Exploring the Best of Games on iDevices via Apple Arcade

Exploring the Best of Games on iDevices via Apple Arcade

Quick Links

• Apple Arcade Is a Good Way to Try Out Games
• There Are No Ads or In-App Purchases
• I Can Share an Apple Arcade Subscription
• Apple Arcade Has a Tried and Tested Game Selection
• I Play Stardew Valley on Apple Arcade

Key Takeaways

• Apple Arcade is a good way to try out games before you buy them, with a curated selection and no ads or in-app purchases.
• You can share an Apple Arcade subscription with your family, making it a more cost-effective option for multiple players.
• Apple Arcade offers a mix of new and classic games, including exclusive titles and some you might already own on other platforms.

Apple Arcade may be yet another subscription you don’t want to add to your bleeding wallet, but I’ve found myself enjoying its selection of games since I started paying for it. And if you’re anything like me, you might get a lot of value for its $6.99 monthly subscription (or $49.99 per annum).

Here are some of the top reasons I subscribe to the service…

1 Apple Arcade Is a Good Way to Try Out Games

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The fear of buying a game and not enjoying it is a common concern. That’s why many developers offer free demos and trials, allowing you to test the game before committing. While mobile games may be more affordable, the fear of wasting money on a game you don’t like still holds strong. This is where Apple Arcade comes in, offering a convenient way to try out games before making a purchase.

That’s one of the reasons I use Apple Arcade. Thanks to my Apple Arcade subscription, I could try out Bloons TD 6 and save paying $6.99 on a game I may not have liked. I was contemplating buying it because I enjoy strategy tower defense video games.

Apple Arcade had this game in its library, so I gave it a shot there first and realized I liked the gameplay, but its presentation was a little too juvenile for my taste. I essentially used my Arcade subscription to save me some money.

While Apple Arcade’s game selection is limited, it’s still worth checking if a game you’re interested in is available. You can do this by simply typing the game’s name into the App Store search bar and adding a plus (+) sign. For example, if you’re looking for ‘Bloons TD 6,’ search for ‘Bloons TD 6+’ to see if it’s part of the Apple Arcade library.

If your device is new, even better, some new iPhones and iPads get three months of Apple Arcade for free. First-time subscribers can get a month for free, as well—you can learn more in our dedicated guide on getting started with Apple Arcade .

2 There Are No Ads or In-App Purchases

Ads and microtransactions are the bane of freemium and premium games alike. While they are already obtrusive and annoying by themselves, some devs make it worse by designing their games in a way that forces you to use them.

I can escape all of that hassle with my subscription. The library has versions of some games that would normally have ads and in-app purchases but without any of that. Thanks to Apple Arcade, I get to play Snake.io without the in-app purchases and ads I would have had to endure if I had just downloaded the regular game.

Yes, removing ads in one game will most likely be cheaper than taking on a recurring Apple Arcade sub. However, if you find yourself putting up with multiple ads and in-app purchases and would like some kind of reprieve, try playing the ad-free ones Arcade offers for a change.

If you’re still unconvinced, you can try some non-Arcade mobile games without ads or purchases instead.

3 I Can Share an Apple Arcade Subscription

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The Apple Family Sharing feature allows people in an Apple Family to share subscriptions and content. Luckily, the sharing extends to Apple Arcade, and only one family member needs to pay for all the others to access the Arcade library.

It’s a great way to let kids and loved ones access the curated Arcade library and all its benefits. I mostly use it as a way to discount the Apple Arcade costs because my other family members send a portion of the subscription costs to cover it. This way, instead of one person paying for everything, it’s evenly split among the members, making it cheaper for everyone.

It’s also good to know that all the members of my Apple Family can play any multiplayer game on Apple Arcade without any payment trouble.

4 Apple Arcade Has a Tried and Tested Game Selection

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The App Store library is already relatively small (compared to Android’s Play Store), but Apple has selected some of the best titles from the group and put them in Apple Arcade. Even though Apple Arcade has a smaller library than Google Play Pass , selecting games from there is less of a gamble. Most of the titles are fun and well-built, and in some cases, they are classic evergreen games.

The library is also not static; Apple frequently adds new games to Arcade and tries to keep its selection updated. Some of the games Apple adds are exclusive to Apple Arcade, meaning there are games there that I can’t play anywhere else.

One of them is Gameloft’s Oregon Trail, an intriguing retelling of history, which I quite enjoyed for its art and survival-based gameplay.

5 I Play Stardew Valley on Apple Arcade

Stardew Valley is one of the best indie games ever. It’s a cross-genre farming simulator with RPG elements. Stardew Valley is very popular and has made its way to every platform, including iOS.

I already own Stardew Valley on Steam, so buying it again on my iPhone seems unnecessary. However, I can still play it through my Apple Arcade subscription since it has a Stardew Valley+ version. It’s also been a great way to introduce the game to family members who don’t play video games on PC. Because my Apple Family also has access to Apple Arcade, I’ve been able to introduce them to Stardew Valley without making them buy the game outright.

Stardew Valley on iOS does not have multiplayer capability, and there is no indication that it will have it in the future.

If you’ve ever been meaning to try out Stardew Valley, Apple Arcade may be the cost-effective solution for you.

Apple Arcade may not be for everyone, but for me, as a casual mobile gamer and iPhone user, it has quite a few interesting games. This, combined with the Apple Family Sharing features, definitely makes it a worthwhile way to spend time with friends and enjoy games without ads on your iPhone or iPad.