A lot of people really like certain Apple Arcade games, but here are some less well-known games that you should check out.
Apple Arcade has been around for a while, and most users have found their favorite games among the many that are available. There were so many games coming out at once that it’s too bad that some real gems got lost in the crowd.
That library has grown bigger over the years. There are now many more games than there were before. Even though it’s a long list, these are some of the best Apple Arcade games that you might not have known about.
Fledgling Heroes
- Genre – Family
When it first came out in 2013, Flappy Bird was a laughably basic mobile game, but there’s a reason it was so popular: flying your way around obstacles was easy enough for anyone to pick up, but hard enough that you had to be really skilled to get ahead.
That gameplay is turned into a real game in Fledgling Heroes, with hand-designed levels, different monsters, split paths, multiple characters, and bosses to beat. It even has a level maker for people who want to play again after they finish the main story.
Manifold Garden
- Genre – Puzzle
There are times when you just want to play a game that makes no sense. People have called Manifold Garden “Escheresque,” but it’s really just a puzzle game. It’s like a mix between Portal and Superliminal, where perspective is everything and the views are crazy.
It’s not always hard to figure out the puzzles, but it’s really hard to understand how this strange world works physically and geographically. And it’s fine to just sit back and look at all the buildings.
Bleak Sword
- Genre – Action
- And also a Soulslike
It’s easy to see why Bleak Sword wasn’t a big deal when Apple Arcade came out. At first glance, these images look even more old-school than most games with retro graphics these days. Its world of two-color stick figures looks more at home on the Apple II than on the NES.
But beyond the simple graphics, there’s an interesting story and a surprisingly deep combat system that combines touch-screen controls with combat that feels like Dark Souls. You dodge, roll, block, and counter your way through a broken world.
Spek.
- Genre – Puzzle
The plain images in Spek aren’t very appealing, just like those in Bleak Sword, but they do their job in this case. Happy Wheels is a perspective puzzle game where you move a moving dot along 2D lines by changing the 3D items that the lines show.
You can change the view and have to think your way through 2D lines, 3D space, and sometimes physics puzzles to get to your goal. It’s kind of like a more advanced version of Monument Valley.
The Last Campfire
We all know (and maybe even love) Hello Games for its work on No Man’s Sky and its relaunch, which we always talk about. A lot of people may have missed the other games it worked on, though. The Last Campfire is the first one since No Man’s Sky came out.
Yes, you got it—the Last Campfire is the goal of the adventure The Last Campfire. Each part of the game, from the music to the graphics, shows a lot of feeling. You should try this little trip if you have Apple Arcade.
Mini Metro And Mini Motorways
Have you ever been stuck in traffic and wished the bus or train were better? You could try to do something about it, but unless you’re a rich person with bad ideas, you probably won’t get very far. That’s where Mini Motorways and Mini Metros come in.
You could make your own roads while you’re stuck in traffic or waiting for the bus. The games work great with touch controls, and they’ll take your mind off of how bad things are in real life.
Alto’s Adventure
Do you remember playing early Sonic games and being sad that you couldn’t move based on motion when the games went to 3D? If so, Alto’s Adventure might be a good game for you. In Alto’s Adventure, you do have to play as a person, but it’s still pretty cool.
The fun of the game is easy to understand: just ride down a mountain to find its heart. Because each level is randomly produced and has changing weather, every time you board, it’s a new experience. It’s fun in small amounts.
Cozy Grove
No game is made up of nothing, and some of them are very proud to show who inspired them. This is where Cozy Grove is. A game that’s happily inspired by Animal Crossing and Don’t Starve (without the scary parts).
As you build your life on a haunted island in Cozy Grove, you’ll have to gather materials, build homes, and help the ghosts that have been left behind. There is no evil, as the title probably makes it sound. There’s no stress in this cozy little adventure on an island.
Dandara Trials Of Fear
Without a doubt, Dandara is a Metroidvania. There are non-linear levels, powers that can be used in battle and to get from one place to another, and big bosses to finish off an area. The beautiful pixel art and focus on movement in Dandara make it stand out.
Movement and tough battle are the name of the game in Dandara, just like in Hollow Knight and Metaroid Dread. The freedom of movement is amazing, and it only gets better as the game goes on. All of that plus an interesting world makes for a great game that you can play in your hand.
Grindstone
For a mobile game to be good, it needs to have simple controls and short chunks of gaming. Touch controls should also be used to their full potential. All of these things are true for Grindstone.
In this puzzle-battle game, you have to figure out the best way to get through your grid-based enemies. There is even stuff to find and bosses to fight as you climb to the top of the mountain. Also, the game is pretty long, but it’s very easy to pick up and play, which makes it a great choice for Apple Arcade.