Best Apple Arcade Games So Far: Hot Lava, Oceanhorn 2, Where Cards Fall, and More

Apple Arcade has arrived for iOS 13 beta participants, and will soon land for the masses along with its full launch on September 19. Fortunately, we managed to gain early access to it and have hungrily devoured its contents. We …

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Apple Arcade has arrived for iOS 13 beta participants, and will soon land for the masses along with its full launch on September 19. Fortunately, we managed to gain early access to it and have hungrily devoured its contents.

We struggled to know where to begin though. Much like Netflix you’re totally spoilt for choice even at launch, with a wealth of awesome games to choose from. To help you, we’ve put together a list of our favourite games so far.

Best Apple Arcade Games So Far:

Assemble

Assemble is brought to you by ustwo, makers of Monument Valley, so you know it’s going to be good. It plays like a story book with interactive puzzles that feel ripped right out of The Room. Good stuff.

Card of Darkness

Card of Darkness is sort of a fresh spin of Solitaire. It plays like a roguelike in a similar manner to Meteorfall and Card Crawl, with amazing animations by hardened mobile developer Zach Gage.

Cat Quest 2

Cat Quest 2 is the excellent sequel to the original RPG that draws inspiration from the likes of Zelda and Final Fantasy, and it’s exclusive to Apple Arcade.

Dead End Job

Dead End Job is basically Ghostbusters the video game. You play as some strange alien-like creature that has to battle and suck up ghosts like a hoover, earning cash along the way.

Exit the Gungeon

Exit the Gungeon is a sequel to the insanely awesome roguelike, and it’s absolutely solid. The animations are slick and it looks as incredible as it plays, which is basically a 2D version of the original.

Hot Lava

Hot Lava is our personal pick of the bunch so far, which came as quite a surprise. It’s like a video game version of that childhood game where you have to jump across furniture without touching the floor. It’s also kind of an MMO, as other players jump around with you. Awesome stuff.

Lifeslide

Lifeslide makes good use of the gyroscope. You play as a paper airplane and have to collect a variety of resources in serene landscapes.

Mini Motorways

Mini Motorways is a brand new puzzler by the makers of Mini Metro, and it’s equally as great. You have to create roads between various different warehouses.

Mutazione

Mutazione is a slick point and click adventure that takes place in a supernatural small-town city. You play as Kai, who visits the eponymous city to care for her ill grandfather.

Oceanhorn 2

Oceanhorn 2 is the enormous sequel to the original. While the original Oceanhorn provided a modern take on classic Zelda, Oceanhorn 2 aims to provide a modern Zelda experience you can take with you.

Overland

Overland is a post-apocalyptic strategy adventure that challenges you to simply survive in this tough new world full of aliens to battle.

Rayman Mini

Rayman Mini harkens back to the original Rayman adventures on mobile, Rayman Jungle Run and Rayman Fiesta Run. This is yet another auto runner that provides short, tight platforming levels to tackle.

Sayonara Wild Hearts

Sayonara Wild Hearts is an endless runner with a musical twist. You’ll skate across various different tracks, collecting pick-ups along the way.

Shantae and the Seven Sirens

Shantae is back with a brand new adventure that’s exclusive to Apple Arcade. It’s the metroidvania platformer as you know and love it.

Sneaky Sasquatch

Sneaky Sasquatch is a silly stealth game that challenges you to mess with a bunch of campers as a sasquatch, stealing their stuff and messing with their vehicles.

Spaceland

Spaceland is like Fire Emblem and XCOM: a decent turn-based strategy game on mobile. This one has a solid sci-fi twist, with you battling through space-themed environments.

Spek

Spek is a minimalist puzzler that challenges you to collect items on a variety of different shapes by twisting them to create paths. It’s difficult to explain but a whole lot of fun to play.

Spelldrifter

This list wouldn’t be complete without a card battler, and fortunately we have an awesome one in Spelldrifter. This one actually plays like an XCOM-style turn-based strategy game in which you perform actions by playing cards.

Tangle Tower

Tangle Tower is a highly polished murder mystery adventure that challenges you to explore an unsettling mansion, interrogate suspects, and seek clues to help you solve the crime.

The Enchanted World

The Enchanted World is an adventure puzzler by prolific mobile developer Noodlecake. You have to help guide a young fairy as they solve a bunch of environmental puzzles.

The Pinball Wizard

The Pinball Wizard mixes pinball and RPG mechanics together to create something totally unique. You’ll flick a wizard around a bunch of arenas, taking enemies out along the way.

Various Daylife

Various Daylife was a big surprise when it was announced along with the Apple Arcade launch date. It’s a brand new JRPG by the makers of Octopath Traveler over at Square Enix.

Where Cards Fall

Where Cards Fall is one of two games by Alto’s Adventure developer Snowman to launch along with Apple Arcade.

Head of Editorial
Glen has over a decade's worth of experience in gaming journalism, writing for Pocket Gamer, Pocket Tactics, Nintendo Life, and Gfinity. When he's not badgering everyone about the dangers of passive text, you can probably find him playing Wild Rift.