here. Since then, the games have improved, but many issues still remain. For the mobile release, I didn’t expect much, but this release surprised me. When I launched GTA: Vice City – Definitive on Netflix and finished the 1.27GB download in-game, I thought I was imagining things, but the actual game looked different. I played a bit more and wondered why it looked better than I remembered from my time with the Definitive version on Xbox and Switch. I booted up those versions and forgot the lighting was different there. Then I noticed GTA: Vice City – Definitive has a new Classic Lighting option which looks so much nicer. GTA: Vice City – Definitive now felt like GTA: Vice City. I was ecstatic to have the vibe back, but there were some issues I noticed.
Without looking into the game’s settings, I was surprised at how blurry it looked on iPhone 15 Pro. I checked the options and found a setting for the resolution. I turned it up to max, and it looked a lot nicer. For some reason, this doesn’t save and you need to turn it up manually each time you boot up the game. Barring that, the game seems capped to 30fps which is disappointing. I hope both of these can be fixed in future updates. The graphics tab is where you can enable or disable Classic Lighting. I recommend trying both options if you’re familiar with GTA: Vice City. Once you manually fix the resolution, GTA: Vice City – Definitive looks excellent with fullscreen support on all iOS devices I tested it on.
On the control side, GTA: Vice City – Definitive includes the new modern control options, and I tested it with both touch and controller. I used my DualSense controller, but the game seems to only have Xbox button prompts. The touchscreen controls work well, and the game is responsive enough. There are camera sensitivity options, movement options to play with modern or classic controls, and more here. I was glad to see a haptic feedback option here.
Since these are a huge part of the experience for me after I finish the story, I wanted to highlight how GTA: Vice City – Definitive includes cheat codes. You can either use a controller and input the controller cheats with button combinations, or go into accessibility and input the PC cheat codes. Both work.
Yes, I know I’ve spent a lot of time talking about the port and features, but GTA: Vice City itself is incredible. I don’t care what you use to play it, but it is one of the all-time greats, and right up there with GTA V and Red Dead Redemption II as Rockstar Games’ best. The story is amazing, dialogue memorable, radio stations despite cuts are still excellent, and it has gameplay that remains fun even today thanks to control enhancements.
I don’t own GTA: Vice City – Definitive on Steam to test on Steam Deck, but GTA: Vice City – Definitive on Netflix and iOS is massively better than the Switch version. Not only does the Classic Lighting option drastically help, but the game loads much quicker on iOS compared to Switch while looking a lot better. The Xbox Series X version runs at a higher resolution with 60fps support though, but I still don’t see myself going back to that until we get the mobile improvements. Speaking of improvements, I’ve been noticing little things like some models being better on mobile, animation improvements, and more.
The only real issues GTA: Vice City – Definitive has on mobile now are the frame rate cap, resolution not saving for some reason on iPhone 15 Pro or iPad Pro on the Netflix version, and the few issues I have with the game like the one super annoying mission that remains the only annoyance in GTA: Vice City itself. While this game (and the trilogy in general) deserved better, I think we are finally at the stage where the Definitive part of the name is actually applicable. This mobile version of GTA: Vice City – Definitive is great, and can be even better with a few updates. The screenshot below shows the Classic Lighting (right) versus the PC and console lighting (left):
While I’d say the original mobile release on modern iPhones and iPads is the best version of GTA: Vice City even now, GTA: Vice City – Definitive complements it nicely and is something I see myself dipping into for years to come, just like the original. GTA: Vice City – Definitive is worth buying, but I think this is the first actual killer app Netflix has to get people onboard its games initiative. Having the original GTA: Vice City would have been enough, but this release is actually better than the PC and console versions in almost every way. I don’t even think I’ll go back to those versions without the Classic Lighting option. The original game is a timeless classic, and my favorite GTA game, so I’m glad we now have a great version of the remake on mobile alongside the original which is still available.
Sega and Sports Interactive have officially released multiple versions of Football Manager 2024 across platforms. On the mobile side of things, this year is more interesting than usual because Football Manager 2024 Touch is out now on Apple Arcade (like last year) and Nintendo Switch, but Football Manager 2024 Mobile is out now on iOS and Android through Netflix Games. This means you need a subscription of some form to play any version of Football Manager 2024 on mobile right now. On the Apple Arcade side of things, if you had Football Manager 2023 Touch installed, Football Manager 2024 Touch is an update to the existing app. The Football Manager 2024 Mobile release on Netflix is a separate app though. Watch the Football Manager 2024 Mobile features trailer below:
Watch the Football Manager 2024 Touch features trailer below:
If you have an active Netflix subscription, you can grab Football Manager 2024 Mobile on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. If you have Apple Arcade, you can grab Football Manager 2024 Touch here. The various features and roadmap for Football Manager 2024 can be viewed on the official website here. I’ve been playing Football Manager 2024 on Steam Deck, Football Manager 2024 Console on PS5, and Football Manager 2024 Mobile on iPhone for review for over a week now. I just got access to Football Manager 2024 Touch on Switch and Apple Arcade. Stay tuned for a nice long review covering those versions. What do you think of Football Manager 2024 and will you be playing it on any platform?
Back in June, the puzzle action adventure game Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon(Free) from Yacht Club Games hit Netflix Games on mobile with a new free DLC pack on other platforms. If you’ve not played it yet, read Shaun’s glowing review of it here. We also featured it as our Game of the Week when it launched. It turns out, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is getting new DLC on all platforms in the form of the Paradox Pack. This includes new stages, powerful Relics and items, challenging side rooms, hidden secrets, cool hats, and Mod Support for PC. It is in development presumably for all platforms, but is available as an early preview on Steam right now. Yacht Club Games continues to overdeliver with their quality games and post launch support. Watch the DLC trailer below:
If you want to play this early preview of the DLC, you can read details on how to grab it on Steam here on the official blog post. If you have an active Netflix subscription, you can grab Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. Make sure to read my interview with Yacht Club Games discussing Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, the developer’s other releases, working with Netflix, and more here. Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is usually priced at $19.99 on console and PC platforms. It is now available on Nintendo Switch here, Steam here, and PS4 here. Have you played Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon before and what do you think of this DLC?
Following the initial rollout in August to the UK and Canada, Netflix (via The Verge) has updated its blog post to confirm that this game streaming will be rolling out to the US as well. If you missed it, Netflix previously launched a dedicated game controller app on the App Store, but didn’t actually announce anything relating to it. It just showed up, and it was actually for this streaming service testing. The two games on TV will be playable across Amazon Fire TV Streaming Media Players, Chromecast with Google TV, LG TVs, Nvidia Shield TV, Roku Devices and TVs, Samsung Smart TVs, Xfinity 4K devices and Xumo devices and TV according to Netflix’s announcement. Support for more devices will be added later.
If you’ve not tried out games on Netflix yet, check out my feature on the ten best ones so far to play on iOS and Android. The game streaming will also be available on Netflix.com on supported browsers. The games included right now for this test are the first Oxenfree and Molehew’s Mining Adventure. The browser playback will require a keyboard and mouse on PC and macOS. More details for this will likely be revealed in the future when it rolls out to more users worldwide. I’m interested to see how this works now that it is coming to the US. I wonder if it eventually comes to Apple TV officially in the future as well. If you’d like to grab the controller app, it is available on the App Store for iOS here. What do you think of Netflix Games right now and will you be trying this streaming beta once it hits your region?
I first played Daniel Benmergui’s Storyteller(Free) through its Nintendo Switch and Steam releases. Read my original review of it here. Since then, a lot of friends who played the game enjoyed it, but thought it was overpriced given the short runtime. On Netflix, you don’t need to worry about that, but does Storyteller warrant a replay or is it worth revisiting with its first major update since launch? I think it is, and I’ve had a lot of fun revisiting it on iPhone and iPad over the last few days. If you’ve never played Storyteller, I’ll also compare the different versions to help you find which one you should get.
In the case of a lot of mobile ports, I’m curious to see how console and PC games transition over with their controls, but Storyteller is a puzzle game about putting together stories with already amazing touch controls on Switch.that already had great touch controls in its original Switch version. I knew it would feel good to play on mobile, but the Netflix release on iOS and Android arrives with the major first content update included from the get go, making it a more interesting release. The Switch and Steam versions were updated alongside the Netflix release so if you already own Storyteller, you can just update your game and play the new content there. If you are interested in the Netflix version and if it is worth your time, this is the right place.
In a lot of ways, Storyteller reminds me of Scribblenauts with its mechanics. Your aim is to put together stories in this puzzle game by completing panels in a book with objects, scenes, and people available for a specific solution. Some puzzles included have alternate paths or challenges, but there isn’t much replay value beyond that. This is where Storyteller might let some people down. The new update, which is what the iOS version ships with, has seen additions to prior chapters, new content, an interesting new character added, and more. I didn’t think Storyteller was too short or incomplete, so this new version feels like an enhanced version. The narrator is a lovely addition (that you can turn off) that elevates the experience, and the changes to some levels are very good. A lot of care has gone into this update, and I’m glad to see the game finally go above its potential thanks to this new version.
Storyteller’s actual narrative and writing are both very good. There’s humor, sorrow, and just a lot of fun as you mess around with possible outcomes here. I spent a lot of time trying to play it wrong or do the opposite just to see how things played out. In my original review, I mentioned how an expansion or update down the road would help Storyteller’s a lot. That’s exactly what happened here. Not only is it easier to recommend to those buying it on Steam or Switch, the game itself on mobile in its debut is really great now.
On mobile, Storyteller has no controller support that I could see, but you don’t need it. If it is included, I’ll update this, but I couldn’t get my DualSense detected on iPad, and the Kishi V2 didn’t work in-game on my iPhone 11. Visually, it seems to use the low quality preset on my iPhone 11 and is crisper on iPad Pro. The Steam version runs without issues at the high quality preset on Steam Deck. The Switch version handheld is similar to iPad, but not as crisp. None of these versions look bad because the aesthetic scales well, but it is worth mentioning for comparison. Load times are fine, and the game is responsive throughout. If I had to pick, I’d go with Netflix followed by Switch in handheld for the best experience. The PC version on Steam Deck does not have touch support and this game very much is best with touch controls.
With the Netflix release, the only caveat for recommending Storyteller is that you need an active Netflix subscription to play it, and can’t buy it outright. That isn’t an issue for most people with a subscription, but it is worth keeping in mind. If you do want to own it, it is discounted right now on Steam for a few days more. As someone with Xbox Game Pass, Apple Arcade, Netflix, and PlayStation Plus, I know a lot of games release on subscription services with time being the limiter these days, but if you do have a Netflix subscription, this is worth downloading to try.
Storyteller remains a short (well not as short as before this update), but great experience that I recommend to anyone looking to experience something only possible through the medium of games. The puzzles or trial and error in some situations may not be for everyone, but this is a great addition to Netflix’s growing games catalog on mobile. If you do own Storyteller on Switch or Steam, this update elevates it quite a bit, and you need to revisit it.
Vikings: Valhalla(Free) is a strategy game based on the historical drama series on Netflix, out now on iOS and Android through Netflix Games. Vikings: Valhalla is published by Tilting Point and developed by Emerald Games. It features an original story with campaign battles, alliances, raids, and more. Since this is a Netflix Games release, it has no additional purchases, and is playable for free if you have an active Netflix subscription. Vikings: Valhalla aims to let fans of the show spend more time with the stories from the show which Kevin Segalla, Founder and CEO of Tilting Point, says is a massive hit on Netflix. Watch the Vikings: Valhalla Netflix Games trailer below:
If you’d like to play Vikings: Valhalla, you can get it on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. I’m not familiar with Vikings: Valhalla at all, but looking at the gameplay trailer, having a game like this not have in app purchases is a huge positive, and I’ll be checking it out later today. If you have watched Vikings: Valhalla, I’m curious what you think of this strategy game. If you haven’t watched it, will you be trying Vikings: Valhalla on Netflix assuming you have an active subscription?
Last week, SNK released its 2019-released reboot of the Samurai Shodown series on iOS and Android through Netflix Games. Samurai Shodown(Free) is a game I’ve enjoyed through its releases on PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, and Steam quite a bit. I did buy it on Nintendo Switch, but don’t really play that version much because of its tech issues. The fighting game was the first one in the series I spent a lot of time with, and I’m glad I did. I love the focus on weapons, duels, high risk gameplay, and more it brings to the table. Samurai Shodown also excels in its aesthetic and sound design. I was obviously excited to see how the mobile conversion was. In my Samurai Shodown (2019) mobile review, I’m going to cover the game itself, how it compares to other platforms, and what needs to be fixed for it to be worth playing.
If you’ve not played Samurai Shodown, it plays quite differently compared to mainstream fighting games. Having seen the series history through the Samurai ShodownNeoGeo Collection, I’m glad this Samurai Shodown reboot stuck to its guns and didn’t try and change things up to lose its own character. The weapons, footsies, unique characters, striking aesthetic, and more come together brilliantly, but this Samurai Shodown game has always been lacking in its online and story mode. The core gameplay is great, and I was hoping to see at least that translated to mobile well alongside all the in-game content.
Samurai Shodown on mobile initially feels like the complete game with touch controls, but it has some cutbacks. The first one is visuals. I expected it to look and run better on modern iOS devices given my experience with it on consoles. Visuals aren’t as bad as the Switch version though, and Samurai Shodown on newer iOS devices doesn’t feel sluggish like the Switch version. I also feel like some characters will feel very different here given the on-screen buttons being the only way to play including specials. This just is a very weird decision in what should’ve been a slam dunk port with how much effort went into translating the visuals and everything else over.
The major issues are with the cuts to DLC. Not only are the DLC characters not included in the game right now, but the collaboration characters are completely cut out. As an example, Baiken from Guilty Gear or Warden from For Honor are completely absent here. Not having DLC right from the start isn’t the biggest problem, but the current character selection screen mentions some of the DLC characters arriving as late as July 2024. I get that you want people to remain subscribed to Netflix so you don’t want to release everything in one go, but this is a bit much.
If you’ve never played Samurai Shodown on other platforms or don’t even care about those versions, Samurai Shodown on Netflix isn’t a complete waste. The touch controls aren’t as good as traditional controls on a controller or stick, but the developers did a good job with them here. I just don’t understand why it didn’t include controller support as an option for those who prefer using traditional controls in a fighting game.
For the online, I tested against someone locally over wifi and with Shaun who is in Japan. The netcode held up alright, but it isn’t as good as playing something like Street Fighter 6 or Guilty Gear Strive. For casual matches, it is worth trying, and also has a decent custom lobby implementation. There are also leaderboards for some modes included in the Netflix version of Samurai Shodown.
When it comes to platform differences, the best versions of Samurai Shodown right now for me are the Xbox Series X version for playing on TV and the Steam Deck version for playing on the go. The Xbox Series X version supports 120hz which even the PC version doesn’t have. The PS4 version never got any PS5 enhancements so I stopped playing that version to move to the Xbox version for offline play. On the portable side, I would only recommend the Switch version if you have no other way to play Samurai Shodown and don’t care about online play.
So where does the Netflix version fit into this picture? It isn’t really the same experience with forced touch controls, but it does a better job than the Switch port for sure. I would absolutely recommend downloading it to see how you find the touch controls, but I really hope SNK can add controller support and improve the DLC situation. I don’t expect online to work too well considering the console and PC versions still don’t have decent online netcode. That is coming this month. But in the testing I did, it is serviceable. I played a few games against Shaun who is in Japan and it wasn’t unplayable like certain Switch fighting games we’ve played.
Samurai Shodown, even as the base game with touch controls only, is a great addition to Netflix’s gaming catalog, but it should’ve been better. The lack of controller support and baffling DLC release schedule hold it back in its current state. I’m going to keep it installed in the hope we get updates to address those issues, but right now Samurai Shodown is a great fighting game that deserved better for its mobile release. This is a competent and commendable conversion in many ways, but a very disappointing one in others. Hopefully we won’t need to wait too long to embrace controller support.
Following its soft launch last week, SNK has released Samurai Shodown(Free) its 2019-released console and PC fighter on iOS and Android worldwide through Netflix Games. I reinstalled Samurai Shodown on every platform I own it on last week to get back into the groove before today’s Netflix launch. I will be reviewing this port, but I love most things about it barring the online and Switch port. I’m hoping the iOS version on modern iOS devices will not be as annoying to play as the Switch version. I assume this version on Netflix will include the DLC or bring them in slowly over time. Watch the Samurai Shodown Netflix trailer below:
Even if it launches as just the base game, Samurai Shodown is a superb addition to Netflix’s gaming catalogue assuming the port is good. If you have an active Netflix subscription, you can grab Samurai Shodown on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. You can check it out on Steam here or Nintendo Switch as well as Xbox Series X or PS4 (PS5 via backward compatibility). It is priced at $49.99 on Switch right now for the base game. Have you played Samurai Shodown before on PC or console and will you be trying it on Netflix today?
Dotemu has been regularly releasing more information and gameplay ahead of the long-awaited TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge(Free) paid DLC pack through trailers, character reveals, new modes, and more. While this DLC has been announced for PC and consoles, nothing has been revealed for mobile yet. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge from Dotemu and Tribute Games hit mobile through from Playdigious via Netflix Games following its PC and console launch. The TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC adds two new playable characters in the form of Karai and Usagi. Today, Dotemu released an extended gameplay video showcasing both of them ahead of the DLC’s launch. This DLC also adds a Survival Mode. Watch the new gameplay video below:
If you’ve not gotten TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge yet, read my review of the iOS version here and Shaun’s review of the original Switch version here. You can wishlist the TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC on Steam here. Hopefully this DLC does come to mobile sooner than later. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge was our Game of the Week when it launched. Read my interview with Playdigious covering TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, working with Netflix, and more here. I also recently interviewed Tee Lopes about the game and a lot more relating to game music. Read that here. If you’d like to grab TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge on mobile, you can get TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here through Netflix Games. Have you played TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge yet and will you be grabbing the DLC on PC or console next week?
Wrestling adventure RPG WrestleQuest(Free) from Mega Cat Studios and Skybound Games has finally released worldwide on PC, consoles, and mobile via Netflix Games following a last-minute delay earlier this month. WrestleQuest has been interesting to play after enjoying both WWE 2K23 and AEW Fight Forever. I’ve been playing WrestleQuest on Steam Deck and Switch, but was waiting for the Netflix Games release on mobile for my full review. From what I’ve played, I’m glad it isn’t a disappointment like Sports Story at least. I’ll save my full thoughts for the review in the near future. Watch the WrestleQuest launch trailer below:
WrestleQuest is out now worldwide for iOS, Android, Nintendo Switch, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC platforms. If you’d like to play it, you can get WrestleQuest on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here with an active Netflix subscription. Check it out on Steam here and Nintendo Switch here. It also had a free demo on Steam here. WrestleQuest will be a $29.99 release on other platforms, so having it in Netflix is great. What do you think of WrestleQuest from its trailers or if you played the demo and will you be grabbing it on Netflix today?
Dotemu just announced the release date for long-awaited TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge(Free) DLC. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge from Dotemu and Tribute Games hit mobile through from Playdigious via Netflix Games following its PC and console launch, and it looks like mobile players will have to wait a bit longer for the DLC since today’s announcement only mentions all consoles and PC. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC adds in a Survival Mode, two new playable characters, and more. In addition to the previously-revealed Miyamoto Usagi, Karai will also be joining the game with the DLC. Watch the TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimensional Shellshock DLC release date and Karai reveal trailer below:
If you’ve not gotten the game yet, read my review of the iOS version here and Shaun’s review of the original Switch version here. You can wishlist the TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC on Steam here. As of this writing, a price point has not been revealed. Hopefully the DLC does come to mobile sooner than later. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge was our Game of the Week when it launched. Read my interview with Playdigious covering TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, working with Netflix, and more here. I also recently interviewed Tee Lopes about the game and a lot more relating to game music. Read that here. If you’d like to grab it on mobile, you can get TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here through Netflix Games. Have you played TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge yet and what do you think of today’s new character reveal?
Following Shaun’s list of the best Apple Arcade games in 2023, I’ve done a feature on Netflix Games. Recently, I’ve found myself enjoying more new games on Netflix than Apple Arcade. The games featured here are in no particular order, and all of them require a Netflix subscription to play on iOS and Android. They have no in app purchases or additional payments required. I’m going to be featuring ports, new games, and more here. There are loads of great games, but these are the 10 best ones on Netflix right now. This list is in no particular order, and I’m avoiding any games also available separately, but will include any remasters/remakes.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals on mobile through Netflix is my favorite way to play it. Night School exceeded my expectations from the original game and delivered a more mature story despite the supernatural and thriller elements. In a lot of ways, Oxenfree II feels like a reflection of the studio making it with its scope and polish. This is a game I recommend to everyone with a Netflix subscription, and I hope it gets a physical release on console in the future so I can add it to my collection with the first game.
Despite launching on other platforms before, Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon arrived on Netflix with new content included. It has some aspects that don’t work as well as others, but Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is an amazing puzzler bringing in challenging gameplay, tons of polish, and gorgeous visuals to mobile. It is immediately one of the best puzzlers on mobile through its Netflix release.
The original World of Goo is an iPad classic, and I’m glad it saw a remaster to feel and look better on modern devices with World of Goo Remastered this year. I still remember playing it for the first time as I discovered new ways to improve my score in each level working towards the next one. If you’ve never played World of Goo before, World of Goo Remastered is the best version, and the only bad thing I can say about this is that the existing standalone version of the game was delisted when World of Goo Remastered released on mobile through Netflix.
Laya’s Horizon from Snowman was one of the biggest surprise announcements from Netflix for its games catalog. It plays brilliantly while looking amazing, and is easily Snowman’s most ambitious game yet. It is an essential if you have a Netflix subscription and is absolutely worth checking out on iOS and Android.
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge is a Streets of Rage 4 level release, and if you don’t know what I mean by that, play both games immediately. Jokes aside, I adore TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge and I was super happy to see it come to mobile in a fantastic conversion through Playdigious and Netflix. It is a modern take on a classic Konami style beat ’em up that delivers in spades with its gameplay, visuals, music, and fanservice for TMNT fans.
Kentucky Route Zero was one of the most fascinating games I played. It took so long for all the acts to release, that I ended up not even having my older saves through the years as I switched computers. The adventure blends surrealism, gorgeous visuals, amazing music, and memorable characters to deliver something that you will either love or drop after an act or two. The Netflix release brings the complete experience with all updates and improvements over the launch version. It also happens to have one of my favorite musical moments in any game. If all of that sounds good to you, give it a shot on iOS or Android through Netflix.
Immortality from Her Story developer Sam Barlow is Sam’s best work yet according to most, and while I prefer Her Story, Immortality is a superlative experience for those who enjoy the FMV interactive film genre. The only issue with the mobile version is that you have to download a lot of data in-game. Keep that in mind and you’re good. It is another one of those “Perfect for Netflix” gaming experiences, and I’m glad it did make its way to mobile after its initial launch on console and PC platforms.
Reigns: Three Kingdoms is a game I didn’t know I wanted, but am glad exists. There have been many Reigns games over the years and across different subscription services and platforms, but Reigns: Three Kingdoms does things a bit differently. As someone who got into Romance of the Three Kingdoms through Koei Tecmo’s games of the same name, I’ve been slowly experiencing more of it through various media, and Reigns: Three Kingdoms is another fantastic way to soak in the lore through a story with loads of quests, decisions, and everything I love from a Reigns game.
I’ve been wanting Into the Breach on iPad for years ever since I played FTL from the developer. It seemed like the ship had sailed, but Netflix revealed that Into the Breach is not only coming to iPad, but also iPhone and Android in a new version that would see added content patched into existing versions. Into the Breach on any platform is an essential, but having it on an iPad with such a great port is everything I wanted. This is pure turn-based strategy greatness.
Poinpy from the creator of Downwell is one of the best games on mobile right now regardless of paid games, subscriptions, or free games. Instead of going down like the developer’s prior release, you sling yourself up and this release feels perfect to play in short bursts or long sessions. The gameplay is everything you’d want, and there’s a lot of depth included. Poinpy was one of the first “essential” games in Netflix, and even with so many more games added to the service, it is in our top games feature. Hopefully more people check it out.
And there you have it. I’ve been told I usually pick some weird stuff, but what would life be without weirdness eh? If you’ve enjoyed a game on Netflix that you think I should’ve featured, let me know in the comments so more people will discover great games on the service. If you’d like to see us feature more games in subscription services or anything else, let us know. Thanks for reading.
Before I go into my review of The Queen’s Gambit Chess(Free) from Netflix and Ripstone, I want to be upfront about where I am coming from. First, I haven’t seen even a single episode of the show. I know, I know. I’ve heard it’s really good, but I don’t have a lot of free time for watching TV shows. So any and all overtures this game makes towards pleasing fans of the show, presumably the main target here, are largely lost on me. Second, I’m a fairly experienced chess player. I was in the chess club back in my school days, and despite me being the literal worst player in that club, I do know my way around the board well enough to put up a good fight. So those are my credentials, and I’ll be proceeding from there.
I’m going to start with what I liked about the game. Yes, it’s one of those reviews. First of all, the presentation is really nice. I don’t know the show, but I can see a lot of care went into recreating locations and making stylized versions of various characters. Most of the chess sets look great, though the designs of some of them make it hard to tell pieces apart at a glance. I respect the attempt to gamify chess, likely as a means to keep people playing through the learning curve of the game itself. Lots of coins to earn for doing various things, and you can spend them on all sorts of things. I think for someone who genuinely knows next to nothing about chess, this is an agreeable way to learn at least the basics. There’s plenty to do here as well, following Beth’s Journey through chess puzzles and matches against various characters. You can even hop online and play against other humans.
Okay, on to the rest. If I had to sum things up, I find myself unsure of who this is exactly for. I think it has to be fans of the show, but as I haven’t seen the show I can’t say whether the fanservice hits the mark or not. But in terms of chess players, I think it’s in an awkward space. It includes a ton of accessibility features that make it easier to win a game, for example, but if you were to move over to another chess game without those assists, you’d be lost. The game isn’t teaching you, it’s telling you. Sometimes it’s telling you the wrong things, even. The chess puzzles, normally a good source of learning a variety of strategies, are surprisingly limited in their scope. If you’ve played chess puzzles before, you’re not going to be terribly challenged by any of these. You’re also not going to pick up many useful techniques through them. Sometimes it does drop some useful techniques in the main game, but since it never properly revisits them or explains the theory behind them, it feels a bit pointless.
On the other side of the coin, the AI and overall progression is probably going to irritate experts, even if they jump to the highest difficulty right away. The game also really wants to help you, and there’s nothing worse than a pushy helper when you already know what you want and need to do. Okay, so maybe you just head online and play against other humans, count on the human element to sort things out? Not a bad idea, but there’s a big problem right now with the game that is magnified when you play online.
This game has a crashing problem. I tried it on multiple devices just to make sure it wasn’t just my phone, but no. Every so often, not every time but often enough to lose your trust, the game will crash in the middle of a match. If you’re playing against the CPU, it isn’t the end of the world. You can pick up where you left off. But if you’re playing against someone online, you’re pretty much done. The game never crashed during chess puzzles; only during matches and only once you get a ways into them. But that is a pretty serious problem for a chess game, I feel. I’m going to assume this will be fixed and not completely spike the game’s score for it, but I’m not going to ignore it either.
I’m not going to drag this one out too far. If you have Netflix it doesn’t cost you anything to try the game, and if you’re a fan of the show and somehow aren’t that familiar with chess, I encourage you to give it a shot. Queen’s Gambit Chess will assuredly teach you how to play the game, so if that is what you’re looking for you’re all set. But it will only take you so far, choosing to show you what to do instead of teaching you what to do. Experienced chess players will probably find it a bit unsatisfying overall thanks to the low level of difficulty and excessive handholding. Throw in some fairly serious technical issues in the current version that deeply affects multiplayer and you’ve got a game that struggles to find its own winning move.
TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge(Free) from Dotemu and Tribute Games hit mobile through from Playdigious via Netflix Games following its PC and console launch and it is sublime to play on the go. Read my review of the iOS version here and Shaun’s glowing review of the original Switch version here. Today, Dotemu revealed the TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC Survival Mode with a new trailer and gameplay video. This mode will have you collect crystals shards and use them to travel across dimensions, unlock perks, mutations, and more. Each dimension has its own look and feel. Alongside Dotemu’s trailer, PlayStation Access has an extended gameplay video for the Survival Mode in the Dimension Shellshock DLC. Watch both videos below:
You can wishlist the TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge Dimension Shellshock DLC on Steam here. As of this writing, it has not been announced for mobile via Netflix, but only confirmed for 2023 release on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch. Hopefully it does come to mobile sooner than later. TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge was also our Game of the Week when it launched. Read my interview with Playdigious covering TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, working with Netflix, and more here. I also recently interviewed Tee Lopes about the game and a lot more relating to game music. Read that here. If you’d like to grab it on mobile, you can get TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here through Netflix Games. Have you played TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge yet and what do you think of this DLC?
On Friday night, Netflix and Tomorrow Corporation announced that the remaster of World of Goo will hit iOS and Android on May 23rd worldwide. The indie classic is currently available on Android and iOS as a paid game and it was our iPad Game of the Year in 2010. I enjoyed it a lot on iPad back then, and eventually replayed it on iPhone. The puzzler featuring millions of goo balls and amazing music will see a remaster hit mobile this month through Netflix Games. The remaster is currently available on PC platforms already. The physics-based puzzler’s remaster will also mean that the original game is being delisted. The official announcement from Tomorrow Corporation confirms that the classic version of World of Goo will be delisted on May 11th. You will still be able to redownload it if you own it. Watch the trailer for the original release of World of Goo below:
On Netflix Games, World of Goo Remastered will also feature additional localizations with the total amount of languages supported including: English, Spanish (Spain), Spanish (Latin America), French, German, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Hungarian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese (simplified), Chinese (traditional), Portuguese (Brazil), and Turkish. This version will also support modern screen sizes and cloud save support through Netflix profile. I’m sad to see the original get delisted, but this remaster will likely be the best version of the indie classic. I’m looking forward to playing it when it releases on May 23rd for iOS and Android. If you’d like to grab the original game before it is delisted on May 11th, use the link for iOS here and Android here. Have you played World of Goo before or will you be trying it through World of Goo Remastered on May 23rd through Netflix?
Note: The links on this page for World of Goo are for the original version. These links will likely stop working soon since the game is being delisted.
Following this week’s announcement of Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon coming to mobile alongside new DLC, I had a chance to talk to Yacht Club Games’ Marketing Director Celia Schilling about the game, the possibility of Shovel Knight Treasure Trove coming to mobile, future plans, working with Netflix, and more. Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon is coming to mobile soon through Netflix Games, and as a fan of the developer for many years, I figured now was the best time to interview them.
TouchArcade:Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do at Yacht Club Games.
Celia Schilling: Hello! My name is Celia Schilling. I’m the Marketing Director at Yacht Club Games. I have my hand in everything public facing from large platform announcements (like Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon launching on Netflix) to social media or even in-person events. I also handle licensing. An example of that would be our newly released Shovel Knight Nendoroid with GoodSmile. We’re a small team so we wear a lot of hats.
TA: Shovel Knight, many years ago, impressed the hell out of me when I played it on Nintendo 3DS. I’ve since bought it on everything and it remains one of the best games I’ve played in recent years. How has it been supporting and working on the IP all these years?
CS: Oh, wow. Thank you for your kind words. It’s hard to believe it’s been so many years since then. As for your question, it’s been a wonderful adventure. We’re beyond thankful for all of the amazing friends and legions of fans who have supported us for all of these years. Our community is something truly special.
TA: What led to working with outside developers for Shovel Knight games Pocket Dungeon and Dig?
CS: We’ve always imagined Shovel Knight as an all encompassing franchise. So, it does make sense that we ended up working with other studios to create some awesome new adventures. Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon and Shovel Knight Dig’s origin stories are kind of long so I’ll try to keep it short and sweet.
Both games were conceptualized around the same time when we were wrapping up development of Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove.
For Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, we kind of stumbled upon it. A colleague of mine was lurking Twitter and spotted a rad screenshot by a solo-developer called Vine. At the time, the game Vine was posting about was called “Puzzle Knights”. It had unique game mechanics mixing roguelite and puzzler styles of gameplay. We love both of those genres so it piqued our interest. The game’s vibe also bizarrely fit well with the Shovel Knight world. It had skeletons, blob monsters, and knights. It was perfect. Sooo, with that said, we thought it would make sense to reach out and see if he would be interested in working together. He said yes, we high-fived (aka did some paperwork), and built a team around him. The rest is history.
As for Shovel Knight Dig, we were already fans of Nitrome’s previous work. We had the idea of making an ambitious Shovel Knight game where every time you played it was different and you could make a crazy build with cool new abilities. They just finished up Leap Year, so we reached out with the idea. They came back with their pitch for it. We loved it, and we all went straight to work on it.
TA: Are there more spin-off games in the works externally?
CS: We’re currently working on a TON of free DLC for Shovel Knight Dig and Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon. As for the future, I am not sure. I’d love to see more.
TA: With Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon, I was actually surprised that it wasn’t coming to mobile from the start given its name. Did the team at Yacht Club Games consider doing a premium standalone release for it before Netflix got involved?
CS: Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon’s name took inspiration from miniaturized spin-off titles like “Pocket Fighters”. As for a mobile release, we love giving fans as many opportunities as possible to play our games. So, when the Netflix conversation started, it just made sense to bring Pocket Dungeon’s fun to their service.
TA: How has it been working with Netflix Games on Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon?
CS: They’re a bunch of passionate folks so it’s been an absolute joy working with them.
TA: How was the porting experience bringing it to mobile?
CS: The Vine team has actually rebuilt the game from the ground up. We brought in some pretty talented folks to make it a seamless and fun experience with intuitive touch controls.
TA: Can we expect more Yacht Club Games releases to come to Netflix Games for mobile like maybe Mina the Hollower in the future?
CS: Whoa! Hollowing around via touch-controls would be super fun. Though it’s not in the pipeline, I personally would love to see Mina everywhere.
TA: How do you decide what platforms to launch a new Shovel Knight project on?
CS: We try to put our games on as many platforms as possible as long as it makes sense for us and our community.
TA: There is now a Shovel Knight game coming to Netflix Games with Pocket Dungeon, and Shovel Knight Dig on Apple Arcade. A lot of people have controllers on mobile, so will the original Shovel Knight Treasure Trove ever hit the platform?
CS: Who knows what the future holds. I’d love to play Joustus on my phone.
TA: One of the highlights of Shovel Knight barring the amazing gameplay in each release, is the soundtrack and the aesthetic that come together to make Shovel Knight. How has it been working with Jake Kaufman all these years? Is he involved with any of the games barring the music?
CS: Working with Jake is a collaborative process. He starts making music as we develop the game side-by-side.
Side note, Jake is actually a part of the Yacht Club Games crew. He has an office and everything. As for involvement besides music, our studio works a bit differently than other ones. Everyone can be as involved (or uninvolved) as they are comfortable with in other departments. An example of that is in the writing room. We have something called the “Jake Pass” where he looks at the character’s dialogue and does a pass on it. (He’s an excellent writer!) Jake has also pitched TikTok ideas to me before too. They were equally as awesome.
TA: What are your thoughts on the current state of gaming with subscription services being more prevalent each year?
CS: Personally, I love it. Growing up, I didn’t have access to many games. I had to borrow them from a friend/Blockbuster or wait to get a “used” copy on my birthday. Subscription services enable accessibility at a manageable monthly price point. It’s something that I dreamed about as a kid.
TA: What games are you playing right now on any platform?
CS: I’m primarily playing on my Switch. I’m a Nintendo kid at heart haha. I’ve been making my way through a bunch of Zelda games to get ready for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of a Kingdom. I just beat Minish Cap. It’s such a good game.
TA: Are there any plans to do a PS5 physical of Shovel Knight Treasure Trove and a native PS5 release?
CS: There are no plans in the pipeline as of yet. If that ever changes I’ll be sure to make a whole lotta noise about it.
TA: Following the original launch, we now have multiple Shovel Knight games, updates, and even saw it be the rare third party game to get an amiibo when it did. What’s next for Shovel Knight?
CS: It’s a secret as we have a ton of unannounced cool stuff. What I can tell you, is that the future is looking very bright for our favorite blue burrower.
Thanks to Celia Schilling and Yacht Club Games for their time here.
Following the announcement for mobile, Netflix and Rogue Games have released Dust & Neon(Free) for iOS and Android through Netflix Games. It is also out on PC and Nintendo Switch beginning today. The twin stick roguelite shooter has you, a lone cowboy, against an army of robots set in a futuristic Wild West. It includes a campaign that the developers claim is over 10 hours long. Dust & Neon on Netflix Games follows Tomb Raider Reloaded on iOS and Android. Watch the Dust & Neon new Netflix Games trailer below:
If you’d like to play it, you can grab Dust & Neon on the App Store for iOS here and on Google Play for Android here. As with prior Netflix Games releases, there are no in app purchases or ads, and you can play these games for free on iOS and Android as long as you have an active Netflix subscription. Check it out on Steam here and Switch here. Rogue Games also previously confirmed that it will have touchscreen controls that have been carefully designed for mobile. This definitely feels like a game Jared will be playing and enjoying if it delivers. What do you think of Dust & Neon if you played the demo and are you getting the full game today on PC, console, or Netflix Games for mobile?
