Ever since Apple Arcade first went live, I’ve debated on covering the games. Not that they aren’t good or anything. There’s some great games by some really cool developers on AA. I just know that the games on Apple Arcade are already getting a ton of press and probably don’t need the extra help. Plus, SNAPP Attack has always been about showcasing the under appreciated and overlooked. That being said, I still spend a portion of my time playing Apple Arcade games. So why not give you a heads-up on which games are good and which games are………not so good?
Instead of doing full game reviews or even SNAPP Reviews, I’m just going to do a brief write up for each game. Most likely a couple sentences and a quick star rating. The beauty of Apple Arcade is that you can always just download the game for yourself. I’m just giving my HIGHLY respected and sought after opinion.
I’ve been waiting for the new Bloons TD game for quite awhile now. I’ve always been a fan of the Bloons games and played the absolute hell out of Bloons TD 5. So, seeing TD 6 release on Apple Arcade got my grubby little palms sweating. Everything I love about the series is in this game. Unfortunately, not much new has been brought to the game. There’s a few new maps, a handful of new heroes, and some “Social Play” that opens up at level 20, but that’s about it. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it I guess. Bloons TD 6 is still a great game. If you loved the past games, chances are you’ll love this one. But, with the game being the sixth in the series, i would’ve liked to have seen a few more updates or changes.
Oh boy. I almost didn’t even want to waste my time writing this mini review. The original Galga Wars was decent, but was ruined with it’s F2P mechanics. They were just way too obtrusive. So, I was happy when I saw it pop up on Apple Arcade. Unfortunately, Namco did almost nothing when converting it over besides pulling the IAPs. The original game was balanced to make you purchase IAPs to get anywhere. That balance is still there, so it’s almost impossible to make your way through the game. You still need warp capsules if you want to start anywhere besides the beginning. So, you burn through them quicker than you receive them. The coin balance isn’t too bad, but you still have to wait for timers when upgrading your ship (or spend your coins to speed up the timer). The biggest thing is the shields. You need shields to buy new ships, but you only get one shield every 5 or 6 hours. There’s no other way to obtain them. New ships can go from 5 to 150 shields! So, basically it’s impossible to get anywhere unless you play the game nonstop for months. The port just feels lazy in my opinion. It’s a shame.
I was on the fence for awhile with Sonic Racing. The visuals are beautiful and I love that the game is played in portrait-mode with one hand. Unfortunately, it looks like it was originally going to be a F2P game and was thrown on Apple Arcade at the last minute. So, there’s tons of grinding, random loot drops, and “wisp” collecting. Unless you’re a huge Sonic fan, you may want to skip over this one.
I absolutely love Skate City. I’ve been waiting for this to release since the original Skate Lines game. The visuals are beautiful and tricks are super easy to pull off. You can also upgrade your character and buy new tricks. With only 3 areas, I found myself wanting more after a couple of days of playing. Regardless, this is one of my favorite skateboarding games on the App Store now. Definitely worth checking out.
What the Golf? Seriously, I can’t say enough good things about this game. I expected a goofy-ish golf game when I first fired it up, but the team at Triband outdid themselves. Every hole is like opening a birthday present. You have no clue what it’s going to be, but you know it’s going to be good. Even if you don’t like golf, this game is a must-play.
I know that I’m going to catch a lot of heat for this one. I played all the way through Sayonara Wild Hearts and……it was fine. The visuals are cool, the music is good, and the story is well written. It honestly isn’t a bad game. It just went right through me though. I did feel like I was fighting with the controls throughout the entire game. They worked good enough to get me through it, but they weren’t comfortable. Like I said, Sayonara Wild Hearts isn’t a “bad” game. It just didn’t seem to live up to the hype that everyone was giving it.
I was really looking forward to Hot Lava when I first saw it on Apple Arcade. The trailer and screenshots make it look so damn cool. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have much fun with it. Now, in my defense, I played on iPhone. I’m guessing that the game is a lot better on AppleTV with a controller. I didn’t like the gyroscope controls at all, so I tried the touch controls. They were definitely better, but I just couldn’t get the hang of it. With the game being in first-person, it’s tough to parkour and maneuver around when your thumbs are covering a big portion of the screen.
I love me some Speed Demons. It’s fast, frantic, and absolutely beautiful to look at. RadianGames did an excellent job with keeping things fresh. The tracks are all randomly generated, while each event changes from things like Chase, Pursuit, Escape, and more. There’s also a bunch of cars that can be unlocked and upgraded. Speed Demons was the first game that I downloaded on Apple Arcade and it’s still on my device today.
Way of the Turtle is a cute little adventure-platformer. It’s one of those games where the character is constantly moving and you need to steer them in the right direction by manipulating the world itself. The visuals are absolutely beautiful and the story is charming. Unfortunately, the game just didn’t have enough to keep me hooked. This is one of those games that I may go back to later on.
Spidersaurs was one of the Apple Arcade launch games that I was most excited about. It’s got a great old-school Saturday morning cartoon vibe to it and it’s by Wayforward. Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get used to the controls. It’s got a weird 8 point auto-shooting scheme that’s done with swipes and I was constantly jumping when I was supposed to be shooting or visa versa. It’s a shame because the game is highly polished and has a great storyline. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a control update.
Fallen Knight is a game that I really wanted to like. I love action-platformers and I love side scollers, so I was really hyping myself up on this game. Unfortunately, it’s just not that fun. It’s one of those games that are so challenging, that it ruins the experience. I found myself skipping past enemies just to make it through the level. It’s not a “bad” game. The controls all work the way they are supposed to and the visuals are nice. I just couldn’t get into the game.
I did not expect to have as much fun with Cricket Through the Ages as I did. I actually held off on playing it for weeks. The game is kind of hard to explain. It’s a physics-based game that (somewhat) revolves around Cricket, but feels nothing like a sports game. (I know nothing about Cricket.) The controls are wonky in a good way and there’s quite a bit to unlock. I found myself laughing out loud quite a few times and I was playing by myself. It’s one of those games that need to be played to be appreciated.
Super Impossible Road is one of those games that kind of went right through me. There’s just so many of these kind of games on the App Store. Sure, it’s pretty to look at and it’s great not having to deal with IAPs like in most of these style of games, but I feel like I’ve played it so many times before. I will say that if you like these kinds of games, Super Impossible Road is the best one that I’ve played and would probably warrant a higher rating. It’s super fast and had me gripping my phone to stay on track. There just wasn’t enough there to keep me playing.
I’ve had a lot of fun with Dead End Job. It’s one of the first games that I downloaded when Apple Arcade launched and I’m still playing around with it. It’s kind of a wacky Ghostbusters-style of game with a 90’s cartoons vibe. There’s tons of fart sounds and gross-out jokes that an immature adult like myself loves. My only issue is the controls. They work well enough, but feel really floaty for some reason. It’s hard to describe, but it drives me crazy when I’m playing. Regardless, it’s a really cool game with lots of polish.
UFO on Tape: First Contact is a tough one. On one hand, it’s beautiful to look at, the voice acting is well done, and I absolutely love the concept of catching UFO footage…….BUT, I’m not a fan of the controls. I understand that you’re supposed to be using your phone like a camera, but I just couldn’t get into the game with all the moving and twisting around. It’s a solid game if you don’t mind moving your phone around. I just couldn’t get past the controls.
Star Fetched is a really cool game. The visuals look like they were ripped right out of a comic book and it’s even got a charming little story to it. What I really liked was that along with the action-platforming, there’s also some light crafting and even a bit of tower defense. There’s always something different going on to keep things fresh. The controls are simple enough with taps and swipes, but I would have really liked the option of having standard virtual buttons. It’s still a great game regardless.
Battlesky Brigade: Harpooner is actually a fun little mashup of a SHMUP (shoot em’ up) and a fishing game. You’re basically shooting enemies as you’re traveling up, then once you run out of steam, you fall back to the ship, collecting coins on the way down. It’s a total grindfest, so the game definitely isn’t for everyone. It’s a lot of doing the same thing over and over, while getting a bit further every time. Still, it’s not that bad of a game.
Now, I really like Fledgling Heroes. It was one of the launch titles when Apple Arcade first came out and I still have it on my device. It’s got a ton of polish and the story is really well written. There’s several different birds to save, each with their own unique abilities and play styles. You can also change up the appearance of your birds, which I thought was a cute little addition. Honestly, the game feels like it could have been an animated movie with its cute cast of characters. Throw in a level editor, an endless mode, and even some mild racing, and you have yourself a solid title.
Oooh, Punch Planet was a game that I was really excited about when I first saw it on Apple Arcade. I’ve been waiting for a “premium” fighting game with none of the F2P mechanics that we see in most fighting games on the App Store. Unfortunately, this game just doesn’t feel finished. There’s a story in the beginning, but no real campaign. It’s just fighting the same handful of characters in the same 4 stages. Also, the on-screen controls cover half the screen. I will say that the visuals look good and I really like the overall theme of the game. It has the ability to be a really cool game, it just needs to go back in the oven for a little bit longer.
Things That Go Bump is a pretty unique game. I would have loved to see it as something other than a Battle Royale game. The visuals are absolutely beautiful, the controls work fairly well, and the premise is cool. I like how every match is so unpredictable. You never know what object you’re going to find laying around and how good or bad your combinations are going to work. It’s honestly a great little game. Unfortunately, I’m just burned out on the whole Battle Royale genre right now.
Frogger in Toy Town was another game that I downloaded when Apple Arcade first launched. I mean, come on! IT’S FROGGER! The sad thing is that with the popularity Crossy Road had a few years ago, this genre has been done to death. I will say that this game is actually pretty fun though. The visuals are absolutely beautiful and the controls work fairly well. The levels are well made with tons of objects making each play-through different from the last. It’s a shame that I didn’t appreciate this game more, but…you know. Crossy Road
Bleak Sword is a game that gets better the more you play it and understand it. It plays like a casual roguelike with some mild RPG elements to it. At first, I just couldn’t get the hang of it. I kept switching between the two control schemes thinking that was the problem. Then, I just thought that I was flat out horrible at the game. Then, things clicked (somehow) and I grew to really like it. It’s definitely worth downloading and playing through. Just be prepared to be frustrated at times.
I really liked Projection: First Light. It’s got a really good story that drew me in immediately and had me intrigued throughout most of the game. Then of course, there’s the visuals. They are absolutely beautiful with some really cool shadow work. Unfortunately, the controls weren’t that great and there were a few bugs here and there. The game has been updated since I’ve played with a lot of bug fixes. So, I may go back and try and finish it.
Marble It Up: Mayhem! ended up being a lot more fun than I originally expected. I mean, there’s not much to describe. It’s a damn marble game. We’ve played these type of games for years. I will say that the levels are pretty fun once you get past the first few easy levels, the visuals are good, and the controls are decent once you adjust them to your liking. There’s multiplayer, leaderboards, ghost races, the whole sha-bang back into the game. All in all, it’s a solid title.
Oooh boy. This one was a tough game to review. I debated between 2 and 3 stars. The game itself is kind of fun. I like playing hockey games and this one is unique because you can unlock players from all different kinds of sports. The visuals are nice and the controls work well enough. Unfortunately, I just didn’t care for the game. There’s no campaign or season, I have no clue why all these athletes are competing together in this futuristic world. It honestly feels more like a demo than a full fledged game. Hopefully more is added to it eventually.
I absolutely love Big Time Sports. I still have it on my device as I type this. It took me a little while to really appreciate the game though. At first, I just wasn’t liking it. It just felt like a random high-score chaser. After playing a few different sports, I started falling in love with the game. The controls are so intuitive and do an excellent job representing each sport. I wish there was a little more done with the leaderboards, but it does have GameCenter, so I can’t complain too much. Regardless, Frosty Pop did an excellent job with this game.
Explottens was one of those games that grew on me overtime. The first time I played it, I didn’t really care for it. There was something with the controls that I didn’t like. I ended up reinstalling the game not too long ago after noticing that it received a pretty big update and ended up really liking the game. Sure, it has some quirks and still feels like it may have originally been a F2P game, but it’s still a lot of fun.
I’ve always liked the Rayman games. Hell, I even liked the recent F2P Rayman Adventures. So, I was pretty excited when another game hit Apple Arcade. The game feels like a “premium” extension of Rayman Adventures. The visuals and landscape all remind me of the previous game without all the timers. The one thing that I didn’t like about the new version is the auto-running feature. You can’t swipe to move left or right in this game. You’re constantly running full blast and can only change directions by bumping into walls or obstacles. It adds a different element to the game, but I liked the old controls a little better personally. Regardless, it’s another solid Rayman title.
Ugh. I really hate to criticize this game because I know that I’m probably not the target audience. Unfortunately, I just didn’t have fun with it. Hogwash is a 3v1 multiplayer game where you can either play as a pig and get things as muddy as possible or as the farmer where you have to clean up the mud from the pigs. I played single player against the AI and it’s fun for a minute or two, but gets old really fast. There’s not much else to do in the game besides unlock a few outfits. It looks and controls well, but that’s about it. There’s not much substance. It’s the same map, same gameplay, same everything. Over and over and over. Like I said, I’m probably not the target audience for Hogwash.
Ballistic Baseball is another game that’s more focused on multiplayer. Of course, I played single player against the AI and it’s actually pretty fun! There’s a decent little Career Mode that was recently added where you can upgrade and even unlock new players. The gameplay is simple with a bit of depth to it and I really liked the larger-than-life players and fields. The game is far from perfect though. There’s only a handful of teams and fields, so things can get stale after a while. Also, I had issues connecting when trying to play an online match. It could have just been a bad time to play, but I tried a few times and couldn’t find a matchup. All in all, it’s a fun arcade baseball game that is probably more towards 3.5 stars.
Builder’s Journey is kind of a LEGO game for grown ups. It’s a puzzle game that tells a story as you play. The game does a great job balancing simple puzzle elements and creativity. You can kind of use your imagination with some of the levels. Unfortunately, the game is a bit short. It felt like as soon as it got going, it ended. Regardless, Builder’s Journey is a fun new direction for the LEGO franchise. I hope they do more games like this in the future.
No Way Home is still a fairly new game, but I’ve been really liking it so far. It’s got a good story with some witty writing and the hand-drawn visuals are absolutely beautiful. The game has a lot going for it. It’s got a huge procedurally generated open-world, tons of different enemies to fight, boss battles, and of course, lots of upgrading. The game isn’t perfect. With it being such a big world, there’s a lot of backtracking and it can feel like forever getting from point a, to point b. Either way, No Way Home is looking to be one of my favorite games on Apple Arcade so far.
This is one of those games that I played when Apple Arcade first launched. Unfortunately, I got stuck at a part and ended up deleting the game. A couple months later, I reinstalled it and actually gave it a fighting chance. Agent Intercept is highly polished with a full “Mission Impossible” type of story that I honestly didn’t pay a lot of attention to. I just wanted the action! Missions are fast, frantic, and change up between land and water, but can get a little monotonous. They can also be challenging and even a bit frustrating at times. Regardless, the game is a lot of fun for action fans.
It took me a few to really appreciate Jumper Jon. The fact that you die every 30 seconds actually overwhelmed me at first. But, then I figured out that that’s the beauty of it. You’re actually playing the game 30 seconds at a time. So, nothing is too far from reach. It’s a unique concept that’s backed up by cute hand-drawn visuals and charming character design. It’s a bit short with only one chapter right now, but more is on the way. Either way, Jumper Jon is definitely a game worth playing through.
I swear. Frosty Pops keeps putting a bunch of great games on Apple Arcade! Hopefully it’s doing well for them. I’m still playing Pinball Wizard from time to time. I haven’t taken it off my device since I originally downloaded it a couple months ago. It’s a fun little game with some mild RPG elements. The actual gameplay takes a bit getting used to. You figure you’re using a little man instead of a ball in a “pinball” game. So, the physics are a bit different. The game can get a little repetitive at times too. Unless you’re really good, you’ll find yourself playing the same levels over and over until you level yourself up enough to get to the next floor. So, I’ve been just playing in small chunks here and there. Pinball Wizard is still a lot of fun and one of my favorites to play on the platform.
Ahh yes. Exit the Gungeon. I think this was the very first game that I fired up once Apple Arcade launched. It’s definitely a fun game. If you liked Enter the Gungeon, you’ll dig this one. It wasn’t perfect though. It just felt like it was lacking something. There wasn’t enough content there to keep you playing. It can also be a bit tough at times. Especially playing with the touch controls. I ended up connecting my MFI controller after getting my ass kicked a couple dozen times. Having physical buttons and a joystick definitely helped out. Regardless, it’s a fun game that’s definitely worth playing……for a little while at least.
I was really excited to play this one when I saw that it was published by Devolver Digital. I usually dig everything with their name stamped on it. Painty Mob isn’t bad at all. It’s actually pretty fun, but only for a few. I ended up getting bored fairly quickly. I guess I just wish it had a bit more depth to it. Like I said, it’s not a bad game for killing a couple minutes here and there. It’s just another one of those games that went through me.
I swear! Apple Arcade should be called Frosty…Pop….Arcade? (Yea, that joke fell flat.) Anyway, Kings of the Castle is actually a really cool idea. I love the game being in first-person view too. Things can get pretty frantic when trying to get them last couple coins before time runs out. Unfortunately, it’s another game without much depth to it. I understand that it’s more of a multiplayer/family game, so it’s all about beating each other’s times. As for single player, I did a handful of runs in both areas and felt like I’ve seen it all. It would have been cool seeing a full fledged platformer like this. But, if you like speedruns or multiplayer games, this one is pretty unique.
Shinsekai: Into the Depths was a game that I was really looking forward to after seeing the trailer for the first time. The game plays kind of like an underwater metroidvania. It’s a lot of slow paced crawling through caves and hitting switches. Shinsekai took me awhile before it eventually grew on me. I wasn’t a big fan of the controls at first. It turned out to be a really good game with some mild exploration and upgrading. The map could’ve been a little better and the visuals were beautiful, but nothing like the trailer I first saw. I played on the iPhone 11 and everything looked so blurry and watered down. (pun totally intended)
Loud House: Outta Control is one of Apple Arcade’s newest games at the moment. I jumped on this one right away due to me having two young kids and being forced to watch Nickelodeon non-stop. The game plays like the old “air traffic controller” games. You’re basically drawing paths from point to point and keeping the characters from colliding with each other. There’s lots of fanfare with characters and collectibles from the show. It’s a fun little game for Loud House fans. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of depth to it.
Don’t Bug Me is yet another game by the team at Frosty Pops. This one was one of the launch games for Apple Arcade and is still easily one of my favorites on the new platform. It’s a cool mashup of tower defense and resource management with a pinch of first-person shooting. Everything about the game is unique. From the visuals, to the gameplay. My only real issues are that it’s a bit on the short side (luckily an endless mode was recently added) and the lack of some sort of manual. I felt like I spent a lot of time confused with trying to remember colors, figuring out which weapon works best, etc. Regardless, this is a great game.
I went into Pac-Man Party Royale not expecting a whole lot and I’m glad I kept those expectations low. Now, I will say that the idea or concept of Party Royale is cool and the visuals are nice. I liked how you and 4 other players/bots went against each other and once each of you die, you become one of the ghosts in the game. Unfortunately, everything else was executed poorly. It’s the same thing over and over. There’s no progression of any kind. Now, I understand that it’s a “party game”, so I’m not knocking it for not having a story or mission mode. But, there’s not even multiplayer! And even if you wanted to create or join a party, you need to enter a 6 digit code. The game just doesn’t feel finished to me.
I honestly didn’t think that I was going to like Sneaky Sasquatch as much as I did/do. I thought it was going to be a level based game where you sneak around stealing food. Yea, sneaking is part of the game, but there’s so much more. You can play golf, go fishing, there’s quirky physics based games and a bunch more. RAC7 Games did an excellent job with somehow making a casual Sasquatch simulator. There’s been all sorts of stuff added since the initial launch, so I constantly find myself going back to it time and again. The controls can be a bit wonky here and there, but nothing that I would ding it for. Games like Sneaky Sasquatch is what makes Apple Arcade worth having.
Crossy Road Castle is still fairly new on Apple Arcade, but I’ve played enough of it to know what it’s all about. It’s actually a pretty fun platformer! I like how the levels are all randomly generated, making each play through completely different. There’s some cool ideas in there too. Unfortunately, there’s just not a lot else going on for single player. It’s almost better as a party game right now. CRC also has some weird F2P-ish mechanics which is confusing for an Apple Arcade game. Crossy Road Castle is a fun little game, but there just isn’t enough to keep me playing longer than a handful of times. For now at least.
Sheesh. Monomals is a tough one to rate. It’s a really unique platformer with a ton of polish, but I just couldn’t get into it. There’s a lot of things going on in this game and maybe that’s why I wasn’t enjoying myself? The “MonoMaker” was something I enjoyed more than the game itself. I like how you could use your own music in the game too. Unfortunately, that alone couldn’t keep me playing. It’s not a bad game at all and probably doesn’t deserve the 3-star rating. But I just found myself getting bored and just wanting to create music.
I know that Roundguard is still fairly new to Apple Arcade, but I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit lately. It’s a cool little dungeon crawler with bouncy pinball physics. Those who have played Peggle before will know exactly how this game plays. My only real issue is the permadeath/roguelike elements. I wish you could carry more over after dying, but all you can do is hope to collect enough gold to gain a trinket. Regardless, Roundguard is still a great game. The characters are charming and there’s a ton of stuff to collect. It’s definitely something worth checking out.
I honestly wasn’t expecting to like Spyder as much as I did. I loved the whole “British Spy” story that went along with it. I will say that the camera can be a bit wonky and disorienting at times. There were quite a few times that I felt like I was fighting the camera while trying to complete a mission/puzzle. It never ruined the experience for me, but it was enough to annoy me at times. The game is also a bit on the short side, but with so many games on Apple Arcade, it’s nice to actually finish a story and get another game off my device. Respectfully of course.
I know that Towers of Everland just recently released on Apple Arcade, but I’ve been playing quite a bit of this game already. I absolutely love that this is an old-school dungeon crawler with current gen 3D visuals. There’s quite a bit of depth to the game too. Way more than I expected. There’s tons of weapons and gear to find, attributes, upgrades, etc. My only issue is that even though the game looks beautiful, some of the areas can feel a bit lifeless. You spend most of your time staring at the map in the corner, so it doesn’t really matter. Regardless. I’ve been having a lot of fun with this game. The combat is fun and there’s tons to do. Towers of Everland is a great addition to Apple Arcade.
I honestly wasn’t expecting to like Lifeslide as much as I do. I’ve played plenty of paper airplane style games on the App Store, so I cast this one aside for awhile. Luckily, I decided to finally download it. Lifeslide is exactly what it looks like in the screenshots. It’s an endless flyer where you control a paper airplane. But, Block Zero did a fantastic job with making it feel……different. I can’t really put my finger on exactly what it is that makes the game so much fun. I’m guessing it’s just a culmination of everything. The beautiful visuals, the relaxing soundtrack, and the fact that you can upgrade your plane are things that come to mind at the moment. It’s definitely a game that I could easily recommend to anyone.
I think I’ve said it before, but just in case I haven’t, I absolutely love Spongebob Squarepants. I could watch the show everyday all day for the rest of my life and be a happy man. So, I was pretty excited when Spongebob: Patty Pursuit made its way to Apple Arcade! It’s a really fun auto-runner that gives off a bit of a Rayman vibe once in a while. The visuals are absolutely beautiful and there’s quite a bit of replay value. Fans of the show will appreciate all the fanfare and little touches in the game. Things like the original cast doing the voiceovers was a cool touch. I will say that the levels can get a little repetitive, but it’s still an impressive title.
Congrats to all the developers and their teams that released a game on Apple Arcade!
NOEN (@hashtagNOEN)
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