Apple Arcade

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The Story Behind 'Frenzic', a Puzzle Game That Launched in 2007

Andrew Orr ·

Frenzic is a puzzle game from The Iconfactory that launched on Mac OS X in 2007, and came to the iPhone in 2008. Back in July, the team told its story. The original game has been discontinued but a remake called Frenzic: Overtime is now on Apple Arcade.

Our first prototype used a “sweet solution” with Safari’s web technologies. While it was an excellent way to test out game interactions and to get us even more excited about the iPhone, it just wasn’t enough to do the game justice. In retrospect, it is pretty sweet that you can still play Frenzic 1.0 in a web browser.

New Roleplaying Game ‘Baldo’ Available on Apple Arcade
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New Roleplaying Game 'Baldo' Available on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Journey through a magical land teeming with mysteries to unravel. Baldo: the Guardian Owls is full of challenging puzzles to solve and intricate dungeons to explore. Traverse this captivating open world as Baldo, and meet a host of quirky and unforgettable characters, as you struggle to decipher the cryptic prophecy, and thwart destiny. From delightful whimsy to thrilling adventure, discover new towns and their distinctive inhabitants, fight ferocious foes, locate hidden temples, and collect objects both magical and mundane to obtain powerful new weapons, or to help unveil the myriad secrets of this strange land.

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Smash Hit Asphalt 8: Airborne Racing to Apple Arcade

Jeff Butts ·

Apple Arcade might have been launched to help new and exclusive games, but Cupertino has been adding some really hot titles to the subscription gaming service. On August 27, 2021, you’ll be able to download the popular racing game Asphalt 8: Airborne through Apple Arcade. Sure, the franchise is up to Asphalt 9, but this version won’t tempt you with in-app purchases.

One interesting aspect of having Asphalt 8 available on Apple Arcade is the change in the gameplay model. Current Asphalt games (including Asphalt 8) are free-to-play, meaning that anyone can download them without paying, but the game offers multiple items that can only be obtained through in-app purchases.

 

Scrabble-Like Game ‘wurdweb’ Now Available on Apple Arcade
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Scrabble-Like Game ‘wurdweb’ Now Available on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Apple Arcade players who love puzzles should check out the new game wurdweb. Grab words from a list and cross them with words on the board. Puzzle your way towards a Finish Tile, put down enough words, or put down as many
words as you can. In this game, you’ll find: Infinite unique puzzles, generated by an intelligent algorithm; Tangle Mode, where you pick up extra words to put down 15 words; Precise Mode, where puzzles have a single solution; Daily, Weekly and Monthly Mode, where you put down as many words as you can. On top of that, you’ll also find; 20+ word themes, some of which are rather…peculiar; Plenty of puzzle variations to challenge how you play; Cute little characters who walk around in your puzzles doing absolutely nothing. Play with controllers compatible with your device.

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Two Years of Apple Arcade

Charlotte Henry ·

Apple Arcade is fast approaching its second birthday. AppleInsider has a nice overview of where the gaming service sits in the marketplace, how it’s changed, and what some of its hits are.

There are multiple competing viewpoints around how to address gaming on mobile devices like iPhone and iPad. Microsoft, Amazon, and Google have all moved in the exact opposite direction of Apple Arcade by offering console-quality titles on mobile. These companies use game streaming as a distribution method rather than on-device downloads. This ensures games will work the same regardless of device performance. Only Netflix seems to be taking the mobile-first route in its gaming service. It plans on launching mobile games that subscribers can play as long as they have an active Netflix subscription. So far, the fledgling streaming services appear to have captured a particular market of gamers. However, Apple Arcade and its mobile-first platform have a much broader market appeal, lower entry price, and a constantly growing library. Apple’s approach also accounts for those who don’t have high-bandwidth internet at their disposal. Rather than needing the internet to play games, Apple Arcade games can be downloaded all at once and played offline.

‘Doodle God Universe’ is Out on Apple Arcade
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‘Doodle God Universe’ is Out on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Fans of Doodle God, rejoice! The newest game in the series, Doodle God Universe, is now available on Apple Arcade. In this addictive puzzle & world building game mix and match different combinations of elements to create an entire universe. As you create each new element, watch your 3D planet come alive in amazing animation. But beware, the power of creation may have unintended consequences, inventing the wheel might just trigger a zombie plague or a powerful volcano,

Basketball Game ‘Ultimate Rivals: The Court’ Now on Apple Arcade
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Basketball Game 'Ultimate Rivals: The Court' Now on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Get ready for the ultimate arcade action basketball game featuring sports athletes from the NHL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL Players Association, and US women’s soccer national team players. Players will create powerhouse squads consisting of their favorite pros to compete with their friends and family in 3-on-3 games with tons of above-the-rim acrobatics. With more than 130 superstars from across the sports world, players have access to a dream roster of top athletes, but they’ll have to choose wisely to combine the pros’ playing styles and maximize their impact on the court. Set in a digital world in the near future, Ultimate Rivals: The Court is the first basketball experience to gives fans the ability to play as their favorite athletes wherever and however they choose, with pros such as NBA’s Luka Doncic, De’Aaron Fox, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, and legendary athletes like Larry Bird, Julius Erving and Shaquille O’Neal; WNBA’s Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Elena Delle Donne and Skylar Diggins-Smith; USWNT’s Alex Morgan; NFL’s Juju Smith-Schuster; NHL’s Alex Ovechkin and legend Wayne Gretzky.

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How Apple Arcade Shows an OS Merger Isn’t Wise

Andrew Orr ·

Alex Blake of Digital Trends writes how the nature of Apple Arcade shows the pitfalls of merging iOS and macOS.

You see, Apple Arcade is a showcase for all that’s wrong with taking two very different operating systems and mashing them together into a mixed-up medley where no one wins. Because developers have to make games that work on the tiniest iPhone and the largest iMac, they are forced into compromises that weaken the games on both platforms.

I see his point and I think I agree with him. No one wins except maybe the lowest common denominator. Maybe the more powerful M1 chip would change that, but probably not. iPadOS apps haven’t yet taken full advantage of the chip, as one example.

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HomePod mini, Arcade, and Waiting for M-Processor Macs, with Bob LeVitus - ACM 542

Bryan Chaffin · · Add Comment

Bryan Chaffin and Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus have both spent time with the HomePod mini, and they offer their thoughts on what it sounds like, where it’s useful, and who should consider it. They also talk about the value of Apple’s Arcade, especially now that it’s part of Apple One. They also talk about the power of Apple’s new M1 Macs, and discuss if people should buy Intel Macs at all any more.

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How John Evelyn Created ‘The College Atlas’ Game for Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

Developer John Evelyn created a hand-drawn, first-person shooting game for Apple Arcade called The College Atlas. In this interview he shares his story.

In broadly creative terms, and on a more positive note, there is a dizzyingly big market out there and the last 20 years have seen a huge diversification in terms of what kinds of games players will engage with. In decades gone by, I think I would have been laughed off the face of the Earth for my extremely low-poly approach – not to mention lack of scores or traditional narrative structure – but not now.

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‘Alba: A Wildlife Adventure’ Launches December 11 on Apple Arcade

Andrew Orr ·

From the BAFTA-Award winning studio behind Monument Valley and Assemble with Care comes something entirely new. Join Alba as she visits her grandparents on a Mediterranean island. She is ready for a peaceful summer of wildlife exploration with her friend Ines, but when she sees an animal in danger, she realises she needs to do something about it. This is truly a Mediterranean paradise if you ignore all the litter! From the idyllic beaches to the ancient castle overlooking the town a whole island is ready to be explored. With Ines and your grandfather – who is a total bird nerd – by your side, you can start the movement to save the island. Maybe even the world after that. | Apple Arcade

‘Reigns: Beyond’ Joins Apple Arcade Today
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‘Reigns: Beyond’ Joins Apple Arcade Today

Andrew Orr ·

The latest game in the Reigns series called Reigns: Beyond joins Apple Arcade on Friday. As an intergalactic indie rockband, plot your rise to stardom, traveling from planet to planet and gig to gig on your quest for fame and fortune. Play local (and not-so-local) clubs throughout the galaxy, recruiting alien band members along the way, and rock out across the cosmos!  But make sure you’re managing your ship’s resources and keeping your crew in check while on this stellar tour because one wrong decision may leave you dead in space.