Apple Arcade is a handpicked selection of games that can be recreated on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV. Subscribers have unrestricted access to premium titles without commercials or in-app purchases for a few monthly dollars. Say goodbye to purchasing more gems to proceed to the next level.
The service has been around for a few years, but if you’re wondering whether It can satisfy your mobile gaming needs, here is the place to go.
How to Get and Use Apple Arcade
Unlock the App Store app and select the Arcade symbol (it looks like a joystick) to sign up for Apple Arcade. Try It Free will give you one free month to study it out before you have to pay (you get three free months with the purchase of a new Apple device).
Although It is compatible with the Mac and Apple TV, certain games will only work on an iPhone or iPad. (To play games across devices, enable iCloud synchronization.) Find games under the App Store app’s Arcade area; the Apple TV has its app.
How to Play Apple Arcade Games Offline
Once you’ve subscribed to Apple Arcade, you may download 200+ compatible games just as you would any other app on an Apple device. Games may be downloaded to the Macs Applications folder and accessible via Launchpad. Once installed, games may be played even when there is no internet connection, making Apple Arcade a great alternative for traveling.
How Much Does Apple Arcade Cost?
The cost of Apple Arcade may vary depending on how you get it. It costs $4.99 per month to subscribe to the service directly. Apple Arcade is also available in an Apple One subscription package to get the most out of your money.
Individual plans for Apple One start at $16.95 per month, including Apple Arcade, more iCloud storage, Apple TV+, and Apple Music. The Family plan, which costs $22.95 a month, expands storage and lets you share services with up to five people in your Apple Family. The Premier tier adds even more storage, Fitness+, and News+, to the bundle for $32.95 a month.
Whether or not you subscribe to the Apple One Family plan, it automatically includes the option to share games with your Apple Family. If you need to play games with family members, you may be able to save money by directly subscribing to Apple Arcade or signing up for the Apple One Individual plan.
If you or another family member purchases Apple Arcade or the Apple One package, you may share the subscription with up to five people. To give other people access to the service, go to the Apple ID settings on your device and enable Family Sharing.
You may then issue invitations to contacts or establish accounts with extra security and monitoring capabilities for youngsters. Then, you can choose which services, such as Apple Arcade, are shared across members using Family Sharing. Check out our Family Sharing Guide for additional details.
How to Connect Controllers to Apple Arcade
Games may be played only with your smartphone, so games with touch controls or input from a touchpad or remote will work. If you see a game controller symbol on a game’s website, you can play it with a gamepad. Some Apple TV games will demand the usage of a controller.
The good news is that you already have a compatible controller. Apple Arcade works with Sony’s DualShock 4 and DualSense controllers, Microsoft‘s Xbox Wireless Controller, Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, and Xbox Adaptive Controllers, as well as any MFi-compatible game controller.
To connect a wireless controller, first put it into Bluetooth pairing mode (the method varies depending on the controller) and then find it in the Bluetooth settings menu on your Apple device. It should connect when you choose it from the list of available devices.
What Games Can I Play on Apple Arcade?
It now contains over 200 games, with new titles added and withdrawn every week. Exit the Gungeon, Sayonara Wild Hearts, Grindstone, and Shinsekai: Into the Depths are among the top Apple Arcade games. Apple introduced 20 new games on the service in May 2023 alone, including TMNT Splintered Fate and What the Car?
Apple Arcade also has some of the finest iPhone and iPad games, including Dead Cells, Getting Over It, Limbo, Monument Valley 2, and fan classics like Cut the Rope Remastered, Subway Surfers Tag, and Temple Run.
As an extra plus, Apple does not instantly restrict access when a game quits the service. Unlike Xbox Game Pass, you will have at least two weeks to play an Apple Arcade game if you download it before it is removed from the service.
Games may be downloaded from the Arcade area of the App Store without having to enter a password or authenticate with Face ID each time. All the games on the service also integrate Apple’s Screen Time feature, allowing game ratings and time limits to be applied.
Certain games have been changed to exclude microtransactions since Arcade games do not allow advertising or in-app purchases. NBA 2K and NBA 2K23 Arcade Edition, for example, are both accessible on the App Store. In-app purchases are available in NBA 2K but not in the Arcade Edition.
How to Cancel Apple Arcade
If It isn’t for you or your family, you can cancel it from your Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, or Windows PC. Although the specific methods may vary depending on your device, you can cancel Arcade (or any subscription) via the App Store or the Settings page. Visit our guide on how to cancel an Apple subscription for more information. You can access your last game data if you choose to re-subscribe later. However, Apple does warn that certain data may be destroyed after a specific period.
