10 hidden gems on Apple Arcade –

While Microsoft and Xbox have kept a firm stranglehold on the subscription service for PC and console games, it’s a different story on mobile. Currently there are not many ways to get value for money with mobile gaming, but Apple does offer a solution with the Apple Arcade service, a subscription service that is still supported and thriving since it began years ago. If you pay for Apple One to get access to Apple TV+, Apple Music, more iCloud storage and the like, you really should check out the Arcade suite included, as there are some great titles available as part of the service.

While you can pick up Angry Birds, Stardew Valley, NBA 2K24, Cut the Rope, Octodad, Human Fall Flat, Shovel Knight Dig, Dead Cells, Cooking Mama, Disney Dreamlight Valley and a host of other established games, Apple Arcade also serves up a range of lesser-known titles. We’ve picked 10 that you should download and check out.

Pattern

Sometimes you just want to take a break and chill. If you need a minute or two and just want to relax, Patterned is the game for you. It is a super simple concept, where you essentially solve endless jigsaw puzzles on top of jigsaw puzzles, but these are not your standard children’s paintings, they are beautiful, colorful and vivid scenes that impress. The idea and concept of Patterend may be simple, but you will have a lot of fun with this game, that’s for sure.

Mutazione

It’s a real shame because this game comes from Die Gute Fabrik, an indie developer that recently announced its intentions to stop developing new games and eventually leave the company. Mutazione is another easy game to pick up and enjoy, one in which you fall in love with the striking visuals and level design and become immersed in the stories of the various peculiar characters you meet during the adventure. It is described as a mutant soap opera, so you are sure to get entertaining drama with this game and that is what Mutazione has massively.

SongPop Party

We all think we are musical gurus who know more about songs and artists than we do about each other. Why not put that to the test? SongPop Party is a party game in which a group of friends can test their musical prowess through a series of trivia questions and quizzes, all using established and well-known music from your favorite artists and creators.

Really bad chess+

Chess is a challenging game at the best of times, but it becomes even more chaotic and difficult when your pieces are randomly selected and placed on the board you have in front of you. That’s what Really Bad Chess is about. It’s chess without the rigidity, and it’s crazier, sillier and a lot of fun trying to prove you’re a master of the game when the familiar and iconic ruleset is thrown out the window. Eat your heart out Anya Taylor-Joy.

• For those curious, the + symbol on certain game titles implies that this is the Apple Arcade version of a game, a version in which microtransactions and additional purchase options have been removed.

Game Dev Story+

Making a game is an incredibly challenging task, one that most people will never understand or get a taste of in their lifetime. Game Dev Story at least gives you a very basic look at some of the pitfalls and difficulties behind running a developer, as it asks you to start with very little money to your name and eventually grow into a financially successful studio capable of making hit game after hit game. Trust us, it’s really not an easy task.

Gibbon: Beyond the trees

There are quite a few adventure games that seek to explore and deepen the ongoing environmental crisis affecting our planet. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is another that fits this bill, with this game in which players lead a Gibbon through the treetops and the dangerous urban landscapes showing how terrible the natural world has become for many of the creatures that call it home. It is a harrowing story, but also a very creative and beautiful one, ideal for cell phone gamers.

Stitch

Puzzle games on mobile fit like two peas in a pod. If you enjoyed Patterned, you will no doubt fall head over heels for Stitch, a puzzle game in which players must select the right number of blocks to paint and sew together on a general puzzle to create an eye-catching image. It’s another easy-to-understand concept, but it’s very satisfying to play and you can lose hours playing the colorful puzzles.

Castle Crumble

Angry Birds really invented the 2D structure destruction theme on mobile, but Castle Crumble is a much better 3D alternative. Using different bombs and tools, the goal is to blast strongholds to smithereens to conquer different kingdoms. This game even features a complex physics engine that makes smashing castles to pieces all the more exciting and thrilling.

TMNT shattered fate

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are more popular than they have ever been. To capitalize on this fame, the TMNT Splintered Fate game allows a group of players to team up and take to the streets of New York City to fight the Foot Clan and ultimately free a captured Splinter from the grip of Shredder. With roguelike elements that require players to adapt and repeat missions, this game is ideal for those looking for hack n’ slash-style action.

Wheat Sweeper

Minesweeper but in the form of popcorn. Enough said. But seriously, this is pretty much what Cornsweeper is. You have to determine which areas are safe and which are deadly to complete and overcome each puzzle. Unlike regular Minesweeper, this game doesn’t have some of the subtleties that make each puzzle easier, such as marking where “bomb” tiles should be, which means you have to use your brain a bit more, but this doesn’t change the fact that Cornsweeper is a great puzzle game to keep you busy during a morning commute, for example.

These are just some of the many great games on Apple Arcade right now. If you have lesser-known favorite games that you think should get more love, share it in the comments below for fellow readers to check out.