Techzle looks back at Apple Arcade in 2020, featuring the seven best Apple Arcade games released this year.
The Best Apple Arcade Games 2020
Apple Arcade had a strong start in 2019. Apple immediately had a wealth of games available that you could all play without in-app purchases and ads. The quality was impressive. In our Apple Arcade review we wrote: “If you like to play games on your smartphone, then you simply cannot miss Apple Arcade. The games are too good and playing without in-app purchases and ads is a breath of fresh air.”
At the time, we wrote in our review that Apple Arcade is only interesting in the long term, if Apple regularly adds high-quality new games. Eight months later, we had to conclude in our review update that this was disappointing.
If you follow our monthly lists of the best iOS games, you may have noticed the period after that. More and more Apple Arcade games appeared in those lists. Although the frequency of new games has hardly changed, you can expect three to four new games every month and more and more often there are real toppers in between.
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1. The Last Campfire
Of all the Apple Arcade games we’ve played in the past year (and we’ve played them all), we look back to The Last Campfire with the warmest feelings. The makers of the gigantic game No Man’s Sky have shown with The Last Campfire that they can also make something beautiful with something small.
You play as a creature in a strange world from which he must escape. You do this by solving puzzles, both in the environment and more traditional flat puzzles. What follows is a beautiful adventure, which manages to maintain the balance between touching and challenging.
The Last Campfire is not a complex game and can even feel a bit simple. So if you are looking for a solid challenge, you should be elsewhere. But the game is warm, smart and memorable. A game to snuggle in like a warm blanket and just enjoy yourself.
2. Creaks
Gamemaker Amanita Design is the king of the interesting little worlds. It’s no different with puzzle platformer Creaks. The world you discover is hidden under your house. To progress you must avoid dangers and solve puzzles.
You encounter enemies, but you have no weapons to attack them. With your cleverness (and some lights) you can make sure you don’t become a victim. With Amanita’s indispensable drawing style and very clever puzzles, this is a game that grabs you. Creaks constantly stimulates to go further.
3. Reigns Beyond
When the game Reigns combined the swiping of Tinder with Game of Thrones, it turned out to be a top concept. Now we are a few games further and the idea is still a recipe for hours of fun. This time in a completely new setting, where you have to survive in a spaceship with your crew.
Swipe decisions left or right and try to get as far as possible. It’s also fun that your crew is a band and you also have to play a guitar in a minigame every now and then.
4. South of the Circle
South of the Circle is played for the excellent story and writing. You control a character who goes looking for help after a plane crash in the cold Antarctica, but in the meantime you also relive his memories of his great love. In terms of gameplay, the game doesn’t offer much, but that’s not what you play this for. You play this to be completely carried away for several hours.
5. Crossy Road Castle
The characters from Crossy Road have been successfully transferred to a completely different game. With a lot of different levels, colorful design and nice gameplay that keeps you coming back again and again, this is one of the best Apple Arcade games of the year. The multiplayer in particular is very chaotic and hilarious.
6. A Monster’s Expedition
A Monster’s Expedition is a puzzle game with a simple idea: you have to push the log to the water to get to the other side. But the game constantly challenges you, because you just have to look at the puzzles in a different way. It’s super handy that if you don’t remember, you just go the other way. The game also has a wonderfully cheerful style and fun humor.
7. A Fold Apart
Two lovers try to maintain their relationship from a distance, but it’s harder than they think. This story is told through puzzles, in which you have to fold the world to bring the two back together.
A Fold Apart thus offers smart puzzles and a beautiful story, which are inextricably linked. A nice detail is that players choose at the start which genders the two lovers have. That makes this game extra personal.
More games
We will also keep a close eye on Apple Arcade in 2021. Check out our monthly game lists for tips, and also read our overview of the 20 best Apple Arcade games you can play right now. Also take a look at the overview of the best iOS games of 2020.