Apple Arcade is a big and beautiful trap



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Think about Apple Arcade as the ultimate walled garden: no advertising, no troublesome gaming, just immersive, beautiful iOS games with inventive gaming styles and intuitive controls.

I had the chance to play with some Apple Arcade titles before it was launched on September 20th. And while I was skeptical when I first heard about Arcade, it seems like it's worth paying $ 4.99 a month.

The only problem? Once you are locked in this walled garden, you will not want to leave.

In appearance, Apple Arcade does not seem so impressive. In addition to Pac-Man, Sonic, Lego and perhaps Rayman, its initial catalog does not count many known names, which will exceed 100 games in the coming weeks.

Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

But then I started playing Spek, a puzzle game that bends the mind and body and that is to collect fragments by literally changing the shape of the puzzle when you move yourself and your iPhone. And that's only the AR mode of this difficult title.

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Spek on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

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Spek on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

If you're looking for something cool, Skate City should be on your playlist. This game releases warm colors from the Californian sun and it's easy to do all sorts of things, from ollies to mills. But it is also easy to fall, so this one will take some practice.

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Skate City on Apple Arcade

Skate City on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

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Skate City on Apple Arcade

Skate City on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

The weirdest of Apple Arcade games is by far – in the best sense – Sayonara Wild Hearts of Annapurna. This musical adventure has a very refined visual style, and you will easily go from motorcycles to swordplay at a very fast speed of 300 km / h.

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Sayonara Wild Hearts on Apple Arcade

Sayonara Wild Hearts on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

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Sayonara Wild Hearts on Apple Arcade

Sayonara Wild Hearts on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

This is a title that looks even better on Apple TV, especially since four players can join the action at the same time.

MORE: Apple's Show Time Event: Apple TV Plus, Apple Arcade, Apple Card, etc.

And that's an important point. All Apple Arcade titles will be playable on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Macsso you can play on your Apple device of your choice. And thanks to new Apple software updates, you can even use your PS4 or Xbox One controller.

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Shinsekai In The Depths on Apple Arcade

Shinsekai In The Depths on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

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Shinsekai In The Depths on Apple Arcade

Shinsekai In The Depths on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

If you like action and exploration, Capcom's Shinsekai Into the Depths will captivate you. The developers have recorded sounds under the water, making the aquascape incredibly realistic. However, I found the joystick controls harder than those on the touch screen because I had the heck of time to shoot at one of the sea creatures while pushing.

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Where cards fall on Apple Arcade

Where cards fall on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

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Overland on Apple Arcade

Overland on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

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Super Impossible Road on Apple Arcade

Super Impossible Road on Apple Arcade

(Image credit: Apple)

Are you a Monument Valley fan like me Where Cards Fall brings the new generation puzzles to the next level. You can literally turn cards into buildings so that your protagonist can follow the paths you build.

Some titles, such as Overland, did not appeal to me. This postapocalyptic survival game seemed too slow, but I'm not a fan of turn-based games either.

And then there were other games that proved too difficult. They do not call it Super Impossible Road for nothing. This fast racing game with roller coaster tracks makes it extremely difficult to keep on track, but you can get back on the track when you fall (if you have enough talent).

MORE: Best iOS 2019 Games

This is just a taste of what to expect from Apple Arcade, as many other games are about to arrive.

My delivery up to now? This is a big and beautiful trap. And that's because some Apple Arcade games are only available through the subscription service, such as Ballistic Baseball from Gameloft, Sneaky Sasquatch from RAC7 and Cards of Darkness from Zach Gage. You can not get these titles a la carte via the App Store, and I'm sure there will be more.

And it's likely that if you only take a few exclusive Arcade titles, you'll probably want to keep playing – and paying.

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