Apple Arcade’s latest games are ridiculously fun and charming
If you’re using an iPhone or iPad and like to play games, Apple Arcade is the best bang for your buck. For just $5 per month, you get a collection of carefully curated games that have no ads or in-game purchase, so you can experience the full content without having to worry about hidden costs or MTX (micro-transactions).
Apple Arcade adds new games every month, and many of the games already available for subscribers are getting updated with new content all the time. Although this is a very busy month for gamers, as many highly-anticipated titles have been set to release in February (Dying Light 2, Sifu, Lost Ark, Horizon Forbidden West, Total War: Warhammer 3, Elden Ring), there’s always time to fit a short gameplay session on your favorite iPhone or iPad.
A physics-based simulation-puzzle game initially launched on PC more than 10 years ago, Bridge Constructor+ is the dream of any wannabe engineer. Jokes aside, Bridge Constructor is quite faithful to the engineering and architecture of bridges, so you’ll be able to express your ingenuity designing and creating complex bridges for cars and trucks to cross over.
On the plus side, the iOS version of the game includes all of the content, updates and DLC already released on PC, without any in-app purchases. The folks at Headup also revealed that their game has “several different settings and over 100 levels to master the art of bridge-building by using different materials and constructions to make sure they won’t buckle and break under the weight of ongoing traffic.”
Moving on to the second game coming to Apple Arcade on February 18, Wylde Flowers is a non-combat game inspired by The Sims and FarmVille, but with a “witchy twist.” That’s no surprise at all considering that Studio Drydock, a new development team HQ-ed in Australia, was founded by two industry veterans with a combined 20-year previous experience at EA working on titles like The Sims.
The best way to describe Wylde Flowers is “cozy life and farming sim,” so if you like to grind a little bit before going to sleep or while commuting, this seems like the perfect game. Wylde Flowers promises a charming world of diverse folks and magical spells, which set the stage for the game’s big mystery.
Although during the day you’ll be tending crops, care for animals, fish, craft, and perform other farm-related activities, by night, you’ll be nurturing your inner witch as you learn to fly your broomstick, brew potions, control the weather and seasons or even transform into a cat. This sounds like an interesting twist from the typical FarmVille game, yet I can’t shake the feeling that the game should have been called Farming Adventures of Sabrina.
Bloons TD 6+ is a hugely popular tower defense game that first debuted on Android and iOS back in 2018. Ninja Kiwi is bringing their game to Apple Arcade on February 11, so that players can try to find the perfect defense from a combination of monkey towers, upgrades, heroes, and activated abilities.
We’ve been told that apart from the over 50 maps available in single player, you’ll be able to dive into multiple additional game modes including 4-Player co-op, where you can experience every map and mode with up to three other players in public or private games. Also, if you think you’re up to the challenge, you can try Boss Events, where fearsome boss Bloons will challenge even the strongest defenses.
Last but not least, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is another pleasant surprise that can’t really be fit into a single genre. This is an “ecological adventure about freedom and survival,” developer Broken Rules explains. Now, this has nothing to do with the infamous Bored Apes that every celebrity likes to brag about these days, but as the name suggests, you’ll actually take the role of a lost gibbon and try to master a dynamic movement system to swing, slide and somersault through the jungle.
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees feels like an adventure with platformer elements, although developers also promise a narrative that “captures the struggle of living creatures around the world.” If you reach that moment in life where you feel like you must absolutely swing from tree to tree in a hand-painted jungle just to release some stress, don't forget that Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is just two taps (or swings?!) away.
Four new games are joining Apple Arcade’s library in February, and while I’ve played a few of them, knowing how good the curation process is, I can’t not recommend all of them. But let’s start with the first game that joined Apple Arcade on February 4, Bridge Constructor+.
A physics-based simulation-puzzle game initially launched on PC more than 10 years ago, Bridge Constructor+ is the dream of any wannabe engineer. Jokes aside, Bridge Constructor is quite faithful to the engineering and architecture of bridges, so you’ll be able to express your ingenuity designing and creating complex bridges for cars and trucks to cross over.
On the plus side, the iOS version of the game includes all of the content, updates and DLC already released on PC, without any in-app purchases. The folks at Headup also revealed that their game has “several different settings and over 100 levels to master the art of bridge-building by using different materials and constructions to make sure they won’t buckle and break under the weight of ongoing traffic.”
Moving on to the second game coming to Apple Arcade on February 18, Wylde Flowers is a non-combat game inspired by The Sims and FarmVille, but with a “witchy twist.” That’s no surprise at all considering that Studio Drydock, a new development team HQ-ed in Australia, was founded by two industry veterans with a combined 20-year previous experience at EA working on titles like The Sims.
Although during the day you’ll be tending crops, care for animals, fish, craft, and perform other farm-related activities, by night, you’ll be nurturing your inner witch as you learn to fly your broomstick, brew potions, control the weather and seasons or even transform into a cat. This sounds like an interesting twist from the typical FarmVille game, yet I can’t shake the feeling that the game should have been called Farming Adventures of Sabrina.
Bloons TD 6+ is a hugely popular tower defense game that first debuted on Android and iOS back in 2018. Ninja Kiwi is bringing their game to Apple Arcade on February 11, so that players can try to find the perfect defense from a combination of monkey towers, upgrades, heroes, and activated abilities.
We’ve been told that apart from the over 50 maps available in single player, you’ll be able to dive into multiple additional game modes including 4-Player co-op, where you can experience every map and mode with up to three other players in public or private games. Also, if you think you’re up to the challenge, you can try Boss Events, where fearsome boss Bloons will challenge even the strongest defenses.
Last but not least, Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is another pleasant surprise that can’t really be fit into a single genre. This is an “ecological adventure about freedom and survival,” developer Broken Rules explains. Now, this has nothing to do with the infamous Bored Apes that every celebrity likes to brag about these days, but as the name suggests, you’ll actually take the role of a lost gibbon and try to master a dynamic movement system to swing, slide and somersault through the jungle.
Gibbon: Beyond the Trees feels like an adventure with platformer elements, although developers also promise a narrative that “captures the struggle of living creatures around the world.” If you reach that moment in life where you feel like you must absolutely swing from tree to tree in a hand-painted jungle just to release some stress, don't forget that Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is just two taps (or swings?!) away.
There’s also a bunch of new content launching this month for some of the most popular games already available on Apple Arcade. For example, What The Golf? is getting a new update that includes 14 new levels, daily theme packs, seven new recurring leaderboards, and seven new achievements, along with new prizes to unlock.
My personal favorite, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, is getting a new seasonal event called Ball of Roses. If you hadn’t guessed it yet, this is the game’s Valentine’s Day update, which will also include new weapons and armor, as well as themed content.
One of the best pinball games, Zen Pinball Party will be updated with a classic Zen Studios original pinball table. Seasonal Community Events will be added too, along with a new co-op game mode.
My personal favorite, Castlevania: Grimoire of Souls, is getting a new seasonal event called Ball of Roses. If you hadn’t guessed it yet, this is the game’s Valentine’s Day update, which will also include new weapons and armor, as well as themed content.
Finally, Zookeeper World, the match-3 puzzle game with simulation features, adds 25 new puzzle stages and a new mini game content.
If you’re an Apple Arcade subscribers, expect massive updates this month for other games too, including Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis, Fruit Ninja Classic, Temple Run: Puzzle Adventure, SP!NG, Simon’s Cat, and Crayola Create and Play.
If you’re an Apple Arcade subscribers, expect massive updates this month for other games too, including Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis, Fruit Ninja Classic, Temple Run: Puzzle Adventure, SP!NG, Simon’s Cat, and Crayola Create and Play.
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